Legend of Zelda: Cataclysm Legends

I am not the owner of the Legend of Zelda or any of its characters .

This is just an experiment, to try to show the connections in some Zelda games. And to try to close the Cataclysm cycles. And to take a look into the questions we all have: just what the hell is the Triforce? And why are Link, Zelda and Ganon always connected to it? Of course, I recognize the influence of Rose Zemlya, the best Zelda-fiction author there is, and of the Hime.

I'm assuming this chronology: OoT  MM  AlttP  LoZ  AoL. And I'm working with AlttP's map. In this story, OoT and AlttP are way old.

I. Lost and found

'Link!' raged the voice.

No one answered.

'Link!' Same silence. 'LINK! Oh, I'll find you, you pesky little brat! And just you wait! When I get my hands on you, I'll—— Hey! There you—— Wait! C'mere! LINK!'

But Link knew better than to come back. Surely, when she got mad, things could get quite messy. What was it that she had him do last time? By the way, when was last time? Yesterday? Ah, right. Yesterday she made me paint the front door... again I'd rather not be caught today.

So he ran until his lungs went out of air and were burning painfully. He went out of the house, and went to his tree. He quickly got on top of it, and hid himself. Once there, he sighed happily. Ha! She'll never find me here. This is my tree, he thought, smiling victoriously.

'There you are!'

Oh-oh. Better get out of here fast.

He tried to get down quickly, so as to keep running and gain some safe distance. But she got there first.

'Ow! Ow! OW!' he cried, as she got a hold on his ear.

'How could you, Link?' she asked, her eyes blazing with lightning. Link just hated that look——especially since it usually meant he was in some serious trouble. And now they looked like she was positively furious. OK, so maybe I shouldn't have run.

'How could you run off on me like that? And how could you forget? 'I told you at least a thousand times!'

She released his ear —his pointed hylian ear— and, grabbing his hand, walked him back to the house. She never stopped the lecture. When at last they got home, she opened the newly painted white door, and took him to the kitchen. On the table was a misterious grey bag. She made him sit down in front of her, and looked down on him again. Only then did she realize he was crying. He had his face down, trying to hide his tears, but he was sobbing and trembling all over.

'Oh... Hey now, Link,' she said comfortingly. 'There's no need to cry. It's just- it's just that you're not supposed to do those things, is all. If you forget something, you can't lie to me, or hide it from me. You're supposed to be responsible, right?' She took his chin with her left hand, forcing him to look up at her, while she cleaned the wetness of his eyes. 'Don't get upset, now. And stop crying. Your eyes look so much better when you are not crying.'

She tried to smile to her, but couldn't quite manage it.

'That's much better. You must not cry, Link. Ever. You have to be strong, and face your responsibilities. And you can start by telling me what happened. Why didn't you do as I asked you to?'

'I – it – I – it wasn't my fault!' he tried to articulate through his wailing. 'It wasn't my fault Aunt Lea. Master Curt told me that I could take him your bags on the day past tomorrow.'

'Oh, really? He said that?'

That tremendous look was on her eyes again. What had he done wrong?

'Oh, I'm sorry, Link,' she said. 'Why didn't you tell me Curt had told you so?'

He murmured something that sounded something like ditoluso.

'You see? It wasn't your fault, so you don't have to cry. Don't cry. What would your uncle say if he saw you?'

She's right. Uncle Tom must not see me crying.

'There now, that's better. Don't you ever cry, Link. You must stand up and face your destiny bravely. So, everything's okay then: it's Master Curt's fault. Stop worrying now, OK?' He nodded. 'But, in retribution, you will take the bag to him now.'

'And then it'll be OK?' He was already smiling again. Phew. So it wasn't my fault.

'And then it'll be OK.'

'Alright!' He took the bag from the table. Hmm, while we're at it. 'May I look at what's inside, Aunt Lea?'

'No! Of course you can't! It's the elder's stuff.'

Darn. 'Oh, okay. I'll see you later.' Disappointed, he made his way out of the house, running again. He nearly bumped Uncle Tom, who was just getting in. 'Sorry, Uncle Tom!' he still managed to growl. Uncle Tom threw a puzzled look at Aunt Lea, who just rolled her eyes.

Link kept on running. He lived at the southern end of Kakariko, while Master Tom's house was on the hill in the northern side. He didn't pay attention to the people walking on the streets, not even to his friends. He wanted to get there fast, finish this bag-carrying business, and get on with playing. The Sun was already going down, and he wanted to make the most of this day.

At last, sweating and breathing heavily, he arrived at the elder's house. It was a small, old wooden building. It was not much more of a hut, actually. A chimney on the eastern side of the house, where the front door was also, sent perpetual clouds of smoke.

Link left the bag down, hoping whatever was in there hadn't been affected by his rush, and knocked heavily. Master Curt seemed could be down on that basement of his. Truly, a good deal of time passed before the door was finally opened. Behind it an old, bald, bearded Hylian appeared. He was not very tall, Link's head almost at the height of his (which was very rare for a Hylian). But Master Curt seemed to be not only very short, but also a hundred years old. His beard was very long and very white, and his eyes looked profound and tired. His face was all wrinkled. He was dressed elegantly, but in a very old fashion.

Even his voice seemed ancestral. It was grave and deep, but had a special fineness, which Link liked a lot. Actually, Link was a friend of him. He liked to go to the old man's house, and learn from his lore. For Master Curt seemed to know everything that had ever happened in Hyrule. He's the elder, after all, Link told himself. He actually wasn't quite sure what that meant. He was the most respected man in Hyrule, but he didn't seem to work in anything, and yet he was not poor. Uncle Tom had told him he was an advisor to the King. And so the elder lived, studying in his house, and walking around town (and even in the woods around the town!), and talking to everybody, and telling old stories and songs.

Presently, he looked down at Link and smiled.

'She wasn't too hard on you, was she?'

Link looked back at him, amazed. 'How do you know Aunt Lea yelled at me?'

'Well, I just guessed. You see, I realized I did need that bag today, so I told your Aunt this morning to tell you to bring it up. But I forgot to tell her I had told you to bring it later, so this mess is my entire fault.'

'Well, you shouldn't have forgotten,' said Link angrily.

'Now, don't be angry at me, Link. I told you I'm sorry.'

'What's in the bag, anyway?' he asked, trying not to sound too curious, but failing miserably.

'If you stop scowling at me, I may tell you.'

'Really, you will?' he asked anxiously. Great! I've wanted to know what's in there all day!

'Hand it to me,' the elder told him. Link complied. Master Curt stepped out of the house and took a look around, verifying no one was watching them. 'Follow me,' he whispered.

Link's heart leapt with joy, as he followed the old man inside. Going into the elder's house was always an interesting experience. Master Curt had all kinds of magical instruments and stuff. He let Link inside and carefully closed the door.

Inside, the house was a little dark, and smelled funny. This house always smells like this. I wonder if the elder would get angry if I told him. 'I'm sorry for the smell, Link. I was working on a special potion. Anyway, follow me.' How did he know? I'm sure he can read minds!

Link followed Master Curt, crossing the small hall, dimly lit and simply furnished. There was a low door at the end of the hall, and a corridor to the right. It led to the elder's room and kitchen, the proper house. But the elder opened the door, revealing a staircase excavated on the hillside that led down to the basement. Down there was the real place worthy of a visit. Master Curt had his study down there. In the basement were his books and artifacts and, of course, his potions.

The stairway had been excavated, and the steps were made of stone. It was clean, but also smelled funny. The fire of a torch illuminated the way down. The elder sped down, but Link had some trouble trying to maintain his balance on the rough-ended steps. Finally, he got down to a room filled with a queer fluorescent mist. Wow, now this is weird.

Link enjoyed himself watching around, while the elder brought him a small wood chair. The room was as big as the house upstairs. Its walls were all covered with books and strange machines. Some of these strange things shined, some made soft chirring noises, and some even moved from time to time; others seemed to have no actual purpose at all. On the other side of the room was the chimney, where a great cauldron was burning by the fire. The strange mist and smell came from it. There were also many tables across the room: some empty, some had papers all over them. A lot of multicolored bottles lied both in the bookshelves and on the tables.

The elder had Link sit down, and then took a seat in front of him, next to an empty table. He opened the bag happily, and took out a small package. It seemed to be some kind of herb, carefully tied. Link gazed at it with huge amazed eyes, being full of wonder.

'What is it, Master? Is it some kind of powerful herb to make a new potion? Is it an antidote? Is it a poison? Is it a special ingredient with magical properties?'

The elder smiled at him. 'No, not by far.' He took a small piece of the herb, and put the rest on the table. Then he took out something from one of his pockets. What's that? Is it a— It's – a pipe? 'Pipe weed!' said the elder. 'I finished my last yesterday night, and I was desperate to get some more. Thank your Aunt and the goddesses for this!'

Link's face immediately revealed his disappointment. All this mystery, and rush, and being yelled at, just for pipe weed?

The elder looked at him and smiled. 'Forgive me, young one. But we old men are full of queer convictions that many times defy reason. I, for example, would be paralyzed without my pipe.' And taking out some kind of fire, lightened up his pipe, and began smoking vigorously.

Well, I guess I'll go, then. Link sighed heavily and stood up.

'Oh, don't go,' said the healer. 'You can stay for a while, as I finish heating my potion. You can tell me some of your new adventures, for example. You know I am most pleased to hear them.'

'Well,' conceded Link, looking excited. 'OK, I'll tell you. But,' his face became very serious, 'you must not tell my uncle.'

'Of course not,' laughed the elder.

'You promise?'

'Sure.'

'In that case, I'll tell you.' And Link began telling him. Actually, his 'adventures' were almost infinite. Link seemed to know every secret in town, and he also seemed to know just the best way to use it for his own entertainment. He told the elder of the way he had taken one of his aunt's bottles that were magically able to contain anything, not mattering its size, filled it with repulsive insects, and freed them in the house of Dobb, one of his least-friendly schoolmates. He told him of how he had taken Anju's cuckoos —her family had always had cuckoos— and hid them all over the town. Of course, he told Anju it had been Dobb's mischief, and later had a great day helping her recapture them all. And the best part was watching Anju yell at Dobb, who had no idea of what had happened. And his stories went on and on...

'Oh, and there's this new trick I learned. I can enchant birds! And other animals. But mainly birds!'

'What's that?' asked the elder with sudden interest, after giving his pipe an amazing smoke.

'I can enchant birds, using my flute,' and saying this he took out a small instrument. It seemed very old, older even than Master Curt.

'Let me see it,' asked the elder, and taking the flute he examined it with great curiosity.

'Who told you how to use a flute?'

'No one did. I just tried to play, and a melody came out of it, as if I remembered it. It's very pretty. It sounds like... it sounds like the forest,' said Link.

'Like the forest...' said the elder slowly. 'Did your uncle give it to you?'

'Uh, well no.' Fool, now he'll ask you where you got it.

'Really? Then where did you find it?'

'Well,' said Link, blushing, 'it really doesn't matter.'

'Oh, but I daresay it does. Tell me, Link,' he said, his voice acquiring a serious tone.

Yup, that's the no-nonsense tone. Better tell him. 'Well, I found it in a chest. In a very old-looking chest that I found at— at the entrance to the woods north of the village.'

'You entered the Lost Woods?' asked the surprised elder.

'Ah... well, maybe. Maybe I did. But just a little. I didn't stay there for too long. And I didn't go that far into them.'

The healer frowned. 'Link, you know you're not supposed to go in there.'

Great going, you dumb cuckoo. 'I know, I know. But, really, it's not like I lost myself, right? I was very bored, and I kind of found myself in there, so I decided it wouldn't do much harm if I explored for a while,' said Link, hiding a malicious grin.

'Link, you must promise me never to go inside those woods again.'

'But——'

'Promise me,' said the elder.

'Oh, OK. I promise,' moaned Link, defeated at last. How can he do this to me? This has been a very bad day, he thought sadly. He groaned, but Master Curt was barely paying any attention to him. He seemed to be very interested with the flute.

'Hmmm,' he murmured. 'There are markings here. Have you noticed them, Link?'

'No,' answered Link. Marks? Of course there are no marks.

'Quite interesting,' said the elder. He stood up, with his pipe on one hand and the flute in the other. He then put the pipe to his mouth, left the flute over a table, and headed to one of the shelves at the end of the room. From it he took a very big book, looking as old as time.

'What's that?' asked Link.

'This?' asked the healer absent-mindedly. 'It is a book of old lore...' He opened it and began searching for something. Apparently, he found what he was looking for, because a great smile crossed his face. 'Amazing,' he said. He left the opened book on a table, and grabbed another one. He opened this new one and placed it next to the old book. He went on, searching for another. He seemed to be totally absorbed in his labor, so Link had to generate one of his special, 'polite coughs'. Yes, yes, I'm still here. At this sound Master Curt looked back, as if just now remembering his presence.

'Oh, Link, you're still there. Uhh... could you lend me your flute for some time? There's something I want to check out.'

What? What is he talking about? 'Oh,' he managed to say, 'sure.'

'Thanks. And so, if you would excuse me—'

Link got up, annoyed, and left the elder to continue his inquiry.

Great, just great. What a day. It's not fair! Now I can't play my flute! Or even go to the forest! I lost my whole day doing all these stupid promises. Oh, I'd love to go to the forest right now. It's just so dull out here.

He was walking away from the elder's house, with no particular direction. The sky was suddenly getting clouded, and daylight was waning. The sun had almost set down, its rays almost hidden by the forest which surrounded Kakariko. Link stopped. Being on the high part of the town (the elder's house was built on a hill at the north), he could easily take a look at the forest to the north and west. He had always been attracted to the woods, but had always also been warned against them. They're not safe, he'd been told. Actually, most of the townsfolk disliked them. That was the reason the fence that surrounded Kakariko had been made. And that was the reason it was perpetually guarded by soldiers. And that was the reason why Link was confined to the dull town.

If only they'd let me get out!

Entering the forest was not a problem. He had actually found a gap in the fence, and evading the guards was the easiest trick.

Humph. Guards, he thought, smiling inwardly. Everyone admires them, and they think they're so great with their long spears and their black uniforms, and that strange royal crest they have in their chest. What are those weird triangles, anyway?

Well, I managed to get past them. They should all see that, and admire me too. And then they'd see I'm as brave as they are, and then they'd let me go into the forest, looking for adventures. Oh I hate this town! I'm boooored. I wish something happened. At least... at least once every hundred years!

He had just thought that when, as in response, a huge drop of water fell right on his nose. Hey! He scratched himself, and watched another drop fall next to him. And brusquely, millions began to fall as rain started.

Hey! Oh, great, just great. Now my day is getting better. I'm going to get all wet and muddy and Aunt Lea's not going to be happy. She'll yell at me –again– and... And there's no shelter around here!

He was out in the open, having walked to the empty field next to the fence. And, yes, quite accurately, there was the gap in the fence: a little hole on the ground which he, being small and quite slender, could easily crawl through. The rain was quickly developing into a storm.

Oh, a storm. Look, there goes a lightning. Can't think of anything better. I can't run all the way back home! I'll surely get sick and I won't be able to come out again, ever. I'll surely die in a bed. How dull. And, of course, if I die, Aunt Lea is going to kill me!

The idea came just then to him, and he grinned widely.

Hey, just a minute. I'll wait under the forest trees until the storm ends! They can't punish me for not getting wet and avoiding my death!

And as soon as his mind was made, he quickly crawled under the fence and ran up the gentle slope to the nearby trees. The sun had hidden completely, and the world was covered in shadows when he got there.

And then the screams began.