The Legend of Zelda: Duel of the Fates
The author's personal opinion of what the newest Zelda game should be.
WARNING: Slight OOCness of characters, and I'm twisting the law of the Gerudo around a bit, so if you're unhappy with slight tweakings, please don't read it and get upset at me. I love LoZ, I promise. There also might be cursing, but not from Link because, well, he never talks.
DISCLAIMER: All main characters, races, locations, and names are property of Nintendo and their original creator: Link, Zelda, Ganondorf, Ruto, Nabooro, the Goddesses, the Triforce, Hyrule, Gerudo Valley, Lake Hylia, Death Mountain, Kakariko Village, Kokiri Forest, the Great Deku Tree, etc. I'd seriously love my own Hero of Time though. That'd be pimp.
NOTES: I honestly don't know if there's another LoZ in the works; I hope there is, that would make me so happy, even though I am Wii-less. Um…I've never written an LoZ fanfic before, but I've been stewing this idea for quite some time, so I hope it's developed enough. I'd love to send this whole concept to Nintendo though, and see if they like it. I can dream.
1 – The Fall of Hyrule Castle
Jiro wasn't sure he was going the right way, but he knew where he had to go. His breath whistled painfully in and out of his hot, dry throat as he fled along the cobblestone streets. The castle! Must fall back and protect the royal family! The muscles in his legs protested loudly from the overexertion but he ignored them and plowed through a loose-knit collection of terrified citizens who were clutching bundles to their chests or at their sides.
"Don't just stand there!" he yelled back over his shoulder. "Get out of here!" And he tucked his head down and somehow made himself go faster. Faster…faster! Fly, Jiro! You've got to FLY! Harder still he pushed himself. His vision blurred and hazed as the backstreet emptied out into the main square of Hyrule Castle Town. There were people everywhere; many were running, most were screaming, and some were just standing there and sobbing. Children cried desperately for their mothers and fathers and husbands yelled for wives and friends cried for each other through the tangle. The exodus was blocking up the main entrance of the town and he really did want to stay and help everyone—he could see some of his fellow soldiers shouting over the roar of the crowd, urging people to be calm and for families to stick together and not to worry about possessions but only their own lives—but he couldn't be held back. He had to be at the castle, no matter what.
He turned to the northern sector and wove his way as quickly as he could through the throngs of people. "Please," he gasped. "Excuse me. Please…please!" He struggled, fought his way against the current of bodies, finally dragging himself up onto the grand steps that led to the castle proper. He took an instant to gasp for air and a flicker of fire caught his eye; it was coming from the front gate. "What is…?"
An enormous explosion rocked the town's main entrance and the force of it threw Jiro back onto the marble steps. A flaming mushroom cloud billowed up into the dark midnight sky and terrified and pain-filled screams echoed through the air. People began to swarm away from the gate, fleeing to the streets. Jiro scrambled to his feet and looked toward the ravaged stone walls and guardposts, painted with soot and thick blood. His stomach twisted and he fought to hold back the sour bile rising in his throat. Excited cheers and shrill battle cries rose up over the terrified scramble of the Hylians and the tooth-rattling clackity-clackity of a horse's hooves on stone began in earnest. The Gerudo had breached the last line of defense.
Jiro shot to his feet and flew toward the castle gates, waving his arms at the other soldiers falling back through it. "Wait for me! Don't close it!" he gasped. Whipping noises pierced through the air and a barrage of sharpened, poison-tipped arrows rained down from the sky overhead. More people screamed. Two guards in front of him fell over with twin death cries. An arrow found the meat of his right calf, another in his left shoulder and instantly he felt the cold poison flood into his system; he now had fifteen minutes to live, if that. The knowledge of his sealed fate drove him harder, faster than ever before. He blew past the guards still fighting to shut the royal gates as another volley of poison arrows descended upon them. He forced himself to ignore the calls of help from his comrades as they lay dying or as they fought to drag the heavy gate closed—nothing but the queen mattered now. And the princess.
He stumbled into the courtyard, his body already numb and losing its responsiveness. His vision doubled and blurred. He was knocked back and forth between the frenzied castle servants as they poured out of the castle doors and into the courtyard where they idled, because death was coming from ahead of them and waiting for them behind. Jiro tore his way through the crowd and up the smaller steps and fell into the cool torch-lit chamber of the castle foyer. Here, more soldiers than he could count readied themselves for battle, lining every walkway, every hall, every staircase. A tight knit of them surrounded a figure descending the curving staircase to the left of him, and he saw the magic-endowed golden armor of the royal family. It was the king, descending to the frontmost position to battle with his soldiers. Jiro's eyes automatically swung back up to the golden doors of the throne room where he saw the queen—the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on—clutching a silk-wrapped bundle tightly to her breast. The king of Hyrule came to rest at the bottom of the staircase, his storm gray eyes scanning the soldiers he had left for one final defensive stand. They stood waiting for his command, silent and at the ready. The king moved to the front—presumably to speak to his soldiers—and Jiro ignored him, taking the right-hand staircase up toward the throne room and the queen. She saw him coming from the corner of her eye and slipped back into the dark throne room to wait. He was ignored by the soldiers who were paying attention to the king, who had begun to talk:
"Tonight, we are fighting to preserve the Hylian's way of life…"
Jiro fell into the chamber behind the golden doors, barking his hands and knees painfully against the cold marble. A gentle touch slid across his sweaty brow and he lifted his eyes, past the white lace, the sapphire blue silk, the cascade of skirts and the bundle in her arms to look into the queen's gentle sky blue stare.
"Jiro," she spoke his name and he shuddered just to hear her voice. He rose as best he could, but his left side felt as if it were made of lead and his right leg refused to hold up his weight. He tumbled against her and she held him up, staring at the arrow lodged into his shoulder. He reached instantly with his right hand to tear it out of his flesh; if it displeased her to look at, he would be rid of it, no matter how painful. "No, don't," she commanded and his hand abruptly fell.
"I am sorry…" he gasped for breath which seemed to be leaving him. "I wanted…to see you…" Her blue eyes widened and became rimmed with tears. "Please…don't cry. That was not my intention…" his hand—which felt so very heavy—touched her cheek and his thumb brushed away the first of her tears. "Your Majesty, please…command me. I want to die…not fulfilling my duty as a knight…but doing what my love wishes of me." She opened her mouth to say something and he shook his head. "For years, I have loved you from afar…and tonight, I can cross that distance in an instant…" He swayed unsteadily, almost knocking them both over. The queen gave a little cry and tightened her grip on both him and her baby. His dulling eyes locked onto hers again. "Your husband is fighting…your soldiers are fighting…but I can fight no longer," he gestured weakly to the arrows in his body. "Their poison…it weakens me. Soon, I will be of no use to anyone, most of all you… Please," he begged breathlessly, "please…tell me what you wish of me…so I may die in peace."
The queen bit her lip. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened her eyes again, they were calm and composed, but still red and wet. "Take my only child," she said, holding up the bundle between them, "and hide her away. Take her from this doomed place. And when you die, tie your spirit to her, so that you may protect her for always."
His weak and trembling hands slid over hers. They steadied as they took the baby, drifting off to sleep, in their grasp. He tucked the bundle gently into the fold of his right arm and lifted himself fully upright, saluting the queen with his left. "I will do as her majesty asks of me," he promised, and turned toward the half-open throne room doors.
"Jiro," she called to him. He stopped, swaying just the slightest bit. "I… Thank you…"
"There's no need to thank me…" he pushed open the golden door all the way, revealing an empty hallway—the king and his soldiers had marched off into battle. "I want to do this," he explained. "I want to…"
With those final words, Jiro limped down the staircase, using the thick banister for support. The queen watched him descend and disappear into a small wooden door that lead toward the servant's quarters. Slowly, she tore her gaze away from the door and went back into the throne room, striding quickly, trying to push both Jiro and her child from her mind.
There was something she had to do.