Author's Note
An average, everyday boy finds himself in the land of Hyrule. For a typical kid, this is a terrifying place, full of monsters. Can he summon the courage to chase a mysterious adversary through this magical world?
This is an original story based in the familiar land of Hyrule with the characters and creatures we all know and love. However, this story can still be enjoyed by those unfamiliar with The Legend of Zelda. Following the tradition of the video game series, the commonly used name of the hero is not used.
The Legend of Zelda: Shadows through Time
Chapter 1: A Kick out of this World
Ashwin adjusted the straps on his gloves as he walked towards his goal. The sound of the arguments over the foul in the penalty box was drowned out in the noisy school yard. Ashwin didn't join the quarrel. The truth is he enjoys the thrill of trying to stop a penalty kick. It was a hot summer day. Ashwin wiped some sweat from his forehead as he waited for the boys to settle down. After a brief pause, the squabbling immediately resumed over who would take the kick. Ashwin stood ready, with his feet spread apart at the worn out patch of dirt in front of goal.
Finally, the crowd backed away from the boy who had managed to hold the others off. He took a couple of steps back, then paused, dramatically. The penalty taker trotted towards the ball. It was over before Ashwin had registered what had happened. The ball had flown up over Ashwin's head, deflecting slightly over his outstretched hands and over the crossbar. The boys all stood and watched as the ball soared into the forested area behind the school yard. Ashwin, being quite pleased with himself for having stopped the shot, sported a huge grin.
"Go get it Ashwin!" The boy who had taken the penalty kick pointed towards the woods.
"You're the one who kicked it!" Ashwin protested. This was not the first time this kid had pushed Ashwin around and Ashwin was sick of it.
"You're the last one who touched it." The boy now started nudging Ashwin towards the trees. Although he was bigger than Ashwin, more concerning was his ability to make one's life miserable if they got on his bad side. The very idea filled Ashwin with dread. Begrudgingly, Ashwin sulkily walked towards the forest, taking his time, retaliating with a waste of everyone's time.
He couldn't see the ball at first. As he found himself surrounded by trees, he thought to himself that he'd already walked further than the ball could have possibly gone. Then he noticed some movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned to see the soccer ball. At first it seemed to float just off the ground, then it appeared to be stuck in some kind of bush. Then the bush began to move. It scurried along the forest floor. Some kind of small creature had taken the ball and was running off with it. It was as if it had branches for legs and arms. Its head was topped with thick bushy leaves.
Ashwin chased after it. Its leaves rustled as its little legs propelled it forward. It was surprisingly fast for something quite small. It jumped one way, then the other, as it navigated its way between the trees without ever letting go of the ball. It would have been difficult to make out when it made its way through low bushes had it not been carrying the white soccer ball.
Just as Ashwin was beginning to gain on it, the little creature jumped into the hollow of a large tree. It was an unusually large, old oak tree. The hollowed out cavity missing in the bottom of it was large enough for Ashwin to crawl through. It was deep and dark enough that the creature was no longer visible. What was this thing? It was like nothing Ashwin had ever seen before.
Whatever it was, Ashwin figured he had it cornered. He got down on his knees and started to crawl into the hollow of the tree. He thought about how much of a mess he was making of his school uniform as the darkness of the tree hollow enveloped him. He reached out with his hands, feeling around for the creature and the soccer ball. He was able to reach the opposite side of the tree and felt his way along the sides. He felt his way all around the walls of the hollow. He realized at this point that he could no longer find the way he crawled in through.
Panic set in. Was he stuck inside this tree? What happened to the way out? Ashwin began frantically feeling along the edges of the tree again. The terror inside him was growing. Then he felt an edge and crawled as if going around a corner. He could now see sunlight again. However, the forest he crawled out into was definitely not the one he was just in.