Another day dawned in Hyrule, and the rising of the sun brought about activity all across the land. In Hyrule castle, the maids and servants were already up and running, preparing the day's meals and cleaning all the furniture. In Link's cottage not far from Hyrule castle, however, there was little activity. With the exception of Link and Anna's uncle, who had gone out early into Kakariko Village, the rest of the household was asleep. A few minutes later, Anna awoke, and, after getting dressed, noticed her brother was still asleep. Grabbing the pillow from her bed, she threw it at the still form under the covers in the other bed. " Link, get up!" she called to him. There was movement in the other bed. Link's head slowly emerged from under the sheets. " Was that really necessary?" he asked, voice still choked with sleep. "Well, no, but it was pretty funny," Anna answered. In reply, Link threw the pillow back at her. Catching it, she smiled at him as she put it back on her bed. Anna walked toward the cottage door, but then, having remembered something, she said, "Oh, I haven't seen my aunt in a long while. Perhaps we should go visit her today." Link, who had just finished getting dressed, shrugged in reply. Anna headed outside. It promised to be another beautiful day.. As soon as Link came outside, they started the walk through the Lost Woods toward the small cottage where their Aunt Mary lived. It proved to be quite a walk, and Link was thankful when, in mid-afternoon, Anna announced, "We're almost there." Finally, in a tiny clearing set way back in the Lost Woods, they saw the cottage. They walked up to the front door, and Anna knocked on it. After a moment, the door opened, and a small middle aged woman stood in the doorway. Her hair was a shade or two darker than Anna's, and streaked with silver. Her blue eyes sparkled merrily. " Oh, Anna, it's you! Where have you been all this time?" the woman asked.. " Well, I've been staying with Link and our uncle," Anna replied. " Oh, Link, it's been ages! The last time I saw you, you were only about four!" Aunt Mary exclaimed, hugging him. " Well, come in, you two, come in!" their aunt cried, beckoning to them. They followed her into the house, where they caught the scent of dried herbs and mushrooms, and stew being cooked over the fire. Their aunt led them to two wooden chairs, and after they had settled into them, their aunt got one for herself. Noticing Anna's pendant, she said, " Your mother would be quite proud to see you with that pendant, Anna. It has quite a bit of power, too, from what your mother told me. She would also be proud of you, too, Link, accomplishing what you have." " Whatever happened the day...Anna and I were, well, separated?" Link asked. " I remember the night quite well. It was rainy, and very dark," their aunt began. "I opened the door to see your parents standing there with you two.. Your mother was carrying Anna, as she was only a baby, and Link was looking up at me with wide, scared eyes. Then, your mother said, `It is time we left to fight Ganon. I leave Anna in your care, sister. We are taking Link to my husband's brother's house. It isn't too far from here. If we do not return, take care of Anna. Since she and Link will be separated, tell Anna.....to go look for him one day. And please, whatever you do, protect her from Ganon's evil. This should help her, as it has significant power...' Then, your mother took off her pendant, and pressed it into my hand. She gave Anna to me, then turned and walked off in the dark. It was the last I saw of your parents." A long silence passed. Link let the information sink in. His uncle rarely talked about what happened that night, and to learn all of this now was almost overwhelming. Link knew their parents had perished, but he hadn't known why until that moment. It had been Ganon's doing! Link felt anger toward Ganon rise in him. By now, dusk was starting to settle in, and Anna told their aunt they had to be leaving, but would visit again soon. They started off into the fading light when Anna felt a twinge inside of her. A vision was coming. Anna shut her eyes, and slowly, the vision came. Three stones, one green, one red, the last blue, floated together, spinning and sparkling. Her eyes opened. What were those strange stones? Anna had visions often, yet she did not understand every one right away. She hurried to catch up with Link, who was way ahead of her on the path home. Suddenly, he froze. Anna approached cautiously. Floating in front of them was none other than Ganon himself. " Ganon!" Link cried, voice filled with outrage. "You were the one responsible for what happened to my parents!" " And you will join them!" Ganon grunted, preparing to cast a spell. " Not likely," Anna said, hitting him with some energy from her pendant. Ganon clutched the shoulder where he had been struck. " Prepare to meet your end, puny mortals!" Ganon cried, then tried to hit them with a large amount of energy. Anna saw it coming and moved out of the way, but Link was not so fortunate. The energy struck him. He jerked, as if shocked, then slowly sank to his knees and fell. Ganon watched the scene he had created with satisfaction. " You will be next," Ganon told Anna, then vanished. "I'd like to see you try, pig!" Anna cried, but too late, Ganon had gone. Trembling with a mix of fear and pure rage, she ran to Link's side and crouched alongside him. " Link! Are you all right?" Anna asked. There was no response. He was laying as if asleep. " Link!" Anna called again, voice edged with desperation. There was still no response. Anna was terrified. Getting up, she ran from his side. She had to find Princess Zelda and her nursemaid, Impa. They would know what was wrong and how to help. Running so fast it almost felt like flying, Anna ran up to Hyrule castle. She ran straight to the throne room, lungs burning, legs aching. She was relieved to see Zelda sitting upon her throne.. Zelda was surprised indeed to see Anna come rushing into the room so quickly. "Anna, what's wrong?" Zelda inquired. "Oh....Zelda....it's Link.....I don't know what's wrong. Ganon....has done something to him...." Zelda rose quickly, calling for Impa. Impa came to the throne room moments later, and upon hearing the news, told Anna and the Princess she'd come with them to the Lost Woods. Together, the three of them went on horseback to the Lost Woods. They rode on until they saw him, then stopped their horses and dismounted. They went to him quickly. Impa gave Link one glance and said, " I'm afraid to say that this must be some sort of enchantment." Anna and Zelda drew in sharp breaths and stared at Impa in disbelief. Together, the three of them lifted Link and put him across the back of Impa's horse. They rode until they reached Hyrule castle. They put him in the castle guestroom. Zelda and Anna sat apprehensively next to Link's bed while Impa consulted her book of medicines. Finally, Impa said, " We may need the Book of Mudora for this. Does Link have it with him?" " Yes," Anna said quickly, reaching into the pouch they had taken from Link's belt and placed on a nearby table. Anna handed the Book of Mudora to Impa, who flipped through the pages. Finally, she stopped flipping and started reading. After a moment, she said, "It says here that for a curse like this, the Kokiri Emerald, the Goron's Ruby, and the Zora's Sapphire will be needed to undo the curse. Unfortunately, the last time anyone saw them was a few centuries ago, in a place known as the Temple of Time. Origionally, it was where the Master Sword was housed. The three stones were needed to retrieve it. Now, the Temple is gone, as are the three stones. They were made into the three pendants. However, I fear they are not strong enough to undo the curse, as they are quite a bit smaller than the stones." "What are we going to do now?" Anna asked. " Well, to obtain the three stones, you must go back in time. However, the Ocarina of Time will be needed, as it has magical power," Impa explained. " I think the Ocarina was given back to my ancestor after she loaned it to an ancestor of Link's! It must be in the Royal Museum!" Zelda said, then rushed from the room. A moment later, she returned, carrying it with the utmost care. " Now what?" Zelda asked Impa. "Now, you must play the Song of Time," Impa said. "All the notes to the song are written here." Impa showed them the Book of Mudora. Zelda held the Ocarina, then slowly played the song. Suddenly, blue light surrounded Zelda and Anna, lifting them high in the air. Then, with a flash of blinding light, they vanished. Moments later, they appeared in large temple. It was made of white stone, and a red carpet with gold trim led up to a black marble altar. Old writing was written in neat lines across the top part, and along the bottom were three hollows. Floating above them were the three stones: The Kokiri Emerald, the Goron Ruby, and the Zora Sapphire. Slowly, they both stepped foward toward the altar. Zelda read the inscription, translating it out loud: " The Hero of Time, with the Master Sword, decended here." Under this, there was another line of writing: "The Spiritual Stones will hold the Door of Time open until the Master Sword will be needed again." "Here are the stones we need!" Anna exclaimed. Slowly, she reached out and grabbed the Kokiri Emerald. The Door of Time slammed shut, and the other two stones stopped floating. Zelda grabbed the other two stones, then played the Song of Time. They dissapeared again, and came back in Hyrule castle's guest room. " We have the stones," Anna said. Impa took them, laid them on the table beside Link's bed, and read the Book of Mudora. She spoke as she read. " We must hurry. If we don't undo the curse quickly, the absence of the Spiritual Stones will alter the course of time. Then, who knows what may happen?" Anna drew in a sharp breath. Utter chaos would erupt if they changed the course of time. Would the stones even work at all? Impa read quickly, then showed Princess Zelda another song to play. It was called "The Song of the Awakening". As soon as Zelda was done playing it, the stones rose in the air. They floated above Link's bed. The entire room erupted with light. Anna stuggled to see what was happening, but the light was so bright, she was forced to shut her eyes. Moments later, the bright light dimmed, then stopped. All three of them opened their eyes. Link was sitting up, feeling slightly dizzy. " What happened?" he asked, but no one answered him. Instead, he saw Anna holding three stones, and heard Zelda play the Song of Time. There was a flash of light, and they both dissapeared. They reappeared a few minutes later. Zelda returned the Ocarina of time to the Muesum. While Impa and Zelda explained things to a very confused Link, Anna couldn't help but wonder what struggles they would face in the future. But then again, only time will tell, she thought..........