Chapter 1

Celebration at Hyrule College

6-21-18

Hawk's Cliff

"You do realize that you spent the night up here, right?" "I did?" "Yes. You've been coming up here more recently." "I feel like I'm becoming distant from everyone. Because I've done things that haven't been seen in hundreds of years. I've missed about two years here. So I'm behind." I stand up and walk away from where I was sitting, towards the worn trail that leads to a certain circle of stones nearby a certain forest. "Where are you going?" I can tell that Link is trying to keep up with me. "Where else?"

The Time Stones

"You have got to stop doing this." "You're telling me this…" "I didn't come looking for you just so that you could go back about four hundred years. I came looking for you because I got an invitation." Lauren suddenly looks interested. "...How did you get an invitation? And where to?" I reach inside my jacket and pull out a slightly bent card. "I know people. As for where, it's at Hyrule College." "...You said you wanted to go there, right? When does this...celebration start?" "...In about an hour." "Do you want to tell anyone else?" "Some certain people." "Well, go and get them, then meet me by the main gates."

Hyrule College

Senior Dormitory

"Derek! Get up! Do you know what time it is?" Jason is standing over my bed with the biggest grin on his face. "...Should I know what time it is?" He shakes his head. "...Were you up studying? Man, all you DO is study! You gotta get out more. Say, there's a party tonight. Wanna come? I heard that Emily's gonna be there." I get up and walk over to the twin closet, then begin throwing on clothes. "Who's Emily?" "...Who's….You mean you don't know who Emily is? Emily. Vixen. Henry Vixen's daughter? Where have you BEEN?" "Apparently elsewhere." I finish getting dressed and turn to face Jason. "What time is it?" "For what?" Then he remembers. "Oh, you mean the party? It starts at eight. Goes until around 2 tomorrow morning. Where it's going to be is...everywhere. Outside, downstairs, the forest…." I walk over to my friend and put an arm around his shoulders. "Come on. We don't want to be late to class, right?" "Actually, classes are canceled for today and tomorrow." "Thank Hylia for That!" Numerous voices respond to Jason's statement from outside the room. Then the door opens. Michael, James, and Greg are all standing there, grinning like maniacs."Hi." "Derek! We heard someone was invited from Hogwarts. Someone you might know. They'll be here any minute." I remove my arm from Jason's shoulders and push past the group of young men and head down the hallway towards the stairs. The group catches up to me. "What are you going to do at the party tonight?" "Well, I don't drink...yet. I might just walk in the gardens." Greg nods in agreement. "It's peaceful out there. No one really bothers you." Then someone opens their door and steps out into the hallway about ten feet away. "...Who is that?" Michael leans close to me. "That, is Emily Vixen. Every guy in the college wants to go out with her. Can't blame them either. I would, if she asked me." Emily stops walking towards the stairs, turns, and calls my name. "Derek? My father said that he wants to see you. The problem is, he is in his study upstairs, and I have to escort you. Will you join me?" I step away from my friends and nod. "I will." Behind me, my friends begin to act like idiots. I shake my head in bafflement at their behavior and walk towards Emily.

The Headmaster's Office

"Come in." I open the door for Derek and step into the room. A man is standing at the window, looking down at the proceedings of the coming party. "Father, I brought Derek. You said that you wished to see him?" "I did." My father turns away from the window and walks towards us.

He reaches Derek and puts his scarred hands on his shoulders. "Derek. You've excelled in everything that we have offered you. I wish the past could disappear...but it always come back. I fear now is that time. Come," Henry guides the boy over to the window. "Tell me what you see." Then the headmaster notices a change in Derek. ...He looks more...royal. I wonder if that rumor of his line being Dukes is true… "...What I see, is peace. No wars, no one fighting each other, everything is as it should be." Then Derek turns to face Henry and his eyes widen. There's someone else standing in front of him. "...Samuel. W-what are you doing here?" "To tell you dreadful news." The spirit's eyes flame up. "Hanson is coming here. When, we cannot say, but you must protect your daughter, Henry, for even now, you are still the King, and your Daughter the Princess. Derek must accept that he is more than your student. He will be your Hero. Show him the shrine. Tell him of me and the rest of us." Sam smiles softly. "Link somehow managed to get an invitation to come here. Along with a friend of his. Let them come up here." Then someone seems to be saying something that only Sam can hear. "...I am needed elsewhere. Farewell, and good luck."

Henry is kneeling before me, looking as if he saw something horrifying. "...Derek...I….I must show you something…." He looks up at me. "You heard of what happened here? Numerous times?" I nod. "The wars? I have heard of them. But why should we care? The man hasn't been seen in three hundred years." "He might show up tonight. And we need to be ready for him if he does." Just then, there's a knock on the oak door. "...Henry? Someone is here to see you….he says that he was given an invitation…" Henry gets up and walks over to the door and opens it.

"Come in, both of you." As the two cross the threshold and enter the room, one of them nods to Henry. "Mr. Vixen." Henry gestures towards Emily and I. "Go and greet them. You've haven't seen Derek in a few years, correct?" "I would have come back sooner...except I was needed elsewhere." Henry nods in understanding.

After we make introductions, Henry tells us that there is a room that has not been seen by human eyes for over fifty years. I, for one, have no idea what is going on, so I decide to start asking questions. "...When I was looking outside...something happened to me. Something that I cannot explain...but….I feel this….need, if you would call it that...and I think that whatever is in this room you wish to show me is….calling me…" I look at the others and shake my head. "It's probably nothing. Henry, show us this room, before the celebration starts." The Headmaster nods and moves towards a rug hanging on the wall. "Do you know what this is?" I walk up to it. Then I notice something. ...That's odd...maybe...if I do this...I lift up the rug and behind it, is an ancient door. I stare at it. "Go on, open it." I reach out, grab the broken doorknob, and open the door.

The Hidden Chamber

Hyrule Castle

"...This was part of the castle, right?" "Yes. This, was the Hidden Chamber, where most of the artifacts were kept up to about ten years ago. Now, of course, they're all in the museum down the road from here...At least this room is completely original." I turn. Henry is standing in the doorway, smiling at me. "Aren't you going to come in here?" He shakes his head. "No, because you need to see what is in here yourself." He steps back and closes the door, leaving me in near darkness.

.What's that light? I somehow manage to walk across the room without tripping over anything, and I come upon a glass case. ...Doesn't look very big...Then I look inside the case...and what I see makes my heart stop for a second.

Inside the case, resting on red cushions, is a sword. But not like any sword I've ever seen. The pommel is some kind of blue stone, the hilt is covered in some kind of hide, the crossguard is a blue bird's wings, spread in flight, and the blade itself...is glowing. That's what was creating the light! This is the same sword that was on that rug! ...Wait...Engraved into the blade, near the crossguard, is a triangle, a facet. …..If this is what I think it is...then...why is it in here, instead of in the garden? I realize that I've spent more time in here then I should, and I turn my back on the case and leave the room.

The Playing Field

Hyrule College

9:00 P.M.

Pretty much all that happened is that I came out of the room, and all of us either started to help set up for the party or went to make ourselves look presentable. Emily asked me to dance with her. Of course I said yes.

"This place has changed a lot in three years." "Yes it has. We had to renovate everything. Took a while, but it was worth it." Derek and I are standing near one of the many food tables, bringing each other up to date on what's happened since we last saw each other. "I still can't believe everything that you did." I nod. "I can't either. I feel kind of sad that the present caught up with this place, but it needed to be done." Then Derek looks up towards the Headmaster's office. "...I wonder why that sword was in that case...must be for a reason…" While Derek was saying this, I was looking towards the massive forest that surrounds the college, but I snap my head back in Derek's direction and stare at him. "...What sword would that be?" Derek lowers his head and turns back to face me. "...Well...it had a blue stone set in the pommel, some kind of hide was covering the hilt, a pair of blue wings was the crossguard...a golden diamond was centered at the top of the crossguard and the beginning of the blade...was glowing...and then there was this...facet, three triangles forming a bigger triangle...engraved into the blade...Do you know what it is?" In response, I reach behind me and remove the cloak I've had on since I got here.

"...That's it. How did you…" I grin at Derek and unsheathe the sword. "...Let's just say that I've been lots of places. Different worlds, the past…" "You went back in time?" I nod. "On several occasions." Just then, I notice Emily walking over to us and I decide to leave.

"Hi. I've been looking all over for you." I look up at the moon that's high in the sky. "Nice night, isn't it?" "...The sky's not supposed to look like that…" The sky is turning black, like storm black. Then, lighting lights up the playing field and I can see everyone stare at each other, then at the sky. Then it's dark again. Not knowing what to do, I reach out towards Emily and she clings to me. "Stay close." "Does it look like I want to leave you?"

"Link! Wait!" I turn around to see Lauren running towards, me, her sword in one hand and a ball of magic in the other. She stops before me, panting. "...What's wrong?" "Everything. ...Something….is out there….beyond the walls….can't you feel it?" The ground shakes then. A couple of trees fall and the two of us stare at each other. Then, something roars in the distance, about a mile away. "What was that?" Now I can hear things being broken and some beast making noises. I unsheathe my sword and hold it in front of me. Then the noises stop. "I think it's gone." But then I see drops of water falling in front of me, and I slowly turn around...

"SSSSKKKKKKKKRRAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" A roar rises up out of the forest, a roar of rage and pure hatred. "...What was that?" I look down at Emily, who is gripping my suit so much that it's torn a bit. THUD. THUD. THUD. THUD. ….Great Hylia….it's….A gigantic beast emerges from the forest, covered in blood and wielding a golden trident. It roars again and charges at everyone in front of it.

"...Ow….that hurt…." I somehow manage to stand up and walk over to the entrance to the forest. Link joins me a few seconds later. "...Well. I wasn't expecting this…" We look at each other. "...Neither was I. Come on, the least we can do is try to get him away from everyone else…" The two of us move as fast as we can out of the forest, but we're too late.