A/N: Hee hee! This is my second fanfic! I'm working on them both at the same time, actually! This story takes place after the events of the Four Swords + manga. It's slightly AU because of the fact that the Triforce is going to be playing a big part in the story, even though it doesn't show up in Four Swords. Disclaimer: I don't own the Legend of Zelda, Nintendo does! I do own my plot and any OCs I may make later in the story, though! I don't do lemons, but I'm fine with fluff and hint-hinting, so here are the current pairings! Green X Zelda, Red X Blue, Shadow X Vio. ...I know they're way too predictable... Sorry... ^_^; Anyway, enjoy the story! *waves cheerfully* Oh yeah, ideas for a title are very welcome, because I'm stumped! Lots of credit and thanks to whoever helps me out!

The Links' personal Weapons (other than their swords and shields, of course!)

-Red has an ice rod, a fire rod, and a slingshot!

-Green has a boomerang, and he's pretty good with it.

-Blue has a hammer, of course, which suits his personality perfectly!

-Vio has a bow and a quiver full of arrows, and of course, his ever-present book.

-Shadow has... well, his weird shadow abilities, I guess? mimicking? he might end up with a special shield...

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Prologue

The four Links have returned to the Four Sword Sanctuary to become one once more, accompanied by Princess Zelda. Before they do it, Vio pulls Zelda aside to talk to her in private for a moment.

"(Zelda) What is it, Li- err, Vio?"

"(Vio) ...I have a request. Please keep this safe..."

Vio pulls a small bottle out of his pocket and holds it out for her to see...

"(Zelda) ...! That's...!"

Vio nods.

"(Vio) The sparks of light that Shadow became... I gathered as many of them as I could and kept them safe in this bottle. I want you to have it, since I won't exactly be around to protect it... Please, could you take care of it for me?"

'Shadow... I won't let you die... I kept your sparks safe with me, but I'll be going back inside "Link" soon... I hope we meet again... I miss you, and I'm going to miss these three, too... Even though you weren't on our side for long, you're still one of us...'

Vio is looking away from Zelda, towards the pedestal where the Four Sword is normally enshrined, where Red, Blue and Green are waiting. Zelda has an expression of sympathy and understanding on her face... She gently takes the bottle from Vio, and he looks back at her, seeming to be a little startled.

"(Zelda) You were afraid I was going to say no, weren't you? Don't worry, I'll keep these very safe for you. He is one of the "Links," too, after all! *smile*"

"(Vio) ...Thanks."

Blue yells something about how Vio's taking his sweet time and to hurry up already before Red starts crying again, so Vio runs off, back to the others to put the Four Sword back in its resting place...

'Shadow Link... You thought you were alone, but that isn't true. You are one of the heroes as well... I have a feeling I'll be seeing you and these four again... And when I do, a new story shall begin... I hope it will have a happy ending, for you too this time...'

~About one year and five months later...~

"(Link) You never learn, do you, Jago! Come on Dad, it's the pirates again!"

"(Jago) Same for you, Left-handed Hero! I'll win some day!"

Link is fighting the pirate band... Again! He easily defeats Jago, who actually seemed to have fought just for the fun of it... Jago brushes himself off and gets up. By this time the rest of the royal guard has arrived, of course, along with the General, Link's father.

"(Jago) Glad to see you're not getting rusty, boy! Since you beat me, I guess I'll tell you something important! To tell you the truth, me and my pirate band came here this time around to spread the bad news... There've been monster sightings gradually increasing off the coast and around the outskirts of Hyrule... And there've been sightings of strange dark clouds covering the sky..."

Link stares at Jago in shock. The same goes for every non-pirate in the area.

"(Link) What?!"

~A little later that day, back at Hyrule Castle...~

"(Zelda) Link, you mustn't! At least don't go alone!"

Link and Zelda are in her private chambers. He has his 'hero's clothes' on, and his boomerang is hanging from his belt...

"(Link) Heh... Call me Green, not Link! It's time for me to see them again... Those guys... We have to stop this darkness before anything gets any worse!"

"(Zelda) But Link, it's dangerous! At least wait for a group of guards to come with you! Please!"

"(Link) It's Green, not "Link!" Quit acting like they never existed!!! Anyway, it'll be faster on my own!"

Link starts to run out of the room.

"(Zelda) W-wait!!"

He looks over his shoulder, about to go out the door.

"(Link) Don't worry, we'll be back before you know it!"

Link heads off to the Four Sword Sanctuary to become Green once again... Left alone in her bedroom, Princess Zelda goes to the wall above her bed and opens a hidden compartment... She takes the small, tightly sealed bottle that rests inside the compartment in her hand and looks at it. Tiny sparks of light swirl and flicker inside the bottle...

"(Zelda) I have a really bad feeling about this... Even Shadow Link's sparks look agitated, as if something is upsetting them... I've never seen them move this fast or violently... *sigh...* You four had better come back..."

She puts the bottle back in its hiding place and closes the compartment...

~About three weeks after Link's departure from Hyrule Castle...~

Zelda is in her room, staring out the window at the sky... The General waits behind her...

'It's been three weeks... Why hasn't he, haven't they returned? Something isn't right...!'

"(Zelda) General."

"(General) Yes, Princess Zelda?"

"(Zelda) Assemble a small guard. We're going to the Sanctuary."

~Later, at the Four Sword Sanctuary...~

Two guards work together to push the doors of the shrine fully open, then Zelda walks inside alone, refusing to let any guards follow her.

"(Zelda) ...!"

Inside the Sanctuary, there is no sign of the Four Sword or of the Links... The Triforce of Courage that should be in Link's hand is floating above the altar as if it has been waiting for Zelda to come...

'That's...! But how is this even possible?! The Triforce of Courage has left Link?!! But why?! What happened here?! What happened to Link?!'

Zelda closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, trying to calm herself down so she can think clearly...

'...I have to calm down... There must be something I can do...'

Zelda walks over to the floating triangle and it goes into her hand, though she gets the feeling that it isn't going to stay there permanently... After all, Princess Zelda is the chosen wielder of the Triforce of Wisdom, not the Triforce of Courage... She feels a faint tug in her hand, and follows it, going over to a certain spot on the ground where a flagstone looks a tiny bit different from the others, but enough to be suspicious... Upon moving it aside, she finds a small compartment with an extremely old-looking book written entirely in ancient Hylian inside... She takes a look, opening to a random page, and is very startled...

'Five Sword...?! What is this book...?! The sword enshrined here is the Four Sword! Or, perhaps the legends were changed for some reason...?! And look, here's a page about the Triforce...! ...Hmm...? Something about a shadow, and a curse...? Is this book telling of some ancient prophecy... That is coming true now...?!'

She looks toward the empty altar once more, and remembers the last time she was here, and the bottle hidden in her bedchamber suddenly comes to mind...

"(Vio) The sparks of light that Shadow became... I gathered as many of them as I could and kept them safe in this bottle. I want you to have it, since I won't exactly be around to protect it... Please, could you take care of it for me?"

"(Zelda) Not four, but five..."

Zelda and the guards return to Hyrule Castle... Once there, she orders repairs begun on the Dark Mirror, and for modifications to be made on it so that only she can activate it. She then retires to her chambers with the mysterious book, studying the pages that have to do with a shadow and a curse, and with the Triforce of Courage... Later that night, she closes the book, having found out what she needed to know. She again opens the secret compartment and takes out the bottle that holds Shadow's spirit... She carries it out with her to the balcony... It's a clear night, and stars fill the sky. The moon is out and full, and silver moonlight bathes the balcony. She looks at the bottle and whispers this:

"(Zelda) Shadow Link... Hyrule needs you... They need you... You're the only one who can help them, I can feel it..."

When she says this, the sparks in the bottle seem to shine brighter for a moment, but she shakes it off, thinking that her eyes must be playing tricks on her...

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A/N: Thanks for reading and please review! No flames, please...? *puppy dog eyes* Guesses on what's going to happen next and constructive criticism is always welcome! I hope you enjoyed the prologue! *waves goodbye* See you later!