Hey everyone, thanks for the feedback so far! I noticed some people were upset about Link's obnoxious personality, which I could agree or disagree. Within every good story is a flawed character who improves themself for the better later on. I actually wrote much of this story back in 2013 but I forgot about it, so now I'm doing major editing. Link used to be really rude and pervy (I thought it was funny at the time), but I changed him a lot so he could be more likable. He's still going to be somewhat obnoxious for a while, so I'm sorry. I want Link and everyone to be likable, so please keep leaving feedback! I want to improve the story the best I can for my readers.

Chapter II: Something to Prove

An entire month had passed since Link arrived at the castle. In the meantime, he made small talk with the maids and servants who admired his bravery and battles, or he read books of the past or articles of the present. His days were slow, but his nights were full of adventure. Often he snuck into the town for some midnight fun and slept his days away. However, little did Link know that his lessons would finally arrive.

"The princess has informed me to wake you! Get up, Link! Do you want to be late on the first day?!" A nasal-like voice whined. A small and fragile man stood next to Link's bed, sticking his hooked snooty nose as high in the air as possible.

Link huffed and threw his pillow over his head, doing whatever it took to block out the character's obnoxious noise. "I was never woken this early in my village no matter how much work needed to be done," Link complained, although his complaints muffled beneath his pillow. He stubbornly rolled away from the man and threw the covers over his head as well. "Ever since I came to this castle I've had nothing but trouble. I never should've woken up!"

The servant placed his hands on his fragile hips and pouted. "Too late now, isn't it?" He didn't expect and answer.

With a clap of his hands, two loyal soldiers marched into the room and seized Link's ankles and dragged him onto the floor. The hero hit the ground with a thud and growled as he looked up at the servant, who only glimpsed a snicker and tugged on his dark moustache.

"Forgive me, but I had to wake you up somehow." The butler turned on his heel and began to skip out the door without Link's consent. The two soldiers obediently followed behind. "You've been here for a month already and now look at you, you're spoiled with sleep. The private session will be held in the courtyard today so you'll be able to focus one-on-one with your teacher. I'll be in the hallway if you need help finding directions." And with that said, he shut the door behind him.

Link forced his tired body to a stand and stretched, followed by an elongated yawn. His first day of freedom after being trapped in a seed and he's already put to work. He couldn't even image what he'd be late for.

"Do you want to be late on the first day?!"

The servant's piercing remarks rang in Link's ears. There was no use in another scolding. With a heavy sigh, he immediately began to dress himself in his new tunic, feeling the unfamiliar armor and leather against his skin. He then proceeded to groom himself and dash out of the room. Now he had to find the courtyard. Unfortunately, he hadn't memorized the castle's map or any of its locations, not that he was given enough time to look at anything, anyway. It would be impossible finding the courtyard at this point.

A sudden obnoxious titter erupted from behind and Link whirled around to see that same pesky servant sneering at him. The stubby-legged butler turned away from the student and began to haughtily stride down the corridor, his long nose glued to the ceiling. "Follow me," he whistled, his feet pattering on the ground.

Link rolled his eyes and let out a groan.

In a matter of minutes, Link was lead outside into the refreshing courtyard. The glimmering, peaking sun bestowed a warm and refreshing light onto their shoulders while the fresh breeze gently swayed the courtyard's garden flowers back and forth. The hero didn't have time to absorb the nature's beauty preliminary to a desk being set before him and forced to sit down.

Not even moments passed when a chalkboard rolled into his vision of the garden and out stepped a professional-looking servant who was no doubt to be his teacher for the next several months. Fastened to his fine attire was a fancy nametag with a sloppy hand-written name, and the board was just as unreadable as well.

The professor was quick to begin his lesson about the faded monster drawn on the chalkboard, not even bothering to introduce himself. It almost didn't seem fair with how rapidly the lesson was going by and Link was having trouble absorbing it all, but Hyrule was on a short schedule with this "dark presence" approaching, so there wasn't any time for pauses. All that Link could do was obediently pay attention.

It wasn't long before Link was practically falling asleep. His elbow rested on the table and his chin was buried in the palm of his hand and he could barely force himself to hold open his eyes. Nonetheless, this professor paid no mind to Link's ill behavior and simply ignored the fool, proceeding in completing the lesson. During his passing, the student eventually fell asleep, only to be awakened with the sudden cry of "do you even care that Hyrule is on the verge of turmoil?!"

But Link didn't hear the question. Upon his startled awakening, he noticed on the far-left wall above an elegant figure who strolled gracefully accompanied by her royal guards. It was Princess Zelda, and it appeared to be that she was taking a walk. The sun was now high overhead and Link was fed up with these lessons. Completely disregarding the professor, Link immediately jumped from his seat and raced to the towering wall, waving his arms around to grab the princess' attention. "Hey, princess!" He cheered with a friendly smile.

Zelda came to a halt on the wall and glanced down at the hero who stood a good several feet below her. "Link? What are you doing? You should currently be engaged in your lessons."

Link ashamedly scratched the back of his head and shrugged. "I'll learn the rest of it tomorrow. These lessons are boring. Don't you have anything else better for me to do, like sword training or something? That's all I'm good at."

Zelda neared the edge and now glared at him, tired of having to put up with this folly. The sun behind her figure nearly blocked out her facial expression. "How are you to defeat the threat approaching if you don't know how to fight it?"

"You don't even know what we're fighting! You just know, or assume, that something is coming!"

"The later lessons will teach you of every monster that the previous heroes have defeated, which will bestow you the knowledge on how to defeat them. That way when whatever creature arrives you will be able to easily dispose of them. Trust my orders. When you're done with the lessons, you may proceed in your training." She took a deep breath, not wanting to lose the preservation of her usually collected nature. "I know it's frustrating, but time will pass sooner than you think."

Link let out a stubborn sigh that was clearly audible to the princess' ears. "I think you should trust me instead and let me train. I was able to defeat all those monsters and Ganon and I can do it again!" Link spun around on his heel and began to march away, opposite in the direction of where his lessons were being held.

"Link!" Zelda growled from her spot and inched closer to the edge, trying to reach the imbecile's attention. "Link, those monsters were much weaker. They're not near as strong as what the legendary heroes of the past faced! We're not expecting minor enemies! Link! Return to your lessons! Don't you dare disobey the princess!" Now Zelda's own stubbornness was getting the best of her and she didn't care how her immaturity clashed. She just wanted Link to do as he was told. "Link, quit being foolish!"

As Zelda grew more and more aggressive, she inched more and more near the edge, finally leaning over the stone rail. Some of the guards in the back became tense, wondering if it was safe for her to be so close to the edge. "Princess, maybe you want to take a few steps back," one of them warned.

But his heeding went disregarded, for the princess leaned over the edge just enough so that her foot slipped from underneath her. A piercing scream escaped her lungs as she plummeted for the earth. Some of the soldiers raced to grab her feet, but they were a hair too late.

Instinctively, Link immediately whipped around and dashed towards her direction. He saw the princess falling at a rapid pace and knew there wasn't much time to spare. Link leapt onto one of the garden's hedges, lunged onto a tree's thin branches and used it as a leverage to thrust himself into the air. With the distance closing between them, the hero threw his shielding arms around Zelda's body and held her close to his chest so he could land safely. The hero moved his legs in front of him so he wouldn't hit his head and shoved his feet against the wall and kick flipped himself back into an upright position where he then fell to the ground and landed firmly on his feet.

Everyone was silent at this course of action, having never expected such a predicament to occur. Link gently set Zelda down on her unstable feet and flaunted a boastful smile. "Are you going to let me train, now?"

A couple days had passed since that incident and Link was now being escorted into Faron Woods for a special training session. It wasn't really considered a training session, but more so just to see how well he would be able to battle since his 1,000 year slumber. Unfortunately for him, he again had to be blindfolded as the group traversed across Hyrule Field in case he would escape.

Several of Hyrule Castle's finest soldiers surrounded Link on their horses just in case of an attack so that they would be able to easily guard the hero. These were the same soldiers who were given the task of protecting Link inside the Temple of Time. Not only was Link accompanied by the group of warriors, but by Impa as well. Link and Impa shared a horse together just like they had on their way to Hyrule Castle.

"Link, are you still awake?" Impa asked as they reached the outskirts of the woods. The hero snorted but said nothing in reply. "Good. We've arrived at Faron Woods. You may step down from the stallion, now."

Link did as he was told and carefully slid off the horse and removed his blindfold. "Alright, so what am I going to do here?"

Impa also stepped down from the steed and the other soldiers did as well, although they portrayed obvious tension when doing so. "We're on a mission to find a few demons for you to fight. I only wish to see where your combat skills are so that I know where to start."

"Where to start with what?" Link complained, although already knowing the answer.

"Your training-"

"I don't need training," Link protested with a twinkling eye as he pointed to himself with his thumb. "I know how to fight. I should be able to train by myself."

Impa took a deep and frustrated breath as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "You may have been the greatest swordsman of your time, but fighting style has well improved since that age. You couldn't possibly expect to defeat one of these soldiers with the current combat skills you possess."

"Who says I can't?"

"Did you not hear me?" Impa retaliated, pointing her long finger at the soldiers behind her. "These men have a more advanced skill set than you do. If you'd like to try your luck at battling one of them, then offer up your strength. Otherwise, I don't think you have what it takes in the state of being you're in."

Link flashed a momentary glare, but he almost instantly returned to his laid back nature. The hero boasted his glimmering teeth in a wide and confident smile. "I'll challenge any of you soldiers right now," he hollered with his arms placed firmly on his hips. "Just give me a sword and a shield and I'll be glad to show you what the legendary hero is made of. After that, I'll use the rest of that strength to slice into any demons that cross our path!"

All of the challenged soldiers remained in a period of silence. It was true they were the best of the best in the kingdom of Hyrule, but who they stood before was a legendary warrior who wielded utter strength in the ways of the sword. These soldiers honestly never battled anything aside from other Hylians, while the hero had battled all sorts of monsters and Ganondorf, not to mention that this hero's descendants had also demolished demons of unbelievable power and size. It would be foolish to think that any of them even stood a chance against Link, so they meekly turned their gazes to the floor in retaliation of a sword battle with the hero.

Link smirked in triumph and turned to face away from the crowd. "As I thought. You boys might as well go home right now and save yourself from a few scrapes and bruises!"

"Enough," Impa ordered. Her narrow eyes scanned the neighboring troops, deeming who would serve most as a challenge to the arrogant imbecile. Her crimson vision landed on a well-built soldier with pulsing muscles and a firm chest. His name was Eagus and he undoubtedly held the skills necessary to defeat that gloat of a hero and shut him up for good. "Eagus," Impa started with a point towards the solid soldier. "Ready your weapons and take forth towards your enemy. I want you to prove to the hero what you're capable of."

Eagus obediently obeyed the Sheikah and stepped forward, readying his weapon. Despite his inner fear of losing face in front of his comrades, he held a friendly and welcoming smile specifically for the ancient warrior. "I'm honored to take part in such a noble fight with the legendary hero."

Link's eyes flickered at the sound of unexpected kindness, so he gently nodded and lightly smiled in return. "May the best man win."

The hero was handed a sword and shield to defend himself with, but was quite taken back by their form. The shield was heavy, probably to better hold against enemy weapons, while the sword was light and easy to maneuver, unlike his swords from the past. Link swung it a few times in the air, becoming familiar with it. It wasn't hard to control at all, but it felt a little uncomfortable considering its density. He'd get used to it, though.

Link smirked and looked up at the heavy opponent. Eagus was clutching tightly onto the steel blade. It was almost amusing, but in a way Link felt sort of guilty for challenging these soldiers. They were all at a disadvantage against a hero with such skill, but it suddenly occurred to him how much he could hurt these soldiers. To inflict pain on someone was the least of Link's desires, especially one who was on his side. However, Link hadn't held a sword in centuries and maybe he was a little rusty. If anything, the soldier would at least have a little luck in this sword battle.

The two stood across from each other in the open space, the remaining warriors standing back at a good distance. Link and his opponent stared at each other, waiting for the other to strike. It seemed as if they stood forever planning out their strategy when Eagus suddenly raced towards the hero. He let out a mighty yell as he clashed his steel sword against Link's. Eagus was much stronger than Link, his mighty sword shoving down on the hero's. As their glimmering blades scraped against each other and inched towards the hero, Link hastily jumped back and watched Eagu's weighty sword strike the dirt. In an instant, the lightning speed Link rolled around the heavy man, came to his feet and pointed his blade to the commander's back. He could jolt forward and stab Eagus in the spine. At that, the battle was over.

The crowd of soldiers laughed and clapped in amusement. Impa, of course, remained silent amid all their pointless cheering. Such a simple battle couldn't be admired. She was still waiting to see what would happen next.

Eagus was far from amused compared to the rest of the soldiers. His temper was boiling, which was strange considering he usually held a calm mask. He turned back to Link and his familiar smile had been replaced with a frown. "I want a rematch," he demanded, clinging the hilt of his blade tighter than earlier.

Link only shrugged and smirked.

Again the two stood at a distance from each other. By the looks of it, this was no longer a friendly match. Eagus was both mortified and enraged having lost a battle so easily, but what did he expect from such a legendary hero? A loss, of course, but not like that. The soldier glared at the opponent who only smiled back. Link was far too carefree to feel anxious or angry. Besides, he won the last battle so he had nothing to worry about. Eagus, on the other hand, was speaking about his own reputation. He was undefeatable up until this point. Now he understood why so many of the other soldiers hadn't taken a liking to Link; they were all jealous, not to mention fed up by the stranger's cocky attitude. He wondered if Link even knew he was so detested. Whether or not the enemy was aware, it didn't matter. This was the battle that would redeem Eagus from such a low defeat.

The soldier let out a growl and a yell before charging at the hero for a second time. He stretched his sword behind his body and then swung towards Link. He barely missed the hero by a hair, and the sword scarcely slipped under the boy's nose. Link back flipped away and landed on a bush. However, the hedge was completely unsteady, causing Link to lose his balance and fall into the hedge. The soldier sneered as he lifted his weapon above head and brought it down towards Link, although not intending to strike or kill him. Link first blocked with his shield, causing Eagus to retract slightly. The calm hero then grabbed the branches he lied on and pushed himself forward into the warrior, his feet ramming into the heavy man's chest. This led the warrior to stumble back a bit before regaining his balance.

Link leapt out of the bush and sped for the distracted man. His sword instantly clashed against Eagus' blade, and they began to strike every which way in attempt to hit the other. Their swords hit diagonally, horizontally, vertically, even in a stabbing motion, yet neither one of them managed to get a hit. They were both growing tired of this, constantly moving towards and away from each other, so the two finally jumped back to catch their breath and lock eyes, full of determination.

In a rush of panic, the heavy warrior raced for the hero once more, bearing his shield in front of himself. Link slashed his sword against the shield, though it did him no use and he staggered backwards. Eagus started moving towards Link, shoving his shield against the hero in hopes of trapping him against a tree. This plan worked; the commander was able to swing his mighty sword at the cornered boy, but Link ducked all too quickly and Eagus' blade stuck itself into the trunk of the tree. Link was already at Eagus' backside by the time the soldier was able to free his sword and turn around. They glared at each other for a moment until Eagus came to the realization that he lost with Link's blade aimed firmly at his chest. With a heavy and disappointed sigh, he dropped his weapons and admitted defeat.

Again the soldiers cheered, amazed by their bravery and techniques.

"Does this mean I win?" The hero taunted. Honestly, he was relieved that he managed to pull that battle off against such a heavy warrior and couldn't help but lightly brag. However, in the midst of his victory, the kind hero threw his sword down and sent his hand forward, offering his good sportsmanship. "I may be inconsiderate at times, but I'm not a sore winner. I'll admit, you almost had me for a second! You're a real challenge, Eagus."

Eagus' eyes lit up and he suddenly smiled, coming back into reality. This child wasn't so bad, after all. Maybe this fight even marked the beginning of a new friendship. His hand shot forward and shook the hero's. They held their gaze a bit before the soldier went on speaking. "I should have expected something like that from a hero. You…" he looked down and scratched his head. "You fought well, too. Especially for such a young age."

Impa, however, was not impressed. She had seen skills far better than what Link exhibited just now and knew without a doubt that she could defeat him in a match. The Sheikah was also somewhat disappointed with her soldier; she had seen better days from him. Perhaps he was just getting old.

Link looked over to Impa for approval, but scowled once she shook her head. "What? You weren't impressed?"

"Your stunts are considered child's play to the Sheikah tribe. I expect that from the Hylian soldiers, but not from someone who is to be the savior of Hyrule," Impa sourly admitted. She turned away from him and began to make way into the forest. Hyrule's hero still had to test his skills against the demons of the forest.

Link remained unmoved at these words. "You think you can beat me?" He pouted.

Impa stifled a laugh at this. The soldiers began to exchange whispers. Her footsteps slowed to a stop as she kept her vision locked on the soil. "I know I can, but I don't plan on fighting you right now. You don't need any injuries."

"Injuries?" Link pouted again, raising his voice. He strode two steps forward in her direction. "If you want to see injuries then I'll show you some injuries!"

"Don't make me lose my temper!" Impa growled, turning to look at him.

The soldiers suddenly fell silent. Impa nearly touched her face with Link's, prepared to unleash her power on him and show him what it was like to face a real warrior. However, from the corner of her eye, she noticed a pack of wolfos stampeding in their direction. Suddenly all the soldiers winced and their steel scraped against steel as they drew their swords, unsure of Impa's commands.

But Impa wasn't afraid. The beasts looked vicious and hungry, a perfect match for such a strong and noble hero. She slapped Link on the shoulder and immediately jolted for the trees. "This is your match. Good luck."

"What?!" The hero cried in protest, completely caught off guard by the sudden herd.

The soldiers exchanged glances. If Impa was running, perhaps they should too. All of the soldiers scrambled to take refuge on their stallions while the child stood defenseless and in the open. He didn't have time to dwell over his quarrel with Impa. Link dove for the sword and shield he threw on the ground minutes ago and stood once again with them held tightly in his grip.

The wolfos' piercing howls echoed to the treetops as they tore their paws into the dirt, savagely racing towards the individual. The frantic soldiers aimed their spears or bows and arrows towards the beasts, preparing to defend themselves and Link just in case. The deadly wolfos sped out of the thick forest and jumped into the open circle, standing just in front of their prey. Some of the soldiers moved away from the animals, careful not to get involved. One of the wolfos let out another cry and dug its deadly claw into the soil, throwing dirt behind itself. Hideous foam spilled out of its mouth, indicating the rabid nature it wielded.

One of the soldiers became so traumatized from staring at these malicious beings that he accidently dropped his weapon on the grass. He didn't bother to reach down and fetch it in fear that the beast would take his head in its jaws.

Link felt the hilt of the sword and shield in his hands, becoming more and more familiar with them. He knew without a doubt that his sword of the past would be able to slice right through these demons, but he wasn't exactly sure about this new minor blade. It would definitely take more than one hit to make its mark in the wolfos, unless he swung the blade at such a rapid speed that he would be able to easily pierce their skin. Nonetheless, Link couldn't help but carry a boasting sneer upon his lips, anticipating such a battle with these maleficent beasts. The courageous hero strode towards the animals and twirled his sword about him, portraying his able skills. Now was the time to show these amateurs, and that Impa girl, what fighting was all about.

One of the wolfos fell into a deep growl as it arched its back high above its head, aiming its golden eyes and pointed teeth at its prey. Eager to dig into its meal, the pestilent wolfos leapt towards Link who immediately stuck his sword forward, and the beast flew head-first into the blade. As easy as that, the wolfos slipped to the dirt and remained lifeless, the blood pouring from its wound. This caused an uproar for the rest of the beasts and they all charged for the human at once. Link's heart skipped a beat in panic as the animals jumped for him. He rapidly tore his sword from the carcass and used his shield to block an incoming attack from one of the wolfos. It raised its mighty paws into the air and came down against the human's shield, beating and beating the steel. With his free hand, Link slashed at the other snarling beasts standing at a short distance, managing to barely cut a few of their noses.

Staying in this position obviously wasn't going to do him any good. He shield-bashed the wolfos away from him and thrust his sword into its chest, the animal never having expected a blade to move so quickly. He then swiped the sword out of the dead beast and again aimed it towards the remaining wolfos. They barked and snarled from their foaming mouths, bearing their pointed teeth. All at once they charged for him, this time shoving the child backwards a bit. In fact, the wolfos' force combined was enough to trample the hero to the forest floor. Link guarded himself with the shield and began whacking his sword through the air, hoping to at least strike one of the beasts. The only attacks he managed to land were a few kicks to their snouts.

The soldiers remained quiet as they watched in awe, all of them too boneless to help defend the hero. Eagus, however, mustered up the courage to aid the poor soul, now glorifying this child as his friend.

As he went to dismount his horse, Impa snarled from the trees and threw an acorn at his armor. "No! I want to see what he does."

The wolfos growled again and a few of them pounced on their prey, crushing Link underneath his shield. Link was growing tired of this folly play, realizing he wasn't showing good face right now in front of Impa and the soldiers. The frustrated Hylian let out a huff and used much of his strength to shove the pouncing wolfos off of him. He then jolted to his feet and gouged one of the wolfos in the skull as it lunged for him. In order to redeem himself, Link was sure to make the rest of the battle quick. In a matter of minutes, he spread bloodshed through the wild beasts, hitting them left and right and diagonally and every which way that would mark his win. They all let out cries and howls of pain, a river of blood pouring from their bodies. In a matter of minutes, Link stood victorious amongst the floor of wolfos corpses.

All of the soldiers sat on their horses with mouth agape, wondering how to react to such a phenomenon. They would have never been able to defeat such a large and wild pack on their own, but this hero was truly something else. The silence in the woods lingered for several moments until the crowd burst into a wave of cheers. They clapped their hands together and whistled through their smiling teeth, highly impressed by such a courageous battle.

Impa, however, was far from impressed. His form was weak and his movements were raw, not to mention that he stumbled. It pressed on her that Link had lost a lot of his skills while sleeping for the past few decades, and he had a lot to remaster. How he defeated Ganondorf in the past was beyond her; Link's ignorant luck, possibly. Impa knew she was going to have to train him, but did she even have enough time?

The Sheikah shook her head and jumped down from the trees, landing elegantly on her toes. She swiftly turned to mount her stallion when Link came up behind her. "So? How was that for a battle?" The hero smugly asked, though he didn't appear very victorious with torn clothes and a small trickle of blood escaping from a light scratch on his forehead.

"You're alive, aren't you?" The woman sighed as she planted herself firmly on the saddle. She handed Link the blindfold waited for him to hoist himself up and cover his eyes. "All I can say is that you're a little rusty."

As the horses began to depart from the area, Link immediately rose in exasperation and proceeded to complain the entire trip returning to the castle.

The group returned to the fortress later that evening when the sun was nearly setting. They dismounted in the courtyard and were greeted by Princess Zelda and a few other soldiers, and of course the princess wore a different set of clothes like she did every day. This time she wore her hair down, long sideburns complementing her shoulders and pointed ears, while a small tiara fastened her hair. While her dresses changed, the color of rose always clung to her skin. Zelda patted the slim gown against her legs, always kempt of her appearance.

Zelda smiled warmly at Impa who didn't look the least bit satisfied with what happened that day. "I hope he didn't bother you," the princess apologized, staring the Sheikah in the eyes. Link pouted.

Impa let out a deep breath from her nostrils and flared a comforting smile. "Not at all, princess." She lowered her voice and creased her eyebrows, although everyone would still be sure to hear her. "Link's not so bad with a sword, after all. He could use a little improvement, but I don't know how much time we have left."

Zelda nodded in agreement. She then looked back at Link who was staring at them intently. Her smile disappeared as she studied him. "Come with me, Link," she ordered as she turned away from the crowd and began to make her way back into the castle. Link closely trailed behind while Impa remained with the crowded soldiers.

Ohhhh, what does Zelda want?

Fun fact: Link was originally based off the terrible Link from the 1980's cartoon. However, I worked to change him a lot and he's still somewhat obnoxious. I realize my mistake. I'm trying to change him for the better, I promise.

Fun fact #2: This was originally going to be chapter one. Link would have taught and trained the Hylian soldiers in the castle courtyard. Clearly, major revisions have been made not only to this chapter but the entire story. I decided I wanted Link to be taken from the past. (I knooow Breath of the Wild did it too. I swear I didn't copy them. I wrote this back in 2013 and by the time the game came out, I didn't want to rewrite and rethink the entire story haha.)

Anyway, please leave some feedback or some tough critique! And thanks for reading!