Link stood in a large arena with hundreds of other kids his age, everyone was holding their breath, waiting in suspense. However, as nervous as everyone looked around him, link felt utterly calm, despite the tournament ahead. His breathing was even as he stared right ahead at the dais where the princess would soon be in a few minutes to give her welcoming speech.
Colin, his best friend, stood next him looking strangely calm. Link simply raised an eyebrow in surprise. Colin never seemed like the fighting type to him, maybe he had greatly misjudged his friend.
As link stood there he couldn't help but feel like he was supposed to do this, like he was born to do this. Up to this moment, the tournament seemed like a foreboding cloud hanging over his head but now everything felt right.
The crowd grew eerily silent as the princess made her way to the raised platform ahead of him. Link could help but gasp when he saw the princess. It wasn't her beauty that gained his attention, she was beautiful, what shocked him was that she was the girl from his dream.
The girl from his dream had been younger, at least four years, but there was no mistaking her golden brown hair and deep blue eyes. It was her.
Colin looked at link like he was crazy, and maybe he was. "Stop starring. It's creepy." He hissed quietly, so the only link could hear.
Link got ahold of himself and listened to speech the princess was about to make.
"As you all know this tournament's goal is to determine who has the Courage, Power, and Wisdom become my champion and honor guard. I take this seriously with all of my heart so, I beseech you to do the same. This is not a game for young boys to play. This is a test for only the strongest of men. These tasks are meant to test you and I dare say, they are not easy. Arrogance will lead you astray and only the humble will have any chance. You will not just be tested on your skills, but your character. Remember, courage is not the absence of fear, what makes you courageous is when you overcome your fears. I believe in all of you, but I am only looking for one champion. Thank you."
The crowd fidgeted nervously, looking at those closest to them for some kind of reassurance. Link instead was in deep thought, his mind running rampant with so many questions that he accumulated over the past few days. Why was the princess of Hyrule in his dream and why did he collapse in the first place? He only knew that he now had the urge to win this whole thing and ask her himself.
Thirty minutes later the first task was about to start. He still didn't know what it was, but he was hoping it was something rather simple, so he might have a chance at making it to the next task. Link stood up abruptly with the rest of hundred teens when the king came out.
"I am greatly sorry for the wait. I'm sure you are all very anxious. Your first task today will be archery." Link smiled, archery he was good at. "You must shoot perfectly at the target while you are on your horse. The track has already been set up. You have one minute to hit as many as you can. We will go in alphabetical order, starting with Alon Andrews. While the contender is competing please be respectful. Any cheating will automatically get you disqualified. Thank you."
The hoard of teenagers started their walk to the track. There were wooden chairs on different levels so all could see. The princess and her family sat on a raised platform looking on intently.
The first competitor, Alon Andrews went first. He wasn't that bad, but he did miss quite a number of targets as his horse ran. It seemed to link that the boy had never ridden a horse before that day by the way the horse kept trying to eat some grass nearby.
The next few people went by in a blur. They were nothing very special talent. Almost every single one of them missed quite a few targets.
"Colin Ordan." Link jumped to attention as his best friend's name was called. He gave him a reassuring nod as he went down towards the track.
Link held his breath for his best friend as he mounted his horse Twili. He had never seen Colin ever do archery in his life and was very unsure of how the seventeen-year-old would do.
A large whistle went off and Colin and his horse sprung into action. His bow was drawn and he shot accurately, but it seemed not fast enough. Several of the targets he didn't have time to shoot. Colin had done better than everyone so far. He let loose his last arrow with a loud crashing sound. It hit the target right in the middle. The crowd erupted into large applause and link couldn't help but smile at his best friend.
When Colin made his way back to his seat Link gave him a large pat on the back. "Great job." He told him, smiling.
Several more people went by. There was nothing extraordinary about them. One kid by the name of Lance missed every single one.
And then, Links name was called.
"Link Ryans." The announcer called, motioning him to come forward.
He breathed in a deep breath. Every single eye in the stadium was on him as he moved down to where Epona was.
"We can do this." He muttered into Epona's mane quietly, so only he could hear. He mounted his steed gracefully and trotted to the start line.
His bow was held in his hand, his quiver at his back, he was ready. He took in a deep breath in and out. The roar of the crowd seemed to disappear like memories in the wind. No one else mattered, the only things that did was Epona and his bow. The whistle went off and link charged with deadly speed. His aim was true as he hit each target with accuracy. Link felt strange as he hit target after target. It was like he was made to do this. He notched an arrow and hit a target with such strength you could see that it had gone straight through. He notched another arrow while he pushed Epona to jump over a fence that was used as an obstacle. It hit perfectly. He wasn't sure what made him do it, but he notched two, three arrows at the same time. He let them fly and they found their mark.
The whistle went off signaling that Link had run out of time. He was in a daze when he stopped and hadn't realized that he had hit every single target with expert precision. He looked back, shocked. He hadn't even remembered doing it. It was like someone had taken over his body.
Link wasn't the only one shocked though. The crowd was dead silent in shock. No one moved or made a sound. It was like someone had just died and they were all waiting to see what had happened.
Then the crowd went into a large roar. Link made his to his seat, frowning as hundreds of eyes watched him. He felt so strange and his hand began to burn. He looked at his hand, expecting to find a cut from the arrows. What he didn't expect to find there, where three triangles glowing brightly in his hand.