Chapter I: The Beginning

Hyrule had long been at war with itself. A great war tore the world apart. Some said it started because of a war amongst the gods but it was only a myth that few believed. Every race, including the Deku, waged war against one another. The wars reached their climax when a huge fire engulfed Hyrule Field and destroyed everything in its path. It swept from the peaks of Death Mountain and Snowhead Mountain in the north to the banks of Lake Hylia and even further to the Great Bay in the south. Many lives were lost and very little survived the Great Fire and the Great War.

It was not until the day after the fire that the peoples of Hyrule realised that their useless fighting only created problems and did not solve them. The greatest leader of the land rose up and began to talk peace. He was the king of the Hylians. He united the lands and began to form alliances with other races, starting with the Zora. Again, they renewed their service by protecting Hyrule's waters. He then made a treaty with the Gorons of Death Mountain, accepting a Goron custom by becoming a sworn brother to their leader, Darunia. This showed the king of Hyrule was true to his word and wanted peace.

However, strange things happened during the wars. The Hylians mysteriously lost their elite fighting force known as Ironknuckles. For unknown reasons, near the beginning of the wars, they became a corrupted force and the king of that time refused to use or even train them. The skilled warriors betrayed the Hylians and all of Hyrule and eventually disappeared from the world. Some scholars claimed the hatred and bitterness of the warriors was enough to carry on into the afterlife.

Countless myths and theories formed during the war, some more outlandish than others. Stories of the victims of the war coming back as undead monsters were popular stories amongst children, mostly told to keep children from wandering off alone or at night. One such story involved the Forbidden Forest, claiming that anyone who entered the sacred place would die and return as a horrible creature.

Sometime near the beginning of the war, the land of Ikana destroyed itself in civil wars. The race disappeared long before the great wars of the other races. Only the Gerudo held ties with the Ikana and everything changed when the Ikana disappeared and their land became inaccessible. Ikana was just north of Gerudo Valley but the desert tribe never spoke of the cursed land or what happened. Many Hylian scholars believed strange, black magic was behind the events that unfolded in Ikana. Because the Ikana betrayed the Gerudo, the desert tribe cut themselves off from the rest of the world. Nevertheless, these things did not deter the king of Hyrule from his quest for peace. Not even a family tragedy would keep him from the goal of world peace.

On the night of the Great Fire, the queen went missing. She was with child and disappeared after she gave birth to a baby girl. However, the fires of war did not care about new life. The queen went missing, much to the sorrow of the king. He originally wanted to send her away from the castle because of the threat on their lives. He feared that his wife and child may be in danger. She hid in Kakariko Village, near the base of Death Mountain.

The queen gave birth to a girl and instructed her closest servant and bodyguard to take the baby back to the castle. Shortly after the woman left, the queen gave birth to a baby boy. Something within the queen's being told her that she had to take her second child away. Something gave her the strength and courage she needed. She knew of only one place that the flames of war would not reach.

The queen travelled all night to reach the forest. She knew the stories about the Forbidden Forest but she also knew a little known story about a great forest guardian. She knew that her newborn baby would not survive without care and knew that she had to find the guardian.

The queen was far too weak to make the journey safely and received wounds from the crossfire of battle but she protected her child and made her way into the forest. Near dawn, the dying woman found the forest guardian. It was almost easy for her to navigate through the forest, as if something guided her. She fell down before the mighty tree.

"I ... need you to ... guard my son," said the queen weakly. The guardian could sense her life draining away.

"Woman, thou art a Hylian," said the mighty forest guardian. "Only the Kokiri may live in this forest. It is forbidden for any other race to dwell here."

"Yes ... but please ... help me!" said the queen, gasping for breath.

"He hath no place amongst the Kokiri," said the forest guardian, knowing he could not ignore the laws of the world for one unimportant baby boy.

"Great Deku Tree ... I'm dying. He won't ... survive ..."

The queen's words were quiet and slow. She was nearly dead. The forest guardian focused on the baby in the woman's arms. He realised that there was something very special about this Hylian baby boy. He could sense something great within the child and realised it must be the child of legend.

"Woman, I shall accept the babe," said the forest guardian after a moment to ponder.

"Thank you. Farewell ... my sweet ... baby ... boy ..." said the queen hugging the child to her breast.

With her last breath, the queen kissed her son on the forehead and died. The child clung to his mother crying. The forest guardian watched as the baby struggled to hang onto its fragile life. Somehow, the guardian could sense that the baby knew its mother was dead. The body of the queen slumped over onto the ground with the child still in her arms. The baby's crying subsided as it grew weak and his life began to ebb away.

"Surely, thou art the child of prophecy. Goddesses, bless now the lad for his life doth wane. Surely, this brave woman's journey hath not been in vain," said the forest guardian, calling out to every life force he could.

Suddenly, a bright light began to fall from the sky. It seemed the golden goddesses heard his prayer and were going to answer it. The light faded upon reaching the ground and only a beautiful, young woman remained.

"Hast thou been sent by the goddesses?" asked the forest guardian, sensing a strange and immense power from the woman.

The young woman nodded and stooped down to pick up the dying baby. The woman had gorgeous blonde hair and deep, blue eyes. She looked down at the baby boy with compassion and love in her eyes.

"So, this is my great son?" said the woman with a smile.

The baby stopped crying and snuggled in close to the woman. She began to hum a beautiful melody and began to glow. Pure, white energy surrounded the two and particles of light began to swim around the baby. The woman stood, hugging the baby for some time, letting the light wash over the boy as she hummed.

"Who art thou?" asked the forest guardian as the woman knelt down. The guardian sensed that the woman gave her life force to the baby. He would live and she would die.

"My name is Hylia, lesser goddess of love," said the young woman with a weak whisper.

For the second time that day, a dying woman held the child. The forest guardian suddenly sensed a great power in the baby, a power greater than even his own. Hylia began to fade as she placed the boy down on the soft grass. He no longer cried and seemed to have aged at least a year.

"What shall I do with the lad?" asked the forest guardian.

"This is the time that the next generation of Kokiri is born. Hide him with them for evil will seek the child's life," said Hylia, closing her eyes.

"What shall his name be called?"

"He is the link between gods and mortals," said Hylia with her dying breath.

The forest guardian watched as the young woman fell. She faded away, taking the body of the other woman with her. The guardian regarded the baby squirm on the ground for a moment.

"So, young one, thou shalt be Link."


Whilst the queen gave her life to ensure her baby boy's would remain, the king was overjoyed to find out that his bride had given birth before leaving. One of his wife's attendants brought him a baby girl. The king danced around and shouted for joy but upon asking about the queen fell silent in discovering she left. There was no way she could survive. The sun began to peak over the horizon.

"She said that you are to call your daughter Zelda," said the servant woman.

The king nodded with a heavy sigh. He sat on a chair with his head between his hands, his elbows rested on his knees. His heart was broken. He did not have his wife.

"Sir, will you continue with the peace talks as planned?" asked the servant woman as she held the sleeping baby girl.

"Yes, may the gods bless my wife," said the king after several moments of silence. The servant woman saw tears falling from the king's eyes.

"Sire, about the baby …"

"She will need nursed. She will need someone to mother her. Please watch over her and protect her as you did my wife," said the king, standing and wiping his eyes.

"It is my sworn duty as a Sheikah," said the woman bowing her head. "I shall protect her with my life."

"Thank you, Impa," said the king with a slight smile as he looked at his daughter. "I must now prepare."

"Yes, my lord," said Impa, bowing and walking off with the child in her arms. She headed to a private room and sat down with the baby girl, who awoke and began to cry.

"Zelda, I feel something inside you. Great things are in store for you," said Impa as she nursed the baby girl, humming one of the royal family's melodies. The melody seemed to soothe young Zelda.

The greatest leader of the land rose up and began to talk peace. He was king of the Hylians, king of all Hyrule. He united the lands and began to form alliances with other races, starting with the Zora and Gorons. Representatives from the three races converged on the town that was in the assumed centre of the world, Clock Town.

Peace at last.

However, it would be ten years until all of the lands would finally sue for peace. The Gerudo would be the last ones to come to the king. The new Gerudo King, Ganondorf, was not an easy man and he did not like the Hylians. Moreover, the Gerudo held their own myths about the world and as a race distrusted the other peoples of Hyrule. A large canyon separated their land from the rest of Hyrule and they set a heavy guard on the only bridge spanning that canyon.

However, not every kingdom would join in the peace. The Deku stopped fighting and retreated to their homes in the swamps of eastern Hyrule. They distrusted the rest of the world, taking too much pride in their own abilities. They severed contact with the rest of Hyrule many years prior and most believed the race simply past away. It would be years before one boy would finally make contact with them.

Ten years later

"Blah blah blah ..." was not what the man was really saying but it was all Princess Zelda heard. The young princess sat under one of her tutors. She was bored and sat, staring out the window. They sat in one of the many castle rooms used for such lessons. She had been troubled recently and was looking out the window towards the southwest, towards the Forbidden Forest.

Princess Zelda was nearing her eleventh birthday and was growing like a weed. Her long, blonde hair was so beautiful that it could even put the sun to shame and her sparkling, blue eyes were so deep that you could almost get lost in them. Many said that Zelda was the very image of the goddess Hylia, as if she was the goddess's daughter.

"Excuse me, sir, but the king wishes to speak with his daughter," said a woman.

Zelda gave a sigh of relief that she could finally speak to her father. The princess had been having strange dreams and she wanted to talk to her father about them. Princess Zelda had the gift of amazing wisdom and some believed her dreams were actually prophecies.

"Okay, we're done for the day, Princess," said the man with a smile and a nod.

Zelda told everyone she could about her most recent dream but no one believed it. Hyrule had entered its tenth year of peace and prosperity and the final kingdoms were ready to sign the peace treaties and trade agreements.

"Impa," said Zelda with a smile as the tutor left the room.

Her attendant was away for several days to check in on the town she was born and raised in. The town was at the base of Death Mountain and served as a passageway between the Hylians and the Gorons of Death Mountain. It was originally a Sheikah village but since the shadow race mysteriously disappeared, Hylians moved into the town.

"Come with me, Princess. Your father is waiting," said the Sheikah woman, one of the only people who believe Zelda's dreams were prophecies.


"Ha ha ... I'm sorry, Zelda. I don't mean to laugh but Hyrule is not in any danger," said the king. He could see how serious Zelda was and quelled his laughter.

The young princess revealed her dream to her father who listened intently at first. The king knew there was something special about his daughter and something even more special about her dreams. However, when she tried to explain the meaning behind the dream the king stopped her.

"But, father, I know that this dream is a prophecy," said Princess Zelda.

"Zelda just because you saw some clouds and flashing green light does not mean that bad things are going to happen," said the king calmly.

"Father, unless this man with the fairy and green stone comes I think, no, I know that Hyrule is doomed," said Zelda. The king sighed.

"Listen, you cannot go around the castle spreading rumours that Hyrule is doomed. In a few days, we have very important people from the kingdom of the Gerudo coming to make peace. Besides, whoever heard of fairies following people around?"

"Father, I read in the library about the forest children. They are supposed to have fairy friends. Please, won't you listen to me?" said Zelda and tried to give her father the most pleading eyes that she could muster. It did not work.

"No, Zelda. I do not and cannot believe it. We're too close to world peace for things to go wrong."

"But-" Zelda tried to reply but her father began to lose his patience.

"Zelda, there will be no more talk of green lights, dark clouds or the doom of Hyrule. Do you understand me?" said the king a little forcefully. Zelda hung her head and nodded.

Impa led her away as servants brought in more papers for the king to look over. Their allies, the Gorons of Death Mountain, were having trouble and needed help. Impa took Princess Zelda to her favourite spot in the castle: a secret courtyard. There was a window in the courtyard that led into the throne room and the young heir would often watch her father work from there.

"Impa, I know that he will come. You must teach him my lullaby," said Zelda after the two stood in the courtyard for some time.

"But, Zelda, you know that is a family melody. It is forbidden for anyone outside of the royal family to learn it," said Impa.

"Somehow, I have a feeling that there's more to him then we'll ever know," said the princess with a sigh as she looked into the sky.

Impa watched her charge for several minutes. Zelda had always been a carefree child who rarely worried. It was only after she began having the most recent dreams that she took on a serious nature. The young princess spent a lot of her free time in the library reading myths and legends. She also seemed to take an interest in world maps. Impa had never seen her look so grim. She determined to help any way she could.

"Don't stay up late," said the nursemaid after several minutes of silence.

Zelda nodded with a smile as Impa headed away to attend to other business. She knew that the princess would be safe because only the two of them knew where the courtyard was and how to get to it.

"I know you're going to come," said Zelda, continuing to look into the sky.


A flash of lightning... a clap of thunder... the roar of the wind... sounds of a monstrous storm building...

He did not know where he was or how he had gotten there. Darkness surrounded him. Thick fog covered everything. He realised a presence behind him. As quickly as he could, he turned around. There was a mammoth building standing there, just visible through the fog. The giant stone monolith stretched off to the sides as far as he could see and reached high into the heavens. He was confused. He had no idea what this object was or why it was there. He realised that there was a deep trench before the building filled with water. He stood, staring in awe at it for what seemed like an eternity. Suddenly, there was a light hovering near his shoulder. It could only be one thing.

A faerie.

He could not believe it. He had a faerie. His dream had come true. He was finally a real Kokiriwith his own faerie partner. The small faerie simply hovered around his head. The fog slowly began to lift but ominous clouds remained as the storm continued to build. He looked around him in the dim light. Before him stood the large, stone structure and behind him was a vast field. He looked all around. He could not figure out where he was but he knew he was not in the forest anymore. A strange sound filled the air. The rain began to fall, the thunder raged, the lightning tore through the skies. However, the storm was not what got his attention. The strange sound that filled the air was a creaking and groaning of wood. He looked around in a hurry, trying to find what it was. He noticed a large, wooden bridge beginning to come down.

He watched as the bridge fell down across the watery trench with a loud bang. He noticed something coming out of the shadows behind the wall. He realised he heard a sound coming from the shadows. It sounded almost like thunder. It was as if some great beast was running at an incredible rate. He squinted hard to try to see what this wonder could be but he could not make it out. Suddenly, a shape exploded out of the shadows. It was a great, white animal with two people seated on it. One was obviously a child but the other was much larger. Both of them were female and from the look on their faces, he could tell something was drastically wrong. As he stood trying to figure things out the beast ran straight at him. Only by diving to the side could he avoid certain death. As the animal ran passed him and carried its two passengers away he looked into the face of the child. He felt as if he knew her, as if they had met before. She looked at him with an expression of desperation.

He stood and watched them ride away over a hill and into the fog. He tried to guess what was happening when another sound rang out. A great snort came from behind him that caused his spine to tingle. He slowly turned, fearing that he would come face-to-face with some monster. He was right. Standing close was another one of those animals. This one was larger, black and ominous. It had evil, red eyes that pierced through him. He froze in terror, not because of the beast but because of something far worse. It was the huge rider of the beast, another tall figure describable by one word.

Evil.

The man had dark, red hair and eyes. He wore black armour and a flowing, red cape. Even the thunder and lightning seemed to fear this man. He sat on his horse staring into the distance as if he could see through the fog. His black beast rose up and gave a great cry. The man seated on the animal did not fall off. The man suddenly turned his head and stared down at him. He felt even more fear. He felt as if his very soul was tearing apart. The look in the man's eyes was terrifying. The man gave a wicked smile and raised his hand toward him. He felt his breath escape as another flash of lightning and another crack of thunder roared through the sky.

He sat up in his bed with an explosive breath as these images bounced around in his head. He felt sweat coming down his brow and he shivered some, even though it was not cold. He sighed deeply. He had been having this same nightmare for several days now. He did not know what it was or what it meant. He sighed again and looked out the window. It was a warm night but he felt extremely cold. Something was wrong but he could not figure out what it was. His birthday was in a few days. He would be eleven soon, the age the Kokiri stopped growing. He rubbed his eyes and pulled his blanket up over him as he lay back down. He had been getting very few hours of sleep because of these nightmares and he wondered how long it would continue. He fell into a fitful sleep, not knowing what was happening so close to his house.


Nighttime.

It was the perfect chance for him to strike. The Gorons would not give in and neither would the Zora but he was sure he could convince the forest guardian to give him what he was after. It was only a few days until his meeting with the king of Hyrule and he needed all three of the stones before his plan could work. He smiled to himself as he approached the great forest guardian.

"Hear me!" he called out. He had no fear of waking the Kokiri. The tree remained silent for a moment.

"Who art thou and why hast thou entered this sacred forest?" asked the guardian.

"Give me the spiritual stone and I will spare your life."

"Evil shall never lay hands upon this stone. I sense thy evil," said the forest guardian. The man in black spat on the ground and pulled something from behind his back.

"Then I will take your life," said the man with a deep, sinister voice.

He released whatever he held. It fell from his hand and began to move toward the forest guardian. It was a small, spider-like creature. When it reached the base of the forest guardian, it bore into the trunk.

"What hast thou done?" asked the guardian as he immediately began to feel his power draining. The man smiled a wicked smile as the sun slowly began to climb.

"I'm going to curse you. I'll only lift the curse if you give me the stone," said the man

He made several gestures with his hands as he muttered arcane words. After several moments, a ball of dark energy exploded from his hands and slammed into the forest guardian. The great tree tried to protect himself but the spider-like creature already sapped his power enough for the curse to take effect. The forest guardian felt the evil energies tearing through his being. The man in black smiled as the brown bark of the tree began to turn grey. The tree began to wither.

"You can give the stone to my servant who is currently eating away at your insides. If you don't give up the stone then you'll be dead by tonight," said the man with a casual tone.

The forest guardian remained silent. His deep roots throbbed. He knew who this man was and he knew that it was time. The prophecies were unfolding and the legend was beginning. The man turned and walked away without another word.

"So, my time hath passed," said the guardian as a single, tear-like drop of water fell from one of the forest guardian's huge eyes. "Good-bye my children."

Silence filled the meadow for several moments before the deep groan of wood echoed in the stillness of the morning. The great tree used the last of his power to send out a message using his powers.

"Navi ... where art thou? Come hither ..."


He had to admit, it was hard to become an owl but Kaepora Gaebora adjusted well over the years. He freely roamed over Hyrule watching and waiting for the time when his son would begin his journey. This was why he was an owl. The golden goddesses blessed him so he reincarnated as an owl. When the time would come, he would help his son to become the legendary hero he was destined to be. The sun was beginning to come up and Kaepora was about to head home from hunting when he heard and saw something strange. A man, wearing black armour and riding a black horse, came out of the forest. He knew this could only mean one thing.

It was time.

Ganon's spirit had been reborn into the new king of the Gerudo. That man was pure evil and sought only the Triforce so he could rule the world. Kaepora remembered everything that happened. He knew that not only Ganon had returned but also Majora's Mask was about to be unleashed upon the world. He found it strange that not even the golden goddesses could defeat Majora. Only one had the power, wisdom, and courage to do so. Only Kaepora Gaebora's son could control the power of the gods and strike down evil. The owl's eyes swivelled around as he saw the incarnation of evil head off. Suddenly, a great wave of energy swept out from the forest. A great light, seen only by those sensitive to the spiritual plane, expanded out from where the forest guardian resided. Kaepora felt as everything gave a great heave.

The barrier had come down.

Kaepora watched as the man galloped toward Hyrule Castle. The old owl knew that his son would begin his journey soon. He also knew that his daughter would begin hers. He flew towards the castle. He had to check on her to make sure she had the ocarina. He knew time was short so he flew as fast as he could. He had to check on his daughter before returning at the appointed time to meet his son.

This was the beginning of everything.