During the times of the Great War, fear spread across the land like a plague. It consumed the land of Hyrule, which was almost destroyed. Ganondorf, King of the Gerudo, tried to rule the land, but to no avail. The Hero of Time defeated him and Princess Zelda and the other Sages locked him away in the Sacred Realms for all eternity. Little did they know that Nabooru, the new leader of the Gerudo, was pregnant with his child. Although she hated Ganondorf, Nabooru could not kill her, but only look upon her with love. Nabooru hid the child away from everyone except her people and Princess Zelda. She was taught the ways of the Gerudo so that one day she would rule her people as well as her mother. Eighteen years had passed since the day Ganondorf was defeated…
Chapter 1
Selena woke up, sweat trickling down her face. Once again, horrible, maniacal laughter filled her dreams, turning them into nightmares. Nabooru had told her it was just a dream, but something in her eyes told Selena that it was something more.
She rose from her bed and made her way towards the window. Her room was small; although she was the leader's daughter, every Gerudo was treated the same, given the same things, given the same respect.
Looking out over the fortress walls, Selena watched the sun rise over the desert horizon. Along the southern skies, she notices dust rising. She squinted, trying hard to see what was causing the dust to swirl so high. A sand storm perhaps. She turned around, quickly changed into her clothing and strapped her sword onto her side. She walked quietly down the hallway towards her mother's quarters, passing guards as she went. She knocked lightly on the door and a muffled voice called her inside.
Nabooru stood by her window, gazing out over the walls just as Selena had done moments earlier. Her long red hair was plated down her back and she wore gold bands around her arms and neck, the only indication of her rank.
"Is there a storm coming?" Selena asked quietly, gliding over to her mother's side.
Nabooru stood quietly for a moment, staring at the dust that was getting increasingly closer.
"No. It's not a storm," she said thoughtfully, "It's probably nothing."
She turned to her daughter and smiled.
"Have you ridden yet today?" she asked.
Daily rides in the desert had made Selena familiar with the land. Nobody else in the fortress knew the desert like she did.
"Not yet," she answered, her attention focused on the dust on the horizon.
"Good. Instead of going out into the desert, why don't you go into the fields? Or perhaps to the lake?" Nabooru asked, leading her daughter towards the door.
"Of course, Mother. If that's what you wish," she said, knowing in her mind that she would go out into the desert anyway.
Another smile spread across her face as she ushered her daughter out.
"Thank you, Selena," she said, then turned away, saying, "I have something that I want you to keep."
Selena stopped just inside the doorway and watched as her mother crossed the room to a small box. She carefully opened it and pulled out a necklace. A leather string held a round piece of black obsidian with a symbol etched onto it.
"I want you to take this," Nabooru said, bringing it back over to her.
She started to tie it around Selena's neck as she explained, "It was passed down from generation to generation. I think it's time that you had it. And please," she said, turning Selena around to face her, "Please don't take it off. No matter what."
"I won't, Mother," Selena said, grasping Nabooru's hand, then turning to walk out the door.
Nabooru turned back towards the window and shuddered.
"Goddesses, please help us."
Sand swirled everywhere as Selena's horse pounded across the desert. She had gone against Nabooru's wishes and went out to the desert, and as she went further out, the sand storm at the horizon got bigger. Much bigger. When the wind started getting to be too much, Selena slowed the horse to a trot and wrapped a scarf around her face.
"What is that?" she asked aloud, watching it intensely.
The storm was getting increasingly closer and Selena turned her horse and headed back towards the fortress. It seemed to be catching up to her, even as she was driving the horse forward harder then ever. She glanced back around once and instantly regretted it.
From the one glance, Selena realized that it wasn't a storm at all; it was an army. They wore tattered clothing and skin sagged raggedly from their bones, as if they were decomposed. The sand that was billowing up behind them wasn't from them running; it was coming from inside of their bodies, trailing behind them like a giant cape. Terrified, Selena pushed her horse harder. The fortress was getting closer, but so was the army.
Sand whipped around her face, blinding her. The only thing that would get her safely back to the fortress was the horse's fear and strength. Many times, Selena turned around to watch the people. They may have been getting closer, but they were still behind several hundred yards. Looking quickly back to the fortress, she noticed that the guards on top of the portcullis were lowering the gate. She kicked the horse hard in the side, getting the last bit of energy out of it.
The gate was only inches above her head as she flew through the entrance and she stopped to turn back. It crashed to the ground and closed up the entrance. Selena turned her horse back up the pathway and urged it forward. Many of the guards were already standing, ready to fight if the army made its way through. She rode up towards the fortress until she spotted Nabooru.
"Mother!" she screamed, riding towards her and jumping off of the horse quickly.
"Selena! I told you not to go out there! Are you alright?" Nabooru cried, running over to her daughter.
"I'm fine. But we need to leave. Order everyone to leave," she said, panting.
"Why?" Nabooru asked, sensing the fear in her daughter's voice.
"They're not human. Whatever those people are, they aren't human. I'm not even sure if they're alive," Selena said, grabbing her mother by the arm and pulling her towards the horse.
Nabooru stopped and turned to look out at the desert. Orders rang out from the guards as the army drew closer. Just as the army reached the outside walls of the fortress, they suddenly disappeared. Nabooru and Selena stood there, shocked. From behind the wall rose a giant column of sand. It swirled around, plummeting to the ground with an explosion of sand.
Sand creatures materialized before their eyes, wielding old scimitars and spears. Cries of fear sprang from the guards as the creatures advanced forward.
"Selena! You must leave. Go, now! You're our only hope!" Nabooru cried, throwing her daughter onto the horse.
Selena fought against her, saying, "I won't leave you and the others. I will stay and fight!"
"No! You must leave," Nabooru said, a small tear forming at the corner of her eye, "There's so much I had yet to tell you."
The fear in her mother's eyes terrified her to the core.
"I love you, Selena. Please, never take off the necklace."
With that, Nabooru smacked the horse's flanks and, in a terror, it took off for the path towards Hyrule Field. Selena turned around to watch her mother as the army made its way up to her. She stopped by a boulder and watched as Gerudo everywhere were cut down by the army. Sand creatures made their way up to Nabooru, who turned and ran farther up the hill, following the other Gerudo who had abandoned their posts.
An impact in the air made Nabooru fall to the ground. Next to her appeared a man; he was extremely tall with fiery red hair. He grabbed her around the neck and laughed. Selena ran forward behind the safety of the rocks, watching and listening to the man.
"Hello, darling. Did you miss me?" he asked coolly, his voice booming above the cries of pain and fear.
"Miss you? I didn't even realize you were gone," Nabooru said, still defiant even with his hand around her throat.
The casual smile dropped from the man's face as he leaned forward, closer to her.
"You betrayed me, Nabooru. You helped that good-for-nothing Princess and her little hero lock me in the Sacred Realms," he hissed, tightening his grip.
Nabooru started to gasp, trying to pull his hands off of her. The smile returned to his face.
"Tell me where he is, and it spares your life," he said, relaxing his grip just enough for her to speak.
"He? Who are you talking about?" Nabooru asked, still struggling to get his hands off.
"You know who I'm talking about. You do remember those few months before you betrayed me, don't you?" he asked slyly, taking his free hand and stroking her cheek.
Nabooru shuddered.
"I remember quite well, Ganondorf," she rasped, pushing the hand away.
Selena's blood froze. Ganondorf. Her mother had told her that had been her father's name, the one who had bewitched her into hurting so many people.
"Then where is he?" Ganondorf asked again, shaking her a little bit.
"What makes you think I didn't kill the child," Nabooru asked hoarsely.
"Because I know you, Nabooru. You wouldn't have been able to hurt him, or even send him away," he laughed, his voice echoing through the canyon walls.
"You know there's only one male born every hundred years to the Gerudo tribe," Nabooru gasped, her face beginning to change colors as her air supply was becoming more and more cut off.
"Stop playing games with me Nabooru! You know where he is and you will tell me now, or you'll die, along with all of the others," Ganondorf shouted, lifting her so her feet no longer touched the ground. The only sound that came from Nabooru's lips was the desperate gasp for air.
"I'll find him, even without your help," he whispered, then closed his eyes.
A thudding impact came through the air as green light shot into Nabooru from Ganondorf's hand. Selena watched, horrified, as Ganondorf tossed Nabooru's limp body onto the sand. She put her hand over her mouth, silencing the body racking sobs that came through her. She stumbled back towards her horse, tears blinding her vision as she reached for the pommel and pulled herself up. The horse took off running through the canyon, across the bridge, and out into the green field.
Selena pulled the horse to a stop and turned. Sand rose up from where the fortress had been, darkening the sky beyond. She grabbed the necklace that hung around her neck, thinking of the lifeless body of her mother. She turned back around and kicked her horse to a start. She thought of the only other person who knew of her existence, and turned the horse towards Hyrule Castle.