Hello everyone! I want to thank everyone for their patience as I revamp this story. Breath of the Wild has all my creative juices flowing again. Era of Dusk and Shade is a Legend of Zelda story that has been sitting in my head for a long time. I really hope all of you read it enjoy it, if you did (or even if you think I need to improve) please leave a review!

Era of Dusk and Shade takes place in a Hyrule that we haven't seen before, with all new reincarnations of characters that we love from all over the Legend of Zelda history. Expect to see a lot of familiar faces, even if they are different now, having grown up in different circumstances.

Come along with Zelda, Link and Hilda as the unravel the mysteries of their pasts and try to save Hyrule!

-Alex

Era of Dusk and Shade

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There is nothing in the sky. You look around, no clouds, no birds, no stars. Is it even night? Is it day? You can't tell. But you can see your friends waiting for you up the hill. Better hurry, they'll be mad if you make them wait.

"Your friends what kind of people are they? I wonder, do these people think of you as a friend?"

You don't understand the question. Of course they're your friends. They always have been. And always will be. Always.

Forever.

The girl is the first to greet you. She always is. No that's not true, now that you think about it the boy greets you first sometimes. Right? But this time the girl greets you first.

"I wonder, if you do the right thing, does it really make everyone happy?" She asks you. Do you know? You can't think of an answer and she just giggles. She takes your hand and leads you to the boy, he's standing under a tree.

"I wonder; what makes you happy, does it make others happy too?" The girl asks. Does it? Think about it. Why is she asking these questions?

Answer them.

The boy teases you. "Your true face what kind of face is it?" What type of question is that? Your face is your face.

Right?

Wrong.

"I wonder, is the face under the mask your true face?" The boy and girl run before you. Are you wearing a mask?

You are.

How did you not know? Your vision is restricted. Perhaps you should take it off. Perhaps.

Your friends run up to you again. The boy looks mischievously at you. "Let's play good guys against bad guys... Yes. Let's play that. Are you ready? You're the bad guy. And when you're bad, you just run. That's fine, right?" It doesn't feel fine. You don't like running.

But before you can argue they are gone. There is nothing in the sky.

"...Everyone has gone away, haven't they?"

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Chapter One

Dramatis Personae

The frigid wind howled across carapaces, tossing the flock of pigeons to the sky, their wings spreading as they greeted the updraft and soared off. Zelda swore, raising her arm to her face, and bracing herself against the wind. After the air settled, her gold spun hair pulled back into a ponytail, rested against her back again, she gathered her bow and started dismantling it. The castle rooftops and towers were the least ideal place to practice her archery skill, but her father forbade her from going out to the Kokiri Woods, and the archery course in the barracks could only hold her attention for so long. One day she'd be able to convince her father that she was no longer a suckling, she was on the threshold of womanhood. But the very thought of that conversation made her shake her head profusely, causing the seashell beads braided into her hair to jingle like the tiniest chimes.

She could hear his voice so clearly, gruff and carrying all the patriarchal weight he wished she had. "Absolutely not, you are a princess, and potential queen. You are not to go galavanting around in woods."

"But father, I'm the best shot amongst all the new guard, and I'm even better than most of the old guard. I can take care of myself!"

"You are sick, what are you going to do without a soothesayer out there to help you?" Now she was mouthing his words in a foppish caricature. "Zelda, why can't you be more like your sister?"

Zelda scoffed and spun on her heels, wrapping her arms around herself. Her father loved pitting her against Hilda, her twin. Zelda hated it, they may have been twins, but they were as different as two people could be. For as long as she could remember her heart echoed with the call of the wild, the grand adventure. The great stone walls of the castle stifling her freedom. Meanwhile, Hilda was the "good" child, drawn to the deep corridors of the royal library. She spent hours mastering a symphony of instruments, while Zelda only seemed to handle the harp.

But as divergent as their paths were, they were sisters, and loved each other. Zelda couldn't help but hold a grudge against their father for pitting them against each other their whole lives.

Zelda hopped from one roof to another. The sky bled red from the west. Between the spires jutting into the sky like the teeth from some great beast the sun disappeared, leaving only the crimson remains. She had an appointment with her soothesayer before dinner, and judging by the setting sun she was late. Another thing for her father to complain about.

The horns that cut the dusk air sent any bird the strong winds hadn't disrupted into the air with disgruntled caws. Zelda sprinted to the castle entrance. Someone was coming, and they wanted everyone to know. She knelt behind the battlement above the drawbridge. The soothesayer could wait.

The procession that neared the castle was swathed in red and golds. All astride horses with pole arms and flagstaffs, banners whipped in the wind. A boar and trident adorned each flag. Zelda precariously leaned over the outer wall to get a better eye. Were all the riders women? Fascinating, were these the Gerudo from the far west she had read about? If only she had been born into their ranks, then she could hunt and adventure as much as she wished. The Amazonian Gerudo were known throughout the land for their skill in horse riding and archery. As well as being master swordswomen and shrewd negotiators.

But what were they doing here? Zelda wasn't aware of a dignitary scheduled to arrive.

Centered between the riders sat a large yurt, a cyclical tent of woven fronds and wood, pulled on six great wheels by four intimidating horses. The flap of cloth covering the entrance was pushed aside as a towering man stepped from within. He was flanked on either side by an elderly, shrunken hag.

"I demand parley with King Daltenus of Hyrule!" The man's voice boomed, carrying with it a presence that sent a shiver down Zelda's back. She crawled back, hiding everything from her sharp nose down behind the parapet. Something deep inside of her spasmed. She didn't know who this man was, but she absolutely did not like him. Though, perhaps she was just having a depressive swing.

"Who are you to call his Majesty by his name?" The guard called from above the portcullis.

"I am Lord Ganondorf of the Gerudo, ask your king of me, he'll grant me entrance." Zelda squinted as she inspected his features. He did indeed have the broad nose, sun kissed olive skin, and eyes that shone with sun, trademark of the Gerudo. But how could that be, if they were only women?

The guard returned to his window above the portcullis, and called down, "His Majesty greets the Lord of the Great Desert!"

While Zelda couldn't see the portcullis from her position she could hear the great mechanisms turning at its heart. The clunking and clang of chain as the gate groaned to life and rose. She jumped to her feet and gave one last look at the preceding below before running off.

She found the vines that grew up the lattice into the women's atrium, and quickly scaled down. Running past chamber ladies and servants she took the steps to her room two at a time.

"Zel!" She didn't slow down, and could hear her sister gather up her gown to give chase. "Zel, father has been looking all over for you." Hilda caught up, falling into stride with her sister. While they were twins, matched in elfin beauty, and sharp features traditional of the royal family, Zelda's golden hair and blue eyes that reflected the sun in summer, were reversed in her sister's raven locks and dark eyes. "You weren't with your soothesayer, have you not been taking your potions again?"

"I'm still taking my medicine." Zelda snapped back, immediately feeling bad. Her sister was just looking out for her. "Sorry Hil, I just hate spouting my life to that counterfeit."

Hilda nodded her head in support. They had both always seen the soothesayer, Zelda for her mood swings, and Hilda for her depression and feelings of extrinsicness. "Father says there's a lord here to see him, and he wants us present." Hilda held the door open as Zelda rushed in, yanking her tunic over her head.

"I saw, some Gerudo king." Her voice muffled behind cloth. "Though the Gerudo don't have a king, they're loyal to the Hylian Crest I thought."

Hilda helped fasten Zelda's corset. "They are loyal to us. I've never heard of a Gerudo king outside of legend." She picked out jewelry as Zelda slipped into a gown.

"Legend?" Hil was always the more knowledgeable one. Zelda didn't even try to compete.

"They say that every hundred years the Gerudo tribe give birth to a boy, who then ascends to king hood. But centuries ago they gave birth to a dark lord who devastated the land and caused great strife and war. A courageous hero rose up to strike him down. As punishment for bringing him into the world, the Gerudo never bore a son again." Hil held out a jacket for Zelda to stretch into, clipped on a high standing collar and then adorned her in gold.

"This man was definitely Gerudo born as far as I could see." Zelda struggled to balance her breathing, trying not to suffocate in the corset that was crushing her ribs. The sisters took each other's hands and rushed out the room.

The audience hall was the largest room in the castle, filled with marble columns and vibrant tapestries. King Daltenus Hyrule, a large man of both height and girth, reclined in his throne. Beside him sat the ever empty throne of his late wife. To the left of hers were the smaller thrones for the twins. To their left sat their maternal uncle Prince Plen, and to their father's right their paternal uncle Chancellor Gaepora. And so made up the Hyrule royal family. (Excepting Plen's wife who stood in the gathering crowd and his son who was off on some expedition in the kingdom.) The sisters took their seats and the king rose from his.

"The Hylian royal family greet our Gerudo sisters with open arms! What brings you to our fields on such short notice?" King Daltenus swung his arms wide. His voiced carried around the massive chamber, reverberating off columns and ceiling.

Once again centered in the gathered crowd, though this one of Hylian nobility, stood the massive Lord Ganondorf. Now that he was standing in front of her, Zelda estimated he was nearing seven feet tall, towering over everyone in the room. The two hags still flanked him, their gnarled and twisted bodies hunched over canes tipped in ruby and sapphire. A step back on his right stood a strong looking woman in red armor and robes. Her fiery hair pulled back into a tight ponytail. Her amber eyes glared defiantly at the royal family. And behind her was a short being swathed in a turban and robes beneath a light blue cloak. A veil kept its face from view. The rest of the Gerudos were missing though.

"It has been far too long since the Gerudos had a king of their own." Lord Ganondorf started. His red hair was twisted into braids and pulled back into a halo like crown of gold adorned with rubies. "For millennia they have sworn fealty to their oppressors. But I have returned to my people and we will bow on bent knee no longer. I am Lord Ganondorf, true ruler of all the red sun touches. I come here today to announce our secession of Hyrule. We will fly free of the Hylian Crest."

The crowd gasped, grabbing at each other in shock.

"You understand this is treason of the highest order?" The King asked.

"We commit no treason, for we do not answer to your rule." Ganondorf's strong brow pulled his eyebrows together, he hadn't broken eye contact with the king yet.

"Guards, arrest this man, and his cohorts!" King Daltenus commanded. Royal guards forced their way through the throng of bystanders, drawing weapons. "Treason is punishable by death my good 'Lord' Ganondorf." The King sat back down. His hands gripped the armrests so hard Zelda could see his knuckles turn white.

The woman behind Ganondorf stood forward, unsheathing two scimitars. Zelda watched in awe as the woman danced around the room, her motions flowing like water through the air. A beautiful dance of death, she spun and crouched and pierroted as blood flew from each swing of her blades. Torch light glinting from eye, blade and jewellery. One by one each guard fell to her macabre waltz.

The room filled with chaos as the crowd erupted into panicked screams and a flurry of escaping bodies. Guards rushed in from side rooms, and Gerudo warriors spilled in from the entrance. In the center of the room Ganondorf stood laughing. Zelda grabbed the ceremonial sword hung on her uncle's throne as he escaped after his wife.

Bringing the blade around she chopped down a Gerudo making a run for the dais they were sat atop. The feeling was weird, she'd only ever practiced combat with her trainer or on wooden dummies. She wasn't ready for the feeling of slicing through flesh and bone. Hilda let out a scream behind her.

"Hil, get out of here!" Zelda commanded her sister, she couldn't let her get hurt. Hilda jumped up from her chair, though instead of running she grabbed Zelda's free arm.

"I won't leave your side." Her sister's voice was strong and defiant. Zelda looked at her with shock, she'd never heard Hil sound like that.

Zelda turned away as she parried an attack from another enemy. Swinging diagonally she sliced through the Gerudo's defences, rending flesh.

Chancellor Gaepora stood from his seat and cried out. The fighting paused from both sides. "This is enough!" He waved his hand, and the royal guard made a protective circle around the dais. "Leave this castle at once. We grant you safe passage as far as the town gates. There is no need for this senseless killing."

"Very well." Ganondorf bowed theatrically. "But know now that everything west of the Zora River belongs to me."

"Know that this means war." King Daltenus growled.

Ganondorf chuckled as he straightened himself. His eyes met Zelda's, boring into her. She immediately felt all her hairs stand on end. Her fingers spasmed as she felt dread swell up inside her, like a cup being filled to the brim. She quickly looked away, anything to get him to stop staring at her.

"I wouldn't want you to think me ungrateful. A parting gift then." Ganondorf motioned to the two hags as he turned with a flourish of his cape and headed for the gate, surrounded by his warriors. Zelda looked up, glaring at the back of his head, her pointed ears burning with her self loathing for showing weakness to him.

The two old ladies cackled, a sound like crunching bones, and put their staves together, a black smoke seeped from the tips. With a bang the room was filled with a blinding light. Zelda and Hilda shielded their eyes from the radiance.

Blinking away the blind spots Zelda saw that the desert dwellers were gone. She heard a yell from her right and turned to see Chancellor Gaepora knelt over her father, who was sprawled across the floor.

"Father!" She screamed rushing to his side.