UnMasked: A God of the People
Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with Nintendo, I have no claim to any of the characters in the story below (except for the name Zartaris, or the Goddess Darlen). Shigeru Miyamoto and Nintendo own the Legend of Zelda series, not me.
After hundreds, no thousands of years, release from my prison was imminent. I felt a presence, the presence of a young boy… I peered into his mind. Link was the ten-year-old's name, and as I had prophesized so long before, he was the Hero of Time. Once he put me, a mask, on, he would know who I was, or who I had been: the Fierce Deity God of the Universe. Or so they had once called me…
I was once called Zartaris, the God of Nobility. As a god, I have existed for eternity, and I will exist for another eternity. We gods, my family, are timeless; we have no past, present, or future. My children might call me 'father' and my parents might call me 'son,' but it has always been that way; I was never born, my children were never born, we have simply always known those family ties and respected them. It is a very difficult concept for a mortal to understand, and even as a god I find it tough to totally comprehend.
But that is history (or non-history to an immortal like myself.) More important is what is about to happen; the boy has picked me up… he is looking at me…he just said that name again, 'This is the Fierce Deity Mask?' I really hate that name, and for a good reason.
Approximately two million years ago (on a mortal time scale) I watched as my cousins, Din, Farore, and Nayru, created a land called Hyrule. I watched as they visited their people, were praised, and were loved. As a god I had always felt those things were immaterial and unnecessary, but seeing it in person made me wish I had the same. So I created my own world, Termina.
It was a beautiful land; I worked it to perfection, to such a fine degree that it almost became an eternal obsession. When I was finally done, I found all the other gods looking on with envy at my creation; though it was my first attempt, it was far superior to their own.
Yet it was still missing something. It had wind swept deserts, majestic oceans, rolling plains, and deep green woods. Every ounce of land was fertile; a little water and that spot would support any plant that existed. The animals and plants coexisted as one, and all was perfect, except for that one flaw: I had not created any people to live their. And it was at that moment that the disaster struck. It was what artists dread the most: I ran out of inspiration.
Looking at my perfect land, I realized only the best would do to fill this gap, but without inspiration, my work would be sub par. Fortunately, I had always been the best of friends with my cousins, so I asked them if I could link my world to theirs, so their 'Hyrulians' could find a paradise for themselves to live. They consented, and I created the link.
Soon my land was populated with several species of sentient life. I had the Hylians, the long eared elf like people, populating the field. The wooden, plant-like Deku tribe moved almost completely to my land, and several Zora fish-people moved in. Even Gorons, those good natured, stone eating, rock solid behemoths, took up residence. As each came, I did something no god before me had ever done. As each and every one came, I left the heavens, met him or her personally, and gave the person several gifts.
Gorons were given the ability to roll at high speed; at this speed, long blades would appear at their backs, and they could maul their attackers with them. Also, I gave them the ability to deliver a devastating 'Fire Punch' to their enemies.
To the Zora I gave the electric shield; at will they could shield themselves with power. I granted them detachable boomerang fins, which they could throw toward their enemy to stun them. Lastly, because they were frail by nature, I taught them my own version of karate.
The Deku were given a devastating spin attack to mow down their adversaries. I gave them the ability to shoot poison bubbles from their mouths, and I taught them how to fly.
Finally, the Hylians were given wisdom beyond their age as a civilization; I showed them how to tell time, make weapons, to run an efficient democratic government, and to educate their children. I granted them knowledge of electricity, and I showed them the way to run a police system, army, and postal system. I even hinted at how to build aircraft!
My world was complete. With the gifts I had given my cousins' imperfect creations, I put them on the road to perfection. The people were so devoted to me, that I grew to love them as if I had made them. I loved all I had created, to such a degree that I was a constant presence, protecting my land and its people. No evil could stand against me, for my love and devotion to what I had worked so hard for made me the most powerful god in existence. I so desperately wanted to be with my land and its people that I finally took action.
I condensed myself from a god into the form of a person. I lived among my people as one of them, and I was truly happy. My people simply called me 'The Provider,' or 'The Great Creator,' or my favorite, 'Father.' And I truly gave them as much affection as a father gives his family. They were all that mattered to me in the world; they were so dear to me that I forgot that I was a god, and I lived as one of the people, laughing with them, drinking with them, sharing their anguish and relishing in their happiness.
I wanted all living things to have paradise, even those who lived in worlds that were not mine to mess with. I started with my cousins' universe, Hyrule. My first step was to use my power to 'persuade' (I do not deny it; actually it was mind control) my cousins to follow my suggestions. I told Din, Hyrule's Goddess of Power, to remove the storms that occasionally plagued the land, to give the land an ideal climate, and to actively help take care of her people personally; I controlled her mind, and she complied. I persuaded the Goddess of Courage, Farore, to give the people the courage to face every hardship and to do every thing she could to ensure their well being; she also complied. I made the Goddess of Wisdom, Nayru, become an immortal Hylian, so she could actively and personally share her knowledge with her people.
So Hyrule became a paradise, just like Termina. I did the same with my gloomy, spiteful brother Eris; I controlled his mind and had him make his Hell of a world into a utopia for his poor peoples. My sisters were brought under control as well; then my uncles, my aunts, my sons and daughters, all my other cousins, and even my parents were under my rule. I had become the King of the Gods, and I ruled with infinite justice and love for all.
All was at peace. But then I made a fatal err: I underestimated my sister Darlen, who loved trouble and discord as much as her husband Aries, the God of War, loved bloodshed. I overheard her ask Eris, "Why is it that when Zartaris says something, we blindly listen?"
It had the same effect as the proverbial lead balloon. Eris asked my father the same question, who in turn asked my mother, who asked my cousins, who asked my aunts, who asked my uncles, who asked my sons, who asked my daughters, who asked their grandparents, and the cycle repeated for almost three years mortal time. I knew I was in a ton of trouble, so for the sake of all the mortals, I secretly prepared to fight my family. I knew the odds were dead set against me; I had five thousand relatives who were going to be very disappointed and annoyed with my conduct, and I would have to defeat them all. Yet for the sake of the mortals I loved, I was willing to fight a thousand such battles.
To aid me in my battle, I developed weapons of power only I can fathom. I invented the Black Armor of Truth and Justice, and I constructed its companion, Legend's Flame, a sword capable of destroying entire universes with one swipe of its sun bright razor. The Armor was impenetrable, and the Sword was of such power that even my divine family would fear it, for with one strike from it, they would become mortals themselves!
So I armed myself and waited. My family, treacherous as they were, pretended they were not planning a rebellion, but I knew better; all the signs were there. They were nervous and secretive, and they looked at me like I was capable of revoking their godhood (which I now was.)
Then came that repulsive name. A week before they attacked, I was listening to them planning their battle, and Darlen was speaking. As I listened more closely, I realized they were trying to convert my son Vulcan to their side.
"Vulcan, you must understand," she said, "He controlled our minds! He made us servants to our creations!"
Vulcan defended me. "We created those worlds and their peoples. It is our responsibility to ensure they are taken care of, and my father wanted us to do that, for we had abused them. For instance, wasn't your world full of chaos from the suspicion you had sent them? Dad stopped that."
She stomped her foot hard. "I don't care! They are my toys to do with as I wish!" She snapped her fingers. "There! I just eliminated ten thousand of them! I have that right!"
I wouldn't tolerate that! No matter how disrespectful they were, I would never do that to my people! I resurrected those poor people and sent the pain of their violent deaths to her.
"Ahhhhh! Noooo!" she squealed. "I hate being punished! I hate it!" she proceeded to throw a tantrum.
"You deserved it!" Vulcan shamed, "Killing ten thousand on a whim! If I were my father, I think I would have done exactly what he did!"
She stopped mid tantrum. "How DARE you say that?! They are mine! You're just like your father, the Fierce Deity!" She screamed in frustration before storming out.
I was very hurt. How could my own family be so wicked? I soon discovered that only my son Vulcan remained on my side; all my other relatives, even my other children, joined the rebellion.
And then it came. From all sides I was besieged, but I was ready. With Legend's Flame I converted hundreds, no, thousands, of gods to mortals and imprisoned them. The Black Armor deflected every attack. My son Vulcan fought at my side, loyal and true to the end. Unfortunately, the end was very near for my dear son.
I watched in complete horror as Eris stabbed Vulcan with a trident. Obviously, I wasn't the only one who had designed weapons the past few days; the trident robbed Vulcan of both his immortality and his life in one swift blow.
I saw only red. My son's death would be avenged. Up until then I had fought a defensive battle, but now I leaped forward, attacking anything that moved. My sword 'mortalised' (changed the gods to mortals) tens at a time. I slashed, I kicked, I swore, I punched, I gouged. My family was a pack of murderers, and I would end it then and there. But I refused to sink to their level; I only took their immortality from them, but I let them live. I suppose I truly must have fought like a Fierce Deity.
I drove my oppressors back, out of the heavens. They suddenly turned and made a beeline, straight for Termina, obviously intent on wrecking my most precious creation. I gave chase to them, and right outside of the city of the Termian Hylians, Clock Town, I caught up with them and once again drove them back.
Little did I know that Darlen was in the city. I had almost won the battle; I had defeated all but ten of my relations, and I was ready to defeat the rest. I had a plan in memory: to permanently take their godhood would be sinking to their level, so once they had learned their lessons and could be trusted, I would give them their powers back. Then my enemies pointed towards Clock Town.
From the gates streamed my people, waving swords and spears. I smiled lovingly; they were going to help me. Subsequently, I saw Darlen come, and I knew the truth: she had promised my people great power, great gifts, all their heart's desires, and they had turned against me. From every corner of Termina, my people came to destroy me; the Gorons, the Zora, the Deku, the Hylians.
I could have won the battle anyway. But my people were my life; I dropped my sword and removed my armor. I felt betrayed; my heart was torn to shreds, and sadly, I surrendered to my fellow gods. So close to victory, but I could not hurt those whom I counted as my children.
I was surprised at the reaction. My people instantly dropped their weapons and cried in shame. My enemies were nearly brought to tears at my act. However, my nobility to the end only served to moderate their anger.
Before I could consider rearming myself, they took my sword and my armor, and chained me. They dragged me to heaven and forced me to give godhood back to my family. They stopped calling me Zartaris, and replaced it with that hateful name, 'Fierce Deity.' Finally, they combined their powers against me, and without my armor, I was defenseless; I was condensed from a god into a mask, and they took most of my power.
I watched in horror as they created Majora's Mask, a being of evil, and sent it to forever plague my beloved Termina. However, I did convince them to allow me one favor. I created the Four Giants, beings to protect Termina from the dark powers of Evil. In the form of a mask, my entrapped spirit was given to Majora. Then the other gods erased from the minds of the mortals their memories of me, and many of the gods, but not all of them, returned to their arrogant ways.
Meanwhile I waited, rebuilding my strength. I watched as Majora repeatedly attacked Termina, and as the Four Giants repeatedly defeated him. I navigated the River of Time and prophesized the coming of a time when the Giants would not be able to help my people. At that time, the one called Link would arise and save my land. And so I waited…
And now the time is here. Link stands before Majora, fighting the evil mask. My time has come. Once he puts me on, my power is his. Once he takes me off, my bond with the mask weakens. If he beats Majora with me on, I can absorb Majora's dark power and change it into the power of good. Then I can escape the mask, my prison!
He put me on! I supercharge him with my spirit; I change his form into that of a powerful warrior, the form I fought the gods with. He wears my Black Armor, and he wields the Legend's Flame. Majora looks like he realizes he's in for a bad day as I change Link's child body into a fifteen foot giant, with platinum hair and the strength of an army.
Like a pro he wields the Legend's Flame; I watch Majora suffer. Majora is loosing very quickly I see. In seconds, Link stabs forward for the final blow. As it hits, I feel Majora's power in me, and I am free of the Mask.
I make my plans. First I will congratulate my new best friend. Next, I will go to Clock Town; I forgave the people years ago for their treachery. Some mortals are easily swayed, so I don't blame them. After that, I will return to the heavens; my family seems to have learned a lesson from my rule and from that war long ago. Perhaps they will forgive me, as I have forgiven them. Then, I will do something I should have done years before. I will restore my son; I will raise him from the dead, and he will rejoin the ranks of the gods.
Link is quite awed with my sudden emergence from the mask. "Link, I am Zartaris, the God of Nobility."
He was stunned.
"Thank you, my friend. You have freed me from eternal prison, and I will forever remember your act and help you."
Link regained his composure and kneeled. "I was unaware of your presence; I am not worthy of special attention."
I smiled at the boy. "You are indeed worthy. I favor all who are noble, and you are the noblest of all. I will forever help you."
"Then may I and my horse, Epona, go home?"
"You may. But first, I want you to go say goodbye to my world, Termina."
With a snap of the fingers I teleport him there. I watch as he says his goodbyes, and I send him on his way home, to Hyrule. I had the uncanny feeling I was being watched, but I expected it; after all, my family keeps a pretty sharp eye on things. I do not worry about them though. I go forth to Clock Town; all will be as it was here, for Zartaris has returned to make my world the paradise it was. All will be as it was in the heavens, for I feel that they truly have changed, I will be forgiven, and my intuition is rarely wrong. All will be as it was in my family, for Vulcan will return. I will resume my place as a protector of the people, of all mortals; I can only hope my family will swallow their pride and see the truth. Once again, paradise will return.