Hello! So this is my first Zelda fanfic, I hope that it's alright. I'm pretty sure that the characters are horribly ooo though, but whatever. This is a Wind Waker fanfic, so I mostly tried to adhere to the continuity of that game. There are some references to BOTW sprinkled in, but those were kind of unintentional.
I'm also trying to work on my main story, but that's been going a little slowly lately, so I took a break to write this fanfic. Luckily i was able to write this really quickly, so i'll be back to working on my other stuff soon, and hopefully this'll help be become quicker at getting things done.
For the standard disclaimer, I don't own Zelda, and never will. Also, please review! It really helps, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate it.
[][][]
Ganon had returned.
At first, the people had hoped that the legends would hold true, and that the Hero of Time would return to save them. Nobody expected the journey to be free from sacrifice, of course, so they paid no mind when the first attacks on the kingdom had been carried out.
He had saved them once, he would surely save them again.
But more time passed, and nothing happened. Nothing but destruction and death. The people had begun to get worried. But even if the hero did not appear, then the princess and the royal family would be able to protect them until he did come, right?
However, the current princess, the current Zelda, had shown no signs of being able to wield the sacred power. The king had tried so hard to get her to unlock it, for he loved his kingdom dearly and did not wish to see it destroyed, yet to no avail.
Hope was being lost. Everything pointed to the hero being unable to return, and Ganon, the man of darkness and rage who'd broken free of his sage-bound prison, destroying the land of Hyrule once and for all.
So as a final salvation, the people prayed to the gods, begging them for help. For them to do something, anything, to stop this calamity. They prayed day and night, creatures of every race, beings of all beliefs. They all prayed for salvation.
And then salvation came. But even the gods do not work so fast.
That year, as it would become known to those who lived through it, was to be known as the year of floods.
[][][]
The first thing to happen was the growth of the mountains. Many who had seen it at first though they were insane, but it soon became clear that every mountain in Hyrule, every volcano, hill, or rise, was reaching high, high above the sky. Up into the very realm of the gods.
The people were overjoyed, because surely, this could be none other than the work of the gods! Thier prayers had been answered! Some speculated over what it could mean, what their plan could possibly be, but none came close to the truth.
If only they had known what fate would befall them.
After the mountains had risen, the second thing to come was the calling. Those whom the gods deemed worthy, and some that they didn't, were all given a message.
Go to the mountaintops
Hurry
Bring all that you can.
Many received this call, and went as quickly as they could. They all tried to bring their families, friends, anyone who would listen. Many chose to heed the call, yet some, those who felt that such a thing was pointless, ridiculous, refused, instead remaining in their villages amongst Ganon's increasing reign of terror.
And much to her surprise, Princess Zelda, who'd been deemed a worthless princess by some, a fake savior, had received the message too.
[][][]
It had been in her dreams. There, she had met a beautiful woman with golden hair and sky-filled eyes, who was wearing a dress that enveloped the world.
"Zelda, blood of the goddess." the woman told her, smiling.
"Who are you?" she asked in awe, "How do you know my name?"
She smiled once again. "Do not worry, child. I do not come in harm. I am simply here to pass on a message to you."
Suddenly, the dream grew dark, and she felt as if all of the future was dependant upon what this woman would tell her.
"Go to the mountaintops, Hurry. Bring all that you can." she leaned in close to her, the blue gaze growing ever more serious, "make sure to heed my words, Zelda. Because you, at least, must survive."
Zelda grew worried. What did they have planned? What would happen if she did not listen?
But before she could question herself further, the woman and the dream disappeared, and she woke up in her bed, gasping for air.
She looked out the window, to the mountains that reached the heavens, and saw stormclounds in the distance.
She knew what was coming.
At once, she had gathered up all her things that she cherished most, along with food, supplies, and a change of clothes. After all, a trip to the mountaintops was nothing to do in a nightgown, and set out.
She ran to the edge of the Royal Wing, and grabbed the door, ready to leave as quickly as possible.
"Wait!" she heard a voice, and turned back to see her father, King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule, standing behind her with a worried look. "Zelda, what are you doing up at this hour?"
"I heard it!" she said, turning back to face him, "it's coming! I'm going to flee, and if you don't flee too then it'll kill you!"
"Zelda, calm down!" he said, putting his hands on her shoulders. "What's coming? What are you so afraid of?"
She bit her lip. "A flood! A great, terrible flood is coming father! The gods, they're going to seal Ganon away again by flooding the world!" she cried, pointing to the approaching stormclouds, "please, come with me or you'll drown!"
He was confused, and looked out the window to see what she was talking about. After a minute of staring, his face formed into realization, then surprise, then fear, and finally, bitter disgust.
"Those damned gods," he choked out, "They're going to do it! They're going to destroy us along with that foul beast! How could they…"
He looked back at his daughter. "How could they?"
She felt her heart breaking. More than anything, her father loved the kingdom of Hyrule. He loved it with all his heart, even more after her mother had died. She knew that this was shocking for her, but for him? It must be devastating!
He put his hand to his face, at a loss for what to do. Zelda put a comforting hand on his shoulder, hoping to soothe his worries.
He looked towards her with sad eyes. Then, as if some fire had been lit, a new determination shone forth within them.
He grabbed something from within his cloak. As he revealed it, she gasped. It was a shining golden triangle, one that she knew very well from the legends. It was the triforce of wisdom.
He handed it to her, waiting for her to grasp it. "My daughter, I am so sorry. I had kept this from you, though it was your birthright." he said, "I knew it was yours, and yet, when you failed to be able to help our kingdom, I- I thought that it would be better off in my hands, and I-"
He wasn't able to finish.
She started to reach out her hand, mesmerized by the shining treasure, but quickly drew it back. "But father, what if Ganon attacks me on my way there? We'd have only gotten him closer to his goal!"
He heeded her words, and took the triangle back. A bright light then shone from it, propelled on by the king, and a portion of the sacred relic broke off, staying with him.
He gave the rest to her. "Here. take it. If Ganon does attack you on your way, then you can at least have hope in the fact that he will not have all of it."
She grabbed it, bringing it close. "But, but what will you do? Aren't you coming with me?"
He turned away from her, looking out at the approaching stormclouds. "No. I shall stay here, with my kingdom."
"But you'll die!" she cried.
He closed his eyes. "My daughter, my dearest Zelda. Your destiny is to flee to the mountaintops, to live through all this. No matter what, you must live, and ensure that the royal bloodline survives." he moved closer to her and hugged her, before giving her a kiss on the forehead. "But my destiny is here, with my kingdom. If that means I will die, then so be it. I will stay here.
"But please, promise me this." he once again turned away, "make sure that one day, hyrule will be restored. Let all your descendants know, and may one of them one day drain this land, freeing it from the flood of the gods."
He turned towards her one final time, "now go." he smiled. "I love you."
Tears were forming in her eyes, but she did not hesitate. She knew what she must do. She nodded to her father, and pushed open the doors out of the royal wing.
When she exited the wing she saw that some others were scurrying around and getting prepared to travel. Her advisors, some castle workers, and some palace guards, all having heard the message too.
Once they left the castle they traveled together, going up the first mountain they were able to. The gods had created a set of steps that they could travel up with, so they were able to travel fast and safe.
They reached the top in a few short days, and miraculously, the steps disappeared behind them. This was it. Now, all they had to do was wait out what was to come.
[][][]
Once all of those chosen had reached the mountaintops, and were deemed safe from what was to come, the clouds, which had by now gathered thick above the land, unleashed their fury.
Endless, terrible rain.
It pounded onto the land below, destroying villages and filling the valleys. Fish seemed to die as their lakes and streams were absorbed by it, and all around the year, for that one, terrible year when rain was all the people knew, everything changed.
The Kokiri, who had stayed in what remained of their forest, became the Koroks, with the help of the Great Deku Tree. Creatures with light, wood-like bodies who could fly and easily traverse the seas, without fear of drowning.
The Zoras, many of whom were not worried about the flood, after all, they were creatures of water anyways, so what could happen to them? Were shocked when their fins and gills began to disappear, replaced with beaks and feathers. What on earth was happening? What were the gods thinking?
And many of those left, the Hylians, Sheikah, Gerudo, and Gorons, learned skills from those who could about how to survive the life that was coming, the life on the sea. They learned to make boats, read the wind, and heard what it would be like to learn from the sun and stars.
But as the rains continued on, all that was really ever on everyone's mind was the fear, and curiosity, of what kind of world would be revealed when the rain stopped.
[][][]
The King of Hyrule looked out the windows of his castle with a grim smile.
"Well played gods, well played."
Outside, the rain continued to pound onto the ground below. But as it got closer to the castle, it bounced off of an invisible barrier, preventing the castle from being submerged.
Maybe the gods had it out for him. Or maybe he had some roll in this whole play of destiny too.
But being trapped underneath an endless sea, watching everything outside being destroyed around him, he had to wonder if all whom the gods favored had to suffer this kind of privilege.
And as if to add insult to injury, right as the rains had started Ganon attacked the castle, meaning to kill all of those left inside, as retribution for being buried underneath the sea. The Master Sword had responded in turn, freezing the castle and all those inside it, everyone who was left.
He was currently the castle's only living resident.
He looked towards the sky, a sky which he could not see through the clouds. But at least he'd be able to get through this. And maybe when the rains stopped, he'd find a way to work towards getting his kingdom back himself.
After all, a part of him was still waiting for the hero to return.
[][][]
One day, one glorious, fateful day, as Zelda and those who escaped the castle woke up on their island, the clouds parted, and the sun finally rose.
They danced, they sang, they cheered. It was all over! It was finally over, and they were safe. The cheers rang across the sea, across the Great Sea of the Gods.
Once the celebrations died down, Zelda went towards the edge of the water, and looked down into the depths below.
Her father was down there. Likely dead, but some part of her refused to believe that.
But she shouldn't think about him now. Right now, she had to focus on the future. The future of Hyrule, the future of her kingdom and her people.
The salty wind blew through her hair, and the triforce part hummed in her hand.
The future was upon them, and upon this ocean it would lie.