Ok, well, I was originally gonna work on L&S first, but writer's block killed me and so I just decided to write for this instead, since it basically was already written and didn't need as much heavy revision as the last chapter so it was a fairly quick fix. Plus, finals suck but I'm almost done them (even if I bombed like two of them :P) which means a lot more time for writing during Christmas break! Hooray! Anyway, thanks to everyone who followed/favorited. Now onto the reviews!
NGS: It got me good too, especially since I was crying as I wrote it! And indeed, that witch is finally gone! Hooray! And YES that was totally a Korra reference! Glad that someone noticed, since that scene messed me up when I watched it in all the right ways! Hahaha
Jarvis R. Yeriel: I'm glad you liked it, since I personally LOVED it! I thought that part was totally epic, though I have to say my favorite part was the ending with Farore comforting Link while he essentially "died", but that's just me. :D
Link The Hero of Light: I think we'll all need to go do that after a chapter like that... :(
ShadowRouge: It tore my heart to shreds too! But will he come back? Perhaps this chapter will tell? ;)
RandomButLoved: We really do though! hahaha... Majora's persistence was certainly interesting for me to write, but of course, I always make sure to give Link that small spark of his heroic spirit to guide him through no matter what! Veran got hers finally, but I agree with you about the ending. I really wanted to establish a sort of mother/son dynamic with Farore and Link and so I'm glad it showed, since I'm going to do something similar with their eventual connection in L&S
Nintendoman01: Poor Link indeed... But yes, ding dong, the witch is gone! hahahah XD Indeed, she did deserve a more gruesome death, but at least she's finally gone, never again to torment anyone ever again...
silverhawk88: I really do tend to do that, don't I? I personally wasn't humming Fi's Lament as I was writing it (instead I was listening to happy Christmas music, so I have no idea how it ended up being as sad as it was!)
Anyway, that's it for now! Enjoy the chapter!
Chapter 36: The Eternal Cycle
"When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you, to deliver you from the way of evil…"
-Proverbs 2: 10-11
As the light faded and Zelda regained her vision, she lowered her bow to take in the newfound calm of the temple, the sounds of a violent, bloody battle no longer echoing throughout its stone walls. Indeed, not a trace of Veran remained; the Master Sword was once again buried into the Pedestal of Time, as though it had never been moved before at all. The Sorceress of Shadows was at long last vanquished, her terror nevermore to reign across Hyrule and her evil to never again destroy innocent.
While she was relieved that their treacherous foe was no more, what caught the princess's attention most of all was her hero standing on the other side of the room, still wearing the Fierce Deity's Mask. Zelda took in a sharp breath as she ran towards him, praying and hoping that now that the battle was over, he would be able to take the mask off again, just as he had back in Termina. The princess stopped short a few feet away from him, noticing that he was not moving whatsoever, but rather simply standing firm and statue-like, his arms held at his sides in clenched fists and his expression cold and vacant. His pure white eyes stared off into the distance, not fixating on anything at all, only now they looked emptier than ever before. Zelda bit her lip and continued to move closer to him nonetheless, though she was somewhat fearful of what could happen next if the mask was still in control of him. Staring up into his face, she stood before him and slowly took one of his hands, noticing how icy cold and stiff it was, almost as if he was dead even though he still stood upright.
"Link..." she whispered gently, with a small, yet somewhat sad smile, taking his other hand and holding them both tightly to warm them. "Link, it's me, Zelda... I… I don't know if you already know this but… Veran's gone... We won... We defeated her… You defeated her…So... Please... Take that mask off now... You don't have to wear it anymore or ever again…" The hero did not so much as even move upon her touch, much to the princess' despair as she persisted nonetheless. "Link, please!" she tried again, this time with more desperation in her voice. "You... You have to take it off! I... I don't know what I'll do without you! Please," she said mournfully as tears began to stream down her cheeks. "I need you... I... I love you..."
Zelda let out a shaky, tearful breath as she gazed up into the stone-cold, emotionless face of her hero, a face that once held such life and warmth. Refusing to accept that he was truly gone, the princess tentatively placed her hands against the side of his face, gasping softly as her fingers brushed over what seemed to be the almost unnoticeable edges of the mask covering it. A burst of hope coursed through her as she slowly and carefully began to pull it off of him, finding that it was not as hard to do as she had anticipated. A white light enveloped Link as she did so, forcing Zelda to close her eyes and look away lest she be blinded by it. However, what bewildered her was the fact that as soon as she removed the mask from his face fully, it suddenly dissipated into thin air, though for what reason, the princess had no idea.
Upon looking to the hero once more, the princess let out a horrified, heartbroken gasp at his appearance. Indeed, he had returned to his original height and he was once again clad in his usual green attire, save for his cap, which was strangely missing, but the normality ended there. His hair, which should have been returned to its original golden color, had turned a dull, dark brown, making him look entirely different. But even more disturbing were his eyes, which once again contained pupils, but were still completely devoid of the sky blue that Zelda had come to love over the years. Instead, his eyes were empty and cold, his pitch black, almost hazed over pupils still not focusing on anything whatsoever.
"Link!" Zelda exclaimed in shock, quickly grasping him by the shoulders as she shook him roughly, hoping to break him out of whatever trance he seemed to be in. ""Come on! Just look at me! Please! Say something! Do something! I… I can't just… I can't…"
Her words trailed off into absolute misery as she realized that he was unresponsive, and he always would be, no matter what she did. Link was gone. He had lost himself, his soul, everything he had been, to the immense, uncontrollable power that the Fierce Deity's Mask had put upon him, just as the princess had feared would happen and now he was nothing more than an empty shell, his heart and mind both gone forever. She looked down in absolute misery and cried out loudly as she embraced his cold, almost course-like form, realizing all she had just lost. Never again would she adventure across the land of Hyrule or be comforted in his strong, yet gentle arms. Never again would she see his incredible smile or hear his infectious, wonderful laugh. Never again would he tell her that everything would be alright when all seemed lost or recount to her all of his grand exploits. And now, they would certainly never have the future together that they both had dreamed about and hoped for.
So great was the princess' sorrow that all her former joy over Veran's defeat quickly vanished. Though Link had told her that she would have to move on and live her life without him, she didn't want to. Her heart was broken and she felt as though she couldn't go on without him, no matter how hard she tried. He was the only person she had left in the entire world and now he was gone. She couldn't imagine ever having to be with anyone but him, or living the rest of her life devoid of his love and affection. She was completely and utterly alone and the thought of having to live like this drove her to near insanity. Once again, Zelda cried out in grief, her distraught voice echoing throughout the temple.
"It's not fair!" she shouted in frustration to no one at all. In despondency and devastation, she buried her face into the hero's chest, where she could no longer hear or feel his heart beating since it no longer existed, and she let her tears flow freely. Zelda knew that out of all the people in the world, Link deserved as cruel a fate as losing himself like this the least. He had been the most loyal, most virtuous hero that he could have been. He had saved Hyrule three times now, all for the sake of the princess who he had faithfully pledged his love to and had laid down his very life and essence for. His entire life had been a struggle and despite all of his efforts to keep Hyrule and its princess safe, he would never be able to see the fruits of his never ending labors. His turmoil and pain had been unbearable, to the point that most likely no one, not even Zelda, would know just how much he had truly suffered. And yet, he had always been kind, selfless and courageous, persevering through any challenge that he faced without even thinking about the cost to himself. Link had been nothing less than the perfect example of a hero, the savior that Hyrule had deserved and the champion that had won victory for his kingdom, if not for himself, in the end. But even more than that, he had always been there for Zelda. He was her constant protector, trusted confidant, best friend and only love. And without him, the princess felt as though she had nothing left at all.
As Zelda stood there mourning her loss, memories of their all too brief time together flowed in and out of her mind, from their blissful childhood to the last chance that they had gotten to share their love together just the previous night, even though that felt as though it had been years ago now. At the same time, she also let her mind drift thoughts of what they could have done it fate had been kinder to them. They could have gotten married, had children and lived in peace and joy until the end of their days. They could have recovered and moved on from the horrors of this battle, looking onto brighter, joyous days ahead, days that would be spent together in contented unity and love. But it was not to be, as the princess was bitterly reminded when she looked into the hero's empty, unseeing eyes, along with the fact there was absolutely nothing she could do about it.
What made matters worse is that even if she were to leave him and go back out into the world all alone, she'd be walking into what was essentially a battered, broken graveyard. Hyrule was in complete and total shambles and she knew that; most of her people were most likely dead by now thanks to the chaos that the sorceress had brought upon the kingdom. Even though Veran was gone now, she had certainly left her heavy mark on the land, a mark that even her defeat could not easily lift. She had razed Hyrule to the point that Zelda wondered if there would there even be anything left to rebuild at all. What endless wasteland awaited her just outside of the temple? How many had to die in this senseless massacre? Would Hyrule ever be able to be restored to its former glory after facing such incredible destruction? Was it even worth trying to salvage at all?
With no idea of what to do next, Zelda remained still, with her arms locked tightly around her former hero as her sobs grew soft, but continued on nonetheless, her heart completely shattered and destroyed from all she had lost. She had been standing there for what seemed like ages when all of the sudden, a soft golden glow began to shine behind her, its appearance completely unprecedented within the darkened temple. The princess noticed it only when it grew brighter and a heavenly sound, unlike anything she had ever heard before, rung out from nowhere. Tentatively, she lifted her bowed head and, with her cheeks still stained with falling tears, looked behind her to see something that she never thought she would.
"The Triforce!" Zelda gasped in awe as she saw the golden relic floating in all of its sacred glory several feet behind her, illuminating everything in sight with its heavenly light. Not since ancient days had the Triforce been seen in its physical form and yet here it was, glittering magnificently before her very eyes, just waiting to be touched and wished upon. After a moment of staring at it in shock, the princess realized that, upon Veran's death, the golden relic was now no longer possessed by any one person, and because of that, it was able to appear in its full physical manifestation. Zelda stared at it in astonishment, entranced by its glowing beauty as she wondered why it had appeared in front of her instead of returning to its place in the Sacred Realm. And yet, it was at that moment that a thought occurred to her: perhaps if she touched the Triforce, then the goddesses might grant her any desire, just as the legends of it said would happen. And perhaps, if the goddesses deemed her worthy enough, then they would grant her desires to see the restoration of Link's lost soul and Hyrule's former prosperity.
The idea twisted and turned inside of her mind and the more she thought about it, the more she knew it was the right thing to do, the only thing she really could do now. After all, it wouldn't just be for her own aching heart but for the aching hearts of all of her war-torn, devastated people. It was what they deserved and it was what Link deserved. And so, taking in a deep breath, Zelda turned away from Link to fully face the Triforce. Her heart pounded nervously as she wondered what could potentially happen, but even so, she began to slowly walk towards the golden relic, keeping her eyes locked on it as she hoped that the goddesses would be merciful to all of them. The princess came to a halt only about a foot away from the Triforce and she could already feel the immense sacred power radiating from it, power that she had never felt before in her entire life. Glancing back towards the still unmoving hero one last time, she placed all of her reservations aside and slowly lifted her hand to touch it. She cleared her mind of everything else except for her two wishes as she finally placed her hand on the warm surface golden relic. And before she even knew what was happening, she was enveloped in the Triforce's golden light and the entire world faded out of her sight and senses.
In a world apart from Hyrule existed the heavenly home of the goddesses' golden relic, the dwelling place of the highest deities over the land themselves. The Sacred Realm was a holy, undefiled dimension of unparalleled beauty. The Triforce in all its glory shone down upon the realm from above, its sacred light acting as the world's glittering sun. It cast a golden cover across the endless skies of the land, making them the rich colors of vibrant twilight rather than blue. The Sacred Realm itself was vast and magnificent, consisting of large, rolling fields, high crested mountains, sparking, pure rivers, and thick, lush forests, all untainted by decay or death. At its center, rising high above the immense landscape rested the picturesque Temple of Light, the holiest of places within the already divine realm. And it was inside of the temple's inner courtyard that the Princess of Hyrule found herself only a moment or so after placing her hands upon the Triforce.
Upon regaining her vision after being blinded by the golden relic's brilliant light, Zelda's breath caught in surprise and awe when she looked around at her beautiful new surroundings. Indeed she was no longer within the Temple of Time, and Link was no longer with her at all. Rather, she was alone, in another place entirely. The Temple of Light's courtyard was a place untouched by mortals and was large enough to encompass many miles of land. Zelda stood in the heart of the courtyard, surrounded by three different types of picturesque, natural environments, all of which opened up into the golden sky above. To the north was a rocky, earthen region, a tall volcano towering into the sky several miles in the distance. A steady stream of smoke rose from its peak and lava poured down its sides in small streams down into several contained pools. To the southwest laid a shimmering, flowing waterfall, rising into the air almost as high as the mountain. Its pure waters poured into a lake that shallowed out into a small shore covered with white sand. And finally to the southeast was a dense, green forest, abundant with all types of plants and animals. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the many trees, which circled out to create an open clearing near the center of the courtyard
Zelda turned a slow, full circle to examine the strange, yet peaceful area, having no idea how she could have gotten there safe for the power of the Triforce. As she was doing so, she finally took notice of what she was now wearing. Instead of the blood-soiled, filthy, torn battle outfit that she had been wearing, she was now girded in a stunning, flowing silk gown that seemed to be spun out of pure gold. She was still wearing the tiara that she had received from Impa and she realized that, much to her surprise, her hair was its normal long length instead of butchered to its ends like Veran had chopped it. As Zelda looked over her new dress, she wondered where it came from but at the same time she couldn't help but admire its beauty and elegance. For the first time in a long time, even after all of the war and destruction she had been through, she finally felt like a true princess again.
As Zelda was looking over her clothing, a sudden voice called out to her from behind. "It seems as though the Princess of Destiny has finally arrived," the feminine voice said, its tone deep and strong, yet pleasing to the ears as the very sound of it seemed to roar like distant thunder. "We have been expecting you."
With a small gasp, the princess spun around to face the earthen region of the courtyard. Where the voice had come from. Within it, several feet away from her current position, stood a gorgeous young woman, her hardened beauty completely without compare. She had long, fiery red hair, tied up into a thick ponytail as it flowed down her back. It perfectly matched her form-fitting, floor-length dress, girded at the waist with a large gold band to match her bracelets and necklace. Her skin was tanned, as if she were born of the desert itself and her eyes were ruby red and fierce, as was her mysterious smile. Zelda stared at her silently for a moment until she realized, based on the design marked upon the banner that hung from her waist band, whose presence she was in.
Her eyes widening in fear, the princess quickly bowed to the ground in reverence. "I... Y-you're..." she stammered nervously. "You're D-d-"
"Yes..." the woman interrupted her somewhat impatiently, crossing her arms as she spoke haughtily. "I am Din. The goddess of power. The creator of the red earth of Hyrule. Guardian of its seasons. Crafter of its mountains, its rhythm, and its fire. And mother of all those born of power and strength. Of course, the form that I currently appear to you in is not my true form. But the very sight of that would be beyond your mortal comprehension. It is only through the wisdom that my sister imbued to you that you are even able to stand within this most holy of places at all. Most normal, weak humans are not even able to enter the Temple of Light whatsoever, so consider yourself lucky, princess. Very few mortals such as yourself will ever be able to see what you're viewing right now."
"Din..." a different, much more gentle and melodious voice admonished the goddess of power for her rashness. "I believe my Daughter of Wisdom understands just how rare of an opportunity this is for any human. There is no need to abase her. She has been through enough hardship without your belittling."
Zelda turned to the new speaker, who stood in the sands of the lake region. Almost instantly, she felt a certain closeness to the woman who stood several feet away from her and because of that, she was able to quickly recognize her as the goddess of wisdom herself. "Nayru..." the princess whispered in amazement. The goddess smiled warmly at her, her wizened sapphire eyes full of care and kindness for the bearer of her essence. Nayru's human form was just as lovely as Din's, though in a more traditional way. Her skin was pale but flawless, and her ocean blue hair flowed like a river all the way down to her feet. She wore an elegant, full azure gown, decorated with ruffled sleeves and a skirt bearing her iconic mark.
"You are correct, my dear child..." Nayru said cordially, still smiling softly at the princess. "I am indeed the goddess of wisdom. And as my sister said, you stand within the courtyard of the Temple of Light, which rests within the heart of the Sacred Realm. Under most circumstances, when a mortal places their hands upon the Triforce, their wish is granted instantly, but we found it necessary to bring you to this place for two reasons."
"The first reason," Din continued where Nayru had left off. "Is that there is quite a bit of information that we need to pass on to the last current heir to the Hyrulian throne to ensure its peace in the future."
"And the second," a third voice cut in, its tone more youthful than the other two though it sounded labored with fresh grief. "Is because you had not one, but two wishes within your heart when you touched the Triforce."
Looking to the forested area this time, Zelda saw the final goddess of the three. She smiled softly at the princess as she sat, rather than stood as her sisters did, on a tree stump nearby surrounded by various forest animals. "Hello, Princess of Destiny," she greeted, her voice still sad and morose as she held onto a piece of green cloth that looked decidedly familiar to Zelda. "I am Farore, the goddess of courage…" Farore's hair was as green as the lush forest behind her and flowed straight down to the ground, though some of it was bundled up into two buns on the sides of her head. Her dress was by far more simple than Din's or Nayru's; it was light green with a blue banner bearing her mark and a skirt decorated with flower petals along the hem. Her eyes were emerald green and effervescent, and yet they seemed to be red-rimmed from recent crying, which made sense considering the hint of devastation in her tone.
A sudden fear came over Zelda as she realized that she stood in the presence of all three of Hyrule's revered creators at once. Her eyes wide with shock, she fell prostrate to the ground before all three of them, hoping to win their favor so they would grant both of her wishes. "O great golden goddess..." she prayed breathlessly, her heart pounding with nervousness. "I... I am not worthy to even stand within your sacred presence... I am but your humble servant... Anything you ask, anything at all, I will gladly do it."
"There is no need for such formalities, my child," Nayru said, shaking her head. "After all, you are the Daughter of my Wisdom, the one soul out of all within the mortal realm that I found worthy to carry my crest. Certainly, you hold some bearing here, even if it is not much."
"Oh, come now, Nayru," Din interjected playfully with a sly smirk. "Let the poor girl worship if she wants to. After all, it's rare to see a mortal who actually knows their place compared to the gods. She's much more humble than the last one to wish upon the Triforce, that radical sorceress woman, Veran. Why, she actually believed she could come here and conquer us with our own power!" The goddess of power let out a short snicker as she rolled her crimson eyes. "Its people like her that make me say that mortals are far too overconfident for their own good, and that's what gets so many of them killed!"
Farore interrupted with a bittersweet sigh as she shook her head, a gentle smile playing upon her pink lips as she glanced down at the cloth in her hands. Zelda let out a silent gasp of shock when she finally realized what it was: Link's cap. "Oh, Din," the goddess of courage said, and both of her sisters exchanged a glance, knowing that their youngest sibling was nowhere near as chipper and cheerful as she usually was and why. "You're always condescending mortals. While they're not as strong as you'd like for them to be, many of them are quite brave. In fact, a select few of them show exemplary courage..." Her smile turned to a saddened frown as she looked to Zelda, holding the hero's hat out for her to see clearly. "Princess, your beloved hero was no exception..." Farore said, looking down in absolute grief as sparkling tears fell down her cheeks. "I felt his great inner struggle and pain like a knife through my heart. Such suffering he endured throughout his life... It is a tragedy that pains my soul still... To watch as the Son of my Courage met such a cruel fate was agonizing. And yet... He was perhaps the most virtuous hero that this land has ever known. He was strong in heart, soul and spirit... I… I was with him as his spirit shattered, and believe me… some of his very last thoughts were focused on you…"
Zelda's heart crumbled even more upon hearing this, knowing that even in death, or whatever the equivalent of losing one's soul was, Link had still been concerned with her and little else. And, as she could tell by looking into the goddess of courage's morose expression, that Farore felt very much of the same grief, if not even more so as he had been her very creation, as the princess did over losing the hero who was so dear to both of their hearts.
"Ah yes..." Din said with a broad smile, hoping to raise her younger sister's spirits. "The spirit of the Hero of Time was quite strong indeed. Not just because he bore the ancient Spirit of the Hero, but by his own merit as well. And in the end, that was both his salvation and his downfall."
Zelda glanced at the goddess of power in confusion. "W-what do you mean?" she dared to ask, holding back her tears that were threatening to fall.
"Well," Nayru began eloquently. "Allow us to explain, for it ties into the tale we are must tell you quite nicely. Now, we will impart to you Hyule's long and bloodstained history, for it is a history that you, O Daughter of Wisdom, should know as the kingdom's matriarch. Behold… Hyrule, in its past, its present, and its future." With a soft smile, the goddess of wisdom nodded to her sisters and all three of them lifted their hands up towards the golden sky. Suddenly, it turned into a shade of deep blue, much to Zelda's fascination. "When we formed the world, the land of Hyrule was not the only place we created," Nayru said as three lights representing the goddesses shot across the skyscape. Hyrule came into being as they soared over it and the Triforce floated high above it, glittering brightly. "There was another land, parallel to Hyrule, that we breathed form, law and life into."
The princess watched as another land was birthed into existence, one that looked quite familiar. "It was Hyrule's twin land," Farore said, brushing her still lingering sadness aside for the moment as much as she could. "The country of Termina. Much like Hyrule, we left Termina to grow on its own but we decided to appoint a protector over it, as we appointed our sister Hylia over Hyrule." A beautiful woman with raven black hair and forest green appeared, presiding over Termina with benevolence. "She was Hylia's twin, the goddess Terminus, and it was her duty to watch over the realm in our absence."
"For a time, Termina prospered under her guidance," Din said, as a society rose up in the sky above. "Until the demon Majora rose up to conquer the land. All of the people of Termina became enamored with the demon and worshiped it in droves, following after its great wickedness. So great was the evil in the hearts of men that we were forced to permanently close the gateway to the Sacred Realm that existed in Termina, so they would not lay their hands upon the Triforce and use its power to destroy the world." As Din was speaking, the immorality of the people of Termina was shown in the skies along with the terrifying form of Majora.
"The people reveled in their idolatry for centuries, until Terminus put an end to it," Nayru said as Terminus cast her light upon the fallen land, eradicating to the offenders of the law and sparing a select few. "She destroyed the kingdom that the evil ones had established to worship Majora, and spared those still loyal to her, letting them build a city of righteousness within the center of the land under her protection."
"At the same time, within the Land of Hylia's Rule," Farore said as the scene transitioned to the place that would become Hyrule. "The demon king Demise arose from the earth and sought to claim the Triforce, which we had left in Hylia's care. He caused much destruction and death across the land and so, to protect her people and the golden relic, Hylia sent the humans and the Triforce skyward on an outcropping of earth, above the reach of Demise's armies. She also sent along with it a sacred sword, to be wielded and forged by the one who would be her chosen hero, who would be worthy of using our golden relic and destroying the demon king." Zelda watched in wonder as the entire war played out before her very eyes, including the humans' ascension to the sky and the crafting of the sacred blade.
"Hylia succeeded in sealing Demise away," Din continued as the violent war concluded. "But she knew her seal would not last forever. And so, she decided to cast off her divinity and be reborn as a mere mortal to ensure Demise's complete eradication. She asked us to dictate the fates so that she would be reborn alongside her chosen hero, and so we did. After many centuries of her absence, both Hylia and her hero were born amongst the humans in the sky."
"By fate one day, Hylia's reincarnation descended to the surface and learned of her destiny," Farore said while the image of a young girl bearing semblance to both Zelda and Hylia was shown. It was then that the princess realized that this girl must have been her ancestor, the first one with the Blood of the Goddess. "At the same time, the hero came to terms with his destiny as well, and together, they both vanquished Demise from the land." Zelda watched in amazement as Hylia's reincarnation and her hero, who looked conspicuously similar to Link, ensured the eradication of the demon king and the salvation of the land. "However, before he was sealed away, Demise uttered a curse that would endure for all of Hyrule's existence: he vowed that his eternal hatred would reincarnate and peruse vengeance on those with the Blood of the Goddess and the Spirit of the Hero in a cycle with no end."
"But even so," Nayru said as rays of sunshine bore down upon the virgin land. "For a brief time, the surface was peaceful. But all was not well in Termina. Though the followers of Majora were no more, the demon still ran loose across Terminus' domain. Knowing that it would inspire evil in the hearts of men once more if it was allowed to be free, Terminus followed after Hylia's tactics and chose a hero of her own to bring Majora down. The hero succeeded, and the demon's consciousness was sealed away within a mask and entrusted to a tribe quite similar in function to the Sheikah of Hyrule for protection."
"However," Din said, while the next scene played out in the sky. "Terminus' hero was severely injured in the battle against the demon. He received a wound from Majora that corrupted his spirit, transforming him into the god-like, violent warrior known as the Fierce Deity. Thanks to Majora's lasting hatred, the Deity was forced to wage war against the goddess herself and his strength was so great that she could not overcome him."
"In desperation," Nayru continued as the scene changed once more. "Terminus turned to us for help. She begged us to send someone who could defeat her former hero and restore peace to her frightened people. And so, in response, we sent Hylia and her hero. The hero faced the Deity in an arduous battle and in the end, the Fierce Deity was sealed away within a mask was well, one that was lost to the ages. However, in his encounter with the Deity, Hylia's hero also received a corrupting wound, but managed to conceal and suppress it for a time."
"Hylia and the hero returned to Hyrule, but shortly after their return another war broke out in both the sky and on the surface," Din said as visions of violent battles erupted across the sky. "It began when a small sect of the Sheikah, who were appointed to be Hylia's loyal protectors, broke off from her followers and began to accumulate power for themselves. Their ultimate goal was the Triforce; in their greed and hatred, they wanted to use its power completely destroy the goddess and her hero, and take over the surface. These "Dark Interlopers", as they came to be called, caused an era of chaos that lasted for some time. Discontent and violence broke out among the new surface dwellers and the land was ravaged by war once again."
"At the same time," Farore said, with a tinge of reminiscent sorrow in her voice. "Hylia's hero succumbed to the corruption of the Fierce Deity, similar to how your hero has, and his heroic spirit was tainted, but I ensured that it was not fully destroyed by the demon's evil. Hylia used her sacred arrows to purge her hero of the corruption he had fallen victim to, but in the end, both of them perished from their wounds. And yet, knowing that the land would not survive against the Interlopers without them, we restored them to life, so that they could fulfill their duty. However, Majora knew that the hero had conquered above its corruption, and so, in its lust for vengeance, it vowed that one day, it would not only return to destroy Termina in its entirety, but it would also permanently corrupt the Spirit of the Hero as it had with Terminus's hero."
"Though many lives were lost and much blood was shed," Nayru said as the war with the Dark Interlopers raged on. "The goddess and the hero finally triumphed over the Dark Interlopers. It was then that we sent our agents, the spirits of light, to Hyrule to seal them away. Their power was taken from them and they were banished to a realm of shadows, a place devoid of light known as the Twilight Realm. However, as they entered into their permanent exile, their leader vowed that they would return to completely destroy those with the Blood of the Goddess and the Spirit of the Hero and conquer the land forever. Knowing that if this were to truly happen, it would leave Hyrule without any protectors, so we altered that curse into a prophecy that stated if the Dark Interlopers or their descendants were to ever return to assail Hyrule again, then only those with the Blood of the Goddess and the Spirit of the Hero would be able to defeat them and restore peace to the land."
"With the Interlopers sealed away, the land saw a long era of peace and prosperity," Din went on as Hyrule developed. "The goddess and the hero built a kingdom within it and they helped to seal the Triforce away here within the Sacred Realm so that such violence would not break out again over it. And, as the years passed, the people gradually forgot about the Triforce and Hyrule prospered and grew. That is, until Veran, the Sorceress of Shadows broke free from her realm seventeen years ago and incited a civil war among the people of Hyrule."
"As you know, princess," Farore said as images of Veran's senseless slaughters of the Sheikah and the old knights appeared in the skies. "The sorceress killed many during her initial invasion of the land. Her target was the Triforce, which she hoped to claim in fulfillment of her ancestors' curse. However, we were quick to instruct the seven sages to seal her away again before she could gain access to the Sacred Realm. Yet this time, Hyrule's peace would be very brief."
"Seven years ago, the Gerudo king of thieves, Ganondorf, started searching for an entrance into the Sacred Realm as well," Din said with contempt for the former Gerudo king in her rumbling voice. "And he would have indeed gotten ahold of the Triforce and destroyed Hyrule if you and your hero had not intervened. For Ganondorf was none other than the reincarnation of Demise's hatred himself, the fulfillment of his curse come to take vengeance on those of the Blood of the Goddess and the Spirit of the Hero. However, his evil reign was prevented in this era and he did not touch the Triforce to wrongfully claim the crest of my power."
"Knowing that the Triforce's power would be needed to keep Hyrule in a state of peace," Nayru said. "We decided to keep its pieces separate and allowed them to remain with their chosen bearers. With the crests of Wisdom and Courage in the hands of the righteous and pure of heart, we believed that the kingdom would be safe and see prosperity for years to come."
"It was around this time that your hero left the land he had saved," Farore said as Zelda watched Link leave Hyrule yet again, something that still tore her heart as it had seven years ago. "At the same time, the land of Termina was in grave danger. Majora had broken free from its ancient seal and sought to destroy the land by bringing its moon down. Once again, Terminus pleaded with us to send a hero to save her realm and so in my providence, I guided the Son of Courage to the gateway to Termina. He put an end to Majora's ambitions, as you well know, but the demon sought vengeance on the Spirit of the Hero. And so, Majora, who had gained possession of the Fierce Deity's Mask through its treachery, tricked the young Hero of Time into putting it on in hopes that it would corrupt his soul. But the hero's spirit was stronger than Majora could have expected and he used the Deity's power to seal the demon away once more, though its hatred still burned hot."
"With his journey in Termina completed, the hero returned to you and peace lasted in Hyrule for seven years time," Din said as Zelda saw visions of her and Link growing up together, times that were long dead now. "But, using the forbidden magic of her ancestors, Veran found her way back into Hyrule and began searching for the Triforce once more. Upon obtaining all three crests, the sorceress easily conquered Hyrule and would stop at nothing until she destroyed the Blood of the Goddess and the Spirit of the Hero. To this end, she placed a death curse upon your hero, and using the Triforce's power, she gained the corrupting strength of Majora's Mask, along with its intense malice for the Hero of Time. Together, they plotted to break his spirit once and for all using the Fierce Deity's Mask and use his great power for their own ends."
"But in her wickedness could not succeed," Farore said with a small, yet sad smile, tears sparkling in her verdant eyes as she clutched the hero's cap close to her heart. "In the end, her power could not corrupt the hero's strong spirit. As the prophecy said, Veran was defeated by one of the Blood of the Goddess and one of the Spirit of the Hero. However, this does not mean that your hero's soul was spared. During the battle, the Hero of Time was at war with the strong, corrupting might of the Fierce Deity, with Majora doing everything in its power to try and force him into darkness and evil. In this great battle, the Spirit of the Hero prevailed briefly, long enough to ensure the destruction of the Sorceress of Shadows and your protection, but in the end, neither spirit truly won. The respective strength of the Spirit of the Deity and the Spirit of the Hero both proved too strong for either one to win out; the two of them negated each other and power were ultimately destroyed. Link–I mean, the hero's spirit was greatly damaged, to the point that it could no longer survive in its current form, and so, it vanished from existence entirely, leaving only its former physical vessel behind…"
As the goddess of courage revealed this, her words growing more broken and mournful as she went on, Zelda let out a small gasp of realization and heartache. So it was true after all; not only was Link's soul gone, but so was the powerful Spirit of the Hero. Which meant that if things remained the way they currently were, Hyrule would never see another hero again. And Zelda simply could not let that happen.
"Your graces," the princess interrupted their tale respectfully, bowing humbly before them. "If I may be so bold, may I possibly make a wish upon your golden relic to alter that fact?"
Nayru smiled to her sisters upon Zelda's request and nodded kindly. "Indeed you may, my daughter," she said as the sky turned back into its usual gold pallor. "We already know what desires rest within the depths of your heart, but you must speak them for yourself if you wish for them to be reality. Nothing is too great for the might of the Triforce to grant. However… when touched in its physical form, only one wish may be granted for any one person."
Zelda frowned as she began to understand the implications of this. "Which means," Din cut in firmly, stating in in plain terms. "You have a choice to make, Princess of Destiny. Your kingdom lies in ruins, decimated into a vast wasteland by Veran's hand of destruction. Many of your people have lost their lives and the few that remain are weak and hopeless. But at the same time, the spirit and soul of your beloved hero is forever gone. The same hero who gave everything he had and everything he was to save you and your kingdom, and who's spirit acts as a constant protector to your kingdom. The choice is yours. You may choose the restoration of your kingdom or your hero; one or the other. You may not have both."
Zelda's heart lurched upon hearing this news spelled out so bluntly. She could only have one. Her kingdom or her hero. Hyrule or Link. She looked down in grief and worry, knowing how difficult of a choice this would be. On the one hand Hyrule was broken beyond repair. Its population was drastically thinned within a matter of mere days and its natural beauty was long gone. It would take so many long, hard years of toil and turmoil for her and her people if they hoped to even restore it on their own at all. Its people had lost so much in the war against Veran: their homes, their families, their lives. If she were to choose her kingdom, then the goddesses could undo all of the sorceress' destruction within a matter of minutes. It would be as though Veran never laid her hands upon the land at all and it would go on to see a future of peace and prosperity.
But at what cost? Would such a future even be worth for Zelda if she wouldn't have Link to share it with her? She knew that if she did that, she would be dead on the inside for the rest of her life. For as long as she could remember, he had always been there for her, always protecting her and always supporting her. And in the end, he had given everything up for her. He was the only one she had ever loved, and she knew well that she would never know such love again if he was gone forever. She simply could not rationalize letting his sacrifice go unrewarded. He deserved to live and see happiness after all of the suffering he had endured. But even, so the princess was still torn between the two choices. She only had one shot at this and the more she thought about it, the more she realized that this was an impossible decision. One that she couldn't possibly make.
After several minutes of pondering all of this, Zelda let out a tearful breath. "I... I cannot choose between them..." she said to the goddesses quietly. The three of them exchanged a silent glance as she went on. "I love both my people and my hero with all of my heart. No matter what path I choose... Something I hold dearly will be lost." With a newfound confidence in her decision, Zelda glanced up at the Triforce, which hung high above her head. "I would rather die than choose one or the other!" she proclaimed firmly, not knowing what the consequences of her indecision would bring.
The goddesses remained silent for a moment, their faces thoughtful and solemn, until Farore finally beamed brighter than she had in a while. "Well Nayru?" he asked the goddess of wisdom expectantly, her tone hopeful. "Did she pass?"
"Farore!" Din moaned in joking aggravation, flashing her sister a casual grin. "You always spoil everything!"
"My sisters, please," Nayru laughed warmly at their antics. "Yes, Farore, she did pass."
"Yes!" the goddess of courage cheered brightly, tears of joy escaping her as she held Link's hat even closer to her heart. "Then he surely will be restored after all!"
Din rolled her eyes at her sister, knowing that she would have ensured that this happened either way. "Not just him," she said coyly. "It means they'll all be restored..."
Zelda looked between all three goddesses in clear confusion, her heart and mind both racing. "W-what do you mean?" she asked humbly, her eyes wide and bewildered. "I don't understand..."
"Well, of course you don't!" the goddess of power smirked, though her tone was good-natured enough. "But at the very least, even I must commend you, princess. Very few mortals have ever passed one of Nayru's infamous tests."
"Din speaks truly," Nayru cut in as she took a step closer to Zelda. "My child, I must apologize for not being direct with you, but it was necessary to test your wisdom. By making you choose between your kingdom and your hero, we were able to see which one your love rested with more. Your duty by birth is to your kingdom and your people. If you had chosen the restoration of Hyrule, it would have been a selfless act, indeed, but you would have sacrificed your own happiness. But you also have a duty to uphold to your heart. If you had chosen to restore only the spirit of your hero, your true love would have been returned to you, but you would have to live with your selfish choice for the remainder of your days. And yet, you saw beyond both of these options, to one that ensured the greater good of everyone, including yourself. You see, my daughter, true wisdom is not mere knowledge. Rather, it is understanding what decisions must be made that better the lives of everyone involved, including one's own self. To live entirely for others is misery for your own heart, but to live entirely for your own well-being is the root of wickedness. There must be a balance of both for one to attain true wisdom. By choosing to both your kingdom and your hero, you have shown to us that you are truly wise, even through all of your suffering and heartbreak, and, that you truly deserve to be granted both of your righteous wishes."
"B-both?!" Zelda stammered, her eyes widening in sudden joy.
"Yes," Farore confirmed with a cheerful smile, her heart brimming with relief upon knowing that the Spirit of the Hero she cared so deeply for would be restored. "Both."
For the first time in a long time, Zelda genuinely smiled, a small sob of happiness escaping her. She could hardly believe this was happening; the goddesses were going to grant both of her wishes! They were going to return Hyrule to its former prosperity and they were going to restore Link as well! Everything was going to be alright after all, even after all hope had been lost and everything had seemed lost! The princess couldn't remember a time when she had been happier. "Oh, thank you so much, your graces!" she said graciously as she bowed low to the ground in thanksgiving and praise. "Your mercy and providence is endless! I don't know how I could possibly repay you for your infinite kindness!"
"There is no need, my child," Nayru said warmly. "All we ask of you is for you to lead the land of Hyrule into an age of prosperity and find happiness with your hero for the rest of your days."
Zelda nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, but of course we will," she complied without hesitation. "I promise that I-"
"And..." Din interrupted, giving the princess a piercing, almost warning look. "You must never forget both the history we have told you and the tragedy that has befallen you and your kingdom. You must be made to remember it, and pass along the knowledge of it to your descendants, so it will not fade away into the annals of history. And so, to ensure that you will not forget, both you and your hero will be forever marked for the rest of your days. These marks will serve as permanent physical reminders to you and your people of the great war that erupted across the land. Therefore, all who see you will know the sacrifices and struggles you have made for this kingdom, and they will know of our providence and care for the world we created through you…"
Zelda's smile suddenly faded as she wondered what kind of "marks" the goddess of power was talking about but before she could ask, Farore interjected. "In addition to this," the goddess of courage began, her tone serious and firm. "There's also something you should know about the Triforce, something that will affect not only you and your hero, but your descendants who will bear the crests of Wisdom and Courage as well…"
"Though the might of the golden relic when it is united is without compare, the power that each individual piece of the Triforce holds is also significant," Nayru explained as all three goddesses, as well as the princess cast a glance up towards the sacred relic. "Though you and your hero have held your respective crests for several years, both of you have yet to unlock its true power… In most cases, is something that comes along with age and experience, but considering what the two of you have been through, I would expect their powers to unlock within you not too far into the future…"
"Each piece of the Triforce holds a different set of powers," Din said, specifically focusing her attention upon her own crest. "The magic of the Triforce of Power grants manipulation of physical forces and it is granted through the proper use of energy, as tribute to how one must not let the power their wield control them…" As she spoke, the goddess of power held her hand out as a small string of rocks, a swirl of water and a twisting vine curled around it, all of which she had complete control over.
"The Triforce of Wisdom, as you will discover, princess, bestows control over temporal forces to its bearer," Nayru said informatively, holding up her hand as a golden light surrounded it, followed by a blue glow that seemed to slow time itself for a moment and then a gentle green aura of healing. "Such abilities are born from rationality and logic, things that are spawned from wisdom itself…"
"And finally, the Triforce of Courage," Farore said as she held her hand up, a burst of fire lit above her palm, even though an icy mist and a gust of wind were swirling around it at the same time. "Its magic is based around the conjuring of natural forces and it is fueled by emotion, as all true courage is, something that the Hero of Time will soon discover…"
Upon hearing all of this, Zelda continued to look between the goddesses in confusion, having no idea what they meant about the "magic" of the Triforce that they seemed to be talking about. However, before she could question them on it further on these topics that seemed out of her comprehension, Din spoke up once more, going off on a completely different tangent this time.
"The history of Hyrule flows in an endless cycle..." the goddess of power said thoughtfully. "In its great span, those with the Blood of the Goddess and the Spirit of the Hero are bound to each other by destiny, fated to be reborn whenever the land faces the threat of evil. We dictated this statute in ancient times, so that the land would never be left without hope and light. This has happened before, it has happened now, and it will happen again."
"Listen well, Daughter of Wisdom," Nayru said ominously as a new scene appeared in the sky. "Centuries from now, after Hyrule has enjoyed an age of peace and growth, darkness will once again invade this land and threaten to cover it in shadows forever. However, in that era, the fated pair will be reborn once again. When it shall seem as though Hyrule will be permanently shrouded in fear and darkness, a hero shall appear in the form of a blue-eyed beast. With the aid of a princess from the Twilight itself, he shall be called to restore light to the plagued land not once, but twice. For when the hero's initial trial is over, a descendant of the Sorceress of Shadows herself will come forth from the Twilight and seek to avenge her ancestor."
"Hear our prophecy, Princess of Destiny," Farore said cryptically, clearly trying to speak as emotionless as possible even though what she was about to say brought her clear dread. "For our words will ring true. Things guided not by our hands, but by fate's, that's who. In the days of Twilight and of eternal night, a great conflict shall arise between shadow and light. And while the Blood of the Goddess will still stand for good, the Spirit of the Hero will be corrupted into evil, even though it never should. Dark desires and deep depravity will fill the hero's soul, and consumed in his hatred, he shall ravage the land whole. Like all lost souls, he will have the chance to choose the light again, but if he rejects this call, then he shall certainly meet his end. Let these words ring out across time so that all will know, of the one who was once so high, but has fallen so low… the tragedy of the Hero of Shadow…"
Zelda listened closely to this prophecy as a single tear streamed down the goddess of courage's cheek, no doubt because of the nature of her words. What Farore seemed to imply was that the in the distant future, the hero would turn to evil intentions, something that the princess could fathom at all, especially when she tried to imagine her own hero doing such a thing. And yet, if such words came from the mouths of the goddesses themselves, then they were sure to come true one day, something that brought untold fear to the princess's heart for her kingdom's uncertain future.
"Time grows short," Din said as the skies returned to their natural gold. "Princess of Destiny, it is time for you to make your wishes." As she spoke, the Triforce descended down from its place in the sky to float before Zelda, who stared at it with wonder and anxiousness.
"When you place your hands upon the golden relic," Farore said with a soft, benevolent smile. "We will make your selfless desires come true. We shall pour out our power, wisdom and courage upon the land of Hyrule once again, and restore all that has been lost. Its natural beauty will be revived as will all of the lives that have been lost during Veran's evil reign. And... I will personally see to it that your hero's soul is restored... Of course, I might have to call on some old friends for a favor to in order do it..." She grinned slyly to Din and Nayru, who both broadly smiled back knowingly.
"I'm sure Hylia and Terminus wouldn't mind," Din said casually. "After all, they both owe us for how we bailed them out during the Interloper War…"
Farore laughed warmed as Nayru turned to Zelda one last time. "Daughter of Wisdom..." she said, giving a loving, motherly smile to the bearer of her crest. "It is time for us to part ways. We have blessed you and your hero so that you will know many years of love and fruitfulness, and we have blessed your kingdom with our providence. And... always remember..."
"That so long as one uses power to find true strength..." Din said, raising her hands into the air as she took on a red aura.
"Wisdom to find true understanding..." Nayru said, as she began to take on a blue glow.
"And courage to find true bravery..." Farore said, already glowing green.
"Then they will lead you to the source of true prosperity!" the three golden goddesses said in unison as the princess finally placed her hands upon the Triforce, making her wishes as she was blinded by its brilliant golden light once again.
A wild breeze rolled across the tall grasses of Hyrule Field as Link and Zelda walked through them, searching for stray rupees in the mid-autumn afternoon. "Wow!" The princess exclaimed as the strong gale tossed her long hair around wildly, even though she was trying to hold it back. "This is some wind! Farore must be upset about something today."
After a moment of thought, the hero proposed a rather random question to her. "Have you ever wondered what they're really like?"
"Who?" Zelda asked, raising a curious eyebrow at him. "The goddesses? Well… of course. I'd guess that most everyone who's ever lived has. Why?"
"I don't know," Link shrugged casually. "I just think it's kinda strange that nobody's ever seen them, and yet they were the ones who created Hyrule. What does anybody really know about them at all?"
"Well..." Zelda said thoughtfully. "Hm... I guess not much at all. Members of the royal family know a little more than most people, since it's our job to know Hylian legends and lore. For instance, most people don't know that the goddesses preside over more than just their respective elements. What I mean to say is that Din isn't just the goddess of power. She's also the goddess of fire, seasons, music, and earth. Nayru is the goddess of wisdom, but she also presides over water, time, law and science. And finally, Farore is the goddess of courage, wind, forests, life, and spirits." Proud of her eloquent explanation, Zelda glanced over at Link to find that he wasn't really paying attention to it at all, but rather scouring the grass for rupees. "Hey!" She exclaimed hotly. "Are you even listening to me?"
"Huh?" the hero said, looking back towards the annoyed princess. "Um... No, not really. Sorry."
"No you're not!" she pouted playfully. "So tell me, since your search for spare change was so much more important that the history of Hyrule's patron deities, did you actually manage to find anything?"
"Actually, I did," Link said with a clever grin as he held out a purple rupee out to her. "You can have it. I hope you can forgive my short attention span, princess."
Zelda gave him an aggravated smile upon hearing his joking tone, but accepted the gift nonetheless. "Two things," she said, crossing her arms haughtily. "First of all, I told you not to call me that. Secondly, you know that I'm already filthy rich and that fifty rupees to me is about the same as one. But... I guess it's the thought that counts..." They both laughed as the princess gave the hero a playful punch to the arm. "Oh, and next time I go into a theology lesson," she teased inseriously. "I expect you to listen, Mr. Hero of Time."
Well, this was really just a bunch of boring lore, but whatever. We did manage to get some important foreshadowing in for L&S in here, something that I hoped you all noticed! Anyway, for next time, we'll get some more lore, but a little more emotion and stuff in there, since we're still winding down towards the resolution. And so...
Chapter 37: The Life of a Hero
Chapter 38: Dawn of a New Day
Chapter 39: The Ties of Eternity
Epilogue: Wisdom and Courage
Whoa! We're getting down to the end, aren't we? Good! more time for me to focus on HW and L&S. And... who knows? I might even pick up Twisted Fates (my Wind Waker story that I started over a year ago and left of hiatus for months) again once more, since ideas have been swimming around in my mind for it! If you've read it and would like to see more, please let me know! But for now, please REVIEW! Until next time!