A/N: I played Hyrule Warriors.
A year ago, I bought the Wii U second hand largely because I was preparing for two things: Smash 4 and Hyrule Warriors. Back then, we only had a few gameplay trailers and stuff. Ever since… let's see… Legend of Link Lucky no. 13, when there's that scene talking about Link just messing up the opposing army, I really wanted to him just take out armies in a straight conflict. I also thought the story would revolve around him being a badass. I was super hype and bought the console in advance of the game.
When I found out it was a Dynasty Warriors thing, I was pretty disappointed. The price tag didn't help, and I haven't played it until just this month. But it's really good, even the narrative. Of course, it's not as Link centric or long as I originally hoped, but it's still really good. And we can work with this. And so I feel obligated to bring out the really cliché opening that totally works with this game.
Also, spoiler warning. It's post game.
Also, I have to rez' Cia somehow.
If I make it far enough, I'll pull in the I Just Want A Vacation (another story I wrote) powers (triforce mechanics)
Also, you can take this idea, copy the idea, names, adopt the story, whatever. It's far from original. It's just for fun.
Hyrule Warriors of Peace
Triangle 1
The generic opener.
Link didn't have a last name.
In this world, there weren't any last names.
They were still on the level of scarcity where they could get by with a title or a note of affiliation.
Therefore, Zelda was Zelda, Rul Hyrule.
Lord Magress was Magress Rul Cumberfield.
Over there was Lord Louster Rul Highlandin.
And Link was just Link.
This simple difference had no material change to a person. Even the name Rul Hyrule didn't make Zelda's skin tougher, her arms stronger, or her mind more wise.
All the same, this lack disqualified Link from opening his mouth before these people. He stood in the corner of the room with his arms crossed and a carefully neutral expression on his face, as the 'Rul' talked.
"Your Highness, you cannot persist in this course." Magress Rul Cumberfield said. "The people hunger."
"They are provided for." Zelda said patiently. "There was no overextension of the food supply. Fortunately, the war against the Darkness has been fierce, but short. Our men can return home in time for the fall harvest."
"Those that can return, have." Lord Louster Rul Highlandin agreed. "But on the lives of those departed, the people hunger more than ever. They are starving!" The greying man struck the long table used for conference. "Starving for blood and recompense!"
"Gannon is dead." Zelda annunciated slowly. "We are done. Greed will not return the lives we have lost."
"We cannot be done until land is recouped equal to our loss." Magress reasoned. "My young queen, I hope you can understand this. That's not greed. It's justice, plain and simple. The soldiers all demand their lives to have worth! It's the prerogative of a man!"
"It wasn't like that." Link said quietly.
Lord Magress closed his eyes without changing his stance, as if he had suffered a foul odor. "Excuse me?"
"Link…" Zelda said softly, from the corner of her mouth.
Link knew that he wasn't supposed to speak up.
He was a symbol, and a silent one. According to Zelda, he was ten times more effective as just an image.
That's why he wasn't speaking up, not really. It wasn't his words, but the words of the soldiers that he wanted to convey. That's why he wasn't speaking up. He just wanted to relay a message. "Every man on the field took up arms with joy and determination. We were fighting for queen… country… our homes." With each word, Link remembered passionate men delivering speeches at the campfire. He wasn't just using empty words. These were feelings he could attribute to real people who had fought and even died. "And peace. We wanted peace. Everyone was happy… that it was a good reason to go to war."
"My boy," Lord Magress said patiently, "do not presume to speak for others."
"I knew them." Link replied firmly.
"My boy!" Magress shouted louder. "Do not presume to speak for MY MEN!"
There was a silence as one party dared the other to respond in the slightest, and both were simply pissed off.
"Link…" Zelda said quietly. "Kindly, please… could you see to the recruits personally? They won't stop asking for you. I think they've begun afternoon practice."
"Yes, your highness." Link saluted, just as the knight captain had taught him so long ago, and left.
Zelda found the wayward hero on a balcony overlooking the trainees. She stopped in the doorway with her arms crossed, considering how to approach the man.
It had been a long meeting with the lords and, honestly, Link hadn't helped with that. So she was somewhat upset at him, but at the same time… he hadn't done anything wrong.
He was strong, important, and a friend. Although Zelda's mornings were early and her nights were late in this, the eve of war, she knew that Link kept pace with her all day. Even though he could only do so much, he was working very hard as if he was her companion and these matters of court were just another battlefield.
Honestly, she could be a little angry at him, but she couldn't afford for him to be angry at her. She, herself, as a woman dis-attached from Rul Hyrule, didn't know if she could handle that.
"It isn't right." He said without turning back to look at her.
"Not everything can be right, Link." Zelda replied patiently. "The world isn't that simple, although that war that seemed to come from a fairytale might have you believe differently. You're going to have to grow…" Zelda trailed off with her eyes widening. "Link…" She said shakily. "I'm exhausted mentally. It's… it's been a long day, you realize."
"I'm going to have to grow up, huh?" Link mused, without turning back to look at Zelda Rul Hyrule. He still swept his gaze across the open plains he had led men to death upon.
"Grow… accustomed." Zelda said. "Those were the words I… was searching for. You were raised from the life of a trainee to… a new life. You just need to adjust a little faster."
That was her best attempt to fix her foux paus, but Zelda still winced at how inefficient it was.
"No." Link decided calmly. He still had not shown any signs of being upset, nor had he looked at her the entire time.
Zelda was becoming very afraid.
"No, Zelda, your majesty. It's not my life. You mean that,I should become accustomed to your life… a little faster."
"That's not what I meant!" Zelda argued hotly, stepping forwards. "Link. It's been a long day. Come inside, will you?" She insisted, reaching out one gloved hand.
The hiss of steel stopped her outreach cold. Link unsheathed the Master Sword and held it up to the sun.
Zelda's breath caught. She was… a little afraid. It wasn't that she didn't trust Link. Far from it.
Only, that thing was so powerful.
Fi had been, in her own right, a fighter on par with Zelda herself or even Impa. Fi had been a match for any commander, dancing through leagues of enemies at their side and dicing them apart without a care.
And all that power was, in theory, through the oddities of time, trapped now within that hunk of metal that Link could just… swing around.
And Zelda believed it.
She'd seen what he could do with that steel.
The trainees below which noticed Link's action cheered at the sight. That's right, because it was a symbol of justice.
But they didn't have to be in the same room with that kind of unsheathed deadly steel.
"Presumably," Link said, still with the sword raised as he gazed up at it, "Fi is still in the Master Sword right now. But, she doesn't respond to me. I often think about that. I often wonder if it's because of me. It was so hard to pull this sword free of its pedestal. You had to help, remember?"
"I remember the weight of it." Zelda replied quietly. "The weight of the heavy seal against evil that such a Holy Sword was working for. I remember assisting," she stressed the word, "in your already progressing task, just because I was at hand. I remember it was an honor, but changed nothing. You had it in hand, Link."
"We'll never know."
"You are the Hero of Time, Link! Who could doubt? If this is about… your name… I tell you, in a week you shall be known as Link Rul Heroic. Just… give me time."
"No."
"Then you can pick your name. You may choose your land! It's alright! This is just a temporary state, Hero!"
"Not that. I mean, no I am not the Hero. If this is the level of the Hero of Time, then I am not satisfied." Link decided. "Because I am too weak."
"Weak?" Zelda asked weakly. "Impa and I, together, could not stop you on the field of battle. I think…" Zelda licked her lips. "I think you, on your own, might be able to tear through the entire Hylian army."
"That… is not strength." Link said with a clenched fist, sheathing the Master Sword once more. "Because it doesn't change anything. In my tenure as the so called Hero of Time, all I've done is cut men, beast, and specter apart. If the legends are real, my predecessors were far more heroic than I. They braved dungeons and mountains. They saved kings just as they chased cuckoos, and united nations. I was just a soldier that was slightly strong. That's it."
"They'll listen to you," Zelda promised, "when you have your name. It's really that simple. Come inside, Link. For me, if nothing else. I'm getting gosseflesh, it's so cold."
"…Sure."
Zelda's feelings were still filled with unease, but she resolved that she'd sort out the matter with Link as soon as possible. He would be next on her list, right after the high lords, the medium lords, and the budding faction that wanted a king. Right after that, she'd make absolutely sure that he received every rewards he deserved. Zelda promised this in her heart as she collapsed in exhaustion onto her mattress.
But when she woke, the Hero of Time would be gone.