From the moment they were born, Link and Zelda were destined to meet. But destiny has a sense of humor, and their first encounter was far from positive.

As she grew older, Princess Zelda became fascinated with the Sheikah technology. It came as little surprise to those who knew her, since she had always had a love of books and the history of Hyrule, but only those who truly understood her knew that her interest was more than fascination or even a hobby; it was an escape from her ever-unsuccessful training.

By some blessing of the Goddess Hylia, Purah and I were selected to be a part of the group who would report our findings to the Royal Family –

With Uncle Robbie, right?

That's right. Because of this, we spent a significant amount of time at the princess's side. Indeed, I was there the day she and Link first met.

We had only recently discovered the vast amount of technology buried beneath Hyrule. The Goron, mining for ore to eat, had discovered Guardians in the Eldin region, so several Sheikah, the princess, and her entourage of knights made their way across the kingdom to begin excavation, curious to see what else may lie below Death Mountain.

At the time, few people recognized Link for the special person he was. Most knew he was a prodigy and his sword skill was unrivaled, but it took a wise eye to know he was more than a common knight. Ashamedly, I must admit my eye was not one of them. I didn't know until later that he had become separated from the group that day.

A brief moment to pause and practice his sword technique had Link left behind by his companions. A horde of Lizalfos, watching from a distance, thought him to be easy prey and attacked. By the time they realized how wrong they were, it was too late for them. Link cut them down with great skill and without injury. But the scuffle attracted the attention of a nearby Goron –

Daruk!

Have I told you this story before?

A few times. But only the part about Link and Daruk's meeting. And I don't mind hearing it again.

Very well. Yes, it was Daruk, the future Champion of the Gorons, who heard the fight and believed Link to be in danger. Ever a kind-hearted soul, he immediately rolled into action, but once he saw Link's skill he was left dumbstruck. This momentary distraction left him open to a sneak attack from a flaming Chuchu, and it only Link's quick thinking that saved him.

Now, as you know, the Gorons are honorable people. Daruk was embarrassed to have been saved by a mere Hylian child, but he knew he owed him a debt.

"Thanks, brother," he said sheepishly. "Guess the only one needin' rescuing is me, huh? Hey, I owe you one now, and I don't like holding on to debts. Anything I can help you with?"

Normally, Link would refuse, but it had been a long walk to Death Mountain and the Lizalfos fight had worn him down. Before he could say anything, his stomach growled, desperate for sustenance.

"You're hungry, huh?" Daruk asked with a grin. "Lucky for you, I was just hunting for lunch. What do Hylians like to eat?"

Link, of course, was fonder of meat and vegetables than rocks, but Daruk hunted him some nonetheless. And Link even tried a bite of rock roast, though I can't fathom how he chewed it. But their picnic was interrupted when Link heard cries of fear coming from the excavation party. Grabbing his sword and a pot lid for a shield, Link took off.

"Little guy? Where are you going? Hey, little guy!"

Robbie had been tinkering with one of the Guardians and accidentally reactivated it. Now, it was going haywire. The knights were unable to break through its defenses with their swords, so they instead were assisting everyone in escaping. However, on her escape, the princess tripped. Before she could get to her feet, the Guardian had locked its laser onto her. All hope seemed lost until Link arrived, jumping into the way of the laser just as it fired and using the pot lid to parry, deflecting the beam back at the Guardian's eye. The Guardian was destroyed in a glorious explosion, and the princess was saved.

She was dumbstruck as she rose to her feet. Link immediately kneeled. "Who are you?" she asked, perhaps more accusingly than she intended.

"Link," he responded sheepishly, not looking up.

"After the hero," the princess mused to herself. The situation – of Link rescuing Princess Zelda – was not lost on her, but she was far from pleased about it. "Well, thank you, Link. If it were not for you, I would surely be—" She choked on this last word, but quickly shook it off and moved on to the next task, leaving Link where he kneeled. "Robbie, what exactly did you do to cause that to happen?"

It's hard to say why Zelda so quickly began to detest Link. Perhaps she was embarrassed that he had to step in to save her life. Perhaps his presence reminded her that the Calamity was dangerously near to returning. Or perhaps, even then, she was jealous of the skill her counterpart showed in his fighting skills, while her own sealing power hadn't even begun to surface.

Regardless, her father was much more pleased by the circumstance than she was.

"I nearly died today," she commented during dinner that evening. The room had been silent up to that point, and Rhoam, sitting across from her at the head of the table, was taken off guard.

"Pardon?"

"One of the Guardians reactivated and began attacking us," she elaborated. "But one of your knights stepped in and deflected its laser, destroying it. I thought you should know."

"And which knight was this?" the king questioned. "We must shower him with honor for his good deed."

"A boy named Link."

King Rhoam fell silent. He, too, understood the implications. "I see."

They ate in silence for some time after that, before King Rhoam rose to his feet.

"There is something I must do," he explained as he left for his quarters. This was far from abnormal, but it stung Zelda every time it occurred.

"The task in question was to send a letter to Link," Impa explained.

Paya's eyes lit up. "Oh, to ask him to come to the meeting! This is when he becomes Zelda's appointed knight, right?"

"Wrong," Impa responded. "King Rhoam was a cautious man. The event certainly seemed like a sign from the goddess, but before he was willing to trust this strange boy with the life of his daughter, he needed him to pass a test. A test that would prove if he was the hero Hyrule was searching for."

"What kind of test?" Paya asked.

"A test involving the oft-forgotten seventh member of the Champions, but arguably the most important. Without their help, there is no hope of ever slaying the Calamity."

"Grandmother, what are you talking about?"

Impa smiled. "The Master Sword, of course."

"The Master Sword is not a champion," Paya argued, narrowing her eyes. "It's a weapon."

"What makes you so sure, child?" Impa questioned with a chuckle. "You've never seen it. I, however, have. The Master Sword is more than a weapon. It is the hero's constant and most reliable companion. And in times of need, it possesses the power to communicate directly."

"Did it ever speak to you?"

"Unfortunately, no. But it spoke with Princess Zelda. It was the sword's idea to place Link in the Shrine of Resurrection."

"Are you teasing me?"

"I assure you I am not. The sword is a living thing. It was forged by the Goddess Hylia herself and was imbued with her own immortality, which she shed so that she may live with her people. This power can take many forms, including that of an ancient spirit known as Fi. However, it most commonly remains in the form of the sword that seals the darkness."

The sword is kept in the Korok Forest, hidden deep within the Lost Woods, where it is guarded by the Great Deku Tree and his forest spirits. Only Hylia's chosen hero can draw it from its resting place, so to prove whether or not Link was this hero, Rhoam's letter directed him to the Lost Woods.

To further shield the sword from falling into the wrong hands, the Lost Woods are enchanted to expel anyone who wanders down the wrong path. You must be able to trust the Goddess to guide you if you wish to reach the other side. Link, ever calm in the face of difficulty, had no issue reaching his destination and finding the Master Sword, buried in a stone.

When he placed his hand on its hilt, he felt its power flow through him and began to pull. And sure enough, the sword began to shift. Soon, Link, now proven to be the hero of Hyrule, stood in the Korok Forest with the sword that seals the darkness in his hands.

"So it truly is you," a voice bellowed through the forest, surprising Link. This voice belonged to the Great Deku Tree, who stands at the center of the Korok Forest. "I see the prophecy is true. Ganon shall return soon."

Reacting to Link's startled expression, the Deku Tree continued, "Forgive me for not introducing myself. I am the Great Deku Tree. I have watched over Hyrule and that sword since time immemorial. Do you know the legends of the sword, young one?"

Link tentatively shook his head. "The king sent me to retrieve it and said it was a royal treasure."

"That sword is the sword that seals the darkness – the Master Sword." A flash of recognition appeared on Link's face. "By drawing it from its stone, you have proven yourself to be the hero destined to kill Ganon. This role, of course, comes with a great burden. If you wish to turn away from it, now is your last chance."

Link thoughtfully examined the blade, his expression refusing to betray the thoughts running through his head. "The Calamity is returning."

"That is correct."

"Then someone has to stop it…" Link stood up straight, staring straight at the Deku Tree's face. "If the goddess has chosen me, so be it."

The Great Deku Tree laughed. "I have missed that courage. Very well. The sword is yours. I trust you to use it to its full potential. And if you require anything else, I am always here." With that, the Deku Tree closed his eyes and returned to his slumber. Link took another look at the blade of his new weapon before sheathing it and making his way back out of the Lost Woods.

"Link was so brave," Paya mused. "He accepted such a grand task without any second thoughts… How was he not afraid?"

"I'm certain he was," Impa replied. "He was the hero, but he was also a child. There are many times I know for a fact that he was fearful."

"Then why did he do it?"

"Because, despite his fear, he had courage."

Paya narrowed her eyes again. "Grandmother, you cannot have both fear and courage."

"Wrong again!" Impa said, laughing. "In fact, you must have fear to have courage! Not recognizing danger is not bravery; it is stupidity. True bravery is to see danger, recognize it for what it is, but choose to face it anyway. And by this definition, Link was, and I believe still is, the bravest man there is."

The Deku Tree sent his Koroks to inform King Rhoam of Link's success, who in turn requested Link to meet with him in a few days' time. It was during this time that Link paid a visit to his friends Mipha and Daruk, knowing that what lied ahead of him was certain to keep him busy.

King Rhoam also sent word via Purah, Robbie, and myself to Princess Zelda.

"The four Champions who will pilot the Divine Beast have been chosen," Purah explained. "Urbosa, chief of the Gerudo, shall pilot Vah Naboris. Mipha, princess of the Zora, shall pilot Vah Ruta. Daruk, the strongest warrior of the Goron, shall pilot Vah Rudania. And Revali, the fiercest flier of the Rito, shall pilot Vah Medoh."

"Your father has requested that you meet with each of them tomorrow," I added.

Zelda nodded. "It will be my honor. I look forward to meeting these brave souls… I do hope they accept the task."

"I'm sure they will, Your Highness," Robbie assured her. "After all, we already have the hero chosen to wield the sword that seals the darkness."

"Pardon?"

Purah and I shared a glance. "Were you not told?" Purah asked. Zelda shook her head. "Link, the boy who saved you from that Guardian… Your father sent him to the Korok Forest, where he was given the Master Sword. He has proven himself to be the goddess's chosen hero."

"I… I see," Zelda said quietly. "And when will I get to formally meet him?"

"In two days," I answered. "He will be your appointed knight after that and will be tasked with your constant protection, so you will have plenty of time to get to know one another."

I didn't realize it then, but Zelda's face immediately fell.