hyruleanhistorian

[hyruleanhistorian]

The Smallest of Shoulders Shall Carry the Heaviest Burden - Prologue

Many years ago, when I was a child, I had a prophetic dream. My father, the king, dismissed the dream as the creation of childhood imagination. Impa, my nursemaid, believed me, but there was little more she could do than continue to protect me.

One day, the ruler of the Gerudo, Ganondorf, arrived to speak with my father. The moment I saw him, I felt a foreboding sense that this was the man with the evil eyes from my dream. A boy from the forest came, having sought me out by the command of his dying father. He agreed with me that something must be done. With my blessing, and some support from Impa, he set off on his journey.

He managed to retrieve the spiritual stones, but when he went to retrieve the Master Sword, Ganondorf’s trap was revealed.

Link did not survive.

While we eventually managed to take back Castle Town, and restrain Ganondorf, Hyrule is not the peaceful kingdom it once was, and Ganondorf’s power still influences the area. We knew his restraints were only a short-term solution when they were placed. We can only pray that some day soon, a new hero will rise, and Hyrule will flourish once again.

Zelda’s son slumbered in her arms as she made her way down the path, plush rabbit held securely in his grasp even in his sleep. Her daughter ran up to her, bouquet of wildflowers held in her small hand.

“Do you think he’ll like them?” Her daughter implored.

“I’m sure he will.” Zelda assured her. Zelda shifted her son to one arm and took hold of her daughter’s free hand as they continued down the path.

When they reached their destination, they came to a stop in front of a slab of stone. Her daughter placed her bouquet in front of the stone.

“I got you some flowers Mister Link. I hope you like them.”

[hyruleanhistorian]

The Dungeon Crawler

Legend was not unfamiliar with the sensation that washed over him as the distance between the floor and his face became much shorter.

What he was unfamiliar with was suddenly being in the air, Warriors having scooped him up.

The rest of the group shielded the pair as they backtracked out of the dungeon they had been traversing.

“Does anyone know what hit him?” Time queried as he examined Legend from where he was standing a short distance away.

Hyrule, who had been Legend’s buddy for this venture, sheepishly ran his hand through his hair. “No, I was trying to help Wars and Wild figure out their puzzle.”

Time sighed. “Did anybody else notice anything?”

He was answered by a chorus of negatives.

Wind peeked over Wars’ arm. “How long do you think this will last?”

“If it isn’t permanent.” Came Sky’s mutter, quiet but still loud enough for Legend to pick up.

Four’s face held a considering expression. “Maybe there’s an item one of us has that can undo it?”

Wars looked down at Legend. “Do you know, buddy?”

Normally, 8 minutes, but Legend had never left the area before he’d changed back.

Legend did his best to hold up eight fingers, but that was easier said than done.

“Vet - Link, can you understand me?”

Legend nodded curtly, which he was sure looked out of place in this form.

“Well that’s something.” Wild commented. “What do you think we should do then, Vet?”

Legend gestured back towards the entrance.

“You want us to go back in?”

Twilight hummed. “Maybe we gotta defeat whatever did this to ‘im.”

Legend did his best to shrug, but he wasn’t sure if the motion came across correctly.

After an unnecessarily long debate in Legend’s opinion, they agreed to try, and to bring Legend in there with them.

Wars would continue to carry him, Twilight, Sky, and Hyrule would guard them, and Four, Wind, Wild, and Time would take out the monsters.

It took a while, with the heroes being more cautious than usual, but eventually they managed to take out the last monster, a blue stalfos.

Legend quickly tried to wiggle out of Wars’ hold once he had regained his normal stature.

“Let go of me!”

Warriors complied, a smirk on his face.

“You know, you were a lot cuter as a baby.”

[hyruleanhistorian]

"I'm as true as the ocean is deep."

-Sail North, Broken Mast Bay

[hyruleanhistorian]

A Bird and His Boy

His boy called him Crimson. That wasn’t his true name, but he didn’t call his boy “Link” either. They gave each other names in their own languages, and in this way their bond strengthened.

His boy was training to be a knight. They had a test today, a flying competition. Their bond was strong, so he knew they’d fly well. His boy was skilled, despite his issues with sleeping. No, he wasn’t worried about not performing well; he was worried about not being able to participate at all. The subservient boys, Cawlin and Stritch, under Groose’s command no doubt, had trapped him in a cave behind the waterfall. Oh, he had tried to dissuade them, with scratching and pecking, but they had continued to carry out their orders. He could have escaped, yes, but he didn’t want to hurt the boys too badly. He had faith in his boy finding him. And find him his boy did.

They won the competition, too.

They went on a post-victory flight with his boy’s friend Zelda and her loftwing she called Bluebell. Zelda was Hylia. He knew that. But she was Hylia in a different way as to how his boy was also his first boy. And as the tornado struck, he realized the Demon King knew who Zelda was too.

As he and his boy recovered from the tornado, and his boy went off in search for Zelda, he was forced to acknowledge that his first boy and his current boy had more similar destinies than he’d like.

But he’d waited thousands of years to reunite with his other half, so he’d help however he was asked to ensure that the Demon King didn’t take his boy’s life again.

[hyruleanhistorian]

Hylia's Hero

It seemed the tidal wave of war that had been brewing for decades was about to crash upon Hyrule’s shores. But no hero had appeared. Zelda knew the tales, those of the legendary heroes who appeared when Hyrule needed them most. Heroes of Sky, of Time, of Wind. Heroes who rescued princesses from prison, from sleep. A hero who was a princess. Yet, out of the uncountable people Zelda had met, none of them had felt right.

“Please Hylia,” she prayed, “send us your hero, for the sake of your people.”

Hylia listened to her daughter’s plea, and she looked out upon her people, considering who she should bestow a hero’s spirit upon. Alas, no one was quite right; and her people did not have time to wait for a baby to grow.

So, Hylia set to work creating a hero. Blond hair, blue eyes, slim build. An average hero, created from elements of past ones. A knack for fighting, an aptitude for puzzles, a love for adventure.

And Hylia took her hero, dressed in plain clothes, the both of them, a hood covering her own face, and brought him to the enlistment officer for the Hyrulean Army.

She filled in his forms, for though he knew how to read and write, he was still gaining his bearings.

His name was Link, no last name. They’d give him one, most likely, with how populated this city was. He was fifteen, today, the minimum age for enlistment with parental permission. She gave a signature for the parental sign-off but left the place of residence and contact form empty.

“Couldn’t wait to get rid of him, aye?” The officer commented as he reviewed the forms.

With everything in order, Link was given a set of clothing and a toiletry kit, and, after brushing her hand through his hair, Hylia took her leave.

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According to Link’s commanding officer, the prevailing theory amongst the higher-ups was that Link’s amnesia and inability to speak was a result of a deal gone poorly between his mother and a spirit, and his mother had abandoned him possibly out of shame, or out of worry that Link would become vengeful. Though Link had overheard that some thought his mother would have signed him up the moment she could regardless.

Link’s amnesia involved all his memories before being enlisted. Sometimes, though, he had glimpses and inklings that he supposed must have come from his life before the army. But they often seemed contradictory.

He had a sister – He was an only child – He was the youngest of many – He was a triplet? Quadruplet? Quintuplet?

He loved the water – The water terrified him – He was an excellent swimmer – he had no idea how.

He used to live in Castle Town – A forest – A farming community – An island – Nowhere.

He was left-handed. But sometimes he reached with his right.

He stood at the edge of a cliff and reached to adjust a cape – to grab a sailcloth – he had nothing.

The Smith, a young man came to deliver a sword. Why did Link expect him to be grey, with a ponytail and green bandana?

He’d never met the king, but he was kind, dismissive, understanding, stern, soft, loving, mean.

He saw rabbits, and wondered why none were pink, or purple. (And why did he feel the urge to catch them all?)

A goat got loose on market day – Link caught the goat and flipped it over before he’d fully registered what was happening.

And when the war started?

Having Fi and Midna beside him felt so right. Like a hole in his chest had been filled that he hadn’t known existed.

The song Marin sang felt so familiar. And filled him with a sadness he couldn’t describe.

And all the different places they visited, despite there being no way of him having been there before – felt like home.

@stqrmyskies