Uhhhh so. This is really random, huh?

It's been a good... oh over 7 years since I updated Twisted Fates in earnest. I appologize for leaving you all hanging so early on in the story, my attention drifted to other fandoms and projects and life changes and whatnot. Amazing how I started this story in high school almost ten years ago! Many of you probably thought this fic was shelved forever, but... lately, I've been in a very Zelda mood. In fact, in preperation for Tears of the Kingdom's release this spring, I've been playing through basically the entire series again and it's reignited my love for my favorite game series of all time. Playing Wind Waker especially was a delightful experience. After Breath of the Wild, it's probably my favorite Zelda game, it holds such a special place in my heart and brings me so much joy. I'd also finished Phantom Hourglass for the first time (not as fun but you know, the vibes are still there) and I'm currently playing through Spirit Tracks and I'm adoring every minute of it! Overall, the cell shaded triolgy has awakened a fire in me that I can no longer ignore. Which is why I'm excited to announce...

Twisted Fates is coming back!

Sort of.

Let me explain. I've decided to revive this story, but... from the ground up. Basically, I'm going to rewrite the entire fic altogether, changing up aspects of the plot and tackling it with the writing experience that I didn't have back when I started this story almost a decade ago. With this rewrite, also comes a new name. I'll be posting the story under the title Shades of the Sea as its own seperate story. Now, I will leave this version of the story up for folks who want to look back at it and cringe, but Shades will be the defacto version. As for when I'll be posting it, very soon! I don't intend to actively post it until my KH fic Keys of the Kingdom is done, and since it's only four chapters away from completion, that should only be a few months from now. But since I have a bit of the first chapter already written, I figured I'd send this update along with a sneak preview of that first chapter. Soooooo... enjoy this tiny taste of what's to come

"There is no place my eyes have seen that can compare to the beauty of my fallen kingdom," the King told him one evening. "In its prime, Hyrule was a jewel beyond any other, blessed by the very hands of the Golden Three themselves. I was just as blessed to once be called king of such a paradise, a land of lush fields, sparkling rivers, and towering mountains. It truly is a shame that you couldn't have seen it, my boy."

Link almost told him he had seen it. He'd seen those fields, those rivers, those mountains, all things he hadn't even been able to even fathom before descending beneath the surface of the ocean. He just hadn't seen the version of them the King remembered so fondly.

"Yeah," he replied. "I wish I could have…"

He pulled the sail taunt. The westerly wind he'd just awakened flowed into it, pushing them onward across the gentle waves. He could only just barely begin to make out the lights of Windfall, shining like a beacon on the darkening sea. A beacon that'll bring a much-needed restock and a rare chance for Link to sleep in an actual bed for a change.

The King was silent for a moment. Link tried to come up with a way to break that silence, to ease his boat's melancholy for a time long gone by. But in the end, the King continues, a small smile breaking out upon his wooden face.

"And yet even after all this time and all this change… I still find myself in awe of how much of my old Hyrule has managed to survive over the ages."

"Oh?" Link leaned forward in his seat. "Like what?"

"Well…" the King began, craning his head upward. "This ocean shares the same golden sunsets Hyrule was once soaked with. The same silver moon, the same shining stars, the same blue sky. The only difference is that the world they shine upon is one of sand and sea instead of valleys and trees."

"Wow, King," Link said, grinning. "I didn't know you were such a poet."

The King quickly got back at him for that comment. He usually broke through choppier waves smoothly to shield his passenger from the brunt of the sea spray they could bring. But this time, he cut through one of those waves harshly, all but dousing Link in chilly salt water.

"Hey!"

"Mind yourself, my boy," the King scolded, but there was a smile behind it.

"I'll try…" Link chuckled, wringing his cap dry. "Is that it though? Is the sky and everything in it the only things left up here that remind you of what Hyrule used to be?"

"...No." The King closed his eyes, trusting Link to steer them steady. For a boy with no prior experience, he'd become quite the sailor over their past few months of traveling together. Even if that skill had to have come from a place of necessity above all else.

"There are many shades of my old kingdom that rest upon this new sea. I see Hyrule in the islands that were once its tallest mountaintops, in the tribes that used to call its rivers and forests home, in the spirits that still devoutly guard this domain. I see it in the legends your people still whisper upon the winds, in the stories they honor, the traditions they continue to uphold. I see it in the descendants of its survivors who managed to thrive in the new lives they've come to lead. And most of all… I see Hyrule in Princess Zelda–in Tetra–" he corrected himself before Link could beat it to him. "And I see Hyrule in you, Link."

Link frowned as he pulled the sail in so they could glide up to Windfall's dock. "How?"

The King's smile turned bittersweet, not that Link could see it from behind him. "Simply put, my boy… you're a new player in a very old game…"

This wasn't the first time the King had told him something strangely cryptic, and Link knew it wouldn't be the last either. Still, that was hardly enough to keep his curiosity in check. "What's that mean?"

"...Let's save that story for another time," the King replied. It wasn't the first time Link heard that either. "For now, it's getting late." By now, he'd pulled up to the dock. The King never needed to be roped up or anchored for the night; Link could always expect to find him loyally waiting in the exact same spot the next day. A talent few other boats could attest to, then again, few other boats were inhabited by the spirit of the king of a long-faded land. "We're going to want to get an early start to Dragon Roost in the morning, so run along to the inn and get yourself a full night's sleep."

"Aw, but I'm not-" A long, loud yawn split his protest in half. "Even tired!"

"I can see that…" the King laughed. "Now, off with you to bed, my boy. You'll never find the Triforce of Courage if you can't even stay awake long enough to dredge up a single shard of it."

"Ok, fine, you win…" Link heaved a heavy sigh as he hopped up onto the dock. "Night, King."

The King of Red Lions nodded, seeing Link off as he bounded for town. Once he disappeared around a corner, the boad closed his eyes, bowing his head as he offered up a silent prayer for the boy. A prayer that will be heard… but certainly won't be answered. "Good night… hero."

Soooooo? Pretty cool huh? Granted, what I posted above is just a flashback, the story itself is still set after Wind Waker and will still basically have the same general plot as Twisted Fates, though like I said, it will play out a bit differently. So, if you're interested in following along, keep an eye out on my profile over the next few months (or maybe even give it a follow to stay updated!) And... yeah, I think that's about it. See you there! ^_^