The Legend of Zelda: The Hero of Time

By: Pharaohs Queen

Chapter 1

"Eighteen Years Later"

"Link? Link! Where are you? Link!" Talon shook his head as he walked through the woods close by his house. "That boy is never around when I need him. Link!"

He paused next to a small clearing. Between the trees, he could see someone moving.

"Haaah!" The battle cry split the early morning air. Talon stepped closer and to see who was making the noise.

A young man was in the clearing; he had a wooden practice sword in his left hand, and was swinging at a makeshift dummy. He ducked, lunged, and then swung horizontally, knocking some stuffing out of the dummy. He rolled away, sheathing his sword against his back and pulling out a slingshot at the same time. He quickly fired at three targets in the trees, and was up, sword out and attacking again before the seeds found the center of all three targets. He slashed three times around the dummy—a triangle of slashes—then stabbed it right in the center. He paused a moment, then pulled out the practice sword, breathing hard.

Talon stepped into the clearing. "You've been getting better. Impa has really taught you well, Link."

Link turned around. "Uncle Talon! What brings you here?"

Link had become quite a fine youth. He had grown to be a little taller than Talon. His hair had lightened to a straw color, and his eyes were as clear, and as deep as the sky above. His ears were long and pointed, like every Hylians were, and in each lobe he had a small blue hoop earring, given to him (and pierced) by Impa. He was well built, with not too many muscles on a not too big body. Looking at him, it was easy to see why all the girls in the village liked him.

Talon rolled his eyes at the youth. "What else, lad?" He said, grabbing Link in a playful headlock and mussing his hair. "I've got something special lined up for today." He let go off Link, who fixed his hair. "I'm taking the harvest to Castle Town Market… and you're coming with me."

Link, who had been bending over to put down his sword, straightened up. "What?" He asked, not believing what he had heard. This was to be his first time out of the village. Talon had never let him go to the Market, even after Malon died, when he needed extra help.

"You heard me, lad. Now hurry up. It takes several days to get to the Castle Town, and we still need to load the wagon."

"Yes sir!" Link replied eagerly. He was going to see the Castle Town! Maybe, if he was lucky, he would be able to go to the Temple of Time… I've heard rumors about being able to see into the past there… he thought. Perhaps I will be able to see something about my own past… Something that Uncle Talon has never told me…

The next three days passed by, broken up only by the times they stopped to eat and to feed the horse—an older horse, who was named Epona ("A finer horse you'll never find in all of Hyrule." Talon had said). During these breaks, Link would practice with his slingshot, striking the same spot on a tree over and over again. As they got closer to the Castle Town, Link would sit and stare at the dark shape on the horizon, wondering what it was like. But something about the place seemed strange…

"Have there always been dark clouds hanging overhead?" Link asked on the last day, when the huge town came fully into view.

"Hmm… you're right lad. In all the years I've come here, it's never been like that…" Black clouds hung lowly over the Castle Town, almost reaching the tops of the towers of the castle. When Link looked at them, he could feel a presence: an evil presence.

"How foreboding…" he murmured.

"I wouldn't worry about it." Talon replied. "They could just be storm clouds…"

"Storm clouds that don't move for three days?"

Talon had no reply.

When they finally reached the walled city, Talon pulled the wagon over to a small stable by the drawbridge.

"Wagons are not allowed inside the city." He explained. "It crowds the streets unnecessarily. We'll have to carry the baskets." Talon handed Link a basket, then grabbed Link by the shoulder and pulled him close to speak in his pointed ear.

"Now, mind you manners, and do what I say. Speak to no one. And for goodness sake," he added, watching Link's eyes stare out the door to the town. "Don't touch anything." He grabbed Link's chin. "You hear me lad?"

Link nodded. "I understand. Not a word shall pass my lips to another… unless it's you."

"Good. Let's go. Just follow me, all right lad? Castle Town is a big place. I don't want you to get lost." He walked out, striding purposefully, holding two baskets firmly at his sides.

They stepped into the city, past the four guards, and Link was instantly amazed. There were so many people! There was color everywhere he looked, and the noise of people chatting, bartering, and hawking their wares. Most of the people walking around were Hylians, but Link saw other races. There was one race with round bodies that looked like they had brown rocks for skin; a couple had shiny blue skin, fins coming from the back of their heads and forearms, and gills behind their ears; there were many darkly tanned women walking around, their hair pulled back, scarves across their faces, and most had one or two swords at her belt.

Link slowly walked after Talon, drinking in everything. There were stall selling different kinds of food, others held clothing from different parts of the country, still others held jewelry, and many were selling different weapons and shields, one of which caught Link's eye. He walked over, wanting to get a better look.

"That's six hundred Rupees." Said a rough voice.

Link looked up, startled. The stall owner glared at him. "Well, do you want it or not?"

"Link, what're you doing lad? Hurry up you'll get left behind!"

Link was relieved to hear Talon's voice, to have an excuse to get away from the bad-tempered seller. He walked quickly away, soon catching up with Talon.

"Don't get distracted boy. Not everyone is as friendly as they look."

Link gestured around him. "There are so many people! I had no idea it would be this big! I've never even seen most of these races before. Who are they?"

Talon laughed. "I'm glad you like it lad." he stared walking again. "Those people," he nodded to the rock skinned ones, "Are called the Gorons. They come from Mount Doom, and they are incredibly strong. The blue ones are Zoras. They live in Lake Hylia and its tributary, Zora's Lake. The tanned women are all Gerudos. They are from the desert, and their entire race is made up of women, except for one male, who is their leader."

Link absorbed all this new information quickly, staring around at the different races as Talon described them. Before he knew it, Talon had gotten a little ways ahead of him again. He hurried to catch up, but a couple of people got in his way; both of them were dressed in long black robes, with the hoods up covering most of their faces. They were carrying small baskets tied with rope to a stick that they carried over their shoulders.

Link tried to call out to Talon, but he remembered his promise not to talk to anyone. If he spoke now, he might break that promise.

The people in black jostled him, walking as though he weren't there, and pushing him further away from Talon. Finally, Link got away from them, walking quickly and turned the corner where he had seen Talon go.

He was no longer there.

Link fought the urge to panic and took several deep breaths before walking forwards, looking in all the little sideways and allies. There was one where there were mostly food stands. Talon was selling the harvest, so it made sense for him to be where other food was being sold. Link decided to go that way.

He kept walking and walking, but there was no sign of Talon anywhere. After his third dead end, he sat down, leaning against a corner. I'll just rest here a moment. He thought. Uncle Talon can't be too far away.

As he thought that, he heard a laugh coming from further down the small alley to his right. It sounded like Talon's laugh.

Link leapt up, grabbing the basket, and ran after the sound. Several times he had to stop and listen, then change direction as Talon's voice came from a different way. Finally, he just came to another dead end. Link clenched his teeth, glancing around at the ivy-covered walls. It was obvious that he had just been following a sound out of his own mind. Angry, he leaned against a part of the wall where the ivy was thick.

And he fell right through the wall.

He landed hard on his back, knocking the wind out of him. The basket flew out of his grasp, brightly colored fruit spilling over the ground. Link lay down for a minute, breathing hard, staring at space he had fallen through. The ivy was thick, hiding the fact that there was a passageway hidden behind it.

Link sat up, groaning and rubbing his ribs. Falling onto stone was not an experience that he wanted to repeat anytime soon. He sighed down at the harvest that had spilled at his feet, then turned to look down the passage, to see if anyone else was around. There was no one within sight, but he did see a glowing patch of yellow at the other end. His curiosity piqued, Link walked towards it.

Soon he stood in front of what appeared to be some sort of shrine. A statue of three small triangles making up a bigger one stood supported by iron feet stood against the wall, humming gently.

As Link stepped closer, the desire to touch the triangles becoming overwhelming, overriding the command from Talon not to touch anything. It seemed as though they were calling to him with the voice of a thousand generations… strong voices, calling to him to become a hero…

He reached out his left hand, hesitated, and touched the triangles.

Images flew through his mind, of places, people, events, things… Two people stuck out clearly. A girl who looked his age, dressed in a long purple dress, with long white gloves on her arms, her platinum blond hair pulled back; and a big man, dressed in black armor, with a blood red cape that matched his hair and beard billowing out behind him.

"You are one of us Link." The young woman said. "You have been chosen…"

The man threw back his head and laughed, making Link's skin crawl.

Link sucked in a breath, and the visions fled. His hand was still outstretched, but the most interesting part was what was now glowing on his skin: three triangles, arranged like the statue was.

It's called the Triforce. The thought came, surprising him. How did he know this? He had never heard of the Triforce before, nor had he ever seen the people that he had saw in his vision. What's happened to me? He thought.

Out of the corner of his eye, the ivy to his left rustled. He snatched his hand back, taking a couple of steps away from the Triforce. He held his breath, but nothing came out. Curiosity filling him again, he brushed aside the plants and found another, smaller tunnel. He looked down it, then at the Triforce on his hand, and then followed the tunnel.

It was dark, and more closely packed in than the one he just left. Random strands of ivy hung from the ceiling, not impeding Link, but just annoying him. After several minutes, the tunnel widened into a giant courtyard. Link could hear the flapping of flags and banners around him, and he knew he was somewhere important.

He stepped around the rest of the ivy, and a figure came into his view standing on a floor raised up several steps. As he walked closer, he could see that it was a young woman, her platinum blond hair pulled back into a braid, showing her pointed Hylian ears clearly, and white gloved hands clasped over a purple dress. She watched him walk closer, and then she spoke.

"I have been waiting for you… Link."

Evil smirk yes. A cliffhanger. Bwahahahahaha…

Don't hate me. It just builds dramatic tension.

Next time!

Link finds out just who this mysterious girl is, and what it is she needs him to do. He finds out more about the Triforce, and about the evil that has been slowly overtaking Hyrule. You, the humble reader, will learn about Link's part… but just watch as we change perspectives. Just where, exactly, do Impa and her guardianship fit in this puzzle?

Great thanks to the reviewer named 'Lore'. Whoever you are, I love you. Thank you so much for your constructive crit. That's exactly what I needed.

To everyone else…

Tell me what you think about it and REVIEW!!