A/N: Doing a Link story is going to be hard, because all of the journeys are based more on action than words, and I don't really want to put: 'Link did this' and 'then he did that' before he 'slew such and such an enemy of five' etc, etc. This is just not my usual style.
Remember, opinions (good and bad) are always valued, and I need them to know if the fic isn't interesting enough, if characters are out of character, and so on.
Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda, Link, Zelda and Epona (the horse) are all characters belonging to Nintendo. The Zorans, Gorons, Kokiri and Skull Kids are all species belonging to the game, and therefore are also the property of Nintendo.
The land, unique characters and evil enemies are all products of my imagination. Which Nintendo has no claim on.
~Chapter 1~
Link had traveled many days south, through fields, deserts and swamps, with the weather both beautiful and terrible, until he had finally come to the kingdom of Morëkotu, a land that had once been prosperous, yet over the last decade it had fallen into dark times. Perhaps here he would find his fairy friend, Navi.
Ahead of him, the land jutted into sharp, leering black mountains and on the highest one, covered in snow at its peaks, sprawled a city as glorious and awe striking as it was terrifying and threatening. In the fading light, the setting sun seemed to make it even more mysterious.
Abruptly, Epona bucked him off and Link fell to the ground, rubbing the back of his head with one hand. Epona wouldn't have bucked him off for no reason, and he quickly stood on his feet, grabbing his small sword from its sheath and looking around for what had startled her. He found it quickly enough. Something large, black and scaly was slithering between Epona's legs, scaring the horse, but not allowing her enough room to move to get away from it. Link stabbed at the slinking thing in the tall grass, and in return the thing hissed at him, but it wasn't a verbal hiss – but a telepathic one. He turned around, and was greeted by a huge black demon. It had a human body above the torso, but a snake's form below it. On the left side of the chest on the ribcage there was a small devilish wolf tattoo made of scars. Where the hair should have been, there was nothing but a heavy crest that reminded Link of the mountains in front of him – and the creature had no mouth. The eyes were full of a cold, calculating hatred that seemed to be weighing Link up, judging him as an enemy.
The creature struck out, and with only one massive blow from its right arm, Link fell to the ground, the creature looming over him. Link went for his small wooden shield, but the demon knocked it out of his grasp and somewhere into the grasses. It held its claws ready to strike, but something else caught its attention and the creature's head swiveled around. The demon looked upon Link one last time, his eyes narrowing in hatred for the boy. My master, the great knight Sir Jerusinus will deal with you boy – Link, hero of Hyrule. The thoughts of the creature penetrated his brain as plainly as speech, the 'voice' full of disdain. The demon stealthily vanished into the meadow, and Link saw no more of it. Swiftly, he became aware of hoof falls and he got back up onto his feet.
"Ho! A newcomer!" A jolly man on one of the approaching horses smiled. It was a party of five horsemen, all with bows, arrows and swords with them. Their clothes were cut far more loosely than Link's, and they were mottled colours meant to blend with their surroundings and it was obvious to them that he was a stranger. "And what brings you to this land, son?" He asked Link.
"To find my fairy, Navi. I have not seen her in quite some time, and I have been searching the lands for her," Link replied. A lank man on another horse laughed at him.
"Fairies! There are none in this land – they left long ago. And right they were too," the other man said. "Where are you from, boy? And what is your name?"
"I am Link, of Hyrule!" Link proclaimed proudly. One of the men at the back of the line gasped audibly.
"Hyrule!" He muttered, "That is quite far away – and it appears that he has traveled here all on his own. With such resolve and resilience, he would make a very good novice wild-man." Link didn't understand what they meant by wild-man, but decided to change the subject to something more imperative for the moment.
"What was that demon – that snake-man? He fled when you came along." The men on the horses looked at him, and began to survey their surroundings with great alarm.
"Fuorresh!" The jolly man hissed, his expression changing from happiness to anger in a minute. "It is not safe out here anymore, Link. Please, follow us and we will take you to our stronghold, where we will explain the situation."
~End of Chapter 1~