Chapter 1: A Hero Resurrected

He stirred, by the light of heaven. He thought his life over, but he would see soon that it had only just begun anew. The light soon faded, as he found himself in a pool of water, which was draining away. The water was warm, comfortable, even. It wasn't like normal water, where if you put your foot in it it would be freezing cold, nor was it spring water, though it certainly had that warmth. This water seemed to rejuvenate his entire being, a substance that could bring restless spirits to absolute serenity. The bed in which he laid in was made of a strange stone. It was tough, yet sleek, and didn't seem to hurt his skin when he rubbed his hand against it. He rose his head, with only a faint memory of his past life. He remembered his name was Link, and that he once was a fighter. Sadly, that was all he knew, aside from how to walk, fight, breathe, and talk, though his throat was extremely dry from what he could assume as a lifetime of sleeping.

He got out of the peculiar bed, and saw nothing in the room, aside from a strange pedestal with ominous lights coming from it. He approached the pedestal, cautious as a rat intruding in on a cat's lair. But no other being seemed to exist, other than himself. With each blink he took, the truth of that became ever more clear to him.

When he got close to the pedestal, it seemed to activate at his mere presence. The center rose up, turned clockwise, then the strange device in the center spun, then rose, facing upright. He then heard a voice, the same female voice that had spoken to him before he awoke. "This is a Sheikah Slate. Take it. It will help guide you through your long slumber." The voice said. Her voice was as gentle as a summer breeze, and as calming as a note from a piano.

So he took the device, what he assumed to be the 'Sheikah Slate'. When he did, the pedestal lowered again, and a door opened. He went through the door, and found some old clothes lying on the ground, partially torn here and there, but still usable. And he knew, even without a memory, that the smallest amount of clothing made one's chances of surviving that much better. So he put on the clothes, finding that the fitting was not particularly right for him. The shirt showed a little of his belly and the sleeves were too short, and the pants legs were also too short. The boots fit him well enough, but weren't exactly cozy to wear.

He hoped that he would soon find a better change of shoes. And clothes, at that. Though he was grateful for what he had at the time. But he went on, finding another pedestal. This one had no slot, however, and had a strange pattern around an orange eye. "Place your Sheikah Slate onto the pedestal." The voice said. Link observed the pedestal, with extreme interest in the seemingly magical technology. But he complied, and placed the Slate on the eye, which illuminated to a bright tint of blue. Upon doing this, the wall shook and lifted, revealing fresh air and the bright sun light.

Link took it in, the absolute serenity of the sun's rays, and the refreshing intake of new air.

"Link… you are the light- our light- that must shine on Hyrule once again." Link looked for the voice, but no form was anywhere around him other than himself. "Now go." The voice seemed so innocent that Link saw no harm in following her. He climbed the stairs, and up the wall that blocked his way, and came to the outside world, the kingdom of Hyrule. The fresh air was renewing, like his life was just now beginning. He came to the ledge of the cliff, and saw the vast world, gorgeous and bright. It's beauty was unparalleled, and there looked to be nearly no human intervention with the world, aside from the giant castle in the midst of it all. And it would've been beautiful if not for the darkness swirling around it.

Link also knew that with this profound beauty, came a savage ugliness. He knew he'd have to defend himself in this kingdom, so he took the nearest weapon… which happened to be a branch. It wasn't much, but in defense for his life, he knew it'd serve him better than no weapon at all. He then saw an old man who was staring at him under a hood, while in his hands was a walking stick with a lantern hanging from it. He had a very large white beard that went into his clothing.

Link headed toward the man, but along the way, he found a Hylian Shroom, which reminded him how hungry he was. He observed the shroom, and decided to save it for later, perhaps make some delicious mushroom dish. It also came back to him that he loved to cook. Perhaps he was a part time chef in his past life. Either way, he knew that any food could be useful in a dish or two. He also saw some apples just down the path. He thought of it, and apples and mushrooms sounded like a fine breakfast for him. Though he'd prefer some meat with the meal, he was content with what he had. He picked three apples from the tree and went on down the path, finally coming to the old man.

"Oh hoh. It's rare for me to have some company. Hello there." The old man said with a warm hospitality. Link waved to him as hello. "Not much of a talker, eh?" Link said nothing. "It's fine. Though, from your appearance, I can tell you're a traveler. I should warn you to be careful around here, especially near the Temple of Time."

Link raised an eyebrow.

"Your expression tells me you do not know what I talk of. Well, look past me. Do you see the temple?" The old man asked. Link then saw what he meant. It was a large and old temple, very bleak in color. It looked more ancient than the very world he stood on. Link nodded to the old man. "Some say that temple is the very birthplace of Hyrule. Though, it stands now as a reminder of our kingdom's ruin."

Link looked back to the man. His expression asked everything.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not in the mood now to tell stories." The old man sighed. Link shrugged in understanding. "Anyway, If you're going to survive here, I'd suggest taking something a bit heavier than that stick. I have an axe just down the hill. Take it if you like. I certainly don't mind."

Link nodded, and waved goodbye as he went down. He then saw an axe in the stump, which he pulled out. It was a bit heavier than he'd have liked, but he knew that it'd serve useful in heavy attacks. Though it wouldn't do much more than the stick, it'd at least be more durable. He then saw a cooking pot just next to the stump. There was decent wood under it, but no fire to cook any food. He then went back up, and saw a torch. A decent way to transfer fire to it. He took the torch.

"What do you plan to do with that?" The old man asked. Link gestured to the cooking pot. "Ah, Yes. I forgot to light that fire. Using a cooking pot can make all kinds of dishes, and with a few other things, it can make some elixirs. I suggest for those, you put some bugs with some monster parts. I agree it sounds unappetizing, but it often works like a charm against climates, or even in battle. You know what they say, don't knock it until you try it." The old man laughed a bit. Link quite enjoyed his company. Not only was he helpful in advice, but he had a story or two to tell.

Link took out the torch and lit it with the fire from the old man's campfire. He carried the fire carefully to the other fireplace, and lit the pot. It was now ready to cook. He put a mushroom with an apple, and watched the magic happen. After letting it fry, he took a stray stick, cleaned it off, and stuck it through the mushroom after chopping it up a bit. He now had a fresh mushroom skewer, with a bit of apple taste in there for experiment. He took a small bite, and it filled his whole soul with bliss. It was just a bite, but it felt like his entire body could be restored with just a simple taste of it. He took a few more bites before storing the rest for later.

After wiping his mouth with a leaf, he went on, looking to his right to see a rusty sword in a stone in the middle of a lake. His eyebrows rose as he saw it. A sword would be useful in combat, but a rusty one might not hold up as well as a regular sword. But he wasn't going to lick a gifted horse in the mouth, and leaped in the water for the sword. His muscles were still weak from sleeping, so his swimming was off to a slow start. But he was confident in his abilities, and his confidence was now misplaced, as he made it to the small patch of land. He climbed up, and pulled the sword from the stone.

Now all he had to worry about with the sword was it breaking and it giving him tetanus. But he didn't think on it too much, and swam back to the other side of the lake. Though, it wasn't a very impressive lake, if only a pond at that. But he saw while swimming that fish lived in there. If he were to acquire a bow, he agreed that he would return to this pond to do some old fashioned fishing. He then saw a circle of lily pads under an overhang, and saw it was perfect to jump directly in the center. But for another time, he thought to himself.

Then the voice returned. "Head for the glowing point marked by your map. It will guide you to where you must go." The voice said. Link took a glance, and it seemed to be just past the ruins of the Temple of Time. And from what the old man said, there would be a few enemies along the way. But if Link knew anything- or rather remembered anything, it was that risk often came with reward. So he set off to the ruins, with the branch in hand. He wanted to at least get some use out of it, so he started by attacking his first opponent. It's skin was red-orange, with a face like a pig, but a body like a human, though it had some similarities in both aspects. Strangely, the arms were longer than the legs, and the head was twice as big as the whole body.

Link had to wonder how it kept its head up. Though he'd help put its head down with a quick slam to its bald head. And in that instant the branch already seemed to be ready to give in. The creature- known to the inhabitants of Hyrule as Bokoblins, and a common enemy at that- charged back at Link, but as it swung, Link ducked under and gave it an uppercut with the branch. Then with the last bit of its durability, he stabbed the stick into the creature's temple, which killed it instantly. Link took the Boko club it had- a definite upgrade from the stick- and took a horn and tooth from the creature. He irked at the sight, let alone the touch, but if what the old man said was true, then the trouble would be worthwhile. Hopefully.

With his new and improved weapon in hand, he approached his next fight, where he sealed a simple whack to the skull, and did it in. He took the club it had and it's parts, and then realized it was guarding a chest made of stone. He opened it, and was very pleased to see a change of clothes. A pair of beige pants that was very soft to touch, along with brown leather boots, much more comfortable than his current shoes. He changed into the new clothes, and was instantly thankful for the find. He sighed at the comfort of the clothing, and he had no doubt that it would do him more protection than the old pants, just by wearing them.

After that, he went forward, coming to a small camp of Bokoblins. And small is not over exaggerating, as there were only two. But Link saw explosive barrels at the camp, and looked for a way to ignite them. He then saw a boulder perched just over one, and he smirked at the almost perfect set up. He snuck over, and used all his might to push the boulder, which tumbled and fell into the barrel, which exploded on impact, creating a chain reaction the blew up the two Bokoblins.

He jumped down and claimed the spoils. Though the weapons were destroyed in the blast, the steak they were cooking was still intact, and still finely cooked at that. He took the steak and saved it for later, when he would need it. He also took the time to observe his surroundings. It seemed that the whole area was wide open, which made sneaking much more difficult. He was hoping he'd be able to find some better forms of defense, like a shield.

He climbed up the small cliff and observed further. He looked to the Sheikah Slate, and the objective seemed to be just past two archer Bokoblins. He knew, unfortunately, that he'd have to charge through their line of fire. So he did. He had no weapon in hand as he charged them. They saw him when he was halfway to them, and they notched their arrow when he was already close to them. When they fired, he was already to them. He took his Boko club, and stuck it through the bow of the first one so it couldn't fire. He spun it around and took it for himself, then proceeding to whack the Bokoblin down the hill. Link then quickly picked up and arrow and notched it with lightning reflexes, and fired the arrow into the eye of the second Bokoblin. It screeched in agony as Link used his Boko club to ram the arrow deeper into its brain, smashing its skull in the process.

The first Bokoblin then picked up another bow and fired at Link, but he saw this coming, and used the second Bokoblin's body as a meat shield, taking the arrow for Link. He then took an arrow from the Bokoblin's body and fired it at the first Bokoblin, thus ending the battle. He collected the spoils of war, which included a bunch of arrows, two Bokoblin horns and three Bokoblin teeth, along with another Boko bow. After he scavenged his loot, he found one last Bokoblin between him and his objective.

This one was much more equipped than the previous enemies, however. It had a short sword and a Boko shield, which was simply a piece of bark with a stick put in it. Nonetheless, this was still a greater challenge than the previous Bokoblins. So Link readied himself. He notched an arrow, still out of sight, and pulled back as he came out of hiding. The Bokoblin had little time to react as Link let the arrow loose, which flew into the foe's horn. It stumbled a bit, allowing Link to charge in with the Boko club and swipe it off its feet with his leg, then bringing a devastating blow to the back of the head. As the club broke, he took the sword and plunged it into the Bokoblin's back, for double tap. He then took the shield, thankful to the gods for the quick supplies. He now had all the essentials of surviving.

He advanced into the cave, where he found another pedestal, this one being like the one where he found the Sheikah Slate. There also was a stalagmite hanging over the pedestal with the same symbol that was on the back of the Slate. He put the end of the Sheikah Slate on the pedestal, which took it, and secured it inside, the screen flashing orange, along with wiring that just appeared on the pedestal.

A mechanical voice then sounded. "Sheikah Slate authenticated. Sheikah Tower activated. Please watch for falling rocks."

The earth then shook violently. It wasn't just limited to Link, nor was it to the area where he stood. It happened all over Hyrule. Rocks fell, birds took off in fear, and everyone watched in suspense as towers sprouted from the ground, taking form as towering, impressive, and awe-inspiring spires. They arose, all over Hyrule, as markers of the kingdom, from the highlands of Gerudo Desert, to the grasslands of Akkala, these towers rose up from nowhere. Their purpose, though unknown now, would become crystal clear for only a few.

Soon, however, the ground came to a halt, as did the towers, which now stood higher than Hyrule Castle, but pale in comparison to the height of Death Mountain.

Link soon recovered from the earthquake, and rose to his feet to see the stalagmite above let loose a single drop of peculiar water onto the Slate, which seemed to absorb the droplet. Link slowly rose to his feet and saw the map, which before was nothing more than a series of meaningless lines, now had an accurate map of the area which he stood on, which was named the Great Plateau.

The pedestal ejected the Sheikah Slate, letting Link take it again. His gaze was now drawn to the castle. "Link. Try to remember." The voice echoed through his mind. He stepped toward the castle. "You've been asleep for 100 years-" her voice was cut off as a tremor occurred. Now from the Sheikah Towers this time, but it originated from the castle. "The beast. It stirs again." Now from the castle rose an abomination of unimaginable horror. It roared into the sky, black and purple like the darkest of nights. But a light from the very center of the castle quelled the beast, which dissipated in the air. "Now then, there is much to do before you can defeat this beast. Start by heading down."

Link took a few more seconds to look over the vast valley of Hyrule, taking in the beauty of it, and also looking for any spots to proceed to. But from where he was, there weren't many places of specific value to him. At least, of no value for the time being. He found a gap in the platform which led downward. Under it was another, smaller platform. It seemed to continue from there like a spiral staircase, just low enough to where Link had no problem landing. Once he reached the ground, he heard a loud "Ho!" sound above him. When he looked up, he saw the old man from before flying down and landing next to him.

"Well now, this is quite the development." The old man laughed heartily.

Link looked to the Sheikah Tower, then back to the old man.

"And I assume that tower isn't the only one that's come from beneath the earth. In fact, I saw them sprout up all across Hyrule, from the fair people of the Rito to the wise Zora. These towers are now common sights among Hyrule." The old man hummed. He then looked to Link directly. "By the way… did anything… oh, I don't know, peculiar happen while you were up there?" Link nodded. He gestured to his ear. "A voice, am I right?" Link nodded. "And… did you happen to recognize the voice?"

Link shook his head in response. The old man sighed in what seemed to be disappointment.

"That is a pity. Still, I'm sure you'll recognize the voice sooner or later." The old man said with certainty. "But I am sure you saw the atrocity enshrouding the castle." Link nodded. "That, my friend, is a Calamity Ganon. One century ago, that vile entity brought about ruin to the entire kingdom of Hyrule. If it were not for our very symbol, we would surely not be standing here today." Link raised an eyebrow at him. "Yes, Hyrule Castle, the symbol of our kingdom, has managed to contain the beast. But just barely." Link nodded in understanding, though many things still confused him about the whole situation.

While Link was in his thoughts, the old man looked at him, observing him with almost a glare. "You intend to make your way to the castle, do you not?" He asked Link. He looked to the old man, and nodded boldly. "I had a sneaking suspicion you'd say that. But first, there's something I must address. You see, we are surrounded on the plateau by sheer cliffs. If you were to jump from such a height- Well, no death could be more certain." The old man took a moment to breathe. "Or foolish, at that."

Link made an uneasy face, rubbing his neck.

"I sense your fear. You believe to be trapped. But… if you were to have a paraglide like mine, that'd be a different story." The old man said. Link looked back with interest gleaming in his eyes. "Oh hoh! Piqued your interest, have I? Worry not, I will happily agree to give you my paraglider. But not for nothing." The old man said, tapping his walking stick. "Let's see… how about I trade it for a bit of treasure that slumbers nearby?" Link raised an eyebrow again, and nodded in attention. "Follow me."

The old man then led Link to a cliffside, where it overlooked a lake, and on the other side, next to a camp, was a strange structure. It glowed orange like The Sheikah Towers and Link's Sheikah Slate. He assumed this to be yet another relic of… whatever the Sheikah was, going off the fact that everything with that glow had the name Sheikah in it.

"Do you see that structure? That is where the treasure is. Find it, and my paraglider shall be yours." The old man said. Link nodded in understanding, and went off to the structure, which he would soon learn to call a Shrine. He swam through the lake, careful not to attract any unwanted attention, mainly from the Bokoblins from the camp. He knew he was strong, but he knew that facing too many of them at once could prove to be a deadly mistake.

Regardless of this, he made it to the Shrine, and pressed the Sheikah Slate on the pedestal on the side of it. It then activated, the door folding out of the way to show the very small space inside. He observed, and stood on the center of the room. Then a blue ray surrounded him, as the platform under his feet began to lower, and he was taken deep into the earth, where his first trial would begin.

A/N

So basically, if you haven't caught on yet, this is my take on the literary form of Breath of the Wild. But before I continue any further, as per usual, necessary disclaimers. I do NOT own Breath of the Wild, nor do I own the rights to the Zelda franchise. The entire Zelda franchise is owned by Nintendo, and Breath of the Wild is their game, released on March of 2017(I think it was March). But with that out of the way, I should discuss the elephant in the room.

I will be making the story's mechanics slightly different from the game's. This mainly applies to the combat system, along with a few other things that would be spoilers to the story. Oh, and I should also mention that there WILL be spoilers in this story, so if you have not played BotW and wish to play it, do not resume with this story! But as expected, I will not be doing a full story of Breath of the Wild, since, as you know, it is WAY too big of a game. And I want this to end some time, so I will intentionally cut some things out of the story, if I find it necessary. But I think that's everything I wanted to address, so please leave a review of what you thought of the story so far, and all that jazz.