Blood Moon: A Story Before the Calamity

Chapter 7

     "Hero of Hyrule, chosen by the sword that seals the darkness..."

     Link was kneeling at the Sacred Ground, being blessed by Princess Zelda into herohood? Heroishness? Heroship? Whatever you call it. He was slightly annoyed at this point, standing for hours and hours the day before and now kneeling patiently and waiting for the pointless ceremonies to finally be over so he could go fight something or eat an apple, or both. Both was good.

     "You have shown unflinching bravery and skill in the face of darkness and adversity, and have proven yourself worthy of the blessings of the Goddess Hylia."

     Instead of paying attention to her words, Link found himself noticing how Princess Zelda's eyes caught the golden sunlight and threw itself into a million shades of green, ever single one showing the same message: insecure.

     "Whether skyward bound, adrift in time, or steeped in the glowing embers of twilight..."

     A wave of memories seized his breath, Link pushing them down. He remembered everything, from Skyloft to the annoying Navi to the falling moon to the Great Sea to the howls of the wolf cloaked in darkness. The Triforce on his left hand was the mark that one day, his own story would be imprinted upon some poor guy's mind. Hopefully he doesn't remember how much of a dope he was, compared to the other heroes.

     "The sacred blade is forever bound to the soul of the Hero."

     As the ceremony dragged on, Link could tell some of the Champions who were obliged to be standing there in perpetual boredom, were getting slightly restless. He didn't blame them. After all, it was a hot day and no one likes baking in the sun.

     After the ceremony finally ended, Link was to accompany Princess Zelda to a praying session. He had heard stories from the knights that escaped from these unscathed, how they were not only fighting monsters, but also fighting for the cooperation of the Princess. Link wasn't looking forward to this trip, but he knew something he had more than anything else: patience, endless patience. Perhaps he would not lose all of his hair. 

     So there he was, tailing Princess Zelda with his head down as they made their way to the Spring of Courage. The Princess hadn't even glanced at him. So imagine his surprise when she suddenly spoke.

     "Link."

     They stopped, Zelda looking back but not quite looking at him.

     She hesitated, choosing her words. 

     "I won't tell you that I will be at my strongest at the Spring, because I will not be. It's not going to be pretty. You don't want to watch."

     Link slowly raised his eyes and they met Zelda's for the first time. Zelda was surprised by the intensity of his gaze. She had always thought of him as submissive, a pushover. Apparently not. 

     Zelda broke the eye contact first when Link stayed silent and turned around, continuing her journey. Her mind was driving her crazy, imagining what went on behind these icy blue eyes. 

     How did Mipha and Daruk manage to open him up, to unlock him and approach him? Then, she supposed it was quite obvious. She wasn't like them, happy, gentle, fun to be around. Of course they would be able to coax his thoughts, his personality, out, breaking his silence.

     The rest of the journey was over in a flash, and before Link knew it, he was turned around, leaning on his Sword, as the Princess faced the Statue of Goddess Hylia. Listening to the birds singing cheerfully and the wind dragging through the leaves. Watching the squirrels chase each other playfully. 

     He had his doubts about the existence of Hylia. What type of kind, all-loving Goddess would let someone suffer for her for over 10 years since the age of 6 with nothing to show for it? What type of good, revered Goddess would steal away the last of a twelve year old boy's family and throw him alone into the world? When he thought back to millennia and millenia ago, when he milled around Skyloft with the very first Zelda. She was almost bursting with love and happiness, her charm and gentle smile like the sun. She wouldn't do something like this. 

     Obviously Hylia had changed over the years. Or maybe she hadn't changed at all. Sky Zelda and Hylia were two different beings. What if Hylia wasn't the perfect, wonderful, Goddess that cared? 

     No... Link couldn't think like this. Hylia was the only one he could trust, especially now, even if she was just an idea. If she didn't lend her power to Princess Zelda, Hyrule was doomed.

     Link was hungry. He wanted an apple. Ooo, or perhaps a nice, crunchy swift carrot. But a mighty banana would do. Weren't there mighty bananas in the Faron region?

     The sun was at the point where it was just caressing the horizon, the clouds pink and fluffy. It looked delicious.

     Suddenly a splash sounded behind him. He whipped around, sword ready, but there were no enemies. 

     It was Princess Zelda. She was kneeling in the water, her energy spent. She was shivering noticeably as Link neared her, and he realized that she was crying silently, the tears flowing down her face and mixing with the water at the spring, returning to nature.

     Link dragged her out of the freezing water, Zelda only half-conscious. She passed out as soon as she was out of the water, head lolling back, leaning heavily on Link.

     It was cruel. Cruel.

     Link looked up at the Goddess Statue. It smiled emptily and at nothing, forever impenetrable, forever stony, forever unreachable.

     He looked down at Princess Zelda. How touch-craved she must have been. She melted into him, seeking his human warmth. He smiled slightly. Imagine her face if she ever found out.

     The stars were beautiful that night, winking into existence as the sky rapidly darkened. 

     Link walked up to the Statue, the cold water swirling around his ankles. He looked into the face of the Goddess Hylia, the smirk plastered on her lips for evermore.

     "Hello, Mother." The voice he hadn't heard in a very long time: his own, cracked and hoarse from lack of use. "Hello, father. Hello, Aryll. How are you all doing today?"

     He continued, praying out loud. "Still alive and kickin' for me, which I suppose is quite an achievement. I mean, if the monsters don't do it for me, the Princess will. She's murderous in a temper, believe me." He laughed softly. "I'm doing fine. Just fine. Keep forgetting to cut my hair. Maybe I should just leave it that way. Not exactly a military haircut, is it?" 

     He shot a tiny smile at the Statue. "Good talk. Thanks, buddy."

     Link walked away feeling more empty than ever.