Chapter 1: The Book

The last breeze of winter blew across the plain and into his face as the Link galloped across the field. Peering into the mid-day sun he veered Epona slightly to the north as they passed the last farmhouse outside the small village of Moiro he had planned to call home for the next week. "Well, even the best laid plans go wrong" he mused. In the past, Link would have enjoyed the cool afternoon breeze, and the early spring sun, but today his attention was elsewhere. He silently urged Epona to go faster, "I cannot allow anything to happen to the Princess today, not when she is so close to achieving what no one has ever done before." With luck, he would overtake the royal guard before they reached the beginning of the forest road, though luck had been a stranger to him all day. He spared a moment to look over his shoulder at the legion of soldiers bearing down upon him. "Hopefully, this will be enough" he thought, replaying the day's events in his head.

"Link, my young friend, I see you have returned.." A rather rosy faced man said behind the bar. He was a round middle aged man with a happy look on his face as yet another paying customer came in.

"Yes master Rourke and I hope that you have the room you promised me last month when I paid you. I see there are many guests in your common room today." Link smiled as he scanned the room. As he had assumed from assorted state of their horses in the stable, there was a diverse crowd at the Hawk's Wing Inn. From his stays in the village before, he recognized most to be locals, no doubt gathering to gossip about the week's events over a drink at the bar. He could not see the mayor among them, to whom he had a message to deliver, but there were also merchants meeting with local shop keeps, and even a few soldiers on leave from the outpost. Link noticed they were attempting to casually assess the strange young man who had appeared in the common room. He did not recognize any of them, although in truth he had spent much of his time in the past here avoiding the guard's attention, as well as everyone else's.

"Well lad, it's not everyday the Princess of Hyrule passes through your town, and almost everyone in town has come out to talk about it. I am sorry to say I missed her audience at the square, but we had to be ready for the crowds." The inn keeper replied as he placed a mug on the bar. "But not to worry my friend, your room is waiting for you as promised. I will have Aine prepare you a hot bath free of charge if I can persuade you to play that strange flute of yours for us tonight… dear me boy, are you alright, your look white as a ghost?"

"Did…did you say pass through? The Princess is already gone? When! They were not to arrive for at least another day? Where did she go?" Link noticed the soldiers, and townspeople beginning to look up from their drinks as his voice rose, but he didn't care. He seized the bar to steady himself as he looked at the inn keeper.

"Hahahaha, I would be upset too, if I were you boy, she is more beautiful then even you said, I spied her as her caravan traveled out of the village about 2 hrs ago," the inn keeper replied jovially as poured ale into a mug and handed it to a soldier. He turned back to Link and smiled, a serious look coming over him as he quietly said, "Best not to let your interest in the Princess' comings and goings get around though boy, it looks a tad suspicious. I know you mean no ill will, but as you can see, we have a new guard here. Changed after the princess left. As you know, strange things have been happening across Hyrule, and there is talk of registering visitors to the villages. Old Colman even plucked up the courage to ask the Princess at the square if we were in danger. She told him not to worry, that the King knew the situation in the plain, and that the guard at all the plain's towns would be strengthened. Moiro is now home to almost as many soldiers as there are proper townsfolk."

Link could not contain his anxiety, as he questioned the man, "Please, master Rouke, which way did they go? They are returning to the castle, and are taking the North road, correct?" Anywhere but east, Goddesses he thought.

The inn keeper scratched his overlarge chin before he replied. "No, I believe they were headed for Derrie before returning to the North Road. I overheard some soldiers speaking last night of the need to inspect their defenses before returning to the capital…wait, Link, where are you going?"

"I am sorry master Rourke I fear the Princess may be in grave danger. SOLDIERS OF HYRULE, raise the alarm, your Princess needs you!" Link shouted from the door before dashing outside to the stables.

Link guided Epona over a small hedge beside the packed dirt road that ran north east from Moiro to Derrie and shook his mind clear. The road cut through a forest a half way between the only towns for miles in the southwestern quarter of Hyrule Plain. Though not very large, the forest was bordered by rolling hills on the north and a small river to the south, leaving travelers no choice but to venture through. It was the home of various brigands and thieves in the past, but that is not what he feared. Link again looked back at the soldiers following before pushing Epona even harder down the road. Please Goddesses, let me catch them before they reach the forest.

A cool sweat beaded on Zelda's brow and trickled down a small furrow. Zelda could feel as it was absorbed on the scarf that covered her eyes. The carriage was not especially hot, but warmth spread throughout her body as she pushed her awareness even further. A breeze entered the carriage, bringing the smell of grass and wildflowers to her nose. She could hear the trees of the forest ahead, as their leaves shook in the wind. "Now, tell me the names of the soldiers on the left of the carriage, and what formation they are in highness," her caretaker directed.

Zelda slightly tilted her head to the left, before saying, "There are 4 soldiers to the left; Corporal Tomas leads them in a diamond formation, his brother Corporal Troy is on his right. To his left is Captain Morann, and in the rear is his page Raemonn."

"Excellent! Princess excellent," Impa praised before signaling the Captain to disburse the guard. "Your ability is increasing rapidly, I am very impressed. Remove the scarf, and we shall take a break."

Zelda blushed slightly at Impa praise and she lifted her hand to remove the scarf; as she did she let out a small gasp. She could feel Impa's mood change suddenly, and heard her knife slide quickly from its sheath. "I feel it too Princess, what is it? Where are they coming from?" Zelda could not respond, as a voice began screaming in her head at deafening levels. She gripped hard on the edge of her seat, her knuckles white as snow. The voice seemed to be only chaotic guttural growls, and disgusting hissing noises, but the message could not have been written clearer in her mind. Hunger…Thirst...Death.

"Please Princess, what is this evil?" Impa pleaded, as she sounded the alarm to stop.

"Gohma"

As he rounded the bend that hugged the hill to the north of the road, Link heard screams and rushed orders coming up ahead. He reached to his side and withdrew his bow. He squeezed his mare slightly with his knees to let her know what to expect, as he notched an arrow from the quiver on the right, and carefully laid the bow across his lap. When they had finally cleared the hills, it was worse that he thought. Over two hundred paces in front of him a squad of perhaps twenty guardsmen circled the carriage, shields interlocked. Four officers remained on their horses, shouting orders, but it seemed there was little they could do. There were at least ten Hylians dead already, their bodies missing limbs and heads scattered about the entrance to the forest, some impaled on their own weapons. All of them were being dragged into the forest by horse sized creatures, teeming with restless black furry legs, and hard crablike shell bodies. At the center of the creatures lay a single overlarge, orange eye, and great crablike pinchers around a large, oval orifice. Link counted fifteen of the creatures, knowing there must be hundreds more waiting inside the forest.

The gohma were ancient creatures, long though extinct in Hyrule. They lived like spiders in forests and underground, spinning vast webs or building great caverns. They could not stand the light of day, and were said to raid villages and farms under the cover of night. Their hunger was insatiable; they would eat horse, cows, sheep, dirt, plants, as well as people. For every brood, there was single Queen, sometimes as great as four times the size of its largest offspring. Link saw her emerge from the top of the trees, straddling the entrance to the forest road. Directly beneath her lay the Princess carriage, and there atop kneeled the Princess' Sheikah guardian, bloodied, but unafraid. She was shouting orders at the soldiers with crossbows, directing them to aim at the creature's eye.

"A true Sheikah", Link though, as he whistled for Epona to steady herself, and took aim with his bow. He let loose his first arrow, chose his next target, and let loose another arrow. He did not flinch as he heard the inhumane screech of the two gohma he killed. With his next arrow, he took aim at the queen, who was only one hundred paces from him now. He successively let loose three arrows, two into her eye, and one in the stomach, her bellows of pain shook the leaves, and she retreated further into the forest. A few of the Hylian guard stared at him as rode calmly forward, but their attention was quickly called forward as hundreds of small, dog sized gohma larva swarmed out of the forest.

Zelda could hear the screams of the soldiers dying outside, but worse, she could sense them deep within herself. Her training exercises left her susceptible to the powerful emotions and intense physical pain that emanated from her guard. She turned cold as young Raemonn's stomach was torn open by the creatures; she cried Troy's tears as he watched as his brother was swallowed whole by the queen. She could barely feel her body now, and knew that her mind could not stand the stress much longer. It seemed to Zelda that time slowed immeasurably, the agony in her mind and heart was unbearable. She dimly felt the polished floor of carriage as she fell to her knees, her tears flowing freely, and began vomited. "Calm yourself Zelda; release them from your mind." Impa commanded her. Zelda wrapped her mind around Impa, who had climbed atop the carriage to shout orders at the guard, and take aim at the creatures. To the Princess it seemed that she was like a great tree in the middle of flood, refusing to yield even an inch.

Suddenly, there was a moment of calm, of strength in her mind. She saw visions of green and gold light, brighter than the noon day sun, from behind the carriage. She felt warmth spread through her body, as the light grew closer to the carriage. Outside, she could hear the screams of agony, though not from her guard. The creatures screamed again inside her mind, this time in fear. They could see the light too, it was their enemy...it brought them death. Now a great rushing sound of thousands of moving legs came from the forest, and she could hear the metallic clang of the soldier's armor and weapons as they shifted formations, but her mind only saw the light as it opened the door to the carriage, lifted her out, and wheeled her away. She had never felt so at peace in all her life.

"Princess, can you hear me? Are you hurt? Highness, please answer me." The light asked, as they galloped away from the sounds of soldiers dying. Her scarf was removed from her eyes, and Zelda tried to answer, but only managed a weak smile. She was no longer connected to the soldiers, but her body still felt very far away. "Princess, you must listen to me, the Gohma will not leave the forest. You will be safe if you stay here. I must go help the guard. Epona, if we do not survive, take the Princess back to town; do not stop until you are there, not even for the soldiers coming behind. Highness, drink this, it will make you feel better." Zelda could feel a cool liquid being gently poured down her throat, and a soft cloth wiped across her mouth. The young man, yes a man, that was what the light was, placed her hands around the water skin before he turned sharply around. Zelda's vision focused on him as he ran back towards the forest, and her mind became clearer as he got further away.

She guessed that he was a few years older than her, of slightly above average height, and a slender muscular build. Zelda could no longer see his face, but he had straw like blonde hair that blew in the wind as he ran. His attire and equipment would seem oddly matched on most people, but on him it seemed completely natural. He wore a long white sleeved shirt under a tunic, whose color green she could not quite place, but it made images of forests surface in her mind. He wore brown workmen's pants and tall brown leather boots. Around his waist was a large brown belt, with many pouches and knives. On his forearms he wore soldier's gauntlets. Across his back hung a broadsword, with a faded brass pommel and leather handle, and what appeared to be a very old Hylian shield. At least, she assumed it was Hylian, as the hawk and triforce emblem still shown across its center. A top his head was a strange green cap, which fell into the center of his back.

He was obviously was in good condition, as he ran tirelessly towards the chaos at the forest entrance and into the battle. He gracefully removed the broadsword and shield on his back, and danced through the bodies of gohma and men that littered the road. Danced, that was the only word that Zelda could use, for nothing else could capture the precise rhythm of his movements. He swept from one side of the fight to the other, under the attacks of the creatures and through trees. For a brief movement he would stop, look around and just as quickly he would move again. His sword hand appeared to move with a plan all its own, hardly ever traveling in the same path as its master, but never failing to strike down one of the beasts or aid a soldier in need. He directed the guards wherever he went, and Zelda thought even Impa was following his orders once or twice.

Soon Zelda felt the earth shake from behind her; she turned listlessly to see fifty soldiers of the Moiro army outpost sweep around the foot of the hills in unison. She pointed blindly at the forest, and heard a great roar come up from the soldiers; they swept past her, and into the battle. She noticed that a few of the soldiers formed a ring around her, as she sat atop the young man's red horse. "Epona, that was what he called her, wasn't it? She must have seen a great many battles, she is completely oblivious to everything happening." Zelda thought absently as she watched the man in green.

He had somehow managed to climb atop a tree at the edge of the forest and was motioning for Impa's attention. Whatever his plan she seemed to understand as she returned to the top of the carriage. Zelda let out a gasp as the Gohma Queen abruptly returned to the front of the forest, and lunged one of her great pinchers at Impa. Her caretaker leapt to the ground behind the carriage, out the creature's reach. The queen roared in fury before leaping out of the forest, her body crushing the front of the carriage. Zelda felt her face contort in disgust at the sound of the carriage horses moans. Her attention was soon on the man in green as he leapt from the top of the tree. He twisted effortless in the air, landing directly in the front of the creature on the carriage, simultaneously thrusting his sword forward, into the Queens eye. She roared in agony, her many legs lashing out in one final fury before falling limp. Blood and pus gushed from the wound, it soaked into his shirt, pants and splattered his face, but he simply smiled. A horn sounded, a note of victory. Beneath him, a crowd of soldiers gathered and cheered, "For Princess Zelda, the Light of Hyrule, may she live forever!"

After the battle, the soldiers set up a small camp off the road to the south, next to the river that joined the villages of Derrie and Moiro. Impa had retrieved some of the Princess' things from the ruin of the carriage, including a change of clothes. Zelda had not noticed that she had vomited across her dress, and felt ashamed that she was annoyed by it. "Well, I guess I had other things on my mind" she thought sadly. She had watched silently as small groups of soldier's lit fires and ventured into the forest. They returned some time later with the bodies of their fallen comrades, without the torches.

The smell of burning wood blew inside the tent soldiers erected for the Princess' privacy. "They must burn the forest; there may be more of them. Even without their queen, they would pose too great a risk to the villages," Impa informed her.b

"Yes…. though I am troubled more by the fact they were here at all. I thought you told me the Gohma had been eradicated by the Sheikah ages ago." Zelda replied as she changed into a sandy yellow riding dress. "This would match nicely with the boy's tunic I suppose," she mused as she examined her reflection in a stand mirror, and blushed immediately. "Why I just think that" she wondered before blushing even more furiously.

"Zelda….Zelda! Are you listening to me, are you alright?" Impa asked before striding across the tent to grab her young charge's shoulders and turn her around. Zelda blinked at Impa, before responding in what she sincerely hoped was genuine sounding confusion. Impa always seemed to know where her mind was, and she felt like this thought was one she wanted to keep secret...for now at least.

"Yes, of course, sorry, my mind wandered. What did you ask?"

"I asked you what you thought of the boy who saved you from the carriage. He was quite impressive. I do not know if we could have protected you without his intercession. His knowledge of the sword is as great if not better than any of the guard, and he seemed to know exactly how to combat the gohma. It will be most interesting to hear his story, and who his sword-master is." Impa replied as she clasped a necklace around the Princess. It was a braided silver piece with a small triforce pendant attached to it. Where there should be an empty inverted triangle there was a sapphire, with the Ancient Hylian symbol for Wisdom etched into it. It had been gift from Impa on her fifteenth birthday. It had belonged to the first Queen of Hyrule, a gift of the Sheikah people, and was her most prized possession. Zelda gently placed her hand across it and smiled at Impa.

"Yes, I believe it should be a thrilling tale. As for you question, I was most surprised at how calming his presence was, until his arrival, I could not remove myself from the pain of the guard, and the terror of the gohma. I believe I was close to passing out until I felt him arrive. He was polite and gentle, and I feel we must do something great to thank him; he saved my life, and probably the entire town." Zelda declared in a rush, her cheeks again reddening. She turned away to examine herself in the mirror, to hide her embarrassment. Though Zelda suspected otherwise, Impa acted as though she saw nothing unusual in her answer.

"Yes Princess, you are correct. Come, you look as beautiful as ever, and we must leave soon if we are to return to Moiro before nightfall."

Impa, held the tent flap open for Zelda, and they walked out into the fading light of day. Zelda noticed immediately that the soldiers had been busy while she was in the tent. Piles of dead gohma burned by the forest, which itself was ablaze, they both send great pillars of black smoke high into the sky The remains of her carriage had been moved, and a number of soldiers worked to repair what remained of its front wheels. Further down the road, she was saddened to see the bodies of the fallen guard, covered with their own cloaks. "Goddesses, please accept these men's sacrifice, and bless their families." She bowed her head slightly to them to end her prayer and turned up the road.

Zelda was surprised to see that the young man in green was on his knees in the middle of the road, shirtless, with a ring of soldiers surrounding him. His hands were bound behind his back, his weapons and equipment lay on the ground in front of him. His horse bucked wildly as four soldiers attempted to stop her from rushing through the circle to him. In front of him Captain Morann and another soldier, mostly likely from Moiro were having a fierce conversation. Another soldier appeared to be questioning the boy, though he did not seem to be giving any answers.

"Captain Morann, what in the name of the Goddesses are you doing?" Zelda herself was shocked at the anger in her voice. She strode regally in front of the green man, and placing herself between him and the bewildered Captain, not waiting for an answer. "This man saved not only my life, but yours as well!" Zelda turned to the men behind her, commanding them "Release him, immediately!"

The Captain looked mortified that she was reprimanding him publicly, but held his ground. "Princess, please stop, you don't understand, this man knew of the attack before it happened. How do you think the soldiers knew to come? He was overheard at the inn, he knew that you were coming to Moiro, for all we know he could have laid the trap to capture or kill you!"

"Captain, I command you to release him!"

"Your Highness, he is nothing but a thief or a brigand; we found a large amount of gold & rupees in his bags. He carries the shield of Hylian Knight. How could have that! The line of knights ended with the Massacre at the Eastern Shore nearly twenty years ago!" Captain Morann lifted the boy's shield off the ground, and showed it to the Princess.

"Captain, I do not care if he carries my father's crown! I DEMAND to know what you think you are doing! How could you place this man under arrest without telling me? If he was attempting to capture or kill me, why would he take me from the carriage and return to the battle? Have you lost your mind?"

Zelda glared at the Captain, but he said nothing. She felt ashamed at creating such a scene, especially considering how faithful the Captain had served her in the past, and the pain he was feeling at the loss of his page and fellow guardsmen. Even without trying, Zelda could sense his sadness. "I know he is innocent...that light early...I can just feel it. Impa, please help." Her silent plea was answered as Impa took the shield from the captain, looked first at the young man, and then at the shield. She considered both for sometime before saying "Even if what you say is true Captain that does not make the boy the enemy here. Many people knew of the Princess' visit to Moiro, it is not a crime to be wealthy, and this shield could have been recovered or purchased. I have seen quiet of few of them at many wealthy homes in the capital. As for the attack, the gohma do not follow the command of Hylians, nor anyone else for that matter. They are mindless beasts, driven only by their hunger." Turning to the boy, she asked, "What do you have to say for yourself boy? Who are you, where are you from? How did you know they gohma were in these woods?

Zelda turned to face the young man as he replied. He still kneeled behind her, head down to the road. She saw a great many scars across his muscled chest and back, and a number of fresh cuts still bloodied him. When he finally lifted his head, Zelda saw that his face was still covered in blood, and his hair stuck in clumps to his forehead where it had dried. Despite his gruesome appearance, he was quite handsome. Her breath was taken away as his pale blue eyes met her own. Like the man himself in battle, they seemed completely calm, even now. Zelda had seen men resigned to their fate when faced with their own guilt, and seen innocent men defiant against false charges. His was neither; he was not filled with false bravado, or anger. He simply accepted the situation as it was, and moved on. He opened his mouth and paused, before saying;

"My name is Link, Madam Sheikah. I am simply an orphaned citizen of Hyrule, and I have no home. I travel from village to village, earning a room when I can or sleeping in the fields. As for the gohma, I learned of their existence in these woods only this morning. I was traveling through Derrie to the town of Moiro to attend the Princess' audience as the good Captain said. I had learned of her upcoming audience during my last visit to Moiro, and decided to return and attend. While I was in Derrie, I witnessed a family enter the town badly injured. They claimed they were attacked by "bizarre creatures" in the Moiro Forest, as they call it. The town was quick to prepare its defenses and could not spare any of their villagers or soldiers to warn Moiro immediately, so I offered to. I am on good terms with some of the townsfolk there, and the mayor consented. I rode north across the hills, and west until I met the North Road. When I arrived at the mayor's house in Moiro, I was told that he was at the inn, and I could deliver my message there. When I reached the inn, I was informed by Master Rourke, the inn keep, that the Princess had already left. I admit that I panicked slightly, for I feared for the princess' safety, therefore, I gained the attention of the soldiers at the inn, and took flight here, with the hope that the soldiers would follow me. As you can see, they did. If I may say so I am most relieved that your Highness is safe, and apologize for any impropriety when I removed your Highness from the carriage. I thought only of your safety when I saw the Gohma."

When he had finished talking he bowed his head low to the ground in front of Zelda, and did not move.

"Princess, with your leave I will send a soldier to Derrie to confirm his story." Captain Morann signaled one of the men in the company, who bowed to Zelda, saluted, and left immediately. "Why did you wish attend the audience if you were not a villager of Moiro Link?"

Link raised his head to look and the Captain, and smiled, saying, "Captain, as I am sure you know, the Princess' beauty and grace is legend throughout all the lands. I could not pass up the opportunity to be in her Highness' presence. I also planned to present her Royal Highness a gift. It is customary of the Plains towns to present the royal family a gift each year, and though I was aware of the great festival commemorating her Highness' birthday next month, I did not imagine that I would be invited to the party. Therefore, upon hearing that she would be in Moiro at this time, I left a month ago to retrieve it. If you would allow me to call over my horse, I would gladly present the gift now, as I have missed the audience at the square." Zelda could feel herself redden as Link again bowed to her and awaited the command.

"Please, Master Link, it would be my honor to accept. Remove his bonds and release his horse." Zelda ordered, slightly out of breath. The soldiers were quick to respond, and Link lightly massaged his freed wrists as he whistled. Epona trotted dutifully towards her master and stopped. He smiled as he patted her neck, and reached into the saddle bags, searching for sometime before he removed a plain canvas bag. From the bag he removed a large wooden box. Kneeling on the ground in front of Zelda, he slide the top of the box off revealing a richly velvet cushioned inside, and a squared sized object wrapped in the torn remains of an old blanket. It had markings that appeared to be Ancient Hylian text, as well as various indiscernible images. Link removed the blanket, placing it back in the box with his left hand. In his right hand was an old green leather bound book, with Ancient Hylian text written across the top and bottom as well. In the center of the book, inlaid in gold was a triforce symbol above a hawk in flight. When she saw it Zelda's eyes widen in surprise, and she heard Impa drop the shield she was still holding in shock.

Link lifted the book above his bowed head, and declared, "My Princess, may I present to you the - "

"Book of Mudora." Zelda finished, as she took the book in her now trembling hands. "How could he have found it? We thought it lost forever. Who is this man?"