The Untold Journeys of the BOTW DUOLOGY

Where Duty Lies

A crackling fire breathed to life, its embers dancing through the air. Smoke gently drifted to the treetops to meet with the starless sky. A crooked willow tree leaned over, dipping its leaves as it brushed lightly against the grass. In the distance, the once great Hyrule Castle had fallen to ruins forever to be surrounded with swirling malice. The wild creatures gathered at the edge of the light looking upon the defeated figure who tended the burning fire.

A young boy not older than 17 stood hunched before the fire. Gazing into the burning embers, his unusually blue eyes reflected its deadly flame. A messy ponytail was thrown together at the back of his head as though he thought it was pointless to even try anymore.

Silently, he lifted his head up to look through the lush line of trees. The terrifying castle loomed over the field where he lay in wait. The beast that had locked itself inside peered out the windows looking upon the so-called Hero, who held back like a coward waiting for failure. Its deep orange eyes held a sneer that pierced the young Hero's heart even miles away.

It knew what it had as it taunted the Hero from afar.  It had a mind, a consciousness though some observers assumed it was a mindless monster. It was not simply a force of nature but a foul and cunning monster that had known the Hero for years. It knew him like it knew the land. How they would react, the places to target. Nothing it had done been random.

Nothing.

It had cursed the Champions to their cruel fate and entrapped them within their own haven. Each's champion had heard a cackle before the blights made their final blow.  The cackle had rolled into the room and was the last thing they heard.

It had destroyed the land with its deadly malice and plagued the people with monsters. Each monster would blindly beat the Hylian's to their eventually end. Mercy was not an emotion this monster, this Calamity Ganon could understand.

But it knew, it knew the Hero would come for the Princess. It hung her from her toes as bait. Waiting for the boy to come into his lair of evil. It was sure it had outfoxed the Hero.

Its plan was impeccable.

The Hero looked away as he pulled his knees up to his chin. Trying to gain any comfort from the warm fire was futile.  The warmth of the fire didn't soothe him. It only made himself angrier as the heat hit him like a wave of sorrow and sadness.

He knew it was a pointless mission. How he desperately wanted to be strong and confident. To enter the Arena as a proud Hero. But all he felt he could muster was to huddle in a corner cowering against the Calamity.

He was haunted by the words constantly murmured to him throughout his travels.  It had been the thing he had been told since he woke up.

'Save her. Seal the Calamity.'

None of it made sense. Why him? He felt as though he was nobody, just a traveler stumbling through the world. He just happened to have great skill with a sword.

Whenever he held that magnificent weapon a coursing feeling of power vibrated through his hands as he naturally swung his sword. Cutting down his opponents with each step it felt like a waltz.

It confused him and infuriated him whenever he was told of the great things he would do with his sword fighting ability.  Each day he was told to be like his 'old self'. The one that apparently held the same magnificent ability's as he did. But he still hated being compared to a part of him he didn't know.

He'd seen himself through recollection and memories. But he was a stranger to himself. Link the Hero of the Wild felt as though he wasn't at all a Hero.

Link huddled closer to the tree that provided some sense of security. It loomed over him as though a cocoon he could hide in. Away from the rest of the world and their prying eyes.