The Unlikely Hero

Fate seems to select the most unlikely individuals to perform the most extraordinary acts. The puny David overcame the enormous Goliath. An overweight plumber outwitted the fire-breathing Bowser. The lazy Link obtained the Triforce of Courage and sealed Ganondorf in the Sacred Realm. But can Hyrule's future continue to depend on such a lazy boy?

It was a beautiful morning in Hyrule. The finches chirped cheerfully as they foraged in the meadows. A friendly breeze from Lake Hyrule stirred the daisies in the castle courtyard. The handmaidens and servants moved about their duties. None of this caused Link, who lay prostrate on his canopy bed, to stir. It wasn't until a shriek rang throughout the castle that Link finally cracked an eye open. He yawned and stretched just as a second shriek silenced the finches' melody. While these screams might have caused the average merchant or maiden to bolt upright and immediately investigate, it was a daily event for Link. It was the familiar cry of Princess Zelda.

What is it this time? Link dryly wondered. A spider? A blossoming hibiscus I can't wait until the afternoon to see? A moblin?

Although Ganondorf was contained in the underworld, he occasionally summoned enough power to release a moblin, stalfos or similar nuisance in Hyrule Castle. These pests had one mission: to retrieve the Triforce of Wisdom contained within Hyrule Castle. At first this was a concern for Link and Zelda, but the Triforce of Wisdom assured Link that Ganondorf's true power was restricted to the underworld. Ganondorf may summon moblins, but he himself would never escape the underworld. This assurance was enough for Link and now he no longer saw the need to worry. Unfortunately, Zelda did not share his indifference.

Sighing, Link rolled out of bed and reached for his leather belt. He took his time assembling himself and finished by placing his emerald cap over his head. Link strode toward the door and with the door ajar, the sound of the third shriek rang even louder in his ears. Knowing he risked a scolding from the king or even worse, Zelda, Link hustled down the hall to Zelda's room. He drew his sword and kicked the door open. Sure enough it was a moblin.

Link chuckled softly and sheathed his sword. Both the moblin and Zelda regarded him incredulously.

"Link! What are you doing?" Zelda exclaimed.

"Relax, princess. I have this under con-"

Link was interrupted by a moblin tackling him from behind. He collapsed on the floor, breathless under the moblin's weight.

"Link! Stop fooling around and DO something!" Zelda cried.

Link grunted as he shook the moblin off. "Well, excuse me princess!"

He withdrew his sword and struck the moblin as it struggled to its feet. One strike was all it took to vanquish Ganondorf's magic and send the moblin back to the underworld. He turned back toward Zelda and almost laughed at the moblin's pathetic attempt to drag her off the balcony. Zelda kicked it in the snout just as Link drove his sword into its chest. It vanished in the same style as its partner.

"Ta-da!" Link offered his hand to help Zelda to her feet. "Saved you again!"

Zelda scoffed in her usual manner and refused his hand. "No! You took too long! If you weren't so lazy you would have arrived long before Ganondorf had time to summon a second moblin!"

Link started to retort, but Zelda's brass door suddenly flung open with a force that startled them both. Several guards rushed into the room with their swords and spears drawn.

"Princess! Are you alright?" a guard asked in a tone that weighed not just concern for Zelda but for himself should he fail to protect the princess.

"We heard your screams and hurried here," another guard added.

Zelda nodded and glanced at Link. "I am fine thanks to my bodyguard who decided to be useful for once."

"Hey!" Link protested.

"At any rate, I must get dressed. Please resume your duties," Zelda instructed the guards.

"Yes, your highness." Each guard obediently sheathed his weapon and returned to his respective post.

"That means you too, Link," Zelda added when she noticed Link hadn't moved to do the same.

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay, princess?" At her skeptical glance he added, "After all, a moblin might appear as soon as you undress."

"I would welcome the moblin over my current company," Zelda murmured.

Link snorted. "Well, you're as gracious as ever so it looks like my job here is done." He started for the door.

"Oh, you..." she paused to collect her thoughts. "Ingrate!"

She suddenly lunged at him, but Link slipped through the doorway just in time. He turned to retort but the door slammed shut, nearly striking him in the face.

"Some gratitude," Link grumbled as he returned to his room.

Although it often seemed to castle staff that Link and Zelda could barely stand each other, they shared a bond unique from all other bonds in Hyrule- the duty to protect the Triforce of Wisdom and the kingdom of Hyrule. This bond eventually formed a friendship filled with such depth and affection that before they knew it, they were in love. However, this realization was not only denied to each other but unknown to themselves. The adolescent desire to avoid vulnerability clouded their affection for each other so that the only evidence of their love was contained within their flirtacious banter. There was only one in Hyrule who recognized the depth and Link and Zelda's love, and unfortunately this individual also had the capability and desire to use this knowledge against them in a plot that would destroy not just them but Hyrule.

Ganon anxiously paced the length of the rug before his throne as he considered his plan to retrieve the Triforce of Wisdom. It was easily his best plan yet, but he still was not fool enough to believe that it was fail proof. Ganon bitterly reflected on every one of his plans that Link and Zelda foiled, and while the memory caused his jaw to tighten and his fists to clench, he could not deny that his failures taught him the patience and perseverance he needed to carry out his current plans.

His thoughts were interrupted by his evil jar, the portal from the overworld to the underworld, which was suddenly clouded in a lavender mist. Expectantly, he approached the jar as the two moblins returned from their trip to Hyrule Castle.

"Well?" Ganon demanded in a raspy voice that intimidated even his most battle-hardened minion.

"We're back, Lord Ganon," the moblin stated.

Ganon growled impatiently. "I can see that! Now did you conjure the spell?"

The moblins scratched their heads in deep thought. At the sight of Ganon raising his hands in preparation to zap them with a bolt, the moblins snapped their fingers.

"Oh that spell! Yes we did release it, Lord Ganon."

"Excellent!" Ganon clapped his hands together in anticipation. "Everything is going according to plan!"

Ganon began reviewing his plan before one of the moblins broke his train of thought.

"Boss?" the moblin grunted.

Being in an unusally good mood because his plans were finally underway, he decided to grant the moblins one question.

"Go on."

The moblin remained silent for many moments eventually trying Ganon's patience.

"Well, what is it?!" Ganon spat.

"Errr...well, you see boss...you don't usually allow questions so I forgot what I wanted to ask."

"IMBECILE!" Ganon roared.

The moblin cowered.

"Stop wasting my precious time!" he yelled as he fired a bolt at the moblin.

The moblin yelped and fled as the bolt grazed his rump.

Ganon lowered his hand and resumed thinking with the reassurance that this plan was by far his best. He was so confident that he shifted his thoughts to anticipation of his reign of Hyrule kingdom, something he never had the leisure of dwelling on before.

While Link intended to return to sleep, a troubling thought accompanied him on the way back to his room that he could not shake even when he collapsed exhaustedly onto bed. Ganon always gradually improved his plans. Why would he suddenly send a few moblins into the castle when he knew Link was capable of conquering foes as threatening as the iron knuckles? It didn't make sense to him, and when he rose to share his concern with Zelda, he noticed she was sternly staring at him from a door he had not heard her open.

"Honestly Link," Zelda paused as she paced into his room, "if you're going to be so lazy, why not shut the door so that the servants at least think that you earn your stay here."

Link stretched as he nonchalantly rose from bed.

"Because I'm starting a revolution."

"Oh?" Zelda humored him.

"Yes, that one can sleep in and still manage to save the princess!" Link spoke in his best heroic tone.

Zelda shook her head in pity.

"Next time I think I'll just let the moblins take me. At least then I'll be away from your pathetic retorts."

Ouch, Link thought, I almost don't have to feign my offense this time.

"Well met, princess...but if I wasn't mistaken, it was you who entered my room so perhaps I can safely assume that you find me a worthy opponent."

Zelda smiled a condescending, but nevertheless dazzling smile. "So I let you think."

"Well excuse me princess," Link grumbled.

She spoke as if she hadn't heard him.

"I would like to visit the market today and I need an escort. Seeing as you are the only one not working, I guess you'll do. Hop to it hero! I'll be waiting in my carriage downstairs."

Gee, with an invitation like that I can hardly wait, Link thought as Zelda left his room.

It was as he was gathering his things that he realized he forgot to share his concern with Zelda.

A threatening nimbus cloud formed over Lake Hylia and slowly began its journey inland to Hyrule square. While Hyrule occasionally experienced rains necessary to maintain their plentiful agriculture, there was not a cloud in Hylian history as massive as this. It formed so rapidly that the fishermen immediately docked their boats and sought shelter. Crows and finches alike propelled into the air, resounding cries that directed several hiker's eyes towards the sky. The courageous raced inland to warn other Hylians, but the majority sought the protection of their homes. Most Hylians would carry about their business undaunted. Not even Link and Zelda would recognize the cloud as the backbone of Ganon's terrible plan- until it was too late...