The Legend of Oni
By DarkBlacknoid
CHAPTER TWO:
The First Battle
An earth-shattering wave tore through the world, toppling mountains, displacing continents, throwing oceans and ripped the surface upside down. There was only one place that you would be safe at this time and it was in the Hall of Farore*. Its foundations held strong against the power coursing through the world, destroying all around it. Though the world was being ruptured, the living beings created by Farore* were safe in her Hall with Ino, the guardian of the world and son of Farore.
The young God of Innocence watched desperately out between the high columns of light that made the secure walls of his mother's Hall. He could not entirely comprehend what was taking place beyond the quaking mountain, for it spewed forth magma across the lands. That mountain he knew well to be the Throne of Fire*, which was Din's Mighty Forge that she used to create the world. Ino* wished the fiery mountain would completely explode so he could see what was happening. Farore and Nayru* only told him to gather the people of the world and beasts so that they would not be harmed. There was no time to question what 'harm' meant; therefore he went to do as he was told with a heaviness on his heart. He could not understand why Din* had not gone with them and why her Temple was erupting to pummel the land. He could not place the heaviness only that it made him sweat each time a great flash would light up the sky making the world take on hues of green, red, or blue.
Squeals of fright and dismay he heard behind him, which only recently he came to understand what fear was. He backed away from the columns and tried to comfort the people. He was never very good with words so he would give them a tight squeeze and a blessing.
At the moment, he held a little girl and her twin brother in his arms trying to make them feel safe. He forbade them watch the display of power outside by hugging them tightly.
"Everything is fine," Ino said in vain, knowing that for the first time fear crept into his own mind. "My protection and the protection of my Mother is upon you. Blessed you are to be in his house." Then he touched their watery eyes and they smiled looking into the brilliance of Ino's white face and hair. Their family forever shone with his light.
A deafening crash split all ears as the lights beyond the mountains dashed forth into the starry sky. Ino jumped up, not knowing what this forbade as he watched his Mother, Nayru, AND Din race into the heavens. They collided together with a light for which the likes were never again seen. Something, as if it were a shooting star, sprouted from the light crashing towards the wounded world and Ino's breath fell out of him as an agonizing cry thundered his ears. He knew the voice though it was in death, it was Nayru.
"NAYRU!" Not understanding what had just taken place, Ino no longer could stay being left out if he could do something. He jumped onto a grand balcony of light in the Hall and took on the form of a snow-white eagle greater than all eagles of the world. Ino flapped the great wings wanting nothing else but to go towards the light and death throes. But he could not ascend from the balcony suddenly realizing his Mother's power barring the way out throwing himself back to his first form. Ino cried out in fear for Nayru and his Mother.
After a few minutes of confusion and another violent resounding of bellowing, the quaking stopped and the brilliance in the sky dulled and finally faded out completely. The Throne of Fire ended its violent upheaval and all was still. Ino watched from the parapet anxiously awaiting a sign from the Goddesses. The people steadily watched behind him with a stilling silence.
Finally, in the darkest night, a glimmer of gold could be seen approaching. It was Farore, but she came alone. Upon arriving, she embraced Ino saying, "Brave and strong I know you are my son, I have something you must do." Farore then took her son aside and he clung to her shedding his first tear.
"I do not understand, Mother. What has happened? Where is Nayru and Din?" He asked, his shining eyes looking up at her with saline sparkling in them. Farore bent down close to Ino and hugged him greatly then releasing him she feigned a smile.
"Ino, my son, there is something you must do for me quickly. In the sky where the three Goddesses met a great thing happened. Our power came together in that moment and was fused, forming a balance in the form of Three Sacred Triangles. One is of Power, one is of Wisdom, and the last is of Courage...It is a sacred Triforce. They fell into the Broken Plain* and I need you to retrieve them quickly! With your speed I know you will find them in time." Ino was still frightened but now had a new mission to complete and because of the faith his Mother placed in him, he felt secure.
The wind pushed against his wings as the great White Eagle*, Ino searched the broken landscapes to where he saw the 'shooting star' crash. Upon passing the Broken Mountains*, Ino found a little golden light glowing on the ground. He dove towards it seeing that it was like pure fire and landed next to it. Changing back, he reached out his hand to the Triforce with awe in his blue eyes. A feeling of peace washed over him and he sank to the ground beside it, pulled into a trance.
Ino did not know how much time had passed before he realized he was not alone. Farore had come to find him. She woke him from his trance and suddenly he became aware that the Triforce was gone from before him. A new sight greeted him and it was that of a building of Light* and the Triforce was atop it shining forth its light. Ino stood and faced his Mother.
"Farore? What has happened?" He asked but did not know how to follow. The Goddess of Courage took him and turned his attention to the Fortress of Light.
"My son, Ino, something has happened. Din…my sister, has turned on Nayru and I and she has become selfish." Farore paused watching for Ino's understanding. "She has done things that she should not have and now…I must try to save Nayru for she has been badly hurt." Ino stared at his Mother. He could not understand the new word of 'hurt'. Farore hugged him again. "Just heed me, Ino. Never are you or anyone else to open Din's prison here or remove the Triforce that keeps her contained within it." Ino nodded though he could not quite understand the meaning. "Ino, I have to leave for a while." She said and he felt himself tense up again. "I must leave to heal Nayru, but I do not fear because I am leaving you to guard this place and the world as you were meant to do." She smiled at him, though he saw some great sadness in her golden eyes.
"Will I see you soon?" Ino asked grasping her golden hems.
"Yes, it shall be soon. Things will heal," Farore placed her hands upon Ino's snow-white hair and blessed him with strength and courage. But also among her gifts, Farore bestowed her power of creation upon Ino so that he could (with much help) remake the surfaces of the world and make it new again.
And there, before the Fortress of Light that held Din prisoner, Ino watched his Mother, the Goddess of Courage, depart to her heavenly realm outside of the world to heal his great friend, Nayru. Ino breathed in the dusty wind and frowned. Farore said the world would be healed but it seemed it would take time and the people would need his help in adapting to the world. The Hyla* would need to find a less rugged place to make homes. Ino stiffened his back, knowing he could accomplish this task, for he was the son of Farore, the greatest of all.
Ino looked back towards the Fortress of Light in sadness. His task would have been a lot easier with Din's help, but his Mother forbade it. So Ino returned to the Hall of Farore and spoke to the people. And for many, many years the Hyla worked over the land with Ino repairing the landscape and making shelter. The first lands that came to be were called Hyrule.*
The first deed Ino performed was the making of the Great Tree named Deku. Ino created him to be the caretaker and also the beginning of a newer and greater forest. He allowed Deku to request for anything that he might need to tend his forest. So it was that Deku requested the making of the Kokiri* to aid him with the planting of seeds. After that, Ino thought that for the new trees of the forest to grow they would need water to feed upon. He remembered Farore telling him before of the water reserves that Din placed inside the crust of the world but he was not sure how to reach them. Therefore another race was created called the Zoras.* They were a fish-like species that were to dive into the depths of the world to release the rivers and springs and so the lands and oceans were full again.
When all of this was done, Ino gathered the now numerous peoples of the world together again in the Hall of Farore to have a great festival. The Hyla, Zora, and Kokiri had become much more populated since the early day when the Triforce was made. Great was that time with Ino, the God of Innocence, guarding the world that was left in his care. But Ino longed for the day when his Mother and Friend would return and they could see the new things and people he had put together. He secretly wished that Din would be released as well, for still he knew not why she was being held in the Fortress of Light and it began to bother Ino. The subject so occupied his mind that he often would venture back to the Fortress below the Throne of Fire and wonder what Din was thinking behind those impenetrable doors.
APPENDIX:
Hall of Farore: The place in the world that Farore dwells that cannot be destroyed by any but her own lineage. Ino could if he wished but that's utterly impossible for him to think of doing such a thing.
Farore: The One Goddess that created all things. The Hyla gave the name, Farore, to her. It means, "First One."
Ino: The son of Farore, her only offspring. Ino was created not only for Farore's satisfaction but also to be an example to the people of the world. His name means 'Joy' in the Hyla's language.
Throne of Fire: This mountain is where Din lives and her palace of fire is atop the volcano. She refers to it as her Great Forge, which was the first volcano that she created that spewed forth the world and gave it land and space. This mountain, in later years, is renamed Death Mountain.
Nayru: The Goddess of Wisdom was created by Farore, therefore Farore refers to Din and Nayru as her 'sisters' but they are not created OF Farore like Ino. The Hyla gave the name, Nayru, to this Goddess and it means 'Great Friend'. Nayru is the 'first sister' created by Farore.
Din: Din, was the second sister and she was given the gift of Power. Unbeknownst to Nayru or Farore, this power made Din secretly selfish and she vied for a way to become 'the One'. The Hyla gave the Goddess of Power, the name, Din, which means 'vigor'.
Broken Plain: This hilly plain, once was called the Holy Mountains before the battle between the Goddesses had toppled them. Now it is a plain that the Hyla inhabit and is later called Hyrule Field.
White Eagle: Ino had the ability to change into a white eagle for it reflected his freedom and purity. All the Deities were able to change into a form that reflected their inner soul.
Broken Mountains: Another name for the Broken Plain where the Holy Mountains used to stand.
Building (Fortress) of Light: This prison was created by the holiness of Farore to imprison Din's evil so that she could never cause trouble again. Others called it the Sacred Realm, for it was bound by the power of the Sacred Triforce. This place later becomes the Temple of Time and the doorway into the Sacred Realm, which later is the Triforce's house.
The Hyla: The Hylas were the first beings created by Farore to inhabit the world. She named them Hylas, which means 'Loved'. Later they change their name to Hylians, which means 'loved not'. The Hylas look like your usual Hylian. The other races of Zora and Kokiri looked up to the Hylas.
Hyrule: As in present day Hyrule, this was the kingdom of the Hylas (later called Hylians) and it means 'Plain of Loved'.
Kokiri: The little children of the forest that were created by Deku, the forest guard, with the help of Ino. They helped repair the world by spreading Deku's seeds abroad. These children never grow up and are kept in the midst of the forest. Kokiri means, 'of the trees' in Hyla.
Zora: The people of the water were created to help fill the lands and oceans with water from the deeps again. Ino fashioned them for deep seas and rivers like the fish that had first roamed in the waters. But they were sentient and made their own language and kingdoms in the waters of the world. Zora means 'water flesh' in Hyla.
