Prologue
"Tell me… do you ever feel a strange sadness as dusk falls?" Two men sat beside a small spring, watching day turn to twilight. Several short waterfalls flowed from the rear, making the spring ripple in a plethora of colors. It was bathed in the warm glow of the fading sun, a precursor to the darkness which follows the light. One of the men, an older-looking fellow with a bandana tied round his head and a sword slung 'cross his back, paused before remarking almost reflectively, "They say it's the only time when our world intersects with theirs… The only time we can feel the lingering regrets of spirits who have left our world. That is why loneliness always pervades the hour of twilight… But enough talk of sadness… I have a favor to ask of you, Link."
Link, the older man's younger, blonde companion turned to look at his addresser. A soft smile graced the innocent young man's well-sculpted features. The fading light of dusk cast him in a lovely soft glow, illuminating his clear blue eyes. A breeze ran along the surface of the modest spring, lifting the boy's dirty-blonde tresses ever so slightly. Link awaited his companion's request patiently.
"I was supposed to deliver something to the royal family of Hyrule the day after tomorrow…," the older man said, "Yes, it was a task set to me by the mayor, but… would you go in my stead?" The man leaned back on his right arm to look at the boy fondly. "You have… never been to Hyrule, right?" Though it was phrased as a question, it required no answer and so he continued, "In the kingdom of Hyrule there is a great castle, and around it is Castle Town, a community far bigger than our little village… And far bigger than Hyrule is the rest of the world the gods created. You should look upon it all with your own eyes." Link gazed at his companion, thoughts of Hyrule filling his mind. "It is getting late…," the man said, climbing to his feet. "We should head back to the village. I will talk to the mayor about this matter." Link took this as his cue and stood up to follow the man.
The older man waited as Link readied his horse, steadying the bundles of firewood on her back. Then the pair began to walk back up the trail in front of the spring. As the two men walked along the path they discussed life in the village. They crossed an old but sturdy-looking bridge, and carefully locked up the beautiful flower-laden gates behind them. In a few moments time they were back within sight of the small village in which they lived. The pair passed by an even smaller pool of water, similar to the one they had sat at earlier. This spring had a beautiful rainbow gracing its waters. Soon thereafter Link went to stand beside his modest treehouse as he and the older man said their partings. The man turned to meet his family at the gate to the village proper. As he passed by his son he patted him on the head affectionately before continuing onward with his pretty wife. The son, a small blonde boy with a bowl haircut, turned back towards Link and smiled before following his father. The trio of family members left Link and went to the village, blanketed in the soothing glow of the fading sun.