The Hyrulian Valhalla Saga: Side Stories
By Queenie Z

Until This Curse Is Broken

"So," mused the terrible beast, running a clawed finger over one of the prongs of his trident, "the cycle begins anew, and the mighty Hero appears once again in the form of a mere boy." He chuckled, his menacing grin leaving wrinkles in his snout. "Just as I expected - the gods are ceaseless in their attempts to stop me."

The Hero had been puzzled by Ganon's words and frightened by his monstrous form, yet he stood tall, gripping the hilt of his sword so tightly that his knuckles turned white. "I'm here for the princess," he said, undauntedly.

"You don't need to tell me that, boy." Ganon pointed his evil weapon at the child before him. "You've come a long way, just like all the ones who came before you... but you've yet to defeat me. Show me that you truly live up to your legacy, Hero of Legend...!"

He would never forget that exchange as long as he lived, and he would always remember it for the eternity that came after. Brown frowned, allowing Ganon's cryptic words to replay in his mind over and over. He had not been in the Heroes' afterlife for long, and he had just begun to unravel the mysteries behind everything - behind the Triforce, behind Ganon, behind his own existence - and piece the answers together in order to finally understand the truth of the legacy he had inherited.

He flipped a page in his book, which chronicled the lives and deaths of beast called Ganon and the man he had once been, Ganondorf. He knew Ganon's evil was an ancient one - his Princess Zelda had told him as much - but he had no idea just how ancient it really was. That monster had plagued Hyrule for centuries, for millennia, and it was only through the efforts of the Heroes Brown now called his family that he could be kept at bay. He began to suspect that it was those Heroes whom Ganon spoke of during their encounter at Death Mountain.

Brown snarled slightly at a sketch of Ganon's putrid pig-like face. "You said it yourself," he muttered, "the gods won't stop until they've stopped you. So why do you..."

"It's because," said a voice from behind, "he's just as tenacious as the gods."

He turned - it was Light, with Duo close by. It was just as well that they were here, for the newest Hero had so many questions he wanted to ask.

"There comes a point where tenacity turns into stupidity, though," he said, glancing back at the book. On the other page was a rough drawing of Ganondorf, the form he had taken as a human. "He lost everything in his search for power; his kingship, his human form... his mind, too. Is the Triforce really worth losing all of that for?"

"For him it is," said Light, kneeling beside his successor. "Once he got a taste of its power in my time, there was no going back for him."

"Or his minions," Duo added, his arms crossed pensively. "They all want that power more than anything else - that's why they keep bringing him back. And that's why we keep having to stop him."

Brown scowled in disgust and shut the book. "So it really is just one big conspiracy for power," he said. "All the pain and suffering Ganon and his minions caused - it was all for the sake of greed! It's so pointless... why can't he just stay dead for good!"

"Brown," said Light, putting a hand on his shoulder, "it runs deeper than that. Yes, Ganon's motivation is greed. It always has been. But there's something else that keeps him going."

"What?"

"Revenge." Light shut his eyes sadly. "...Has Sky told you yet? About the curse?"

"Curse?" Brown's eyes went wide. "What curse?"

"Before Ganon, there was an even greater evil," explained Duo. "He was known as Demise, the god of all evil and the father of all monsters. When Sky defeated him, he placed a curse on him. On all of us."

"'An incarnation of my hatred shall ever follow your kind'," clarified Light. "...That incarnation was Ganondorf, who later became Ganon."

A sudden nausea took over Brown. He slumped in his seat and placed a hand to his forehead. "Th-That's..." he swallowed. "Goddesses... And there's no way to break this curse! Is Ganon going to just - just keep coming back to haunt us!"

"Brown, please!" Duo rushed over and placed a comforting hand on Brown's arms. "You don't have to be scared... we don't know how long this curse will last, but it's okay! Hyrule's going to be just fine as long as new Heroes can be born!"

"Duo's right." Light smiled. "The goddesses made sure of that. They won't break their promise. And who knows? Maybe one day, a future Link will figure out how to end the curse once and for all."

Brown stared at his predecessors. "What'll happen then?"

Light shrugged. "We're not sure. But whatever happens, Ganon's reign of terror will end for good. And that's something we should all keep praying for."

Duo nodded. "Everything's going to end up okay. Trust us."

The new Hero looked down at his lap. Then, he smiled. "I guess I have to take your word for it. Thanks, you two."

"What are big brothers for?" snickered Light, who reached over, pulled off Brown's hat, and ruffled his chestnut-colored hair.

"Wh-Who said you were my big brothers!" asked Brown, flustered and reaching for his hat back.

Duo laughed happily at their friendly antics, glad that they could cheer their little brother up. He knew that hope sprang eternal within the hearts of Heroes, and it comforted him to know that same hope would one day break the curse upon themselves and the land of Hyrule.