Disclaimer: I do not own any of the material appearing in this story.
A crowd had gathered around Hyrule Castle's main courtyard, Link was sitting on his throne and overlooking the crowd before him. His people looked poverished and weak, overwhelmed by the taxes that he conjured up just so he could get more Rupees in his pockets. He had noticed that none of them were looking directly at them, not that he could blame them for not wanting to look at him, because something else was going down in the middle of the courtyard, and all he could do was grin wickedly.
"Your highness, it's your cue." A guard told him.
"Thank you." Link replied as he stood up and walked to the railing. "Attention, people of Hyrule! You are about to witness an execution here today. This young woman, leader of the so-called Hyrule Warriors, has attempted to take the life of your noble king. This silly rebellion that led on for a few months has finally come to an end. Her execution will be burning at the stake!"
"No way…" One of the starving young children could whisper, looking on at the beautiful woman tied to the stake.
"It can't be. There's no way she could do such a thing."
"Welp, she tried and failed. Sucks to be her." A man quietly said.
"There's no way that SHE could have done this, right?"
"The woman you are seeing before you, is none other than Zelda!"
Zelda opened her eyes, regaining consciousness and looked around, seeing where she was and her eyes widened in horror and then looked up to the king. "Link! LINK! Please stop this! I'm begging you! The power has gone to your head! There's still time for you to snap out of it! Listen to me, PLEASE!"
Link stared at the young girl. "I don't know what you're talking about." He said as Zelda's eyes widened with tears starting to fall.
"No…" She whispered. "I thought we were best friends! Remember long ago when you said you'd never hurt me? Please, try to remember!"
Link folded his arms and then closed his eyes. "Executioner, raise the torch."
"As you wish, your highness." The executioner said and grabbed a torch.
"Link! PLEASE! DON'T DO THIS!" She pleaded, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Silence, peasant! You would do well to be quiet!" Link shouted. "You think you can talk through to me, but you never will. The Link you once knew is gone, and it's high time you knew your place. Executioner, light her up."
The executioner nodded and then lowered the torch, where it started to burn the hay around the young girl, as she could only watch in horror as the fire crept up in front of her… and all she could think about, was all those years back when she and Link were still incredibly good friends.
Several years earlier…
Link sat down underneath a tree and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and exhaling, and then opened his eyes to see Zelda in front of him. "Ack!" He yelped and knocked his head back, hitting the truck of the tree. "Ow!"
Zelda laughed. "Lazy as ever, I see." She teased.
"Do you really have to do that all the time?"
Zelda put her hand to her chin thoughtfully, shifting her eyes to the right in thought. "Yes."
Link rolled his eyes. "Oh, you." He chuckled as Zelda sat down next to him.
"So, are you ready for the test?"
Link raised an eyebrow. "Test? What test?"
Zelda frowned. "Don't tell me you've forgotten it!"
Link laughed. "No, I didn't." He said. "…Could you remind me what it is again?"
Zelda sighed. "You're hopeless. The test is to prove to your father that you will become the rightful king of Hyrule. I mean, for Hylia's sake, you're the prince for crying out loud!"
"And here I am, being lazy and my best friend is a peasant." He said with a sly grin.
"Commoner!" Zelda corrected and slugged him on the shoulder. "You know how much I hate it when you call me that, even if in a teasing manner."
Link laughed. "Yeah, I think I'm ready." He said and looked up to the sky. "I just hope my old man isn't too tough on me."
"He just wants to see you at your best."
"I know." He nodded.
"So, remind me what you have to do again?" Zelda asked.
"Some sword play, finding my way around the Lost Woods, withstanding the heat at Death Mountain for a minute, and of course, find the three medallions scattered throughout the town."
"That doesn't sound so bad."
"Oh yeah, and the final test is the Triforce, to see if my heart is truly pure to communicate with the sages in the Spirit Realm. Only then will I be considered ready to be king when my parents pass on."
Zelda giggled. "You'll be fine. You're the nicest guy out there. The sages will see you as a true king in heart."
"…Are you sure? I'm always lazy, I've been a troublemaker when I was little and… let's not forget the things I did as a teenager."
"I'm sure they'll be willing to look past all of that." Zelda gave him a reassuring smile. "I guarantee it."
"Here's hoping." Link sighed. "You think I'm ready?"
"I know you're ready. You can do this!" Zelda smiled.
"Thanks." Link chuckled. "Say, how about when I'm done with the test, we go on a date? It'll be my treat."
Zelda giggled. "Sure, I'd love to!"
Link nodded with a smile. "Thanks." He said and then looked toward the castle, aiming his hand at it and then clenching his fist. "Watch out, father. I'm gonna be ready before you know it!"
The next day…
"Today marks a momentous occasion!" King Rhoam called out to his people. "Today, my son will brave the Lost Woods, Death Mountain, and collect three medallions scattered throughout the town, and see if he is worthy enough for the sacred Triforce to recognize him! But first, we will see if he's capable enough in a fight!" He declared as the audience watched to see Link brandishing a regular sword, getting into position with an Iron Shield with a guard in front of him, holding a sword of his own.
"Begin!" The guard yelled as the the two of them lunged at each other, both of them clashing as the audience watched in awe, Zelda being amongst the crowd and rooting for her best friend.
Come on, Link. You can do this! Zelda thought as Link blocked an attack with the shield and then slashed up to disarm the guard.
"It is finished! Link is the winner of this duel!" King Rhoam exclaimed as everyone clapped, and then Link set off to the Lost Woods.
Sometime later…
Link returned to Castle Town after dealing with the intense heat of Death Mountain. There was a medical team on standby in case if Link collapsed, but he was determined to communicate with the Sages just like his own parents. He did down a bottle of water after he left Death Mountain to hydrate himself. All that was left were the medallions scattered throughout Castle Town.
He quickly searched the entire town, looking through garbage cans, throwing pots on the ground, inside trees, inside houses (much to some Hylians' dismay), near the castle walls, near the Temple of Time, inside the Temple of Time, inside a small pond… until eventually, he found them in a milk tavern.
"I thought they said they were scattered." Link said.
"They were, until some kid found them, thought they looked pretty and put them on the table while he went to go wash his hands." The bartender replied.
Link sweatdropped. "Well, I guess not everyone was at the ceremony."
"To be fair, he's only four." He said. "Now hurry before he comes back!"
Link nodded and then ran up the stairs where he ran back to the castle. "Father! I've found them!"
"Good job, my boy! Where did you find them?" He asked and then Link explained what happened, to which Rhoam let out a hearty laugh. "Kids, you gotta admire their innocence." He said. "Anyway, you've found them, now let us go into the Temple of Time."
As they went to the Temple of Time, they spotted Zelda nearby. "Oh, hello young Zelda." Rhoam greeted warmly.
"Hello, your majesty." Zelda bowed.
"You here to watch Link complete his trial?"
"Yes." She nodded.
"Excellent!" Rhoam grinned. "You can watch Link complete his trial with me." He said as they walked into the Temple of Time where Rhoam put the medallions into the pedestal and then pressed his hand on the wall, where a secret passage opened up before them.
"I thought the Triforce was within the castle walls."
"There's a secret passageway in the castle where your mother and I take so we can listen to the sages." Rhoam explained, which Link nodded in understanding and walked to the Triforce, and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and placing his hand on the Triforce, waiting for it to officially recognize him as the next king.
You are a wise Hylian, Link. You are destined to become a great warrior.
Link smiled. "Thank you."
However… you heart is not in balance. You have become lazy over the years, you haven't focused on your studies for a long time, you have also become doubtful that you will inherit the throne, you have become someone you are not, and in your teenage years, you have lusted over a Gerudo and had impure thoughts about her for a time, that you did not even control, before you lost interest in that Gerudo. You have become blind in your thoughts, sight, and body. You are not ready to become king over the land of Hyrule. You are not worthy to wield the Master Sword in the Lost Woods. You are ambitious for the throne, but we do not grant you that power. Your father has worried about you a long time, and it is high time for you to get your act together. You are dismissed.
Link looked like he had seen a Poe. Did he just hear all of that? No, it couldn't have said that… it's lying!
"I was afraid of that."
Link stiffened a bit and turned his head to see King Rhoam looking immensely disappointed while Zelda looked worried, and a bit shocked. "You… you heard all of that?"
"I did." Rhoam nodded. "I was hopeful that it would look past all of that, but I knew that deep down, the Triforce would reject you. You have become a slothful boy… and I was afraid that the worst would come to pass."
"But… father, I passed the test, didn't I? I completed all of this, I should be communicating with the sages… with the Gods!"
Rhoam sighed in disapproval. "Link, you don't get it. This test was to show that you are worthy of receiving guidance from the gods… and why would they guide over a boy who lusts after women and is lazy all the time, not to mention you've been far behind on your studies. Let this be a lesson for you, Link."
"But I know everything about the Kingdom and its rich history!"
"Do you now? Do you know anything about your ancestors? Do you know what the Master Sword is?"
"Of course I do, the Master Sword is… er… a… sword… filled with… dark power?"
King Rhoam sighed. "How disappointing. You are not worthy to inherit the throne, nor will you ever be. In my eyes, you want the throne for your own gain and status, which the throne is much more than that. Link, I am very disappointed in you. I'm afraid that your sister, Aryll, will have to inherit the throne. She is far more worthy than you are."
"Why Aryll? That miserable low-life of a girl is nothing but an airhead!"
"At least that airhead, in my point of view, has more potential and shows much more promise than you."
Link growled in anger. "You dare put me below that pathetic excuse of a princess?!"
"This attitude toward your sister is another reason why you are not inheriting the throne. You ought to treat your subjects with respect, and if you don't start being nice to your sister, you won't be gaining any respect for the people. After all, you constantly go in their houses day after day to smash pots for Rupees. Your greed is unfathomable." He said and then turned around. "You disappoint me, Link. I was hoping the Sages will prove me wrong, but that doesn't seem to be the case. We're done." He said and walked off.
Zelda stood there, not knowing what to say but then looked at Link who stood there trembling in rage. "Link… are you okay? Do you want to go grab something to eat and talk about this?"
"…I'm not hungry." Link said and walked off, not even looking at Zelda as he walked by.
"Link…" Zelda whispered and then looked toward the Triforce before walking off as she was the last one to exit the Temple of Time. "Gods, please watch over the castle tonight." She whispered in prayer before walking back to her home, while she couldn't help but shake the feeling that something horrible was about to happen.
Later that night…
Link paced around his room, grumbling to himself. "It's not fair… I should be worthy to receive the power, not that pathetic excuse of a girl!" He exclaimed, and with a mighty scream, he punched his bed and then threw one of his pillows toward his dresser, which knocked over a picture of him and Zelda smiling and posing in the picture. "Everyone held me back, that's why I couldn't receive the power… especially YOU, Zelda!" He spat, crushing the picture with his foot and then threw another pillow at his desk before flipping it over in disgust.
"No… I am worthy to receiving the power. I will prove everyone wrong!" He exclaimed and then opened up his window and jumped into the moat, right when Rhoam knocked on the door.
"Link? I want to talk to you about something. Link?" Rhoam's voice sounded from behind the door before opening it. "I just want to-" He saw the mess, but then noticed the window open. "…That fool!" He exclaimed and then ran off.
Link made it to the Temple of Time and noticed the medallions were still in their place, chuckling that his foolish father forgot to grab them during their little spat and then pressed his hand on the part of the wall and he walked over to the Triforce. "The throne will be mine… and I will see to it that it will come true! Much more so than that idiot Aryll!" He said and then got closer to it, reaching his hand toward it.
"LINK!"
Link turned his head to see Rhoam approaching him. "Don't you dare put your hand on the Triforce! It has given its word and you will not receive a different answer!"
"You are a fool, father! I am worthy to inherit the throne. You will see for yourself!" He said and touched the Triforce. "I am inheriting the throne!" He declared, when suddenly there was an explosion of light that knocked the two to the ground.
With Zelda…
Zelda let out a gasp as she sat up from her bed, panting. "What… what was that?" She asked, unaware on her right hand the Triforce of Courage appeared on it before it disappeared. "Was it a bad dream?" She wondered.
At Gerudo Town…
A lone dark skinned man ate his meal when he noticed his right hand glowing as he noticed the Triforce of Wisdom on it. "…By the gods…" He quickly got up from his meal and ran off.
"Father? What's going on?" A Gerudo girl asked.
"The prophecy is being fulfilled!" He exclaimed. "This could only spell disaster for the land of Hyrule!"
Back with Link…
The light disappeared as Link got up and noticed the Triforce was no longer there, but he had noticed the Triforce of Power glowing on his right hand before it disappeared. "What… what happened?"
"YOU FOOL!" Rhoam shouted. "Your heart was inbalanced when you touched it, and now the Triforce split itself into three! You obviously have the Triforce of Power in you, and who knows where the Triforce of Courage and Wisdom are!"
"I have the Triforce of Power… this means that I have the power to inherit the throne!"
"You have the power of a thick headed dimwit! You learned nothing!"
"Father, you shut up right this very second! Everyone will bow down to me!"
"No, they will not bow down to a tyrant!"
"I am your king, you should obey ME!"
Rhoam scoffed. "I obey to no one but the gods. Listen to your father, Link… and return the-"
"I listen to no one but myself and the gods. You are no father of mine!"
Rhoam's eyes widened before a tear fell from his eye. "I see… the son I once knew is long gone." He said and then unsheathed his sword. "I will set things right."
Link unsheathed his own sword. "Bring it, old timer!" He exclaimed as the two swung their blades, clashing a few times before Link kicked him in the knee before slashing him over and over again before knocking the sword off of Rhoam's hand, and then he impaled him in the gut.
"Nnngh!" Rhoam groaned and then looked directly at his son. "Link… how could you…?"
"Nothing is going to stand in my way. I have the power… and nobody will stop me."
"Y-you… you are no son of mine…" He whispered as Link removed the sword from his gut as Rhoam fell to the ground and blood poured out from his body.
Link stood before his corpse, chuckling before laughing maniacally. "Oh, this feels so GOOD!" He laughed. "Can you hear me, gods! This was your pathetic king?! Well, he is no more! I will take the throne and become king and nothing will stand in my way!" He declared, laughing like a madman before he headed off to the castle, ready to take it for his own.
Helloooooo everyone! Just thought i'd come in here and say hi... oh, and post a story just for fun! Hope you'll enjoy this one!
Anyway, for those who don't know, Nintendo, of ALL people, leaked Stage Builder in Smash Ultimate. I mean, not like they've leaked things before. *looks at Ganondorf in Smash 4 and the Castlevania music* Nope, not at all! Nothin' to see here folks!