Live-Action Legend of Zelda Film Series – Part 3: Noble Wisdom

Pitching the FIRST EVER Live-Action Legend of Zelda Film Series – Part 3: Noble Wisdom Chapter 1

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out Part 1 and Part 2 here:

In a nutshell, Part 2 left off from a Hyrule in complete disarray. Ganondorf finally revealed his nefarious hand, violently doing away with both the King, Daphnes Bospheramus Hyrule and the rapidly rising knight and wielder of the Triforce of Courage, Link. After taking the Triforce of Courage from Link and adding it to his already formidable Triforce of Power, Ganondorf has used this absolute strength to take Hyrule’s throne. However, to consolidate his grip on power, he seeks to take the third and final piece of the Triforce, the Triforce of Wisdom.

Although this is meant to be a trilogy, to prevent Part 3 from being a substantially long read and to amplify the excitement, it will be released in two chapters, which has actually been seen before in major big screen adaptations of book trilogies such as The Hunger Games and the Divergent series, which both released their third films in two parts. I wanted to give a special shout-out to my good friend and fellow TGPZ writer, Sam Guzman for helping me come up with ideas around the story. Now without further ado, let’s see how the trilogy would begin to wrap up!

* * *

“C’mon Princess, there’s no time to mourn, we gotta run!”. The rain was pelting down, the dark sky was occasionally being battered by violent lightening. Perhaps even the elements were reacting to what had just transpired in the land. In the vast plain of Hyrule Field, two figures were running with great urgency. One of these was grabbing the other by the arm in what looked like a hasty getaway from the main area of the field. This was Impa, the middle-aged Sheikah women whom not long ago was a prisoner of the Kingdom for playing her part in an attempted attack upon Hyrule Castle. The figure she was dragging onward in this escape was none other than Zelda, who had began the day as the Princess of the Land, but as of the events of the last few hours, had now become a fugitive. Impa and Zelda both reached a canyon where Impa had deemed to be safe enough to stop. They had, after all, been running for almost 2 hours since Impa had come out of nowhere to save the life of the Princess. Once they’d stopped, Zelda immediately collapsed to the ground and burst into tears. If there was ever a definition of a bad day, this had to be it. She had seen both her dear father, the King, and the knight in training whom she was possibly beginning to think of as more than just a friend, Link, murdered right before her eyes. But not only that, they’d been murdered by a man she’d grown up believing was duty-bound to ensure her safety, General Fronagond. He was like a second father to her. But now, he had revealed himself to be not only be a liar and a fraud, but the Kingdom’s biggest enemy in history, the Gerudo King himself, Ganondorf.

“I… I’ve lost…everything. He’s taken everything! My Kingdom, my father, and my best friend!”, muttered an inconsolable Zelda. She continued: “He’s going to take over this land, enslave my people and do heinous things, and I can’t do anything to stop him. ANYTHING!!”. Impa simply walked up to Zelda, grabbed both of her arms and picked her up with force. “Yes, that’s exactly what has gone down, Princess. And you’re correct, there’s nothing you can do as of this moment. Ganondorf has two pieces of the Triforce, but if that hasn’t made him powerful enough, he greeds for that third piece, believing you to be the wielder. And trust me, he won’t stop at anything to capture and dig it out of you! If he finds you, you will have no chance of standing against him”. Tearfully, Zelda responded: “Is that it then? Does this Land now forever belong to that cursed brute?”. At this, Impa replied: “If you listened to me properly, I said you can’t do anything as of this moment. Having said that, if Ganondorf’s assumptions are correct and the third Triforce piece is truly within you, then you are the last remaining hope of saving Hyrule. We need to find a way for you to awaken this Triforce piece. And for that, we will have to lay low in hiding, where I will turn you into something else. Something unbecoming of a Princess”. With annoyance and grief, Zelda responded, “But Impa, I am not a warrior. Yes, father may have provided me with some fighting skills and sent me on certain combat missions to learn to protect myself, but that’s not truly me. I am a Princess whose aim has always been to look after my people and ensure the lasting pride and legacy of the Royal Family”. Having none of it, Impa remarked: “Look Your Highness, you may be a Princess in your head, but in reality, you are now a fugitive of Ganondorf’s throne. You may not like being a warrior, but that’s what you have to become to regain your Princess status. After you’ve taken out that hot-headed goon and returned Hyrule back to normal, by all means you can go back to your glitzy jewels, spectacular Royal splendors and walk around the castle with that cheesy grin. But for now, you must become someone and something else”. With that, Zelda wiped away her tears and gave a determined nod towards Impa.

6 Months Later

His eyes opened slowly. For some strange reason, his body was feeling cold, but there was a pleasantness to this cold. As if the body was soothed from something terrible. His sense of smell seemed to return all of a sudden. The smell was sparingly similar to the farm he had been brought up in, yet it was very different. The smell of wood was a lot more stronger, and was mixed with a leafy scent. Next to return was his sense of hearing. And his ears were treating him to the sound of a melodious voice. With that, he sat up to see that all this time he was lying on a wooden bed. And looking around, he realized he was inside a wooden hut. But it looked like someone’s home. He looked towards the window to see that some sort of person was sitting beside it. However, the light coming from the window meant he couldn’t make out who this figure was. All he could see was that it was the silhouette of a female with long hair. And she was the source of the melodious singing he could hear. The silhouette seemed to realize that he was awake. She ceased her singing and turned around to face him. But to Link, it was merely the silhouette of a female. Inquisitively, Link uttered: “Z…Zelda?”. The figure replied: “W… whose Zelda?”. However, the moment he said that name, he remembered the aggrieved and terrified face of Zelda on top of a mountain. Suddenly, images came flooding back into his mind. Images of him fighting Ganondorf, the Gerudo Chief, being defeated, impaled and thrown off of a mountain. He remembered everything. His face reddened, eyes became bloodshot. With pure rage, Link screamed: “GANONDORRRFFFFF!! GANONDDOOOOORRRRFFFF!! YOU VILE, LYING SCUM OF THE LAND, I’M COMING TO KILL YOU!!!”. With that, he charged out of the wooden hut. Outside, he found himself in what looked like a mini village in the middle of a forest. Like a maniac, Link started running around and in different directions kept screaming: “GANONDOOOORFFFF!!, GANONDOOORRFFF!! STOP BEING A COWARD AND FIGHT ME. GANONDOOORRRFFFFF!!”. It was then that Link felt something hit his head. He felt himself falling backwards. Before he blacked out, he saw what looked like a young boy in green clothing standing on a tree branch with a slingshot in hand. Link then woke up for the second time in quick succession. This time, his head felt sore. He sat up to realize he was back in the same wooden hut. He again looked towards the window and again he saw that same silhouette. But this time, it walked up to him. Suddenly, it was no longer a silhouette, but an actual person Link could clearly see. It was a girl, with long, green hair and a long, green dress-like tunic. The girl looked around Link’s age but didn’t look like a typical Hylian. She seemed to have the features of both a Hylian and a fairy, almost like a hybrid. She maintained eye contact with Link for merely a moment before looking towards the ground and giving a timid facial expression, blushing in the process. “I… I’m so sorry kind sir. Fado is a mischievous one. He shouldn’t have hit you with that stone like that”. With a smile, Link started scratching his head and laughed: “Ha ha, don’t sweat it. I was behaving like an insane fool after all. I seemed to suddenly trade my memories for my senses. But despite that, I would like to know where I am, what’s going on and why I’m not dead on the foot of a mountain right now”. With that, the green-haired girl folded her arms and gave a subtle smile. “Well you see, there’s a river which flows into the forest. One day, some of the boys found you washed up on the side of the river badly wounded. Some of them said you were already dead, so we got one of the red pixies to bring you back to life. Usually, those brought back by pixies are back to full health straight away, but your wounds were so heavy, you remained unconscious until today”. Not fully satisfied, Link replied: “OK, so I’ve somehow cheated death. But who are you people? And where on this land am I?”. Blushing, the girl replied: “Umm, my… my name is Saria. And together, me and the children are called Kokiri. Our home is Kokiri Village”. “OK Miss Saria, thanks for nursing me back to health and all, but I better get going. My King is dead, my mentor turned out to be an evil insane warlord bent on taking over Hyrule and I have no idea how the Princess, my family and the Kingdom as a whole are doing, that’s if Ganondorf hasn’t taken over everything already. Looks like I’m gonna have to unleash my full potential now”. With that, Link tightened his fist, however, nothing happened. Then he remembered that before he was stabbed by Ganondorf, he had felt his Triforce power leaving him and reappearing on Ganondorf’s fist. Angry, Link gritted his teeth and stated: “Oh that’s right. That monster took my Triforce power from me. Now how will I take him down?”. Suddenly, Saria spoke in her mellow tone: “Ummm, kind sir. Before you go, may I suggest something? There’s someone really important who would like to talk to you. He lives on top of the forest hill, outside the village. Maybe he can help you”. With that, Link stood up and replied: “Well given the dire straights that I find myself, I guess it wouldn’t hurt”. He proceeded to leave Saria’s hut, but before exiting, he turned around: “Before I go, I haven’t properly introduced your’s truly. I am Link, and one day, I’m gonna be Hyrule’s top knight, especially when I’ve taken down that Ganondorf”. Giving a big grin, Link turned around and left the hut. Saria was blushing even more, but also smiling. She then got up, left the hut and called out. “Mr Link, I… I think it would be best if I came with you, as you’re new here and might get lost”. Link replied: “Well Saria, I gladly accept your assistance!”

Hyrule Canyon

“Hey, Moronda! You see these? Looks like some footprints. Let’s follow them”. Two Gerudo women had been patrolling through Hyrule Canyon when one of them had noticed a line of footprints leading into a small cave. Both women entered the cave and lighting a torch, continued to follow the footprints until they reached the exit. “Well Hona, look what we have here. A hidden, abandoned village. Not a soul has lived here for years. Until now that is. This would be a perfect hiding place for fugitives, especially hard-to-find, Triforce-wielding fugitives who have not been found anywhere in the land. HEY, IT WAS A RATHER FOOLISH WAY TO BLOW YOUR COVER ZELDA!!! FOOTPRINTS AND ALL. IT’S OVER, JUST COME WITH US NICELY AND KING GANONDORF THE FIRST WILL I’M SURE PUT YOU OUT OF YOUR MISERY FAST, HE HE HE!”. However, there was no answer. After a few minutes, Hona’s patience was clearly being tried. “ZELDA! OH ZELDA, THERE’S NO ESCAPE FOR YOU NOW!! IF YOU DON’T COME OUT, WE WILL SET FIRE TO THIS DECREPIT DUMP!!”. Suddenly, a door of one of the houses opened and there emerged a women with white hair. She was wearing a white cloak and walking extremely slowly with a walking stick. “Eh, what is all this racket, can’t you let an old lady like me have some shut eye?” Both Gerudo women looked at each other and laughed. “All this trouble over an old coot. I’m not amused Moronda. Let’s kill her”. “Agreed, let’s have some fun Hona”, replied Moronda. Both of them slowly began approaching the old woman with their spears. Suddenly, they felt someone running past them from behind. They turned around to see no one. Thinking it was merely their imagination, they carried on with fulfilling their wicked plan when they felt the presence run past behind them again. This time, they turned around with their spears. But again they saw no one. Then they heard a mini explosion behind. Turning around, they saw purple smoke surrounding them. They could see nothing, not even each other. Suddenly, a figure jumped out at them, aimed a succession of rapid punches first at Moronda and then tripped her to the ground. Within the space of 2 seconds, she did the same to Hona. Whilst both were on the ground, the figure jumped up, brought forward its hand and aimed what looked like thin needles made out of light. Both Moronda and Hona could not move. “AAAHHH, WHAT SORT OF SORCERY IS THIS? I CAN’T GET UP!!, screamed Moronda. When the purple smoke cleared, standing over them was a person. They couldn’t make out whether this person was a man or a woman, especially given they had their mouth covered with a thin, white scarf and wore a white turban. It looked like a ninja, wearing tight purple and white attire with a red Sheikah symbol emblazoned on the front. The only thing indicating their humanity were red pupiled eyes and some golden hair coming out of their turban. Behind this ninja figure emerged the old woman. However, she quickly took off her cloak, threw down her walking stick to reveal that she was in fact not such an old woman, but rather the middle-aged Sheikah Impa. She brought out her giant blade and pointed it at Moronda and Hona and taunted: “That’s what you get for trying to attack an elderly, helpless woman”. “Blast it Hona, we came looking for that pathetic Zelda and what do we get instead? Two Sheikah warriors”. Angrily, Hona replied: “Well it was your stupid idea to follow these footprints. I merely pointed them out”. However, the argument was cut short when Impa bellowed: “Silence! You two were foolish enough to fall for such a simple trap, now you will face the consequences! Now Sheik, do your thing”. The ninja-like figure, now known to be called Sheik, knelt down at the Gerudo women and in an intimidating tone, spoke: “Now, tell me what your King, Ganondorf plans to do to the land. I won’t ask twice”. With that, Sheik brought out what looked like a small grenade. Her eyes were sparking terror in the hearts of both Gerudo. They couldn’t move and should they decide to maintain silence, would undoubtedly be mercilessly killed by this ruthlessly cold-looking Sheikah warrior. As if that weren’t enough, another Sheikah was standing over them with a deadly-looking blade. “Oooo…OK. Well, G…Ganondorf, he is looking for Princess Zelda. He… he believes she has the third piece of the Triforce. Not only will that make him even more powerful, invincible even, he hopes the power will then help him wield that bow…”, but before she could finish, Hona screamed: “MORONDA!!! KEEP YOUR PIE-HOLE SHUT!!!”. However, Sheik closed on Hona and with even more intimidating eyes, slowly and with gritted teeth uttered: “I will tear you limb from limb and burn whatever’s left should you interrupt again, you got that?”. Hona had never felt such fear in her life as when faced by this ninja. What fiery pit of Hell had this person come from, she thought to herself. Impa pointed her sword specifically at Moronda and bellowed: “Now then, continue!”. “Well you see, some years back, Hyrule’s Queen had this powerful bow which could damage even the toughest of monsters across the land. And Ganondorf realized that his mission to take over Hyrule could be helped somewhere down the line with this bow. Which is why we did what we did with the Queen and took her bow”. Listening to this, Sheik’s rage was amplifying more and more, to the point she was about to attack both Gerudo again, but Impa tapped her shoulder and shook her head. Moronda continued: “However, for some reason Ganondorf was unable to use the bow as a weapon at all. As if it refused to be used by him. Which is why he decided to keep the bow safe in Gerudo Fortress until he got all three Triforce pieces. Surely, he thought, the bow would then be usable, given that having all three pieces of the Triforce would give him absolute power”. Moronda added with a cheeky grin: “Yeah. I remember that day we got the bow. Ah it was oh so satisfying. Watching that wretched Queen squealing for life once we captured her and stuck that spear through her stomach, hehe”. Sheik’s teeth were gritted, her eyes burning with absolute rage like an inferno. Without a second thought, she put out her hand and shot out some more light needles. However, these were meant to be lethal and they penetrated Moronda’s neck, killing her instantly. “AAAHH, you stupid, pathetic, worthless Sheikah…”, but before Hona could finish, Sheik was about to shower her with light needles, until Impa pushed Sheik to one side. “SHEIK, STOP IT!!!”. Impa then grabbed Sheik and took her into one of the houses. “HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND??!! You just killed one of our main sources of information!!”, bellowed a clearly irate Impa. Showing no remorse whatsoever, Sheik replied: “I care not one iota! For years, I believed my mother to be merely missing, hoping against hope one day she would return. Now that I know she met her fate at the hands of these savages, they will suffer!”. Ignoring the last remark, Impa responded: “Among all the bluster, we now know that a powerful weapon is in the Gerudos’ possession”. Sheik replied: “The Bow of Light. It was a weapon passed down from generation to generation in the Royal Family. However, it was at it’s most potent in the possession of female members of the Royal Family. Given that I was young when my dear mother met her fate, I never had the opportunity to wield it”. To this, Impa responded: “Well, we now have a clear plan. If indeed that bow is at it’s most effective in the hands of female royalty, it must come into your possession. So we must infiltrate Gerudo Fortress, take back the bow and suddenly, we may just have a shot against Ganondorf”. Sheik replied: “How are we going to get into Gerudo Fortress?”. Impa smiled and responded: “Well, maybe there’s a silver lining to your Gerudo murder”. Both Impa and Sheik then left the house and went to where Hona was still pinned to the ground by the light needles, next to the corpse of Moronda. Impa got out her blade and pointed it at Hona. “Well, looks like we’ve found a way for you to be useful. You’re going to take us to Gerudo Fortress and get us inside successfully. That is, if you value your life”. Hona snarled: “Even if I wanted to, there’s no way you will get in. We would never let two Sheikahs into our Fortress”. Smiling, Impa replied: “Well, don’t you worry about that. We have it all figured out”. She then picked up Moronda’s dead body and carried it into one of the houses, closing the door behind her.

Kokiri Village

“Hmmm, having never been to this village, or even heard of it, I’m getting strange vibes, a sense of strong familiarity”, stated Link. He was being escorted by Saria through the Kokiri Village towards its exit. But what was more strange was that the village was entirely populated by children. Most of them were outside their houses, running, playing and all round looking as though they had no care in the world. “Ummm, Saria, where are the parents of all these children?”, inquired a very curious Link. Embarrassed, Saria turned her head to Link and with a wry smile replied: “We… we don’t have parents anymore. They all left”. A baffled Link responded: “Eh, left? Why would they just abandon you? How on Earth are you guys living as this community in the middle of the forest? Is there no one to watch over you?”. For the first time, Saria gave a little giggle when she replied: “Where I’m taking you, the answers you are looking for will come”. Both Link and Saria left the village and approached a hill. Saria led him up this hill to a plateau. However, there was no one in sight. Only a gigantic tree. By far the biggest tree Link had ever seen. “There’s no one here Saria. Why did you bring me to this place?”. But Link took a harder look at the tree. If his eyes weren’t deceiving him, it was as if he could make out a face in the middle of this huge tree. “Ah, finally you have awoken!”. Link jumped in complete shock. “Did…did that tree just talk?”. Link could see that the tree’s mouth was moving. “Your ears deceive you not boy. I really am talking to you”. “Saria…ummm what is this? More like, who is this?”, spoke a slightly scared Link. Again, the tree spoke: “Why I am the Great Deku Tree, and you’ve made me wait a very, very long time, Hero”. Link’s head felt like it was about to explode with questions. “OK, first up, why would a tree have been waiting so long for me to wake up, and secondly, I know some of my fighting skills are heroic, but you just straight up called me Hero. What gives?”. With a subtle laughter, the Deku Tree replied: “Now, I know you will have many questions in your mind, and I assure you, all will be answered, but in good time. For now, you’re not in the state to know everything straight away. You have, after all, been asleep for two seasons. Before your mind is ready for those answers, you must sharpen up your body and senses”. Angrily, Link replied: “Look Mr Deku Tree, I don’t have time for this. My friends, my family and my Kingdom as a whole are at the mercy of a power hungry lunatic, and you’re telling me to wait for my answers? Sorry, but I’m outta here”. Link was beginning to walk away until the Deku Tree again spoke, “Without the answers to your questions, you will not be able to obtain the tools to defeat the One with the Triforce of Power!”

This sentence was more than enough to stop Link right in his tracks. How did he know of the Triforce of Power, he thought to himself?. “I know this is challenging for you boy, but staying here in the forest for a few days, building your strength back up and then obtaining your answers is the best chance you have to defeat the wielder of the Triforce of Power”. With a sense of resigned frustration, Link replied: “OK, I guess I have no choice. But you can at least tell me where I am and who these children are”. The Deku Tree replied: “Very well. You are in the Kokiri Village, located in the periphery of the Lost Woods”. Link’s eyes widened in amazement. As a child, he had heard stories of the Lost Woods. More like fuel for his nightmares. The Lost Woods were always told of as a place where whomever set foot into them, returned with no memory of what they encountered in there. As a result, children in Hyrule used to sit around campfires, inventing tales of what monstrous things would be within the Lost Woods. A society of children certainly was not a part of any of those tales. The Deku Tree continued: “These children, as I’m sure Saria here has already told you, are Kokiri, offspring of Hylian and Fairy interbreeding. The fact that fairies never aged and lived for centuries meant that the Kokiri only physically grew to look like children of ten winters and remain in that form for their lifespans. Saria here was the daughter of the one who used to be the Queen of Fairies, which is why she grew to stay in a physical form of someone who looks to be of seventeen winters, like yourself. However, when the Kokiri were born, it spelt the end for the continuation of the fairy race, hence they died out and now, given that Hylian lifespan is around a paltry eighty winters, the Kokiri, along with a lesser species of fairies called pixies, are the only people to inhabit this forest. I happen to watch over them as their guardian”. That was quite a bit for Link to process. However, Link merely gave a smile and replied: “OK, so I get that these Kokiri kids have been around for a lot longer than I have. But given that you need me to train myself physically for a few days, the main question in my mind is, do they have any equipment for me to train with?”. Suddenly, two figures appeared. They were two Kokiri boys, one with ginger hair and a serious face, another with blonde hair and a smile. “Equipment you say? Ha. I’ve got more than just equipment. I have the strength to kick your old, Hylian ass!”, confidently spoke one of the Kokiri boys. Irritated, Link replied: “Hey, who are you calling old, you little…”. “Now now Mido. That’s no way of speaking to our guest here. You and Alsu are tasked by me personally to help Link here train himself up, up to the annual Kokiri festival in a few days”, admonished the Deku Tree. With that, Link gave a smile and replied: “OK short fry Mido, let’s see what you’ve got”. With that, Link, Mido and Alsu jogged down the hill. Saria gave a wry smile and turned to the Deku Tree. “Great Deku Tree, are you sure Link will be ready to hear the truth after the Kokiri Festival?”. The Deku Tree replied: “Saria, given how everything is going as was foretold, Link won’t need that much time to be ready for the trial ahead of him. However, do keep an eye on his progress for me”. Blushing, Saria responded: “I… I will do my best, Great Deku Tree.”

1 Week Later, Outside Gerudo Fortress

Although the standing of the Gerudo race in the land had turned on its head recently, the entrance of their principle headquarters was in the same situation as it had always been, guarded to the brim. There was simply no way anyone other than a Gerudo could enter, except of course, as a prisoner. And this was a scene which was transpiring in the present moment. Two Gerudo were approaching the giant gate which served as the entrance to the not-so-humble abode of Hyrule’s now most powerful race. Dragging with them was what looked like a prisoner. “Ah, Hona! You’ve been gone for a rather long time. Where’s your bff Moronda eh? Didn’t you two leave together?”, enquired one of the guards. “Well… she had other business to attend to”, replied Hona. “A Sheikah member. Hmmm… interesting. Didn’t realize there were enough of these self-proclaimed smarty pants around to cause trouble. Well, hope they have fun rotting in our prison cell, he he”, sniggered the other guard. Both Hona and the other Gerudo were allowed to pass through the gate with Sheik. “Nice work Impa, you’ve pulled off this Gerudo disguise quite well. Taking the clothing from Moronda’s corpse seems like a well-advised move”, whispered Sheik. With a twinge of annoyance, Impa replied: “Yes, but now I’m stuck with this red hair”. Hona responded: “I can’t believe this. I’m committing treason against my people, Her Ladyship, and His Highness Ganondorf. I wish I could just whistle-blow this whole nonsense and have both of you killed instantly”. “Ah, but now you know of the power of the Sheikah. Even a peep out of your mouth and we can kill you instantly with the lift of a finger. So if you know what’s best for you, you’re going to continue playing along”, replied Impa. Impa, Sheik and Hona finally arrived to the main area of Gerudo Fortress. it was a building made out of stone. Clearly it had seen better days, but nevertheless, it stood large and impressive as a place one would think twice before infiltrating. The building had multiple stories and was spread out over a large area. Impa and Hona dragged Sheik into one of multiple entrances around the building, up a flight of stairs and through a dark corridor. At the end of the corridor, they approached another guard. “Excellent work sisters. Another rebellious piece of vermin who still hasn’t realised their place to add to the prisoner count, hehe. Take them in!”. The guard opened the door. They entered what appeared to be a wide room. On the side was another little room separated from the main room by bars. The guard opened the door to the small barred room and Impa and Hona threw Sheik into it. The guard bellowed: “Take that fool! Now get in and keep quiet!”. She then slammed the door shut and all three left the room. Once Sheik was sure the room was empty, she took a few steps back. She then ran towards the bars, jumped and suddenly vanished momentarily, then reappeared on the other side of the bars. Impressed by what she’d just accomplished, Sheik said to herself: “Out of the many neat tricks pioneered by the Sheikah, being able to shrink for a few seconds is rather convenient in escaping a low-quality prison such as this. But this will be the only time it will work. Now I have to get that bow, while Impa plays her role as a “Gerudo” to learn more of Ganondorf’s plan”. She then jumped onto the window, looked up, took out a rope with a grappling hook on the end and aimed it up onto the balcony of the building and climbed up.

Kokiri Forest

“Stay still, annoying old knight and face my blows like a man!”. Mido was aiming slash after slash with his wooden training sword at Link, who was dodging everything with ease. Wanting to blend in to his new surroundings, Link was also now donning the trademark green tunic of the Kokiri. It was a collared green tunic which went down to his knees in length. “He he, your centuries older than me, little Mido, so don’t know who you’re calling old. You can’t even get near me now”. In the few days Link had been training with the Kokiris Mido and Alsu, he felt like not only was his old strength and agility back, but had actually improved. Mido and Alsu were certainly no slouches. Having protected the forest for eons, how could they be? Alsu and Saria were sitting at the side watching. “This Link is one awesome fighter, eh Saria?”. Saria did not respond. She was sat in a complete daze with eyes completely fixated on the Hylian warrior. There was a hint of a smile on her face. “Ummm, Earth to Saria?!”. She suddenly jolted and turned to face Alsu. “Aaaah… yes. He is ….very good at fighting people… with swords”. Her cheeks were turning red. Link then turned to face them: “Now then, my humble audience. Let me treat you to a finishing move”. He charged at Mido, aimed a roundhouse kick into his midriff, causing him to fall. He then jumped up with wooden sword in hand, landed on top of Mido and aimed his sword into his stomach, just stopping before it made contact. With a smile, Link exclaimed: “Now that is what you call an Ending Blow, Mido boy!”. Mido looked on in annoyance while lying on the ground. Alsu stood up and began clapping. “Woohoo Link! Sublime! You gotta stay here forever and be our protector”. Hearing this, Saria gave a subtle smile to herself but with a hint of sorrow in her eyes.

Link went up to his defeated training comrade and reached out his hand to pick him up. “Ugh, keep your paws to yourself. I can get up myself, thank you very much”. Link began to laugh and sniggered: “Well Mido boy, if you set your mind to it, you can achieve anything. That is, except for besting me in a battle, haha”. He gave a wink, which Mido tried to ignore. He began walking off back to the village, with Alsu following him back, relentlessly taunting his defeat at the hands of Link. Link stood there and began to soak in the clear air of the forest, it had after all been an intense battle. With the same trepidation as before, Saria began approaching Link. “Ummm, Mr Link. I’m… I’m sorry about Mido. He’s always been a little hot-headed, he he. I hope he didn’t annoy you too much”. Link turned around and began laughing. “Annoyed? Na, not at all. In fact, he kinda reminds me of myself when I was a kid. Thought it was my divine right to win every duel and getting all worked up when I lost. But he’s pretty good. Gave me more trouble than I thought he would”. Saria replied: “Mido has been our strongest fighter for centuries. Keeping us safe from intruders who’ve tried to invade the forest for their own gain”. Her voice began to tremble a little, her hands shaking a bit. “But… but Alsu is also right. If what you say is right and this Ganondorf you were talking about who is taking over the Land, maybe Mido won’t be enough to fight his helpers off. Maybe… we need someone like you to stay and protect us”. Link was taken slightly aback. He thought to himself that despite the new friends he was making here in the forest and the sense of attachment he was building with them, he couldn’t live there forever. He had a life back in Central Hyrule. His family were there, his duties to the Royal Family still remained and not to mention, the Princess herself, Zelda. Once he had defeated Ganondorf, he had to return back to his normal life. “Saria…I… don’t worry. As someone who has sworn to protect Hyrule from harm, that includes every inch, every corner of Hyrule. And that includes you, Mido, Alsu, the Deku Tree and the whole of this forest. I promise you, I won’t ever let any harm come to this forest, wherever in Hyrule I maybe”. Saria simply nodded in agreement. But Link added, “My goal, as I keep on saying again, and again, and again, is to become the greatest Knight in the Land. But how about you Saria? As someone who has lived for a lot longer than I have in this forest, don’t you have aspirations and dreams of your own?”. With that, Saria smiled and replied: “Well you see Link, as I am the daughter of the late Queen of Fairies and having a more mature physical appearance to the rest of the Kokiri, I am duty-bound to watch over my fellow forest dwellers and ensure their well being. Sure Mido and Alsu are tasked with fighting off invaders, but I must be here to be their emotional support, to ensure they are never sad or lonely and to always be there for them. But if it were ever possible, my dream is to one day come out of the forest for a little while. To see the wonderful and beautiful things that exist beyond these woods. To see a clear sky, to see open fields and many other things my mind can still not yet comprehend. Not to mention, meet people other than my own. Link, you are the first being I have seen other than a Kokiri or fairy. I know my father was of your kind, but I… I never met him”. Link fell silent for a moment. He probably could never relate to anything Saria had to say. He’d grown up with a loving family and other than a few errands, never really had any huge responsibility. He was free to go anywhere he’d ever wanted, meet many people of different races. But Saria had been alive for what was probably centuries, bound to the forest and be an older sister to all of the Kokiri, with no chance of taking a break. “Ummm, Saria. When all this is over, I promise you, I will somehow make sure you get to see the world”. With a look of sorrow, Saria replied: “But Link, I can’t leave the forest and my fellow Kokiri”, but Link interrupted: “Don’t you worry. I have friends in high places. We will make sure that the forest is under Royal protection, giving you the chance to have a break from the forest”. “But… Link…”, however, Saria’s reply was cut out by Alsu’s long distance shouts. “Saria, it’s the big festival tonight, you need to get ready!!”. With that, Saria stated: “Sorry Link, I got to go. I look forward to seeing you at the festival”. With that, Saria ran back to the forest. “Hmmm, surely we can get Saria to have a mini holiday to Hyrule Castle once I’ve kicked some Gerudo butt?”, said Link to himself. “Well, looking forward to seeing what this festival has to whip up later”. With that, Link hurried back to Kokiri Village.

That night, the festival had come. It was held on the hill where the Deku Tree lived. When Link reached the top of the hill, he was treated to a fantastic sight. The area had been overtaken by spectacular lighting from various pixies. Red, green, purple, were just some of the colors emanating from these mini fairies. The Kokiri were all gathered around, excitement etched upon all of their faces. “Hey, old knight! Took ya long enough to get here”, called out Mido. “OK, my battle victim. You better stop calling me that. Now tell me, what happens in this festival of yours? And where’s Saria? Haven’t seen her anywhere here”. With a smile, Mido replied: “The answer to both of your questions is, you just gotta wait and see”. Suddenly, the area went quiet. The sound of Kokiri chatter petered out. The Great Deku Tree began to speak: “My dear Kokiri children. The time has again come for our festival. Where we conduct the ceremony of ensuring the longevity of our beloved forest. As is always the case, let me call upon Fado and of course, Saria, to begin the festival”. After a moment of pin-drop silence, the sound of a musical instrument began to play. At the side of the area, a mini hill was present. On top of it was Fado. He was playing what looked very similar to a violin. Suddenly, the sound of a vocal tune could be heard. It seemed very familiar to Link. Then behind Fado emerged another figure. It was Saria, the source of this melodious tune. Link then remembered, it was the tune he heard when he first awakened from his post-Ganondorf defeat slumber. He looked up to see Saria, however, she was looking different. Before, she looked like a perfect mix of a Hylian and fairy, but now, she was looking much more fairy-like than Hylian. Additionally, she was wearing a long, white tunic. But the tune she was singing had a strange feeling of familiarity to it. As if it was trying to tell Link something. He felt an emotional connection to it, but had no idea why. Both the violin and Saria’s voice finally came to a halt. This was followed by a great cheer by the rest of the Kokiri. “Fabulous. Again a marvelous treat to hear Saria’s Ballad of the Forest once again”, remarked the Deku Tree. He added: “Now for the main event. Children, bring your seeds into the middle”. All the Kokiri rushed to the middle of the area, where they all brought out a seed from their pockets and placed them on the ground. Once they all backed away, a small patch of the ground where the seeds were placed began rising into the sky. Once it had gotten as high as the leaves on the branches of the Deku Tree, the pixies all flew onto the platform, each picking up a seed. The Deku Tree then exclaimed: “Now, disperse!”. Suddenly, all the pixies flew into completely different directions. The sky was filled with a spectacle of lighting. The pixies all flew to different parts of the forest to plant the seeds. “Once again, the seeds you have all picked out have been planted, thus acting as a nourishment for our forest and its longevity. And thus, this concludes the ceremony. Now, let us feast!”. And a feast it was indeed. The Kokiri responsible for hunting in the forest had prepared a lavish feast for the occasion. All were eating in various groups around little campfires. Link was eating his fill next to his training buddies Mido and Alsu. “So Link, how does it feel being the only non-Kokiri to ever attend our festival?”. With a smile, Link remarked: “You know, it was amazing. I’ve seen some pretty cool ceremonies in Hyrule Castle Town over the years, but none of them hold a candle to this. Now that you mention it, once everything goes back to normal in Hyrule, you guys gotta come over to Central Hyrule and see how we do things”. At that, Mido and Alsu looked at one another, gave a smile and replied: “Yeah… about that…”, but before he could finish, Link caught a glimpse of Saria. He rushed up to her. “Hey, Saria. You gave a brilliant performance!”. Saria suddenly turned around. Her cheeks turned red. “Well… thank you… I guess. I’m happy you liked it”. “Liked it? I loved it. Something about that song really resonated with me, as if I grown up listening to it”. Blushing even more, Saria replied: “It… it was a song taught to me by my mother, hence I have had an attachment to it for many, many years”. Link replied: “Well Saria, you must be pretty tired after the ceremony, so you better eat something”. With a subtle smile, Saria nodded and went off to where Fado was. Link decided to go on a stroll around the area. Looking around at the Kokiri, talking, laughing, singing, the thought of how oblivious the children were to what was happening outside the confines of the forest began gnawing away at him. They had no idea the terrors Ganondorf could be subjecting his people to at this very instant, what pain they could be going through. And then he remembered Zelda, what state she could be in. He did, after all, leave her at the mercy of the Gerudo King. Was she still alive? But another terrible thought came to his mind. As of now, the forest and the Kokiri were certainly not immune to Ganondorf’s tyranny. As much as he’d grown to love the forest and had made new, close friends in the Kokiri, if he were to remain here for much longer, Ganondorf and his minions would most certainly come here one day, lay waste to the serene forest and subject his new friends, Mido, Saria and even the Deku Tree to unspeakable horrors. Therefore, he made his mind. He was to leave back for Hyrule Castle immediately and try his luck once again against Ganondorf. He began making his way towards the exit of the forest. He was walking past the Deku Tree when suddenly, he heard him speak once again. “Making a move back towards Hyrule Castle are you Link?” Link stopped, turned around and replied: “Great Deku Tree, I must. I know not of the horrors that Ganondorf has committed against the land in my absence. Whatever has happened, I have to return, set things right and take down Ganondorf”. “Link, certainly you speak the truth and the time for you to return is close at hand. However, you must wait a little longer. After one more slumber, come to me at the break of dawn”. With a little bit of annoyance, Link replied: “Sorry, but with all due respect, I cannot lose one more moment. If I do, even the forest and everyone here could be in danger. I must go now”. At this, the Deku Tree stated: “I’m afraid if you were to do that, defeat at the hands of Ganondorf once again will be but an inevitability. And this time, you will be lost forever. But should you heed my words and come back to see me at dawn, you will learn the truth behind everything that has set these current events in motion and thus the key to make things right will be revealed to you”. With that, Link gave a nod. “OK, I shall return at dawn.”

As promised, Link had awoken at dawn. He began making his way to the Great Deku Tree. Kokiri Village was much quieter than usual. Obvious, Link thought, as the festival must have left the Kokiri pretty tired and in need of some serious sleep. As he scaled up the hill, curiosity was rife in Link’s mind. What did the Deku Tree mean when he talked about the truth behind what had caused the current events to surface? Was there something the Deku Tree would give him to help in the eventual rematch against the King of Evil? Whilst pondering these thoughts, Link suddenly found himself in front of the Deku Tree. “Great Deku Tree, here I am as promised”. The Deku Tree opened it’s eyes and mouth. “Thank you Link. You have demonstrated great perseverance and patience during this difficult time. I highly commend you. But in order to confront the situation Hyrule finds itself in these desperate days, it is important for you to understand why this has come about”. Before the Deku Tree could continue, Link abruptly cut in: “I know exactly why this has all come about. A maniac from the desert decided that he wanted to rule us all, so he tricked us and killed the King, took my piece of the Triforce and has done who knows what with the Princess and the rest of my people”. The Deku Tree continued unabated: “Yes, you are partly correct, but there’s much more to the story”. This peaked Link’s interest, who decided to stop talking. “Before the creation of the land you call Hyrule, there existed a civilization. And it was a rather advanced civilization with wondrous technology people of today cannot even comprehend. This was because the race you know as the Sheikah were most influential in the land. The land was ruled by a kind, gentle and noble lady who went by the name Hylia. The Sheikah acted as her most trusted advisors. They built technology for the benefit of everyone in the land. As a result, it was a most harmonious civilization where everyone lived as one. However, this harmony was soon to be shattered into pieces. One day, a horrifying and fierce demon suddenly reared its head, as if from the deepest pits of Hell. This demon was a being of pure, unrelenting evil. It had only one objective, destruction. And wherever it set it’s malevolent foot, it caused only one thing… Demise. Demise of people, demise of nature and most of all, the demise of peace. The terror the demon wrought was such that it was up to Hylia herself to try and bring a stop to this demon’s rampage. However, after a long and violent battle, even her power and endeavor could not stand up to this demon and its ruthlessness, and hence, she perished. But with her last action, she left a ray of hope. She mustered the last of her strength and thinking of the collective hopes and dreams of the people, materialized a powerful relic. This relic disappeared into the depths of the Earth and was intended by Hylia to one day be found by a warrior worthy enough of taking on its power, amplifying their own power manifold and thus making them strong enough to defeat this fearsome demon. However, for 50 years, the demon continued to terrorize the land. Civilization had been almost completely decimated, technology pretty much wiped away. Those who were still alive began to lose all hope. But then, 3 formidable warriors emerged from the rubble. One of these was Hylia’s own granddaughter, Nayru. She had two sworn friends, Din from the West and Farore from the East. As many people had retreated to an underground life, these three warriors would work to make their lives better, happier, and would fight off some of this demon’s offshoots on the surface to bring them provisions. Nayru with her bow, Din with her spear and Farore with her sword. One day whilst trying to get to the surface, Nayru, Din and Farore came across that same relic created by Hylia with her final breath. Not knowing what this mysterious relic could be, all three of the warriors decided to handle it at once. At this, the relic split into three and infused into each of them. It manifested on their hands in a triangular shape and made them feel much, much more powerful than before. It suddenly made them feel that they could take down this demon terrorizing the land. So confront the demon they did. And the power this new relic granted them was beyond their expectations. Even their trademark weapons had been infused with this relic’s power. Nayru’s bow was able to shoot powerful arrows made of pure light energy, Din’s spear dealt severe damage to its victims, causing paralyzing pain, and Farore’s sword, now with a purple handle, glowed a spectacular silver and was able to emanate beams of energy. Together with their combined efforts, Nayru, Din and Farore were able to defeat this evil demon, thus liberating the land from the demon and its minions. The three warriors were hailed as heroes of the land. For her strategic mind during battle, Nayru was hailed as Nayru the Wise. For her brute strength and the inability of enemies to withstand her might, Din was hailed as Din the Powerful. And for her unwavering bravery, even against all odds, Farore was hailed as Farore the Courageous. As the relic which was so instrumental to their victory manifesting as a triangular shape on their hands and being split into three, it was named by Nayru as the Triforce, with each piece being named after the wielder’s title, Power, Wisdom and Courage. A new era was thus ushered into the land. Din was anointed leader of the West, Farore of the East and Nayru of the Centre. It was expected that an era of peace would prevail, but nay, this regrettably was not the case.

As time went by, although Nayru and Farore remained as noble as before to work for the welfare of all in the land, Din did not feel the same. Being the wielder of the Triforce of Power, Din started to believe she was destined for more. She felt that her power merited leadership over all of the land. And it was this school of thinking which began to drive a wedge between her and those who lived in the West against the rest of the land. Slowly, but surely, Din was strengthening in her conviction that she would take the leadership by force. And thus, she mobilized those from the West to charge upon the center of the land. The area where Nayru presided over would have been vulnerable to Din’s invasion, however, in the nick of time, Farore, hearing of Din’s actions and nefarious intentions, brought her forces from the East to confront Din, and thus a civil war broke out in the land. The forces of Nayru and Farore allied against Din’s forces and were appearing victorious, however, Din had become extremely powerful. She was strong enough to defeat an army on her own. It was then that Farore, in a move of extreme courage and selflessness, sacrificed herself to bring an end to her once dear friend and her selfish desires. She took the impalement from Din’s spear head on to, in turn, use her sword to end Din. And thus, a grief-stricken Nayru reluctantly took on leadership of the whole land. Perhaps to draw inspiration from her grandmother, she named the land Hyrule and to this day, her bloodline continues to maintain rule upon the land. So the Royal Family of Hyrule descends from the bloodline of Hylia and Nayru. After the death of Din and the end of the bloody civil war, the Eastern part of what is now Hyrule had lost most of its inhabitants. This near-desertion adversely impacted the West and over time, regressed into a desert. The survivors who remained were forced to remain in this desert. The bloodline of Din for many centuries produced only female offspring, who renamed themselves the Gerudo. Bitter about the fate of their beloved ancestor, they kept themselves in the desert whilst the rest of the land viewed them with mistrust. In the East, however, a beautiful forest bloomed. Farore’s descendants had decided to move closer to Central Hyrule and settled in small villages and farmlands. But a number of Farore’s comrades decided to remain in the forest and settle with the fairies who lived in the forest. Together, they begot these children known to you as the Kokiri, but in the process, had to embrace mortality, effectively causing the fairies to go extinct. Over time, new races began to appear, such as the water folk known as the Zora, the mountain folk known as the Goron and the bird folk known as the Rito. So all of this together is what created the Hyrule you live in today. However, knowledge of the Triforce was merely consigned to being a legend as time passed, and those who knew of it had no knowledge of reawakening it’s formidable power, except for me that is.”

Link was completely flabbergasted. He looked at his hand and although it was missing, he had very much come to the logical conclusion. “So you’re telling me…”, but before he could finish, the Deku Tree continued: “Yes. The power of the Triforce pieces are such that they passed down generations, waiting for the right conditions to be borne in order to come out of their dormancy. Hence Link, you are the descendant of Farore the Courageous, Ganondorf is the descendant of Din the Powerful and Zelda is the descendant of Nayru the Wise. The Triforce of Courage has made it’s way down generations to you, and as it went dormant with Farore’s act of bravery and self-sacrifice, it once again activated with your act of bravery and self-sacrifice when you saved Zelda from that Dark Leviathan. In the same way, the Triforce of Power made it’s way down from Din to Ganondorf and as Din died in a state of hatred and malice towards the rest of the people, it activated when Ganondorf almost died with those same feelings. And similarly, the Triforce of Wisdom…”, but Link abruptly interrupted: “ZELDA! She wields the Triforce of Wisdom!”. “Yes Link, you are indeed correct. But it still lies dormant within her. Unlike the other two, Nayru died peacefully in old age after nobly leading the land for many decades afterwards. We know not what state she was in mentally when she passed. Which makes it a mystery if the Triforce of Wisdom will ever come out of its dormancy. However, the weapons Nayru, Din and Farore wielded were also infused with the power of each Triforce piece, making them extremely powerful tools in the hands of those wielding their respective Triforce pieces. Link, I did tell you that the key to setting things right will be revealed to you. After Farore’s sacrifice, her comrades brought back her sword to her house, which lies empty in this very forest. Given that the blade was Farore’s and was of superior status to any known sword, in her loving memory, the sword was named the Master Sword. It has for centuries been awaiting the arrival of Farore’s descendant and inheritor of the Triforce of Courage to take it from its pedestal and act as Farore desired it to, as the Blade of Evil’s Bane”. Link gave a regretful look and replied, “But Great Deku Tree, Ganondorf took the Triforce of Courage from me. Will I even be able to wield it?”. The Deku Tree replied: “No matter. Although Ganondorf may have taken it from you, the sword will recognize you as it’s true wielder. You will realize why when that time comes. Now, go”. But Link didn’t move. “Before I do, may I ask, how do you know so much about the history of this land?”. “You have every right to know Link. I know the events of these past centuries because I have also been around all this time. Farore had many comrades, but one of these was closest to her than everyone else. It was always Farore’s wish that should anything ever happen to her, that her legacy and her sword be passed on to one worthy to take it on. But it was clear someone had to be around to guide her successor whenever they surfaced. So when Farore passed, this beloved comrade desired to be that person to one day guide her successor. He went to the Queen of Fairies to have this wish granted, to be around for that day to arrive, no matter how long it took. So the Queen did reveal that a spell to make this happen was possible. But it would come at a cost. He would have to forsake his humanity. For the sake of his beloved comrade, he agreed and in exchange for this wish, was transformed into a sentient tree. As gratitude to the fairies, he agreed to watch over their offspring given they would no longer be able to. And here I am, ha ha”. Suddenly feeling a weight of responsibility, Link replied: “Although she lived centuries back, as her descendant, I give you my heartfelt gratitude for the sacrifices you made, Great Deku Tree”. “Now my child, following the old lamp posts in the Lost Woods, go and take the Master’s Sword, defeat Ganondorf and build a Hyrule my dear friend Farore would be proud of”. Link gave the Deku Tree a heartfelt smile, lifted his head high and made his way down the hill. Following the lamp posts was a pretty simple task, once he got to the last one, he was standing in front of a large, but slowly withering house. It was quite clear it had been around for centuries. Even the gates were crooked. He was about to step forward until he heard a voice: “HOOOOT”. Jolted, Link looked up. On the side of the gate he saw what looked like a large owl. “Now, where do you think you’re going? You think you’re just going to waltz in there happily and pick up your sword, presented on a golden platter?”. With a cocky smile, Link replied: “Oh, and I suppose an owl would know that? Who are you anyway?”. “The name’s Kaepora Gaebora. And I happen to know that it’s dangerous to go alone. You should take this”. The owl turned around, picked something up with it’s beak and threw down what looked like a small bag. “Wowwee!! My keep bag! I thought I’d lost it forever. Thanks very much Mr Kapab whatever you… hey!”. He looked up to see that the owl was flying away. But he decided not to call out. He knew his task at hand. He opened the gate, walked up to the front door, opened it and entered.

Gerudo Fortress

The fortress was like a maze. Not only that, but there were Gerudo patrolling each and every area. “Ugh, it’s hard getting into this place as it is, but they are guarding every area as if they are under imminent attack. What utter paranoia!”, muttered Sheik to herself. All the stealth skills Impa had taught her were being put to the test. Around every corner, she was having to hide behind walls to avoid being detected by Gerudo guards in order to progress. Eventually, she reached an alleyway where it would be impossible to avoid detection. However, it presented an opportunity. Sheik hid behind the wall and waited for the Gerudo guard to begin walking in the opposite direction with her back turned. Sheik then quickly ran up behind the guard, grabbed her by the neck and covered her mouth. “Now sleep”, and with that, Sheik kept her hand on her mouth until the guard eventually gave up struggling and fell unconscious. Placing her to the ground, Sheik took the key from her pocket, went to the end of the alley and opened up the door. She found herself in what looked an empty room. However, a very large door could be seen on the other side. “There, that’s the Gerudo chamber of weapons, where Hona told us the Bow is kept. Time to…”, but suddenly, another voice came about. “He he he, where do you think you’re going, Sheikah scum?”. A figure dropped down from the ceiling, landed and stood up. It was a Gerudo dressed in all red. “The only way you’ll be leaving this room will be in pieces once I’m through with you”. The Gerudo brought out two scimitars. “Don’t make me laugh. Try as you may, you cannot best me”, replied a stoic Sheik. The Gerudo charged at Sheik and began swiping her scimitars at Sheik, who was dodging the blows through fine acrobatic movements. Sheik then aimed light needles at the Gerudo warrior, who batted them away with her blades. But in extremely quick succession, Sheik brought out a chain, swung it a couple of times in the air and threw it at the Gerudo’s leg, tripping her to the ground and pulling her in. The Gerudo tried slashing the metal chain to break free, but Sheik rapidly moved in, kicked both scimitars out of her hands, leaving her wide open. Sheik then aimed rapid punches and kicks at the Gerudo’s body, leaving her in a completely wrecked state on the ground. “P…please… have mercy… let… let me live”. Sheik knelt down at by the Gerudo’s side. With eyes emanating a look of complete anger and viciousness, Sheik stated: “When your savage people had my beloved mother in a similar state, did you show her mercy?”. Sheik was about to hit her with a lethal light needle until suddenly, she remembered the loving face of her mother, teaching her as a child to be kind, compassionate and most of all, forgiving to all, even those whom may have wronged her. Sheik began to close her eyes, trying to hold back her tears. With gritted teeth, she stood up and powerfully kicked the Gerudo in the face, knocking her out cold. Sheik then opened up the doors to the Chamber and walked in.

Meanwhile, in her Gerudo disguise, Impa was loitering around the grounds of the fortress. She had come with the intention to gather as much information as she could on Ganondorf’s plans. In the center of the area, she could see a group of Gerudo gathered almost in a circle. Impa approached to join in with the conversation. One of the Gerudo turned around to face her. “So, you’re the one who brought that scruffy Sheikah voe prisoner with Hona. Must have taken some doing given those fools still think themselves as a force. Stubborn and deluded I say, he he”. To this, Impa replied: “Well, a prisoner yes, but we didn’t get the one we were truly looking for”. Another Gerudo added: “Filthy princess. Proving to be as slippery as ever. The only thorn in King Ganondorf’s quest for total invincibility. There’s whispers that should we fail to find her soon, he’s personally going to take the search upon himself. But dare I say, I’d like that. He will go to each races home turf and tear it apart to dig that vermin out of the ground, and it would be oh so satisfying. His iron fist on main Castle Town is a sight to behold, people trembling at the mere mention of him, he he”. Hearing this, Impa’s anger was beginning to grow. “But, another rumor’s gaining speed that we have a traitor in our midst. Someone who is helping the inhabitants of Castle Town escape in the night”. Impa replied: “No way! How dare someone defy our Great Ganondorf!”. At this, another Gerudo in the group responded: “How else could people escape despite the heavy patrol His Highness has put up in Castle Town? I say that Her Ladyship Nabosa really ought to search each and every one of us. I’m more than happy to undergo heavy searching. I have nothing to hide, but the traitors here do”. This peaked Impa’s interest. “Is Lady Nabosa here today?”. This incensed one of the Gerudo, who snarkily replied: “Are you stupid? Since Lady Nabosa was appointed by Ganondorf himself as second-in-command, she’s been here constantly, running Gerudo Fortress as Ganondorf rules from Hyrule’s throne. Just goes to show how powerful we have become, he he”. Impa, now to be probing, stated: “Now, if Ganondorf could just get that third Triforce piece and wield the Bow of Light. Would just love to feast my eyes on that Bow again…”, but she was abruptly interrupted. “Ha, in your dreams. No one’s allowed into the Chamber of weapons. But even if anyone made the mistake of setting foot into there, they would be completely eviscerated by IT”. Impa’s eyes opened wide. She knew Sheik would be making her way into there. And she could well be in danger. “Well OK ladies, I guess I’m going back for patrol duties”. One of the Gerudos replied: “Patrol duties? We’re all well and good for that today.”, but Impa replied: “Well… I’m very much in the mood for some patrolling… so ciao!”, and with that, she hastily walked away.

Once she opened the giant door, Sheik slowly walked in from a kneeling prison. She had to be wary and expect some sort of security inside. However, to her surprise, there was none. The room was massive, with weapons everywhere. Swords, scimitars, spears, many in specific alters. It was apparent that the Gerudo weren’t exactly a race of pacifism, as history could very well testify. She kept walking past these plethora of weapons when she could see the end of the room. It spread out into a mini chamber of it’s own. There was a massive glass case at the very end. Surely, Sheik thought to herself, it was where the Bow of Light was being kept. But what she found rather peculiar was that in front of this glass case was standing what looked like an over-sized statue of a knight wearing heavy armor and holding a giant, double-sided ax. Surely it was some intimidating Gerudo decoration to signify that the glass case housed something very important to them. Thinking very little of it, Sheik made haste and approached the glass case. However, the moment she reached it, she felt a shiver down her spine. Something was telling her to dodge. Following her instincts, she quickly did a cartwheel leftwards. Once she was upright, she was glad she followed her instinct, because to her horror, the knight statue had moved, and had hit its ax in the exact place Sheik had just been standing a second ago. So her uncomfortable feeling had proven to be true. This was no statue at all. It was a real knight. But looking at the glass case, her other instinct had also proven correct. There she saw it, a spectacular bow. Silver and gold. It was indeed the Bow of Light. As beautiful as she remembered seeing it as a child in her mother’s hands. Aiming to break the glass, she shot light needles at it. But the knight made of iron armor quickly jumped in front and took the needles head on. Sheik looked on in shock. Not only could this knight move unusually fast for its size, but had no issues taking the blows of her light needles. The Iron knight then charged at Sheik and aimed a mighty horizontal blow at her, who despite all her impressive agility, barely managed to dodge in time. Sheik knew that unlike before, this would be a battle to the death. The iron knight, relentless in it’s pursuit of Sheik, charging at her at every opportunity. Sheik knew that she couldn’t get in close range to the knight, who would surely knock her down, most probably fatally, with its monstrous ax. Maybe, she thought, if she could somehow opened that glass case and get the Bow, she could turn the tables in this fight. In the meantime, she came up with a plan. She charged back at the Iron knight, waited for it to aim a horizontal blow and at the right moment, she jumped up and aimed a powerful kick at the knight’s head. This knocked it off balance. Seeing an opening, she aimed a barrage of blows at it. However, after initially seeming like they were working, the knight was absorbing the blows. It suddenly swung it’s ax back and landed a hefty blow on Sheik’s abdomen, sending her flying to the other side of the room. The blow felt like she’d been punched by 100 moblins all at once. She was down on the ground, completely unable to stand. It had taken a lot out of her. The Iron knight quickly charged, stood beside her and held it’s ax up in the air, ready for the final blow. Knowing she wouldn’t be able to move out of the way in time, Sheik resignedly looked up at the knight. Most strangely, the knight could be heard uttering some words. “Protect… protect… b…bow”. With that, the knight aimed it’s vertical blow downwards. Sheik closed her eyes. However, she felt nothing. Instead, she heard the loud sound of weapon on weapon. She could feel another presence next to her. It was then she opened her eyes. It was Impa. She blocked the knight’s ax with her trademark blade. “I’ve just saved your hyde a second time, Princess. Now, GET UP AND FIGHT BACK!!”. Impa and the knight were now going blow for blow. Ax on sword. However, the knight’s blows were getting more and more vicious. Impa was struggling more and more. She was forced to purely block it’s blows. Sheik was now able to stand once again. Her abdomen was still hurt like anything. She recognized that she’d gotten lucky, but knew she would have to re-enter the fight. Impa was getting more and more exhausted merely blocking the knight’s attacks. It was then that Sheik ran up behind the knight and from behind, aimed another kick at it’s head. Again it was knocked off balance, but this time, Impa transitioned rapidly from defence to offence and landed a couple of heavy blows on the knight. “Impa, when I say now, throw me your sword”. Impa nodded. When the knight had recovered from those blows, it was readying another horizontal strike at Impa. At this, Sheik shouted “NOW”, and Impa threw her the sword. Impa then dodged the blow. Sheik caught the sword and landed several blows from the back. The knight’s upper armor had cracked and fallen to the ground. The tactic was working. However, it made the knight more quicker. It was being able to swing its ax more quickly. Sheik knew that their previous move would be more difficult to execute. There was one way to win the fight. “Oh Iron knight, if you want to defeat me, try and land the killing blow!”, shouted Sheik. She then stood in front of the knight, who obliged. It was swinging its ax constantly and with savagery. Sheik kept on jumping backwards. “What are you doing Sheik? You will tire at this rate and then you will be doomed”. To this, Sheik replied: “Don’t worry, I’ve got this”. Sheik kept moving backwards with her dodging. Suddenly, she looked behind her. The knight once more aimed a lusty blow. But this time, she did a high back-flip. There was a huge sound of shattering glass. It was the glass case housing the Bow, which flew in the air from the impact. Sheik landed and managed to catch the Bow. The knight let out an angry scream. Impa happily exclaimed: “She did it. She’s finally got the Bow of Light”. Sheik then picked out a couple of arrows from the quiver which came out of the same glass case and aimed four precise shots at the knight. The rest of it’s armor shattered and the knight fell to its knees. Sheik then charged at it, jumped up and landed a powerful kick at it’s head. With that, the knight’s iron helmet fell off to reveal the head of a person. Impa’s eyes opened wide. Sheik took one glance at the now unmasked knight, her mouth opened wide and she fell to her knees in a state of shock. Tears were rolling down her eyes. The person behind the helmet had long, light brown hair, brown eyes and fair skin. She looked completely dazed. Sheik went up to this unmasked knight, put her hand on her face and in shock, uttered: “It… it can’t be. It’s you… mother”. But something wasn’t right. Her eyes looked maniacal and face expression had nothing but abnormality on it. “P..protect…protect…bow… BOW!!”. The door to the room then abruptly opened. “So, that’s where you are”. It was a Gerudo in black and white attire and small crown. She was accompanied by two other Gerudo warriors in all red, like the one Sheik had defeated prior to coming into the Chamber. Impa immediately picked up her blade, Sheik aimed her newly-acquired bow at the trio. “Don’t take another step forward, you savages. We are taking the Bow and the Queen”, stated Impa in a harsh tone. “Should you try and stop us, we will destroy you”, added Sheik. The Gerudo wearing the crown brought out two of her own scimitars. However, to both Sheik and Impa’s shock, she impaled both Gerudo warriors standing beside her, who instantly fell to the ground. “Don’t worry, they’re not dead. I just dipped both blades in tranquilizing ether. They’ll awaken again, albeit with no memory of what just happened”. Impa stepped forward. “Why would you do that to members of your fellow tribe? What is going on here?”. The Gerudo responded: “You may have heard of a second-in-command to Ganondorf being in control of Gerudo Fortress. You’re looking at her right now. I am Lady Nabosa, Ganondorf’s second-in-command. However, little does he or his lackeys know, he made a grave error appointing me to this position. My life’s ambition has always been to bring our people to the right path, to end the animosity between us Gerudo and the rest of Hyrule. And that has made me, albeit in secret and behind the scenes, Ganondorf’s sworn enemy. For too long, that pathetic excuse for a Gerudo has pursued warfare with the Royal Family of Hyrule. But opposing him openly would mean death, so I have strove to gain his trust and when he took Hyrule’s throne, finally gave me this title and thus a token of his trust. But now that I have it, he has no reason to suspect how I am going to help undo his work. Slowly but surely, me and a handful of Gerudo who agree that we should pursue friendship with the other races have in the dark of night, helped Hylian residents of Castle Town escape to Rito Village in the Hebra region”. Sheik, still trying to make sense of seeing her mother, responded: “We believed the Queen of Hyrule to be dead or missing for years. What is she doing here?”. To this, Nabosa replied: “When the Queen was captured with this bow in her possession, Ganondorf wanted this bow heavily guarded. It was then that a wicked thought came to his mind. Instead of killing the Queen like he’d originally intended to, he would keep her a prisoner in a most horrific way. He got one of the Gerudo to use brain-washing magic to make her believe protecting her bow to be the only objective in her life. So she was turned into an Iron Knuckle to essentially guard her own sacred weapon for Ganondorf’s gain. It was his twisted way of gaining revenge against his most accursed nemesis, King Daphnes, without the latter even knowing of it! But it pleases me that you’ve finally liberated her tormented soul. However, the effects of the brainwashing magic will still persist. To cure this, she must be rested in a peaceful place. So my advice is to head for the Hebra region and take her to Rito Village. The Rito are very adept at the healing of body and mind, so should you get her there quickly, there’s a good chance she can make a full recovery and return to her old self. Make your way to the throne room and behind the throne, there is a secret exit which will take you through a cave and straight to an exit out of Gerudo Valley”. Both Impa and Sheik picked up a now unconscious Hyrule Queen and made their way out of the room. Before they left, Sheik turned around, looked at Nabosa and simply said: “Thank you. May we be successful in defeating your vile leader”. Nabosa simply nodded.

The House of Farore

He stepped up and opened the door slowly. He then walked in. “Well, fair to say no one’s been living here in a while”. Link walked into what looked like the main chamber of Farore’s ancient house. It was relatively large, and other than light peeking through holes in the ceiling, the chamber was dark. There were small doors to both the left and the right of the chamber, but a large door on the opposite side. “OK, let’s see what the door on the left reveals”. Link hurried to that door and opened it. Walking through, he found himself in another room. However, in the middle, he saw a pedestal and on it, a sword. “Wow, it’s the Master Sword! Got to it much quicker than I expected. Well, time to pluck it out and be one step closer to teaching Ganondorf the lesson of his life. Link stepped up to the pedestal, grabbed the handle and pulled the sword out. However, it was smaller than he expected. Suddenly, he felt the sword disappear completely from his hand. “Rahahahahaaha!!”. Link immediately turned around. He saw an awful sight. It was a cloaked creature in purple with flashing blue eyes holding a lantern. “What in tar nation is that! And where did the Master Sword go?”. The cloaked creature, floating in mid air, began throwing fireballs at Link, who managed to dodge in time. Link brought out the Kokiri sword Alsu had given him from it’s sheath, charged at the creature and aimed a vertical slash. However, the creature disappeared before Link could make contact. “This must be the spirit of some rather unruly being. Where did it go… aaahhhhh”. Link felt something hit his back with burning force. He felt himself flying into the wall. Gingerly getting to his feet, Link turned around. There again was the purple floating creature. It threw another fireball towards Link, who barely again managed to dodge. The creature again disappeared. When it reappeared, Link threw his boomerang at it, however, it disappeared before it could hit. “Right Link, you gotta think outside the box”, he muttered to himself. So he brought out his hookshot and shot it towards the ceiling. He clung on to the handle and looked downwards, waiting for another sighting of the creature. When it reappeared, Link brought out his boomerang and threw it towards the floating creature. It hit it straight on the head, stunning it. “Gotcha”, Link exclaimed whilst pressing the release button on his hookshot. He landed next to the creature and while it was still stunned, aimed a powerful slash with his Kokiri sword. It gave a scream, burst into flames and dropped its lantern, which shattered upon contact with the ground. Link saw a key coming out of it’s shattered remains. Picking it up, Link stated: “A key. Hmm, something is strange about all of this. A fake Master Sword, which disappears upon being taken out of the pedestal, followed by an attack by this ghostly creature and now a key being revealed. My ancestors’ idea of a practical joke must have been rather bizarre”. Link then left the room to return to the main chamber. He went to the door opposite to the one he had just come from, opened it to enter yet another room.

Again, Link was met with the same sight. An identical room to where he fought the purple ghostly creature and yet again, another sword in a pedestal. Walking up to it, Link said to himself: “This is probably another fake, but let’s see what taking it out of the pedestal whips up this time”. Link proceeded to do just that, and as expected, it disappeared. But this time, Link heard a blood curdling scream. It was probably the most horrific thing he had ever heard. So horrific and spine-chilling in fact, it paralyzed him. From the corner of his eye, he could feel an eerie presence slowly coming up to him. Every cell in his body was urging him to run, but his body simply refused to move. Link had never felt such a level of fear in his life. Even when fighting the huge electrical spider in the Zora Temple over a year ago, and dare he thought, even when he was staring death in the face during his fight against Ganondorf. Suddenly, he felt someone, or something, putting it’s hands on his shoulders. It then seemed to climb on his back, wrap it’s legs around his body. Link could feel his life force leaving him. The simultaneous feeling of absolute fear coupled with his energy being sapped was crippling Link physically and mentally. He was starting to believe that this creature would be the end of him. After everything he’d been through, this was how it was all going to end. But then, he thought of his family, his fellow knight academy peers and of course, Princess Zelda and how he had to stow his crippling fear and find some sort of energy to fight back. With all the strength he had in him, Link crouched down and with great thrust, shrugged this figure off of him. It fell to the ground to reveal itself to be a brown, zombie-like humanoid creature made out of what looked like clay. Quickly, Link brought out his Megaton Hammer and slammed it into the brown humanoid’s face. It gave another shriek before disappearing into flames. The only thing left was another key, which Link picked up. “OK, if this really was some sort of practical joke, it was not at all funny. If whoever left these crazy creatures lying around was here, I’d give them a piece of my mind, and quite possibly my fist. Surely that big door in the main chamber leads to the real Master Sword”. With that, Link returned to the main chamber and made his way to the big door. On it, he saw two locks. Using his newly acquired keys, Link unlocked the door and walked through. This time, he was no longer in a room, but a space of full, white void.

“Hello, anyone here? Actually, stupid question. Who’s gonna be here. But why is this place like an empty space”. Link looked around, and except for the door from which he entered, it was nothing but white, as if he was the only one standing in a cloudy sky. He looked down to see that his shadow was still present. But he kept on walking around. Perhaps, he thought, if he kept walking on, he would suddenly come across the real Master Sword. He had been walking for around five minutes when he could see absolutely no sign of it. Or no sign of anything. Tiring, Link put his hands on his knees to catch his breath. “OK, this is getting stupid. First I’m made to fight off these insane creatures and now, I’m walking in some empty void. Maybe the whole tale of the Master Sword was all a big fat scam made up by a sentient Tree who’s clearly got a lot of time on his hands and likes to… hey, this is strange. I can no longer see my shadow on the ground”. At that moment, Link looked up. He was given a huge shock by the sight he was confronted with. His shadow was standing right in front of him. However, it had sinister red eyes. And a sword. “Well well well. If it isn’t Hyrule’s biggest failure, he he he”. Astounded, Link replied: “I really am going crazy now. My shadow has taken physical form, and is taunting me”. He was given a rude awakening when this shadow slashed Link’s chest, forming a cut, albeit shallow. “No, Link, you are very much sane, but about to meet your end!”. It then started attacking him with a barrage of slashes, which Link was dodging. “You call yourself a future knight, but you couldn’t even protect the ones you care about. Some knight you will be ha ha”. To this, Link replied: “No, you’re just messing with my head. Stop it!!”. “And yet, you find yourself in this predicament”. The shadow was becoming more and more blacker. “But say you regain your strength, you confront and even defeat Ganondorf. What then? You think Hyrule will herald you their hero and savior? The Royal Family already admit that they had to put Ganondorf to the sword because he was becoming more powerful, more threatening to them. They’ve shown that they fear anyone who would stand up to challenge them”. The shadow Link aimed a few more slashes at Link, inflicting more wounds to his body. “You know I’m right, Link. And should you go back and defeat Ganondorf, what will the Royal Family think then? Another formidable warrior, and guess what, another threat to our throne. And what did they try to do with the last “threat” to their throne. Well, you can guess what they will do to similar threats”. Link felt like it was up for him. What if this shadow of himself was right and saving Hyrule really would expose something sinister about the Royal Family. The Shadow Link, now completely black, was about to land a final blow on Link, when suddenly, he brought out his sword and with whatever strength he had, blocked the attack. He began to remember all the good times he had at the Knight’s Academy, with Zelda and with the King. “I…imposter. You are wrong. Hyrule’s King was the most noble man I had ever met. And Zelda, she would work tirelessly to make the people of Hyrule happy and smile just like her”. Link then stood up and dealt a couple of lethal blows to the Shadow Link, who’s color was beginning to fade. “And let’s get one thing straight… don’t EVER, and I mean… EVER compare my aspirations to that creep. I’m an aspiring knight, not an aspiring ruler, so you, my shadow, can take a hike!!!”. With that, Link impaled the adversary, who immediately dissolved into smoke. Bruised, cut and battered, Link fell on his bottom to the ground. He looked around to see the white void disappearing and being replaced by green and brown colors. He found himself in a courtyard at the back of the house. In front of him, he finally saw it. A raised platform surrounded by stairs in the middle of the courtyard. In the middle of that was a pedestal with a sword. But this time, it was as described by the Deku Tree. Shiny with a purple handle. With a smile, Link said: “About damn time, the real Master Sword!”

Link managed to pick himself off of the ground. He approached the platform, slowly walked up the stairs and stood in front of the pedestal. He put forward his hands, grasped the purple and green-striped handle of the sword. Then he began pulling it out of its pedestal. It felt like he was trying to pick up 20 Gorons. It seemed like the sword was resisting. However, remembering each and every reason why he was trying to pull out the sword, Link put in an almighty push and suddenly, the Sword snapped out of the pedestal. Link then gave a long stare at the sword (iconic Master Sword cut-scene music plays in the background). With a huge grin, Link slashed the air twice and held the sword up into the air. “He he, I did it! I got the Master Sword, Yeahhhhhhh!!”. Placing it in it’s sheath which was next to the pedestal, Link replaced the Kokiri Sword with it and put that back into his keep. It was then he heard the sound of someone laughing. However, it wasn’t a sinister laugh at all. He rapidly turned around to see a figure standing behind him. It was a woman. She had bright green hair tied back in a very unusual style, something resembling two balls at the back of her head. Her eyes were green and was wearing a long, green dress. But the most unusual thing about her was that the bottom half of her body had a light blue glow and she was surrounded by multiple flames of the same light blue color. “He he. You made me wait a very, very long time, my child”. Perplexed, Link replied: “OK, even after taking the Sword, I’m still being confronted by weird creatures”. At that, the woman gave a slightly vexed expression. “Now now, is that what you say to your ancestor?! Bad boy!”. It was then that Link understood. “It’s you. Farore!”. “Yep, well I was going to say in the flesh, but given it’s been about 500 years since I met an untimely end, that’s not exactly the case. I’m just the last remaining essence of my spirit bound to this place to oversee the inheritor of my sword”. Giving a subtle smile, Link replied: “Well Farore, sorry I’m calling you that, it’s easier than saying great great great times 10 grandmother, you put me through some real pain to get my hands on this”. She replied: “Now give me a few moments to explain myself child. Although I’d always planned for a descendant of mine to one day inherit my sword, I had to ensure that they were truly worthy. So I created these trial to test them. Test their fighting skills against supernatural beings. Test their steadfastness in the face of fear itself. Test their ideals, their convictions against the adversary of doubt and the self which incites to the path of evil. And should they prevail in these trials, would they truly demonstrate they they are worthy to wield this blade. This blade that was envisaged by me to expunge the shadows of all darkness. Link, my child, you stood tall in the face of these harsh trials to show that you indeed are worthy to have this sword”. With a frown, Link replied: “In truth, I wasn’t sure if I could even hold this sword, given I lost the Triforce of Courage to Ganondorf, the wielder of the Triforce of Power”. Farore replied: “Ah, seems like the descendant of my once beloved friend, Din, turned out just like her. Seduced by greed and a lust for power. However, unlike our Triforce of Courage, the Sword could never go into the wrong hands. It could only go to the one who I deemed to truly deserve it. And when you passed those trials, I deemed you worthy, which is why the Sword accepted you as its new wielder, regardless of whether you currently hold the Triforce of Courage or not. However, I must tell you this though. Although this sword on it’s own is far more powerful than any ordinary blade, given that some of the Triforce’s power lives within it, it’s bond with the Triforce of Courage means that in order to unleash the Sword’s full potential, you must retrieve the Triforce of Courage from the one who took it from you”. With another frown, Link replied: “So you’re saying I’d need to defeat Ganondorf just to get it back?”. With a smile, Farore replied: “He he, lucky for you, it’s not as difficult as you fear. When you come to face Din’s descendant, all you need to do is land one blow to him, and the bond between the Triforce of Courage and the Sword will enable it to leave him and come back to the one who wields the sword, which is now none other than you, my child”. Farore then moved closer to Link and put her hand on his right cheek. “Now, it’s time for you to go and fulfill your destiny and save this Land. But never forget the words which I am about to say to you. No matter how long you have this sword, a sword wields no strength unless the hand that holds it has courage. So whatever happens, never lose your courage”. With that, Farore moved her hand away and stepped back. The light blue glow was now beginning to envelope her whole body. “Now, go and do not falter my child”. With that, she gave a smile and then her body vanished with multiple light blue flames. Link turned around to see the house and courtyard also disappearing in light blue flames, until they too completely disappeared. Link found himself alone in the middle of the forest. Link noticed that a few tears had been falling down his cheeks. “Thank you… thank you so much Farore, my great times ridiculous grandmother. I won’t let you down”. Suddenly, Link was surrounded with a blinding light which was only present for a moment. When it left, Link found himself in front of the Great Deku Tree once again.

“So, you did it boy! Well done, I’m so proud of you”. With a lightly annoyed face, Link replied: “So, you knew all along what was in the house I guess. And you didn’t even think it to be important to tell me?”. Smiling, the Deku Tree replied: “Well my boy, I was under strict orders from Farore herself to keep those trials a secret. Because then, they would cease to be trials”. With a satisfied smile, Link replied: “But I understand Great Deku Tree, and now, I think it’s truly time for me to go”. The Deku Tree replied: “Indeed you are correct. I think you are now ready, ready to save this Land. Now go”. With that, Link bowed to the Deku Tree and made his way down the hill. However, he had to go back to Kokiri Village and say farewell to the Kokiri who had been so hospitable to him. Mido, Alsu and most of all, Saria. He arrived into Kokiri Village, with all of them out and going about their normal day. Suddenly, Mido and Alsu approached him. “Hey Link, where did ya go? We were waiting all day to train with you!”. Link replied: “Well, it looks like my time has come to depart”. Alsu’s usual smile turned into a sad frown. “Oh, we had so many more fights planned. It’s gonna be sad now you won’t be here”. “Don’t worry, It doesn’t mean I can’t come and visit you guys from time to time”. Alsu, and even Mido then began smiling. “Well, next time you’re here, your old, Hylian ass is getting a beating, mark my words Link”. With that, they all smiled and Link gave both Mido and Alsu a fist bump. However, something, or rather someone was missing. Saria was nowhere to be seen. “Hey Link, if you leave the village from the west, it will take you to an exit which takes you straight to Hyrule Field. But don’t ya dare tell a soul!”. Link turned around and gave a smile. He headed out of Kokiri Village. Following the directions, he could see the exit. However, he could also hear the sound of a melody being sang. It was Saria’s Ballad of the Forest. Next to the forest’s exit it was Saria, singing that same melody. As Link approached, she stopped. “You’re… you’re leaving… aren’t you?”, spoke Saria. Link replied: “Yes Saria, the time has come. I have the Master Sword, and now I have to liberate Hyrule from Ganondorf’s evil grip”. With a sad face, Saria replied: “Well… I guess it’s goodbye. Maybe forever”. With a puzzled look, Link replied: “Saria, I already promised you, I will come back and get you to come and see the rest of Hyrule, like you dream of doing”. With a sorrowful look, she replied: “Link, before the festival, I tried to tell you. We Kokiri… our souls are bound to this forest. We can never leave. Otherwise… we will cease to exist”. In shock, Link replied: “Surely, there has to be some way?”. But then Saria gave a smile. “Link… I got to see you, I got to know you, you were my window to the outside world, telling me your wonderful stories. That way, I at least got to hear first hand about the wonders of the land which lie outside the forest. And I… I can live with that. Now before you go, I… I want to give you something”. Saria then got out what looked like a strange type of hat. It was long, green and looked like a pyramid. “This… this belonged to a dear friend of mine, Ezlo. Like Mido and Alsu, he would guard the forest from intruders. But one day, a more sinister intruder came to the forest. And in that battle, Ezlo lost his life. It was from that day on that whenever Mido and Alsu defeated an intruder, I had to use a spell passed on by my mother, the spell of mind erasure. In order to protect the forest, whenever they defeated an intruder, I used this spell so that they would lose all memory of their encounter in this forest. My friend Ezlo was brave and heroic, just like you Link. Which… which is why… I want you to have his hat. I know that by you wearing it, you will honor his memory”. She then gave the hat to Link, who put it on immediately. “Wow Saria, thanks. Goes well with the whole green tunic. Guess it’s farewell from me. Take care of yourself”. Link then began walking towards the exit. Saria felt as though she was desperate to say something, but couldn’t find the words to say it. But she opened her mouth anyway. “L… Link, wait!”. Link stopped and turned around. “Saria? You wanted to say something?”. “Ummm, yeah. P… please don’t forget this song!”. Link gave a very confused look, but then smiled and replied: “Sure Saria, I won’t”. He again turned around and walked until he’d gone through the exit and out of site. With tears streaming down her cheeks, Saria said to herself: “And please, don’t forget me.”

Somewhere Between Gerudo Valley and Hyrule Field

The journey had been a long and arduous one, but following the path given to them by Lady Nabosa, the second-in-command leader of the Gerudo now revealed to be their secret ally, Impa and Sheik had reached the secret exit out of Gerudo Valley leading into Hyrule Field. Both had been carrying the unconscious body of the newly discovered long lost Queen of Hyrule and Sheik’s mother. “I… I can’t believe it. After all these years, she… she was still alive. But in this wretched state. Curse Ganondorf, that son of a jackal!”, bellowed Sheik. “When I get to him, he will suffer miserably for what he did to her!”, she continued. Impa replied: “And to do that, this is where we part ways”. Sheik turned around in bewilderment. Impa continued: “Your mother must be taken immediately to Rito Village to be tended to. And at the same time, you must carry on taking the fight to Ganondorf. You have not a moment to lose”. Sheik replied: “But Impa…”, but she was interrupted: “No Sheik. You have shown me that you have learnt well from our training. Although I gave you a little hand with the recent battle, it was all you. You were able to work out the strategy to gain victory. And now, armed with the Bow of Light, you stand before me as a formidable warrior, the type I promised to make you when we escaped from that damned Ganondorf. And I know for a fine fact that even by yourself, you will give him and his forces hell. You no longer need me to protect you. Therefore, I will be the one to take your mother to Rito Village”. With a look of skepticism, Sheik replied: “But the Hebra Region is very far from here. How will you carry mother all that way on your own?”. Giving a smile, Impa brought something out of her pocket. “Well, I’ve been waiting for the perfect opportunity to use this one last time”. She pressed a button on this object. Suddenly, strange rays of light emanated out of the object. They seemed to be materializing into a physical object. In front of Sheik and Impa was a rather strange looking thing. It was twice the size of a normal Hylian. It was as if it was shaped like a horse, an inanimate version of it, but instead of legs, it had wheels. It was something the likes of which Sheik had never even had conceived of in her mind. “Centuries ago, there are tales passed down by my Sheikah ancestors that this land was very different to what it is now. It was extremely technologically advanced with things most cannot even imagine. However, it is said that some sort of calamity occurred which stripped the land of such technology and brought life to what it is like now. But this vehicle here is one of the last things to remain from that era and has been passed down my ancestors. It is able to take one to their destination in a quarter of the time it would take by horseback. But given the centuries it has endured, I was specifically told to use it should the need truly arise. And given this unprecedented situation, I deem its use appropriate”. Impa then got onto this strange vehicle and managed to clasp her yet unconscious mother onto the back. “Now, it is time. Time to fulfill your destiny Sheik, or forget that name, Princess Zelda”. Sheik smiled back and replied: “It is something that grows over time… a true friendship…Impa, thank you for everything… I’ll see you again”. With that, Impa rode the vehicle off into the horizon.

Sheik took out her Bow of Light and at the other end of Hyrule Field, Link took out his Master Sword. Both looked at their newly acquired weapons and began walking forwards into Hyrule Field.

End of Part 3, Chapter 1

* * *

This film would serve as the “calm before the storm” type of story where the stage is being set for the final film where it all goes down, although the amount of action in the story is still plentiful. Speaking of story, there were certain areas where I took plot points in directions not seen before in any of the games. Firstly, despite knowing full well that this could potentially anger certain Zelda fans who are purists when it comes to lore, I decided to recreate the lore behind the land of Hyrule to something original, where the likes of Hylia, Nayru, Din and Farore were mortals who went about contributing to the creation of Hyrule in a different way. They are intended to have the same physical appearance as their mortal counterparts from the Oracle games, which is fitting given that Din in the Oracle games has a very similar appearance to that of a Gerudo warrior, so in this story, she would serve to effectively be the mother of the Gerudo race. This gave me the idea of basically making these three warriors as the first Triforce wielders and as a result, Link, Zelda and Ganondorf being their descendants. This I feel, would make a stronger story, creating a whole “history is repeating itself” lore to the trilogy.

The next thing was to write Saria as a completely different character from her portrayal in Ocarina of Time as an outgoing, happy-go-lucky child who befriended Link. As I wanted Saria to be the third part of a love triangle including her, Link and Zelda, I decided to write her as being biologically the same age as Link, but to contrast with Zelda’s more cheerful and fun-loving persona (well, before Ganondorf’s takeover anyway), I thought it good to write her as a very shy, introverted person who unlike Zelda, instantly falls for Link. However, there were certain aspects of Saria which were actually inspired by the character of Marin from Link’s Awakening, namely the way Link first meets her (waking up from a long sleep and initially thinking she was Zelda), being passionate about singing (yes, her Ballad of the Forest is supposed to be the film’s version of the Lost Woods theme/Saria’s Song), wanting to leave the forest to one day see the outside world and the last words she says to Link. But their final meeting is very much inspired by the iconic Ocarina of Time scene where Link leaves the forest. Coming to the Kokiri race, I’ve always felt their backstory to be quite ambiguous and open to interpretation, given they’ve only really appeared in Ocarina of Time. Therefore, as the forest is a place to be the home of fairies, again I decided to be original and make the Kokiri the offspring of Fairies and Hylians who were comrades of Farore, and explained the Kokiri’s permanent child forms to be attributed to the mixing of Hylian and Fairy genes, but Saria to have grown to appear as a teenager due to being the daughter of the Fairy Queen and her stronger magic as compared to the rest of the fairies.

Now comes the case of Zelda’s once-thought-dead mother. We’ve never seen the mother of any iteration of Zelda in the games, at most, we’ve heard stories of her, especially in Breath of the Wild. Straying from that formula, I wrote in Zelda’s mother as a twist to the story and something which few longtime fans of the series would surely see coming. However, the twist of her being a brainwashed Iron Knuckle guarding the Bow of Light was inspired by Ocarina of Time and how Nabooru was similarly a brainwashed Iron Knuckle.

Coming to Easter Eggs and inspirations to the games, when the Gerudos Hona and Moronda are in Zelda’s pursuit, the old village they encounter Impa and Sheik in is indeed intended to be a nod to Twilight Princess’s Hidden Village, exacerbated especially as Impa deceives the two Gerudo by posing as an old woman who is leaving the house. Sheik’s fighting style is very much based on her combat moves from Smash Bros, given we’ve never seen Sheik fighting in a Zelda game.

Other Kokiri we are introduced to in the story are mostly characters heavily inspired from the games, namely Mido and Fado, especially with Mido’s attitude and Fado’s violin which he plays in the Ceremony. The Kokiri Ceremony and Festival is a huge nod to Wind Waker, where the Deku Tree every year hosted a ceremony for the Koroks. Link’s excursion to obtain the Master Sword is riddled with nods to previous games. The House of Farore is meant to be the film’s version of the Forest Temple, albeit much smaller. The concept of fake Master Swords was a concept borrowed from A Link to the Past, where the swords were used as decoys. However, the appearance of enemies as trials were an original plot point, where the first was meant to be a Poe similar to those in Ocarina of Time. Similarly, the terrifying creature Link was faced with after encountering the second Master Sword was a Re-Dead. The portrayal in the film would confirm the theory of Re-Deads being man-made clay creatures. Now to obtain the real Master Sword, Link fought against his shadow, which was indeed Dark Link and the fight was similar to the one of the Water Temple in Ocarina of Time. Dark Link putting doubts into Link’s mind is a nod to the theory that Dark Link was a manifestation of the part of Link’s mind resenting his role as a Hero, although here, I made him more of a trial for Link to overcome his own doubts and to stand by his ideals. When he takes out the Sword and meets Farore, much of Farore’s speech to Link is inspired by the relationship between Link and the Hero Shade in Twilight Princess, especially when she says those famous words: “A sword wields no strength unless the hand that holds it has courage”, a line I feel would be imperative to add in any live-action Zelda film at some point. The scene where Link finally gets the hat and sports the entire traditional Link outfit, Saria talks about how the hat belonged to her fallen friend, Ezlo. This is a direct Easter Egg to the character Ezlo in Minish Cap, who was a Picori turned into a hat. Finally, when Impa parts with Sheik, she uses an ancient vehicle, which is inspired by the Master Cycle Zero from Breath of the Wild.

So there you have it! The stage is set. Link has obtained the Master Sword, Zelda has obtained the Bow of Light. Now stay tuned for the final showdown against the King of Evil himself, Ganondorf, next time, in the conclusion to the story!