The Legend of ZELDA
A Trilogy by The Silent Assassin

Book 1: The Three Stones

"In the beginning, there was nothing. Then, the great God of the universe sent his three servants, three golden Goddesses of the heavens, to the chaos that was Hyrule. Blessing the realm with their gifts; Nayru, cultivated the land with her love, Farore breathed life and law with her breath, and Din formed the hardened land with her flames. With their labors complete, the three goddesses departed from the land. At the point where they left, the great God enshrined their essence into three sacred triangles known as the "Triforce". Whoever held the mystical triangles would control the power of the gods"

The Creation of Hyrule, from The Book of Mudora.

CHAPTER 1

The earth was rumbling violently as the dirt was kicked up into the air. The pounding was getting louder and closer, approaching with blazing speed. The speeding object rushed by, a cold whisp of air churned by the disruption of the space nearby. The horse was racing, racing as fast as it could as the rider whipped it to increase speed. "Come on Epona, we're going to make it this time!" cried the rider. A few yards ahead lay a wood fence about child's height from the ground, standing oblivious to the world. The two were about to approach the fence, and this time, the boy knew he would win. "JUMP!" cried the boy as they were about to collide with the fence. With a jolt, the horse keeled and came to a full stop, and the boy was sent flying into the air screaming with fright. He landed chest first into a puddle of mud not too far from the fence, and skid a few more feet before finally coming to rest. The horse neighed as the boy lay motionless. Finally, the boy slowly pushed himself up, turned over and sat facing the horse. "Dang, we almost had it Epona!" he yelled. The boy shook his head in disgust, and walked over to the horse. "What's wrong? Why don't you trust me yet, Epona? We're going to keep doing this until we get it right," he exclaimed to the horse.

"Link, you're going to run that horse ragged if you don't quit. I'm sure Epona will trust you after some more time. You have to understand she is still a young steed," exclaimed a man from his rocking chair, watching from the patio of a nearby country home.

"But dad, Epona and I have been together since we were born. I think she's just being stubborn. Come on girl, let's go again!" Link exclaimed with excitement. "Not now, son. Come on, your mother has your dinner ready on the table. You go on and wash up and come sit down when you're done. Don't forget to give Epona her food and water before you lock her up," remarked the father.

Link slowly took Epona across the field to her stall in the barn next to the corn field. "One day, you and I will go on some grand adventures, you hear? I will join the Knights of Hyrule, and you'll be given all the fancy armor like the other horses the knights ride, and I will get to carry the title of 'knight'! One day, Epona. You just watch," whispered the boy to the horse's ear. After locking the steed away, and blowing out the lantern, Link ran back across the field, the golden sky behind him as the sun set into the distant horizon.

Link ran through the door, his mother yelling at him to hurry up for dinner, and dashed to his room. He took off his boots, washed his hands in the bowl of water on his dresser, and then soaked his face with the cool liquid. Link then turned right back around and promptly sat at the table, his parents already seated waiting. "Let us pray," the father spoke. They all bowed their heads as the father gave reverence to Nayru, who was to thank for the bountiful harvest that year. After he finished, the mother began passing around the food. "Link, I have something to tell you," his father remarked. "I'm leaving tomorrow to join the Hylian Army. I've been ordered by the king to report to the training camp ground by sundown tomorrow to begin training." Link dropped his fork onto the table in shock. He looked at his father and exclaimed, "Father! You can't go! Why do you have to leave?" The father replied, "Son, there is a war about to break out between Hyrule and the Tribe of Evil from the deserts in the west. Their king is planning to invade us in a month or so, and we must be ready. Son, if I don't go, they will hang me for treason, there is no other choice." Link tried to plea for his father to remain, but he would hear nothing of it. Link, with tears in his eyes, got up from the table and ran to his room. He stayed there the remainder of the evening, crying for his father.

Link felt the warm morning sun on his back as the new day dawned. The door squeaked as his mother opened it slowly, and sat down beside him on his bed. "Son, you know that your father must do this. He has to protect his family from harm, and besides, he's been ordered. Please, try to understand he is doing what he must, Link," she said softly.

"But why, mother! Why can't he stay? Doesn't the king know that we need him here? That I need him here?" cried Link. "He's a very busy man, son. Come, say goodbye to your father now," she remarked. Link took his mother's hand, and they calmly walked to the front of the house. Link's father was finishing the preparations on his horse when the two came out to bid him farewell. His father and mother expressed their passionate goodbyes, and then his mother came back, tears rolling down her cheeks. His father then walked closely to Link, and kneeled down to his level. "The world is a very confusing place, my son. We're thrown into this mess without any warning of what may come, and we're not given any clues as to how to deal with what is presented before us. All we have is our wits and spirit to act in the present, to live for the moment. No matter what happens, I want you to always know that there is always a way, son. Every man has the ability to make a difference in the world. Even you, one day, will have the chance to leave your mark on the world. Just remember, follow your heart and your instinct. Also, promise me, that you will never quit. No matter how dark it gets, that you will always fight until the very end. You have the heart of a warrior. One day, you will meet your destiny. I go now, to face mine," spoke the father.

Link shed a tear, and then his father gripped him tightly, and they embraced each other for the last time. He then let go of his son, mounted his steed, and took one last look at what was his life. The memories raced through his mind, as he gazed for the last time upon his family. When he came back from his utopia, he waved goodbye to his wife and son, kicked his horse, and was off into the morning son. As he passed the front gate, Link started in a dead sprint towards the fading silhouette of his father. "DAD! PLEASE DON'T GO! COME BACK, PLEASE! DAD!" cried Link as his father disappeared over the horizon. Link fell to his knees, crying, cursing his misery. In his heart, he knew this would be the last time he would see his father. Behind him, his mother came running to console his pain. The two then slowly walked back towards the home. As they reached the door, Link turned his head around one last time, and uttered into the wind, "Goodbye, father."