The Legend of Zelda: The Forgotten Hero
Standard Disclaimer of little to no legal protection: The Legend of Zelda and its Characters are property of Nintendo and are the amazing brain child of Shigeru Miyamoto.
This is a first draft for a new story I am planning to write. It will be going through another edit but it fleshes out my basic idea. I am posting it to get opinions on the basic concept and see where I might want to take it from here.
A haze falls over Link's vision and his soul as he watches helplessly as Princess Zelda...no Zelda the Sage of Time continues to play the Ocarina of Time; a slow haunting version of the familiar tune used control and manipulate the flow of time. An unrelenting, solemn rendition of the song of time to send him back and forever bar the passage to this time-line, that he has fought and given everything that he has for. A blue aura forms and lifts Link off of the ground. Her fingers dance across the ancient yet ageless blue relic and time seems to freeze and hold Link's body helpless to try and tell her that he has changed his mind. Every muscle in his body struggles to make some motion to let her know that he wants a chance to stay in this time, a place where the evil of Ganondorf has passed, not a world where it has yet to occur.
Zelda looks onward towards Link her fingers rolling through the second part of the Song of Time, lost to the world until she awakened to her role as the Sage of Time. She nearly misses the next note of the song as she sees the look of acceptance on Link's face shift to one of desperation. A part of her wants to stop the song and grant Link's unspoken request to stay in this time line, the other wishes the compulsion had held just a moment longer. The insight gained from the Triforce of Wisdom had left her with no choice but to send him back, it was the will of Nayru that the mistakes of the past be corrected so that at least one time line may carry on as intended. As her hands play what will be the final measure to complete the "A few moments longer, and it will no longer matter...Link will have a chance to live his life as he should have...Link... please forgive me."
Link looks on helplessly as the energy as the blue glow of Zelda's Triforce of Wisdom flows through the Ocarina forming the vortex that will take him back to his child hood...a place he no longer belongs. As if responding to his reluctance, green light begins to swirl around within the blue vortex, the Triforce of Courage glowing with its golden light pulsing in time with the green energy. Link thinks to himself, "if only I could stop this, I belong somewhere I am needed, not in a time where only my mistakes allowed Ganon the chance to take the Triforce." As if summoned by his thought in the back of Link's head he hears the dark chucking of Ganon and an unfamiliar and dark anger sears through him. "How dare she, I am the Hero of Time not some pet to be sent away when it is no longer needed."
A dark light flashes through the vortex and Zelda stumbles and falls not able to finish the final note of the song. The Triforce of Power lights up with its golden glow on Link's hand pulsing faster then the Triforce of Courage as if trying to overtake it. The vortex turns a dark gray as red lighting arcs from the Ocarina, Link and the portal forming beneath them. For a moment everything goes still and silent, and then with a sudden earth shattering noise Link falls into the now pitch black vortex, the Ocarina of Time following closely as if tethered to the hero by the last arc of lightening being absorbed back into the Triforce Emblem on his hand.
As the arc of lightening completed its path back to Triforce of Power, Link looked around every where around him was nothing but the darkness of the void between realms. The very same void that only moments earlier Ganon was banished for hopefully all of eternity. As he floats in the darkness the arc of light provided by the still glowing Triforces, of Courage and Power begin to fade and a dark laughter echos across the expanse as the Ganondorf's body reforms in front of the young hero, two sections of the Triforce lit upon his left hand as Link's go dark. "Hero, even in Victory you have failed, you are not even worth my time now. For just a moment you shared my power, and with it I took yours as my own" As Ganondorf turns around a golden tear forms in the darkness and the light of the Sacred Realm spills through for an instant and then all is dark and Link is alone as he passes out.
Time does truly pass in the void between realms, even for the Hero of Time. It just sits on the sidelines as the worlds around it pass in their own time. There is no air, no water, or even food, only the fact that Link had held two pieces of the Triforce left enough power to sustain him. Not enough power to escape or even make his situation in the void any easier, just enough to survive. A short time after being stranded in the void the veil between worlds became thin enough that Link could catch glimpses of the events happening elsewhere.
Decades after Ganondorf's defeat the Zelda that Link had known passes away leaving the throne to her son Gustaf Nohansen Hyrule. For some reason, likely only known to Ganondorf, with her passing the Triforce of Wisdom rejoined the other two pieces in Ganon's possession. Despite having all three pieces of the Triforce, the Gerudo King still did not have control over any but his original piece. Even without full control of the united Triforce, the warlock was able to use his power to distort the once pure Sacred Realm into a mockery of Hyrule. Over the next century as he gained more power Ganondorf began sending his minions into Hyrule. The order of Knights formed by Daphnes fought valiantly against the demon hordes, as the original six sages and Daphnes united their powers and sealed the Sacred Realm for several centuries.
The veil became dark again as the conflicts of ages past came to a close and began an era of peace. Link nodded off into a long sleep only waking occasionally when the veils thinned enough for him to gain a glimpse at the world as it is. Many generations of the Nohansen Hyrule line were born, ascended to the throne and died. Not a single one of them would sire a daughter to take the name Zelda. Over the centuries the other races faded into the shadow. The few remaining portals to Dark World tainted those who lived near them. The mighty Gorons fell into a deep hibernation and became like boulders on the slopes of Death Mountain. The Zora were corrupted by a portal near Zora's Domain becoming the fearsome beasts known as Zolas attacking any travelers who dared venture to close to their rivers. Only the Kokiri remain untouched. The Great Deku Tree recovered from his time as a sprout again and invoked the lost woods ancient magic to move the forest to where the Temple of Time once Stood. As the forest moved the Kokiri Woods was carried along with and deposited far too deep for any mortal to lay eyes upon them. With the sacred realm sealed Link only occasionally catch a detail hear and there that let him know that the world had managed to stay out of Ganon's clawed grasp.
After centuries the veils pulled back again to reveal a world that has forgotten its own history and distorted it into legend. The first female borne to the Nohansen line in generations entered the world and was christened Princess Zelda Nohansen Hyrule the Second. Only a few short years after her birth the disasters began. Famine, drought, and disease put Hyrule on the brink of war until a stranger came to Hyrule and using his power magic began to fight back against the disasters. Bringing rain to end the droughts, helping farmer's crops grow quicker before winter to save the kingdom from starvation, and he healed the sick and lame. As a reward for his services to Hyrule, King Gustaf Daltus Nohansen Hyrule the First, awarded Agahnim a position as the royal adviser.
For centuries Link had been able to drift about and see the world from wherever he chose, the nature of the void allowing him to view anywhere in the living world at anytime. However after Agahnim began his dark manipulations of Hyrule, the only view Link could see any longer was through the eyes of a familiar young boy also named Link. As the years passed and the new hero grew older Link the Hero of Time began to feel as if he was living the young boys life with him. Every experience the young boy had was like a replacement for what he missed out on while sleeping, waiting until he was old enough to wield the Master Sword. He got to feel what it was like to have a family. Even if it was only the new hero's uncle, as he to had experienced being orphaned at a young age. The Great Deku Tree had meant a lot to Link but he was more of a guardian angel, not a flesh and blood parent who can help you when you get hurt, or teach you about the ways of the world.
Link spent several years living life vicariously through this strange bond he shared with this boy so much like himself. Unfortunately the peace was not to last, one stormy night, both Links heard the desperate plea from the Princess Zelda of this time to save her and save the kingdom. Through out the new heroes journey Link found he was able to share some of his knowledge just nudging the young boy the right direction. It was surprisingly simple to influence simple traits like holding the sword properly, or how to notch an arrow before launching it accurately at an enemy. When the sage's seal was broken the young hero fought diligently, saving the maidens who were the spiritual successors to the original sages, gathering the skills and tools he would need, and eventually gaining entrance to Ganon's keep.
As the conflict with Ganon began Link's mind was pushed back to the vantage of an observer. Helpless to even assist his young protege he watched as the battle waged on. The young hero slayed the evil beast known as Ganon, gained the Triforce, and made a wish only a purehearted, albeit naive youth could. He wished for Hyrule and the Sacred Realm to return to how they were supposed to be. The Triforce its purpose of granting a wish, instead of just being used a source of power, having been fulfilled split back into three pieces to adorn the three individuals who best exemplified its aspects. As the veils closed around Link blocking his view of the Light World yet again he saw Ganon stumbling back to his feet long after the young hero had left, the Triforce of power glowing brightly as everything Link saw faded to black.
The veils peeled back to give Link one last glimpse of the world. There was no way to know how much time had passed but the scene Link saw chilled him to the bone. All around Hyrule fires raged, the evil king Ganondorf had finally regained enough of his power to lay Siege to the mighty kingdom. The war had obviously been going on for years but unlike in times past the veils did not part until near the end of the conflict. What chilled Link to the bone was as the veils lit the void he realized etched on the back of his left hand was the Triforce of Courage...no help would come for Hyrule this time as no hero was born to replace him this time.
A descendent of Zelda's separated by goddess's know how many Generations gave the Triforce of Wisdom condensed to a small golden amulet to his wife and told her to flee with his daughter and to keep it safe. As his family fled on horseback, king Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule leaned against the side of his throne, his hands wrapped around the hilt of the now powerless Master Sword. The swords luster had grown darker over the last few weeks as Ganondorf managed to kill off each of the sages linked to its power. Without a hero to protect the land, and without the swords power Daphnes was able to draw it, for what little good it would do. Daphnes prayed to his goddesses to deliver his people from the hands of the evil king even if it meant destroying the land and sending the people elsewhere. All across the kingdom people received strange messages to ascend to the highest points in the land as storm clouds rolled in blacking out the sun. Over the next few days, the civilian population evacuated to the peaks and high places of the land while the soldiers tried to make on last stand and hold back the demon horde that fought for Ganondorf.
Link watched as the last contingent of soldiers guarded their king in a shrine deep within Hyrule Castle. Weeks had passed since Daphnes prayer was answered by the three goddesses. All of Hyrule's rivers, streams, and lakes were beginning to overflow leaving no road or bridge untouched. These soldiers would have no retreat, they would fight to their deaths. As the evil king walked into the room that was once Chamber of Time, his boot crushing the arm of a soldier barely clinging to life.
"Daphnes, Daphnes, Daphnes, You did not think think the hero would actually come for you did you?"
"He may not have come to save Hyrule this time, but this time...Hyrule will save itself. Please Din, Nayru, Farore. Halt this monster and seal him for all time!"
These were the last words Link heard because at that instant the Master Sword was slammed into the pedestal and the color in the room drained into it as time was brought to a screeching halt. Outside the clouds seemed to descend as they became a deluge of water. It looked as if the goddesses themselves had dropped an ocean on top of Hyrule as the veils closed for the last time. Tears rolled down Link's face he had failed Hyrule, he had failed Farore, he had failed Zelda...his Zelda.
In his deepest moment of despair he did not notice the soft green glow from his Triforce, nor the female ghostly hands until they pulled his hands away from his face. The featureless face of this ghostly silhouette of a woman was a mere inches away from his. The void around them seemed to fade into the green light of the Triforce and his emotions seemed to tame themselves as a sense of purpose filled him. As he gazed into her eyes, he could see that she was trying to speak to him but the words sounded garbled as if it was a language he could not understand. As she spoke an image appeared behind her, it showed the Door of Time slam shut before Ganondorf could get to it. It flickered through several images showing Princess Zelda or Ruto growing up, Darunia shattering the boulder in front of Dondongo's Cavern to save his people from starvation, Impa teaching the Kakariko villagers the way of the Sheikah, Nabooru ending her self imposed isolation to lead her tribe abandoned by their King who was now on the run from Hyrule, and finally of Saria sadly playing her Ocarina because her childhood friend never returned.
Another flash of images battered the weary Hero of Time, a large rock from the heavens wiped the kingdom of Termina, to the far west of Hyrule, from the map leaving nothing but a desolate wasteland from the Great Bay Coast, through Ikana Canyon, and into the western reaches of the Gerudo Desert. A pair of faeries and a lone skull kid disappeared in the blast. The tremors after wards changed the shape of Hyrule forever, the lost woods magic moved the forest now demolished castle town, Death Mountain grew silent and snow capped its peak,the earthquakes caved in the staircase leading to Kakariko leaving the Sheikah village isolated from the world and many other subtle changes forever changed the map of Hyrule.
One final scene flashed by giving Link great hope and sadness. Ganondorf had been captured...likely years later then it would have been had he been there to reveal his plot. While being sealed away at the Arbiter's Grounds he broke free just long enough to strike down the sage of water, Princess Ruto. After wrestling him back under control the sages managed to seal him away...hopefully forever, an endlessly naive hope that Link had watched fail time and time again. As the last image fades to black and Link falls forward unconscious, the figure lays him down and the darkness around them fades to a spring lined by forest somewhere in Hyrule. The figure fades away as a few words whisper upon the wind, "good luck my champion, this is as close to what you wished for I could give."