The Legend of Zelda
"The legend of what?" Link tilted his head.
"Zelda…" his mother answered. "She was the first of the long line of princesses named after her. The fairest of the fair, the most beautiful of the beautiful and the wisest of the wise is what they say." His mother spoke solemnly.
"This legend is not only the legend of our kingdom. It is one that defined our alliances as well as our enemies. That was a time of war and sorrow. The world had fallen, crushed under the heels of destruction. But it was a time vital to Hyrule's survival. I will tell you what I have heard. I know not whether it is truth or fact or a silver of what happened. Whatever the case, this story has determined decisions for the kingdom and royalty for generations."
"Our tale begins at the dawn of a new day but at the dusk of the King's life. When he felt he was at Death's doorstep, he told his heiress, Princess Zelda of the horrors that awaited her when he passed. The changing of rulers was never a pleasant ordeal and for many it was an opportunity to seize power from the rightful heirs."
"When he breathed his last, the world tore each other apart." she spoke grimly, fixing her eyes on a certain part of Hyrule Field.
"Princess Zelda fled the castle under the cover of darkness following the advice of her father's last words. There were two forces that had been chipping at the King's power even before he grew old and weak, who she ran from. Loyalties to the King were shredded and promises to the kingdom were broken."
"Two power brokers who had long waited in the shadows pounced on this opportunity to seize the throne, rallying the neglected and promising fortunes to the desperate. It was a gift of death wrapped in the gold of happiness. A promise of freedom and respect that was already shattered before it was gifted to them. Nevertheless, many sad souls followed their pronounced leader into a mist of ruin."
"One of the leaders was Ganondorf, a man of evil and trickery. Some say he sold his soul to Demise, some say he was dropped as a child. He has haunted each generation of heroes and princesses of Hyrule. He taunts them from afar for they can never truly defeat him. For he is immortal. However, he was not always immortal. This story tell the tale of how he became an eternal evil living to kill each generation of heroes and royals. I will come back to why he has been given this power-"
"Wait, Ganondorf is immortal? Is he still alive? Is he going to kill ME?!" Link shouted, throwing the blankets off his legs, and staring wide eyed at his mother.
"He is going to TRY to kill you. He might not succeed." His mother corrected though it didn't uplift Link's spirt.
"It was a surprise he didn't turn up this generation...the hero was born." Link heard her murmur.
"CAN I MEET HIM?!" Link was suddenly excited by the very idea of meeting the Hero forgetting about that a second ago they were discussing his possibilities at dying at the hands of Ganondorf.
"He died." His mother said shortly. She stared at the window and refused to look Link in the eye.
The Queen sat up straighter, clearing her throat, "…Let us continue."
Link sat back trying to resist the urge of sleep. His legs were beginning to ache with tiredness and his eyelids drooped. Though he would quickly open them again determined to listen despite the late hour.
"The other leader was Eris. A noble woman who resorted to bending the line of good and evil for the sake of her power. She was a powerful woman within the kingdom. She was envious of Princess Zelda and intended to compete for the throne. She was cunning and ambitious, a woman not to cross or she would make you pay dearly for it."
"The three contenders for the throne led their forces to the battlefield. As rightful heir Zelda had the most reputable claim to the throne but overthrow by force was a way to seize the crown for Eris and Ganondorf. Skirmishes and clashes between the three armies centered in Hyrule Field.
One fateful night in Hyrule Field, Princess Zelda was sighted by both Eris and Ganondorf and they charged towards her army. They knew that removing her would pave the way to the throne they sought. Destroying Zelda was one step towards bringing the kingdom to its knees and granting them the great honor of sitting on its throne. However, Princess Zelda wasn't one to go quietly…"
"It lasted a single day…men, woman and children were slaughtered in in the quarrelling three leaders' war. Though Princess Zelda was fighting on her own against the united forces of Eris and Ganondorf, she held out with only her wits and smarts. Foolishly enough both Eris and Ganondorf hadn't realized they had been fighting amongst each other. Both were blinded by the sparkle of victory. It was a bloodbath…men, women and children in all three armies were slaughtered. By nightfall all fell apart, not a single breath was uttered and not a single warrior lifted their head."
"Only the three fateful leaders of Hyrule remained…their followers and armies had all been destroyed"
"It was then 'The Duel of the Three' began."
"Fire soared across the fields searing the clothing of the three final combatants. They slipped in the blood of their followers and stumbled over the bodies of friend. A hand smeared in crimson would grope for its sword. A scream of agony would sound when a sword inching for revenge found its mark."
"Until a voice cried 'Stop!"
"The three turned to meet a woman dappled in a halo of light. She was a breathtakingly beautiful woman whose scowl indicated she was displeased to be there. This woman was none other than Hylia, the goddess that Hyrule has worshipped for centuries."
"Hylia knew that none of the three were going to give up on their desire to rule Hyrule. A wise woman, she proposed that the three ruled it together…with a price."
"Hylia bestowed upon them three golden triangles which dissolved into the palm of each's hand. These were pieces of the triforce. She each of them what they wished to be gifted with. Hylia, told them once the gift was sealed to each of the three's soul it would bind them together as one. And if one turned on the other…there would be severe consequences. That was the price of ruling."
"Exhausted by battle and eager for the throne, none of the three thought through what they were agreeing to and rambled on their desires gladly."
"First Hylia turned to Ganondorf. Ganondorf who was forever thirsty for power asked her to bestow him with 'power'. Unlimited power would help him vanquish the other two for he had no intention of keeping his promise to Hylia. Ganondorf was sure he would find a loophole in the deal and took his gift with a smirk."
"Hylia, turned to the second who was Princess Zelda. Princess Zelda knew well that the other two would try to undermine her. She asked Hylia to bestow her with 'wisdom'. Wisdom would surely help her predict the others' machinations to kill her. Thinking only of her kingdom she dearly hoped that this dreadful arrangement would work for the sake of her father's memory. Zelda was sure she had found a way to keep her kingdom intact and took her gift with a smile."
"Finally, Hylia turned to the third who was Eris. Eris asked Hylia to bestow her with courage. One might thing a request for courage would be noble but not in this case. Eris planned to wield unwavering courage in her future plans to overthrow the other two. Eris was sure courage would secure her spot as the sole ruler and took her gift with a grin."
"Hylia left the three the rule Hyrule on their own. She was content with her work and had full confidence in her supposedly foolproof solution. As you will learn, even supposedly wise divine beings in Hyrule make mistakes."
"Demise, the devil of Hyrule, slunk onto the battlefield as soon as Hylia had bid her farewells. Demise was cunning, determined to devastate Hylia's plans. For he held a resentment against Hylia, the goddess who had forced him into the shadows of the world."
"Ganondorf, Princess Zelda and Eris reluctantly strode side by side to the castle where their destiny await."
"A shadow of a man coated with fire stood before them, blocking their path and greeted them coolly."
"Demise spoke 'I come to heed you with a warning regarding the gifts you received from Hylia.'"
"Each of the three bearers of the triforce pieces were alarmed at these words. A caution for gifts that were bestowed upon them by Hylia no less? Though it was baffling, each still leant an ear to the devil's words."
"Demise enchanted them with lies that coated their supposed gifts with fear. The devil spoke of madness, corruption, and despair as a result of the gifts. These touched on fears that already ached unspoken in their hearts. He foretold terrible memories and sadness that would forever haunt them. He told them that Hylia's gifts would bring their worst fears to life. Horrified by these revaluations each believed him. They fell for his lies and half-truths. They were so gullible… the powerful one, the wise one and the courageous one."
"Demise was pleased. For he had convinced the three of false dangers only to lead them to true danger. He knew well that each planned to betray the others. He supposed their plan was to banish or imprison the others. But that wasn't cruel enough for him. He intended to push the betrayal over the edge, to make it far worse than a mere grab for power. The devil promised each that he would give them a worthy gift that prevent the awful outcomes, the 'fears' that the Goddess Hylia's gift would inflict upon them. And Demise's plan was given form."
"Demise spoke with each alone leading them into the thickets of a nearby forest where they wouldn't be overheard by the others. This was unlike before with Hylia where she had asked each to speak aloud so that the nature of her gifts would be known to the others. Demise was crafty and felt sure that he would overthrow the dreaded Hylia by twisting these three in their quest for the throne."
"The first of the three Demise turned to was Ganondorf. Demise could sense evil brewing inside the bearer of the triforce of power. The devil overfilled with joy knowing that Ganondorf would be an easy target. The thirst of power would be far too tempting for Ganondorf to resist."
"Demise offered to give Ganondorf a valuable piece of his own magic. The devil insinuated that the triforce of power only could physically control Ganondorf's subjects but would never truly subjugate their minds and hearts. Offering the magic in an outstretched hand, Demise promised that this magic would ensure absolute control of whoever Ganondorf wielded it upon. The power to control the mind overflowed Ganondorf with greed and he gladly agreed without a second thought."
"The devil placed his hand over Ganondorf's heart. A yellow eye with a slit for a pupil blossomed from Demise's hand and the eye sank into the flesh of Ganondorf's chest. The eye sunk through skin, muscle, bone and then into Ganondorf's beating heart consuming it with Demise's dark magic. Ganondorf left the forest, and Demise returned to the two women."
"Demise turned to the second who was Princess Zelda. Demise could sense a burning resistance nestled within her. He was slightly unnerved but did not lose hope quite yet. Even most gracious of hearts had great desires that could be twisted towards evil. Demise knew exactly what to offer to tip this goody two shoes over the edge."
"The devil offered to give Zelda a present that a person like her could never resist. He chose his words carefully to win over her wisdom. Demise implied that Hylia's gift of wisdom could only guess and calculate what a person or event could foretell. The devil offered to Zelda 'The all-seeing eye' which would grant her access to the future to assess events before they even occurred. Zelda couldn't help but crave the very thing that could help her see when the other two were planning on attacking her. Seeing the future would also help Zelda protect the people of Hylia from future dangers. Zelda agreed despite the feeling of dread that gnawed at her heart."
"Demise held a hand over his own eye and pulled an ebony strand of smoke from his pupil. The devil then extended his hand to Zelda's eye where he cupped his hand over her own green eye. When he withdrew his hand, the once forest green that laid in her left pupil dissolved into a lilac color of twilight. Zelda left the forest and Demise returned to the last of the three."
"Finally, Demise turned to the third who was Eris. Demise sensed an incomplete part of this woman, as though neither evil nor good inhabited her. A woman that had dabbled in both sorts but was a renegade and aligned herself with neither. The devil held no particular opinion on whether she was innately good or evil. She was just another fool to win over by the bribes of desire. He had confidence that her terrible temper, envy and ambition would be her downfall. Demise had the perfect offering for a woman such as this."
"The devil offered to give Eris a gift irresistible to an ambitious soul such as herself. Knowing that she was headstrong and courageous he was fully aware that she might be difficult to manage. Demise whispered that her gift of courage was wonderful, yet it was a shame as she could never use it to its full potential as she would always worry that her enemies could still vanquish her. The devil offered to rid her of fear. No fear meant no doubts would plague her and nothing could stand in her way. Demise, held out a golden apple assuring her it would regenerate after each bite that she took providing her fearlessness."
"Eris was hesitant. A cunning person herself she sensed this devil was a master of lies. She realized that somehow Demise had fooled the other two into accepting gifts. Were the gifts real or a trick or somehow both? The idea that her two rivals had a gift that gave them an advantage over her concerned her. Knowing that the other two holders of the triforce may have been duped unnerved her for it implied that neither of the other two could see the fraud this 'Demise' was. Eating a fruit that erased fear was a dangerous power to have. If you feared nothing you would underestimate your opponents and this would lead you into most certain doom."
"The wisest would only take the logical route. The most powerful would only take the beneficial route. But courage, courage would take the bold route and so she did."
"Eris rejected his gift"
"Demise was taken aback by her reply. The devil had not expected her outrageous rejection after all he was gifting her what only some could dream of. Yet, Demise was not going to let one hiccup in the plan tumble the whole thing down. He had planned for each gift to play to his advantage. He saw that he would have to go along with this bold girl."
"Eris demanded that she be given what she desires not what he chose to offer her. Demise became furious. How dare she demand that of him?! Alas, Demise remembered his promise that he would give them each a worthy gift. Angered with himself, he smoothed his voice wishing to sound in control and asked what she wished to be gifted instead."
"Eris smirked and asked that she have a sword fashioned for her. A sword that would stand out among the rest of the steel melee weapons within her mist. A weapon that would cut down enemies with one swipe. A sword that would be legendary and bring down any ancient evil that dare cross her path. That could duel with magic easily and be an honor to carry upon ones back."
"Demise saw a glimmer of hope for himself to still carry on his plan. The devil bent over to pick upon a mossy stick beside his foot to would use his magic to transform into a sword. He heard her shrill demanding voice ring in his ears once more."
"'I do not wish my sword to have been once a mere stick.'"
"Eris pointed at the trusty spiked coal black sword strapped to his fiery back."
"'I am no fool. I know that a mere stick does not hold the same power as your own sword. Use your own faithful sword to fashion my own trusty blade.'"
"Demise's fury overflowed within him. How dare she? This demanding woman was going too far! Yet, he fulfilled her wish. Begrudgingly he took his sacred sword from his back and placed it before him on the leafy grounds."
"With a single hand, he conjured a ball of deadly flame and placed his hand upon his ebony blade. As Demise pulled his hand away from the blade, a thin sword clouded in inky black appeared. Slowly, a blue handle appeared on the steely blade, the triforce of courage etched into the fine steel."
"Thus The Master Sword was forged."
"The black smoke dissipated, and the Master Sword clattered upon the auburn leaves. Demise's sword was still fully intact though the strong ebony black of the blade had dulled. The devil knew that a portion of his faithful sword's magic had been drawn into the new blade. Though it was tragedy to lose some of his power, it meant that evil lived within The Master Sword. A stick would have not been imbued with evil, but it would have been much less powerful."
"Demise didn't dare let a smile creep up his face. Courage and evil both lived in harmony within the stubborn girl's blade. His evil and her courage could create something beyond even what he could imagine. A combination of good and evil like her…a rebel. And Demise was sure he could it to his advantage."
"Eris seemed content with her blade as she turned it over and traced the azure handle. Satisfied that she outsmarted the devil, she left with her new sword in hand and a triumphant stride in her step. She joined the others who waited at the moat of their castle…the castle of the bearers of the triforce."
"One with a heart of malice, one with an all-seeing eye and one with a sword of the soul."
"With each passing day the three rulers of Hyrule grew anxious of the other rulers' plans. Spying, peeking, and nosiness was the norm in the castle of the three rulers. The biting of nails, pacing back and forth and fake smiles were common behaviors. Each believed the other was going uproot them the second they let down their guard down."
"Ganondorf was the first to fall off the verge of insanity. The power he was given not only took over the mind of others but himself. Desperation took over his heart and driven by his thirst for power, he lost himself. Consumed by the magic that Demise had given to him as a gift…he attacked the queens, Zelda, and Eris."
"Princess Zelda had already foretold this and warned Eris of his planned ambush. Ganondorf attempted to subdue Eris with the magic Demise had bestowed upon him. The Master Sword had been built to deflect magic and it rebounded upon him instead, weaking him. Eris struck her sacred blade upon him and the triforce divided."
"Hylia, angered by what had occurred but unaware that Demise had twisted her gifts, sealed Ganondorf away within a hidden chamber in the castle. This was a place where he was to be hidden away, to never be released to the world again and under a curse that would make him suffer eternity for breaking the bond of the triforce."
"Demise was pleased with the event. One down two to go."
"Eris and Zelda governed the kingdom well, both very content with their lives as their partnership was growing stronger. A wary trust slowly grew between them, and the thoughts of betrayal faded so much over the years that they were almost nonexistent."
"Almost…"
"Eris, without a husband, bore a child. Many citizens were horrified that their noble queen would commit such an act of dishonor. Eris loved the child and named the boy, Link. Though Zelda welcomed this child with open arms, she was wary."
"Zelda began to see through her all-seeing eye, visions of this boy. Standing underneath a crimson sky, standing upon the castle ruins and the last sight…the boy slashed the Master Sword at unseen enemies. Her sight was limited, and she couldn't see if he was slaying monsters, men, or her."
"Queen Zelda grew anxious and afraid at what she saw through the all-seeing eye. It was not one to lie for the future she saw through the eye always happened. Over the years she had slowly relied on the visions to avoid danger for Hyrule. It had helped so many times that she rarely thought of the eye's dubious origin."
"She fretted and paced and tore at her hair and robes as she tried to make sense of the horrific visions. She couldn't break out of a loop of dread imposed by the visions. Based on what she saw, she reached a terrible conclusion. Queen Eris's son…would stand before a wreckage of Hyrule. And she became convinced that it was his actions that brought Hyrule to its knees."
"This boy would be the doom of Hyrule, of Eris…of her."
"She had to do it."
"She had to."
"She was going to kill him."
"When the moon reached its peak, the now-mad Queen slunk out of her bedroom, keeping to the shadows as she skulked down the halls that led to the boy's room. She thought herself mad, to kill a boy…but an insistant nagging voice in her mind edged her to do it. "
"'Kill it while its young…before it can mature and be a threat.'"
"Mad…mad…mad…but she obediently listened to the demented voice. What happened to wisdom? Or was this wisdom. Nothing was clear anymore. Then a new image arose in her mind… the boy's severed head upon the carpet."
"Queen Zelda pushed open the door to the boy's room. An innocent sleeping boy curled upon his bed, his mouth agape and lightly snoring oblivious to the dangerous mad woman at his door. Zelda stepped inside, pushing the door shut with a sharp click.
"She stared at the sleeping boy, a knife in hand and a jumble of thoughts roared in her mind. Her soft steps echoing underneath her feet sounded all too loud. The beating of her heart quickened, growing louder and louder as she grew near till it pounded in her ears. The boy's breathing was nearly inaudible, yet it sounded like he was breathing in her ear. Her shadow loomed over his soft white blankets that were soon to be crimson."
"The steady thump of her heart roared in her ears. Her soft steps thundered across the floorboards. The breathing of the boy grew steadily louder to her as she drew near."
"Zelda could almost hear Eris storming up the stairs, yet Zelda knew she weren't there. The guards waiting patiently with watchful eyes, looking through walls, looking at her. All the children in the world she could kill and yet she would kill Eris's. She could feel the sweat of her hands running down the side of the leather handle of her blade. It was shining, gleaming and untouched by flesh. Her shaking arms outstretched, the blade gleamed in the moonlight. The skies would be painted in his blood by tomorrow morning. She could her the wails and cries of Eris screaming in her ears. A mother mourning for her child."
"The boy is evil. It must be done."
"A killer, a murderer…the voices cried to kill him now. Stop him before he shall become one with evil. Stop it before it blooms and blossoms into a demon. The horror will end before it starts."
"'Eris will understand.' Zelda whispered"
"And she did it."
"The sheets were painted with the blood of Eris's son. As news of the murder spread, wails and cries echoed throughout the day and night. The screams of a mother mourning for her child rang out as clear as dawn. The once sane Queen was never sane again."
"In a state of madness she used the last scrap of wisdom that she somehow retained despite her insanity. She brewed a potion. Her hands grabbed insects and herbs and mushrooms into a cooking pot. There was no recipe. Her hands reached of their own accord for the ingredients. When the potion was complete, she had not a clue it would do. She took the stoppered bottle swirling with purple liquid to the confides of her room and took a sip. She was not found until the late afternoon sun rays had brushed her skin."
"Most would have thought she was dead but no, what happened to her remains a mystery. A deep sleep was the favored answer. Yet, it was not the typical slumber that fells a princess until an idiot stumbles along wearing a crown and kisses her to awaken her."
"No…this was something unknown. A timed sleep or forever sleep was the question. Eris placed Zelda somewhere hidden like Ganondorf, somewhere only the worthy can see. And that room has never been found. Before she sealed Zelda away, Eris extracted the triforce of wisdom from Zelda's sleeping body. The tale does not explain why Eris chose this course of action with the murderer of her own child."
"Demise was pleased, two down one to go."
"Despite Demise's repeated efforts he could not trick Eris. He could not draw her into the void of evil as he had done with the others. He tried time and time again. Though the evil in the Master Sword was evident, it never corrupted her. Courage never dragged Eris over the line of insanity. Perhaps her unwavering courage provided a way to protect herself from the evil within The Master Sword."
"Demise felt cheated. He stopped his attacks on Eris but he still worked in the shadows continuing to corrupt other hapless souls and added to his revenge list any wielder of the Master Sword."
"With Ganondorf and Zelda sealed away, Eris became the sole ruler."
"Wielding the Master Sword, the triforce of courage and now of wisdom as well, Eris ruled many years. Still mourning her dead son, she adopted two Hylian orphans. The boy she named in honor of Link and the girl in honor of Zelda. Eris was rumored to be the creator of the Divine Beast learning from her mystical sword and her studies how to bend magic and science to her will."
"When she reached a ripe old age, she bestowed upon each of her children her two triforce. Eris took original Zelda's triforce and bestowed on her own daughter, Zelda. Eris took her own triforce of courage and bestowed it upon her son, Link. Each child took a different route in life. Her daughter Zelda took up the role of sole ruler of the throne, leading a steady kingdom and paving the way for the world today. Her son Link had no desire to become ruler of the kingdom. He became a folk hero patrolling the outskirts of Hyrule and striking down any evil that dare soil his mother's land."
"The triforce of courage was never passed down within the family. Eris wasn't able to pass it down. The triforce of courage has proved itself to be independent and bold, unbound by family lineage. Instead it was usually tethered to a boy's soul, a boy who would become the hero. Of the triforce of wisdom it was able to be passed down by Eris to her daughter and so has been passed down girl to girl within the royal family."
"And that my son is the 'Legend of Zelda'." Link's mother finished with an exhausted sigh.
"Why is it called the 'Legend of Zelda' if it barely has anything to do with Zelda?" Link tilted his head and stared at his tired mother.
"Ask the storytellers." The Queen exhaled exhaustedly and leaned back in her chair.
Link had a sudden realization, every female descendant in the royal family was named after the original Zelda. Did his mother have the same name too?
"Mother, what is your name?" Link asked with wide eyes, he had never thought that his mother had another name instead of 'mother.'
"My name is Zelda. If you wish to get technical it would 'Zelda the 99th." Link's mother sighed and held a hand to her temple.
"Which triforce do you have?" Link blurted another question at her without a second thought.
"I have the triforce of wisdom, for it was passed down to me by family lineage." His mother closed his eyes.
"Am I getting wisdom?"
His mother didn't answer. Instead, she dodged his gaze. She looked out into the starry night, amongst the lush gardens and past the bright homes of Castle Town. Her unfocused gaze drifted beyond the silvery seas, farther into the void of the undiscovered. Finally, she broke her gaze from the world outside.
"Goodnight, Link." She replied curtly and exited the room without a backwards glance.
Before he could say another word the door of his bedroom slammed just as it did the night his father left forever. The faint hazy light of the lantern his mother carried bled into his room for a mere second before it was shut out of his room. The coldness brought by his mother's arrival swept out of the room as her fluttering nightgown disappeared into the hall outside.
Link sat there wondering why she wouldn't answer his question.