[Hello again. It's R. Cybelle Gil and I must say this had
to be one of my favorite stories to write on a video game. I love the Legend of Zelda series and Link
in Zelda 64 is an absolute hunk! (Sorry
guys! But isn't it true, ladies?) Of course, I couldn't let an opportunity for
a story about this to pass, especially because I always had a question about
this series that was never answered.
The question is… "What exactly is
the 'Legend of Zelda'?" Notice that in
every game the story is about Link, not Zelda and the 'legend'. So I fixed that. This is a story, literally, on the 'Legend of Zelda'. By the way, this story is based solely on
"The Ocarina of Time". It has nothing
to do with any of the other Link games.
It takes off only from Zelda 64.
Have fun and enjoy the story! J]
Legend of Zelda:
The New Era of Hyrule
Begins
A Legend
Deep
beneath the castle, in the midst of all the passageways and mysteries, lurks
the hidden walls of ancient writing.
Writing that depicted the future of the land in which the great castle
had been erected. A single torch
flickered in the darkness of a hidden room, the light bouncing against the
strange markings engraved on the walls.
The old sorcerer's eyes squinted against the dim light of the torch as
he stared at the inscription on the walls.
His cloak whispered about him, moved by a wind that seemed to emerge
from nowhere. He paid it no heed, for
he was engrossed in the tale before him.
In the legend engraved upon walls of a stone he had never seen before.
The
Legend of Zelda.
His
lips moved to the ancient words that only he and his apprentice knew. The story unfolded before his eyes, as the
writing seemed to form a life of its own.
The magic in the walls pulsed… But he knew that the magic did not lie in
the walls, but in the words that were inscribed upon it. The sorcerer's old eyes grew wide in
astonishment and disbelief as he continued to read the legend. He shook his head and read again—making sure
his sight and understanding were not failing him… They were not.
"Unbelievable…"
he murmured in horrific amazement. It could not be.
The
whispering wind rustled more forcefully against him. The old man wrapped the cloak more tightly around him as he
continued to read his eyes unable to be turned away from the picture the words
produced. The chill of a wind that
should not be crept up his body… But the sorcerer turned away from it and
wrapped himself, trying to ward away the chill and the wind.
But
it would not be ignored. The wind
whistled and swirled around the man, blowing the cloak free from his
grasp. The old man twisted in the wind
that circled him, staring in amazement as the fire of his torch was teased and
tortured by the same wind that seemed to laugh echoingly. The sorcerer turned and twisted away from
the writings on the wall from the force of the laughing wind. And his eyes grew wide in paralyzing horror
and absolute terror.
Believe it.
No
one heard the old man's scream, nor the clatter of the torch falling to the
floor, the flames dying into nothing but ashes…
* * *
The
warrior stared out into the dark horizon.
The wind of the beach swirled around him, blowing his hair and tunic
into twisting snakes about him.
A
storm was coming.
The
dark blue eyes narrowed watching the waves crash against the surf and the
rocks, watching the dark clouds hovering over the horizon and stretching toward
the beach like the dark tendrils of an evil god. He took out the blade that was strapped to his back and held it
across his body, preparing himself.
The
rain began to fall. It fell like shards
of ice pricking the skin, and the warrior began to train beneath the
onslaught. His movements were quick and
lithe, the muscles of his arms and legs twisting with his maneuvers and his
technique. It was the dance of death
and power, a ritual that every warrior partakes of when he knows…
The
muscles of his back and shoulders turned with a thrust; his muscular arms
flexed and twisted with the sharp turn and the silent slice, every one of his
movements perfect, everyone of them in harmony with skill. The blade sliced through the hard rain, his
body leaping and moving with deadly grace as he trained beneath the sharp
pounding of heavy rain.
With
a movement faster than the eye could detect, he was once again facing the dark
horizon and the tortured waves which the rain crashed against. His breathing was hard and labored with his
exertion, his tunic plastered against his muscular body and his long golden
hair dark and dripping with the falling water.
He raised the blade, the double edges of the sword facing the horizon
and himself. His eyes narrowed and a
flash of lightning blasted from behind him, lighting the fire in his eyes, and
echoed his fate with the crash of thunder that followed.
He
lowered the blade and leaned his head back against the thrashing rain, his face
taking the brunt of the sharp watery blows.
He let the rain cleanse his spirit for the battle that lay ahead, for
the fate that was destined to be his no matter what the case.
He
turned his back, which now faced the dark and stormy horizon and he stared into
the woods before him, past the boundaries of the beach. The blue eyes were as dark as the storm that
blew over the ocean, glowing with the power within him.
"I'll
be waiting," he whispered into the wood.
For
the Hero of Hyrule knew something was coming.
* * *
"Dalan!"
In the
midst of a terrible storm, the fiercest they had ever seen, two Pryderi—people
from one of the many islands surrounding the land of Hyrule—struggled in the
small boat they had built. They had
dreamed of coming to the mainland…but as the storm continued to rage around
them, that dream seemed farther away than ever before.
The young
woman reached for her brother as he almost toppled over the edge of their
boat. She pulled him back in with a
heave as the waves crashed against and over them, the wind blowing fiercely and
the rain furiously pounding on top of them.
Both were drenched to their bones as they stared into the sea, seeing no
land in any direction.
The huge
man sighed as the wind howled, enveloping the sound. He shouted over the wind, "This is perfect, Rhaea! It was a beautiful day when we left the
village. Now look at this! It would be a miracle if we did find
Hyrule!"
Rhaea
stared into the midst of the storm, the rain blasting against her face, her
wings twitching with the heavy water and cold wind. She shuddered and shook her head. She turned to her older brother and stared into the golden eyes
exactly like her own. "You're right,
Dalan. It doesn't seem like we're going
to make it. If only we didn't have such
rotten luck."
Dalan
grabbed a hold of her as another huge wave washed over them. He stared down at her with a scowl. "This has nothing to do with luck!"
But just
as he released her to try to steer the buckling boat, another huge wave crashed
over them hurtling the two against a huge pile of jagged rocks that they had
not seen. The boat shattered and the
two flew in opposite directions, the waves overpowering them.
Rhaea
gasped for air as she tried to stay afloat, her watery eyes searching for her
brother in the darkness. But as she was
pulled under the water, the ocean swallowing her, she could only fall into
unconsciousness and let the water determine her fate.
Dalan
could feel the heat of his own blood as he kicked furiously against the
currents that would pull him down.
Blood seeped from his arm, the sharp rocks' gift to him as he tried to
make it to shore…and to spot his sister.
But in the darkness he could see no sign of her and the salt water was
burning his wound with such paralyzing pain, he had no idea how long he would
last. And as a crash of thunder sounded
over him, the waves hurtling him against the sand, he fell into unconsciousness—the
loss of blood, the pain and his exhaustion sending him over the edge into
oblivion.
* * *
Dalan
slowly awoke. His eyes fluttered open,
his body blissfully numb. But as his
eyelids open, the bright light invaded and formed a headache that awakened all
the aches and pains in his body. His
arm burned like fire, his entire body ached and the splitting pain forming in
his head only grew. He gave a low
groan, wanting to go back into the dark oblivion without the pain, but he knew
that he had to face the reality.
He was
alive…and Rhaea was probably very dead.
The ache
that suddenly grew in his heart overpowered the one in his head as he turned
his face away from the heat of the sun.
But as his body screamed with tension and pain, the thought of his
sister's death faded away to the back of his mind where he could dwell on it
later. For the moment the demands of
his life were becoming painfully insistent.
Suddenly
a soothing presence entered his mind, easing away the terrible headache. Dalan slowly opened his eyes, staring at the
shimmering sand until his eyes adjusted to the bright light of the midday. He slowly turned his head and faced an
angel.
Her hair
glistened with sunlight and the glowing smile made the beautiful blue eyes
shimmer. Dalan blinked in awe. He had never seen a creature so beautiful in
all of his life. Perhaps he had died
after all, for surely this ethereal being had to be from paradise. But when the pain of his arm shot through
his body he remembered quite clearly that he was very alive.
Zelda
blinked down at the strange man as he winced in pain. Must be his arm. She had found him early that morning,
bleeding profusely from the jagged wound on his arm. Knowing that she should not move him, she mended the arm and
watched over him until he slowly awoke.
She had never seen any being like him before. Never had she seen hair so black, or ears of such a strange
shape. Unlike her ears and the rest of
the Hyrulian people, his ears were much smaller and rounder though they still
had the pointedness that characterized their people from the others. His body was one of a warrior and she knew
that it had taken all of his strength to survive the storm that had hit the day
before.
But
nothing had prepared her for the iridescent gold eyes beneath the long dark
lashes and amidst the rugged face. Her
breath had caught in her throat when the eyes turned their dazed, confused gaze
on her. She had entered his mind to
ease the pain in his head, but when the eyes seemed to burn into her, she had
lost her concentration. His face was
now away from her, the mesmerizing eyes tightly closed against the pain. She slowly entered his mind, easing her way
to stop the pain.
Who are you? What are you doing?
Zelda
froze when she heard the words speak into her mind. She stared down in stunned amazement as the man turned his face
back to her, the glowing amber eyes gazing at her in question. She swallowed. This couldn't be. No one
had ever been able to speak into her mind, though she had had the ability to
speak into the minds of others for as long as she could remember. Who was this man?
The man
lifted an eyebrow curiously, almost as if he was wondering why she hadn't
answered yet. Zelda swallowed and
flushed darkly, unsure why. What was it
about this man that made her feel so exposed?
Feeling the amber eyes burning into her made her flesh hot and her mind
putty. What was wrong with her?
Dalan
smiled up at the woman who obviously too shocked to speak. He had no idea what had come over him to
speak into her mind, but he just felt that it was all right if he did. He had never been able to do that with
anyone besides Rhaea… He shook his mind away from thoughts of his sister. He would deal with that pain after he had
recovered. Perhaps he should make her
more comfortable?
Are you an angel?
Zelda
blinked down at the curious man before her.
He thought he was dead? Her lips
twitched. Well, with the pain he had
gone through and awakening to see a woman hovering over him with the sun
shining behind her…yes, it was understandable that he would believe such a
thing. Zelda smiled.
I am no angel, just someone who wishes to
aid another in need.
The man
smiled and slowly nodded. Zelda bit on
her lower lip as the iridescent eyes of the man continued to burn through
her. She had never experienced anything
like it. She shook off the sensation
and concentrating on the task at hand asked, "Can you understand my words?"
Yes, was the response. Zelda nodded and said, "Can you stand? We need to remove you from beneath the glare
of the sun. Your arm was very badly
wounded, but it is healing now. Be
gentle with it."
The man
nodded and with her aid tentatively stood up.
Dalan winced as his legs screamed with the agony of holding up his
weight. Slowly, Dalan made his way into
the forest beyond the beach with the beautiful woman helping him. When they reached the security of the
forest, Zelda slowly eased him down upon a soft bed of grass and kneeled beside
him, checking the bandages of his arms.
Dalan
stretched, his muscles screaming, but he paid them no heed as he removed the
tension from in them. Zelda watched in
stunned amazement as he moved, watching the muscles on his arms and torso
ripple. She had removed his tattered
shirt to use as a bandage, but as she watched him move, her cheeks flushing,
she wished she had found some leaves to use instead.
Dalan
flexed the aching muscles and rubbed the knotted muscles in his neck. How long had he been laying there in the
sand unmoving until she arrived? He
supposed he would never know. He turned
back to the beautiful woman whose cheeks were glowing red. Dalan's head tilted to the side
curiously. Why was she so flushed? Was she all right?
"Is all
well, lady?"
Zelda's
eyes widened in shock, her skin rippling with excitement. She had never heard a voice like that in all
of her days alive! The sound that had
come out of the man's mouth was nothing short of rumbling thunder. Perhaps it only gave the impression of that
sound because he had just awakened, but the heat inside of her grew a hundred-fold. Her cheeks flushed evermore darker.
"Yes,"
she murmured, her eyes moving to the grass beneath them. Dalan smiled, finally realizing what was
wrong. He had discomforted her when he
spoke into her mind. Perhaps that had
never happened to her. The corners of
Dalan's eyes crinkled when he smiled at her.
"I am Dalan. I come from the
island of Prydereus of the coast of the land of Hyrule."
Zelda
looked up and saw the smile. Her breath
froze and her heart stopped. Dear Spirits! This man was absolutely devastating to the senses. Zelda shook herself mentally. She had to gain control. This was no ordinary person. He had the same telepathic ability she did
and he was from another land all together.
Get a grip on reality, Zelda!
The
woman's eyes smiled though he had seen them shimmer with confusion. Dalan waited for her response, and when she
gave it he could not stop the shiver of awareness and bewilderment that ran up
his body.
"This is
Hyrule. I have never heard of this
island, but then we do not keep in touch with many of the islands around
Hyrule. I am Zelda."
Her voice
was the sound of rippling water and Dalan could not believe what was happening
to him because of that tantalizing voice.
Who was this woman who could speak into the minds of others and affect
him in such a way? He shook his head to
clear it, confused by his own thoughts.
What did it matter who she was?
She had helped him, saved his life…and he had her name. That was all he needed.
Dalan
smiled, making Zelda suck in breath. He
didn't notice. "I thank you,
Zelda. You saved my life, I now owe it
to you."
Zelda
shook her head, her smile wane. He was
definitely from another place. He
didn't even know who she was! And she
couldn't have him owing anything to her!
The crowned princess of Hyrule, sneaking away from the castle and saving
a stranger to the land from near death?
The Chancellor would have Dalan's head and her hide! "No, Dalan, please. I did what anyone else in Hyrule would have
done if they had found you instead of I."
Which was true enough, but they probably would have moved him and killed
him in the process—if they weren't terrified by his appearance first, of
course. "You owe me nothing,
Dalan. Your gratitude is enough."
Dalan
shook his head. Obviously, she did not
realize his code of honor. "You don't
understand, Zelda. My people have a
code of honor that is sacred to us.
When one of us has been given a gift beyond price, a favor, a life…we
must repay it in kind. It is part of
our code of honor. I owe you my
life." Dalan grinned rakishly and Zelda
thought her heart was going to explode.
"If you are worried about me following you till my debt is repaid—do not
fear. I will be there when it is time
for the debt to be repaid. Fate has a way
to make that possible."
Zelda
blinked, trying to find where her voice had gone and why her heart was doing a
dance within her chest. What did this
man do to her? It was like nothing she
had ever felt in her life. She had a
connection with him she had never had with anyone…and she believed his
words. Somehow fate would make sure his
debt would be repaid. Plus…they had a
connection. That would be enough to
warn him if she was ever in danger… Zelda shook herself mentally. What was she thinking! How would he know that? How could he communicate with her in that
way? She looked into the shimmering
golden eyes and her confusion faded away.
It really
didn't matter. This man was unlike any
other. Somehow she would find out
everything she would need to know… It was within their destiny…somehow…
Dalan and
Zelda stared into each other's eyes for what seemed like an eternity. The smiles in their eyes reflected the
emotion inside of them both. Zelda had
never felt so at peace; so relieved of the burden she bore. Dalan had never felt so free, or so tied to
another life, another soul… Their destiny had begun, their fates intertwined
with that one soul-searching moment.
"Zelda!"
The
trance was broken. Zelda's smile faded
as she turned and winced. It was
Kerwick, her bodyguard. She smiled
ruefully. Actually, he was more like a
nanny than anything else. But soon
he'll be calling her 'Princess!' and she couldn't let Dalan know who she
was…not yet. She turned back to the man
before her who had an eyebrow lifted as he looked beyond the trees to the voice
who called.
"I must
go, Dalan." Zelda quickly stood and
turned to the direction of Kerwick's voice just as he called another resounding
"Zelda!"
Dalan
stood and clasped her shoulder. Zelda
turned and he smiled kindly. Her heart
stopped with the glow of his eyes and the warmth of his smile. Who
was this man?
Dalan
nodded. "I understand. Go then.
We shall meet again."
Zelda
blinked up at the huge man before him and shook her head, clearing it from the
muddle his smile had made of it. She
then stared at his arm. She looked up
with a curious look. "How is your arm?"
Dalan
shook his head. "Do not worry,
Zelda. Your healing works well. I shall be fine. Go now, before whoever calls you looses his voice."
Zelda
grinned. She had never felt so alive…so
free! "That fool? It would be a miracle if he did loose that
monstrous voice of his!"
"ZELDA!"
She
jumped and Dalan chuckled quietly. Her
body shivered with the sound of his laughter.
"Like thunder…" she murmured quietly.
She smiled at the huge man before her and gave a small wave. "Until we meet again, Dalan of
Prydereus!" She turned and began to run
through the forest nimbly, practically flying through the trees and
vegetation. "I'm coming, Kerwick!"
Dalan
smiled as he stared at her disappearing form.
"Until we meet again…Zelda."