The Legend of Zelda time line, in a fan fiction.

Editors note: I don't own The Legend of Zelda, any of the theorys of the timeline (Save my own) or any of the characters. I just wished to write my theory in a story, and see how it would be received.

Chapter 1

The Creation of Hyrule.

Long ago, the kingdom of Hyrule was but a glimmer in the Gods' eyes. Descendent from a distant nebula, Din - the Goddess of Power, Nayru - the Goddess of Wisdom, and Farore - the Goddess of Courage saw fit to create the world from which all our stories hail. As the legend goes, Din dyed the mountains red with fire and created land. Nayru created science and wizardry and brought order to nature. And Farore, through justice and vigor, created life.

Farore's children took many shapes and sizes, ranging from peaceful forest-dwellers to enormous rock-eaters. The great Deku Tree watched over the forests and tended to the Kokiri, a child-like and playful group of forest sprites. The Zora, a regal fish people, populated the country's waterways and paid homage to the water god Jabu Jabu. The Gorons, a lazy and peaceful race, topped the peaks of Death Mountain and thrived in its fiery caves with their rocky and temperature-resistant hides. The desert wastelands were home to the Gerudo, an entirely female race driven to piracy and thievery by their hostile and unforgiving surroundings. Lastly, there were the Hylians - the most prestigious and widespread race in all the land. The Hylians were very skilled in the art of wizardry; it was said that their long and pointed ears allowed them to hear messages from the Gods. They dubbed their vast lands "Hyrule", and ruled peacefully through treaties with the other races.

Their work complete, the Goddesses left the newly created world - but not before leaving behind a symbol of their power. Placed in the holy Golden Land, referred to in later tales as the Sacred Realm, the omnipotent Triforce was to serve as a guiding light for the new races of Hyrule. It was said that anyone who acquired the Triforce would have three titles bestowed upon them - "The Forger of Strength", "The Keeper of Knowledge", and "The Juror of Courage" - and with these prestigious titles would also come incredible power.

The Lure of the Triforce

Needless to say, the Triforce was a highly desired artifact. This desire was only intensified by a verse from the Book of Mudora, an ancient collection of Hylien mythology:

In a realm beyond sight,
The sky shines gold, not blue.
There, the Triorce's might
Makes mortal dreams come true.

The Hylian king, along with several of his trusted sages, researched and quested after the golden triangles. After a seemingly endless search, they were surprised to stumble upon the entrance to the Sacred Realm right next to their very own castle. They entered, and finally found themselves face to face with the sacred power. The king returned to Hyrule triumphantly with his prize, to the accolades of his people. Being a just and benevolent ruler, the king was able to use the Triforce to maintain peace and prosperity throughout the entire kingdom. The golden triangles were emblazoned upon many structures throughout the land, and revered as a symbol of the Goddesses' favor.

The king eventually grew old and passed away, leaving his son to assume control of both the kingdom and the Triforce. However, to the prince's surprise, the Triforce split when he attempted to claim it. Not possessing all of the requisite traits, the prince was unable to control the Triforce in full. Both angered and confused by this, the prince found solace in the words of one of his father's former advisors, a powerful magician. He told the prince that before his death, the king had mentioned something about the Triforce to the prince's younger sister, the princess Zelda. The prince immediately questioned the princess, but she refused to tell him anything. The magician, angered by Zelda's refusal to talk, threatened to put the princess into an eternal sleep if she did not speak. Still she refused. Now infuriated, the magician summoned all of his power and began to cast a sleeping spell on Zelda. Surprised, the prince desperately tried to stop the magician's spell, but he was unable. The princess fell into an eternal sleep, and the magician, having overused his abilities, collapsed and breathed his last. The prince was stricken with grief. He placed the princess in a secret room in the North Castle, hoping that she would one day awaken. He also made a decree in memorandum, that from this day on, every princess born into the royal family would be named Zelda. This event would be known throughout the ages as the "Legend of Zelda".

After this tragedy, the former king's advisors began to seriously question the wisdom of allowing the Triforce to be controlled by the royal family. These advisors, known now as the Ancient Sages, had studied the Triforce to great lengths. They had determined that only a special type of individual, one who had the three elements of his soul in perfect harmony, could successfully claim the Triforce in full. After witnessing the prince's inability to control the Triforce, the Ancient Sages decided that it would be safest to seal the golden power away until a suitable recipient was found. The sages used their vast knowledge to design several systems that would best protect the Triforce.

They began by constructing the Temple of Light in the center of the Sacred Realm. This temple would house the Triforce, and serve as a gathering place for the sages. The Temple of Time was built in Hyrule, over the entrance to the Sacred Realm. This temple acted as a locking mechanism that would prevent anyone with evil designs from ever entering the Sacred Realm. Three Spiritual Stones were created as keys to the Temple of Time, and given to the various races of Hyrule for protection. The Ocarina of Time, capable of awaking the three Spiritual Stones, was given to the Hylian royal family. And lastly, The Master Sword, a sword capable of defeating even the most powerful of evils, was forged and placed in the Temple of Time as a final key. Only one who proved their strength, wisdom, and courage could acquire the three Spiritual Stones, and even then they would need to be in possession of the Ocarina of Time and be able to pull the Master Sword from its pedestal in order to enter the Sacred Realm and claim the Triforce.

As a final measure of security, the sages concentrated their vast magical powers into seven medallions. Left within the Chamber of Sages in the Temple of Light, these medallions would serve to pass on the sages' powers should the need to permanently seal the Sacred Realm ever arise. Rauru, one of the most esteemed sages, sealed himself inside of the chamber to await an individual deserving of the golden power. Another sage by the name of Kaepora Gaebora arranged to have himself reincarnated as an owl, so that he could watch over Hyrule and guide those he thought worthy of the Triforce. It was just a matter of time.

But evil men still desired the Triforce...