The snow covered every inch of the forest. The night was dark and star-less. Only the moon remained strong against the shadow that surrounded it. And, carrying that same moon in its banner, travelled through the broken and muddy paths of Hellas a company of no more than twenty men. They were the elite of their homeland, but outside of it, it didn't really matter, nor the title that their leader bore in both name and blood. Hyrule had long been the most powerful kingdom of the Eastern Continent, vastly superior to the neighbours of the South and North, and its cities and palaces were known all over the world. And, most of all, its grand armies. Not for nothing was it known as the greatest kingdom in the world, according to the locals.

But no palaces or gold or soldiers mattered in the place they were leaving for. Hellas was a region, west of Hyrule, where many cities stood, prosperous and most untouched, each one with their own lord, lands and coasts. Truly those cities where the only impartial ones to the events that happened all around the world, for, if they were to fight, no fight would be put up at all due to their small sizes. No, war was not the answer to the problems of the cities of Hellas -even if it still was due to a lack of strength- and that was a lesson many lords of many lands have yet to learn in its entirety.

In the tents, where the men of the company laughed and drank, sat the lady of Hyrule, Princess Zelda. Sitting in her long and grand bed, on her left, stood both the flag of her kingdom and her own banner, which she so innocently designed at the young age of six. The sacred Triforce the legends spoke of in the centre and in the hoist, to mark her title, a half-moon, in a field of blue with colour of white. Seated down, she wondered which lords would attend the annual reunion of kings, even if those kings rarely attended the meetings. Her friend, Princess Peach, of the Mushroom Kingdom, a kingdom to the south of Hyrule, crossing the Great Gerudo Desert, would surely be there. A big kingdom with little people and interest. Although it hurt her to think ill of her friend's kingdom, her love for Hyrule was too great. From the rocky and firey landscape of Death Mountain, to the snowy unending peaks of Hebra and the lush green and old forests of Lanayru, Hyrule was worth so much for her and meant even more. She also was certain of the attendance of Marth, one of the lords ofOsternia, a continent to the west where thousands of landlords and kings and princes governed and fought each other. Marth was merely one of those princes, but he did write, some months ago, a letter where he spoke of a very important notice he was to share in the meeting, in a rather vulgar manner, thought Zelda.

Just then, the Captain of her guard entered the tent.

'Milady.' He said as he bowed rather difficultly in his heavy armour and clothes.

'Speak, Captain Allas.'

'The townsfolk from the nearby village have answered our questions, and we now know the way to Kilias. We must hurry and march now if we are to arrive on time. We shall sleep later, though you may sleep on the way'

'Those are good news and are well received. Then let us march'

Zelda wished the best for her people, but always had to be reminded she stood on top of them. Not of foolery, but of humility, she thought. The snow fell on her just like any other and, although she was guarded, she walked the same floors her knights did.

In just a few hours they arrived at the walls of Kilias, a little city-fortress that stood above a cliff on the seaside. Made of grey stones, Zelda wondered if there wasn't any other fortress to hold such an important meeting. She missed the grandiose nature of her home. If only the inhabitants of this frozen lands knew about the great Hyrule Castle. Or the palace on Zora's Domain, whose silver arcs crowned with beauty the stars and waterfalls. But alas, there were no stars that night. And Zelda wouldn't see the stars in a long, long time…

The hyrulean company entered the city. No people were there to celebrate their entry. No lights on the rooms of the houses were lit. No candle burnt to welcome her. All the people were sleeping cosily. Only the moon illuminated the grey stones with a blue and silver light reflecting upon the snow that gently fell. After passing through what she assumed was the main square, with a fountain and a statue of a bearded warrior decorating it, they marched upwards towards the little palace, through a path decorated with naked and black trees. Winter hit the lands of the west harshly. Hyrule, as always, stood better against the snow and ice than any other land. The mountainous terrain of her beloved land protected the citizens and their crops of the violent winds and frigid rains that desolated Hebra and Termina, the northern lands, as well as various regions of Hellas.

They arrived at the front of the little palace, two dragons decorating and guarding the entrance, with a beautiful stained glass made of blues and purples depicting a lady praying in her knees atop the doors. The company stopped while the large dark oak wooden doors opened almost ceremoniously for them to enter. They left the horses to a young man who took them to the barn. Zelda watched as her precious white and golden mare, Snowstorm, lead the other horses with an elegant pace, following the boy. Once they had entered the barn, the company followed suit. The palace seemed to be bigger on the inside. A long hallway extended up to a large room, where a big round table stood in the middle. There were many people, both standing and sitting. Zelda assumed she was the last one to arrive. Cursing the daring weather of the past few days, she walked up to the table. All her men except Captain Allas and Sage Rauru went to another room to accommodate themselves, where other guardsmen lied. As she walked towards the table, a round white marble slab decorated with intricate and elaborate carvings standing atop a black iron structure, she began to talk.

'My most honest and profound apologies, my lords. The way here has been long and hard. The goddesses curse that blizzard, but all my men are all right. Has the meeting started yet?' she asked as she sat and took off her thick white fur coat.

A nobleman from a distant city of Hellas spoke. All eyes were gazing on her, but she didn't feel uncomfortable or stressed. She was accustomed to these kinds of situations. It was the role of a monarch, a powerful one, at least. 'Lady Zelda of Hyrule, we're all glad you and your company have come to Kilias safely. As for the meeting, do not worry, we wouldn't dare to commence without one of the major kingdoms of the land…'

'I would' said a man to his left. Sitting in one of the chairs, a man clad in blue and white robes looked at Zelda with a sly grin across his face.

'Lord Marth' Zelda looked at the blue haired man. She knew him very well. An arrogant king from Ylisse, one of the many lands of the western continent, Osternia. Even if she hated his guts, she pitied him. Poor man, living in the desolate and war-ravaged Osternia… That land always fought with itself, be it Ylisse or Fódlan, with its three chaotic kingdoms. 'Ever so charming…'

'What I'm sure our lord Marth meant to say, milady is nothing but a joke.' said Rauru, my father's consultant and long-time friend.

'Precisely' corroborated Marth. 'A joke.' He still had his smug face on. Zelda wondered what this was due to. Marth had always been somewhat unpleasant, but this was off the charts.

Lord Umbral, lord of the host city, Kilias, spoke in his deep and old voice. 'Now that we are all together, let us start this damned reunion.' He wasn't fond of these meetings. Nor were most of the kings and counts of Hellas. They had not the power to really add anything that mattered. The biannual Reunion of Kings and Lords had been established long before Zelda was born. It was meant to maintain a balance and dialogue within the governors of the major players in international politics but had lately turned to be a round of announcements and premeditated treaties. Still, it had to be done, otherwise chaos would ensue in the lands, or so it was thought.

Princess Peach, one of my friends and governor of the Mushroom Kingdom, just South of Hyrule, began to talk. 'The Mushroom Kingdom has once again defeated the armies of Bowser, the tyrant in the firelands of our Kingdom. We hope that this was the last time that vile man attacks us.'

'You've been hoping that for all your lives. You should just end that excuse of a man. Attack and kill him, I say.' said a noble from Eeria, a coastal city of Hellas rich in merchants and trade.

'The Mushroom Kingdom was established with the focus of maintaining its citizens in good health and respecting the code which established it, Peace and Righteousness. We use our strength only for defence' answered Peach. Truly, a most kind woman. Some would say too kind. Others would say naïve.

'And look where that's gotten you. You say you want peace, yet you fight almost every year.' Snapped back Eeria's lord.

'And we triumph every time. I don't know the origins of your wailing, but I surely shall not stand it' replied Peach in a passive-aggressive manner. Zelda pitied her friend. She always gave so much of her but always received so little.

'In another order of things' interrupted Mayor Dotour, head of Clock Town in Termina, a vast and desert land inhabited by vile creatures and not many honest people north of Hytule, across the Terminean Canyon. 'There have been recent and most unnerving sightings in the far east of our land. Some say Dragons, other say ghosts. We'd all be fools to merely call these sightings rumours, as I'm sure you all know; ours is a dangerous land.'

'Damn right' said Marth. 'The day something normal takes place in Termina, I'm sure the world itself will end.'

'Certainly… These sightings seem only to grow in number a danger. I advise all of you my lords take care and great caution. Especially you, Lady Zelda, and your father King Rhoam.' The old man gestured at me with a warming smile. Not much was known about Termina, but it's people always had an optimistic attitude, one that far surpassed what any normal person would have when living in the land of the Giants. Still, Dotour had always been an ally of Hyrule. Not a powerful one, but an ally, and that was deeply appreciated.

'Thank you Mayor Dotour. We'll head your advice. As will everyone, I presume.' No one said anything. Zelda assumed most took Mayor Dotour for a crazy man or a fool. She didn't. 'Hyrule has nothing to say. Everything is well, as always.'

Lord Umbral spoke once again. 'Well, if that's all, then everyone should head to their homelands. This winter is worse than ever…'

'I haven't talked yet' interrupted Marth.

'Lord Marth, we thought you had nothing to add, as you didn't seem interested in the meeting.' pointed out an old woman from a desert city in Hellas Zelda knew nothing about.

'Oh, rest assured, I have something to add. I don't know if it's important, but it is unexpected. Frankly, it's quite exciting.' replied Marth. 'As you know, Osternia has had its fair share of wars; be it Ylisse, the Adrestian Empire, the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, the Leicester Alliance and so on and so on… However, not long ago, the entire continent has come to an agreement…'

The whole of Osternia coming to an agreement? I'd more realistically see whales fly… thought Zelda.

'…and is now united under one banner, that of the Ylissian Empire. No war was made, no blood was spilt. All lords have come to an agreement peacefully.'

'What!' exclaimed Rauru. He seemed worried.

'All Osternia?' asked Peach.

'All of it.' replied Marth smugly. 'And I suggest everyone here to consider doing a similar thing.'

'A similar thing?' said a noble from Bionis, an isolated land far west.

'Precisely. Unite under our banner and we'll put an end to this tomfoolery. War never gave us anything valuable, just tombs and cries.'

'Funny coming from you, lord Marth.' said Eeria's lord.

'Yes, we have an extended history in war. For that reason, we want to end all wars. Join Ylisse.' said Marth, standing up. His soldiers hurried to his side and they all started leaving the palace. 'I impatiently await your answers. My lords…' Marth bowed and left the palace.

All lords found themselves paralyzed. Osternia was a very powerful and rich continent but was always slowed down by constant war. And yet… Zelda was sure, as were many other lords. Something vile had gone on in that land. Zelda would not give Hyrule to anyone. And much less to the so called Ylissian Empire. Even if they promised peace, Zelda, deep down, unwillingly knew it: there would be war.

'Rauru,' she said, 'we're leaving.' She went aside to talk to Princess Peach while Lord Umbral called the meeting off.

'Zelda, do you believe it?' asked Peach nervously.

'Sadly, I do. Marth, or whoever is emperor of that land is plotting something. That explains why he alone was sent off of all Osternia…' she paused for a moment 'Peach, ready your armies, we'll be in contact. We'll need each other.'

'Yes, Zelda, we will. Good luck.'

'May the goddesses be with you, old friend. Captain Allas, men of hyrule, let us march.'

The way home was silent and quiet, but not peaceful. That silent and dark thought assaulted her mind, as it did with the other hyruleans. Captain Allas put those thoughts in words very well: 'Cursed Osternians… Or Ylissians… Or whatever they are! They're plotting something, but I swear they will fail if they mean any harm to our home!' Zelda still found herself unsure of what to dos. She'd tell her father these unnerving news and plan something. Whatever.

She looked at the night sky once again. Truly, only the moon stood against the shadow.

Welcome to this new story and may Hylia be with you! I've always wanted to see Smash characters, even those from futuristic or modern places, be put in a fantasy world with a story and setting similar to Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings. Please tell me what you thonk!

- Red