Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, locations, or elements that are found in other Nintendo Zelda games.

-PROLOGUE-

Far above the clouds of the land, in the midst of time and space, the three goddesses met to discuss the problems of the land. A fierce civil war ended, partially caused by the goddesses themselves, and they had the dilemma of whether to intervene again.

[Farore] The hero's time has come again. Let us choose the three, those who will usher in a new era of peace.

[Nayru] But sister, the world has changed so much in so little time. We have been forgotten - we are unneeded in this era of technology and disbelievers.

[Din] Then we should show that we are needed by restoring the natural balance of the universe.

[Farore] She is right, the tide of history has created a path that has removed the good in much of the world.

[Nayru] Let you not forget how our last intervention created a civil war, causing bloodshed and casualties without any victor. Each of the chosen ones died before the turmoil ended. We agreed to let humanity run its course.

[Din] But it is a course that we caused.

[Nayru] I can imagine no favorable outcome, none better than our last intervention. Nevertheless, if you both agree, I will not say no in resurrecting the Triforce on the mortal grounds. I caution you two to be more intrusive on this occasion. There is no reason to let an unfavorable ending occur.

[Farore] Then let the Triforce reawaken in the chosen individuals, and the legends of history shall be written again.

The goddesses descended to the land below, entering a group of humans destined to save the world.

-Chapter 1-

Link sharply rose in his bed. Was it just a dream? he thought. The room was dark, and he tried remembering what was going through his head just moments before... it dealt with light and dark, a princess, an emperor, and a hero, but these were common dreams. After all, Link was named after the legendary Hyrulian hero, and people regularly reminded him how important he would be.

Thinking more about the dream, Link did not worry. He had never stepped foot in Hyrule, so he couldn't be the Hero of Time of legend. He was born and raised in Torrhes, located in Arcadia, the neighbor of the Republic of Hyrule. Still, the dream was so vivid, but he had no one to tell. Since he turned 12, he was expected to care for himself, as per the customs of the village. However interested he was in an answer, he was now 17, and his quiet courage meant he shouldn't bother anyone.

With his thoughts stirring, he found it difficult to go back to sleep. It was the middle night, but Link decided to leave his hut for a few hours. He brought only his trusty bow, given to him by his godmother Aryll, and his silver arrows, given to him by Aryll's father and Link's mentor Sahasrahla. Walking out into the dark, Link noticed how the moonlight reflected off of the arrow tips. This really is the best gift I've ever gotten, Link thought. Trying to forget about his dream as he walked in solitude, his thoughts wandered toward Aryll and Sahasrahla.

Aryll was the village blacksmith, the only woman at that position in all of the country. Trained by her father in the art of swordsmanship, Aryll planned to join her nation's army, only to be turned down due to her gender. She was the closest Link had to a mother figure. Her expertice in combat created an aura of power that everyone respected. Now that Link was of age, she began teaching him the way of the sword, although he had yet to receive one of his own.

Link walked past the house of Aryll and her father Sahasrahla, the latter who became more of a friend than mentor in recent years. The old man was the one who told Link about his childhood, how his mother died during a harsh winter when he was 3, and how his father was killed after joining the Arcadian army. Sahasrahla knew Link's father, since he was a veteran of the great war, and consequentially he took the young orphan under his watch. The old man also taught the boy magic lessons, which Link only did to humor him. He doubted whether any magic existed in the world anymore.

Tired but restless, Link's feet carried him along the small stream toward the open field behind a barn, to the east of town. He used the field as an area for his bow training, and tonight he intensely practiced for an hour, shooting toward the great oak tree, the scarecrow, and the picket fence. He reveled how the arrows maintained their shape after such extensive usage. It must be magic, Link laughed.

After one set of shots, Link noticed it was getting brighter in the direction of the town. As he straddled the field to recover his arrows, he didn't think anything of it getting brighter. He aimed toward the oak tree, which was the midpoint between the farm and the mountain range to the east. Pausing before he took the shot, Link was puzzled. The sun always rises over the mountains, but it was getting brighter in the west. Something must be wrong, he realized, and he quickly put his supplies away. He headed west through the field, but once he reached the barn, Link stopped in his tracks: a red glow emanated over the skies above, and half of Torrhes was on fire.

His heart sinking, Link instinctively ran toward the house of Sahasrahla and Aryll. The smoke built as he approached the town, but there was no one outside to combat the blaze.

"FIRE! HELP - SOMEBODY HELP ME!" Link shouted. His heart sunk as he saw the little hut incinerating before his eyes.

"Is anyone in there?" Link yelled, coughing as the red smoke increased. He ran around the hut, hoping to find a way in, but it was engulfed in flames so hot he could not even enter. Rushing to the backyard, Link found a bucket and ran toward the stream. He glanced for a second at the mountains in the distance. There was a shadowy figure... no, two people, running away from the village. Cowards, Link thought, before he filled the bucket and dashed toward the house.

Link threw the water onto the hut, but nothing happened. He ran back to the stream and repeated the process, but to no avail. The fire kept burning, and a blueish hue developed in the flames.

"IS ANYONE IN THERE?" The smoke continued, and Link's despair grew as a swirling cloud ascended into the sky. His village, his home, was to be destroyed by two fiends, and there was nothing to do.

Quietly, he turned away as a tear trickled down his face. He knelt and prayed to the goddesses.

Din, Nayru, Farore

Please forgive our town. We try to lead a simple life. We are not looking for adventure or excitement; we just long for peace.

Link suddenly stopped as he felt a strange presence from within. He stood, feeling calm as a surge of power rose through his body. Overcome by the new sensation, he intently looked toward the town in flames, raised his arms, and saw a green light leave his hands. With difficulty and concentration, Link guided the light, first onto the hut where Aryll lived, and then throughout the town to extinguish the fire.

Eventually, the last of the embers subsided.

Exhausted beyond belief, Link fell into a very deep sleep in the middle of Torrhes.

Next chapter:

The townspeople see Link passed out, and assume he started a fire in a drunken haze. Even Link has doubts, since he doesn't remember putting out the fire. But will an unlikely witness come forth? And will Link find who started the fire?