The Legend of ZELDA: Return of The Hero Chapter 1: Calling
It was a peaceful morning in Ordon, the sunrise just passing by, and the villagers passed onto their old routines.
After his victory against the great evil named Ganondorf, Link was deemed the new mayor and Defender of Hyrule.
As usual, Link sat by the ponds, gazing at the sunrise as it faded into the normal blue sky.
Collin ran over to him, with a fishing rod. He poked Link on the shoulder, who turned to face him and smiled, "Hello Collin. You're going to fish again, today?" Link asked. "Yupp," Collin replied, "I hope I catch a big one again." He tossed the line into the pond, the lure bobbing as the fish grabbed the lure for the bait. Collin yanked his arm into the air, pulling the fish out of the pond. "Whoa! 16 inches? My personal best! 1 inch bigger than yesterday's catch!" Collin cheered, and tossed the fish back into the pond. Link smiled. "That's great. You're getting better at fishing, bud." Link said. "Thanks," Collin began, "You're turn, Link." Collin smiled, and Link took the rod from the boy, and tossed the line. A fish immediately bit the bait, and Link yanked out the line. A huge fish plopped onto the grass, and wiggled, struggling to reach the pond. Link let the fish go, and it swam away to mingle with the other fish. Link handed Collin the rod, and prepared to sit down, but someone charged into his back, pushing him into the water. Before Link could view the attacker, she jumped in beside him, splashing him a bit. It was none other than Ilia, who smirked at Link, and greeted the two. "Hey Collin, Hey Link. How are you two?" Ilia laughed. "Great!" Link laughed. "How's the water? Oh, why am I asking? I just see for myself!" Collin laughed, jumping into the water, and rising to the surface. The three laughed in unison, their joyful laughs heard all around the village as the villagers smiled at them. They climbed onto the deck and grass, sitting beside each other and pausing, before laughing again.
"Hey, Link," Ilia began, "Your hand." Link tilted his head, and looked at his right hand, the Triforce of Courage shone as he began to feel dizzy.
"Ah..." Link muttered, feeling faint for a brief second, before a light flashed in his mind.
Link...
Link...
It's me, Midna.
Listen, there's not much to explain,
But, ... The Twilight Realm is in danger. And soon, so will the Sacred Realm!
Hurry, the voice said.
Link woke up from his daze, letting out a slight scream, before gasping. "What... What happened?" Link shook.
"You just passed out when your hand glowed," Ilia said plainly, some worry still in her eyes.
"I saw a flash of light, and heard a voice... A calling." Link said. "A calling? Like what?" Collin asked.
"It said both our worlds are in danger, and I'm the only one that can end it." Link replied, looking at the sky.
"Both worlds? There's two?" Collin felt confused. "Yes, but no. Two Realms. One called The Sacred Realm, where we live, and the Twilight Realm, where the person who spoke is from. That place was connected to our realm by a sacred Mirror, called the... Mirror of Twilight.
I knew that realm's princess, who destroyed the mirror, ending our connection to their realm. I think that connection.. is about the return." Link told the story. "Was her name, Midna...?" Ilia quietly asked. "Yes," Link replied, "Wait, how do you know that?"
"I met her, in a dream once... She told me her name, and showed me places I never seen or heard of before. There was evil and darkness shrouding, but then she showed me the bright side of the places." Ilia said. "The Secret Realm," A voice behind them spoke, "And that vision in your dreams, Ilia, are the guidepost that shall guide Link to solve it's hurt." It was Bo, the elder and old Mayor of Ordon. "Father, what do you mean?" Ilia asked. "You and Link, you two must find the secret enterance to that land to find the Crossroads of Memory. That is a place that leads to our realm, Twilight realm, and lies in the center of that mysterious realm." Bo replied.
"So, you're saying, Ilia and I, are special?" Link asked. "Of course, you're the hero, and Ilia is your guide." Bo replied.
"So, you guys are leaving?" Collin asked, with a frown. "Yes, but we'll be back." Link said. "Wait, just a moment. One more thing I should tell you. Do you know anything about the designs on the walls in the back room of the Mayor house, Link?" Bo asked.
"No..." Link replied. "Hrm. Let me tell you. Follow me." Bo said, and led the group into Link's house by the ranch, where Ilia also lives.
He showed the designs, and began to tell the story that happened many generations before them. "Many years ago, when the realms were once in peril, a hero, and the guidepost, traveled to the Crossroads of Memory, and went into each Soul Chamber, and placed sacred relics that guarded the lands from evil. The journey was not easy, they had to enter each temple, and destroy the evil in it's central chamber, and open the next path to the next temple. This is also a prophecy, telling off two brave souls saving the realms from doom." Bo said, before advising them to leave the next day, and to prepare and say their farewells for the long journey. Once the door closed, silence broke from the 19 year old boy.
"So, the true test of our lives is about to unfold tommorow.. We'd better prepare as your father said." Link finally said, heading into his room, Ilia following not far behind. Link opened the cabinet, his eyes lit up as he grabbed his Hero tunic, and went behind the changing wall, and slipped on his tunic, and hung up his Ordon clothing. He slipped on his prized trademark green cone hat, and slipped on his hylian shield and ordon sword. "How am I going to prepare? I don't have anything.." Ilia asked with a frown. Link thought for a moment. "Wait right here." Link said, and went to the fireplace, and began to shape a slab of metal on the anvil. Once he finished, he sparkled up the weapon, and hung it to cool off, while going upstairs to Ilia's room, grabbing her sewing kit, and grabbed himself green fabric, and finally finished creating Ilia her own tunic, crafted properly for the female to fit into and feel and look comfortable. He added a soft leather mail to protect skin from weaponry, and made finishing touches on the boots, suit, gloves and hat. After hours, he finally finished, calling Ilia from her room, and into the main room. "Ilia, it's finished!" Link called up to her, and she walked down the steps, Link showing her the female only green tunic. She smiled, grabbed it, and went into his room to change. A few minutes later, she came out, wearing a full suit tunic that practically matched Link's. "I love it," Ilia said, "Thanks Link," She hugged him, and sat at the table. "Your welcome, Ilia, now I just have to finish your weaponry," he said, and sharpened the sword, made sure it fit the crystal embedded case, and spiffed up the wooden shield, and painted a lovely design on it. He showed the shield to her, and she strapped it to her back. He kneeled, and held out her sword in two hands, and she pulled the blade out from the case, her reflection glowing in the shining blade. "Wow, where'd you get the materials for such blacksmithing? It's so beautiful..." She asked. "I managed to find the stuff on my journey around a year ago." Link replied. She admired the silver hand sword, with a ruby on the hilt, and a sapphire on the hilt's tip below the handle. A Hylian design was carefully carved into the blade, proving it's one of a kind, five star value. She slipped the sword back into the case, and strapped the case on her left hip. "Oh, I just realized something! I don't think we should bring Epona on this journey, we might lose her somewhere like we did in the past." Ilia pondered. "Wasn't planning on it. We're going to run to the Secret Realm, find the relics, and put them back onto their rightful places." Link said. Ilia nodded, and began to speak, "I remember Midna saying 7 words in my dream. I think they're the Temple names." "What are they?" Link asked, looking curious with a hint of sparkle in his eyes. "I remember six of them... Earth, Ocean, Flame, Light, Darkness, and Spirit. The last one, I can't remember, even if I try to..." Ilia said. A flash appeared in Link's eyes as he passed out cold onto the floor.
The Temple of Twilight is the key...
Bring the sword of evil's bane, Link... Please..., a voice said.
Link's eyes burst open as he rose from the floor, shaking again. "Link? Did you see something?" Ilia asked. Link nodded, "Midna said that the Temple of Twilight is the key.. and to bring the sword of evil's bane... What sword..." Link said, and thought for a moment. "Well the Temple of Twilight must be the last one, so," Ilia began, however Link interrupted as he realized what Midna meant about a sword. "That's it! The Sword of evil's bane... The Master Sword! I have to retrieve it before we goto the Secret Realm!" Link said. "Well, then let's go get it, and then we leave tommorow. Where is it?" Ilia said. "It's just passed the Forest Temple in the woods, in the Sacred Grove. It's the ruins of the old Temple of Time, which I went through and cleansed it of evil." Link replied. And with that, the two traveled through the woods, however stopped at the way to the grove. "Aw, there's no way down there... Wait, is that... Rusl on the hill?" Link pondered. They ran over to Rusl, who greeted the two. "I heard word from Bo, and he adivsed me to help you in anyway you need to get to the Sacred Grove, where the enterance to the Secret Realm lies." Rusl said. "What? We were just heading there to get the Master Sword..." Ilia said. "That's where the enterance is." Rusl replied. " Can you help us? We need the sword." Link asked. "Of course, but beware, once you're inside, you can't go back through the way you went in. The only way back is by settling the realms. You'd best be getting ready now, because the once you pull the Master Sword, the gods will shine down on you both, teleporting you into the Secret Realm." Rusl advised. So the two groaned, went back to the house, got all of their needed supplies and headed back, where Rusl summoned his two golden cuckoos. "Here you go. Use them to transport down to the grove. Be warned, though. I sense something dark in the grove." Rusl let the two fly down to a thick branch, and Ilia followed Link into the enterance.
-Inside the Grove-
"This place... seems wierd. A bride wasn't here before." Link muttered. His hand glowed again, then stopped as the eeiryness left.
"Link, what's that lying on the dirt..?" Ilia asked. Link looked closer, gasping as he noticed who it was, and dashed across the bridge, and Ilia not far behind. "Midna!" Link called out to the passed out imp looking creature on the ground. Link and Ilia knelt by her, trying to wake her. Midna mumbled, and turned in her sleep. "Thank goodness, she's just sleeping. But why is she here?" Link asked. "Well, I saw a flash of light, and she appeared there. Maybe she was sent here for help?" Ilia wondered. "Maybe," Link said, "Hey, Midna. Wake up, it's me, Link and Ilia. Come on, wake up." Link continued to try to wake her, to no avail. Link touched her arm, his hand suddenly glowed, and flashed as his hand floated over her head where her old, but broken fragment of the old twili magic sat. "Something's in her eye?" Link pondered, opening her eye. Nothing, just her eye. He looked more, and touched the fragment, and then the Triforce flashed insanely as a shadow crystal slipped from her head. "A shadow crystal? But.. .this is... Zant's... No, Ganondorf's magic!" Link shook. "Is Ganon... Alive..?" Link frowned.
Ilia touched her arm, and out of nowhere, the Triforce of Power appeared on her hand. "What?" Link shouted as he saw her hand. "That was the power Ganondorf had... Did the Gods give it to you, choosing you as my guidepost? Is that how you're the guidepost?" Link asked, staring at her hand. "Yes.." They heard Midna say. "Midna?" They asked her. "No... I am Din, the Goddess of Power. Midna's spirit is at rest. Inside Ilia. Midna's power's are hers, including the Triforce, which I gave Midna. I contacted you through Midna's body in your dreams to tell you of your fate." Din said. Link and Ilia gasped. "Midna.. is inside me?" Ilia muttered. Ilia's left hand glowed with the Triforce, and showed runes of Midna's Twili magic. They both gasped at the sight. "So it's true.. and how will Midna wake up?" Link asked. "The key to awakening her is inside the Earth Temple in the Secret Realm, known as The "Realm of The Gods." Din said. "Realm... of The Gods..." Ilia muttered, clenching her hand into a fist, the magic going back into her finger tips. "Farewell, Hero and Guidepost." Din said, and with that, Midna's body disappeared. "Don't worry about her body. I will return it once you find "it." " Din said, and left the two to enter the grove.
"Come on, Link... Let's go get the Master Sword..." Ilia said, finally letting out a slight smile.