In addition to being the youngest knight ever appointed to the Imperial Guard, Link was also by far the most skilled soldier to have served as a Hylian Knight.
And all before he'd even turned seventeen.
It had nothing to do with pedigree, or favor, or cheating - despite the accusations of such by Link's peers. Training alongside the absolute best of the best in the Imperial Guard pipeline, Link found himself still scrapping, still fighting for every single little inch of progress.
Nobody worked harder than him. Nobody faced more resistance or adversity. Nobody was ever doubted as much as he was. Yet he pushed through his nearly two years of brutal, intense training with laser-focus and a calm, silent demeanor. His attitude eventually earned him the trust and the respect of everyone around him.
Before he'd even known it, he had been promoted to Captain.
And before he'd even known it… he had gone totally silent. He'd fully retreated into himself. The happy, carefree young boy had become a stoic young man, forced to grow up just a little bit too fast. He was a mere child, now thrust into a cold adult world - a repressed spirit longing to be unleashed.
Link still spoke at times, sure. But only when it was truly necessary, and only when he was out of the public eye. Only when his duties as Captain demanded it, and when the cold stares of expectation weren't bearing down on him. Yet his unique promotion had brought about all the fanfare and bombast one might expect from someone as young and talented as he. It didn't help that he was the son of a rather popular Captain either. And with more and more eyes fixating on him, enclosing him, strangling him, Link knew of only one safe place to retreat - his mind. As the specter of Calamity Ganon's possible return cast a grim shadow over the Kingdom of Hyrule, his silent focus only grew in intensity. As did the intensity of King Rhoam and Zelda's preparations...
The pilots for each of the four divine beasts had been chosen from among the diverse races of Hyrule. Their skills as warriors unmatched, these pilots had been dubbed "Champions" by the king in order to forge a unique bond between them in solidarity. The very first meeting between the selected Champions was scheduled to take place in Hyrule Castle, very soon.
There were three primary objectives for the champions in this meeting:
One: To receive basic training for operating the divine beasts.
Two: To train the knights of the Hylian Royal Guard for the potential ensuing war against Calamity Ganon.
And three: To determine just which of these elite soldiers of the kingdom would have the distinct honor of taking their place as the Hylian Champion. The chosen hero... who would follow in the footsteps of legend.
"Less talking, more slashing!"
Urbosa.
She was a member of the Gerudo - a race of tall, red-haired and dark-skinned people composed entirely of women. Renowned far and wide for her ferocious skill with the scimitar and shield, Urbosa had been an easy selection as the Gerudo Champion by King Rhoam and Zelda. Her strength and leadership were truly unrivaled amongst her peers. She was also quite close to the Royal Family, which certainly helped her case.
Urbosa herself was considered quite beautiful, even by the standards of her own people. Like her fellow Gerudo, she wore very little clothing - only an elaborate breastplate, shoulder guards, and a gold belt to match her jewelry. Also like her fellow Gerudo, she had killer abs - and a killer attitude.
"I have very little tolerance for whining! Do you think your enemies will just let you stop and take a break in the heat of battle?!"
Urbosa had been the first to arrive in Hyrule Castle Town for the meeting, and thus was the first to receive the special blue scarf that was to be awarded to each of the Champions for their selection to the elite group. She chose to wear hers around her waist like a skirt, and it seemed to suit her quite well. Upon her arrival, she had not hesitated to begin her clinic on swordsmanship for the members of the Hylian Royal Guard - literally assembling the group the very moment she'd received her Champion scarf.
"When you finish form practice, I want you to find a partner and begin sparring. Your Captain will advise…"
Urbosa turned and began to make her way up the stairs overlooking the small training field that these knights were practicing in. From her view at the top, she analyzed each of the soldiers, noting their strengths and weaknesses. She smiled.
In spite of her frequent taunts and verbal abuses towards them, Urbosa was genuinely impressed by the skill, determination, and strength exhibited by these imperial knights. They were the most elite members of the entire Hylian army, and it showed in their dedication. By contrast, she found that the soldiers of her own people would be completely tuckered out and complaining by now. These Hylian knights were impressive indeed.
Even more impressive, however, was a certain Hylian boy among the ranks of the elite guard… The young Captain.
Link.
With his silent demeanor, he was now calmly directing his fellow knights into neat rows for spar practice. He had exchanged only a handful of words to Urbosa since she'd arrived, but in those very few words she'd already known that he commanded quite a hefty amount of respect.
He… is truly special, Urbosa thought. I can see why King Rhoam speaks so highly of him . She glanced over at Princess Zelda, whose cold, flat stare did very little to hide the underlying scowl on her face.
... And I can see why she resents it so much.
She walked over, put a hand on the princess's shoulder. Zelda's icy, cold persona seemed to melt in appreciation of the gesture. She looked up at Urbosa, nodded respectfully. "The Royal Family wishes to express its most sincere gratitude for your work here, Lady Urbosa."
"Oh, drop the formalities, princess ." Urbosa replied, with a smile. "We're all friends here."
Zelda smiled back. "Indeed." She turned and faced the soldiers, who were now aggressively sparring with each other. They were giving it their all, despite having been training non-stop for several hours now. Already they were looking much-improved from the previous day, entirely under Urbosa's critical eye. Zelda looked each one over, evaluated them…
Then her eyes narrowed.
She spotted Link again, silently giving instructions and tips on each soldier's form. Each of these elite imperial guards followed the direction of the young Captain without hesitation, seemed to greatly respect and admire him - despite many of them being nearly twice his age.
The cold stare immediately returned on Zelda's face. And this didn't go unnoticed by her observant Gerudo friend.
"That boy…" Urbosa said, "is really something else. I've spent the entire day nitpicking and training every single soldier here. I've found countless flaws with each and every one of them. All except for him. There is basically nothing for me to teach him."
Zelda nodded bitterly in agreement.
Urbosa continued. "And yet... he still trains himself brutally, consistently, and without compromise. As if he's a mere novice rather than a master swordsman. He gives and receives instruction freely and humbly." She crossed her arms, smiled at Zelda. "...And perhaps that is the reason why he finds so much success."
Zelda's face remained unchanged.
Urbosa shrugged. "But you on the other hand, should give yourself a little more credit." Zelda raised an eyebrow at this.
"What's with that look? I'm serious. You have your own legacy to look after. And I have to say, you're doing a good job of filling in some rather… enormous shoes."
She was referring, of course, to Zelda's mother - the late queen of Hyrule, who had passed away when Zelda was but a mere child. The queen was beloved across the land, loved and admired for her mastery of the sealing magic that was inherited by women born into the royal family of Hyrule. Tragically, she died before she could pass any of the knowledge of this power to her young daughter, Princess Zelda.
The princess finally broke her temporary silence. "I cannot deny… that I feel the pressure of expectation. And even now, ten years later… I find myself missing my mother terribly." Zelda looked up at Urbosa again, and smiled.
"But I must thank you , Urbosa. For being just like a mother to me for all these years. It has been a tremendous help." Urbosa patted Zelda on the head and shrugged.
"Well then, Zelda. As your mother … Might I suggest that you and Captain Link… try to get along?"
The infamous scowl returned.
And Urbosa suddenly broke out into loud, boisterous laughter.
Daruk.
The Champion of the Gorons. Like the rest of his people, he was big, brown, bulky, and bold. A largely silicon-based race of rock-eaters, the considerable weight of the rock-like Goron people was matched only by the weight of their big hearts. This was the same for Daruk. However, he was widely considered formidably strong - even for a Goron. His enormous stone-colored beard and frayed hair made his appearance all the more threatening. Yet he was respected and admired by his people as a great warrior as well as a gentle leader, which contributed to his selection as the Goron Champion.
He had arrived only one day after Urbosa. Upon receiving his Champion scarf, he chose to wrap it across his chest as a badge of honor. Like the Gerudo Champion, this personal touch suited him quite well.
As a master of two-handed weaponry, Daruk was asked by King Rhoam to help hone the elite guard's claymore techniques. While he didn't consider himself much of a teacher, Daruk humbly complied with the king's request. At first glance, Daruk might have seemed like a bumbling oaf to the imperceptive individual… But he was surprisingly deep-thinking and analytical when it came to interpersonal dealings.
"Better toughen up, you weak little pebbles!"
He just chose not to show it.
"Fifty more push-ups, let's go! I want to hear you counting !"
Before he'd even started his weapons clinic, Daruk was putting these elite knight through the ringer with strength conditioning. At three-hundred fifty push-ups and counting, these poor soldiers were already on the verge of collapse.
That is, except for Link. It seemed he hadn't even broken a sweat yet. Daruk grinned. He'd immediately developed a liking for the quiet young Hylian. He was expecting some rather big things from this little guy...
As they finished their push-ups - with Link performing an extra one-hundred reps for good measure - a tall figure suddenly burst into the room, striking a dramatic pose.
A cloud of blue feathers, a pair of outstretched wings…
"It is I. The Rito Champion, Master Revali."
The figure took a bow. "I apologize for my intrusion..." Daruk waved the interruption off, nodded cordially at his Champion counterpart.
Revali was a tall member of the Rito tribe, a birdlike race of debatable origin - though they were commonly believed to have possibly evolved from the Zora several millenia ago. His slender build, adorned with dark blue feathers frayed with white strands, masked his great strength. He was dressed in typical Rito attire, simple red vest with white accents and a pair of baggy, tan pants. As he'd only just arrived, he had yet to receive his Champion scarf. A master bowman, Revali was selected as the Rito Champion and subsequently tasked with honing the archery skills of the imperial guard.
Revali's green eyes narrowed as he spotted Link approaching him...
"Ah, and this must be the famous young Captain I've been hearing so much about." he sneered. Link held his hand out for a shake, and Revali returned the gesture. The shake lasted a bit too long though, with Revali's grip tightening more and more, testing the young Hylian's strength. Link responded with single a bone-crushing squeeze before finally letting go.
Ignoring the pain in his winged right hand, Revali turned his attention to the other knights, spreading his wings dramatically in a welcoming gesture. "I'd like to get to know each and every one of you! Allow me… to take you all out for drinks tonight! My treat!"
He certainly knew how to charm a room. The knights all turned their focus on Link, who nodded his head in approval at Revali's gesture. They let out a cheer for the Rito Champion, before quickly assembling in front of a training dummy for the first phase of combat practice.
Link smiled. As a Captain, he'd certainly grant his knights leave for the evening. They'd been working quite hard over the last couple of days and definitely deserved a night of fun. He on the other hand… would have to refrain from partaking in the festivities. Link was, after all, underage; a fact which Revali seemed to know all too well…
"I must apologize that you are unable to join us... Captain." he crossed his wings. "Maybe someday in the future, when you're a bit… fuller-fledged. " Revali grinned as he spread his wings and flew to the upper platform where Princess Zelda was, once again, overseeing the events below.
Link was unmoved by Revali's teasing. He had no intention of participating anyway, even if he was old enough to drink. He'd have the training rooms all to himself tonight. And he looked forward to another late-night of sword and spear practice in peace and solitude-
"Link!"
CRACK!
A massive hand slammed Link on his back. Daruk's hand. Link winced slightly, stretched his spine, massaged his shoulder as he glanced up at Daruk...
"What's say you and I spend some quality time together tonight instead, eh?" A rare grin slipped across Link's face as he nodded at the offer.
He found that he quite liked Daruk. The goron was genuine, unassuming, and sincere. All admirable traits in Link's mind. Daruk smiled back. "I'm not really interested in 'going out on the town' or whatever they call it here. The garbage they drink is as good as water to me anyway. Like to see one of these lightweights try the stuff we make back home - they'd melt into a puddle on the floor. Literally!" His boisterous laughter warmed Link's spirit, and he sighed happily. It seemed his night of peace and quiet would have to wait… But he was quite okay with that.
Daruk walked away from Link and began to pace the floor in front of the other knights. "I want to see what kinda stuff you're made of..." he said to the assembled knights. "Are you pebbles… or are you stones? "
From his back, Daruk produced his gigantic club-like sword made almost entirely of stone. It shook the earth as it fell in front of him.
"This… is the Boulder Breaker . It can crush enemies into fine powder, it can move mountains, it causes earthquakes every time it touches the ground... But I only use it to fan myself once in awhile." The group of knights burst into laughter, as Revali rolled his eyes up above. Zelda was giggling in spite of herself.
Daruk left his weapon on the ground, walking towards the stone dummy he'd placed in the center of the room earlier. "I have a challenge for you lot. If you can destroy this dummy with the Boulder Breaker by the end of the day, I'll personally give you one of these bad boys. And, I'll let you all get out of training early." He wiped his nose. "Trust me… after an hour or two with me, you're gonna want to leave."
A fellow officer assisted Link in handing out practice claymores to the assembled knights.
"But for now... " said Daruk, "Let's get started!"
Combat training began in earnest, with the exhausted knights receiving tips and advice from Daruk. Link himself participated, mostly because he considered his skills with two-handed swords to be incredibly lacking. In no time, however, he was mastering the techniques. And he could see from the looks of it, that Daruk's advice was honing the skills of his peers too.
As the training continued, many of the older, larger knights stepped out and attempted Daruk's dummy challenge - only to fail spectacularly. Most of them could hardly even lift the weapon, and the ones that could found themselves unable to swing it with enough force to even graze the target. They'd returned, frustrated, to the brutal training at-hand.
Still, they refused to make even the slightest complaint, refrained from showing any weakness. But Link was perceptive. He could see the minute weariness growing in each of his fellow soldiers, could see their moves growing all the more sluggish, noted the slightly increasing look of strain on their faces...
Determined, Link rolled up his sleeves, cracked his neck, stretched his arms, and began to walk across the room towards the stone dummy. He'd give it his best shot.
Up above, Revali got himself reacquainted with Princess Zelda. His charm was certainly having its intended effect. The two were getting along swimmingly, just as they had when the princess had first visited the Rito Village earlier that year for the Champion selection.
As Revali looked down from the viewing area, he noticed Link making his way over to attempt Daruk's challenge. He scoffed at this. "Really? What does that scrawny little boy think he's going to accomplish?" he said, loud enough for some of the knights to hear.
But Zelda said nothing. She knew better than to doubt Link's infuriating resolve...
Sure enough, Link somehow managed to at least get the Boulder Breaker off the ground - only to fall over backwards right onto his rear. This produced mocking laughter from Revali. "See?" he said. "Looks like our boy can't even-"
He paused mid-speech. Incapable of giving up, Link had thrown himself right back at the large weapon, lifting up the handle and finding his center of gravity with it. Now balanced, a memory flashed in Link's mind... Sidon spinning like a top during spear training, his frustrated instructor dodging the tip of his spear and yelling in a vain effort to stop the hyperactive Zora prince...
Link grinned. Using the Boulder Breaker's weight as a counterbalance, Link began to spin uncontrollably, the force of his spin causing the heavy end of the weapon to lift and extend from his outstretched hands. He focused on the target as he spun, adjusted his trajectory, drew the tip closer and closer…
...And violently impacted the stone dummy, shattering it into a thousand pieces.
Link dropped the Boulder Breaker in triumph and calmly walked away.
The training grounds erupted in a mass of cheers, as the relieved knights ran over to congratulate Link on his triumph. Even the nearby Sheikah men, performing maintenance on repaired guardian stalkers nearby, clapped at Link's entertaining accomplishment. Daruk crossed his arms and grinned.
Looks like we can expect some big things, indeed…
Up above, Revali rolled his eyes as Zelda shook her head in disbelief.
"He's... merely a showoff." Revali said. He gestured at the bow on his back. "What good is bumbling brute force like that, when you can simply eliminate your target from over five-hundred yards away?"
Zelda shared Revali's sentiments regarding Link. "To be fair," she said, "I believe that a well-balanced skillset is rather crucial for any successful knight..." She grinned at Revali. "But I do agree, that brute force isn't always necessary, when precision is just as effective."
She rather liked Revali. He was cocky and a bit too sure of himself, sure. But he would always say exactly what was on his mind, without fail. And she genuinely respected that.
But Link… she could never tell what he was thinking. He seemed to know just how to get under her skin. To her, his silence was a weapon; and he wielded it just as heftily as the Boulder Breaker itself.
"It seems that the Zora Champion will be arriving a bit later than expected," said the Royal Messenger. "As such, the King wishes for Captain Link to provide some interim spearmanship training in her absence."
Link's stoic face did little to hide his disappointment. He'd been looking forward to this day, to her arrival, for several weeks now. He quickly buried this emotion deep inside his heart.
The messenger continued. "The King also requests that the knights of the elite guard train with the new prototype spears developed by the Sheikah... " as he said this, a pair of Sheikah warriors entered the room, each carrying a handful of the new weapons. This was the first time Link had seen these prototypes, and at first glance he found that he quite liked the style. Their black-metal surface contrasted sharply with the standard-issue royal spears that were gold and silver in color.
Link pulled his own weapon from his back - the Silverscale spear - and began to pace in front of the assembled group of knights. They wobbled and groaned slightly, still seemingly hungover from their drunken misadventures with Revali the previous night. Some of them examined their new prototype weapons, noting how light and well-balanced they felt in the hand.
Link briefly glanced up at the viewing platform above. Revali and Princess Zelda were conspicuously absent, but Daruk and Urbosa were in attendance. They both waved at the young Captain, and he nodded back. Turning his full attention to the elite guards, now armed with the prototype Royal Guard spears, Link got to work...
Above, Daruk and Urbosa were getting thoroughly acquainted with each other. They were both rather fond of the young Captain, with Daruk already declaring Link his brother after their quiet chat the previous night, "If it were up to me, " said Daruk, "I'd have selected Link as the Hylian Champion immediately. "
"I believe the King shares your sentiments, Daruk," said Urbosa, "...However, until he draws that darkness sealing weapon, he's just as good as a regular old soldier in the public's eye." She smiled. "But if anyone here can do it… I would have to say that he's the most likely candidate…"
The training continued for several hours, with Link demonstrating many of the fine-tuned techniques he'd honed in Zora's Domain years prior. Unfortunately, he was forced to cut their training short a bit early. These new Sheikah-developed prototypes had proven to be just a little bit too effective, as their razor-sharp ends had completely shredded every single one of their test dummies. And besides that, Link couldn't take much more of the groaning and puking from the hungover guards. He was beginning to regret granting them leave the previous night...
After assembling in the dining hall for a quick meal, the imperial knights retreated back to their quarters to turn in early for the night. It was, after all, a rather big day tomorrow...
A quick shower later, and Link was sitting on his bunk in the officer's quarters of Hyrule Castle. Splayed out on his bed was a series of notes… the very ones he'd exchanged with Mipha near the end of his last visit to the Domain almost two years ago.
Sadly, all candidates in the Imperial Guard pipeline were strictly barred from sending or receiving mail for the entire duration of their training. This, of course, didn't stop Link from at least trying to get a few letters out, but he was largely unsuccessful. As a result, he took to scouring these old notes tonight - just as he had done every single night since the start of this training pipeline. His face flashed a rare trace of joy as he perused Mipha's words for about the thousandth time...
Have you ever noticed that Muzu's fins will twitch a bit when he is extremely angry? Perhaps you should consider pranking him some time. See for yourself.
-Your Lady
A rather interesting Sheikah scientist met with us at the site today. Her name is Purah. She seems to be Impa's sister, though you'd never know it at first. They could not be any more dissimilar!
Impa is rather calm and reserved. Boring.
Purah, on the other hand, is incredibly energetic and quirky. Reckless.
Does that remind you of a certain pair?
-The Boring Princess
I am a bit embarrassed to admit it. I am entirely out of my comfort zone with this divine beast research. I was never particularly good with technology and science, as Muzu will not hesitate to remind me of. Anyway.
I cannot help but feel a bit out-of-place alongside these brilliant minds. My own intellect utterly pales in comparison. Some days I long for the simpler times of our youth, when our only duty was to the whims of the present, and not to a future so uncertain.
Nevertheless, I will persevere as the selected pilot for Vah Ruta. I take this duty rather seriously you see. Even if I am a bit... lacking in technical side of things.
-A Fish out of Water
That is astounding! I hope you know that we are all quite proud of you. We'll certainly be cheering you on at a distance.
-Your Biggest Fan
P.S. Have you injured yourself yet? No? Well, get on with it then.
"Hey, Troutbreath". Lieutenant Relk peered his head down from the top bunk. He was Link's fellow officer and bunkmate. And one of his very few friends. "You ready for tomorrow?!"
Link shrugged, continued reading through Mipha's notes...
Relk jumped down. "Well I hope you're prepared for a shock… because I'm gonna be the one to draw that darkness-sealing sword tomorrow." Link nodded in acknowledgement, but wasn't really paying much attention.
He looked at Link, then down at his carefully folded notes, groaned. "How many times can you read through those anyway? It's just the same thing over and over and over..." He paused, then attempted to snatch one from his bed. Link's reflexes made sure that he didn't get very far...
Rubbing his sore hand, the Lieutenant shook his head. "Come on, what do they say, Trout? You're killing me here. Is it your grandma? Your girlfriend? Your uncle? A fish?! What?!" Link just raised an eyebrow, and the Lieutenant shrugged his shoulders. "Aw, you're no fun…" he climbed back up to the top bunk. He knew better than to push too far in teasing Link anyway. Relk had been one of his old trainers from back in the Academy, and he was all too familiar with Link's volatile retaliation to aggression. His shoulder still ached occasionally from when Link had dislocated it in a fight all those years ago.
Free of this minor distraction, Link found himself clutching one last note. Not one of Mipha's, but one that he'd written himself. It remained undelivered, unread. He'd hoped to give it to her upon her arrival that day… He shrugged, buried his emotions again, and turned his focus on the big day ahead. He put the notes away, blew out the candle, laid on his hard pillow.
He allowed himself a single quiet sigh.
Deep down, Link knew that one way or another his entire fate was about to change. If he failed to draw the legendary Master Sword tomorrow, then the weight of responsibility he'd felt for many years would be lifted from his shoulders. But if he was successful … then the pressure of the entire world would threaten to crush him down in an instant.
Whatever the outcome, he was ready.
The Great Hyrule Forest was situated directly northeast of Hyrule Castle. It was only a day's ride away from Castle Town, but the trek to the heart of the forest could take anywhere from a few hours… to an entire week.
Many years before, a survey team managed to finally penetrate deep into the forest to discover just what sort of hidden secrets were at its center. Legends of a mystic sword that was housed deep within had persisted for thousands of years; yet not a single soul had been able to find it in all that time. Countless expeditions had been launched over recent centuries, growing in frequency during the current reign of King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule. With so many souls going missing for many months - many never to return - the forest had been nicknamed The Lost Woods as a sort of warning to any would-be explorer that would dare to sojourn inside of it.
That the mythical Master Sword had finally been discovered deep within the woods just now was only a cruel reminder to the king that Calamity Ganon's return was indeed inevitable. It was as if the forest itself was alive, revealing its hidden treasures only when the time was right.
It was at this time that a large group of Hylian Guards, Sheikah attendants, and the Royal Family itself made their way to the pedestal housing the sacred blade, eager to see if the legends were true: that the sword would choose its master. And only a master who was truly worthy of wielding a blade that could cut through the very darkness itself. In the past, many individuals had tried to draw the legendary blade, and just as many had failed. Only now did the strongest warriors in all of Hyrule finally make their way to the heart of the forest to give it their best shot. And an entire kingdom waited with bated breath to see if the chosen one was indeed numbered among them...
A grunt, a shout, a thud, another knight who needed serious medical attention...
Whatever curse or spell or hex it was that was cast on this weapon, it was causing hearts to literally stop in the chests of any who attempted to draw it from its pedestal. A decorated officer of the Royal Guard was the latest victim, having collapsed in sheer agony on the ground the very instant he touched the hilt of the Master Sword.
This isn't going well… Zelda thought, as she observed this consistent stream of failure before her. She looked around, saw the pained but curious stares of Sheikah attendants and Royal Guards, and couldn't help but feel that this spectacle was a bit… contrived. As if they were forcing the issue just a bit too hard.
She sighed. Sounds a bit like my entire life, pursuing this cursed power I'm supposed to have-
"I am beginning to think," said Revali, who was seated nearby and struggling to hold back his laughter, "That we're watching the greatest string of failures this world has ever seen."
Nearby, a frustrated Lieutenant Relk glared angrily at the arrogant Rito. He had failed to draw the sword moments earlier. "Well, then, if you've got the time to sit there and mock us, perhaps you'd like to give it a go, eh Rito? "
A chorus of shouts and jeers at Revali prompted him to action.
"Very well then!" he spread his wings and flew straight to the pedestal.
"Allow me to show you Hylians just how it's done." Revali paused, took a deep breath, and grasped the hilt of the Master Sword with both wings. He grunted and heaved as he pulled at the blade with all his might… and for a split second the blade actually seemed to give way.
"AAAAARGH!" Revali suddenly let go, clutching at his chest and gasping for breath. Hylian doctors ran up to administer aid, but he waved them off. Coughing, he slowly made his way back to his seat, as another chorus of jeers and taunts were heaved in his direction-
SHINK.
Dead silence settled into the sacred grove.
Revali slowly turned his head, his jaw dropped.
A scrawny, blonde-haired Hylian boy stood above the pedestal, arms in the air.
In his hands: the Master Sword. Finally removed from the pedestal that had housed it for nearly ten thousand years.
Slowly, the young Captain lifted the sword, pointed it straight up in the air. A gleam of light flashed across the blade, as if it was demonstrating its tacit approval to its new master.
Slowly, a wave of murmurs and whispers filled Link's ears as he clung tightly to the blade. He lowered the sword, turned to face his awestruck audience, and calmly nodded.
The cheers that erupted could have been heard all the way to back to Zora's Domain. Even King Rhoam found himself grinning wildly in approval of this latest development. He'd been right about that boy after all...
"WELL!"
A booming voice suddenly cut through all the excitement.
Dead silence, yet again.
"It is good… to see your return, o courageous one."
It was coming… from a tree. The enormous tree in front of the pedestal that was propped in the center of this forest clearing. Many had commented upon their arrival that the tree's face resembled that of an elderly Hylian's. And now they could see why.
"I… am the guardian of this forest. I have been referred to as the Deku Tree over the ages…" The stunned crowd just stared quietly at the sight. "I can see…" the Deku Tree continued, "That we seem to have ourselves an audience. If I may… I must request a bit of privacy with the young Master… and your Hylian princess."
Many attendants spoke up in opposition, but they were quickly shushed by King Rhoam. He knew very well about the legends of the Deku Tree… and he would adhere to legend as much as possible for the sake of his kingdom.
When the crowd had departed to the perimeter of the clearing, the Deku Tree began his discussion with the young princess and captain.
"By drawing this blade, young master, you have become its chosen one. You are destined to become the hero that will save this land from ruin yet again."
He's always been the 'chosen one', Zelda thought bitterly, though she quickly brushed this from her mind.
"As for you, Princess Zelda… I see that you have not yet awakened your powers. This will be most critical in the days to come… you will be instrumental in beating back the threat of darkness." Zelda nodded.
"It is my hope that the two of you will find success in your partnership. Just as your ancestors have done, time and time again. I wanted to ensure… that you understood the gravity of the situation you find yourselves in. Now go forth, and be prepared for the upcoming trials still ahead. I pray that the Goddesses will be with you…"
With that, he was finished. Link and Zelda glanced at each other, nodded respectfully, then began to make their way back to the waiting crowd.
"We must make preparations at once." King Rhoam said. Zelda had just finished briefing him on the Deku Tree's words. "We have many things to set into motion now, if we are to follow perfectly in the footsteps of our ancestors. Zelda, you will begin constant training to unlock your sealing power. Do whatever it takes to make this happen. Do you understand?"
"...Yes father."
"Good. As for Master Link... I do believe a celebration is in order. Shall we?"
The cluster of Royal Guards walked in a perimeter around the Royal Family, with the Sheikah tribe members bringing up the rear. As they made their way back through the Lost Woods, guided by surveyors, Revali drew alongside Zelda.
"Oh, Revali!" Zelda said. "I keep forgetting to give this to you." She reached into a bag held by one of her attendants. From inside, she pulled out a long, blue piece of cloth - Revali's Champion scarf. He quickly tied it around his neck.
"How do I look?" he asked.
"Like a Champion indeed…" Zelda said. She glanced over at Link, who was walking by himself outside the perimeter of his fellow guards, the Master Sword already sheathed on his back. The sword gleamed at her. Taunted her. She found herself glaring involuntarily. "And I suppose we'd better make arrangements to suit up our new Hylian Champion with a uniform of his own," she said.
Revali noticed her glare, held his wings up in mock defeat. "...Guess we shouldn't have expected anything less from the 'chosen one' himself…" he scoffed.
Zelda shook her head.
"Some people are just born lucky I suppose… just simply gifted..." She sighed. "...I'll bet that he's never had to struggle even a single day for his entire life..."
Next is Memories of Mipha Part 4: Hylian Champion.