The Legend Of Zelda

Long before recorded history, three Golden Goddesses descended upon the world from a distant Nebula. Their names were Din, Farore, and Nayru, and each was charged with a specific task concurrent with the creation of this new world. Having evaluated the work ahead, they began their task.

Din, with her strong flaming arms, cultivated the empty space, and created the earth. Farore breathed the breathe of life upon the earth and created all forms of life: birds, trees, and the many races of Hyrule. Lastly, Nayru poured her divine wisdom upon the world and created the spirit of the law, the code of life that guided creation in the absence of the Goddesses.

In the end, the Goddesses took a loving look upon their creation, and then departed this world for their Nebula. In their place remained the Triforce, the Golden Sacred Relic, an inanimate being that had the divine power to grant the greatest of wishes, or the basest of deeds. Where the Goddesses left the world was where the Triforce remained, known henceforth as the Sacred Realm. This Sacred Realm was rumored to be a paradise made entirely of gold, but no mortal, less than the Goddesses that created it, had ever stepped within the bounds of the Sacred Realm.

And thus, over the centuries, the people of this world seeked out a living among the grassy plains and crashing waves and all the other terrains bestowed upon the world by divine grace. Families were raised, children born, elders died, and in turn Kingdoms governed by Hylians, Gorons, Zora, and the like, rose and fell.

In a shining example of the Goddesses' work, the land of Hyrule, the many races flourished in peace. These races were the Hylians, Humans, Fairies, Gerudo, Zora, Gorons, and Kokiri. The Hylians made a civilization within the bounds of Hyrule Field, building a small empire and creating a thriving monarchy. The Gorons lived in a small city they carved within the crowning volcano of Hyrule, dubbed Death Mountain. The Zoras lived at the source of the main river of Hyrule, Zora's River, and made their city in an aquatic cave under Zora's Fountain, where their deity Jabu Jabu lived. The Kokiri lived within the confines of the Kokiri Forest, under the protection of the Great Deku Tree. The Gerudo lived in the barren areas of Hyrule, the Gerudo Desert, separated by a large chasm, allowing the all female race to build their army unopposed. The Humans remained in small numbers, undetected for millennia. And the Fairies lived alongside the Kokiri, as helpers to them -- with a small number living throughout Hyrule, to aid those that needed helping.

After hundreds of years, the races began to build up their civilizations and even temples to honor the spirits which they believed were among them. The Temples were rumored to be outlets to the Sacred Realm, and even where the Triforce was kept. Fueling rage within the races changed to greed, pure greed for the Triforce. All races accused the other of hiding the Triforce, accusations turned to a call to arms. The Great War had begun.

Gerudo against Hylians, Zoras against Gorons, each races battered the other until Hyrule Field was stained with blood. Amidst this War was a lone mother fleeing for safety among the one race that didn't participate, the Kokiri. Although the golden rule of Kokiri forest was that any one other than Kokiri or fairy would turn into a mischievous Skullkid. The Great Deku Tree saw the potential, the destiny, of the mother's child and waived the rule for the two. The mother soon died among the Kokiri and the child was raised as one of the "forest children", as a fellow Kokiri.

At the same time, a youth named Ganondorf Dragmire, then the lone male of the Gerudo and the rightful King, was born. In time, this Gerudo male would grow up to become the one man that would most drastically change the history and providence of the Land of Hyrule.

Ten years had passed since that fateful war, and the races of Hyrule united to form the Kingdom of Hyrule, with the Hyrulian Royal Family in charge. Each race acknowledged that the Triforce was not among them, but was locked safely within the Sacred Realm.

At the Gate to the Sacred Realm stood a large marble structure called the Temple of Time. The Temple was built by the chief Sage Rauru to keep the unworthy out of the Golden Land and away from the Triforce. To open the Gate to the Golden Realm, one must open the Door of Time, which in turn required four artifacts to open: the Spiritual Stones of Fire, Water, and Forest and the Ocarina of Time. The young King of the Gerudo, Ganondorf Dragmire, now an adult, sought out those sacred keys by manipulation and cursing of each race.

In the middle of these happenings, a young Kokiri lad named Link was going through some tough times. Link was unlike the rest of the Kokiri, for he had no fairy to call his own. Link was especially teased by another Kokiri named Mido, who considered himself the "boss" of the Kokiri. One day while Link was trying to get some sleep, a fairy woke the boy up. A fairy! Link learned that the Great Deku Tree, guardian of the Kokiri, had summoned him. Link rushed off for the Great Deku Tree's meadow along with his new fairy, Navi. To the distress of Link, Mido was waiting for him at the entrance to the Great Deku Tree's Meadow. Mido would not Link through without a sword and shield to protect himself. Feeling that the "strange" Link would have no access to a sword (the Kokiri being a peaceful race) or shield, Mido scoffed and returned to his post.Determined to see the Great Deku Tree, Link learned that the Kokiri kept a small sword in a protected grove. Link infiltrated the grove and borrowed the sword. With a spare forty rupees (the Hyrulian currency) Link purchased a shield made of Deku Wood. Link showed the two items to the disdainful Mido and gained access to the Meadow. Link encountered the Deku Tree and learned of the Tree's plight. It seems a vile man named Ganondorf Dragmire, a thief from the distant desert had cursed the Great Deku Tree in search of a magic stone. Link answered the Tree's plight and defeated the spider that dwelled in the tree.

But it was too late. The Tree soon died after bestowing the Kokiri Emerald upon Link. With a sad glance, Link and Navi left the Kokiri forest to save Hyrule from Ganondorf's plagues.

After meeting the Princess of Destiny, Zelda, with whom he hatched a plan to get the Triforce before Ganondorf could, and retrieving the Goron's Ruby and Zora's Sapphire, Link returned to the Castle to show Zelda. Unfortunately, Ganondorf got the Gerudo thief and barely escaped with his life. When Ganondorf left, Link retrieved the Ocarina of Time, which Zelda had thrown to him in her escape with her nursemaid, Impa. Link used the Ocarina and three Stones to open the Door of Time. Beyond the Door of Time lay the legendary blade that had the holy power to smite all evil, the Master Sword. Approaching cautiously, Link put his hands upon the sword and lifted. A blue light surrounded him and Link disappeared from the Hyrule he knew.

By some cruel twist of fate, Link had unwittingly open the Gate to the Golden Realm for Ganondorf, and Ganondorf capitalized on this. The thief entered the Sacred Realm and soon became the first mortal to lay both hands and eyes upon the Golden Sacred Triangles, the Triforce.

Hyrule would never be the same again as Ganondorf became the King of Evil.

Seven long years had passed since Ganondorf became the first mortal to lay hands upon the Triforce and became the King of Evil. Shortly after he seized power, evil flowed from the Sacred Realm and into Hyrule. Greedy men from all over were drawn to the Sacred Realm, then twisted into a world of monsters. Ganondorf fed off of their evil desires and returned through the Golden Gate to the real world. The King of Hyrule called together the Knights of Hyrule? to close the Gate, but it was futile. Ganondorf used his limitless power to destroy the knights and killed the King of Hyrule. Within hours, he had leveled the castle and reduced Hyrulian civilization to a standstill.

The residents of the Castle Town fled to Kakariko Village, the nearby ranch was turned over to a humble worker, and the Gerudo re-isolated themselves by destroying the bridge crossing Gerudo Valley. The people cried out in despair for a hero as even their hallowed Temples overflowed with spirits of evil. Ganondorf's minions flooded throughout Hyrule and the true Imprisoning War had begun. What remained of the Goron, Zora, and Hylian freedom fighters met an army of Ganondorf and soon lost. To teach them a lesson, Ganondorf froze Zora's Domain and resurrected the evil dragon Volvagia of Death Mountain (who had a particular taste for Gorons).

Meanwhile, within the bounds of the Sacred Realm, a now-17 year old man named Link opened his eyes. The last time Link's eyes were open, they were the eyes of a 10 year old. The Sage Rauru was present and explained the situation to Link. Charged with his extraordinary courage, Link set out to awaken each of the Five "Sleeping" Sages, hidden within their respective Temples. Along the way, Link met a mysterious man named Sheik, claiming to be the last of the Sheikah.

After five temples and five Sages, deep in the forest, in a volcano, under a lake, in the house of the dead, and the goddess of the sand, Link was called to the Temple of Time for a most important meeting. Link entered the Temple to be confronted by Sheik. To Link's surprise Sheik was Princess Zelda! Not only that, but Link was the possessor of the Triforce of Courage, Zelda of Wisdom, and Ganondorf of Power. After the reunion and a long talk, Ganondorf attacked the pair and captured the Princess in a magic crystal. Ganondorf then challenged Link to use his courage and confront him at Ganon's Tower. Link took up the call, and with his newly received Light Arrows, confronted the Evil King for the battle future generations would venerate.

After a long and grueling battle, Link emerged victorious. Ganondorf spit out his last words and fell to the ground, but not until he cast a spell causing the tower to collapse! Zelda appeared and the pair fled the tower, to find themselves alone of the floating island the castle once stood on, with the sound of a rumble in the rubble. Link approached and Ganondorf burst into the air. Using his last bit of strength, he cast the ultimate wish of power. Ganondorf wished upon his Triforce that he would become the most powerful creature in the world, more powerful than Link. Ganondorf turned blue and began to morph into the ultimate creature--Ganon. Greed had overcome the King of Evil, he had now become to very symbol of greed, a pig. Ganon crashed to the ground and proved to be a true challenge for the Hero of Time. Link almost fell to the beast if not for the power of the Master Sword. Zelda bound Ganon with a beam of light, and with the Master Sword, Link executed the final blow.

Ganon screamed in pain as the Seven Sages bound the creature, deep within its twisted Sacred Realm, the Dark World. As he spun in the deepest corners of the Dark World, Ganon vowed his revenge upon all descendants of the Sages, Zelda, and Link.

Zelda and Link then made their final reunion on a cloud, as Link returned the Ocarina of Time to Zelda. Zelda then returned Link to his 10 year old self as peace returned to Hyrule. The land rejoiced as the Six Sages flew overhead towards Death Mountain where they watched the horizon. It was the first horizon that was pure looking and not tainted by evil.

The memory of glory fresh in his mind, Link felt the need for new adventure, and an ache in his heart. His steadfast companion from that great odyssey, Navi, was gone, off to where no one knew.

Feeling a surge of bravery after the defeat of Ganon, Link set off with his trusty steed, Epona, to find Navi. His first destination was the Lost Woods, after a search in Kokiri Village? proved fruitless. During his investigation, Link was jumped by a Skullkid and two fairies. The Skullkid mounted Epona and fled deep into the woods. Link gave chase, to find the Skullkid and Epona disappear into a fallen tree. Suspicious, Link followed into the tree to find Skullkid, sans Epona. The Skullkid, wearing a strange mask, used his magic to turn Link into a Deku Scrub?, and then ran further on into the tree.

Disgruntled Link followed, falling down into the cavernous tree until he landed inside a large Windmill. Approached by a mysterious Mask Collector?, Link learned that the mask the Skullkid wore held tremendous evil power. The mask's power was so great that it was trying to draw the Moon? itself down into the land, which Link learned was called Termina. Link set out to save Termina, hoping that Skullkid might know something of Navi.

Termina was a curious land that seemed to mirror Hyrule itself. The many races were there, the familiar characters were there, but many important pieces were lacking, such as a Royal Family and even the Triforce. Termina was unknown to the citizens of Hyrule, and vice versa. It was as if the land was an anomaly created by the Goddesses as part of some twisted joke. Termina was a mystery.

Link learned that the power to save the land lay with four masks that symbolized the Four Giants? of Termina, guardians who protected it. Link traveled all over Termina battling through the four dungeons using the time traveling power of the Ocarina of Time to gain the time he needed, and ultimately retrieving those four masks. The Giants pledged their support to Link, their Oath? to save Termina from the Mask of Majora?, an ancient evil spirit.

As the Moon, twisted by the mask's evil, drew closer to the land, Link called upon the giants. Their long arms outstretched, the guardians seized the Moon from its descent and held it there, allowing Link to get on it and fight Majora in one last epic battle. At the hands of Hero the evil mask fell and Skullkid regained his senses. The Moon returned to its orbit, Termina was saved from Armageddon, and Link returned to Hyrule again determined to find his lost best friend.

Nary twenty years had passed since the young Hero of Time, Link, had departed in search of his forlorn companion, Navi. The land of Hyrule was at peace, and progressing well since the conclusion of the wretched Imprisoning War. The populace of the land thought that the vile King of Evil was gone forever, locked safely away. However, something unexpected happened. The seal crafted by the Seven Sages had failed, and Ganon had returned suddenly, with an army grown in the depths of the abandoned caves of Death Mountain. It seemed that Ganon had mentioned to open a hole from the Dark World that had imprisoned him and forced his way out using the Triforce of Power.

The Hylian Knights? reacted immediately calling up their numbers and sweeping across Hyrule Field for glorious battle against this enemy that they knew all to well. Yet, Ganon was stronger than ever before, and his army was larger. The Knights were slaughtered effortlessly and the forces of Ganon marched on Hyrule Castle with an intent to siege it.

The people of the Kingdom, Hylians and the like, prayed for the Hero of Time to emerge, much like he did during the last Imprisoning War, Master Sword in hand, to strike down the King of Evil. Yet, this time the Hero did not come. Hope failed for this kingdom.

And so, the people despaired. Ganon's forces were breaking the towering walls of the white Castle. First, the Market was taken, then the Temple of Time (with all inhabitants slaughtered), and then finally the inner wall of the Royal Castle. Whatever Guards remained were powerless to stop the assault. The people huddled within the Keep preparing for the inevitable. Others prayed to the Goddesses, appealing for mercy from a painful demise.

The Goddesses heard their pleas.

To the amazement of those on both sides of the siege it began to rain voraciously. Sheets of rain fell filling the streets with inches deep water. In the inital confusion, some of the townsfolk managed to flee the Keep through a secret exit and made haste to a nearby mountaintop, on the orders of the Goddesses themselves.

Eventually the rain outlasted the siege, presenting to Ganon a decisive problem, rather than a nuisance. Hyrule continued to flood as monster and innocent alike died in the rising waves. Ganon himself fled futily attempting to await the flood on a mountaintop, following the cue of the townspeople that had already made it to safety. Although, he was not so lucky in his escape. Before the floods could consume his Keep, King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule, lord of all the land, used the much-fabled Master Sword in the deepest room of the Castle to freeze time itself in the land of Hyrule, thus ever preserving the lost land in a hauntingly-perfect state deep under the flood waters.

Right before the rains stopped, in order to set in motion the events that could release Hyrule from its slumber, the Goddeses awoke the King and charged him with the task of finding the heir to the Hero of Time who would one day defeat Ganon. To aid the monarch in this task, they gave him all the time of the ages he needed and certain magical skills to perform the search.

And so, as the centuries rolled ever onward, and those that survived the flood built new cities and homes on the highest mountaintops. Trade between the islands emerged and a distinct harmony between the various peoples and their homes emerged. In turn, as time progressed, the people began to forget of the Great Flood and of the Kingdom beneath the Waves. These tales became no more than bedtime stories told to keep children from swimming to far from their island. The King of Hyrule attended to his appointed task with the use of a magic boat and the help of the various patron spirits of Hyrule that managed to preserve themselves in this brave new world. As such, the King of the Red Lions, as the King became known over time due to the appearance of his sea-going avatar, continued the arguous process of seeking out the heir to the Hero of Time's mantle.

That heir would be born nearly 800 years after the fall of Hyrule on a remote island to the south known as Outset Island. The boy, Link, would be raised by his grandmother, his parents long dead, until the day came when he would be old enough to seize upon his destiny.

The day of destiny came for young Link on his birthday. At this particular age, it was customary was young boys to dress up as the fabled Hero of Time and seek out evil to smite. Unfortunately for Link, the evil came looking for him, or specifically his sister.

Indeed, for the last 800 years, Ganon had been plotting in earnest for the day when he could open the watery door that forever barred him from the domination of Hyrule. The King had foiled his machinations before, but surely, with Hyrule's magic sealed under the waves, he could not interfere with Ganon's plot. Not only was resistance to him nonexistent (or so he thought) but Ganon could also begin to sense that the Triforce pieces that eluded him so long ago. The pieces were falling into place, and Ganon thus set out to seize his opportunity. Therefore, Ganon dispatched his minion, the Helmaroc King, to capture any young girl matching the specific appearance that a descendant of Princess Zelda might possess: blonde hair and pointy ears, the mark of Hylian blood.

The net was cast and the Helmaroc King began to bring in dozens of scared little girls matching the description of Zelda. But, as Ganon would later discover, in time the real descendant of Zelda would indeed come to him. In any regard, one of the children to fall victim to Ganon's expedition would be Aryll, sister of Link.

As events unfolded resulting from Aryll's capture, Link found himself in the company of a band of pirates?, intending to sneak Link into Ganon's headquarters: the Forsaken Fortress. There Link discovered his purloined sibling and attempted a rescue, only to be foiled by the Helmaroc King and cast into the dark ocean. Perhaps by coincidence was the failed Hero rescued by a mysterious talking boat, the King of Red Lions, and taken to the town on Windfall Island. There Link learned of Ganon, lord of the Forsaken Fortress, and how he must be stopped -- with the use of a special power that Link must in turn set out and find. Thus, Link and the King of the Red Lions set out upon the waves to find and retrieve the three sacred Pearls of Din, Farore, and Nayru, each in the possession of an ancient spirit. When Link had gathered all three Pearls he set them in their specific place and in turn activated a forgotten device put in place by the power of the Goddesses, an aid to the Hero that would awaken Hyrule. Unbeknownst to Link, events were unfolding that would make him that very Hero. As intended 800 years before, Link entered the Tower of the Gods?, proved him destiny as the heir to the Hero of Time and then (with the aid of the King of Red Lions) plunged deep down into the waves to a mysterious Castle, somehow preserved despite being buried under the vast ocean. Undaunted, Link retrieved his quarry, the Master Sword from the very Shrine that the King of Hyrule used to lock away Hyrule 800 years prior. When Link drew that forgotten relic, the Castle, and the invaders that had remained dormant for the last eight centuries, came to life.

After a valiant battle in which Link "liberated" the Castle, he returned to the surface when he learned the truth: the ocean was a curse cast upon the land of Hyrule to protect it from the machinations of the vile Ganon, and that the Master Sword, the very relic Link had retrieved was the only weapon that could put an end to Ganon's designs. Thus, Link departed in earnest for the Forsaken Fortress to put an end to Ganon, once and for all.

Or so he thought. Rather, when after much trial Link did indeed manage to scale the tallest tower of the Fortress, along the way rescuing his sister along with the other kidnapped girls. Once he had reached the pinnacle of the Tower, Link was forced to face the Helmaroc King in battle, but this time with the help of the Master Sword Link was much stronger and easily smote the beast. Newly energized, Link marched on for the small hut at the end of the walkway, most certainly the lair of the King of Evil. Indeed inside that hut Link did find his quarry, the vile Ganon.

Unfortunately for Link, it appeared that Ganon stronger than the Master Sword in its current, weakened state. As such, Ganon was easily able to take control of the situation, and surely would have killed Link, if not for the valiant efforts of Tetra and the Rito in rescuing the lad. Link was devastated that he was unable to defeat Ganon and save Hyrule, but as the King of Red Lions explained, there were other concerns to attend to. He ordered Link and Tetra to return to Hyrule Castle and meet someone of note in the shrine. With Tetra in tow, Link did as asked, and was shocked to learn that not only was the boat that had served as his guide was really an avatar to the King of Hyrule, but also that apparently Tetra, the pirate, was actually the much-sought lost scion of Hyrule's Royal Family, Princess Zelda!

The King instructed Link in what went wrong in their assault upon Ganon -- that the Master Sword was dulled by time, and that the Triforce of Courage, that was once held by the Hero of Time himself, was not in Link's possession. As such, the King charged Link with the mission to reactivate the hidden power of the Master Sword, and uncover the lost fragments of the Triforce of Courage so that they might be reformed to Link's advantage.

In time and with the help of the two new Sages of Earth and Wind, Link was able to reactivate the Master Sword, finally re-earning it the title of the "Sword of Evil's Bane." Then Link and his trusty vessel set out upon the waves to find the lost fragments of the Triforce. Whence the two had retrieved all eight fragments, the Triforce responded immediately by reforming itself. At last, Link had the tools to defeat Ganon.

But rather than waiting for the impending attack, Ganon, with his power having waxed fully, broke into the frozen land of Hyrule and repopulated his old tower with his minions. The King commanded Link to immediately confront Ganon for it seemed that Ganon had captured Princess Zelda, and with her the Triforce of Courage. If harm would come to her, it would be a disaster for the land of Hyrule. And so Link traversed the ghostly road that lead from Hyrule Castle to Ganon's Tower and entered the King of Evil's lair.

After many hard fought battle with the surrogates of Ganon's wrath, Link managed to confront the vile one himself. Ganon declared that he would slay the young Hero of the Winds and reclaim the completed Golden Power for himself, and the tools necessary to finally -- after 800 years -- conquer Hyrule. His plans though were annihilated when the King, appearing from no where, grasped the completed Triforce before Ganon could. The King then commanded the power of the Goddesses to finish its original deed and forever destroy Hyrule beneath the ocean, so that its ancient powers could never be accessed for evil, ever again,

This action enraged Ganon, wiping out the plan he brewed for almost a millennium, and making all he worked for naught. In his ire, he declared that he would still slay Link and Zelda, even if it meant his own demise. But despite Ganon's best laid plans, he did not account for the power of the Master Sword and the personal courage of Link. After a physically devastating battle, the King of Evil was routed by the combined efforts of Princess Zelda and Link. With one finally parry, Link buried the Master Sword into Ganon's brow, turning the vile one into stone, and finally defeating the eternal threat to Hyrule.

The King gave Link one final command, take Zelda away from Hyrule and build a new future for the people living above the waves. As Link and Zelda fled, they lost sight of the King for the last time.

A month after the events below in what would be deemed Old Hyrule, the Lost Kingdom, Zelda's pirate crew, Link, and Aryll launched Zelda's ship from the shores of Outset Island. They were headed north, to the uncharted lands far from the Great Sea, where they might find a new land to make their home. After weeks of sailing the treacherous seas outside of the relative calm of the Great Sea, the crew spotted land in what would eventually become known as the New Hyrule. There each began to populate this new Kingdom which over time would be a better, more prosperous Hyrule. Zelda continued the lost Hyrulian Bloodline and refounded the Royal Family, using the united Triforce to guide the people of this new land; to give wisdom to its rulers, courage to its defenders, and power to its populace.

And thus there was peace for many, many years.

For many years now the New Kingdom of Hyrule had flourished under the guidance of the Royal Family and the united Triforce. War and suffering were all but unheard of, as the steady hand of the succession of Kings kept Hyrule’s citizens far from harm.

Yet, among all the peace and comfort, dark tidings were stirring.

For centuries before the arrival of the Hylia upon its shores, the land that would be New Hyrule was called home by the enigmatic Minish folk. Because they were so small, they went unnoticed for almost a century by the normal townsfolk, except in legends of strange elves that would cobble shoes while craftsmen slept and other household yarns.

However, one story about the Minish that was true was of the Minish door. Indeed, when the Hylia first arrived in New Hyrule and began the arduous work of building their new home, the Minish—recognizing the favor of the Goddesses in these tall, pointy-eared newcomers—taught certain secrets to the Royal Family. One such secret was of the Elemental Sanctuary, a structure that would open only once every century. Inside the Sanctuary were some of the most powerful Minish magics, including a wall of stained glass windows that held a prophecy for the future of Hyrule; of a dark invasion of Hyrule’s peace and the saving of the land by a lad with a magic sword forged by the Minish.

The last gift that the Minish bestowed on the Hyrulian Royal Family was a white sword?, which they explained as having magical properties, though was clearly lacking any practical use, since it served as the lock on a box. The contents of that box, as the Minish explained, were many evil monsters that once threatened the land, but over many years were rounded up and trapped in the box by great Minish warriors, and thus the box should never be opened, lest great harm come to the land.

And so, Hyrule remained at peace, through the rules of Queen Zelda II (founding monarch of New Hyrule), to King Gustaf, to King Daltus (of present times). In this span of time, the whispers of the tiny folk grew into the legend of the Picori. In this legend, the truth of the Santuary, as well as the true nature of the Minish, was twisted and exaggerated, making the Picori an omnipotent magical race of elf-folk that only appear once every hundred years. To mark the coming of the Picori, a special festival would be held in Hyrule Town Square. As part of the festival, a sword fighting contest would take place, and from which the victor of the contest would be allowed to touch the Picori Sword (which was, in actuality, the White Sword).

As an aside, it is important to note that, since the founding of New Hyrule, there had always been a bond between the Royal Family and the Family of the Hero, which could be traced back to the partnership of Queen Zelda II and the Hero of the Winds, and how they led the refugees from the Great Sea to the shores of this new land. Well, this bond continued down the generations, from the friendship of King Daltus and the Smith, to the former’s daughter and latter’s grandson: Zelda and Link.

Thus, a hundred years after its last occurance, the Picori Festival? was held in Hyrule Town. The highlight of the festival, as always, was won this particular year by a mysterious newcomer, a young lad garbed in black, named Vaati.

Vaati however, had other intentions than just being in the presence of the sword. For, unbeknownst to the general populace, this mysterious newcomer was actually a Minish, who had stolen a magical cap created by his mentor, Ezlo, and used its properties to give him great power. Once his treachery was revealed to Ezlo, the villain Vaati cursed the poor old Minish, turning him (ironically) into a cap as well.

Now, with the power of the Minish Cap fueling his dark designs, Vaati set about capturing the object of his desires, the mysterious artifact known amongst the Minish as the Light Force?. It is better known by the Hylians as the Triforce. Unfortunately for Vaati, he did not understand the true magnitude of the power he sought, only of the general vagaries of its potency.

Therefore, in the audience of King Daltus, the Princess Zelda, Link (a guest of the Princess), and the Royal Court, Vaati touched the white sword, and then, to the surprise of all, revealed his true nature. He drew the blade from its seal, unleashing the contents of the Minish’s accursed box unto the world, and then destroyed the sword, so that his treachery could not be undone. In the aftermath of the event, Princess Zelda was turned to stone while trying to save Link. Vaati fled, leaving the King to mourn his daughter and the Court to ponder the ramifications of these events.

It was eventually decided by the King and his advisors that Link, as the latest descendant of the line of Heroes, would be sent on a quest to save the Princess. The lad was called to the King’s throne, whence he was told the truth about the Picori and Minish and that the only way to save the Princess would be to reforge the white sword. What made this task so daunting was that such a reforging could only be done by tiny Minish hands. Therefore, the King, entrusting the shattered white sword to Link’s care, sent him off in the direction of the Minish Woods, where he could find the village of the Minish people and therefore assistance in his task.

And so, Link, latest in a line of Heroes, set forth on his appointed quest. When he reached the Minish Woods, he came upon a mysterious talking hat—it was Ezlo, and in danger. Link acted quickly, slaying Ezlo’s attackers, and receiving the debt of the odd cap. When Ezlo had learned of Link’s mission, he decided to help the young lad (though, more so to stop his old apprentice than to save the Princess) and taught Link how to use the cap’s magic to shrink down and grow up as situations suited him. Ezlo led Link to the Minish Village?, whence Link learned the true implications of his quest—not only would he have to reforge the white sword, but he must also imbue it with the powers of the four elements, which he could find across Hyrule in different dungeons and palaces.

And thus Link did as he must, travelling from the lofty peak of Mount Crenel?, to the dank swamps of the Castor Wilds, to the heavens themselves, to track down the four elements. As his adventure progressed, he would return to the Castle, and specifically through the Minish Door? into the Elemental Sanctuary?, where he could then partly imbue the white sword towards its full power.

Once all four elements were collected, Vaati, clearly desperate, and yet confident that he would succeed, attacked Hyrule Castle, warping it to his will. Despite this set back, Link now had a powerful ally on his side, the white sword reforged, the sacred blade: the Four Sword. With this magical sword, Link could split himself into four identical images, all acting in tandem with him. This made for a powerful counter to Vaati’s dark magics.

Link scaled the Dark, twisted, Hyrule Castle, finally reaching the roof of the structure, after having cut through legions of Vaati’s forces. Vaati was surprised at this boy’s courage, but was not worried. He delayed the completion of the ceremony that would draw the Triforce from Zelda in order to dispatch with the nuisance that this boy posed for his designs.

The two raged in battle in the Castle, Vaati falling twice to Link’s efforts. He allowed the lad to rescue the Princess from his stony prison, and then let the two escape, or so they thought. They were eventually cornered in the twisted gardens of the Sanctuary, and Vaati attacked Link once more. This time, Vaati gave way to the true power of his malevolence, twisting into a dark, shadowy eye. In this form he tried in vain to defeat Link, but the power of the Four Sword overcame the Minish Cap. Vaati was destroyed, seemingly. Ezlo was freed from his curse, and the people of Hyrule rejoiced.

To prevent dark intents from reaching the Four Sword again, Ezlo locked the blade away within the Sanctuary, so that it would be safe for 100 years at a time. Moreover, the Royal Family did their part by canceling future Picori Festivals and erasing the legend of the Picori from public discourse. Furthermore, they expunged any memories of the white sword, so that only those in the Royal Family, charged with protecting the Sanctuary, would know of its existence.

Satisfied with his victory, and craving new adventures, Link left Hyrule for a time, to travel to the distant lands of Holodrum and Labrynna, in the footsteps of the Oracles? whom had decided to do the same, in order to spread the word of the Golden Goddesses to the people outside Hyrule’s borders.

And thus, once again Hyrule fell into a gentle lull, as it forgot of its ancient demons and not-so-ancient calamities.

DIN                                   Having tasted the thrills of smiting evil and casting aside villains, the newly minted hero, Link began to search far and wide for a new adventure, spending large amounts of time in the Castle's archives looking for some lost artifact that needed discovering or some unspeakable evil that needed defeating. Yearning for anything, Link retired to the home of his now deceased Grandfather. There, in his dreams, the young man saw the Golden Triangles speak to him.

Link awoke immediately and ran off for Hyrule Castle. He pushed his way through the guards and to the chamber the Triforce was kept in. Link approached the three triangles, still kept in the same hallowed room that they had been since the founding of New Hyrule. The Triangles, having once been possessed by the ancient demon, Ganondorf, sensed that forces stirred that might result in his return. Thus, they sent Link off to the distant lands of Holodrum and Labrynna, where the disturbance was emanating.

What the Triangles felt was correct. After the events of The Minish Cap, the Oracles? of the Goddesses--Nayru, Din, and Farore--had departed Hyrule to spread the word of their mistresses far and wide across the adjoining lands. At this particular time, their journey brought them to the lands of Holodrum and Labrynna. Because the Oracles were so far away from the watchful gaze of the Triforce and the Hero, the dark forces that be saw this as the appropriate time to strike.

Sensing the same danger, Princess Zelda traveled to the lands to make sure that Din, the Oracle of Seasons?, and Nayru, the Oracle of Time?, escaped harm. Ahead of her, she had sent a youthful and vigorous Impa to warn Link. Unfortunately, Link did not reach the Oracles in time, and they were captured.

In those twin lands Link fought off the two servants of Twinrova, Onox and Veran. It seems that the Gerudo Witches Koume? and Kotake? had promised that they would haunt Link in the future, but instead returned to haunt the Hero of Time's descendant. Not only was Twinrova working to disassemble the elements of the Seasons through Onox and time through Veran by kidnapping the Oracles of those respective elements, but they were also working to resurrect Ganon

Link knew not of the danger he faced, having been so far removed from knowing the true threat of Ganondorf Dragmire. But, the witches prevailed, and Ganon's spirit was drawn from the great beyond, and allowed to temporarily materialize on the mortal plane once more. The power of the King of Evil was unleashed upon the twin lands.

Link fought an epic battle with the villain. And, in similar fashion to his ancestors, the Hero defeated Ganon and peace returned to the lands of Holodrum and Labrynna.

Satisfied that the two lands were once again at peace, Link returned to Hyrule where he would eventually marry, and have children. One of whom would become a prominent Hylian Knight?. Though, upon the death of his brother and sister-in-law, he would find that his nephew, named Link after his grandfather, would come into his charge. And so, the Uncle raised him as his own, training the boy in the fashion of a Hylian Knight, and regaling him with the tales of his grandfather's feats.
NAYRU

Almost a century had elapsed since the founding of the second kingdom of New Hyrule. Despite the calamity of Vaati, the fallen Minish, the people of Hyrule had forgotten of that event, taking the official words of the Royal Court to heart. They believed that Vaati was a minor nuisance and that he was defeated by a stranger from lands afar, and that the artifact that would ultimately serve as Vaati's prison was nowhere to be found in Hyrule. Though, other than Vaati, there were greater evils in the world.

Indeed, the name Ganon was unknown to the people of Hyrule. Only the lips of a few traveling storytellers might betray that dark name, but to little effect.

Unfortunately, evil has a way of reproducing itself in a vacuum, and the peace that the Hyrulians enjoyed was not meant to last.

Undaunted by the peace of Hyrule, dark forces gathered, planning and plotting their designs. In the year 2242, as is the custom of the Gerudo Tribe (having been transplanted to New Hyrule from their scattered settlements on the Great Sea), a male child was born and would be raised as the King of the Gerudo. Unknown to his people, this child had lived before. His name was Ganondorf Dragmire, and was the ever-persistent King of Darkness that perished under the waves of the Great Sea.

Decades earlier, the events that transpired in the far away lands of Holodrum and Labrynna pulled Ganon's malicious spirit back from the great beyond. And, though Link prevented Ganon from fully materializing in this world, his spirit lingered. Eventually, this allowed for him to be reborn to his ancient tribe, the Gerudo.

Therefore, having been reborn, he grew up and became the King of the Gerudo, as is the custom, and worked in shadows to accomplish his ultimate goal: revenge upon the descendants of Link and Zelda and conquer their precious land of Hyrule.

The land that New Hyrule now occupied was home to more ancient beings before the Hylians arrived on its shores. There was once a tribe of people, known by a few only as the "Dark Tribe," who reveled in the dark arts. They left behind many artifacts before mysteriously disappearing. Most notable of which was the Dark Mirror?, housed in the Temple of Darkness?, in western Hyrule, and the Trident of Power, stored in the Pyramid of the Desert in southwestern Hyrule.

Ganondorf knew well of the Trident, and saw it as the best way to regain his lost strength, in lieu of his beloved Triforce of Power being taken from him many centuries prior. He thus broke the laws of his tribe and ventured with a small band of hirelings to through the Desert wastes that he grew up among once more, intending to reach the inaccessible Pyramid. He did just that, and traversed the dungeon, discovering the Trident of Power.

With the Trident in hand, he now had the power needed to exact the next phase of his plan. He was soon cast out from his tribe due to his breaking of the law, but this was no matter to him. He did not need the Gerudo, and they did not need him.

Ganondorf traveled with his followers to the Temple of Darkness, and stole the Dark Mirror from its home. He then set into motion the last phase of his plan: the attack. He used the Mirror to make copies of Link, having just defeated a revitalized Vaati a year earlier. Those copies, unstoppable due to their sheer numbers, then wreaked havoc across Hyrule, culminating in their kidnapping of Princess Zelda and the six Maidens.

Furthermore, they accomplished the goal of tricking Link into once more drawing the Four Sword and releasing Vaati from his prison inside the blade. It seemed that Hyrule was in irreversible trouble, but Link was determined, and immediately set out to defeat Vaati and the mysterious Shadow Link, unaware of the third and mightiest hand that had set this all into motion.

Many years after the Wind Sorcerer Vaati was first defeated by the mysterious stranger from lands afar, he was able to break free and kidnap Princess Zelda. Once again, the Four Sword was to be used as the instrument of Vaati’s defeat.

Link, the nephew and ward of a retiring Hylian Knight?, in a moment of haste drew the Four Sword from its pedestal and instantly one became four. The four Links set out across Hyrule and fought back Vaati’s forces. They cornered the Wind Sorcerer in the heights of the Palace of the Winds? and defeated him. Vaati’s magic was undone and the Princess was rescued.

And thus the Four Sword was returned to its pedestal with a once-more sealed Vaati trapped in the magic blade. As always in lieu of a great victory, there was supposed to be peace, but alas this was not to be the case. For simultaneously another great evil was gathering in strength. A reincarnated Ganondorf Dragmire was placing the pieces into place so that he might strike with maximum force, and the young hero Link was to play an unwitting part.

Using the Dark Mirror?, Ganondorf brought the Shadow Link into existence and sent them into Hyrule to create havoc. Their main objection was to kidnap Princess Zelda, which was easily done due to their ability to open rifts that led to the Dark World. Indeed, one of Ganondorf’s objectives was to weaken the wall that existed between the two worlds, Light and Dark. Many holes opened between the two, which a Moon Pearl could navigate, which in time allowed to dark creatures in the service of Ganon to make their way into Hyrule. In certain places, it seemed that there was no difference between the Light and the Dark, as even northwestern Hyrule sunk into the Dark World.

Moreover, with the Maidens and Zelda kidnapped, Shadow Link was able to trick Link into once more drawing the Four Sword, and at the same time, freeing Vaati. Ganondorf knew that Vaati would set about opening the way to the Realm of the Heavens? and his previous Palace. That the twin threats of Vaati and Shadow Link ravaging Hyrule would mask the dark hand of Ganondorf moving all events.

But, much like the Master Sword, Ganondorf underestimated the power of Light’s arsenal. With the Four Sword, and the four Links, Hyrule’s hero was undefeatable against Vaati’s forces. One by one the Maidens were freed and each area was ripped from Vaati’s dark magic as once again the Wind Sorcerer was slowly being cornered in the Heavens.

When the Princess was finally rescued from Frozen Hyrule, there was nowhere to push back Vaati than in his own base of operations, in the skies high above Hyrule. In the final battles that occurred there, the Dark Mirror was captured, destroying the Dark forces’ ability to produce more Shadow Links, and the Palace of Winds was stormed. High above its walls, on the rooftop of the Palace, Vaati found himself once more confronted, and once more defeated, by the Links.

It seemed Ganondorf’s plan had once again fallen apart. His machinations once more torn asunder by some mere children. This time, he infuriatingly acknowledged, they didn’t even have the Triforce to aid them! Enraged, Ganondorf ripped apart the Tower of Winds?, the only way to reach the Realm of the Heavens, and forced the Links and Zelda to flee to the land below.

Just as escape seemed within reach, the ground literally fell out below them, and the heroes found themselves face to face with the puppet master himself: Ganondorf, though in his gigantic Ganon form. He wielded the Trident of Power, and it evidently made him as formidable as the Triforce itself could. His defeat would have been impossible if not for the magic of Zelda and the Maidens. After the King of Darkness fell, the Four Sword was used to send him deep into the Dark World.

Once again, it seemed as if thing were to return to normal. But, many scars were left on Hyrule’s surface. The last of the active ranks of the Hylian Knights? were now dead, having fallen to Vaati’s magic during Shadow Link’s onslaught. These formed the core of Hyrule’s army, and without them, the country was that much weaker. Furthermore, the Dark World, which was once this distant place on reachable by the most powerful wizards, was now accessible by many scattered portals left across the land. The Sages Council did their best to close the rifts, but could not find them all.

Despite Vaati’s demise and Ganon’s imprisonment, this left Hyrule in a very vulnerable position. Only tell would time how long it would take the forces of darkness, and Ganon in particular, to exploit the situation.

Follwoing the disastrous attack upon Hyrule by the twin threat of Vaati and Ganon, Hyrule enjoyed an uneasy peace. Yet, even uneasy peaces are doomed to fail, and soon Hyrule was again in danger. Though, not by any tangible foe.

The land was plagued by pestilence and drought. The source of the problems was seemingly magic, thus the King of Hyrule ordered the seal to the Sacred Realm be inspected. The Seven Sages determined the seal was intact and Ganon was not the cause of the recent crisis.

Distressed, the King sent out a royal decree for a reward to any wizard who could stop the problems, and a young wizard named Agahnim answered the call. Agahnim used a previously unseen form of magic and quelled the drought. Hyrule felt relief, and the King showed his gratitude by making Agahnim chief Advisor. Agahnim however had other plans. He first killed the King, and installed himself as the hidden ruler of Hyrule. Then Agahnim, one by one, sent the descendants of the Six Maidens, into the Dark World.

The most critical part of Ganon's plan was not being freed from the Dark World, but instead retrieving the two pieces of Triforce that had always eluded him, the Triforces of Wisdom and Courage. The Triforce of Wisdom was handed down in the Royal Family, eventually falling into the hands of Princess Zelda. The Triforce of Courage changed hands through the ranks of the Hylian Knights?, down among the bloodline of Hero, eventually becoming property of Link's Uncle, who was once a prominent Hylian Knight. However, with Agahnim in charge, what few soliders remained in the esteemed ranks of the Knights were disbanded and sent into early retirement.

Princess Zelda was worried of the wizard's plans, which were very clear to her. She tried to hide that she possessed the Triforce of Wisdom, but to no avail. Agahnim soon did discover this and immediately sent the guards to capture her. As the guards were dragging Zelda to the dungeon, Zelda sent a telepathic plea for help wildly into the night.

A young boy named Link and his Uncle both heard the message, but the Uncle responded. After the Uncle left, Link decided to go after Zelda as well. Link found his dying Uncle in the entrance to the Castle dungeon.

After searching throughout the Castle dungeon, Link found Zelda in a cell being guarded by a large Knight. Link vanquished the knights using a pot and rescued Zelda from her cell. The two fled the castle and into a holy building of Hyrule--the Sanctuary. There Link met a descendant of the Seven Sages, the old Sage. After telling Link of the Master Sword, Link embarked to find the sword.

After traveling through dense forests, vast deserts, and a giant tower, Link recovered the three magic pendants needed to pull the Master Sword from its pedestal. After then making his way through the Lost Woods, Link reached the Master Sword's meadow, and pulled the sword from its pedestal. The sword gleamed and Link felt the power needed to smite evil's bane!

Unfortunately, by the time Link had gathered the power he needed, Agahnim had already attacked the Sanctuary and kidnapped Zelda, and mortally wounded the Sage.

Link returned to Hyrule Castle and destroyed a seal that bound Agahnim's tower. He infiltrated the tower and encountered the wizard, as Agahnim was transporting Zelda into the Dark World. Link was too late, but still defeated Agahnim, and was sucked into the Dark World.

Link found the Dark World to be a strange place, but through the aid of the Kakariko Village elder and one-time Sage, Sahasrahla, Link was able to recover the six descendants of the sages- encased in crystals, and shortly re-encountered and defeated Agahnim. A dark shadow flew from the wizard's corpse, revealing Ganon. The wizard was jsut a puppet of the King of Evil after all!

Ganon assumed the darkened shape of a bat and flew from Death Mountain to the Pyramid of Power. Link rushed to the Pyramid and faced Ganon for the ultimate battle. It was not the first time Ganon had faced a member of the family of the hero. As did he the last time, Ganon put up a monumental battle, but through his greed and the power of the Triforce of Courage, Link prevailed.

Ganon was locked away within the Dark World, which collapsed upon itself after Link recovered the full Triforce, which Ganon had retrieved through Agahnim's trickery and subsequently hoarded in his dark realm. Ganon was trapped within the collapsed Dark World, and fully lacking any means to escape as he had done in the past.

Link returned to Hyrule as a hero. However, Link was not satisfied, for he wanted adventure, and he sought out to get it.

With Ganon dead and peace returned once again the the lands of Hyrule, Holodrum, and Labrynna, Link had set off for foreign lands, his taste for adventure whetted. Hyrule was left in the protection of the Royal Family, whose King now controlled the complete Triforce, the True Force. Because the King was pure of heart the Triforce obeyed his every command and his rule was one of omnipotent benevolence. However, one day the King died suddenly and mysteriously and the rule of Hyrule fell upon the shoulders of the incompetent Crown Prince, Zelda's brother.

The Brother was a horrible ruler, paying more attention to his needs than those of his people. Because the Prince was such a bad monarch, the Triforce would not allow him to possess the True Force, like his father did. That is, when the Prince tried to seize the Golden Power, he only received the Triforce of Courage, his sister Zelda the Triforce of Wisdom, and the Triforce of Power disappeared without a trace. Furious, the Prince searched high and low across the land but to no avail.

Then one day, a mysterious sorcerer came to the Prince with an answer. According to the stranger, Princess Zelda knew where the missing Triforce was. Infuriated, the Prince and the Wizard paid Zelda a visit to demand where the Triforce was. Zelda claimed and pleaded that she had no idea, but to make her speak, the Prince threatened to have her put under a sleeping spell. As Zelda begged for mercy, the Wizard cast the spell--and then fell to the ground dead.

As if he had awoken from a dream, the Prince realized what just happened. He panicked, trying to wake Zelda desperately. Feeling defeated, he had Zelda played within the quiet halls of North Castle?. To also ease his guilt, the Prince decreed that all first born girls in the Royal Family be named Zelda, and bequeathed the Triforce of Wisdom, in memoriam of his cursed sister, to future oldest females of the royal line.

As his last act, he hid the Triforce of Courage in an impregnable fortress within the Valley of Death? which could only be opened by one pure of heart. Such a youth not being available at the time, he commanded Impa, Zelda's young handmaiden to wait until one presented himself. With Link long gone in search of adventure in lands afar, that chance seemed farfetched.

Link set out upon the lonely Great Hyrulian Sea?. Days became weeks, weeks became months, and soon, Link lost track of time. He had been gone from his homeland for quite some time and began doubting his mission. He became homesick and knew well that his destination, Calatia, was not this far from Hyrule. Perhaps it was a mistake to go on a solo journey? Perhaps it was time to turn around?

The questions flew from his mind as a bolt of lightning struck the mast of his vessel, tearing the ship to timbers. Everything went black.

The ocean roared at his feet as Link lay upon the beach. He might have died there if a single girl, Marin?, did not discover him on the sandy shores of this myserious island. Concerned as to his condition, she dragged him to her hometown of Mabe Village? and nursed Link's wounds.

The next day Link awoke, in disarray of where he was. Upon first sight of Marin's beauty he reached out for her speaking the name of Zelda. Alas, she was not Zelda and he soon realized that. Marin's father, Tarin?, handed Link his shield and pointed Link to the beach, where Link's sword could be found.

Link retrieved his sword but also encountered a mysterious talking Owl?. The Owl informed Link that the only way he might escape from this island--Koholint as it was known, was to wake its patron deity, the Wind Fish?. Link knew the routine all to well, but he also knew he was far from home, and far from Ganon. He knew that he had to wake this Wind Fish, and he had to escape from Koholint. Yes, he had the adventure he wanted, but he did not like to be trapped. And so, he set out.

But, this adventure wasn't as clear cut as the others. There was a terrible twist to the conjoined fates of the Wind Fish and the citizens of Koholint. It seemed that the island itself was a dream of the Wind Fish, which was under attack by nightmares. To wake the Wind Fish from its slumber would be to destroy Koholint, and Marin, whom Link had grown very fond of.

Link and Marin held a special bond. It seemed that at every turn Marin was a variable of Link's adventure. The two felt an affinity for travel, adventure, and freedom. They came very close to falling in love, but alas, it was not meant to be.

Link knew that if he did not wake the Wind Fish, the Nightmares? would destroy Koholint anyways. They were gathering strength in the shadows, unleashing horrors upon the innocent townsfolk of the Island. Link's resolve was set. For the good of the people, they deserved a peaceful end.

Link confronted the Nightmare's leader inside a giant spotted egg that topped Mount Tamaranch?, the highest point of the island. It was said that the Wind Fish slept within that egg. The hero dispatched the Nightmare in a battle that mirrored many of his pervious encounters with Ganon and even Agahnim. It seemed the Nightmare reflected Link's own worst fears. But, with the beast destroyed, Link was able to wake the Windfish.

The great spirit of Koholint commanded Link to play the song of awakening, Marin's special song, the Ballad of the Wind Fish?. Link did so and thus Koholint disappeared into memory.

Link eyes opened once again, but this time he did not see Marin, he saw the ocean, the endless ocean. Link looked up with dry eyes to see a shadow pass across the sun, resembling much like the Wind Fish. Was it a dream? Was Marin real? More questions that could not be answered.

Perhaps made unwilling to fight on by this troubling dream, Link soon made it to another land, and settled down there to have a family. He was content, but also troubled. The first woman he ever loved was gone... that is, if she ever existed. Such pain no one forgets.

Link's eyes still fell upon the endless waves where he was, far from his home, far from Hyrule. Soon he would reach the shores of Calatia, where he would marry, sire children and after a long life, die. However, his son would carry his legacy back to the Hero's land of birth.

The Family of the Hero thrived in a land afar, a great distance from its origins in the great kingdom of Hyrule. Charged by the stories of his grandfather's adventures, relayed to him by his own father, Arn, a young Link departed the home of his parents and his homeland of Calatia in search of his own adventures in far away Hyrule.

As Link ship crashed upon the beaches of Hyrule, the young Link noticed something odd about the air. It was thick and humid. There was no green fields and towering white citadels in sight. Instead, there were untamed forests and rubble. Link pushed on through the woods until he came upon a clearing where he found an old woman being attacked by a pack of Moblins. Drawing his sword, Link dispatched the beasts and helped the woman to her feet.

She identified herself as Impa, the handmaiden to the Princess of Hyrule. She explained that Ganon, the King of Evil, has returned from his apparent death wielding the Triforce of Power and captured Zelda in search of the other two pieces of the Triforce.

Link immediately felt as if he was in over his head, he had no idea who Ganon, Zelda, or the Triforce was. Calatia featured no such concepts or legends! Yet, his father's unrelenting spirit of justice burned within young Link, and the boy accepted the challenge put before him.

After almost a half century of extended peace and prosperity, great trials were brought upon the land of Hyrule. Due to the greed of the Crown Prince (see Curse of the Magician) the Triforce of Power once again returned to its old owner Ganon. Ganon used that power to free himself from the void known as the Dark World, where he had been trapped due to his last encounter with a member the bloodline that flowed through this new and not-yet-battle hardened Link. When Ganon was able to enter the physical realm, it seems, his minions flowed forth upon the kingdom in his dark wake and laid waste to everything in sight. Cities were sundered and temples felled, until all that remained in Southern Hyrule was ruin.

Those who survived fled to caves in fear. Zelda, her father the Crown Prince having been slain in the futile defense of his kingdom, was the only hope Hyrule had for a unified government. Fearing her death, her handmaiden Impa who suffered from almost a century of age, spirited Zelda from cave to cave to hide her from Ganon's wrath. No one can escape Ganon though, and Zelda was soon captured and dragged away to Death Mountain. Impa barely escaped, and Ganon's henchmen gave chase, whence Link entered the story.

Charged by Impa, Link plowed through the seven dungeons of the Underworld? of Hyrule, retrieving seven of the eight pieces of the Triforce of Wisdom, which Zelda had hidden deep within the catacombs. At the eighth dungeon, at the peak of ancient Death Mountain in Spectacle Rock?, Link found the lair of Ganon, the King of Evil. Link was unprepared for that fight, but with the magic of the Silver Arrow, Link was able to do what his father had done twice with great difficulty, kill Ganon. Link proceeded to rescue Zelda and reunite the Triforce of Wisdom.

Link was well recieved within Hyrule and he was treated as royalty by Princess Zelda, the sole Monarch of Hyrule. Ganon's ashes were dispatched to the wind and floated across Hyrule, only to be gathered by his remaining minions. Zelda knew as well as Link did that all Ganon needed to return was the blood of the slain hero, but that did not scare Link. Link retired in Hyrule's north to grow and learn. But it was not meant to be for anyone from the Family of the Hero.

It was supposed to be a renaissance for the people of Hyrule. Towns were built, an army manifested, and landmarks restored. The people of this ravaged land rejoiced that the evil king was dead. To make sure of that, the soldiers of the new army took his ashes, divided them in two, and threw them into the wind on opposite ends of Hyrule. The soldiers, content, returned to their posts guarding the towns of Hyrule.

What they did not know was that Ganon's minions, still fiercely loyal to the King of Evil, gathered up his remains, ash by ash, and returned them to Ganon's lair on Death Mountain.

It was in Ganon's lair that they received a message, that to restore their leader, they must sprinkle the ashes with the blood of the Hero than hath slain him--Link.

Enraged, the minions marched through town after town in search of the hero. But no one knew where Link was--with Impa. After the Evil King had been killed, Link retired to the towns to work as a simple layman, but on his 16th birthday a strange mark appeared on his hand. Bewildered, Link went to visit Impa at her dwelling in North Castle?.

Impa explained was entralled to see the mark on Link's hand, for it was the crest of the Royal Family, which meant that Link was the youth chosen by the late Crown Prince. Impa took Link aside and explained the tale of the Curse of the Magician. She then handed Link a small box with a scroll and eight jewels. Link was to visit the eight temples that scattered Hyrule, both East? and West. In these Temple were special statues with hands outstretched. By placing a jewel in each of the eight statues, Link may open the magic that impedes one from opening the Great Temple? in the Valley of Death?.

It was inside the Great Temple that the Triforce of Courage could be found.

And it was only with the Triforce of Courage that Link could awaken Princess Zelda.

So with a new determination, and a new mission, Link set out across the ravaged land of Hyrule. He visited the various towns and entered the many dangerous caves. He also battled through each of the temples of Hyrule, each more dangerous than the last. And when the task was done, he was able to enter the Great Temple where he even defeated that Temple's monster, the Thunderbird. The day had been won--or had it? Link reached for the Triforce only to find himself in a darkened room. Lightning streaked in the background, and a darkened figure approached the hero.

It was Link, or rather, a shadow of Link. This evil being was more than a match for our hero. He knew Link's every move, replicated his skills, and had the same endurance. But, the tough blood of the Family of the Hero runs hard, and Link summoned up the necessary strength. Within minutes, the Shadow had been dispatched. Pleased, the guardian of the Triforce, an old man, brought the mystical artifact to Link.

Its all over, Link returned to North Castle to wake the Princess.