Author's Notes: The story I have planned is expansive including a prequel I'm also working on. I will try to add new chapters as often as I can though my work life can get pretty busy.

As for the story itself, just about every named character comes from a Zelda game; I just couldn't think up original characters that could add to the story. Most will stay true to who they are in the game while I've varied others slightly in age/personality, etc.

On another note, I listen to tons of music as I'm writing so I'll post the song(s) that inspire each chapter.

Enjoy!

Song: Magic by Ladyhawke

It was dawn of the last day of the Triforce Tournament, the largest event in Hyrule happening only once every ten years. This year would mark the 27th Triforce Tournament while coinciding with the end the summer season. Hylians from every corner of the kingdom would descend upon Castle Town to partake in the weeklong festivities. During the day, the schedule consisted of qualifying rounds for warriors hoping to secure a spot in the final round of the Tournament on the seventh day. At night, the town would erupt into celebration. Dancing, eating, and drinking lasted long into the evenings, with all Hylians wealthy or poor, young or old dressed their best.

In a small bedroom above a popular yet secluded bar tucked deep within Castle Town was a young man. He stood shirtless, staring at the outfit laid out on his bed. At 22 years of age, Link was a quiet and talented fighter with years of experience under his belt. Having already qualified for the final round, not much was known about the dark horse. Few know of him and even fewer knew of his difficult past.

The articles of clothing before him were a white undershirt, chainmail, brown leather gauntlets, sheathed plain sword, standard Hylian shield, leather belt with a small matching pouch, and finally a forest green tunic. This tunic in particular had a removable hood for concealment should Link feel like becoming anonymous. The color was uncommon among Hylians but to Link, it was something more, something apart of him to commemorate a friend lost long ago. He placed the undershirt and chainmail over his head then donned the tunic. Fastening the sword and shield over his back, Link buckled the belt and pouch around his waist then slipped the gauntlets over his firm, coarse hands.

A voice hollered from beyond Link's room. "Boy, quit admiring yourself in the mirror and come down for some breakfast!"

Link rolled his eyes. He wasn't the type to obsess over his looks even though he was well aware of what others said about him; descriptions ranged from incredibly handsome to a gift from the goddesses. Not wanting to flare up another loud demand, Link threw on his worn brown boots and went downstairs.

Link entered the kitchen to confront the source of the earlier voice. Standing in front of the stove was the owner of the bar; a tall, buxom woman named Telma. Her dark red hair was tightly braided into individual strands and pulled back into a high ponytail. Telma's intricate clothing consisted of a gray blazer opened to reveal a yellow and white laced top and a long black skirt covered with a purple patterned apron. Only she knew of Link's past, having taken him in years ago. Link took a seat while Telma continued to move about the kitchen attending the cooking food.

"About time you came down. The girls already left to attend the tournament which you should be at!" Telma scolded with her back turned to Link. She finished preparing a plate and placed it in front of him. "Here, eat this. You'll need your strength today." The plate consisted of sausage, scrambled eggs, potatoes, and toast. She also brought over a glass of milk.

"I'm not really hungry."

Telma slapped the table with her spatula. "EAT. Or I'm going to throw you out of my establishment!"

Telma was a commanding woman with a strong personality, traits common among Gerudo descendants. When she tells you to do something, you do it or suffer the consequences. Link knew firsthand what that was like when he disobeyed. Not wanting to cause any more trouble, Link ate some sausage and downed his glass of milk.

Link wiped his chin and got up. "I should get going. I'll see you later."

"Good luck Link. We'll be cheering for you! Just be nice to the other finalists."

Link grinned as he headed out the door, "I'll try." He took off towards the tournament grounds.

"My dear Zelda, I hope you have a wonderful birthday on this momentous occasion."

The King of Hyrule, Daphnes, was seated atop an opulent makeshift throne on the royal platform. Seated to his left was his daughter Zelda, the young Princess of Hyrule. Zelda was known throughout the land for her beautiful looks, often called the Jewel of Hyrule. Today was her 21st birthday and it just so happened to coincide with the Triforce Tournament. She wore her long golden hair in a loosely styled braid topped with her signature diadem. Gilded golden shoulder armor and a long royal gown of white and lavender completed her regal outfit.

"Thank you father. I'm excited for Hyrule's finest warriors getting to display their valor to the kingdom." Zelda scanned the crowd. Thousands and thousands of Hyrule's citizens filled the stands, eagerly waiting for the tournament to begin. She smiled. It warmed her heart to see her people come together with happiness.

"The crowd seems a little restless. Will we be starting soon?" she asked.

"Soon. My captain tells me we're still waiting for one more finalist to show up," the King replied.

Zelda chuckled, "A late finalist? He's not off to a good start. How lazy do you have to be to nearly miss the biggest day of your life?"

She looked to where the finalists were gathered. Seven middle-aged men were dressed to complete, each swinging their swords for last minute practice. Zelda frowned slightly. None of them looked close to her age. Not that it mattered anyways. Still, she was hoping at least one them would have possessed her youth.

As she continued observing the finalists, a young man approached their spot. He was wearing a green tunic, tan pants, and tall brown boots. His slightly disheveled blonde hair framed his face and was topped with a loose green hood. Even from afar, Zelda could tell he very handsome. Something about him seemed so familiar, like they've met before. She didn't know when or where or even why she thought that. Regardless, he had captivated her attention and she wanted to know more about him.

Her father interrupted her train of thought. "Ah looks like the finalists are all here!" He motioned for the royal announcer to begin.

"Ladies and gentlemen, great citizens of Hyrule!" The crowd simmered down. "Today marks the final day of the twenty-seventh Triforce Tournament. Our ancestors founded this historic event to commemorate the heroic men who gave their lives to defending and bringing peace to our kingdom during the great Hyrulean Civil War. Will the finalists please step forward?"

Leaving their waiting area, the finalists marched single file towards the center of the arena. They stood facing the royal platform, several feet apart. Zelda eyed the blonde young man. He stared back at her, sending a rush of warmth through her body. It was a feeling she couldn't even begin to understand and yet even from afar, Zelda was drawn to this man. Feeling slightly embarrassed, she looked away. The royal announcer continued.

"Here before you are eight fine finalists, who have already proven their worth from the qualifying rounds. They will face three trials designed to bring out each finalist's ability to demonstrate their Courage, Wisdom, and Power; the three components of our sacred triangle. Each element is crucial to succeeding. The first trial is the obstacle course, the second, the horseback archery course, and the final, the combat course. Each finalist will be awarded points based on their performance. The one with the most points at the end shall be named the Triforce Tournament Champion!"

The crowd roared with excitement. All of the finalists waved towards the crowd, hoping to win their favors save for the young man clothed in green who calmly stood still. How curious, Zelda thought.

The royal announcer finished, "Its time to begin the first trial: the obstacle course!"

Upon his words, the open space behind the finalists magically transformed into a daunting obstacle course. It consisted of five key sections. The starting section was a long path with Beamos and blade traps followed by a second, rotating path lined with intermittent shooting fire traps and a silver key in the middle. The center section consisted of two twenty-foot pillars roughly five feet apart, providing access to the fourth section at the top. From there, narrow, cascading platforms flipped every few seconds. The last platform led to the final section of a holed wall with two movable pegs and a locked horizontal door signaling the finish line. It was complex, difficult, and rarely finished by the finalists. Instead, most would fall into the surrounding water, ending their chance at receiving as many points as possible.

Zelda leaned back in her seat, waiting for the first finalist to start.

An hour later, seven of the eight finalists had attempted the course. None were able to finish and the farthest anyone got was to the third section. The one finalist who seemed like he would perform well did manage to breeze through the first two sections, only to fail miserably once he reached the two wooden columns. Zelda couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed. The Triforce Tournament was suppose to showcase Hyrule's best warriors, yet so far the performances weren't living up to expectations.

"What a pitiful showing. Hylian foot soldiers can do better than this!" King Daphnes complained.

"There is still one more finalist to go, lets see how he does," Zelda reasoned as the last finalist lined up to start. It was the young man clothed in green and she hope he would do well.

At the sound of the horn, he dashed through the first section, leaping over the blade traps while deflecting the Beamos' lasers with his shield. In one swift motion, his shield was back on his back as he entered the rotating fire platform. Every move he made timed perfectly with brief openings in the fire. It was as if he had found a pattern and danced between every flame that flared left, right, above and below. In a flash, he managed to secure the center silver key then proceeded back into the fiery chaos.

After completing the fire platform, Link reached the two pillars. Approaching one of them, he jumped and dug his foot into the pillar's surface. His force propelled him up and across to the other pillar, to which he immediately repeated the same movement. Again and again the man leapt back and forth until he made it to the very top. Already surpassing the rest of the finalists, any progress from there would be bonus points for him.

"Incredible," Zelda murmured as she looked on at the surprisingly flexible and nimble man zipping through the course.

Making his way down the fourth section, the young man carefully timed his jumps with the flipping platforms. His precision was uncanny. It was as if he was in tune with the entire course, exacting just the right, fluid moves to advance with ease.

Soon, he was at the base of the final section: the pegboard wall. Grabbing the two wooden pegs, the young man began to lift and pull himself up the wall. His arm muscles bulged and flexed with each transfer of the pegs; clearly this man was exceedingly strong. Up and up he went, showing no signs of fatigue. The only time he halted was when he reached the horizontal locked door.

While holding onto one peg with his left hand, the finalist reached for the silver key in his belt. Still holding steady, he unlocked and swung open the door then lifted himself onto the finish platform. The total trek took him less than three minutes to complete: a record in the Tournament.

The crowd cheered on with approval for passionate Tournament fans knew it had been seventy years since a finalist last completed the first trial. As the last finalist to take on the obstacle course, the young man took his time before heading down. He stretched his hands behind his head, jutting his elbows out like wings. Zelda marveled at how powerful he looked, standing there with ease while seemingly showing off his sculpted body, even if it was unintentional.

As the royal announcer continued with his usual speech, Zelda tuned out all of the noise from the Tournament. None of his words mattered to her. All she wanted to do was watch the mesmerizing young man. Every move he made stole her attention and captivated her thoughts. Even when he jumped down from the rather tall platform and ended with a smooth tumble, Zelda fervently watched.

"That finalist performed well," Zelda finally said. Her father responded with a lackadaisical shrug.

Zelda continued, "You're not impressed?"

"A solid performance yes but he is much younger and smaller than the rest so of course it was easier for him. Besides he was last to go and had time to learn the course," her father clapped his hands together, "More wine!"

Zelda wrinkled her nose. "All of the finalists have to wait in a separate tent. There is no way he could have learned the course in advance," she countered.

"Now now my dear Zelda no need to get upset," King Daphnes returned his attention to the fresh goblet of wine.

"I'm not upset, just pointing out the errors in your logic," Zelda frowned as she watched the young man leave the course. She didn't know why she just defended a man she has never met before. It just didn't seem fair for her father to brush off his spectacular showing when none of the other finalists came close.

Eventually the center obstacle course vanished, returning the arena to packed earth. The royal announcer stepped up and cleared his throat before proceeding with the latest Tournament updates. As he recounted each finalists' performances, Zelda tuned out his voice to watch the crowd. Everyone seemed happy. They cheered when the announcer recounted a particularly entertaining obstacle course moment, settled down, then reacted some more; it was nice to see Castle Town come together for entertainment and celebration. It's also nice to escape the castle walls every once in awhile. Sometimes my father is too protective…

"And now let us proceed to the next trial: Horseback Archery! Please exit the stands in an orderly fashion and follow the path marked with flags. We'll begin in twenty minutes! Thank you!"

Zelda snapped out of her trance. She stood up along with her father as they began to follow the royal guards to the archery course. A light breeze played with her hair. The princess smiled.

The sun was just starting to reach high noon by the time the crowd had finished migrating to the archery course. Zelda sat upon her cushioned chair, grateful for the shade offered by the draping of the royal platform. She took a sip of her wine and leaned in towards her guardian Impa.

"I wonder if anyone will break the archery record this year. Impa, who do you wager will win this round?"

Impa stroked her chin, observing the eight finalists preparing their horses. "The young man clothed in green."

"A fair choice. I do hope he continues to perform well. He certainly is a crowd favorite," Zelda mused.

Overhearing, her father King Daphnes interrupted their conversation. "Nonsense! That boy is far too young to compete with the likes of the other finalists. Horseback archery takes superb skill refined with years of practice, years that more mature men have over him," King Daphnes motioned for more wine, "No, my bet is on that contestant over there!"

Zelda observed her father's selection. The finalist appeared a decade or so older, with black locks, leathered skin, and broad shoulders to complement his towering stature. His figure suggested maturity and skill, though Zelda still questioned whether this man could come out on top given his distant second place finish from the first trial.

"You should have more faith in the youth of Hyrule," Zelda quipped, "We shall see who bests this challenge!" She left the conversation at that, not wanting to continue quarrelling with her father.

The horseback archery course was the second tournament trial. Consisting of ten targets and five pots stacked on crates lining the course, the trial was arguably one of the most difficult tests of Power, Wisdom, and Courage. Archers are given twenty arrows and 2 minutes, with 100 points awarded for each bull's-eye hit and pot shattered for a maximum of 2000 points. No one has ever remotely come close to perfection however, with the current record standing just shy of 1000 points.

The second trial began as the royal announcer proclaimed the rules to the crowd and finalists. This time, the eight finalists would be competing in a different order as the announcer gave the new line up. When he was finished, the announcer moved down from his post. The first contestant lined up at the start and awaited the trumpet signal to go.

Zelda eased back in her chair. The first man up seemed confident at first, though his confidence quickly waned once he mounted his horse and missed the first few targets; clearly he had little experience with horseback archery. He managed a paltry score of 375. Unfortunately the next two men did not fare much better. The second did hit two bull's-eyes and a few more targets, but his shots were weak against the pots, causing none of them to break. After expending his remaining arrows on the pots in frustration, the second contestant ended with a score of 460. As for the next finalist, Zelda hardily paid attention as his painfully slow and careful run through the course nearly put her to sleep. His run was so slow, what few points he scored amounted to nothing as he failed to reach the finish line within the time limit.

It wasn't until the royal announcer called up the fourth finalist did Zelda's boredom cease as she curiously watched the young man approach the starting line. He momentarily looked her way, sending fluttery heartbeats through Zelda's body. She couldn't quite identify what was causing her to react that way, whether it was from a fervent want of another spectacular performance or something more.

Whistling a short tune, the horseless man stood patiently as a brilliant brown mare with white hair sped around the corner and drew near his owner with a whinny. How does his horse do that? Zelda pondered in amazement as the calm contestant stroked his horse's mane. The finalist mounted his horse. He readied an arrow then waited for the starting trumpet. Zelda gripped the edge of her chair in anticipation as the crowd simmered down to watch. The brassy blow of the horn echoed throughout the range. Almost instantly, the young man spurred his horse, dashing towards the long row of targets to strike.

He raised his body off the saddle, still retaining the perfect form of a seasoned archer as he gathered several arrows from his quiver. While still holding onto the bunch of arrows, he positioned one against his bow. The first arrow released in a flash, landing dead center in the opening target. Perfect. Shot after shot effortlessly left the skilled archer's bow, finding their destination every single time. The crowded erupted in cheers as each arrow stabbed the targets' centers. In the blink of an eye, the fourth finalist had already landed 8 arrows for 800 points.

Approaching the end of the track and the first of two targets atop forty-foot poles, the young man notched another arrow, aimed high and released. Perfect again. The crowded roared even louder as the archer grabbed the reins and rounded the target to begin the final stretch of the course.

This time aiming for the pots, the young man released five more arrows. Each pot exploded in thousands of shards, adding 500 more points to his score. 1400 points, he broke the record! Zelda gasped in awe as she slowly stood, inching closer and closer to watch. By then, nearly every other Hylian, including her own father, had risen to their feet as well. All eyes were fixated on this mysteriously incredible young man.

Approaching the other pole target perched above the finish line, the finalist nailed the center for 100 more points. He followed with another wave of four arrows. The first found the bull's-eye, with each successive arrow landing on top the next. Perfect, perfect, perfect, perfect.

"1900 points?!" Zelda squealed as she gripped the railing of the royal platform, leaning over to get closer to the action. "He still has one arrow left!"

With fifteen yards and seconds to go, the man clothed in green notched his last arrow. Instead of aiming again for the target directly in front of him, the confident competitor swiveled his body towards the towering faint target hundreds of yards behind him. He then focused his gaze solely on Zelda. What is he doing?! Why is he looking at me instead of the target? He'll miss! Zelda panicked as she hysterically held her breath.

The clock was ticking and the horse was rapidly approaching the finish line. Just before the end of it all, he released his arrow, never taking his eyes off of the mesmerized princess. The horn bellowed time just as his horse crossed the finish line. He never looked back. All eyes followed the path of the arrow as it found the impossible target from afar. Perfect.

The town exploded in elation as the first finalist in the history of the tournament achieved a perfect score. Nailing every single target twenty times in a row while racing on a rapidly moving horse against the clock was unfeasible. It just could not be done. And yet this unknown Hylian had done it.

Throngs of tournament attendees left the stands and swarmed the perfect archer as his tried to dismount his horse. Men slapped his back in approval and women blew passionate kisses, while little toothy Hylian children danced around his feet. Some began chanting "Hero" for reasons unknown to her. Even King Daphnes gave an approving applause.

He never looked at the target. He only looked at me. Zelda's mind wandered back to the alluring eyes of the intriguing man permanently etched into her mind. Even though he was over a hundred yards away when their gazes connected, Zelda was still remembered clearly swimming in the breathtaking blue oceans of his eyes. Who is this man? She yearned to know more.

"Many will go through a lifetime without ever witnessing an amazing performance like that. Now that was worthy of the history books," mused Impa as she approached the frozen princess firmly gripping the railing.

The sound of Impa's voice snapped Zelda back to reality. "Yes he is amazing…err that was amazing," Zelda replied as she returned to her usual ladylike stance.

Impa laughed, "I would hate to be the finalist following that!"

"Or any of the remaining finalists for that matter." Zelda chuckled as she returned to her seat.

Indeed, none of the other finalists came remotely close to his perfect score as the horseback archery trial concluded.

The final trial was back at the starting arena. It was a traditional sword fight that consisted of a bracket style mini tournament. A win secured a spot into the next round, repeating until the last two finalists square off in one final match. Link waited patiently in the finalist tent for his assigned time slot and opponent. He passed the time polishing his sword. Not that it needed it really; Link just liked the feeling of metal against stone.

"You sir are one hell of a beast out there. Very impressive!" commented one of the finalists as he approached Link and sat down on the bench beside him.

Link looked up from his sword to acknowledge the complement, "Thanks."

"The name's Garrickson. I'm a plumber from the East district though I'm handy with a sword." Indeed Garrickson did carry the look of a plumber. He had black hair, a prominent mustache, and wore rich red overalls. "I doubt I'll be able to match your skills though!" He held out his hand.

"I'm Link," he replied with a handshake.

"When I first made the finals, I thought to myself, 'wow I may have a chance to win this thing!' Though now after watching you, I'm not feeling so confident. Hell your last performance brought everyone to their feet, even the princess!" Garrickson gave Link a playful slap on the shoulder. "I hope I'm not matched up against you," he chuckled.

Link sheathed his polished sword. "All we can do is wait and see."

"Yeah, you're right," Garrickson leaned in and whispered, "You know, I heard rumors about the royal family from some of the guards as I was walking over to the second trial."

Intrigued, Link responded. "What kind of rumors?"

"Seems there is some discontent between the King and his advisors. Apparently there was an attack on allied lands out west and the King sent a majority of the Hylian army for aid. His advisors except for one counseled to wait and instead send scouts to investigate but the King only heeded the advice of the other advisor."

"Who was that advisor?"

"Don't know. Even the guards were wondering the same thing. As for the rest of the advisors, I hear they're calling for the King to abdicate his throne but are split as to who would rule. Some are saying the crown should naturally pass to Zelda, as she is the only heir while others say she isn't ready. All very curious!"

"Very curious indeed." Link frowned. If what Garrickson said is true, then Hyrule would be vulnerable to attack with no army or leadership to stop it. The lone advisor could also be plotting a coup d'état and no one would know with all the distractions of the Triforce Tournament.

Garrickson chuckled again, "Well I for one think it's exactly what it is: a rumor. Hyrule has been at peace for years. Any ripple across clear water would be quickly noticed by someone."

Unless one has been watching the wrong waters the whole time. Link worried over whether these rumors held any truth as he waited to finish the tournament.