*****Prologue*****
Hyrule. A vast region of land and sea. In between the two massive peninsulas lay the Great Hyrulean Sea. Separating this region from its neighbor is a fortified wall nearly a hundred fifty feet high, a hundred feet thick at the base, fifty feet thick at the top, and about 2850 miles long. Built from year 20 to year 140, this wall served as the front line in various wars.
Ikana first settled this region in what became known as year 1. They were soon followed by the Rito, Hylians, and Darknuts in the following decade. Zoras and Tundrareans arrived later from the sea and Gorons from the eastern regions. Outcasts eventually settled in the western desert, creating the Twili, Gerudo, and Moblin nations. Before the first century was half-over, the Deku and Kokiri were discovered in the northern forests. Outside the Gorons, Tundereans, and nations of outcasts, these peoples spread throughout the entire region. This became known as the Settlement Era.
Not everything was well in the lands and waters of Hyrule. It wasn't long before political differences split the peoples into various nations. The Kokiri fired the first seeds of war by invading and eventually conquering the neighboring Deku Kingdoms. Forces loyal to Ahkgan'm, second Zant of the Twili, fought a ferocious civil war with the ruling republic, forever separating the nation into two separate states after the fighting became an inescapable quagmire. Meanwhile, the Tundereans attacked the neighboring Gorons, only to watch the large creatures of rock and flesh conquer their once-mighty nation.
In the fifth century, Majora, Goddess of Evil and Corruption, attacked the region. She turned the Ikana people into undead beings and plunged their nation into civil war. She introduced the peoples to racism and turned the Kokiri into bloodsucking monsters. The remaining nations each produced a hero of great wisdom, intense power, and incredible courage. Majora was slain, but her damage was just short of permanent.
In the year 974, the rulers of Hyleana and the Gerudo started the United Hyrule Republic. It was a governing body designed to unite the peoples under a single government. Soon, the other unconquered nations, other than the Kokiri nation of Kokireana, joined. As their first order of business, the liberated the Deku Kingdom, which joined soon after.
*****Chapter One*****
King Gustav of Hyleana approached the podium in the United Republic Hall. Readying his papers, he cleared his throat and addressed the crowd of rulers and dignitaries.
"Men and women of this assembly." he spoke in a calm, but commanding, voice, "I have gone over our current defense plans and they don't look good."
He listened to the murmurs for a few seconds before continuing.
"Though the wall is thick, our armies mighty, and our navies large, we have glaring vulnerabilities. Firstly, the Kokiri have been growing more violent lately and I fear this may trigger another Majora episode. Since the forest is a deathtrap, I suggest we build a wall around their corruption and blockade them from foreign materials and mercenaries."
The other members of the Hall whispered agreements with one-another.
"This wall won't be cheap, but neither is another war and my country will happily pay for most of it."
"My people will supply stone and metal for its construction." the Goron representative told him.
"You can count on our navies for the blockade." leaders from the three Zora nations added.
"We will provide many of our finest warriors for patrols." the representative for the Rito tribes told King Gustav, "Never underestimate the advantages of good air support."
"That won't be necessary." the President of the Hylrea Republic told him, "Your soldiers have brittle bones and little armor. Besides, everyone else, other than the heavy Gorons, have been researching the possibilities of flying machines. Your skill is obsolete."
"You can't be serious." the Rito dignitary scoffed, "We've provided air support for our allies for centuries. We provided the recon. We bombed enemy ships miles from the nearest friendly ship. We will continue our services."
"I'm afraid she's right." Gustav told the Rito, "Yesterday, you're an asset. Today, you're not needed. Tomorrow, you're a liability."
"We provide so much and ask for nothing in return." the Rito screeched after the other members nodded in silent agreement. , "We cost you nothing. We only ask for a chance to prove that we are still valuable."
"You still are." the Gerudo queen told him, "Your peoples' clothes, technology, customs, and system of governance remain virtually unchanged since the early Settlement Age."
"We are a proud warrior people and we belong on the battlefield."
"You belong in a museum." the Gerudo countered, "While we have gunpowder, you rely on spears and bows. While we have powerful magic, you relied on a now-dead dragon. You refuse to acknowledge our technologies, our magic, or our goddesses."
"Valoo is the only god we need." the Rito growled, "While your beloved do-nothing Din, no-action Nyrue, hands-off Farore, and all-ignoring Hylia watched Majora corrupt the land, Valoo fought with the heroes."
"It's complicated." the Gerudo told him condescendingly, "The Goddesses are what we like to call 'goddesses'. Majora is a goddess. The good goddesses know that balance is important. If they attack Majora, balance is broken. If people slay Majora, balance is maintained. Since Valoo fought Majora and balance remained intact and Valoo managed to die just a few days ago, Valoo is not a god. So, goddesses fighting goddess is no-no. People fighting goddess is yes-yes. Valoo is dragon, not god. Complicated."
"Heresy." the Rito barked, "Valoo is a god and he will be reborn when his egg hatches. Since he is the only god who helps, he is the only one worth worshipping."
"Birdy not understand simple thing." the Goron king laughed, "Let nice Goron speak in simple way birdy understand. Valoo not deity. Valoo old dragon. Birdy people confused."
"That's the second vulnerability." Gustav told the Hall, "The Rito are too weak to provide much help, are too proud to adapt to or turn down something they have no way of properly dealing with, and are too important a part of our culture and history to lose."
"What are you getting at?" the Rito demanded.
"You will be given a few days to mourn the loss of your beloved dragon." the Hylian monarch explained, "If the hall approves, I say we round them up for their protection and hold them in facilities where their way of life will be safe from the modernization they have proven time and time again they are unable to adapt to. All in favor, say aye and write it down. All opposed, say nay and write it down if your wings can hold the pen."
The Rito angrily gave the sole nay vote against the others' aye votes.
"The ayes have it." King Gustav announced, "United Hyrule Republic guards, capture the bird."
"You can't do this!" the Rito shouted as the guards shackled him, "We are people!"
"You are an endangered species of mere animals." Gustav countered, "Your numbers have been declining for years."
"We are your air force!" the Rito argued, "We are your eyes where you'd otherwise be blind."
"We'll manage." Gustav told him. The Rito shouted obscenities shortly before the guards gagged him and carried the struggling bird away.
"That bird has some serious anger issues." the Goron observed, "A nice zoo will do wonders for the poor fellow."
"And thus takes care of my two concerns." Gustav told the crowd, "We'll start rounding up our Rito populations as soon as this meeting's over. Anyone else have a concern or idea they'd like to share? … No one? Okay. Meeting adjourned."
In the Hall's holding cell, the guards were trying to get the Rito to calm down. When they removed the gag to feed him a sleeping potion, he started yelling.
"You don't want a war with us!" he screamed, "If you want to take away our freedom, you'll have to kill us all and you don't have the available manpower! My ancient people have never turned down a fight! We would rather die on the battlefield than live in a cage, you earth-bound heretics!"
Having had enough of the Rito's angry rant, one of the guards force-fed the potion to the Rito. The bird almost gagged as it forced its way past his throat.
"We'll… we'll fight you anywhere… and… everywhere." the bird said drowsily before drifting to sleep. The guards left, locking the cell door. In an hour, he will be shipped to the capital of Hyleana.