Chapter I

Nightmare

Dark clouds hovered over Hyrule as a man with gray skin and orange hair walked through the hallways of the castle. He sneered at each decaying body on the ground; enemies who tried to take him down. He held in his right hand a sword as dark as night, the Triforce tattooed on his gloved hand. He opened the doors to the balcony that over looked the town beneath him and stood as helpless citizens were being eaten alive by the redead figures of his dark world army.

"The fall of the Royal family has finally come and I Ganondorf, Prince of Gerudo Valley, will see to it that this kingdom shall be overcome by darkness," The man said with his arms outstretch towards the gray skies. He looked down and saw a young man dressed in green, his hair blond and covered almost entirely by a green cap. The boy stared at him, a fairy dancing around his head. Ganondorf's eyes narrowed. His last enemy was the boy with the fairy. The Hero of Time.

She woke up panting and crying. This was the third nightmare this week and it was always the same dream. A women with white hair dressed in a purple nightgown rushed in and hugged the girl.

"Again? We should tell your father now. This could be a vision from the Goddesses," The women whispered. The girl kept crying, tears running down her face.

"We have to find him, Impa. We have to find the boy dressed in green," The girl said.

"Princess… do you realize how long that will take?" Impa asked.

"He has to live near the Deku Tree. He has a fairy."

"That means he's a just a kid… a young boy can't possibly be the Hero of Time."

"He wasn't a young boy. He was my age…" The girl got up from her bed and went over to the window. From her view she could see Lost Woods just beyond Hyrule Field. "He's someone where in those woods…"

"What if you send word to the three jewel holders about your vision?" Impa suggested. The Princess smiled. Impa was always best at making last minute decisions. She had to be quick. She quickly threw on her robe and headed out the door. The guards were only guarding the outskirts of the castle this late at night. The fountain in the garden would be best to send a message to Princess Ruto. Her slippers clapped against the floor and her brown hair fluttered behind her as she made her way to the garden, Impa following close behind her. There was not much time left before her vision could be true. The vision showed the moon at its highest peak and covering most of the sky, as of right now the full moon was only seven days away.

"Zelda! Wait! Shouldn't we send messengers to them instead?" Impa asked.

"It would take too long to reach Dodongo," Zelda replied. The journey through Death Mountain was risky and dangerous during this time of year. Dodongo was most likely safe inside his city's walls and sealed the gates to keep monsters from attacking the villagers.

When Zelda reached the fountain she twirled the water like her father taught her in order to get ahold of King Jabu Jabu. She heard the Zora's whispers through the water and the face of the king and his daughter instead of her reflection.

"Princess Zelda? What must be going on this late into the night?" King Jabu Jabu demanded.

"I'm sorry to disrupt your sleep but Hyrule may be in great danger and I would like Princess Ruto to come to Hyrule Castle as soon as possible," Zelda replied. The king looked surprised.

"In danger? Whatever do you mean?"

"I fear that the man who may be visiting my father from Gerudo Valley will try to take over Hyrule and cause chaos. I must seal the realm where the Triforce is hidden but Ruto holds one of the keys to open the gate inside the Temple of Time," Zelda explained.

"The Prince of Gerudo? This can't be… A Hylian can't possibly take over the kingdom by himself!" The King exclaimed.

"He is not an ordinary Hylian, your highness. He has the Triforce on his hand like I do. That makes him a guardian of one of the triangles. Please your highness this man could kill everyone in Hyrule."

The king pondered for a moment while his daughter stared at Zelda, her face covered in terror.

"Alright… but I'm sending her with guards and I want her back in three days, no later. I'll see to it that she arrives by tomorrow night." Their reflection vanished and Impa sighed.

"I never understood that fish head," Impa replied and Zelda smiled. Zelda walked towards the area surrounded by rock from Death Mountain. Dodongo was a Goron who ate mostly rock and lived by music. She pulled out her blue Ocarina from her pocket and played a song he loved most. The rocks blew up in flames and she heard Dodongo cough and clear his throat.

"Your highness, I sense trouble brewing in the west. A man…"

"Yes and I need you here to help me seal the realm of the Triforce. This man is very strong and holds a piece of the Triforce. I cannot afford the Goddesses' gift to us destroyed by a man drowned in greed. Will you bring the key to the Temple of Time?"

"Of course, Zelda. I shall be there by tomorrow," Dodongo replied and the fire vanished leaving Zelda alone with Impa.

"The Deku Tree is left-" A strong wind caused Zelda to shiver. Danger was coming.

Link yawned in Saria's face and she frowned at him.

"At least try to be a gentlemen!" Saria snapped and swatted him away. Navi danced around Link's head and he was unsure why. Just a few days ago he never had a fairy until Navi flew in through his window and said the Great Deku Tree assigned her to be Link's fairy. He was happy but still felt alone somehow. The forest was bubbling with excitement since Hyrule would be holding a special ceremony in five days. Princess Zelda was turning nineteen and would begin her process of choosing her husband. She would have one year to decide or else her father would pass the crown onto Princess Zefa, Zelda's younger sister. Link wasn't in a party mood but since the Kokori couldn't leave the forest, a few fairies would fly to Hyrule to celebrate and deliver their gift to Zelda.

"Link? The Great Deku Tree wants to speak with you," One of the villagers said. He got up from his bed and threw on his cap.

"Maybe he wants you to join the fairies? You're not a Kokori so you're able to leave right?" Saria asked.

"Possibly…" Link replied. He hardly spoke to anybody except Saria. He was a man of few words. He climbed down the ladder and landed on his feet, his brown boots muddy from the puddle he jumped into by mistake. He walked towards the gate to the Great Deku Tree where Mido was standing guard. He saw Link coming and held out his hands.

"Oh no you don't!" Mido hissed. Link pushed him aside and followed Navi through the tunnel.

"The Great Deku Tree is sick! Stay out of there Link!" Mido yelled but Link ignored him. He was twice the age of Mido and knew Mido was a fibber. If he was sick, then Link would have to it for himself.

The Great Deku Tree was surrounded by busy fairies preparing for their journey to the castle. It was a three day trip from the forest and the fairies would be leaving when the sun was at the highest point today to avoid the monsters that waited for them outside the gates to the Lost Woods.

"Link… you've gotten tall!" The Deku Tree exclaimed as Link took a seat on the grass in front of the old tree.

"You wanted to see me?" Link asked.

"Yes! I'm sure you already know this but the fairies are planning on leaving in a few hours to attend Princess Zelda's birthday ball," The tree said.

"Yes," Link replied.

"I want you to go with them. Zelda has spoken to me last night about danger from Gerudo Valley and she told me the boy in her vision was of you, Link."

"Me? Why?"

"You are of great importance, Link. I sensed it since the moment your mother brought you here after the fire in Hyrule. You are not like the others, Link. You are a Hylian. You have become a fine young man and now Zelda is need of your help. I have something that I need you to give her in order to protect the Triforce from the man from Gerudo Valley."

"I can't help her… I didn't even have a fairy until a few days ago! I'm a nobody," Link replied sadly. The Tree smiled.

"Hyrule needs you, Link. I have gotten weak since I felt the presence of danger. I'm sure the sages of Hyrule have felt the winds speak of war brewing. Princess Zelda is very strong and powerful but you carry one of the triangles of the Triforce on your hand making you equally strong and powerful like she." Link looked at his left hand. He wore brown fingerless gloves to keep his hands from burning during sword practice but he never noticed the symbol of the Triforce etched into his glove. It wasn't there when he bought the gloves. He pulled off his left glove and saw that the Triforce was glittering on his hand in the sunlight. He was one of the guardians of the Triforce? "The man is also one of the guardians of the Triforce as well and is extremely powerful. Every one hundred years a boy is born in Gerudo Valley making him the ruler. Thus the boy is gifted by the Goddesses. Ganondorf was gifted with magic and guardianship of the Triforce. Princess Zelda fears Hyrule will become a dark nothingness if Ganondorf touches the Triforce. She needs you to help her seal the realm where the Triforce is hidden."

"Why now? Why would he choose now?" Link asked him. The Great Deku Tree smiled.

"Because I'm dying. Once I am gone a piece of Hyrule is left unguarded for a hundred years until my successor is old enough to hold the power of protecting the Lost Woods. Also, Zelda is up for marriage. Ganondorf may influence her father to take Zelda's hand in marriage. If Ganondorf is welcomed into the royal family the whereabouts of the Triforce has to be given to him, especially if he will become king."

Link clenched his fist. He knew the Deku Tree was dying. He could hear him coughing in the middle of the night and sigh from the pain. He was worried of Ganondorf taking over Hyrule. A man full of greed would only destroy Hyrule. Zelda needed him more than ever.

"Will she know I'm coming?" Link asked him.

"She will recognize you, Link." The Great Deku Tree shook his leaves and a small jewel fell in front of him. "This is one of the keys that she will need in order to seal the realm. Guard it with your life, Link," The Deku Tree said. Link picked up the emerald and stuffed it into his pocket. He noticed the Deku Tree was turning gray. This would be the last time he would see him alive.

"Navi will stay with you on your journey. Please keep Hyrule in the hands of the Royal family. Darkness cannot rule Hyrule. The Dark World is a dangerous place to be unlocked, Link. Only the most horrid creatures live there and are only created to kill and be killed."

"I will help Zelda in any way I can, Great Deku Tree," Link replied and bowed. The Tree coughed and the fairies around him stopped to comfort the tree. He stared at Link as the leader of the fairy group announced they would be leaving. Saria appeared with Mido and Link turned around.

"Take this, Link," Saira said and handed him her Ocarina. "Don't forgot us okay?" He hugged her as Navi danced around them.

"It's dangerous to go alone, Link. Take this," The Deku Tree replied and Mido handed him a sword and Hylian shield. "It may not be the master sword but it was your father's sword and shield. A parting gift from me."

"Don't die okay?" Mido said and rubbed the back of his neck.

"I'll try not to," Link laughed.

"Remember who you are, Link. The fate of Hyrule rests in Princess Zelda and yours' hands now," The Deku Tree said. Link watched the fairy group leave through the tunnel and he looked at the Deku Tree one last time.

"Thank you, for everything," Link said to him and followed the fairies out of the village into the woods.

Zelda… The Hero of Time is on his way. Hyrule rests in your hands now. Until we meet again this is goodbye.