Destinies Divided, Part One

 Destinies Divided

A Legend of Zelda and Star Wars fanfiction

By Trixie Lavender

One thousand years have passed since the final battle against Ganondorf. Fearing the powers of darkness, Link sacrificed himself to destroy Ganondorf. However, he did so in vain; before his destruction, Ganondorf corrupted the Master Sword. The Sword of Evil's Bane is now a sword of darkness.

Two hundred years ago, the Sith crash landed on the planet Earth. Lacking the materials to escape the planet, they are but a shadow of what they once were. Within the past few years, the Sith activity has increased.

When shadows fall upon the land, a Hero will rise…

Part One

The Master Sword

Chapter One

Rider had his head in the clouds. This wasn’t the life he wanted. He and his friends Will and Chad had worked hard to become skilled swordsmen. They wanted to be heroes, but that didn’t work out. Chad left after a heated argument with Will. Will left searching for some weird magic. He hadn’t heard from either in years. Everything went downhill after that. No one needed a swordsman, and he wasn’t about to be a cashier at the supermarket. His only option was his current job: feeding the animals at Lon Lon Farm. It wasn’t that great, but it paid enough and he was outside most of the time.

    He had just finished feeding the cows and pigs, and had to feed the horses next. He noticed that one horse was currently being ridden. The rider was a blond man in a green shirt. Rider had never seen this man before, yet he was clearly a pro. He was riding at top speed, able to jump over the barriers around the field with ease. Rider could barely keep up a trot without feeling like he was going to fall off. Even the regulars didn’t have this man’s skills.

    “Rider!”  a voice called to him. 

Rider turned to the sound of the voice. Talon, the owner of the farm, was standing in front of him, and he didn't look happy. “A chicken’s missing,” Talon said. “The horses can wait. I need you to find that chicken before it wanders too far from the farm.”

    Rider didn’t have time to lose. The farm was next to the Southern Forest, which had many strange creatures. If the chicken went too close to the forest, one of these creatures could find it, or worse, enter the farm. He ran to the chicken coop as fast as he could in the hope of finding something to indicate where the chicken had gone. Sure enough, he saw small tracks heading toward the forest...

Peace is a lie, There is only passion.

Through passion, I gain strength.

Through strength, I gain power.

Through power, I gain victory.

Through victory my chains are broken.

The Force shall free me.

Darth Kreik was motionless as he meditated in his dimly lit apartment, contemplating the true meaning of the Code of the Sith. There was little in the way of furniture. He had a bed, a desk with a laptop, and a large bookshelf filled with Sith tomes and Hyrule history. He had just finished reading an old scroll brought to Hyrule by his predecessors hundreds of years ago. It lacked details, but had brief descriptions of the ancient Sith Revan, Bane, and Sidious, among others. All very powerful Dark Lords. He was nothing to them. Unfortunately, ever since the events that trapped them on this planet, the Sith in general were nothing to them. Where did things go so wrong? What could Kreik do to turn things around? Could he do so with his master, or would he need to do so as the master? The Force would show him the answer in due time. All he could do was trust it. 

"There you are," Rider said when he finally found the chicken. It was fortunately in a part of the forest that was owned by the farm as a camping area. The chicken was eating some of the crumbs left by the last campers there. Sneaking up on it, Rider prepared to grab it. He bent down and moved quickly toward it, just as his foot hit a rock. He tripped, falling to the ground and scaring the chicken away.

"Aw man," Rider said. "This is the third one this summer. I'm going to be fired for sure." Rider stood up and brushed himself off. "Now where did it go?" Rider looked around and saw the man from earlier looking at him, holding the chicken!

"Looking for this?" the stranger asked, handing Rider the chicken.

"Yes!" Rider exclaimed. "How did you catch it so quickly?"

"I've had some experience catching chickens," the stranger replied, eyeing over Rider. "So you're a farmer are you?"

"More like a farmer in training. As you can see, I'm not very good at it.

"Maybe that's because it's not your destiny. Would you like to come with me?"

"Come with you?" Rider asked very confused. What was this guy talking about? "Who are you?"

"You can call me..." The stranger hesitated. "Chrono."

"Chrono? Weird name," Rider muttered to himself.

"Come," Chrono ordered. "We have much to discuss."

I guess it won't hurt to hear him out, Rider thought. "What about my job? I can't just leave. My shift doesn't end for another five hours."

"Don't worry about it," Chrono assured. "I'll take care of it. They won't even know you're gone. Could be fun doing farm work again."

"Right," Rider said. "Let me put this chicken away and I’ll be right back."

Darth Kreik continued his meditation. There had to be some way of turning things around. He could start by killing his master, but how? His master may have been weak, but Kreik was weaker. If he were to kill his master now, he wouldn’t be able to learn more and only end up continuing the Sith’s descent. Maybe he could find an apprentice first? Maybe, but then his master could simply abandon Kreik in favor of his apprentice.

Beep

Kreik turned to his laptop. He received an email from his master. "Now that's interesting," he said reading the email. It was short and vague, asking Kreik to acquire an ancient Hylian relic. Perhaps this is what I’ve been waiting for.

Rider returned to the campsite to find Chrono waiting for him. He had stopped by Talon’s house on the way back to grab two cans of soda and a bag of crackers. “Before we start, would you like a drink?” he asked as he sat down on a bench across from Chrono.

"Yes," Chrono said. "Do you have any tea or butterbeer?"

Who drinks tea these days? Rider thought. And what the heck is 'butterbeer'? "Soda," Rider answered.

"Excellent!"

Okay then, Rider thought as he handed one of the sodas to Chrono. "Here you are." Rider opened his can and took a sip. Chrono did the same.

Without warning, Chrono quickly spat out the soda into the fire pit in front of him. "What are you trying to do?" he exclaimed. "Poison me?"

"Uh, no," Rider answered confused. Has this guy never had soda before? "It's just soda. Plain old drink." Rider took another sip of his drink. "So good," he muttered, mostly to himself.

"Right..." Chrono said. "I think it's time we discuss business. A great evil has arisen here."

Rider was skeptical. "What kind of evil?"

"Have you ever heard of The Master Sword?"

"Of course," Rider answered confused. That doesn't really answer my question. "It's the most powerful sword ever. It's not real, though."

"Indeed it is," Chrono corrected. "And I need your help to find it for me.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Rider scoffed. “You need me to find the Master Sword?”

“That’s right.”

“You’re joking, right? Why should I find it? Why don't you?”

“A fair question,” Chrono replied. There was a pause as Rider waited for an answer that never came.

“Well?” Rider asked. “There’s no way I’m leaving my job to find something that probably doesn’t exist.”

“It exists,” Chrono replied. “I know precisely where it is, but I can’t get it.”

“Why not?” Rider asked annoyed.

    Chrono was hesitant. “I believe it’s corrupted,” he said after a brief pause. “I need someone… unaligned to get it.”

    “Unaligned?” Rider asked. “I’m not the only person in Kakariko who is ‘unaligned.’ Why not find someone with more time on their hands?”

    “Do you know how hard it is to find someone outside of the police with any sword training at all?”

    “Now I need to use it?” Rider stood up to leave. “I’m sorry, I can’t help you. If you really need someone with sword training, maybe Will or Chad can help. I have too much work to do.”

    “Rider, wait!” Chrono called.

    Rider looked at Chrono confused. “I never told you my name.”

    “I can’t tell you everything, but I can tell you I’ve been looking for you for some time. Your friends can’t help me, only you can.”

Kreik was beyond frustrated. He had just spent the last three hours reading through scrolls and history books. What little information of the Master Sword he could find was only mentioned as myth and legend. Kreik threw the book he had to the side with a growl. If the Master Sword was real, he wouldn’t find it in a book. He would need to trust in the Force. Without a word, Kreik got up, attached his lightsaber to his belt, and left. He had no idea where he was going, nor did he really care. If the sword was real, he would find it.

"As I said, I believe the Master Sword is corrupted," Chrono said. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out some items. "This will purify it." He handed Rider one of the items.

Rider took the item. "A flashlight?" he said with a skeptical look.

"Not just a flashlight." Chrono answered. "It took me years to perfect it. Simply shine it on the Master Sword, and it should purify instantly."

"Should?" Rider asked.

"Well, I wasn't able to use it on the Master Sword myself..." Chrono answered. "If it doesn't work, evil has already won."

"Lovely," Rider muttered.

"This," Chrono said, handing Rider a second item. "Is called the Concealment Stone. It will prevent people from finding you unless you want them to."

"Really?" Rider asked, eyeing it over. It was a small black stone. Easily mistaken for a marble, if not for the attached silver.

"I've tested this one," Chrono assured. "It even works on technology and magic."

Rider continued to look over the strange stone. He couldn’t think of any use for it. Nothin legal, anyway. Still, he had no doubt such an item would be invaluable.

"Finally," Chrono said, handing Rider a piece of paper. "These are the coordinates for a safe place where you can hide the Master Sword. It's encrypted in case someone finds it, but you'll be fine."

Rider looked over the note. I'll be fine? He thought. This was beyond encrypted. It was complete gibberish. None of it made any sense! Wait... There was a pattern. Maybe he would be fine.

Now then," Chrono said. "This is a dangerous mission. You'll learn many things about yourself and the people you meet. Some friends, some enemies. As much as I need your help, I cannot force you. Are you in or out?"

Rider hesitated. This guy was clearly nuts, and he'd be crazy to follow him. Yet something told him Chrono was speaking the truth. Rider had his answer. "I'm in."

"Good," Chrono replied. "Go to the North Forest and find the Master Sword."

Kreik’s search brought him to a forest. It felt strange. Not that this was a bad thing. The forest was strong with the Dark Side. Kreik was surprised that he wasn’t aware of this forest sooner. He wondered if his Master knew, but doubted it. He felt the presence of many animals in the area. Several birds, a few squirrels, and even a deku scrub eyeing him from a distance. He didn’t care. At least, he didn’t until the scrub hid itself. It didn’t know Kreik was fully aware of it, so what was it hiding from? Kreik felt a disturbance. 

Kreik took a step to his left as a giant club came crashing down where he was just standing. A moblin had spotted him and decided to attack. Its presence was hidden by the Dark Side energy in the forest, but it was not being stealthy, and was no match for Kreik. Kreik turned to it and lifted his hand, palm out. The moblin flew back and crashed into a tree. A flock of birds flew off in all directions.

“I don’t have time for you,” Kreik muttered. He put his hand into a fist. If he wanted to enjoy the kill, he would have caused the moblin to choke to death. Instead, he used the Force to crush the creature’s throat. Even if it survived, it wouldn’t live long, and certainly wouldn’t be an annoyance any longer. Kreik continued his search for the sword, using the force to sense any other creatures that might try to delay him.

"Let's see," Rider said as he stepped over a branch. He had been in the forest for at least an hour, maybe longer. At least it felt that long. The sun was still high in the sky when he entered, so maybe it had only been a few minutes. He didn’t have a watch, so he wasn’t sure. It had only taken half an hour to drive to the edge of the forest, and his car was too big to go in. 

"If I just... Wait... Have I been here before?" Everything looked the same. He didn't see any footprints in the dirt, so maybe he hadn't? "Why did I say yes?" he asked himself, regretting his decision.

If getting lost was enough for him to feel regret, the large creature in front of him would be enough for him to run back and call it quits. The bipedal creature was brown with a long pig-like snout, and a long horn extending from its forehead. It didn’t look particularly smart, but it was clearly strong. It held a large club in its right hand. The creature was using its large snout to smell the area. It turned to Rider and stared at him. Rider froze in fear. He quickly dropped down and put his arms over his head as the creature charged him! Sevel second passed, but nothing happened. The creature had passed him in its charge, going after something behind him. Rider breathed a sigh of relief and continued his search.

Ride had wandered aimlessly for another ten minutes until a reflection of light caught his eye. "Is that it?" He went up to it and instantly recognized it. "The Master Sword!" He exclaimed. It wasn't at all what he expected. Instead of blue and gold, it was black and red. Nothing at all what a valiant hero would use. He wrapped his hand around the hilt as he felt heat. The blade burned as he grabbed it, and was forced to let go.

"Ow!" Rider cried in pain. It wasn't supposed to do that, was it? "Wait, Chrono said it was corrupted." He reached into his pocket to get the flashlight Chrono gave him. Before he could shine it on the sword, he heard footsteps coming in his direction!

"What was that?" Rider said. He quickly got up and went behind a tree. "Someone else is here! I knew I got too wrapped into this! What was Chrono thinking bringing me into this? I'm no hero, I'm just a farm boy."

Maybe that's because it's not your destiny. Chrono's words echoed in his mind.

"Destiny? I don't have a destiny." He pulled out the Concealment Stone. "Hope this thing works."

It hadn’t been long since Kreik’s encounter with the moblin. It had been an annoyance, but a necessary one. After killing the dumb creature, Kreik had the urge to go in the direction it came from. This decision proved to be the right choice, as he found what he was looking for! The Master Sword was a sight to behold, if Kreik cared about such nonsense. Kreik grabbed the hilt and pulled the blade out of the ground. The Master Sword had a perfect weight and length, almost identical to his lightsaber. Unlike his lightsaber, the blade radiated Dark Side energy.

    “Seems a waste to give this to my Master,” Kreik said, giving the sword a few swings. “Perhaps I should use it on him instead. Still, I can’t go into public with this without giving myself away. Powerful but useless…”

Rider listened closely to the newcomer. He couldn't quite make out what he was saying, but there was something about him....

"Wait a second," he said. "I know that voice. That's... That's Will! What's he doing here?" Will was one of Rider’s closest friends. He had left in search of powerful magic, and was never heard from since. Did he find his magic? Is that how he found the Master Sword? Was he able to hold it? Rider had too many questions about his old friend, and there was only one way to get any answers. Coming out of his hiding place, he saw Will. He was wearing all black with a cloak covering his face, and he was holding the Master Sword!

"Stop it, Will!" He called as he slowly walked up to his friend. "You have no idea the power you're trying to harness!" He hadn’t even been able to touch the sword, and yet Will was holding it. That wasn’t a good sign.

“Rider…” Will said in response. “It’s been awhile. I certainly wasn’t expecting to see you here of all people. How did you find it?”

“Give me the sword, Will,” Rider demanded, ignoring Will’s question.

“And why should I?” Will countered. “I doubt you can make use of it. You also didn’t answer my question: how did you find it?”

Rider didn’t answer. How would he? Tell Will that some random guy told him where to find it. That was less believable than any lie he could come up with. “Give me the sword,” he repeated.

“Is that all you can say?” Will asked. “We haven’t seen each other in years and all you can do is order me around? Don’t let your emotions get the better of you.”

Will was right on that part. It wouldn’t do to get angry. The Master Sword was corrupted, and Rider couldn’t touch it. Rider took out the flashlight Chrono had given him from his pocket. “How are you able to hold it?” he asked after a brief pause.

“Now there’s a real question,” Will replied. “You remember why I left, right?”

“You wanted some kind of magic. Magic that doesn’t exist.”

“Oh it exists. And I found it. I found someone to train me in its use. I can even sense that you possess this rare gift.”

“What are you saying?” Rider asked, too shocked to answer the unasked question Will gave.

“You have the Force, but cannot touch the Master Sword,” Will explained. “Join me, Rider, and this is just one thing you can do.”

It was certainly a tempting offer. Will radiated power, and there was no denying it. Will was holding the sword, and had been for some time now. Did it not hurt him? Or was he simply strong enough to endure the pain? Rider considered the offer. How much easier would his life be? What would his “Force” even enable him to do? Will’s offer was very tempting. Tempting, but… no. He couldn’t. The Master Sword, the Sword of Evil’s Bane, was corrupted, a weapon of pure evil, and his friend was holding it! There was only one answer Rider could consciously give.

“No, Will,” Rider said with conviction. “There’s no way any good can come from the sword like that.” Rider waved his hand, indicating the Master Sword, then added mostly to himself, “only evil.”

Will sighed in disappointment. “You would have made a great apprentice. If you won’t join, you leave me with no options.” 

Without warning, Will lifted the Master Sword and swung at Rider. Rider barely had time to move out of the way. Somehow he had seen the attack coming before it happened. Rider couldn’t question how, as a second attack came at him. Rider ducked to avoid the attack, and saw a level of annoyance in Will’s face. He wasn’t putting effort into his attacks, and it showed. Rider knew his friend wouldn’t hold back for long, and he was right. Will moved the Master Sword to his left hand and grabbed something from his belt. It looked almost like a flashlight, but Will was holding it like a sword. Suddenly, a red beam came out with a crack and extended to the same length as the Master Sword. Will had practiced dual wielding during their sword training as teenagers to some level of success. Rider didn’t want to find out how much better Will had gotten, but he was about to find out.

Rider didn’t have any weapons on him, but he instinctively reached for one anyway. He pulled out the flashlight Chrono had given to him. Rider didn’t have time to think. He pointed the flashlight at the Master Sword and turned it on.

As the light glowed in the direction of the sword, its color began to change. It was slow at first, but quickly turned from black to almost blue gray. Will cried in pain. He dropped both swords, causing the red blade of his beam sword to vanish, and grabbed his left hand. Clearly it had burned him more than it did Rider.

Rider didn't have time to hesitate. He grabbed the sword and started running. He could figure out where to hide it later. Now he just needed to get away.

Chapter Two

Rider finally stopped running. "Okay," he said, catching his breath. "I think I lost him." He pulled out the paper Chrono gave him. "Let's see if I can figure this out..." He quickly recognized the pattern in the gibberish he saw early. Instead of reading left to right, it read bottom to top. Not too hard.

Kreik ignited his lightsaber and roared in anger. He threw the lightsaber as the crimson blade spun, slicing several trees in its path before returning to him.

"How could this have happened?" he asked himself as he caught his lightsaber. "He wasn't there, no one was! I would have sensed him. Rider has the Force, but doesn't know how to use it. There's no one to teach him. How could he do this?"

Kreik swung his lightsaber at a large tree. It wasn't enough to make it fall over, but the tree would inevitably die. He watched a squirrel flee to some nearby bushes. Was it me? He gripped his lightsaber tight as he extinguished the blade. "Mark my words, Rider. It won't happen again."

It couldn’t happen again because Kreik wasn’t finished trying to persuade Rider to join him. Kreik may have been defeated, but it only showed how powerful Rider could be if he was trained. Kreik had trained with Rider and their friend Chad as swordsmen during their youth. Rider was very skilled, and it wouldn’t take him long to adjust to using a lightsaber. Rider was the perfect apprentice.

Rider did his best to navigate the forest while he read the hidden message. "Turn right," he read aloud. "And make a sharp left at the dead tree." He looked up. Sure enough, there was a dead tree. He made a sharp turn left and continued reading. "At the bottom of the hill, turn on to North Ontario Street? Pick up my dry cleaning?" This couldn't be right. It was making sense until now. "At the end of the bridge, make a loopty loo. Your destination is at the top." None of this made any sense. Was there a hidden message in the hidden message? "Sure hope so. I don't even see a hill--aaaahhhh!"

Taking a wrong step, Rider tripped over a fallen branch and fell down a small slope. "Ow," he said, dusting himself off as he stood. A few things had fallen out of his pockets. "Let's not lose these." He picked up his wallet and the flashlight. "Back to you." He started to look at the paper again. "Maybe..." He noticed something shiny on the ground. "Definitely don't want to lose you." It was the Concealment Stone.

He picked up the small stone and held it for a moment. Was he seeing things or was it glowing? It was faint, but definitely glowing. He looked at it more closely, but couldn't see why it was glowing. "I'll need to ask Chrono about this when I get back." He looked at the paper again. "If I get back."

Wait a second, the paper looked a bit different. He looked at the paper more closely. There were faint words he couldn't see before! He looked at the Concealment Stone again. It was glowing a bit brighter. He held the stone up to the paper, and it began to glow even brighter! Soon, it was so bright, Rider had to close his eyes. 

The light faded and Rider opened his eyes. "Whoa," he said as he saw a completely different message on the paper.

Rider,

Thank you for retrieving the Master Sword, and congratulations on finding this note. On the other side of this paper, you'll find a map. The map will guide you to a hidden location of what was once a sacred temple. Though nothing remains, its holy energy still surrounds it. The Master Sword can charge its energy there without anyone finding it. Return home when you finish.

Thank you again, Rider.

Chrono

Rider turned the paper around. Sure enough there was a map. A very odd map that showed not only his destination, but his current position too! "Amazing," he said. "This makes things a lot easier."

Kreik knelt before his Master, Darth Kaan. Kaan had named himself after the founder of the Brotherhood of Darkness, during the time of Darth Bane. He believed that, while Lord Kaan was foolish for thinking the Sith could be equals in the Brotherhood, he should be recognized for his brilliance at attempting to stop the fighting between Sith, and almost destroying the Jedi. Kreik didn’t agree with this, and believed it showed how foolish his Master truly was. The act of naming oneself after another was an act of honor. Honor was for the living. Once more, Lord Kaan wasn’t renowned for anything special. He was just a footnote in the story of Darth Bane.

    His Master had a small apartment located on the other side of Kakariko as Kreik’s. While Kreik kept his apartment empty, save for the things he needed, his Master surrounded himself in unnecessary pleasure. He had several book shelves full of various works of fiction, and his walls displayed fine works of art. Whether his Master enjoyed such nonsense or if it was merely a ruse in the off chance someone came to visit Kreik didn’t know, nor did he really care. Kreik didn’t like it. He didn’t like Kaan.

"I'm sorry, Master," Kreik said. “I have failed.”

"A minor set back," the dark figure said. "I take it you found the sword. You would not be foolish enough to come to me otherwise. Tell me, Kreik, how did you fail?"

"I'm not sure," Kreik replied. "Someone else was there. I was unable to sense him."

"A Jedi?" Kreik's master asked.

"I don't believe so. He did not wield a lightsaber.”

"And yet you were defeated? Perhaps I was wrong to take you as my apprentice? What happened?

The only one wrong about taking an apprentice was your master, Kreik thought. “He waited until I had the sword,  then he purified it."

"Interesting. A Sith would not be able to hold it. I imagine that was quite painful."

"After I dropped it, he took off with it. I lost him in the forest and couldn't sense him."

"Any idea who he is?"

"No, Master," Kreik lied. Just my new apprentice, if all goes well.

"Unfortunate," his master said. "Find the Master Sword again, but don't retrieve it. We may need to plan an attack." He turned to his computer. "I'll see if I can find any information on our new friend."

Old friend, Kreik corrected in his mind. "Yes, my Master," he said as he got up to leave. Don't worry, you won't find anything.

Rider arrived back at his apartment, not far from Lon Lon Farm, as the sun started to set. He was exhausted. After finding the hidden map, it had only taken him a few minutes to find  where it led. There had been a field of different colored flowers surrounding a single rock. The rock had a small slit in it that was the exact size for the Master Sword’s blade to fit. Rider had placed it and noticed the sword begin to gain more color. It had been gray when he retrieved it from Will, and slowly changed to blue. He didn’t want to stay longer than he needed, and checked the map to see if it would be able to help him leave. Sure enough, it led him directly to where he parked his car, and was able to drive back within an hour. He was ready for bed.

    He approached the door and paused. He wasn’t sure why. He turned around to see Talon, the owner of the farm, behind him with a very unhappy look.

    “Where the blazes have you been?” Talon demanded.

    “I’ve been doing some work for someone,” was all Rider could manage to say to his boss.

    “For two days?” Talon asked. “I don’t mind if you want to take some time off, but for goodness sake, boy, you need to tell me.”

He had been gone for two day? It had felt like it hadn’t been more than a few hours, but that would explain why he was so tired. 

“It’s hard enough to keep up with everything even with help,” Talon continued. “Can’t tell you how surprised I was this morning when someone else was feeding the chickens this morning instead of you. I almost called the guards. Nearly gave Malon a heart attack, too!”

“I’m very sorry,” Rider apologized. “I didn’t think I’d be gone so long.”

“Yeah, well,” Talon started. “If you don’t show up tomorrow, I think this new guy will make for a pretty good replacement.”

“I’ll be there bright and early,” Rider assured. Not that he had much choice. He couldn’t afford to lose his job, and finding a new one wouldn’t be easy. Even if he did find a new job, it would most likely be worse than the farm. “I promise.”

“Hope so,” said Talon. “It would be a shame to lose you.” Talon turned to leave, but quickly turned back. “Go ahead and sleep in a bit. You look like you could use it.”

Rider arrived at the farm early, despite what Talon told him the night before. The light of the sun was barely visible behind Death Mountain, yet Rider still showed up. Talon and his daughter, Malon, would normally be getting up now, and Rider wouldn’t be coming in for another hour or two, but he wanted to talk with Chrono and make up for his two day absence.

Rider went back to the campground where he had originally spoken with Chrono. He wasn't expecting to find him there, and was surprised to see he had set up camp. He had a small, green one man tent set up, and was currently cooking something over the fire in a cooking pot.

Chrono turned to his unexpected guest. “Rider!” He exclaimed, but was quiet enough to not be heard by any other campers, should there be any. “I'm making some mushroom skewers. Would you like one?”

”No, thanks,” Rider answered politely. “I'm not hungry.” In truth, Rider wasn't particularly fond of mushrooms. Though he was hungry and the mushrooms smelled surprisingly good. Maybe Chrono knew how to make mushrooms actually taste good. Rider didn't want to take that chance.

”Suit yourself,” Chrono replied, as he stuck a stick into the pot and pulled out several mushrooms. He sat down on the bench by the fire, and gestured to the bench across from him, inviting Rider to do the same. After Rider sat down, Chrono asked, “How'd it go?” He then took a bite of his mushroom skewer.

”It was going well at first,” Rider began. He then explained everything that happened with Will.

”I had hoped you'd get there before them…” Chrono said. “The Sith,” he continued, noticing Rider's confusion. “In my search for you, I also kept track of anything that could be threatening to us. The Sith are the greatest threat. I'm not sure where they're from; they just showed up. They use magic that feels familiar, albeit evil, but I can't say I've seen it before.”

”The 'Force’?” Rider asked, remembering what Will had said.

”I believe that's what they call it, yes,” Chrono confirmed. “I've also heard them refer to it as the 'Dark Side’. I assume there's a 'Light Side’ to this 'Force’, but I've never heard any reference to it.”

Rider still had so many questions about Will, but wasn't sure what to ask, or even if Chrono knew. “What about that red sword he used?”

”They call it a 'lightsaber’,” Chrono answered. “Some kind of energy weapon, able to cut through almost anything. Similar to ancient Sheikah weapons if I'm not mistaken. But good luck finding one in general, never mind one that still works.”

“Well,” Rider said. “It's a good thing the Master Sword is safe. Now I can relax and we can both get back to our lives.” Rider got up to leave, ready to put this strange event behind him.

"Is that really what you want?" Chrono asked. "I know you don't like your job. Wouldn't you prefer the life of adventure?"

What kind of question was that? It was true that a few years ago he, Will, and Chad all wanted to use their skills and explore Hyrule. If all went well, they would likely be doing that now. But all hadn't gone well. Now Rider's only choice was to simply work on the farm and live. Still, the opportunity to follow his childhood dream was tempting.

"Besides," Chrono continued. "I can't defeat the Sith on my own."

”What do you expect me to do?” Rider countered, sitting back on the bench. “Even if I had the ability to fight them…”

”You're worried about your friend?” Chrono asked, more stating a fact than asking a question.

”He tried to kill me.”

”From what you told me, I don't think he really did. I think he felt he had to because that's what his Master would have wanted. I think he still cares about you.”

”Let's assume that's true. What am I supposed to do?”

“Well,” Chrono began. “Until the Master Sword regains its power, which could take a few days…” He paused for a minute. “You could challenge him.”

Rider stared at Chrono. “What about that sword that can cut through anything? How am I supposed to deal with that? I still don't see why you can't do this yourself. You know more than I do.”

Chrono sighed. “I can't. If I could tell you why, I would. You just have to trust me.”

”You're not making this easy.”

”I know,” Chrono said, looking at the ground. “You have the Concealment Stone. If he overpowers you, run and hide. He'll never find you, unless you want him to.”

Unless I want him to? Rider thought. That would mean he could fight Will on his own terms, when and where he wanted. “Fine,” he said after a minute. “First thing tomorrow morning, I will fight him.” Rider got back up to leave, then turned back to Chrono. “But I'm doing this for him,” he said, and then muttered to himself, “I want my friend back.”

Chapter Three

Darth Kreik thrust his lightsaber through a bokoblin’s wooden shield, piercing its heart. Kreik was attempting to locate the Master Sword as Darth Kaan had instructed. He wasn’t looking because his Master wanted him to, but because he wanted to find Rider. Finding the sword was merely a bonus. Kreik had known Rider worked at Lon Lon Farm for some time. The Force had kept him fully aware of Rider’s location, despite the fact that Kreik didn’t care, until now. Now that he wanted to find his old friend, Rider seemed to have simply vanished. Now Kreik had to search for Rider the hard way. His search brought him back to the Northern Forest near Kakariko, only to be ambushed by a small bokoblin tribe.   

The bokoblin tribe thought they were ambushing Kreik, but the Sith Lord not only knew they were there, but welcomed the attack. He used the opportunity to hone his skills. Not that these pitiful creatures were any match for him, especially in such low numbers. The real threat was not the bokoblins, but where their weapons might fly off to if he were to cut them with his lightsaber. He wasn’t worried, of course. There were four of them left, and he could have killed them all within seconds if he wanted to. Intead, he was toying with them, allowing their suffering to fuel his Dark Side energy. 

One of the four bokoblin was on a platform stretched over two trees, firing arrows at Kreik. It was a terrible marksman, and had almost hit Kreik only twice. He hadn’t even needed to use the force to dodge or deflect them. The rest weren’t even close. Kreik didn’t know how anything could be that bad of a shot, but it didn’t matter; it would be dead soon enough. Finally, after ten minutes of toying with the poor creatures, the archer got a direct hit on Kreik. Using the Force, Kreik could see the arrow before the bokoblin fired it. He held out a hand toward one that was attempting to hit him with its wooden blade and picked it up with the Force. The bokoblin flew in front of the incoming arrow. Despite the direct attack, it had been the bokoblin, not Kreik, that was killed.

Kreik was now growing tired. He swung his lightsaber at one of the remaining bokoblin, decapitating it. At the same time, he held his left hand in a fist toward the other, choking it. After both were dead, he turned his attention to the archer. Kreik held out his hand as four bolts of lightning came out of his fingertips and instantly enveloped the bokoblin in Dark Side energy. The creature screamed in pain, but its cries were short lived. The lightning faded and the bokoblin fell off the platform and onto the ground dead.

Kreik was pleased with his massacre. In training, he had only been able to produce a single bolt of Force Lightning. Now that he had a real target, he had unleashed one bolt from each finger. Many Sith Lords were able to unleash a storm, or so his scrolls had implied. He had a long way to go to catch up with them, but he was satisfied with the progress he was making. He wasn’t able to celebrate for long. He could feel a familiar presence. Rider was close by.

Rider had found an open field in the middle of the forest. He wanted room to fight, but also close to the forest so he could hide if necessary. Chrono hadn’t said how the Concealment Stone worked, only that no one could find him unless he wanted them to. Before, he wanted to remain hidden while in the forest. Now, he wanted Will to find him. At least, that’s what he told himself. In truth, he was not ready to confront his friend. Rider assumed that if he challenged Will, his friend would give him a fair fight. Of course, there was always a chance Will would simply use his lightsaber and kill him within seconds.

    Last time Rider entered the forest, he was defenseless, aside from the power of the Concealment Stone. This time, he brought with him a sword he had purchased from a wandering trader. The trader had called it the “Serpent’s Eye” because of the snake design of the hilt. The crossguard of the sword consisted of two snake heads on either end, each with a small emerald where the eyes would be. In certain lighting, the emeralds actually appeared to be eyes, but this was nothing more than a trick of the light. He had purchased it for the good price of only fifty rupees. Normally a sword of this quality would go for well over two hundred. Rider was naturally suspicious with the low price, but the sword looked nice, which was all he cared about at the time. Now that he was being forced to use it, he regretted not getting a more expensive blade. Still, this one was sharp and had a good weight to it. It would have to do.

    Rider looked forward to seeing a familiar figure standing just a few feet away in a black cloak. Rider was scared, but he had to hide it. He had to win this fight, preferably without killing his friend. “Will…”

It didn’t take long for Kreik to find Rider. He had encountered another group of bokoblin as well as a moblin. He slaughtered them all within seconds. In fact, he couldn’t even recall the encounter. He had no idea if it was a small group, if there were any archers, more than one moblin, or even if any survived. It didn’t matter. What mattered was finding Rider before he mysteriously vanished again. When he found Rider, it looked as if his old friend was trying to mentally prepare for the upcoming fight. Clearly, he was not ready. This was not surprising. Kreik had the Force and a lightsaber. Either one of these ensured his victory. Rider had only what looked like a display sword, not meant for combat. Unfortunately, it didn’t appear that the Master Sword was nearby. A pity, but not really a problem.

    Rider looked up from his trance. His mental preparation looked like it worked, but Kreik could sense that it hadn’t. “Will…”

    “Will is dead,” Kreik corrected. He hadn’t used the name “Will” in over two years. “It’s Kreik now. Darth Kreik.” He emphasized his title of Dark Lord. 

    “If that’s the case,” Rider said unsheathing his sword. “Then you leave me no choice.”

    “You have no chance to beat me with that,” Kreik taunted. He had no interest in killing Rider. Not yet. If he could defeat Rider, he might be able to turn his friend to the Dark Side. If he couldn’t, Rider would have to die. “Fortunately, I’m prepared to fight you without my lightsaber.” Kreik unclipped his lightsaber from his belt and tossed it to the side. Rider would be more confident and fight harder if there was a chance to win. He then unsheathed a short sword that was hidden under his cloak.

    “That sword!” Rider said in surprise.

    “Recognize it?” Kreik said. “You should. After all, you gave it to me.” Five years ago, Rider had given him the sword as a birthday present. There wasn’t anything special about the sword, except for the small amethyst in the center of the crossguard. He would have abandoned it with the rest of his possessions from his past life, but the short sword was still useful. It was small enough he could hide it under his cloak, light enough to not hinder him, and could be easily used if he was ever in a situation where he couldn’t use his lightsaber.

    “I didn’t give it to you!” Rider refuted. “I gave it to my friend, Will!”

    The arrogance! Face to face with a Sith Lord and Rider dared to use that name, after being corrected. “That name means nothing to me now!” Kreik lunged at Rider. The short sword was useful, but its length gave Rider just enough time to block the attack. Rider wouldn’t be lucky on the next attack, but Kreik had to hold back, otherwise he would end up killing his new apprentice.

The attack came too quickly for Rider to react, yet he did. Somehow he was able to see the attack before it happened and was able to block it. He didn’t think he’d be able to continue, but he didn’t have a choice. He had to get through to Will. If he couldn’t, he may need to kill his best friend. 

    Will’s attacks came quickly and from different angles. He had no idea how he was able to deflect each one, but he wouldn’t be able to be on defense forever. His longer blade gave him the advantage, but Will was the better swordsman. Rider broke off from the battle to catch his breath. He was exhausted from working so hard to block each hit. Will, on the other hand, had barely broken a sweat. Without thinking, Rider changed his tactic and charged at Will. Now on the offensive, it was he who was unleashing devastating strikes. Wil had more skill, but Rider was stronger, and had the longer sword. Will’s short blade was not designed for defense, and Will was now struggling to parry Rider’s attacks.

    Rider wasn’t sure what was happening. He was attacking Will with greater speed and power than he thought he was capable. It was as if something was in control of his body, guiding his attacks. Whatever was happening, he was winning.

Kreik was now on the defensive, a position he wasn’t prepared to be in. He preferred Ataru, the fourth form of lightsaber combat. Despite being created for use with a lightsaber, Kreik was able to adapt it will with his short sword. Now that he was on defense, he was using Soresu, the third form. He hadn’t practiced as much with Soresu as he had Ataru, and he wasn’t able to adapt it to a different weapon. Additionally, his short sword didn’t give him the reach needed to successfully parry Rider’s attacks. If not for his Force training, he would already be defeated.

    Unwilling to accept defeat, Kreik called on the Force to strengthen him. Through strength, I gain power, he recited in his mind. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken. As if on cue, Kreik broke from his defense and hit Rider’s wrist with the crossguard of his sword. If he was using his lightsaber, Rider’s hand would have cut off. Rider cried in pain. Though it wasn’t strong enough to do any real damage, it was enough for Rider to drop his sword, and back up to a safe distance.

    “Join me, Rider,” Kreik began. “And you will have the strength to defeat any opponent. You will be unstoppable.”

    “I’ll never join you!” Rider exclaimed, holding his injured wrist.

    Kreik’s response was quick. He held out his hand and a single bolt of Dark Side lightning leapt at Rider. Rider screamed in agony and fell to his knees. Kreik ended the attack. He needed Rider as his apprentice. Rider was strong in the Force, and could easily surpass Kreik if given proper training. Rider would be able to make the Sith stronger. “Think of the power, Rider. Through power, your chains will be broken. You will be free.”

    Rider’s breathing was quick and heavy, and he was struggling to stay upright. “You’re power,” he said, taking a break to catch his breath. “Is evil.”

    “Perhaps you are a lost cause,” Kreik said, mostly to himself. “You would have been an excellent apprentice, but you choose to be weak.” Kreik held out his hand to where he tossed his lightsaber before the battle, and it flew to his hand. Kreik ignited his lightsaber, ready to end Rider’s life. “No,” he said, extinguishing the blade. “Not yet. I may still have need of you. Assuming you survive.” Kreik walked away in the direction of Kakariko, allowing Rider to slip into unconsciousness..

Chapter Four

Rider was cold and wet. When he woke up, he quickly noticed he was covered in snow. How long was I out? he wondered. The answer could wait. He needed to warm up before hypothermia took over. His fingers and toes were numb from the cold. He pushed himself up as fast as he could, eager to get out of the snow. In his haste, he hit his head on what felt like a tree branch. “Ah!” he heard someone cry from behind, and then heard something fall in the snow. Turning around, he saw a young woman in a blue dress and a large, pointed hat. Beside was what appeared to be a broom. Why anyone would be in the middle of a forest in the weather with a broom was beyond him.

    “What the heck was that?” the woman asked herself, brushing the snow off her dress. She turned to Rider and gasps in surprise. She pulled out a small stick from the pocket of her dress and pointed it at Rider. “Who are you?” she demanded. “Where did you come from?” She eyed him up and down for a bit, leaving the stick pointed at him. “Wait…” She lowered her arm. “Don’t you work at the farm?”

    Something clicked in Rider’s head. This woman was a regular at the farm. He had never interacted with her before, but he had seen her coming in from time to time to buy various produce and dairy products. She was even friends with Malon, the owner’s daughter. Rider could barely nod because of the cold. 

    “Oh dear,” the woman said, lifting the stick again and pointing it at Rider. “Thermos!”

    Suddenly, Rider was dry and relatively warm. He had no idea what had just happened, but was very thankful. His clothes were more suited for summer than winter, so he was still cold. On the other hand, he could now feel his fingers. “Thank you,” he said. “For whatever you just did.”

    “A simple spell,” she said, ignoring his thanks, putting her stick back in her pocket. “Now tell me, what is a farmer doing out here?

    I could ask you the same thing, he thought, but instead answered, “I was meeting someone here.” Not telling the truth, but not lying either. “Didn’t go so well. Guess I’ve been out for a few months…”

    The woman looked at Rider confused. “I saw you at the farm the other day. Unless I was seeing things, or your twin works there, too, I don’t see how that would be possible.” She brought her hand to her forehead. “Of course. You’re referring to the snow. I don’t think anyone can explain that. It started snowing a few hours ago. In the middle of summer…”

    It’s still summer? Rider thought. How long was out?

    “That’s why I’m here,” the woman continued. “Syrup sent me to investigate.”

    “Syrup?” Syrup was the most renowned witch in Hyrule. She ran a potion shop on the edge of Kakariko. Rider had heard her potions actually worked, unlike other potion makers. Even with the rumors, Rider had never been there. “So you’re a witch?”

    The woman stared at Rider. “The magic and hat didn’t give it away? The name’s Maple.”

    “Rider,” he told her his name and held out a hand. Maple ignored it. “So, any idea why it’s snowing?”

    “Not a clue. It’s been snowing more in the forest than the city, but that’s all I’ve gathered so far. Not really helpful, though.”

Kreik knelt before Kaan. “Master,” he said, bowing his head.

    “Kreik?” Kaan was not expecting to see Kreik so soon. “Did you find it?”

    “No, Master,” Kreik replied. “Unlike the first time, I couldn’t sense it at all.” This was a lie. He could sense it in the forest. Something was blocking its exact location, but it was there.

    “Not at all?” Kaan questioned. “Yet I can sense it’s not too far from here. Perhaps your senses aren’t as attuned as my own. Must I search for it myself?”

    “No, Master. In fact, I don’t think we need it at all.”

    “Are you questioning me?”

    “Merely stating my opinion, Master.” Kreik stood up. “Perhaps our attention should be focused on more pressing matters? Such as this storm.”

    Kaan did not look happy. “I don’t care about some freak weather. I want that sword.”

    Kreik was disgusted. He wanted the Master Sword so badly he would ignore the fact that it had been snowing for the past few hours? Even if Kreik cared about the blade, the snow required their attention more. “I think this weather may be the result of dark magic,” he bluffed. It could be true, but he had nothing to base this on.

    “Do not forget, Kreik, who is the Master, and who is the Apprentice.

    Not you for much longer, Kreik said in his head. He said nothing aloud in response.

    “Leave me,” Kaan said turning toward his computer, though it wasn’t on. “Do not return until you’ve found the sword.”

    “Yes, Master,” Kreik said, bowing his head, though he did not turn to leave. “One thing before I do.”

    “What?” Kaan asked, not bothering to turn around.

    “Before I go,” Kreik said walking closer to his Master. “I need you to do something.”

    “Do what, Kreik?!” Kaan asked impatiently, still not turning to his Apprentice.

    “Isn’t it obvious?” Kreik asked in response. He held his lightsaber up to Kaan’s chair and ignited it. “You will need to die!” The crimson blade went through the chair and pierced Kaan’s heart. His Master didn’t have time to prepare himself, and died instantly, his body dropping to the floor. “If you didn’t sense that coming, you are weaker than I thought.”

After recovering the Serpent’s Eye from the snow and once again the items that fell out of his pockets, he’d need to do something about that, Rider had flown with Maple on her broom back to Syrup’s potion shop. Maple had flown slowly to accommodate Rider’s added weight as well as to make him more comfortable. Still, holding on to a moving stick thirty feet above the ground wasn’t Rider’s idea of a good time. Along the way, they passed by Rider’s car, which he parked on the edge of the forest. Or rather, what was left of it. His car was currently being smashed to pieces by two of the horned creatures Rider had seen on his first visit. Maple had identified them as moblins, big, strong, great sense of smell, and incredibly stupid. An encounter with one was almost guaranteed to result in death. Upon their arrival to the shop, which also acted as the witches’ home, they discovered Syrup was not there.

    “Probably looking for chillshrooms,” Maple assumed. “Assuming they’ve even had time to grow. As the name suggests, they only grow in the cold. Very useful for both potions and cooking. They’re also expensive. Syrup has been trying to grow them indoors, but hasn’t had any success yet.”

    Rider had helped Malon look for chillshrooms in the past. They weren’t easy to find, but Talon had doubled his pay when he looked for them. He had even gotten a bonus when he found a large batch of them. 

    “So tell me,” Maple changed the subject. “Who did you lose to to get knocked out for so long?”

    Rider wasn’t sure how to answer that. Should he tell her that he lost to his friend? No, it was best to leave that part out. “Someone named Darth Kreik,” he answered.

    “What kind of a name is that?” Maple scoffed.

    “A Sith name.”

    “A what?”

    “Evil,” Rider answered. All he knew about the Sith was what Chrono had told him, which wasn’t much.

    “Evil, huh? I suppose this Darth Kreik is the one who took the Master Sword.”

    “No, that was me--” Wait, what? She knew it was taken? That it was real?

    “You? Don’t make me laugh. If you took it, then where is it?”

    Rider hesitated. “How did you know it was taken?”

    “Oh please. I found it years ago. Syrup found it when she was my age, as did her master, and the master before her… We’ve known it’s been there for generations. We can’t do anything with it, so we just let it sit there. Guess we can’t now. You didn’t answer my question.”

    “I put it somewhere safe,” Rider answered. “Somewhere to restore its power. Besides, I didn’t want Kreik to get it if he defeated me.”

    “I suppose that’s fair, seeing as he did defeat you.” She glanced at the Serpent’s Eye leaning against the wall. “May I see it?” Rider handed her the blade. She laughed. “You fought someone with this? It looks like a cheap knock off.” She continued to laugh, but suddenly stopped, her eyes fixed on one of the emerald eyes of the hilt’s serpent.

    “Something wrong?” Rider asked.

    “This snake design,” Maple replied, not taking her eyes off the sword. “It’s… familiar.”

    “I got it from a traveling merchant. You probably saw it when he was here.”

    “No. I’ve never seen the sword. But the snake…” She looked back up at Rider and gave him back the sword. “I know I’ve seen that snake design before. I’m just ot sure where.” 

Maples thoughts were interrupted by the door opening. A strong wind filling the room with cold. An old woman, dressed in similar clothes as Maple entered and quickly closed the door behind her. “Maple, dear,” she said, putting her hat on the coat rack. “Put the kettle on, please.” She turned around and noticed Rider. “Oh, Rider, I wasn't expecting you for another few months. Allow me to introduce myself. I am the witch Syrup. Maple is my apprentice.”

Rider was surprised. “You were expecting me?” This shouldn't have surprised him. She was a witch, after all. Still, they had never met, yet she knew who he was.

“Well, I wasn't expecting you until winter, but…” She glanced out the window. It was still snowing. “Had I known it would snow so early, I wouldn't have let Chad leave for Death Mountain.”

Rider was confused. What did Chad have to do with this? Why would he have left to Death Mountain?

“He's keeping his skills sharp," Syrup said, noticing Rider's confusion. “He trained with the Zora last year, and the Rito the year before. Not sure what his plan for next year is. The Gerudo would definitely help him… I digress. You haven't been practicing. As you are, you will never win. Even my potions won't be enough. You will need Chad to bring your skills back to where they once were.” She gave Rider a short bow and left the room.

“I can't get to Death Mountain. It takes hours to drive there, and the trek up the mountain is dangerous.” He looked at Maple, an idea forming in his mind. He wouldn't be able to hike up the mountain, but what if he could fly up?”

“Don't even think about it,” Maple said, knowing his idea. “I can't fly that far with the extra weight.”

“Then ask him to come down?” Rider suggested.

“Absolutely not,” she exclaimed. “Magic should not be used for delivery.”

“I'll give you twenty rupees.”

Maple considered it for a minute, but remained silent.

“Thirty.”

“Deal,” she said immediately. She grabbed her broom and opened the door, allowing the room to again fill with cold air. “I'll have him meet you at Orca's dojo.” She got on her broom and took off without another word.

Chapter Five

Kotali flew through the skies above the city of Kakariko. The ground surrounding the city was covered in snow. Only minutes ago did the storm end and the clouds simply vanished, the storm clouds slowing shrinking over a spot in the forest he was flying to. With the storm ending, the heat of the sun was melting the snow at a noticeable rate

    “Careful, Kotali,” said a voice from his headset. “We don’t know what’s in that forest.”

    “How dangerous could it possibly be?” he asked in response. Nothing could possibly pose a threat to him up here, and he’d be in and out before anything could find him. 

    “There are reports that moblins live there,” the voice answered.

    “Moblins? Captain Sibano, I can handle a few moblins.” As if on cue, Kotali spotted one of the beasts in a clearing above him. In one swift motion, the Rito pulled out his bow from his back, nocked an arrow, and shot it. The arrow pierced the moblin between the eyes, killing it instantly. Kotali put his bow back on his back and resumed flight. The entire action in a mere second, barely causing him to lose altitude.

    “Don’t get cocky,” Sibano snapped.

    “You’re no fun,” he said, disappointed. “Are all Gerudo this serious, or is it just you?”

    “Kill that thing as quickly as you can and get back here. I have another job for you.”

    Kotali sighed and flew down toward the moblin he just killed. Landing beside it, he looked around. Everything looked the same no matter which way he looked. “Any idea where in this forest it is?” he asked. After a minute, he received no reply. “Captain?” Still no response. “Great. No signal. At least I won’t have you barking at me the whole time.” With no idea where his prey was, he started walking in a random direction, an ear open for even the slightest sound.

"Even the weather here bows to my will!" Alestar said triumphantly. "But perhaps a day of snow is enough for the peasants in the city." He walked into a clearing in the forest and raised his hand. The snow stopped falling and the storm clouds receded directly above him. In only a minute, the clouds were gone and the sun once again lit up the sky. "Ruling over the dead doesn't sound very fun. Still, without the artifacts, my reign will be short…"

    Just a few feet away, something reflected the light of the sun. Not the snow, but something else. Alestar lifted his hand toward the reflection and a small object flew toward him. He caught it and examined it closely. It was a small, marble like stone with silver attached to it. He could feel the stone's magic and recognized it immediately. "Today is my lucky day," he said with a smile. He closed his mind and focused on the magic of the stone. He could see the artifacts and their locations! One was hidden on top of an altar. Another tucked away in a box with other random objects. A bit too precise. There were dozens of altars scattered throughout Hyrule, and Hylia knows how many boxes.

    The third, however, was being used by someone. He saw a young man in his early twenties. Alestar could see the young man feeding chickens. Plenty of places had chickens, of course, but one such place was nearby: Lon Lon Farm. Perhaps he would be lucky and find the man there. If not… At least he had a start.

Rider waited patiently at the dojo for Chad. Orca, the owner of the dojo, had recently retired, and had no problem with his old students using it. The snow had stopped a few hours after Maple left to find Chad. That had been two days ago. Now the heat of the sun had completely removed all signs of the abnormal weather. 

    After an hour of waiting, Chad entered the dojo. He didn't look much different than when Rider had last seen him. He had short hair and a light beard, and was wearing a red shirt. The only difference from before was that he was significantly more muscular, likely from training with the Gorons.

    "Thank you for meeting me here, Chad," Rider said in greetings.

    "What do you want?" Chad asked. "Why did I come all the way back down here?"

    "Nice to see you, too…" Rider said under his breath.

    "I'm sorry," Chad replied. "It's just… I haven't seen you in so long. How have you been?"

    "That's why I asked you to come." Rider explained what had happened over the last few days. "And so, I want to get better so I can stop him from doing… I don't know what."

    Chad merely stared at Rider. "I really shouldn't believe any of that, but it's too ridiculous to make up."

    "So you'll help?"

    "I'm already here. Can't really afford to go back up Death Mountain until next year, anyway. I suppose what I learned from the Zora and Rito should be put to use, too." Chad walked over to where the practice swords were. Training with real swords was too dangerous, especially when first learning the other race's styles. "This first one is a defensive style favored by the Zora. It's meant to redirect attacks and off balance your opponent."

Kotali ran after his prey. The forest was too thick to fly through. The young woman he was chasing ran into a group of trees too close together to go through. He had her cornered. "Time to die, vampire."

    The woman said nothing as she panicked to find a way to escape. Kotali unsheathed his silver sword, specifically designed to kill vampires and other abominations, from his back. This would be his first kill as a vampire hunter, and he was revelling in it. Seeing the Hylian woman cowering before him was oddly satisfying. Still, he couldn't enjoy it for too long. She might find a way through otherwise. He raised his sword, ready to cut the blasphemous creature in two. But something was stopping him. Not his mind. It felt as though something was grabbing his arm, but there was nothing.

    "I'm afraid I can't let you kill her," a voice came from behind.

    Kotali turned his head to see a Hylian man in a black cloak holding out his arm as if he was holding something. Somehow this man was holding him back from a distance. "I wasn't expecting two of you," he said. "This should be more fun."

    "You are nothing to me," the man said. "But this… vampire, you called her? The Force is strong with her."

    The what? Vampires had heightened abilities, but there was nothing special about this one. "If you want to die with her, I can accommodate you."

    "The only one dying tonight is you." The cloaked man turned to the vampire. "I can sense your fear. Turn it into anger! Use the Force to kill him!"

    "W-what are you talking about?" the vampire woman asked.

    "You have a gift," the man answered ignoring Kotali. "You probably aren't even aware of it, but it's there. This stupid bird intends to kill you. Are you going to cower in fear? Turn your fear to anger and make him pay!"

    The strange power gripping Kotali's arm was now gone. The vampire could wait. This man needed to be taken care of before he did something like that again. Kotali raised his sword. Before he could swing it, something pushed him back into a tree behind him. He couldn't move!

    "Good," the man said. "Kill him."

    Kotali couldn't move as the vampire walked up to him. The fear in her eyes was replaced with rage. She opened her mouth to reveal her fangs. There was nothing he could do as the woman bit down on his neck. He tried to resist, but he was losing blood quickly. He tried to lift his blade, but dropped it, and lost consciousness. 

"Very good," Kreik said with a smile. "With him dead, I now offer you a position as my apprentice."

    The vampire woman released the Rito and wiped the blood from her face. She had taken much more than she could drink and it dripped onto the ground. "Why should I do that?"

    "I can teach you how to use your gift," Kreik replied. “You will never fear for your life again."

    "Alright," the vampire said. "I accept, Master."

    Kreik smiled. "My name is Darth Kreik. I am the Dark Lord of the Sith. Before we begin, you must abandon everything. Your friends, your possessions, even your family."

    "Sangria," the woman said. "His group killed everyone I knew. I have nothing left."

    Kreik walked over to the dead Rito and picked up his sword. Nothing special about it, but Sangria would need a weapon until she constructed her own lightsaber. "Come. His body will attract unwanted creatures. I'd rather not be interrupted." He walked toward Kakariko, not bothering to see if Sangria was following.

Rider had been practicing the Zora technique for a few hours. He was exhausted, but determined to master it, and everything else Chad learned.

    "I think that's enough for today," Chad said, putting his practice sword back with the others. "Get some rest, and we'll practice more tomorrow."

    "No, no," Rider resisted. "We can keep going. I need to master this!"

    "For what?" Chad asked. "You can't master anything in one day. If you keep going, you're going to tear something."

    Rider sighed. "You're right. I just… lost so badly last time. If I'm not ready the next time we meet, I'm dead."

    "Why not just let him be? Revenge won't get you anywhere."

    "I'm not after revenge." Not for me, anyway, he said to himself. "I don't think he'll let me live. He wants the Master Sword and I'm the only one who knows where it is."

    "You could leave Kakariko," Chad suggested.

    "No. There is only one way to get through this. Once the Master Sword is back to full strength, I'm going to use it against him. I'm going to kill Will."

    Chad winced. “You’re going to kill him?” he said in disbelief. “Look, I know he tried to kill you, but isn’t going after him a bit extreme? I agreed to train you so you can better defend yourself. Killing should only ever be used as a last resort.”

    “If I don’t kill him, I’m putting all of Kakariko in danger. Maybe even all of Hyrule.”

    “You don’t know that!” Chad shouted. “Maybe Will is just going to practice his magic, or whatever.”

    “To what end?” Rider asked. “If he’s going to train in magic, he’s going to do something with it. I don’t think it’s going to be good. I don’t want to kill him, but I have no other choice.”

    “You can be so stubborn.” Chad walked over to the door and opened it. “There is always another choice. I can’t teach you knowing what you’re going to do with these techniques. If you truly want to kill him, I’ll have no part in this.” Without another word, Chad left the dojo.

Chapter Six

Rider’s thoughts were everywhere. What just happened? Chad wouldn’t help? Couldn’t help. Rider had lost one friend to evil, had he just lost the other? All because he wanted to stop Will from destroying the city? Would he even be able to stop him? Even if he could win, could he kill his friend? Was Chad right? Would Will acquire power for the sake of having power? Was he no threat to anyone? How did he even get wrapped up in this? Chrono came to him. Knew him. But who was Chrono? What was he hiding?

    Rider shook his head in an attempt to clear his mind. It didn’t help. One of Orca’s earliest lessons sprang to his mind. A muddled mind is a useless mind. One cannot wield a sword, or do much else, if one’s mind is not clear. Meditation will help settle your thoughts and clear your mind. A lesson Rider never took to heart. Perhaps he should have. He sat down on a bench in the dojo, closed his eyes, and started focusing on his breath. In, and out. In, and out…

    Rider didn’t know how long he had been meditating. Five minutes? An hour? Time had little meaning at the moment. However long it was, it was working. His mind was no longer full of questions. Now he was able to see what was going on. Will wasn’t going to harm anyone in the city. Will wasn’t, but someone else, a woman, was. Who was she? Why was he seeing her? Rider tried to open his eyes but they wouldn’t open. HIs vision continued. He saw himself fighting Will. He saw himself disarm Will and kill him. Then he saw his own lifeless body at Will’s feet. What he saw next was a blur. A monster was destroying the city!

    Rider finally opened his eyes. He was on the floor, sweat dripping from his face. What just happened? Was this a vision of the future? Was one of them going to die? And what was that monster? Maybe Chrono would know. He seemed to know a lot, even if he didn’t tell Rider.

    When he left the dojo, it was well past midnight and the roads were too dark to see. The flashlight Chrono had given him was intended to purify the Master Sword, but it was still a flashlight, and his only light source. He put his hand in his pocket with the flashlight and gasped in horror. Not at what was there, but what wasn’t there. He frantically searched his other pockets, but he found nothing. The Concealment Stone was gone.

It was nearly dawn when Kreik made it back to his apartment. Sangria was still following. He could sense her eagerness to learn, though she didn’t know what she would be learning. 

    Kreik pulled out his key from his pocket as a voice from behind said, “Trying to sneak past?” Great, the landlord. Just what he needed.

    “Do you need something?” Kreik asked, not bothering to turn around.

    “Yes, actually,” the landlord said before noticing Sangria. “Who’s your friend?”

    “My guests are of no concern to you,” Kreik said, irritated. “What do you want?”

    “Your rent,” the landlord answered. “You know you’re late again, right?”

    Kreik couldn’t help but laugh a little. Rent. How petty. In truth, Kreik had never paid a single rupee for his apartment. Kaan had shown him how to hack into their system and simply give him the apartment. Their security was pitiful. He had done this every month to show he had paid rent, when he actually hadn’t. Management could never figure out why they were short on rupees. They probably could if they looked through all of their records, but he made sure they didn’t.

    Kreik turned to face the landlord. “I’ve already paid my rent this month.”

    “No you didn’t,” the landlord refuted. “I would have remembered.”

    Kreik waved his hand at the landlord, using the Force to manipulate his mind. “I’ve already paid the rent this month.”

    “You’ve already paid the rent this month.” The landlord seemed confused as to why he was pestering one of his residents about something they had done. “Alright, I’ll be back next month.”

    Kreik sighed. He had forgotten about rent. As if he didn’t have enough to do right now. He entered his apartment and could see confusion in Sangria’s eyes.

    “Why didn’t you just kill him?” she asked. “Wouldn’t that have been easier?”

    Kreik smiled. “I like the way you think,” he said. “But no.” He sat down at his desk before he continued. Sangria sat down on his bed, the only other piece of furniture. “Let this be your first lesson. Killing should only be used as a necessity. As much as I would love to kill him, there are consequences we cannot risk. Killing him would get the attention of the police. That could lead them to me. And while I could easily take care of that problem, I have better things to worry about.”

    Sangria looked away, thinking about what he had just said. Clearly she had never thought about that before.

    Kreik didn’t wait for her to understand. “Do you know how to use a sword?”

    Sangria turned her attention back to Kreik. “Huh? Um, not really, no.”

    “Then we’d best get started.” He handed her the sword he took from the Rito. “Until you construct a lightsaber, you can use this.”

    Sangria reached to take it, but pulled her hand back. “That sword was designed to kill vampires. It could kill me!”

    “Good,” Kreik replied. “If you can’t learn how to use it,” Kreik ignited his lightsaber. “You will die trying to use this.”

“I can’t believe I lost it!” Rider said to Chrono. After discovering he had lost the Concealment Stone, he went back home and tried to go to sleep. Despite being in bed for eight hours, he wasn’t sure he even slept for one. He went straight to the farm to find Chrono after.

    “It’s okay, Rider,” Chrono said. “He didn’t kill you, so I doubt he’ll go after you.”

    “Wish I could share your optimism,” Rider said. He wasn’t sure if he should tell Chrono about his vision, but decided to anyway.

    “I’m not sure what to make of that,” Chrono said. “It wouldn’t be the first time someone had both won and lost a fight.”

    “What?” Rider asked, now more confused.

    “Sorry, ignore that. I think the only thing you should worry about is stopping Kreik.”

    “What about the woman?’

    “I’ll see if I can learn who she is. I don’t want to end more lives than we need to.”

    “Better her than the city.”

    Chrono nodded. “I think the Master Sword should be fully restored by now. Get to it before Kreik can find you. Do you remember how to get there?”

    “I don’t think I’ll have any trouble.” Although he still had the map, it didn’t show anything without the Concealment Stone. Even so, he was pretty sure he could find it.

    “Good luck, Rider.”

   

“Yeah, I know him,” the farm owner said in response to Alestar’s description of the owner of the Serpent’s Blade. “He used to work here until just a few days ago.”

    Alestar smiled. He couldn’t believe how lucky he had been. Not only had this been the correct farm, but the owner was being very cooperative. “Do you know where he is now?”

    “For someone who doesn’t want to work here,” the farmer began. “He’s awfully friendly with his replacement. Came by just a few minutes ago. I expect he’ll be by the campgrounds.”

    “Thank you for your help, sir,” Alestar said. This was too easy! To make things better, the sword’s owner was headed in this direction! Could this day get any better?

    “Stop right there!” Alestar shouted as he approached the young man. 

    “This isn’t a good time right now,” the man said, trying to go around Alestar.

    Alestar moved in front of the man. “I have all the time in the world,” he said.

    “I don’t,” the man said, his anger growing. “Let me pass.”

    “Your time is no concern of mine. My concern is what you have and I want.”

    “What could I possibly have that you want?”

    “The Serpent’s Blade.”

    The young man’s eyes opened in shock. “The Serpent’s Blade? You mean the Serpent’s Eye?”

    There were accounts of it being called that, but he preferred to call it what it was. It was a blade, not an eye. “Whatever you want to call it. Give it to me.”

    “Why would you want it? It’s just a display sword.”

    A display sword. He didn’t even know what he possessed! “The weak always ask lame questions. If you don’t give it to me right now,” he grabbed the man by the collar. “I will kill you!”

    The man didn’t take the threat seriously. “I don’t have it on me. If you kill me, how can I give it to you?”

    How dare he? He was right, though. The Stone hadn’t shown him where the sword was, only who owned it. “This is not over!” he said, pushing the man away. “I will be back.” Perhaps he could look for the ring while he watched the man. He would get the sword.

"Who the heck was that guy?” Rider asked himself as he fixed his collar. And what does he want the Serpent’s Eye for? I’ll have to let Chrono know about this after I take care of Will.

Kreik had shown Sangria some very basic sword techniques. He said she would need to practice at least two hours every day. The rest of her day would be spent practicing the Force. He explained that the Force was part of all living things, and that it could be used. She had seen him use it to stop the Rito from killing her, then again to make his landlord think he paid his rent. She even used it to kill the Rito. At least, that’s what Kreik said it was. She felt… something. The Force was the only explanation she had. She hadn’t felt it until Kreik said to use her anger against the Rito. It must have been the Force. 

    “Levitation,” Kreik said. “Was one of the first things my Master taught me. It’s very simple and very useful.” He placed a book on the floor. “Focus your mind on the book and lift it with the Force.”

    Surely it couldn’t be that simple, but she did as she was told. She closed her eyes and pictured the book on the floor. She raised her hand and imagined it raising in the air on its own. She could hear it flopping on the floor. Come on, she thought. Go up! She opened her eyes and saw the book in the air!

    “Very good,” Kreik said. “I could sense your frustration when you failed. Use your anger and,” he stopped.

    “Master?” she asked, not sure what Kreik was doing.

    “I sense a disturbance in the Force,” he said. “A shift in power…”

    “A shift?” she asked, confused.

    “Nevermind,” he said. “I’ll worry about it later. Keep practicing.” Kreik sat down in his chair and closed his eyes. 

    Is he sleeping? Sangria thought. Whatever. He can still teach me much more. And then I’ll kill him.

Rider wasn’t sure how long it took him to make it to where the Master Sword was. It was beautiful. The area was now covered in flowers in various colors, but mostly blue and white. The sword itself was now a brilliant blue and radiated light. If only he had a camera to capture this beautiful scene.

    He walked up to the Master Sword and placed his hands on the hilt. Images rushed his mind. He saw the sword being created, used against a powerful sorcerer, and against a large demon more times than he could count. He saw it badly damaged against large spider-like machines, and being placed in front of a very large tree. He saw much, much more, but couldn’t tell what he was seeing. By the time he saw the flowers again, it was already dark. The sword illuminated the flowers, making the scene even more beautiful. He could feel the power of the Sword, and knew he couldn’t fail to stop Will with it.

Chapter  Seven

In his meditation, Kreik saw a vision of Rider pulling the Master Sword from a pedestal, and then using it against him. You think that’s going to stop me? Kreik thought. You’re only doing me a favor by bringing it to me. Maybe he could get to the forest at the same time as Rider left. He could make it quick. He stood up and walked over to the door.

    “Where are you going, Master?” Sangria asked.

    Kreik had nearly forgotten about his apprentice. “To take care of some unfinished business,” he replied. “I shouldn’t be gone long, maybe a few hours.” He paused. “Read through as many of those tomes as you can. There should be at least one in Hylian.”

    “Yes, Master,” Sangria replied, but Kreik was out the door before she could say anything.

Rider wasn’t sure if he could do it. He had the Master Sword and even went home after to get a decent night’s rest. If he could call staying up half the night decent rest. What choice do I have? he thought. He made his way back to the forest, decided the same clearing as last time would be a good place. If he was lucky, he would find the Concealment Stone and retreat if things got bad. Didn’t really work last time, but he didn’t have a better plan. 

    “Rider!” a voice came from behind. Rider turned around to see Maple flying toward him. She stopped with the tip of her broom mere inches away from him. “Is that it?” she asked, seeing the Master Sword in his hand. “It’s beautiful. Though black and red is pretty cool, too.” She continued to stare at the sword as she got off her broom.

    “Uh, yeah,” Rider said. “What are you doing out here? It’s dangerous.”

    “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Maple replied. Without taking her eyes off the sword, she pointed her wand behind her and muttered an inaudible incantation. A spark jumped out of her wand and touched a point on the ground next to a rustling bush. Whatever was moving immediately stopped.

    “I’m not sure I’m going to get used to that,” Rider said. “Why are you here?”

    “Oh yeah,” Maple said, finally taking her eye away from the sword and into her bag. “Where is it?” she muttered. “Ah, here is it.” She pulled out a pendant of a serpent. It had its fangs out, ready to strike. Its eye was made from a ruby, much like his sword’s eye was an emerald. Also like the Serpent’s Eye, the ruby made it look almost alive. “I told you I’ve seen the design before. I think it looks good next to that sword of yours. Want it?” She held it out for him to take it.

    “Thank you,” Rider said, taking the pendant. He certainly hadn’t expected her to show it to him, nevermind give it to him. He put it on and felt almost stronger.

    Getting back on her broom, Maple said, “Maybe it’ll give you good luck against that Dark Creek guy, not that you’ll need it with that.”

    “Darth Kreik,” Rider corrected.

    “Whatever,” Maple said, lifting off the ground. “Just be sure to stop by to pick up your sword after you kick his butt.” Before Rider could say anything else, she took off back toward Kakariko.

    Rider watched Maple fly over the trees and out of sight. He then stared at the pendant she gave him. What was it about this pendant that made him feel stronger? Why did it resemble the Serpent’s Eye? Maybe he could find out later, but there were more important things to do now.

    “Friends with Maple now, huh?” a familiar voice came from in front of him.

    Rider looked up. “Chad?” he exclaimed.

    Chad was walking over to him from where Maple had cast her spell. “Never thought you would be with her,” he said. “She's cute, though. Maybe you can get me a discount on potions.” He chuckled at his own joke.

    Rider was shocked. He hadn’t expected to see Maple out here, but she could fly. Chad on the other hand would have walked through the forest and past the dangerous creatures. Even though he had a sword on his side, they wouldn’t be easy for anyone.

    “I wanted to apologize for last night,” Chad said, stopping in front of Rider. “I don’t like the idea of killing anyone, but if what you said is true…” He sighed. “I guess there isn’t much choice.”

    Rider didn’t know what to say. “How did you even find me?” was all he got out.

    “To be honest,” Chad replied. “I was wandering around for nearly an hour. Then I saw Maple and I followed her. When I found you, she cast that spell at me. Guess she didn’t want me to overhear what she was saying.”

    “What about all the monsters?”

    “Now that’s just rude. Just because they’ll likely kill anyone who enters doesn’t mean they’re monsters. Though Syrup’s monster repellent works very well on them, so…”

    Rider laughed a little. “Monster repellent,” he muttered. “Wait, how did you even know I was here?”

    “Funny thing about that,” Chad started. “I went back to the dojo--”

    Rider held up a hand to silence Chad. Something wasn’t right. He could feel something, but couldn’t tell what it was. Then it hit him. “Will’s on his way!” he whispered. “I don’t think he’ll hesitate to kill you. Hide!”

    Chad didn’t question Rider. Quickly and quietly, he slipped into the forest. Seconds later, Rider heard rustling from the opposite direction. Will was here. 

    “Are you ready to join me?” Will asked as he approached.

    “Never,” Rider said, as he readied himself in a defensive posture.

    “I figured as much,” Will replied. “It’s a shame I have to kill both of you.”

    Wait, what did he mean by that? Did Will know Chad was here? Probably. He had the Force, after all. Whatever that exactly meant.

    Will lifted his hand and pointed all of his fingers toward Rider. Without warning, blue electricity arced toward him. Without thinking, he positioned the Master Sword to block the electricity, and it worked! The sword absorbed all of the electricity and… well, it didn’t touch Rider. That was the important thing.

    “Interesting,” Will said. “No normal sword can do that. Let’s see what it can do against this!” Will ignited his crimson sword and lept toward Rider. Just like with the electricity, the Master Sword blocked his weapon! “It seems killing you will be more fun than our last fight.”

    Rider’s response was to push back with his blade. If he could just pull off that Zora technique… But how could he? He had only practiced it for a few hours. Without thinking, Rider allowed Will to get the upper hand. Then he maneuvered his blade in the Zora technique perfectly. Will was caught off balance. He might just be able to win!

   

Kreik wasn't off balanced for long. For some reason he hadn't seen the attack coming. A moment before, it looked as though the eyes of the pendant Rider was wearing glowed. Did the reflection of the sun blind him for just enough time for Rider to do that? No, impossible. It had to have been something else.

    Using the Force, Kreik took advantage of Rider's attack and rolled on the ground behind him. Rider wasn't fast enough to react as Kreik plunged his lightsaber into Rider's back, but missed his heart. Rider dropped the Master Sword and fell to the ground.

    "I'm impressed," Kreik said. "You must be very strong in the Force. I'm not sure if I could still be breathing, nevermind conscious, after that."

    Rider didn't say anything, assuming he even could. Instead he tried to pick up the Master Sword next to him. Kreik used the Force to push it into the bushes.

    "And yet you still try," he said. "It really is a shame I have to do this." He once again plunged his lightsaber into Rider's chest, ensuring he hit his heart. He watched as life faded from Rider's eyes.