Disclaimer: I do not own anything relating to the Legend of Zelda. This applies to the entire story.

Author's Notes: RIGHT, so it's my first chapter of my first story on this site and I'm off to a terrible start. Vaati isn't supposed to be this nice. I'll make sure to rectify that at once. When I wrote this chapter, I was concentrating more on Tarm than on Vaati, and I only realized that he was way too nice after I finished and went back for editing. I would also like to apologize for the shortness.

Allow me to explain the title. I chose the title Triptych for two main reasons, the first of which I do not want to reveal now as you will see later on in the story. The second reason was because, early on in the development, the plot was split into three distinct parts. This has since changed; the parts have melded together, making the title seem slightly out of place. However, I decided to keep some of the distinction so as to be able to keep the title.

Now that I've cleared all that up, please enjoy!

Tarm

Vaati sighed heavily and walked slowly through orange trees. It's beautiful here, he thought. Leaves fell gently to the forest floor, coloring it softly in mellow hues of red, yellow, and orange. A fox, melding perfectly with the background, quietly moved through light brown trunks toward a crystal clear stream.

Vaati was in Tarm Ruins. He absolutely loved it there. It was the epitome of tranquil peace, with cool, crisp air wafting through the branches, which themselves shaded the sun to create a soft, calming mood. There were no people there; Holodrum was sparsely populated. It felt nice to finally relax for a while after three attempts at conquering Hyrule.

But he wasn't in Tarm to relax; he was there to clear his head and arrange his thoughts without distractions. He was changing tactics, and he needed to be alone to think. His mood immediately soured. Vaati knew that he wouldn't be in peace for long. The Goddesses had a nasty habit of spoiling everything he did.

When the leaves parted, Vaati had a spectacular view of all of Holodrum from his mountainous perch. The greys and browns of the mountain quickly gave way to rolling green hills, scattered intermittently with placid blue lakes that twinkled brightly in the setting sun. A white sea sat contentedly next to beaches with sand whiter than the water beside it. A tiny village rested along the shores, giving off puffs of grey smoke from bright red chimneys.

Vaati stood in thought, looking out at the land below. People saw him as a cold, power hungry madman, but that wasn't entirely true. Vaati's primary goal wasn't gaining the powers of a God. He didn't put all his effort into ruling the land. The Goddesses, who dominated their kingdoms with an iron fist in a velvet glove, forced him into his war with the world. He absolutely hated them. They constantly destroyed what little beauty existed in the name of appreciation. If nothing ever threatened the people, they reasoned, then they would not be grateful for what they had.

Vaati spun around in anger and stormed back into the trees. Overthrowing the Goddesses and their pathetic followers was his goal; it was the only way to put an end to his conflict. He had already tried and failed on three occasions, each time tearing Hyrule to pieces before being halted at the last second by Link.

"Link," he spat in disgust. What a fool. The only reason the imbecile had been able to stop him was because he had the support of the Goddesses. Wielding the Triforce of Courage meant nothing to Vaati. If the Goddesses did not exist to support it, Vaati could have completely conquered Hyrule in an hour. The soldiers were weak, unable to hold their own against a disorganized group of Moblins. The king was a fat old fool who sat on his throne and ate everything in sight. His government was unstable and constantly on the verge of collapse. Vaati had provided the slight push needed three times before.

The worst of Hyrule, though, were the people. The average inhabitant was poor, stupid, and dull. They were not willing to work hard and advance in society because they felt there was no need to. The Goddesses decided their lot in life, and any attempts to change that were seen as disrespectful. They feared either divine punishment or ridicule from the fellow man. People had fallen for the illusion that the Goddesses were all-powerful and that people existed solely to worship them.

Vaati looked at his surroundings. Even the forest had been tainted by the Goddesses' touch before, but that had been hundreds, if not thousands, of years ago. It had since fully recovered, the trees having forgotten the soldiers that trampled their fertile soil.

A chilly, autumn breeze suddenly cut through the branches, piercing Vaati's thin purple tunic. He wrapped his cape around him in an attempt to stay warm. It was getting late, and he needed to get back to the tower.

Vaati had turned Tarm Ruins into a temporary home. Having summoned the furniture for comfortable living - a large, fluffy purple bed, a small iron stove, a table for eating and a few chairs - he had turned the top floor into his living quarters. He had lost his palace to the Goddesses when Link had invaded it, now having to settle for this.

The branches began to thin and Vaati found himself in a small clearing. Two steep hills protruded from the rock, a small bridge spanning the gap. Vaati walked down the ancient cobble road, taking in the sights as the sun began to dip below the horizon. The crisp air had a faint smell of a fresh rain with undertones of the sweet fragrance of autumn flowers. Birds sang to each other from the trees, and the faint, high-pitched call of a fox echoed in the distance.

The sun finally disappeared beneath the trees as Vaati walked quietly onto the bridge. It was nice to stop and admire the scenery. He hadn't done this since he was still a Minish. He was surprised at how well the long walk through the forest had cleared his head.

Vaati turned and looked to the north as the last rays of light illuminated the landscape. The expanse of land was great and unknown. Nobody had ever explored it, leaving it mysterious and untouched. As light faded, the scene slowly disappeared, becoming unrecognizable.

Looking upward, Vaati admired the stars. It was a New Moon; without its light, the stars seemed to shine ever brighter.

The sorcerer began to think about his course of action. An infamous symbol existed throughout the Goddess' land. Vaati would be hunting for that symbol; he would be hunting for the source of the Red Star Flag. The Goddesses themselves forbid anyone from searching for it, and had provided only enough information to scare people into complying.

He stared at the sky for a while longer before turning and walking inside. He needed rest. Tomorrow would see him beginning his search for a power that could finally destroy the Goddesses forever.