Chapter 1

I am waiting.

The twilight has fallen over Hyrule like a ghastly shroud, covering the land in evil once more. Every race feels it, from the mighty Gorons on their high mountain peaks, to the graceful Zora in their aquatic domain. The three light spirits have been quashed, their light scattered across the land. All of the living inhabitants of the kingdom have become spirits, and they are not even aware of it. Hyrule is in need of a hero, to once more drive back the darkness. But this time, I cannot answer the call.

For I am dead.

Hyrule is a different place now, than it was in my era. Times have changed, and so have the people. The Kokiri village is cut off from the rest of the world, wanting no more contact with outsiders. A new Hyrule castle stands, while the Temple of Time is a vine-choked ruin. Darunia's grandson Fyrus is the ruler of his people, though he has been turned into a monster. Ruto's daughter Ruetela ruled her Race... until her life was tragically snuffed out. I do not know if her son will endure. Zelda's grandniece is nothing like her, surrendering her kingdom instead of keeping the fight going in secret.

This world cries for a hero.

A century ago, I would have stopped this. I would have pulled my sword from it's sheath and fought, as I had fought to save Hyrule and Termina before. But my time has past, and it falls to those in my bloodline to follow in my footsteps. In Ordon village, my grandson works as a goat rancher. The boy grew up there, raised by the Ordonians after his parents died. He has friends, and people who care about him. Young Link will be going to Hyrule soon, I'm sure of it. He possesses the same courage I once did, and reminds me so much of his grandmother...

Malon...

My beloved wife. She was a young Ranch girl I met when I was saving Hyrule, and came to love. Her love of farming and horses has passed to our grandchild, he can even play her horse-calling song on blades of grass! Malon's ghost lingers in this land, as mine across the vast expanse of Hyrule field can still hear her haunting voice echoing across the lands at night, softly singing a sad melody. How I wish I could comfort her.

But I cannot.

Those blasted sages, this is all their fault! They were six Hylians, who replaced the six original sages who helped me seal Ganondorf away. The sages' job was to maintain the seal on the evil king, but they instead decided to "Punish evil." After driving the Gerudo thieves out of their fortress, they built a massive prison complex in the desert. There, the sages jailed Hyrule's worst criminals in this "Arbitrator's Grounds". Then, they decided to try and rid Hyrule of it's worst enemy.

The fools.

These new Sages drew Ganondorf out of his prison in the void, where I had sealed him so long ago, and tried to execute him. But the Triforce of Power was too strong in him, and the villain would not die. The fools then banished Ganon to the Realm of Twilight. Now his power has returned in the form of , the two fiends seek to merge the light and twilight to create a world of darkness. Even though I am dead, I can not simply stand by, and allow evil to consume my homeland.

I must act.

The boy will walk in my path, and wear the Tunic of the hero I once wore. He will need my guidance. The gossip stones... they can act as connector between the spirit world, and the world of the living. When my grandson finds each of them, I will reach out to him in the form of a golden wolf. In the form of a giant armored Stalfos, I will train him in the arts of swordplay that I was unable to pass on to his stubborn father. Just as I was the Hero of Time, so he shall be the Hero of Twilight.

My child, I am waiting for you...