Hyrule IX
Hyrule IX was a peaceful planet, for millions of years it had been. Kept under the rule of the royal line, the Harkinians, the planet prospered and advanced far into scientific discoveries, far surpassing any previous civilization. Or so they thought.
Revolving around the star Anthreos, Hyrule IX was slowly lulled into complacency. The algae farms grew more than enough base material to synthesize food for the planet nation. Jobs were plentiful, the planetary economy booming with exports outnumbering imports four to one. Mechanized beings did nearly all physical labor. Nearly every citizen of this wealthy planet had a university degree. Technology was upgrading constantly, and people were hired daily for brand new jobs created overnight by this avalanche of data.
Immigration was overflowing with hopeful people. This was no problem, as new levels were simply dug underneath the main city layer, making whole other planets within Hyrule IX. Extra bedrock was shipped off to the desolate mutant planet of Termina.
Hyrule IX was paradise.
But not for long.
Another idyllic summer's day had passed by, the star Anthreos falling behind the horizon. Darkness began to cover Crastel, the coastal capital city of Hyrule IX. Golden-red waves crashed into the expansive reefs lining the crystalline blue lagoon where the capital port stood. Hoverski's floated alongside the plasteel deck, casually rocking with the toss of the waves. Millions of Hylians glanced out of their sunbathed windows and witnessed this glory for the last time.
As the last rays of light struggled to fight off the ever advancing darkness, Link sat down at the dinner table and watched. Synthesized Lon Lon milk swilled in a recirculator, keeping the milk fresh. The gentle hum reminded Link of the bees he had seen in the atrium earlier in the day with his Eighth Year Class. Sitting alone in the dining room, he closed his eyes and listened intently to the recirculator, envisioning the honeybees hard at work in the enclosed tropical jungle. He envisioned the brightly colored cucoos and their hilarious attempts at speech. He imagined the giant man-eating flowers behind their plasteel bars, drooling and snapping viciously at passersby. Laughing to himself, he imagined the playful monkeys who had stolen his teacher's favorite hat.
"Link." a voice called from down the hallway.
"What mom?" he quickly replied, snapping out of his dream world.
"It is time for you to go to bed." his mom ordered.
Not bothering to argue, because he knew he would lose, he always did, Link sauntered off down the hallway, kissed his mom on the cheek, and stepped on the antigrav plate which lifted him up to second floor. Walking into the washroom, he said, "Toothbrush on."
Squaring himself with the mirror, he smiled, nonchalantly watching the tiny infrared beams judge his teeth's distance, then giggled slightly as the ultrasonic beams tickled his teeth, knocking off plaque and grime. "Rinse."
A small stream of water shot out of a fountain on the side of the sink. Link put his face down towards it, sucking in a mouthful of water, gargling lazily, and then spitting the water into the sink. He watched with fascination as, like every other night, the sink fizzed up, disinfecting itself. Link spent a couple more minutes in the washroom, and then walked to his room, put on his pajamas, and climbed onto his antigrav mattress. Sleep came quickly to the Hylain youth and he dreamed lazily and happily into the night.
Link sat upright in bed, his bladder burning. He jumped out, landing with a soft thump on the synthesized wool carpet. "Light on," he spoke softly, as he rushed to the washroom. Dim floor lights came on, illuminating just enough to keep him on course. After relieving himself Link began to walk back to his bedroom. He rounded the corner in the hallway and opened the door to his room and was startled to see a small child staring at him. "Woah!" he let out a small gasp.
"Hello Link," the child spoke calmly, in a cultured tone. "It is time to leave now. Are you coming?"
"Whaa?" Link questioned, feeling thoroughly befuddled.
"The world is going to be destroyed soon. Will you come with me now?" The four-year-old asked in a slightly irritated voice.
"So wait," Link choked out words slowly, "you are...who are you? Why are you here?"
"My name is Keln, I am here to take you away from this planet because it is going to be destroyed very soon. NOW will you come?" angrily spoke the child.
"Whaa? The world is ending?"
"Yes." Keln spoke through clenched teeth.
Link remained silent, still puzzled by this strange child.
"Please Link, we must leave now!" Keln whispered harshly, gesturing angrily with her tiny hands.
"Uhh, sorry. I can't go. Besides, why would Hyrule be destroyed?"
"Fine! Have it your way, foolish human."
Keln reached down to her waist and began to adjust a small box on her belt.
"Whoa! Is that a personal portal?" Link questioned, suddenly interested in Keln.
"Much better." and with that, Keln projected a small portal into the floor and jumped in, leaving Link wondering.
The sun didn't rise the next morning. Dark clouds covered nearly the entire horizon, blocking out all light. Link stumbled through the hallways, screaming at the top of his lungs, "LIGHT ON! Why won't you turn on! Lights on!"
"Link! Stop screaming, there has only been a temporary power outage. Lights should be on within the hour. Now go back to bed, there is no need to be up this early." His father said sternly.
Unable to sleep, Link promptly disobeyed and went into the kitchen and began to eat breakfast. "Hi," a small cultured voice spoke from behind him, "Can I have some?"
"Uh!" Link exclaimed, turning to find the voice. "Oh, it's just you again." he remarked unenthusiastically as he saw Keln standing behind him.
"So, ready to leave today?"
"No," Link rudely replied, "Get lost."
"I'm afraid that if I 'get lost' you will die." Keln replied smoothly.
"Oh shut up with the 'death and destruction' you midget. I'm trying to eat here." Link replied angrily.
"Fine, you leave me no other choice." Keln said, her voice dripping with sarcastic remorse.
Quickly, she projected a portal underneath Link's stool, then one under her, launching them both through time and space to a planet far from Hyrule IX.
The blackout on Hyrule IX remained until late in the day. All work was cancelled for the day, seeing that no electricity made life impossible. However, at four thirty, the lights came back on and stayed on until they overloaded and blew out the entire power grid for the entire planet. All reserve power sources were exhausted within minutes. All mechanical laborers froze in position, rusting at alarmingly fast rates. The algae base greenhouses were rocked by scale 10 earthquakes, bringing down the sealed structures within minutes. Immediately the mass produced algae began to rot in the contaminated air. The oxidization process took minutes, destroying nearly three years worth of algae base.
Major technological centers collapsed with overloads of data. Oily black crystals began to form on all computers and vehicles. The entire weapons and ballistics sector of the Starfleet was enveloped in a giant immobile block of obsidian. Thousands of buildings collapsed because of the added weight from these crystals, crushing billions of citizens to death. A collective cry of pain arose from the crippled planet.
Seeing this cataclysm and its devastating effects on their enemy, the Terminian warlords warped thousands of ships into orbit around Hyrule IX. Laser blasts raked the gruesome remains of the once beautiful planet, cutting deep into the lower levels. Once the Terminian forces thoroughly subdued the mortally wounded planet, they landed and raided, killing any survivors. Only those who fled to the very deepest levels of the planet survived.
Terminian forces set up bases throughout Crastel, not bothering to venture any further into the now desolate planet.
For the few survivors, no hope was reserved. Only surviving off of the plants and animals in the underground atrium, they lived in misery, waiting for the day when huge Terminian mutants would come to slaughter them all.