The Legend of Zelda: The Arrow of the Void
Disclaimer: I own nothing affiliated with Zelda. All rights are reserved by Nintendo.
Prologue
Legends have it that all was buried under the waters as Ganon fell to Link's hand. Aided by Zelda, Link was able to imprison the Master Sword within the head of his evil foe. As Link retreated from the hulking mass of evil, he watched as the Master Sword imprisoned Ganon in stone. This was to be the last time that Ganon was ever seen. The Triforce imprisoned Ganon forever under the water, along with everything that was Hyrule, even the king himself. However, Link and Zelda returned to the surface of the water to found a new Hyrule on a distant land and to live there forevermore.
However, this tale is not about this Link. It is instead about another hero, born under the waters, in the land of Hyrule. For you see, not all of the kingdom of Hyrule was flooded as the king had wanted. A great magic held the power of the flood back from what once was the forest of the Kokiri, Though the Gods were in the mind to oppress this power permanently, they saw that it was not of evil, but of good, the same shining force that had called upon their power. Having mercy, they let the flood stop on the barrier edge of the forest and breathed an infinite supply of air into the bubble that had been formed there. Then they hid it, that neitherhook nor anchor could ever sink so far into the sea as to pierce the bubble. Their work done, they left the seas, watching now over the world as it was again.
In time, the source of the magic's fruits came to bear. Living beings began to eke out an existence in the forest. There were the races of Hyrule in all manner and abundance, all living together in perfect peace and harmony within the small bubble. The gods, seeing this expansion, opened up dwellings underneath the ground that shone with the sunlight above, providing these people with the light to see, live, and expand under the ground. However, as is the case with all manner of living creature, corruption started to form. At first, it was subtle comments about the other races that existed. Then, as they spread through the flooded ground, becoming more and more diverse, racial differences turned from comments to snide remarks, to derogatory slang, to violence. A new kingdom under the ground began to branch out as the races vied to separate, as the gods had intended for them. As they divided outwards under the ground, the gods closed the forest and sealed it with water, ending the travels about the ground for the people. These people, a secret society under the ground, had dug so far that the above ground was no longer thought of anymore.
Soon, a new kingdom had begun to thrive, similar to Hyrule. Plants and animals thrived in this underground kingdom; ponds were formed as water filtered through the ground to them, becoming clean by the blessings of the gods. No one so far had questioned the origin behind the waters flowing down into the ground, only knowing that they were a divine blessing from the gods that had allowed them to live in this fashion.
Religions began to split, as was natural. The Gorons believed in the Goddess Din, relying on her for their source of strength and power. Zora worshipped Nayru, seeking her guidance and wisdom in their underground waterways that spread all through the underground terrain. Kokiri believed in Farore, the goddess of courage, to supply their needs within their subterranean forests. The Sub-Terrans, a mix of Hylian, Gerudo, Ordonians, and other races that were all alike, all believed in the Goddess rather than having it split. The Triforce, they believed, were simply parts of her that she split to keep safe. Din was her strength, represented by her sword. Nayru was her wisdom and defense, represented by a shield. Farore was her courage and truth, represented by her armor of winged boots, golden scales, and a bright winged helm.
Soon, however, intelligent people began to question what the world above might be like. For eons now this place had existed, even past the existence of the new Hyrule above the water. They wanted to know what the world above was like. They figured that the world above was all water of an unfiltered variety, filled with sediment and salt and plagued by creatures of might and power. Their suspiciouns proved true as they sent expeditions in metal bubbles into the water above. The expedition returned with samples of the water and sightings, through pictograph, of the creatures. So foul and numerous they were, and they tried to eat the metal sphere, and they were nearly swallowed whole by one enormous creature, like a whale that the tales of old talked about.
Our tale starts with a boy who was born a hundred years after the discovery of the infinite expanse of water. His favorite color was green, his favorite pastime was sword play, his name…
Chapter One: An unexpected invitation.
"Link~!" a high pitched, little boy's voice called out. A young boy of about four years ran across the soft grass, following his brother as he was leaving the yard. "Link, where are you going?" he asked, looking at his brother with a smile across his face. "Remember, if you leave the house, I'm supposed to tell mom and she'll get you in trouble!"
The tall young man looked down at the boy, a gentle smile across his face. "Oh, my brother, you know that mom can't get me in trouble for the same reasons anymore. In fact, mom asked me to go and get us something from the shop in town here in Liandra," the tall man, clothed in a green shirt and brown slacks, told his little brother, kneeling down to be face to face with him.
The little boy frowned at his brother's response. "But Link, you pwomised!" he said, his voice elongating the vowels, knowing that his brother didn't like it when he whined and might listen to him if he made himself sound like he was whining.
Link sighed and shook his head. "Listen, Owen, I know what I promised to do. But that was until Mom was well enough to take care of you. She is now and she told me to go and get us some fresh fruits and vegetables from the market, as well as some more of the meat that was harvested. You want to eat dinner, don't you?" he asked with a bit of a smile.
"But then that's what the neighbors are there for!" he said, angry that his brother seemed determined to leave. Link chuckled and patted his head.
"Don't worry about it, Owen. I will be back in time to help around the house here, don't you worry!" said Link before standing and hopping the fence over the yard, sliding down the hill in his leather boots down to the road below his house. The house was built on a rather steep hill; a path leading down was the normal route one would take to get down. The house was actually built on the edge of the hill while the yard covered most of the top of it. Most of the yard was simply grass and nothing more, while a particular section was there for a small garden, though it was now dead and bare. The house itself was made of thick, strong oak wood, logs making up the outside of the large house and sealed by magic to prevent the wood from rotting. Windows that were currently closed were cut in round holes and covered in one way glass, allowing the denizens of the house to see outside but not allowing peepers, as Link's mother called them.
The town that his house was a part of was a rather large subsection of the city of Triant. The town was called Liandra and it was a small town consisting of roughly thirty houses and ten different stores. Visitors often came to the town to buy and purchase the handmade wares of each store, all hosted for reasonable and competing prices with the rest of the city. There was a shop that gained vegetables and meat from the various farms around the village, preparing them with magic and storing many of them fresh as can be. They had a great many silos and storehouses for grain, vegetables, fruits, meats, even instant-prep meals for men who needed to attend a university or school in the city for an education. That was where Link was headed now.
In addition were a weapons shop and an armor shop, both sitting right beside the other. The two owners were best of friends, their houses right across the way from the other, their families knowing the others well. Both were experts in their craft, yet had limited access to materials from the main city. Nevertheless, they worked with what they had and produced high quality weapons and armor with the materials they were given. Then there was a tailor, a carpenter, a local beer hall, a dance hall, a weapons trainer, a library filled with books, and a small school where there was but three teachers who all taught the children of the town.
Link walked into the town and into the shop, finding it more crowded with strangers than usual. "Excuse me, pardon me," he said as he came through the doors, pushing past a group of people that were all in line to purchase their produce and meat. The young man took a brown leather bag and began carefully going over the various fruits and vegetables, knowing what to look for to find the best. His mother would only settle for the best that he could find, after all. He then went to the meats and grabbed some of the best quality cuts, glad that people had looked over them during their shopping.
Soon he was in line just the same as the rest. Link looked at the line and counted how many. "Twenty? Why are there so many people here all of a sudden?" he asked, unintentionally voicing his question out loud. The person in front of him, a tall man with darker red hair and brown skin, said, "They're here preparing for the festival, of course."
Link looked at the man and furrowed his eyebrows, his lips poised as if to say "what?". Before he could voice anything, the darker skinned man said, "You don't know, do you? The princess of our kingdom is coming of age, so many people are stocking up for the partying that is going to go on at their houses, even after the partying is done at the main city."
For a moment there was silence between the two before Link asked him, "The princess is coming of age today?" he was actually rather startled, because today had significance as well.
The man chuckled a bit and asked, "You didn't know that? IT's common knowledge in most of the kingdom! Oh…but then this is quite the backwater town, I forgot. How silly of me, of course you wouldn't know."
Link's lips turned downwards, his heart catching in his chest. "Excuse me? Backwater?" he asked the man, looking up towards the taller man. "What is that supposed to mean?"
The darker toned man turned to him and asked, "You find the term offensive? Good, you're meant to. After all, a simpleton like you would never know what actually goes on in the world, what scientific progress has been made, what relations are actually occurring between the races. I bet you haven't even progressed into the steam age yet. Though the presence of magic use here is rather impressive, many seem to have forgotten that it even exists."
Link felt harsh words wanting to be let out towards this darker skinned man. He briefly clenched his fist at this man's ignorance before relaxing. He hated being called an idiot in a sense, though he knew that this man was probably from some pompous background. He had to acknowledge that and move on. However, the man taunted him further by asking, "What, nothing to reply with, no retort for me? I was expecting more out of you, coward."
Again, Link felt the urge to let loose words of anger at this man for now addressing him more directly. He looked at the man and rolled his eyes. This time, it was not Link's fist that flew, but that man who was challenging Link directly. "You find me funny, do you?" he asked, the line breaking up as Link recoiled from the blow that he took directly to his gut. Link straightened himself out and said nothing in response.
The shopkeeper said all that Link needed. "You, man with the red hair, if you're going to be starting some fights around here, I suggest you leave. We don't take kindly to people like you!"
Link briefly looked at the attire and noticed that he had a black shirt along with dark brown leather leggings. He stepped out of the line that he was a part of and stepped towards the shopkeeper. "Oh, is that how this is going to be? I can't punch someone for being a coward, meaning you endorse in the fact that you'd rather be hit then hit back? Is that how you stupid backwater societies work?!"
"I don't know where you come from," the older man said, "But you're not welcome here if you come here to start a fight with the denizens of this town. You've been nothing but trouble since you walked into this town, pestering me and the others about how dull this place seemed compared to what town you've grown up in. Yes, most of us have heard the news of what is going on, Link just did not quite remember what day it was is all. You don't have to insult us either just because we are out of the way."
"Ha! You think that you're so clever and bright, negotiating your way out of a fight! What, are you scared to have a fight, perhaps losing a fight, having broken bones, bruises, cuts?" the man asked, his tone getting deeper and louder the more he went on. Link had just about enough of his attitude. "You want a fight, then I'll fight. Let's take it outside, where we aren't going to be disrupting the normal flow of traffic here."
The man with his red hair turned, his lips parted and his teeth gritted, gnashing against the other, his brows furrowed as he looked up at Link from a bowed head. "You think you're going to get away with first insulting me and now asking me to choose a different location to fight? In my hometown, when a fight starts, we finish it where it was started! I hit you first, you were supposed to then punch back and we were going to brawl! Instead, you chicken out and then tell me that if we're going to fight, we have to take it elsewhere?! You've got some guts talking to a descendant of the Gerudo, making such demands of him!"
Link shook his head, now realizing where he was from. "I don't care about how it works where YOU come from! This is our town, our rules. If you want to be here, you abide by the rules. If you aren't going to abide by the rules, then we aren't going to. You want a straight one-on-one fistfight? Then we're going to take it out to the fields," said Link, keeping his tone calm as compared to this man's anger. His expression remained neutral as he looked at the glowering, menacing man.
There was a long moment of silence passing between them before the man stood up and said, "Fine, we'll meet out there. But we are not just fighting with fists, particularly not after the way that you insulted and mocked me. No, we're going to use swords…a duel to the death!"
This caused a mighty uproar in the small shop. The clamoring rose to high levels as the citizens that were there all began talking about the outrageousness of the demand. Link shook his head and said, "I refuse to take part in a duel to the death! I will satisfy your need for a fight but not to the extent of murder!"
"If you want to keep your honor as a man, you have no choice!" the man proclaimed, pointing his index finger straight at Link. His lips had twisted into a sadistic grin. "You haven't got a choice, Link! You've put yourself in place for a death match, and you will lose. I've been waiting for someone to fight, to see if this town is even worth mentioning!"
Two guards stepped into the mess, pushing through past the crowds, armed with their swords. They held their swords up and one declared, "You are under arrest for disturbing the peace in this town!" They seized the man, who could do nothing in return except glower at Link. "You lucky coward, you've gotten away with it this time without losing your honor and dignity, perhaps…but the next time we meet, if you do not accept my challenge, I shall make it known just how cowardly you are!" he was hauled off, the clamoring still ongoing. Link was left to contemplate this dumbfounding turn of events.
Even as the rest of the day passed uneventfully for Link, he could not get his mind off of that man that had tried to engage with him in a duel to the death. There was something that Link felt towards him, a stronger dislike than he was used to feeling, even for those without tact or morals. He finally came back home to his house and stepped inside. The interior warmth greeted him, banishing the cold outside as night descended outside. The interior of the house was nice and large, it felt like home. The first hall had tiled floors with wood planked walls and roof. A chandelier hung just above his head, lit with magic candles that never went out unless needed. The tiled floor had a blue and green greeting rug. Link took his shoes off before stepping onto it and calling out, "I'm home! Sorry that I took so long!"
His mother poked her head out from one of the rooms and a smile came to her face. "There you are! I was wondering when you would be back, dear!" she walked out, dressed in a dark blue shirt with a long, brown skirt that hung down to her feet. She wore her blonde hair back in a ponytail that fell down to the middle of her back. She was currently wearing an apron, a sign that she was cooking something delicious. "What happened? You seemed to have been gone for a while and I heard that there was a commotion downtown!"
She gave him a worried embrace, Link returning it before moving back and saying, "I'm okay, mom. Just someone came here that was being a jerk, challenging me to a fight. The guards arrested him, and he's in prison now."
His mother's face was still lined with concern. "You're okay, right? You aren't hurt or anything from what that man started?"
Link nodded his head up and down several times and said, "I'll be fine. I'm just tired from the rest of the day afterwards, what with all the commotion and gossiping now going around about him."
His mother nodded in understanding and gave him a peck kiss on the cheek. "Well, at least you're alright. Come on in, sweetheart, let's get you and Owen some food." Link followed her into the dining hall, where everything was already laid out. Owen gave a toothy smile to Link, showing gaps where loose teeth had been worked loose. "Hi~!" he said in a loud voice as Link entered the room, set the bag down, and took his seat. He looked at his brother with a bright smile.
"You behaving yourself, Owen?" asked Link, looking at his young brother who nodded enthusiastically before going on about what a wild day he had, losing his top left incisor tooth, playing in the mud and getting his mother mad at him, and all of the other fun events that he had. Owen giggled the whole way through, bringing a gentle smile to Link's face as he listened to his brother's interesting stories. He didn't say a thing about his adventures today. Those were things better left untouched upon in front of his little brother.
Dinner was soon served, hot fresh noodles slathered in tomato paste, with herbs and spices mixed in to give it a zesty taste. Balls of meat were served on top and the meal was steaming as it arrived in front of him. Owen's eyes lit up as he looked at the meal and Link just smiled. "It looks as good as ever, mom," he said as she sat down. They said prayers to the goddess, blessing their meal before she served it out. Most of it was split between herself and Link while Owen got a meal size that worked for him, a smaller amount but one that would fill him. Link dug in, feeling the need to eat something after such a long day.
The trio ate in relative peace and quiet, mostly talking about the affairs of the day. Soon, however, Link felt that he needed to bring this up. "So, did you know that the princess comes of age today, the same day that I have been chosen to come of age?" he asked.
For a moment, he saw his mother raise her eyes up as she thought about it. "Oh, yeah, I do remember that. Huh, interesting, I guess I never drew the connection about it happening today on the same day that you do. Oh, and she's coming to this town to visit us. This is where her descendants come from, after all."
Link nearly dropped his fork and stared in awe. "The princess is visiting?!" he asked. "That's…that's insane! I've never heard of any form of royalty ever wanting to visit this town! This is such a big honor!"
"Yes, and she's here to meet someone. She has not disclosed who. Who knows, you might be lucky enough to see her face to face!" his mother said to him. Link was shaking his head negatively to that remark, chuckling.
Link said, "Mom, you and I both know that I would never be that lucky! I'm the apprentice of the carpenter, for goodness sake, there's nothing more to me than that!" His mother waved her finger to him and said, "Now, now, Link, you and I both know that you are handsome, tall, and charming. She would probably want to meet you more than anyone else."
Link shrugged and then continued eating, wondering just about that. "When does she come?" he asked. He wanted to be ready for when the princess arrived, so that he could be a good representative for his hometown. The answer would leave him in complete and total shock.
"Why, she comes within the hour. Why?" the mother asked, leaving Link in complete shock and awe. The princess, the person that he had easily some of the highest respect for in the entire kingdom, was going to visit the town within the hour. He hastily finished and stood up, quickly leaving the kitchen and going into his room. He had to make sure that he looked good for when the princess came.
Time flew and trumpets soon sounded at the edge of town. Link was already down near the gate that led into the town, standing amongst the other people of the town as the royal entourage arrived. First came the king, a tall man that was long in his years, yet was wise and fair to the people of his kingdom. He was dressed in a rich, purple robe that fell down around him. A sword hung at his side, the white scabbard encrusted with gold and gems. Upon his head of white hair, he bore the royal crown, a glow emanating from a ruby inside the middle, supposedly gifted to his lineage by the goddess herself. The man's face did not appear to have aged, as he still had a rather young face, without wrinkles or droopy skin. It appeared as though he were still in his prime, his grayed hair being the only sign of his age.
Everyone knelt before him as a sign of respect, Link dropping his head, fearful that if he even saw the princess, he would not be able to take his eyes off of her. He heard someone dismount from their horse and approach the crowd, namely him. Curious, he waited until he was called, though he saw the shadow, presumably of a woman, appear in front of him and soon covered the light. His heart skipped a beat as she said, "You, boy, arise."
Link now turned his head up and for a moment halted even as he was starting to stand. Before him stood the princess herself. Her long, blond hair braided as it fell to her waist, Her face was flawless and smooth, like staring at a beautiful painting that was without blemish. The eyes that met his were a deep, lovely shade of blue, though Link could feel that there was a great wisdom and knowledge that was concealed by her young looks. Her lips curved into a gentle smile, her expression so beautiful that Link had to do his best effort to not swoon. His lips curved into a smile in response to hers. The princess said, "I am Princess Zelda. I have heard about you, Link. It is good to finally meet you in person. I was wondering if you would like to take my invitation to come to the castle tonight for our annual festivities?"
Link didn't know why he was being asked this question, as it made little to no sense. He looked around at the crowd around him, feeling every single person's eye upon him. He replied, "I, uh, that would be nice!" he felt extremely flustered and felt a burning in his cheeks. Then Zelda let out a small chuckle, her smile widening. Link felt the heat in his cheeks grow.
Zelda said to him, "Then come with us, Link. You will ride with me and my father to the castle. Please, don't be shy. Though I must admit, you look quite cute with that red on your face." Link put a hand to the back of his head, rubbing it out of sheer embarrassment. His eyes turned away, a stupid-happy grin plastered on his face. This had to be a dream, just had to be. He instinctively reached to his side and pinched himself, wondering if he would wake up. The action made Zelda laugh, one filled with mirth and amusement. "Silly, if you think you are dreaming, then you're in for a surprise. Still, I can see why one would think so. Now come along, you will be back in town tomorrow. You are staying at the castle for the night."
Link could not help but wonder if there was something else going on that he was going to be invited to stay at the castle. The castle to the land of Hyrule, as it was fondly named after the legends of old. Everyone started cheering as he was brought a horse. The horse was chestnut colored and with a white mane, and appeared strong and noble, like the other horses. He carefully mounted it, having never actually ridden a horse before. "This just gets better and better," he quietly muttered, feeling as if he were in a dreamland right now. He rode with the entourage out of the town, everyone shouting cheers as he left. He found himself riding next to Zelda and just relaxed to enjoy the real dream that had just come true before his very eyes.
New story that I've been writing at school for the time being. I hope that you are definitely going to enjoy this particular story! PS: for those of you who are following the novelization, I'm discontinuing it, my muse for that story seems to have vanished and no matter how hard I try, I cannot get it back. And besides, novelizations aren't that fun for people to read, as far as I can tell. I hope that this suits more of your tastes!