*The legend of Zelda *

The Shield of Kairos

Prologue

The Triforce, lost now for countless centuries, vanished from the sacred realm. The last hero of legend defeated the forces of darkness and banished them beyond time and space to the realm between realms. After the great battle the hero vanished with them out of time out of legend and so it has been. The blood line of the hero has been wiped away, but evils bane has kept the wicked and cruel at bay for thousands of years and peace has reigned untouched...

Until the day came, the day of Princess Zelda's birth. The earth cracked beneath the realm of Hyrule and times seal was destroyed; Ganon the demon king was unleashed from his imprisonment. There beneath Hyrule in the fiery labyrinth of Malgaross Ganon built his fortress. Bandit's thieves and miscreants of all races marched into Hyrules depths to swear allegiance to the Demon king and for 10 long years his army grew.

"Heroes" from every realm came to claim the Sword of evils bane, The Master Sword but it would not be taken, none who went forth where worthy of legends name. Ganon knew that his nemesis would appear to him soon and adjusted his plans accordingly, he had learned patients after all the Triforce was eternal and now it seemed so was he.

15 years had passed and the Hero still had not appeared to him. The Princess Zelda now of age ordered the Armies of all the lands to storm Malgaross and bring her Ganons head, and so he sprung into action. The war was brief as Ganons dark forces utterly destroyed the invaders and marched onto Hyrule itself. The people prayed to the Gods for aid but none came, the princess with all her summoned strength faced the Demon head on but fell to his dark command.

Zelda, Princess of Hyrule was defeated her soul stripped from her, demonised to become Ganons Queen of shadow. Hyrule was destroyed completely in search of ways to enter the sacred realm to claim the Triforce, but no such entrance could be found. Furious Ganon ordered the invasion of all the realms in the world. One by one the realms of the world fell to darkness but still the Triforce could not be found. Years and years passed and now only one realm remains.

The last realm at the edge of the world, Hyguard. On this day a boy of no consequence will find his destiny, a destiny out of time, hidden where no one would dare to think...

Chapter 1

The Tomb of Kairos

The sun blazed in the deep blue sky like the warmest fire he had ever known. Lying back in the lush green grass the boy with no name looked thoughtfully into the world above. It were days like these that his day dreams really took flight with his imagination. So quiet was the world around him nothing but the gentle hum of a breeze the melodic rhythm of bird calls. This was truly peace; something that the great cotenant had not known for too long to remember now, but here at the edge of the world peace remained for this little boy with no name. He noticed a rustling steadily approaching his feet, moving with the most care he glanced down his body to his feet to see a vrowl moving in towards him. He watched as this harmless creature shuffled and ruffled its fur never revealing its concealed eyes behind all its tufts, as it came close sniffing at him making the oddest of noises he thought to himself.

In all the times he had come here to dream the day away he had never actually come across a vrowl, oh yes of course he knew about them, they lived in an around the village, but in all his 9 years he had never actually been this close to one. He sat up slowly and Vrowl realised it was a human, and yet it made no sudden movements and remained just as calm as it had done on its approach. The boy reached out with curious fingers and began to stroke the fluffy tufts the Vrowl purred like a cat and quickly rolled onto its back. Laughing at the silly sight the boy threw himself onto his front elbows propping him up and began to play with the creature. Time passed quickly as the strangers became friends, they shared a most pleasant afternoon together rolling around the fields, and the Vrowl watching as the boy tossed stones into the small pond by the mountain. He was always guaranteed to be alone this far from Hyguard none of the towns people ever came near the mountain, and it was only today that he asked himself the question of why no one came out this far.

After sharing his dinner supplies with his friend, the boy decided to be adventurous, he noticed an old path way that seemingly followed its way up some of the mountain. He ran the little Vrowl keeping pace beside him and his ascent began. However no sooner had it started it came to its conclusion, the road went nowhere it had deceived him and left his adventurous spirit bruised. Still he had made a friend today and that was worth more to him than hidden treasures and adventure. He picked the Vrowl up and snuggled him up in his back pack, the creature had never been so content, and with a quickening of pace the boy headed on home.

On the edge of town the old fishing boat river ran there half run aground was an old river boat. Remarkably still in wonderful condition this was the boy's home. He had no place in the town but many of the people knew him and gladly shared foods and there abundance of supplies, here on the riverboat he lived like a king or how he imagined a king lived. He would often climb up to the crow's nest wrapped in his warmest blanket and look out into the town watching the world hurry about. He would stare at Hyguard palace for hours and would often fall asleep doing so. Today was one of those days, he had spent twenty or so minutes showing the Vrowl around its new home, it had been particularly interested in the pantry and had taken a fancy to a rather sweet blueberry pie. The boy took the pie with them as they went from room to room, sweeping up blankets as they went.

The Vrowl it seemed did not have an eye for heights and had taken to hiding in the blanket as the boy sat there greeting the stars as they all began to show themselves in the dark blue hue that was welcoming the night. The boy slipped into dreams, dreams he had never had before. Fire raged on the horizon beyond Hyguard a mass of soldiers had gathered at the city walls, the boy did nothing but watch from his nest as an army clad in crimson armour marched towards the walls. Fire belched out through the clouds as winged beast bigger than imagination could conjure ruled the skies with its thunderous cry. But behind in where no one ever went, atop the great mountain a light shone down reaching out for him. Holding out his hand he was no longer in the crow's nest but inside the mountain. It was not like he had imagined it was like a great hall leading into an ominous cavern, a voice called out to him "Kairos", it repeated over and over again until he began to approach. "Destiny" the two words repeated again and again. Standing now before a tomb an emblem of a clockwork shield adorned the stone, with determined arms he reached for the stone tomb and...

The call of the town's cookoo had woken him from his strange dream, it was morning already yet the Vrowl didn't think so as it rolled over again in a huff. The boy shrugged off the blanket and looked back toward the mountain. The sun rose from behind its tip and reached for him, today was the day he thought, I'm going to the mountain! He left the Vrowl asleep and packed a plenty full sack of supplies. With his sling shot attached to his belt he looped his climbing rope around his body. With the riverboat leaving his view he was well on his way to the Tomb of Kairos.

Chapter 2

Tests of Time

He had been climbing for what felt like days; getting his next footing he allowed himself a glance back from where he had begun the journey. Misty clouds concealed away the over world and allowed him no view of his home, with a determined scowl he pushed on upwards higher and higher he climbed. His footing slipped! Luckily he was no amateur climber his hands hand remained firmly in place as had his nerves, looking down he watched the crumbling mountain side trickle down as dusty stone. He allowed himself a few moments to catch his breath and reassess his bearings, the heavy snow fall that had started some time ago had begun to subside and allowed him to see further up the mountain. Through the hazy fog he could see what looked like a ledge, mustering all his strength he made his way toward it.

His left hand reached up as though escaping from the world bellow and gripped the ledge, his other hand followed and he pulled himself up with a groan. Getting to his feet he dusted the collection of snow that had thought to hinder his climb with its weight and began to look around. There was the mountain but little else, he moved away from the ledge cautiously approaching the mountain wall. It was strange, he couldn't help thinking he had seen this before, and then it struck him, he had seen this before on the stone tomb in his dream. It was 3 cogs all marked with numbers, only these cogs could be moved and where not just decorative. Bellow there cogs he could just make out some writing, pulling his sleeve over his had he rubbed away the snow to reveal them. "With 12 and 2 just add you and all will be revealed." He rubbed at his head, a puzzle? He thought but what did it mean? He read it once more "With 12 and 2 just add you and all will be revealed?" he looked to the cogs and saw the numbers. He reached out for the first cog and it began to glow a beautiful clear blue as he touched it, he moved the cog dial so that its arrow pointed at 12. With a deep him the cog pushed its way into the mountain side and clicked into place, he was right a smile adorning his face with the success. He reached for the second cog, a clear green this time, one more he located the cogs arrow and moved it to 2, the pleasing hum greeted once more and locked into place. Now the third he thought, but there was a number missing and riddle pointed to himself for the clue... the smile had now faded as he tried to think on what that could mean.

If I was number? His mind ran to his age, he was 9 that was the number that represented him, could that really be it he thought, it was worth the try. He reached out the cog turning a clear gold, the dial began to turn with his hand he reached the 9. For a moment nothing happened but then the deep hum kicked in and the cog locked into place. With a thunderous shudder the portion of the mountain in front of him pushed back on itself and lifted into the ceiling revealing the way. Torches down the dark passage begin to light themselves as if by magic, he looked into the darkness and smiled at wondrous thing he just witnessed. He had heard of magical doors but had never dreamed he would ever find one. Collecting himself he began to enter the cave, it was strangely warm inside not like his climb had been with the harsh mountain weather.

Chapter 3

Glacien the Snow Golem