"Link!"

Link started, whipping out the Goddess Sword and whirling to face the speaker. He was surprised to see Impa standing there, her ruby eyes stretched wide in terror. The expression unsettled Link; he'd never seen the stoic Impa look that way before. His stomach twisted in fear as he realized Zelda was not with her.

"Impa," he said, sheathing his weapon, "What are you doing here? You went through the Gate of Time with Zelda."

He glanced around in the feeble hope that Zelda would spring out of hiding and run into his arms. Of course, no such thing happened.

"Zelda's gone." Impa's voice hardly sounded like her own; it was thick with despair. "She was at my very side. And then she vanished. I have not been able to sense her. I fear—" She hesitated briefly, her face falling. "I fear some ill has befallen her."

Link could hardly believe his ears.

"But...but she went through the Gate of Time. She went to the past with you. You destroyed the Gate. You were going to keep her safe."

"Link," Impa said, "There is a second Gate."

"A second..." Link swallowed. "If Ghirahim knew about it—"

"This is not Ghirahim's work."

Link thoughts took a much darker turn.

"Demise?" he murmured, "But he was sealed away. The seal wasn't broken...was it?"

"If Demise had been released, we would have known it. His dark work would have already begun."

Link recalled the recent events and quickly sprang to a conclusion.

"All these people showing up across the Surface, you must have seen them. They're not from here. What if Demise was the one responsible?"

But that would mean Zelda is already dead. And there's nothing I can do about it.

Link felt his knees buckle under him. Impa sprang forward to help him back up but he waved her away.

"I'm fine," he insisted, turning his attention elsewhere, "Fi, can you sense Zelda at all?"

The spirit materialized in a bright flash of blue, her vacant eyes staring at Link.

"I am afraid I can find no indication of her presence, Master."

Desperate, Link grasped for an explanation, any explanation other than the one most prominent in his mind.

"These...these creatures, maybe they have something to do with Zelda's disappearance. They're all coming from somewhere else. Maybe that's what happened to Zelda. She just ended up somewhere else."

"If that were the case," Impa said gravely, "Then we would have no hope of finding her. These creatures have not the slightest inclination as to how they got here, and I could no better hope to explain the phenomenon myself. The only course of action left to me is continue my search for Her Grace."

"Lost something, have you?"

Impa, Fi, and Link turned toward the voice in unison, coming face to face with the strangest being Link had ever set eyes on. The unclothed form was unimaginably tall and thin, its face nothing more than a queer mask.

Fi was the first to speak.

"Master, I detect a massive dark aura surrounding this creature."

Link and Impa were immediately on their guard.

"Speak, stranger. Who are you and what is your purpose here?" Impa demanded.

The dark form swept a flawless bow.

"You may call me Majora. As to my purpose, I have none. I was merely wandering this domain you call the Surface."

The mask's eyes settled on Link, sending a shiver running up his spine.

"Are you the hero of this land?"

Link's grip on the Goddess Sword tightened.

"How do you know that?"

"A mere guess. Your face looked familiar."

This guy is an even bigger creep than Ghirahim.

"I've never met you," Link insisted, "Are you one of the lost creatures?"

"Lost? Oh my, no. Though I suppose it depends on your point of view. One might argue that we are all lost souls wandering through life."

He talks in riddles. Even better.

"Maybe you know something about how those 'lost souls' as you put it ended up here on the Surface from another timeline?" Link said.

Majora spread his clawed hands.

"Why, I thought it was obvious. Someone has thrown time out of whack. I would recommend consulting our dear Goddess of Time on the matter, though many seem at a loss as to her whereabouts nowadays."

"Goddess of Time?" Impa echoed, "I am unfamiliar with such a deity."

"Ah, then perhaps you know her by another name. Hylia, perhaps?"

Link paled, aiming the point of his sword at Majora.

"What do you know about Hylia?" he demanded.

Majora seemed utterly unperturbed by the weapon being pointed at him. He spoke as casually as if he were talking to a friend.

"Oh, I was once well acquainted with the goddess, but I believe she rather misliked me. Unfortunately we last parted on poor terms and I have not had the pleasure of her company since. Come to think of it, I believe that was when these poor lost wanderers began to appear in these lands. Of course, much the same has been happening all across the realms."

"Of what realms do you speak?" Impa pressed.

"The only realms there are, silly," Majora chided, "It's not as though they've changed. But enough talk of such inconsequential things. You two were looking for someone."

Link took a step forward, his fear replaced by anger.

He has something to do with all of this, and he's going to answer for it.

Accessing his telepathic link, he told Fi to stay at the ready.

"Zelda," he said, addressing Majora, "Her name is Zelda."

"Zelda?" Majora echoed, "Per chance, was she the golden-haired reincarnation of our dear Hylia?"

"Yes," Link said sharply, taking another step forward, "What do you know about her?"

"Oh dear. I think I killed her."

Link streaked toward Majora, striking at him with a vertical slash. The Goddess Sword cut through air, the space where Majora should have been now empty. Link spun on his heel, his eyes darting to and fro in search of his target. He found it standing next to Impa, no sign of aggression in its countenance. Nonetheless, Impa stumbled back in an effort to put some space between herself and the dark creature.

"Now, now," Majora said, "No need for that. I assure you no ill will was meant toward you in my actions. Though I cannot lie when I say your despair does bring me some joy."

"What did I ever do to you?" Link spat, "What did Zelda ever do to you?!"

"It's nothing in particular that you yourselves ever did, it's merely those in your lineage who concern me. It would seem you and I were destined to be enemies, though, again, not you specifically. The same goes for your little golden-haired friend. I benefited from her death, to be sure. But you, well, as you are now, are nothing to me, and what with the timelines being interwoven it would make no difference if I were to kill you. So you may keep your life. Consider it a generous gift."

A wordless shout escaped Link as he ran at Majora again, his attack just as fruitless as the first.

Majora did not reappear, leaving Link to feel the weight of his world crashing down around him.