Chapter one
The boys short unruly blond hair waved in the wind. His green eyes fully awake and carefree with the childish smile like his father's. Bruce rode through the fields of Hyrule on horseback with three guards chasing after him, their horses having a hard time keeping up. He lightly tapped his horse's side, telling her to go faster.
"Come on guys! I know you can do better than that!" Bruce yelled to his guardians. Ten years had past over Hyrule like the sun and moon in a day and nights time. Bruce had grown to be much like his father; skinny, tall, good looking and a tap bit of a warrior's body. The young prince could hear the three men yelling at him to wait up or not go so fast. Just like Link had, his left and right pointy ear had a blue ear ring near the tips.
Bruce only laughed as his horse galloped on the dirt road, dust flying everywhere.
Near Lunch time, he arrived back at the palace with the three guards huffing and puffing, falling off their horse and onto the floor with a loud clang! of the armor. Bruce looked back at them form atop his horse. When they were near the royal stables, he noticed his father waiting for them. Thinking he was in trouble- again, Bruce put on the best 'I didn't do it' look.
Link looked at his son through his one good eye. The king smiled almost challengingly to the young boy. Bruce stopped his horse and stepped down before Link.
"Honestly father… I didn't do it." Bruce joked, still not sure why he would be out there waiting for them.
"Come now my dear son, you have done nothing wrong. Instead… your mother has given me permission to teach you some warrior skills." Link smiled.
Ever since Bruce was a little child, Link always wanted to teach the boy the ways of a true warrior. Being the Hero of time- or he once was, Link had grown rusty with his skills. Now that his boy has reached a certain age, Zelda had given him permission to teach him his skills.
"Really father? Is mother really allowing you to teach me how to fight?" Bruce looked at his dad as they walked out of the stables.
"Surprisingly, yes." Link replied rather cheerfully.
The two had arrived in a fencing room; both dressed in protective padding with real fencing weapons. A group of guards stood by to watch and help just in case some one got seriously injured. Bruce stood on one side of the floor, watching his father getting into a fencing position.
"Okay son… first, I'll teach you the basics then… we go onto the fun stuff." Link grinned. Bruce nodded and followed the movements of his father.
"You learn quickly Bruce…" Link commented as the two sat down for a relaxing break.
"It runs in the family…" Bruce replied, wiping his forehead of the beds of sweat.
"Your training will continue later. Right now, dinner time…" Link got up. He walked to one of the guards and placed his fencing helmet over the man's metal helmet. The guard didn't flinch nor moved, instead he smiled.
"Fancy, eh sire?" The guard asked.
"Yes… it looks great on you James." Link laughed.
James is the father of the child Mila had about two years ago. They named their son Milika, after Mila's father who was a knight before Link's time. The baby boy had gotten well known around the palace and a dear friend to Bruce. Though, younger than the prince Bruce looked at him as a younger brother as Milika looked up to him as an older brother.
When Link turned away from James, he found a pregnant Zelda in the door way, looking at him with that look of 'What did you do this time?' Link almost took three steps back from his wife's playful and almost fearful glare. Yes, about six months ago the king and queen discovered she was with another child; a baby girl. She would be named Zelda, to carry on the royal tradition. The baby would be expected in another month or so.
Link gulped and smiled weakly as Zelda approached him. She got up in his face with a devious grin.
"What are you doing to poor James Link?" She asked.
"U- u obba… nothing! Absolutely nothing my dear queen." Link replied, laughing weakly. Zelda grinned, squinted her eyes at him.
"That's not true your majesty! He… he put this here hat on my head…" James spoke, the white fence hat still on his helm.
Zelda smiled and looked at him.
"Why James… what a nice hat you have on. Is it the new style?" She asked, laughing at him.
"Why yes milady… For a fact, Sir Link fashioned it on me. Do I look lovely?" James asked, getting a girlish flicker of his eye lashes.
Zelda laughed with Link. Bruce shook his head and muttered.
"Where's your dignity men?" Bruce continued muttering his way out of the craziness that he calls family.
Upon the years, J.R. and Léon had made good friends of the royal family, especially with Bruce. Though at times Bruce could never understand the language Léon spoke, he still liked the tall, fear to the heart striking guy. As for the smart ass named J.R., Bruce has learned a lot from him. Though sometimes the young prince fears his scientifically friend will blow himself up with all the chemicals he mixes up in his so called "experiments".
Jr was in his lab, working on chemicals not yet known to the world of Hyrule when Bruce walked in. To the young prince, JR looked like a over grown man bug with HUGE glass eyes in a oversized white coat. His arms were covered by black slick gloves and his hair was almost as messy as mud and sticks on the ground. In those protected hands were two glass tubes; one being water the other some strange yellow liquid.
"Uh... are you my friend or a bug" Bruce asked half jokingly half worried.
JR had become known for his so-called chemical experiments. Many a time had his reactions been dangerous and blown up in his face. The people of the castle and Hyrule were worried that one day their science man was going to blow them all up.
"Nope. Just stay back and don't get near..." JR started to trail away with his voice. "The dangers of these two chemicals are very high" JR started muttering softly. He brought the water tube up over the strange liquid tube and started to sprinkle. At first, nothing happened but just as he sighed the whole area went up in smoke and the glass shattered everywhere.
Bruce coughed and hacked for air, waving his hand in the air. "JR! Are you okay" He asked between breathes.
When the smoke had cleared, JR was standing there with his goggles all black and his skin covered in black dust. His hair stood up in all directions and smoke was lifting from his shoulders. A smirk of excitement but surprise was on his face, or of what you could make out.
"Not water to acid! Acid to water! A new rule" JR shouted rather cheerfully, ignoring the fact that his lab had been nearly destroyed. He limped across the room in a hurry to write on a sheet of paper labeled "NOTES".
Bruce looked at the table of which the experiment was taken placed. There were a few holes in it and black dust every where. He looked at the nearby wall to find pieces of glass sticking in it. "Um... do you want any help to clean up" The young prince asked.
"Yes! Sure. Just put on some gloves and do be careful. I have no idea where the glass has gone." JR smiled at him. His goggles were off his face leaving behind huge clean skin circles around his eyes. Bruce chuckled a bit before putting on some gloves and wetting a sponge.
With the lab clean, Bruce and JR sat down at the desk. Queen Zelda had made sure Bruce kept up with his studies. Since he was young child, the prince had taken lessons from the good scholar.
JR had many untested and questionable theories. A lot of the theories revolved around the questions of nature and life. Some of his theories on the Hylian anatomy were proven correct. Theories such as the frame of the body, the blood flow, reproduction, and other qualities. JR has earned many degrees in the scholastic academy and many more in the natural laws and psyches of Magic.
"Today, we are going to talk about the balance of life," JR started.
"Balance of life. JR we've gone over this many times before… why are you still trying to teach me this stuff?" Bruce asked, leaning back in his chair.
JR gave a sad look. "Prince Bruce, my dear boy, it's that very Balance that keeps you alive. The complex system of magic and life is so fragile. A single person's body, soul and spirit could be torn in pieces if the balance was ever broken-"
"And then all chaos would go unbalanced; ending the way of life and magic. I know, I know." Bruce rolled his eyes.
JR stared at Bruce with a blank expression. His pointy ears started to go down. Then, his eyes went wide and sparkled up with tears. Lips began to tremble.
"Oh Goddesses… not the look," Bruce turned away, closing his eyes.
'The look' was becoming more pathetic.
The prince sighed. "Fine, fine… we'll go over it one more time."
"Ahem," JR started clearing his throat, hiding that grin on his face.
"As you know, life and magic are two qualities among us. One, holds the key to our very existence and has a purpose for us all. The other, gives us the chance to become successful for that purpose. Magic lives in all of us; for us to use when in danger or in need of help. But, with that gift, come consequences and responsibilities."
"Life has many unexpecting turns, surprises, and very fatal experiences. Death is a hardship we all go through. When the magic leaves our bodies, it travels through the magical force bestowed upon the air and earth beneath us by the three Goddesses. The extra magical powers in the air can cause sever problems with the existing spirits, energies, and other beings in the air. But, thanks to the Goddesses, they placed balance to magic and life. Using their magical force, Nayru, Din, and Faeroe made the balance between life and magic is even. The Triforce is the very heart of that force. If the balance was to go out of whack, the world we know is over with."
"Now why are you telling me all of this again?" Bruce questioned. It was like JR to re-teach things but he always taught something new with the same things brought up.
JR gave his trade mark grin; his right corner of his lips tilted upwards with pride and such enthusiasms. "I wish to teach you something new on the Balance of Life and Magic."
"And that is…?" Bruce waved his hand in circle, showing some sarcasm with his body.
"That the balance is weakening."
Bruce froze suddenly. He had never given this lesson much thought. The balance seemed so prefect and strong that he never really actually thought it could give up. At this point, it dawned upon him just how… scary the thought was.
"I have done some research over the past couple months. When the evil King Ganondorf was in ruling, the land become dead. Rivers dried up, the dead were walking with the crowd of the living, and many of the natural magical creatures had disappeared. This was because he took the Triforce of Power into his command. With the three parts separated into the three chosen ones, the balance began to become unstable." JR sat back in his chair with his arms up and hands cupped under his chin. A very serious look on his face. A small smile formed to soften his expression.
Bruce didn't know what to say. He stared blankly at JR with a bewildered flare in his eyes.
"To answer your question, I have wandered around for quite some time. Gone to some of the farmers lands; the dirt there is starting to become unfertile. The lake has lost at least a ton of water. People claim to have seen graves dug up and bodies missing from the inside. I even went to the forest and saw lesser spirits. The magical field from within is weakening. The Great Deku Tree has spoken to me; it told me that danger was coming to the Lands of Hyrule once again. But, the evil is already here in the very heart." JR seemed calm during the explanation of this. Bruce, however, jumped from his chair.
"Does my father know of this! Has he said anything about it!" The young prince shouted.
"Yes. I told your father about it the very moment I figured it out. He has been talking with the Sages over this matter. No one is really sure of what is to happen." JR replied, calmly.
Bruce stood there. He was a little upset he was just now being told of the dangers.
"But don't worry Bruce, your father knows what he is doing. Patience is a virtue young master." JR tried calming his student.
JR sighed heavily and sat back in is chair.
"Anyways, for today's real lesson,"
"What? You mean…?"
"You betcha. That wasn't your lesson for the day." JR smirked.
Bruce opened his mouth to speak. He groaned in frustration as JR pulled out a large brown book reading SPELLS.
"S.P.E.L.L.S. Special Practice for Learners who live for Spells. Pull your book out and begin with page two-hundred and thirty-one."
By the time lunch had dulled around, Bruce had learned ten new spells and was being force to practice them throughout the entire afternoon. He was hungry and not allowed to leave the spell casting room until he had all ten spells memorized and did not need to chant their name.
Link walked in, ducking as blue sparkles rushed past his head and splattered on the wall; freezing over the stone. The king looked back and grinned at the power.
"JR has taught you the properties of ice elemental has he?" Link spoke as he walked to his son with a tray of food.
"Yes he has. And it's annoying the crud out of me," Brice grumbled as he sat with his father on the ground to eat his lunch.
"Someday I'll teach you how to use the bow and arrow. Then you'll learn to appreciate the properties of ice."
Bruce took a bite from his bread and inhaled deeply. "Tell me father… what is to happen if the balance goes unstable?"
"Well, the balance never goes unstable unless there is a force using it. We'll locate the source and destroy it." Link said in a simple tone.
"But what could be at the very heart of Hyrule?" Bruce looked at his father.
"Who knows. The Goddesses, we the nobles and royals, the people, the Triforce. Could be anything." Link shrugged causally.
Bruce sighed. He stared down at his food.
"Don't worry son; everything will be just fine,"
"Yeah… I hope."
"Come on silly boy! Where's your enthusiasm! Your fiery spirit!" Link slammed his strong hand on his sons small shoulder.
Bruce fell forward suddenly. Link broke out in laughter.
He and his son stood up.
"I'll help you get better," Link offered with a grin. Bruce grinned a bit himself.
"Sure,"
