Struggle Between Powers
Chapter One
A/N: Wow, did it take forever for me to come up with a name for this! Watch me change it tomorrow...LOL. Hope you like it! It's based on the cartoons and, loosely, Zelda 1. A different twist to my usual stuff...Please R&R, as always!
"WAIT!" Zelda screamed, running after the carriage. She shielded her eyes from the afternoon sun as she hastened along the dirt road to Mido, occasionally tripping over her extensive, rose dress. The carriage squealed to a halt, and the Princess nearly crashed into it. The hero of the country, Link, quickly dismounted and ran to the fallen Zelda.
"Sorry," he said lamely. "I'm in a hurry, though, so make it quick!"
"I wanted...to wish you luck...on your competition...in Mido..." she panted, lying on her back in the path. Dirt was strewn through her long, golden hair. "You didn't stop...as quickly...as I'd hoped..."
"Sorry about that, Princess," he said, laughing. "You want me to ride you back to the castle, or would you rather - "
"Yes," she said flatly, and Link laughed again. He gently lifted and placed her in the back, along with all of his equipment. "Is all this stuff really necessary for archery?" she asked, inspecting the apples and various other fruit.
"Of course," he replied, climbing back onto the horse out in front. "I need to practice, don't I? It's not like I'm going to come straight from traveling and be able to win the annual Deku Athletics Festival."
"Sure you can," Zelda smiled. "You're Link! Link can do anything." They exchanged a grin, and then Link turned the carriage back around to the castle. Once a year, for as long as either of them could remember, the citizens of Mido held an athletic competition known to all by the name Deku. Apparently, there had been a Deku boy named Mido that had lived long ago, but no one could really be sure, since it had been many generations past.
"There you two are! I was beginning to wonder if you'd stopped!" a tiny voice yelled as Link pulled back into the stable.
"It's fine, Spryte," Zelda assured her. "I didn't catch his attention as fast as I should have."
"Nah, I saw her, but I wanted to make her run for a while," Link said, and soon after received a whack from Zelda. "I thought you could use a little more exercise!"
"Oh, this is going to get ugly!" Spryte giggled as she flew back to attend to her chores.
"You thought I needed exercise?" Zelda shrieked. "But look how thin I already am!"
"I, uh, didn't mean it that way, Princess!"
"Oh, sure! Good luck on your competition, you dolt!"
"Zelda..." Link called, but she had already stormed away. He sighed, remembering how moody girls were about that kind of thing. He turned to his faithful horse, who even seemed to be snickering at him. "So I don't know exactly what to say to make her like me. I'll work on it!"
* - * - *
"Zelda, my dear," the King said upon seeing his daughter moping about. "I have good news! The people of Rauru are holding a talent contest, and you, my dear, are the supreme judge!"
"Wonderful," she said half-heartedly. "When do I leave?"
"Right now. But first, a girl has come to see you. She is from the town of Saria."
The Princess sighed angrily, walking to the main parlor, where the guests usually waited. She saw a dark-haired girl, perhaps her own age, with glittering green eyes awaiting her arrival. Taking a deep breath, she smiled warmly at the girl. "Welcome to the castle. Forgive me; I was speaking with one of our people," she said through gritted teeth. "Some just don't know how to respect a lady."
The girl laughed, curtsying before Zelda. "My name is Shiga, and I come from Saria. I am an aspiring sorceress, and I seek training from the best...meaning, I'd like to learn from you."
Zelda blushed deeply, not used to being appreciated for her skill in magic. "I would love to train you, Shiga. But I have an appointment in Rauru, please excuse me, but I must leave at once. You can stay here and perhaps protect the Triforce."
"The Triforce?" Shiga said, looking more interested. "I don't know if, at my level, I am capable of that kind of spell..."
"Nonsense," Zelda said, waving her hand knowingly. "You'll do just fine. We don't expect any attacks from Gannon in the near future. As I said, I must go now. Good luck! If anything happens, tell the guards!" With that, the Princess left, hurrying to the stable to catch her carriage to Rauru.
"Don't you worry, Zelda dear," Shiga said, looking to where she had left the room and smiling quite smugly. "The Triforce will be plenty protected from Gannon. But who will protect it from me?"
* - * - *
"Announcing the arrival of: Link, the returning champion!"
Link stepped out to the field, waving at the cheering crowd. The Deku Festival was all about making the ancestors proud, and Link couldn't be doing much of a better job. He strode up to the starting line, and aimed his bow carefully. He let the arrow whiz through the air, striking the target dead in the center. The crowd let up another supportive roar, and Link felt his confidence grow. He shot forth another arrow, which landed just outside the center ring. Scowling, he aimed another show.
Suddenly, a wave of pain struck Link in his right arm, his aiming arm. He cried out and let an arrow fly, nearly missing an innocent civilian of Mido. "What's wrong with you, boy?" one of the audience members cried, and the pain instantly left.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, unsure of what was happening. One thing he was sure of, though; Zelda was not safe.
Meanwhile, the Princess was witnessing strange acts, supposedly called "talent." She could not believe some of the things people were willing to do for one thousand Rupees. One old man stepped up and swallowed two hundred fifty Giant Bees. Zelda was absolutely disgusted.
"And now," the announcer announced, "the fair Princess Zelda of Hyrule will choose the Gerudo Talent Revelry winners!"
"Me?" Zelda chirped, about to panic.
"Why, of course," he said quietly. "Didn't your father tell you?"
"No," she hissed back. Then, smiling and standing up, she said, "You were all very talented and deserve to win the prize. However...I am only allowed to choose one. Um...you were all so good...please, give me a few moments to decide." After quick deliberation, she said again, "I have selected a winner! Third prize, one hundred Rupees, goes to...Tina of Nabooru!"
There was a soft applause as Tina went up and accepted her prize, then Zelda went on. "In second place, with his amazing solo re-enactment of the Great Hylian Wars, is Stephan of Mido!" Stephan graciously accepted his five hundred Rupees. "And first place, with her amazing magic power, goes to Sharon of Ruto!"
Sharon smiled warmly, and accepted her thousand Rupees. "I would like to thank you, Zelda, for inspiring me. I would like to thank my parents, for raising me in a magical environment, and my brother, for always playing 'victim' when we were kids. Also, the three Golden Goddesses, Din, Farore, and Nayru, for allowing us to be blessed with this natural magic ability. Thank you!" The audience cheered as she descended the stage. Zelda groaned and climbed back into her carriage.
"That was much longer than I had hoped," she admitted.
"I'll say," commented her driver, whose name was Mido. "Ready to go back home, milady?"
"Yes. I can't wait to go to sleep!" She looked out the windows as they started down the road to the castle. "I hope Link's doing good in his match," she commented, lounging in the back. "I can't imagine him losing, though. I mean, he is the best swordsman in all of Hyrule...the best archer, other than me...the best at basically everything. I hope the Triforce is okay with that girl...what was her name again?"
"Shiga," Mido reminded.
"Yes, that was it. She seemed alright with everything when we left..." Zelda closed her eyes and listened to the crickets of the night air. "It's getting dark. I'm going to go to sleep, okay? Good night..."
"Good night, milady."
"Welcome back, Your Highness," the guards said in unison. Zelda edged past them uneasily, unsure of the reason they acted so courteously. Usually the guards treated her as just another resident of the castle.
"Um...thank you," she said nervously. She rushed directly to the throne room, hoping that her father had some answers to this mystery.
"Zelda," a familiar voice called from within the throne room. "How sweet of you to join us."
"Shiga?" Zelda demanded, running into the room. Surely enough, there was Shiga, with the Triforce of Wisdom at her side.
"How thoughtful of you to remember my name," she purred. "What a pity that all you've got is the Triforce of Wisdom. Both of them would be ever so much more useful to me."
"How did you learn to use that?" she yelled.
"It's not a matter of learning, my dear," Shiga said slyly. "It's a matter of having the power. Some are born with powers as great as yours, Your Royal Majesty." She laughed sourly.
Zelda stood upright. "Guards, I command you to seize this...this...thing at once!" None of the guards made a move.
"Foolish girl," she laughed. "This is my castle now, all inhabitants minions of Shiga. Except that annoying little pixie...but I took care of her. Aww, why the angry look? If you had not been so careless, this castle would still be yours."
The Princess realized that she was right. It had been her inattentive decision to put Shiga in charge of the Triforce...if only Link had been there to protect it! But responsibility ultimately lay with her. "How did you do this?" she demanded weakly.
"Simple. My vast, extensive power of mind control has everyone in this castle obeying my every whim. Except those with royal blood, who remain unaffected..."
"So that's why you don't have Spryte," Zelda said thoughtfully.
"Ooh, very good!" Shiga taunted. "Do you want you lollypop now, or later?"
"What about my father? And Link?"
"Your father had caused me enough grief," she spat. "He's in the jail cells awaiting his execution! Link, on the other hand, never returned from whatever journey he had ventured upon. As soon as he comes back, though, he'll be mine. That will be the end of your little team, eh?"
Zelda gasped. "But...what about me?"
Shiga gladly accepted a chalice from one of the servants. "I have a fortune planned for you far worse than anyone else's," she said darkly. "You will spend eternity, watching the land you once protected deteriorate into my world. The best part is, no one will be willing to help you!"
"You can't do this!" she yelled, running toward the sorceress. Four guards instantly seized her, and dragged her out of the castle.
"Ta ta, Princess," Shiga laughed. After that, she was out of sight.
"Link!" Spryte screamed, pounding on the glass of her tiny prison cell. "I need help! The Princess is in danger!" Spryte, after all, was the Princess of the Fairies. She was in a jar, stranded in the room where the Triforce used to rest, but now Shiga had it with her.
The pint-sized fairy gave up screaming and searched around the room for some way to escape. There was always the window, but the problem was how to escape the jar. I know! I'll knock myself off of this pedestal, and the glass will shatter when I hit the floor, Spryte thought, feeling rather smart. She flew at one side with all of her speed, and toppled the jar off of the pedestal, just as she had planned. It fell and bounced off of the floor.
"Hey!" she cried when the glass didn't break. A dark violet cloud appeared above her, and the face of Shiga was seen in the center.
"Foolish fairy," she sneered, the Triforce glowing behind her image. Spryte felt the anger boiling within her. "Don't you think I planned for this? I am now, after all, the most powerful woman in all of Hyrule!"
"Not for long!" Spryte screamed, her little body glowing with hate. "Link will come back and save me, and Zelda!"
Shiga laughed. "Your pathetic hero Link will be under my control, just like the others. Have I doused your hopes enough for now?" With that, the image evaporated into the air.
"Ooh! I'll show her!" Spryte fumed. She rolled the jar over against the wall, finding a spare sword lying on the ground. "Perfect for this pathetic excuse for a lid!" she cried gleefully, using all of her might to push the two together. Before long, she was free, and speeding toward Mido to find Link.
Meanwhile, Link was already headed down a path toward the castle. "Why couldn't I have thought for once and brought along a horse?" he wondered, as he had left his carriage back in Mido. He desperately longed for something to drink, although it wasn't horribly long until he reached the castle, anyway.
"Link! Link, it's me!" Spryte called, flying down in front of him.
"Spryte!" he cried happily. "What happened to Zelda?"
"How did you know?"
"I felt something evil, like dark magic or something, and decided that Zelda was in trouble. Like an idiot, I left the horses back in the town..."
Spryte laughed. "That's forgivable, I suppose. Zelda doesn't need us right now anyway. A girl came to the castle and took over in Zelda's absence! I didn't know what to do after they captured me, but I broke free and came to warn you!"
Link sighed, feeling defeated already. "I guess we'll have to go get the Triforce back, right?"
"Wrong. Shiga has it with her. We need it back, but force is not the way to get it. And you can't go in; her mind control affects everyone except royal bloodline!"
"Great!" he said, even more frustrated. "How are we supposed to get it back now?"
The fairy swayed uncertainly in the air. "Um...I was thinking that maybe we could get the Triforce of Power from the old Underworld. Gannon is dead, after all."
"I guess it's our only choice, other than looking all over for the Triforce of Courage," Link admitted. "There's an underworld entrance not too far from here. Let's go!"
Meanwhile, things were going smoothly in the underworld. Gannon was not dead, like Spryte and Link believed, but was awaiting something such as this to happen. "Perfect!" he yelled in a hoarse, raspy voice. "With Link and Zelda gone, Hyrule will be mine! All I need it this, the Triforce of Power!" He held it triumphantly over his head, grinning and laughing like a maniac. He continued laughing for several minutes, and then sat down to come up with a plan.
"I must be of royal bloodline," he said thoughtfully, pacing back and forth in front of his throne. "I am, after all the Prince of Evil! The Evil Jar is destroyed, but I'll soon repair it. My magic will be boundless! Hyrule is mine!" he repeated, and cackled evilly. "Sunset in two days. That will give me enough time to prepare for my attack! And that Shiga girl is no match for me!"
Gannon eased into his throne. Soon, he knew, Hyrule would be his.
**The End of Chapter One**
Yippee! I have come up with a story line! I'm so proud of myself. I thought it'd be weeks before I came up with something. I thought I'd try something different from my usual Zelda 64 fics. So hooray for me, I've joined the Write About Zelda Cartoons club! (That is, if there is a such thing ^_^) Please review my first EVER attempt at this! Notice how I've been having a lot of first attempts recently? :)
Like I said in the last sentence, PLEASE review!! Please? Thank you!!