The Legend Of Zelda: The Curse Of Zant

Chapter 15: Getting It Together

Following the Goddess through the same tunnel that he had previously, he felt less afraid of what awaited him on the other side. Now that he had spoken to the Princess, he was more confident that he could handle whatever he was confronted with.

As they neared the end, he began to recognise exactly what was at the end of it. Stepping out into the light of day, the first thing he laid eyes on was his father. He knew instantly that this memory was not going to be a good one.

"Link... Son... Come." His father, Marcus, called out.

The hero watched intensely as his younger self stopped practising the unique moves that he had been learning, lowered his wooden sword and headed over to where his father was stood.

"Yes father?" He questioned.

"There is someone here to see you."

With that news, his eyes lit up in the hopes that that someone there was the Princess. Eagerly, he followed his father's lead into their small house only to be hit with colossal disappointment when instead of Zelda, it was his grandfather stood waiting for him. He knew, without a doubt, what was coming next.

His father was already considered to be the strongest Knight in the Royal army, following in the footsteps of his grandfather and great grandfather. So naturally, he was expected to follow that same path and when he did not... When he broke the mould and followed no instructions but his own while in combat training and sword fighting, it caused his father and grandfather to become greatly disappointed in him. Since then he had become known as the weak point, a liability.

"Oh..." Was the only word to slip out of his mouth.

"Oh?... Oh! That is no way to great your elders boy!" The older man boomed.

"I'm sorry Grampa."

"Sir! You call me Sir!"

"Yes Sir."

"Son, my father has come to talk some sense into you. Since you refuse to listen to me, I was hoping that he could get through to you."

"What? No! Dad, don't you get it? I am never going to be like you or follow in those same footsteps. I'm different, I didn't ask to be and I don't know why, but I just am and there is nothing that you can say or do that can change that. Why can't you just accept me for who I am?" He protested.

"Because it's not right! You are a freak and it doesn't look good on this family's name. I hate to think what your poor mother would say if she were alive today. Either you start behaving appropriately and following instructions or you forfeit the family name."

"I'm a freak?" Link repeated, hurt but not surprised by his father's words.

"Your fighting method is weird, you're quieter than the others and you don't fall in line... What do you think that makes you?"

"Different. That's what it makes me. I'm not a freak just because I don't want to follow in your footsteps."

"Listen to your father boy, you will only regret it later if you don't."

"No! I won't. I'm going to continue to do things my way and one day I am going to be the one to protect the Princess!" He raised his voice determinedly.