Chapter 1

"Wake Up"

…..Red eyes….a flash of lighting….a distant roar….then, a golden light and a flash of silver. My right arm burned. Something was in my left hand. I felt the weight being lifted, felt myself take a few steps forwards….The red eyes seemed to stare into my soul...I swung the object at the thing's face as it charged in my direction-

I bolted upwards, trembling. This had been going on now for quite some time, each night, the...thing grew more clear. …..Goddesses….when will I be free? These dreams cannot go on forever…..can they? Caught up in my thoughts, I merely sat there in my cot for a while, just thinking.

….I almost forgot! Today is the Princess's inauguration! She'll be Queen! And….what did my father say?

Then it came to me.

…..I….I get to be the one to give her the sword! The sword that my father and I made ourselves!

To say that the sword was a masterpiece was...not exactly true. Sure, the two of us put our hearts and souls into making the blade, but one sword would always be above the rest.

Demonslayer. Otherwise known as the Master Sword, or Blade of Evil's Bane. For as long as we could recall, or so the records say, the sword had been used to fight evil.

One spawn of evil in particular. The beast known as Ganon.

Ganon was known by many names. The Evil One, Demon King, Son of Demise, to name a few.

In each Era, he always showed up to wreak havoc upon Hyrule.

My ancestors, however, always showed up to put a stop to his meanderings.

The most recent hero to walk in this house was the Hero of Twilight, Jason. He was renowned as the one who...lost it after his quest. He took to drinking from time to time, and I do believe that some of those drinks are kept away somewhere….

One of these occasions, he had a bit too much, and he and the woman he loved got together and…

Needless to say, he didn't know that he had a son until the boy went off to search for him sixteen years later, because Jason left a week later after the incident to look for someone.

That boy was my great-great-great grandsire.

Six generations. Plenty of time for things to go wrong.

And judging by these dreams that I've been having, they might have already gone wrong.

….I wonder what time it is...Father wouldn't let me sleep in on a day like this….would he?

After performing my daily routine (get up, get dressed, make myself look presentable, use bucket, throw contents of said bucket out window, etc.), I headed downstairs to the kitchen, where I found my older brother, David, giving himself his morning nourishment.

"May Hylia bless you this fine morning, brother!"

"And yourself."

David turned from the table and nodded in my direction.

"Father has been asking for you-you'd best eat something quick and head outside, to the stables."

"So soon?"

My brother showed his teeth. "Soon? Nay, late, is what you should say- it is around noon!"

"...Noon?"

"Aye."

Crossing the tiled room, I nabbed a few cut pieces of red chu jelly scone, said farewell to David, then headed outside towards the stables.

Darkness. A far off roar. Lighting struck a far off object. Then, a light. It was small at first, but then grew stronger.

I stopped dead in the middle of the dirt path. ….These dreams are coming to me when I am awake? Confused and bewildered, I continued down the path for several minutes…

Link!

I stopped again. No, I was not imagining it-someone had spoke to me.

Link!

'...Who speaks to me?'

The voice was high-pitched, like a woman's.

I never thought...it would work…

'Who are you?'

Zelda.

'...You?'

Yes! I do not have much time-do not come to the castle!

'...Why not?'

I took a few steps forwards, wary.

...It is under attack.

'By what?'

Darke magic. I fear...NO!

'...Zelda?'

I waited for several seconds.

….'Hello?'

I then felt some sort of presence behind me.

Something….dark.

With one swift motion, I reached to my side and drew an ornate dagger, then half turned to meet blades with some sort of armored beast.

I had heard of these beasts before-Lizalfos.

So these beasts are real?

I ducked under the beast's swing and then thrust my dagger upwards. I was rewarded with a screech of pain.

Stay still, why don't you?

The Lizalfos hissed and swung its sword again. I leapt backwards and then began to back away from the bipedal reptile in the direction of the stables.

...Look the other way….good. Now keep looking in that direction…

Sheathing the weapon, I turned and hightailed it down the hill, towards the wooden building in the near distance. Then, it felt as something red-hot stabbed me in the back and I felt myself fall forwards…

…...Link….wake up.

'...Who…?'

Wake up.

'Who are you?'

A friend.

'...Zelda? Is…'

Do not speak so plainly-even now, he might be listening…

'So it is you...who is…'he'?'

Ganon.

'...That….that is impossible...he...he is dead.'

Not for long. Fear not-your father found you sometime ago, you are in the stables, being tended to.

'...What exactly happened?'

That Lizalfos stabbed you in the back.

'...It did?'

Yes. Its sword was filled with poison, but it appears as though you have a natural resistance.

'Interesting...How am I speaking with you?'

What do you mean by that?

'You were captured, were you not?'

I escaped. Currently in hiding.

'Hiding where?'

I cannot tell you, lest I reveal my location.

A far off voice.

"...Think he's starting to come to, girl?"

A snort of a horse.

"Aye. Nothing keeps us Foresters down for long. Your boy will be up soon, Epona. Keep him warm, I'm off to see if any of those beasts are still roaming the grounds."

...Was that your father?

'Yes.'

...He seems nice.

'He is.'

...Link?

'Yes?'

I...I am beginning to wonder if...Darkness has come at last...Have you had dreams?

'...What sort?'

A beast with red eyes.

'...Yes….'

Then it is as I feared….Ganon has returned, or will soon.

'...And…?'

You come from the line of Heroes.

'...And?'

I fear that you and him are destined to meet in battle...what time, what place, I cannot say.

'...You believe me to be the next Hero?'

The darkness began to slowly lift from my vision.

...I do. Link, only you can know my whereabouts. Once I reach somewhere safe, I shall tell you where I am staying.

'Do you have a place?'

I do. But, be careful! Your home might be attacked at any time.

'No one would dare attack here.'

You'd be surprised.

The darkness cleared away, and I found myself looking at the vaulted roof of the stables.

I must go, now. Be safe. Now, Wake up.

Seconds later, the future ruler of Hyrule Kingdom retreated from my thoughts and I was left alone, all to myself, in the stables.

Zelda had told me to "Wake up". I had….but maybe it meant more than that…..

All of you can scream at me for not working on this for so long. I deserve it.

I'm in the mood to work on this again. Life for this Hero is about to go downhill very quickly...