Chapter 2
"So you mean to tell me that all those legends and stories that people tell their kids about the Hero of Legend and the Triforce and everything else are all true?" I said incredulously.
After a lengthy discussion/explanation/lie, Zelda, Impa, Sheik, and I had convinced my mom to let me go "work on a summer project" for the day with Zelda. I changed into a pair of actual pants, took some cake to go, and piled into a minivan with these three people that I barely knew. We were heading to the Temple of Time in Faron, which was about a two hour drive from Kakariko where I lived. It was a pretty popular tourist spot, but I'd never actually been.
After and hour or so of catching up on the sleep that I had so desperately missed, Zelda had started to explain that many of the stories that I had grown up believing as fairy tales were actually anything but. Naturally, I was a little bit skeptical, but there did seem to be something odd about Sheik, Impa, and Zelda. It definitely felt like they knew something I didn't. It was almost enough to make me believe them.
"Well, some of the stories have been changed or exaggerated a bit over the years, but for the most part yeah. It's all true," Sheik said from the driver's seat.
"So the Hero of Time was a totally real guy?" I said. "And the Twilight Crisis was real too?"
"Don't forget about the Hero of the Four Sword," Zelda chimed. I sat back dumbfounded, not because what they were saying was so ridiculous (although it was), but because I found myself really wanting to believe it. I'd spent years of my childhood waiting and praying for my own adventure to begin. I didn't dare believe that it could actually happen now.
"Ok, even if everything you guys are saying is true, which I don't believe it it, what does this have to do with me?" I said. "And why are we going to the Temple of Time?"
"Alright Link, let me answer your question with a question," Zelda said. "In all the legends in which the heroes of Hyrule must defeat the ancient evil, Ganon, what facts remain consistent?" I didn't even have to think about the answer it was so obvious.
"The Hero and the Princess had to combine forces to defeat him," I said. "It always takes Courage and Wisdom to overcome Power. That's how the Triforce is supposed to work, right? It takes two to overcome one."
"Yes, exactly!" Zelda said.
"Hey would you look at that, someone knows his history!" Sheik said. Which earned him a slap on the head and a stern "Eyes on the road," from Impa.
"Stop fighting you two!" Zelda chastised before turning her attention back to me. "So Link, what would happen if there were suddenly two people who held the Triforce of Power?" The question stumped me for a moment. It was something I had never really considered before, so I had to stop and think. After a little bit of thought though, the answer seemed somewhat obvious.
"Well, wouldn't that even the score? The holders of Courage and Wisdom wouldn't be able to defeat Power," I said. "It's impossible for the Triforce to split up like that though, isn't it?"
"Under normal circumstances, yes," said Impa.
"So I take it these aren't normal circumstances we're talking about here?" I said.
"No, I'm afraid they're not," Zelda said. I noticed Zelda's expression darken as she stared out the window of the car at the passing landscape. "These are dire circumstances indeed."
I looked around for a little while waiting for someone to elaborate on the subject, but all I got was an awkward silence. When it became clear that no one cared too much if I was left in the dark I figured I was just going to have to ask. I may not have believed the story that these people were telling me, but that didn't mean that I wasn't at least interested.
"Ok can someone please just give me the full story?" I said. "No more doom and gloom and vague statements. Just give it to me straight.
Zelda didn't really seem up for conversation anymore, so after a short pause Impa finally started to explain, saying "We weren't even aware that a new male had been born to the Gerudo tribe until a little less than two years ago. They kept it all very quiet until he was ready to lead the country. Once the new Gerudo King became of age, he began attacking villages on the outskirts of Hyrule and claiming land for the Gerudo."
I nodded, trying my best to follow along, but it was pretty clear that this was going to be a long and confusing explanation.
"Naturally, as soon as the King of Hyrule caught wind of these attacks he gathered up his troops and went to fight the enemy. When our troops got there though..." Impa said, and I noticed a small smile creep onto Zelda's face. "A young Hylian warrior had already raised a small force and taken up arms against the Gerudo. We didn't know it at first, but it soon became apparent that he was the Hero of Legend. The war against the Gerudo lasted many months, but at some point the Triforce of Power manifested within the Gerudo King who we had come to know as Ganondorf."
"As soon as we learned this, it became clear that Li–, that the hero and I would need to fulfill the prophecy that had been repeated so many times throughout history," Zelda said. "The Triforce of Wisdom was my birthright as eldest girl in the Royal Family, so I began to learn the sealing magic that it was my destiny to master."
"So you really are Princess Zelda," I said in both awe and disbelief. "But how is that possible? The Royal Family hasn't been a part of Hyrule for centuries now, and I thought the bloodline was lost too. Not to mention I haven't heard anything about the Gerudo starting a civil war."
"The bloodline was lost. And you're right, the Gerudo have been a peaceful part of Hryule for a long time now," Sheik said. "That's the thing about Impa and the Princess here. They're not like us Link." I didn't really follow what Sheik was saying, but Zelda answered my question before I had a chance to ask it.
"We're from the past, Link," she said. "Everything Impa and I just explained happened over a thousand years ago." I think it was right around then that I really started to question everything they were telling me, no matter how much I wanted to believe it.
"You've gotta be kidding me right?" I said. "Look, not to be a jerk or anything, but how stupid do you think I am? Time travel, really?"
"No Link, you've got to believe us!" Zelda said, an expression of panic flashing across her face at the thought of my disbelief. "I promise you, everything we've told you up to this point is true."
"Goddesses, I can't believe I even got in the car and came this far with you all. I must be crazy," I said. "Sheik turn this thing around or stop so I can get out or something. I never should have even come this far."
"Sorry Link, but no can do. We're not stopping until we hit the Temple of Time," Sheik said.
"Link please just come to the Temple of Time and hear us out," Zelda said, and I could hear the desperation in her voice. "I promise it will all make sense once we get there. I understand we're asking a lot of you, but I just need you to trust us." I did my best to avoid looking at those blue eyes that has already convinced me to do one stupid thing today, but just feeling Zelda's gaze on me made it impossible.
I steeled my nerves and turned towards Zelda, prepared to stick to my guns and get the hell out of that car, but there was one thing that I couldn't have accounted for: tears. Zelda's eyes were brimming with tears, and for a moment she looked utterly overcome with fear. Either there was some truth to their story, or Zelda was the best actor I'd ever seen. Either way I caved, just like I'd known I would. I never did know how to handle crying girls.
"Alright, just keep explaining everything that happened... I guess," I said. I couldn't tell what to believe, but I was too far in to back out at that point.
After a brief pause, Impa broke the silence. She said "It wasn't long before Zelda had mastered the sealing magic necessary." As Impa was explaining I tried to act like I didn't notice Zelda wiping away her tears and composing herself. "Then the young Hylian's status of Hero was confirmed when he drew the Sword of Evil's Bane. The Master Sword."
"We assembled our forces for the final battle," Zelda said, having returned to her graceful self. "But something happened that we couldn't have planned for. When the hero and I reached Ganondorf... we found two of him. Each with their own Triforce of power."
"How is that even possible?" I asked.
"Ganondorf somehow gained access to the Temple of Time and used it to travel to a different era in Hyrule's history. We still have no idea where he came from," Zelda said. Suddenly, everything started to click into place.
"So I take it this is where I come in?" I said. Zelda gave me an apologetic look.
"We need you to tip the scales in Hyrule's favor," she said. "We need another bearer of the Triforce in order to overcome the two holders of power." I have to be honest, I got chills when Zelda told me that. A tiny part of me was leaping for joy, ready to believe all of these people and leap into harms way at a moments notice. I had to remind myself to do a reality check, to keep my hopes from getting too high. I was skeptical out of necessity.
"What makes you all so sure I'm the hero?" I said. In all my life, I had never done anything extraordinary or anything to set myself apart as a hero. I was average at sports but usually lost interest, I was decent at school but every subject bored the hell out of me, and I had never done anything remotely heroic in my whole life. "And how did you all find me anyways?"
"I believe that's where I come in," Sheik said.
"As soon as we learned what it would take to defeat Ganondorf, we made plans for the Sheikah to follow the bloodline of the hero for as many years as it would take until Zelda and I showed up one day," Impa explained. "There are Sheikah all over the world who have been keeping watch over you and many of your relatives, both near and distant, for generations. All so that we would be able to find the hero when the time came."
"Ok, but the bloodline of the hero must've spread pretty far by now. What makes you all so sure that I'm the hero?" I asked.
Sheik seemed more than happy to jump in, saying "I'll admit, there was some debate amongst the members of my tribe as to who we should select once Impa and the princess arrived." Then a smirk crept up onto Sheik's face before he continued.
"In the end, though, I convinced them it should be you," he said.
"Based on what?" I said, still refusing to let myself totally believe any of what they were telling me.
"Mostly a hunch," Sheik said with a shrug. "But there was also just some look in your eyes that I just couldn't quite place. It made it impossible to deny you as a candidate. Plus, you and the hero of old share a name."
"Link..." I said just barely above a whisper. My own name had never felt so special.
"Now that I've seen you I'm sure of it," Zelda said. "After all, you look just like him."
Author's note: Hey all! Sorry for the overall shortness of this chapter. Also sorry for the boringness of this chapter. And I'm also sorry for the fact that this chapter is basically all explanations... Anyways it had to be done and I would've made it longer but this seemed like a more natural cutoff point for the chapter. I just wanna thank anyone who read or reviewed the last chapter, as well as the few people who followed the story of my account. I had no idea how much something like that could motivate me. It makes me want to write a lot more and upload a lot faster, so thanks a million. Anyways, as always any kind of review or message is welcome and appreciated. I promise the next chapter will be a good one! Peace.