Puzzle after puzzle. Mission after mission. Stones and quests and time and royalty. Fighting. Death.

My life.

I was battling Ganon. Zelda was trapped. The Sages were locked away in the Chamber, unable to do anything but watch. My faerie was gone, my bottles empty of potions or faeries. Arrows? None. Masks? None. Ocarina or bombs or slignshots or even a damn Deku nut? None. All I had was my shield, sword, and 20 years of experience. Of destiny.

I had no idea how much strength I had left. My faerie kept me alerted when my health was low. All I could do was fight and pray to Nayru, Din, and Farore to help me save the world, and the people I loved.

Ganon slashed. I dodged. He ran. I ran away. He paused. I attacked. We repeated the insane dance, over and over and over. I heard a voice, way back in my head, while I rolled and slashed and panted and lived. [Why?]

Ganon roared and I took a hit. Pain. [What's the point?]

We circled each other, waiting for the next move. [Why does it have to be me?]

I blocked his swing with my shield and lunged. [I didn't ask for this! I never ASKED to be a hero! Why did I have to be the one?!]

A different voice, silky and oily and all shadows and hidden, only to be heard when you don't want to hear anything at all.

I missed and hit my head on the ground, stunning myself. [No! Go away! You... No!]

It laughed.

Ganon took advantage of my helplessness, and hit me. Again. Again. Again. And then.... there was nothing.

***
I floated in the realm of the Goddesses, like I had many times before. They would restore me and send me back, to try again. To not fail. I waited. The healing breath didn't come, the warp of time and the promise... they didn't come.

"Link..."

A cool, satin voice. Yes? I answered.

"It is us, Link. The three Great Goddesses. The ones responsible for you."

Goddesses?! I'd bow, but, you can see... You've never spoken before.

"There was never a need to, Link. But now... now you must see us and hear us, and make a choice."

My eyes were blinded by the brilliance of Nayru, Din, and Farore. Light streamed and showered and sparkled, all around. Three heavenly faces were just beyond my sight, always hinting, never seen.

"We have a chance for you, Link."

What chance would that be?

"To start over."

What? Did... What do you mean, start over?

"To begin again, Link. No missions, no puzzles, no fighting, no hero."

I wouldn't be the Hero of Time?

"No, Link. You would be a regular person, no expectations".

Was this real? Were they offering me what I'd always wanted? Yes! I want to go back!

"Wait! Before you make this decision, you must know what it means. If you say no, Link, you will finish fighting Ganon. You will win, and the world will be rid of his evil forever. But you will die. For good."

...Die? But I have died before, and you've always revived me!

"Such is the curse of the everlasting hero, Link. Live fast, die young. To go out in a glorious blaze of beauty and honor, to die when all will remember. To die serving your life's only purpose. To die before you'd had a chance to live."

What if I take my life back?

"Then you will go back to the Kokiri Forest, the same morning you were summoned to the Deku Tree. Navi will not join you, and you will leave the forest once you begin to mature. After that, your life is up to you."

Will I remember what I've done in this life?

"Yes, if you wish. But if you tell anyone of your memories, no one will believe you."

My head was spinning. Was this true? Was this a cruel trick of Ganon's, to make me hallucinate the Goddesses offer me a choice?

"Take your time, Link. Call out our names when you have decided". The dazzling sights disappeared, leaving me in total darkness.

The chance to take back my life. To be a regular person, not a killer. Not the one who carries the world on his shoulders. Isn't this what I wanted? Isn't this what I prayed for, every time I had a spare moment? Why was I waiting? Why wan't I calling out?

Yes, it is! I mean, I think. I, it's just... I've never done anything else, so of course I'm apprehensive! That's why I'm hesitating!

the voice wheedled.

Shut up! Go away! Stop interfering with MY LIFE!

It sneered.

Be quiet! I've made my decision! DIN! NAYRU! FARORE! I've made up my mind! I want to go back! Take me back! Take me back! TAKE ME BA-!

***
That was a long time ago. I woke up in my bed in the Kokiri Forest, Saria shouting down below. Someone had passed through, sent on a mission to go to the Great Deku Tree.

She said a faerie was with him. It's name was Navi.

After that, I kept getting flashes everytime I heard of something that man did. Saving Zelda, the Sages, keeping the moon from falling.

I was okay with that for a long time. After a while, though, I began to feel cheated. [That was ME who did that! Not you! It was ME!]

I never got married. Never had children. I liked to be alone. Liked to be alone with the bitterness inside me. I would talk to anyone who listened, insisting that I was the Hero of Time! I did it first, I could tell them what would happen next! They just looked at me in pity.

I'm old now. Almost dead. Alone, with only that sniggering voice in my head.

I was the hero. Destined to die battling evil, not as a filthy man wrapped in a blanket. I was the hero! I was the everlasting hero!

< I told you, Link. I told you you liked it. You can't live without it. >

The curse of the hero. I dodged that curse. But what did I get instead? The curse of the civilian. To die when no one remembers you. Live a long, healthy life, and when you go, no one will care. To die early with everything. To die old with nothing.

all your fault. >

Torture.

The curse of the everlasting hero. For me, not a curse, but a blessing.

And I died.