Disclaimer: I do not own Zelda. Period. Enjoy!
Prologue
The Dream
To understand his journey you must understand destiny and prophecy. In this world, they go hand in hand and are linked together by unseen forces. The two are seen in many forms but mainly they come in the form of dreams. Perhaps the Goddesses willed it so…
Unfortunately, dreams are more complicated than one would think them to be. To make things blunt, for some dreams are but a mixture of fantasy and reality. For most, it is strictly fantasy. Very seldom, a chosen one is born with the gift of dreaming prophecies and rumored other gifts as well. Gifts that if mastered correctly, can change the outcome of an event, change the history of the world. This child of destiny is one of the many keys to help protect and keep peace throughout the land of Hyrule. This magical gift is said to be passed down in one of the oldest Hylian families known to exist, from grandmother to granddaughter. But no one knows who that child is since that fateful day twelve years ago…
"Mommy!" A little girl's shriek was heard above the chaotic mess that rung throughout the village. The bewildered little child stood in the mist of utter confusion and chaos crying out in vain for some type of salvation. Bits and pieces of her gnarled hair stuck to her tear stained face. Villagers raced about like mad men, trying to save themselves, nearly knocking over the girl in the process. People didn't seem to notice her. She didn't seem to notice them. She just wanted her mother.
The afternoon sky was black as night, and the air choked of thick, charcoal smoke that shown gray in the few spots the sun dared to shine. A loud crack was heard as a fire caked beam crashed towards the ground. The little girl's ears pricked up as her head whipped around to spy her mother's last moments. The mother gasped as she saw her doom, not only that but the uncertain future that beheld her daughter. In a useless attempt to save her life, the girl's mother covered her face with her arms. It was too late to flee.
"MOMMY!" screamed the girl, "NO!" As she said this the beam slammed down upon the ill-fated mother, killing her instantly. The little girl than began racing towards her mother's crushed body, arms outstretched, and tears streaming down her tiny angelic face. If only she could get there, if only she could do something to stop the destruction, maybe she could save her. Just then she was swooped up in a stranger's intense arms running in the opposite direction.
"No! Mommy! I have to save her! Stop!" she managed to choke out between sobs. Her tiny hands and fingers stretched out towards her mother in hopes of her magically rising up to hold her in her arms of protection and comfort.
"It's for your own good." The rough man's voice was a mere faint echo to her. The young girl cried harder than ever as she was pulled farther away from the burning mess where her mother lay. The terrifying screams of horror and the thick stench of that choking, acrid smoke soon faded away with each frantic step that brought them nearer and nearer to the shelter of the forest. The vast forest was their only refuge where they could get lost and bury themselves from the unrelenting darkness that ate away at their home and their hearts.
An earsplitting scream tore out of the large, burly man as he hit the ground hard sending her into a tree. Blood. Blood was on her now and things began to become dizzy and start to spin. All she heard was a thunderous roar of laughter, an evil laughter, along with a deep petrifying voice.
"You're mine! You're finally mine!" boomed the voice. And then there was nothing…
Impa stood on the edge of a clearing, eyes intent. Her head was poised with her chin angled upward hinting that she had yet to find what she was looking for. Then, as if on cue, there was a rustling coming from the right of her near the edge of the forest. I began to grow bored as I watched Impa stroll with a cool sense of authority over to the bush. I've seen this scene played out many times before. Today was no different.
That was my first mistake.
I began to grow impatient as I hurriedly waited for Impa to barter with the deku scrub for our weekly supplies. Each week, Impa insisted that I come along so that she could teach me of the wonders of the wilderness. She taught me the many types of trees and plants; which berries and mushrooms were okay to eat, magical, or just plain deadly. She taught me how to build shelters with not even the aid of a blade and how to make rope from twisting strips of tree bark together. All this wonderful, life-saving information -- useless. My dream was to travel to the great cities and places Impa had recalled in her stories -- not to live out the rest of my life alone and desolate in these woods. Beisdes, I was hungry and just wanted to go home.
"Halie!" Impa scorned, "Are you even listening?"
I looked up to find that her satchel was full and the deku scrub had laready disappeared from sight. I think I might have heard her mutter something about some herb that could cover up your scent when trying to hide your tracks. I'm not sure.
"I swear you're just as impatient as your father!" Impa muttered just barely loud enough for me to hear.
My head snapped to. What had she just said? Impa had always avoided any questions that I had about any family that I might have once had. Is she really ready to let down that steel wall now and tell me what she's hiding? She always claimed to know nothing but fully well knew that I knew better. But I suppose it doesn't matter. What's past is past.
My parents are dead.
My eyes locked on to her red ones and I knew she was serious. Alittle too serious. I felt my heart ram against my rib cage with a startling realization. I opened my mouth to speak but there was no air to sound the words racing through my mind. It was then I remembered to breathe.
"You knew him?" I felt betrayed.
"And your mother."
I didn't know where to begin. "What...?" Eh, no, "How...?" That's not right either.
"Halie, let's go home." Impa's voice was straining to sound smooth yet it still held the warning undertone that told me this conversation was over. One thing I've learned is to never cross her. Sheikahs can be harsh.
We walked back in silence. She knew that I had had enough and didn't even bother with another lecture about surviving on my own or another one of life's little lessons. I looked over at her and saw that she was bent on fixing her sight on the path ahead, towards home. My gaze, however, was averted to my surroundings for once. Funny how Impa couldn't get me to pay attention to the forest until now. The leaves were lush and the berries plump being it the middle of summer. A brown leaf floated lazily to the ground as I followed it with my eyes and began to notice the little things that I normally threw aside. Then I noticed it. The forest seemed to be missing something, but what? I spied a set of rabbit tracks and realized that I hadn't seen any animals, not even birds; it was eerily quiet. Impa didn't seem to be phased by this and so I decided that I needn't be either. Instead I shifted my gaze towards the sky to spy Din's Eye slowly making her path towards the treeline in the distance only to be reminded of my now protesting stomach. I quickened my pace in hopes to get home sooner to a hot meal.
I stretched and smiled in content at my now full belly until it dawned on me that I still had the evening chores to attend. I frowned and pushed my chair away from the table and began to stand when Impa reached out and touched my arm.
"Would you like to hear their story? Your parents' I mean." Impa's eyes flashed with an emotion that I couldn't read.
I looked at her with my mouth agape and in a stupor and then quickly sat back down. It was a rare event when Impa decided to open up. Sheikah's are shady too.
"Your parents left a legacy. A legacy that some are willing to sacrafice everything for. All for the legend of Zelda..."