Prologue: The Hero of Twilight

Many tales are told about this land- the kingdom of Hyrule. This land was once a beautiful and prosperous place, its people living in the forests, valleys, and mountains, and by the rivers, lakes, and seas. It's said that Hyrule had been created by three golden goddesses, who shaped the land, created its laws, and populated it with all forms of life. When the goddesses returned to the heavens, they left behind a relic of incredible power at the point where they first set foot in the world- the Triforce; the place where the Triforce resided became known as the Sacred Realm. Before their departure, the goddesses tasked the royal family of Hyrule with guarding its entrance, and subsequently, the Triforce. And so for untold ages, the royal family guarded the entrance to the Sacred Realm, and the kingdom of Hyrule prospered.

But soon, dark clouds began to descend on the kingdom. A dark man from the desert revealed himself at the head of these dark clouds- the dark man's name was Ganondorf, and he sought to gain dominion over Hyrule. Long ago, Ganondorf had entered the Sacred Realm, seeking to acquire the Triforce- however, when he reached to touch it, the Triforce split into three parts, leaving him only with the Triforce of Power, the element in which he most strongly believed. Ganondorf subsequently left the Sacred Realm and invaded Hyrule, seeking to claim the other two pieces of the Triforce. With his evil army and powerful magic, he wreaked havoc across the kingdom, and captured Zelda, princess of Hyrule and bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom.

With Princess Zelda captured, all hope seemed to be lost.

But then, as if from nowhere, a young man garbed in a green tunic and cap, wielding the blade of evil's bane, emerged to oppose Ganondorf. Ganondorf soon learned that this young man was the bearer of the Triforce of Courage, the last piece of the Triforce he sought, and sent his dark forces to slay the boy and claim the last Triforce piece. But with the blade of evil's bane, the young man carved a path through Ganondorf's evil army, eventually reaching the Dark Lord himself. Ganondorf used his powerful magic in the battle against the young man, even transforming himself into a powerful beast, but the young man still struck him down. Then, just as soon as he appeared, the young man vanished. The young man became known as the Hero of Time, and his heroic deeds were recorded in the annals of legend.

However, Ganondorf had not truly been killed in the battle; he had been protected from death by the fragment of the Triforce he wielded, and managed to escape. He would return time and again to Hyrule through various means, and in various forms, intending to resume his dark designs. But each time he revealed himself, a new Hero garbed in green emerged to oppose, and ultimately defeat him. Although these Heroes were separated by the passage of time, they all shared three traits:

First, each had been chosen by the gods to bear the Triforce of Courage.

Second, each wielded the blade of evil's bane, the Master Sword.

And finally, each Hero bore the same name- Link.

Soon, Ganondorf returned once again to Hyrule, bringing with him dark clouds that spread across the land. These clouds of twilight transformed the kingdom into a dark and hostile place, filled with monsters; separated from the light, the citizens of Hyrule became as spirits wandering the land. But when all seemed lost, the Hero, Link, emerged once again, driving back the clouds of twilight. Finally, when the dark clouds had been banished, Link confronted Ganondorf, and the two did battle once more. At its end, Link thrust the Master Sword into Ganondorf's chest- at that moment, the goddesses who empowered each piece of the Triforce separated Ganondorf from the piece of the Triforce he had stolen. Cut off from the energies that had sustained him for so long, Ganondorf succumbed to his wounds, and died.

Ganondorf, at long last, had been slain.

When Ganondorf died, his body faded, leaving behind the fragment of the Triforce he had stolen from the Sacred Realm so long ago. Link and Princess Zelda realized that so long as the Triforce of Power remained whole, Ganondorf would inevitably return, seeking to reclaim it- so, they and the five surviving Sages combined their strength and shattered the Triforce of Power into nine separate pieces. The fragments of the Triforce of Power were then hidden across the kingdom, so that none would be able to misuse its power ever again. With their task complete, Link departed for lands beyond Hyrule's border; Zelda remained behind as the newly crowned Queen of Hyrule, and led the land into an unprecedented golden age of peace and prosperity.

Many years have passed since the Triforce of Power was broken, and its shards scattered across Hyrule.

In all that time, Ganondorf has never returned.

The Legend of Zelda: Lord of Shadows

By: Proteus-92