The Legend of Zelda: Children of Destiny(English)

Chapter 1 - The hero of the legends

Hyrule Castle, Armory - 10 years later

"Faster!"

The child leaped away trying to avoid the slash, but the sword changed trajectory last second, slipping under his weapon and disarming him instantly. With a kick, his adversary threw him on the ground, pointing his blade at his throat. A disappointed murmuring raised among the crowd of soldiers who had followed the quarrel.

"The Demon King won't wait until you're ready to attack, you must improve your reflexes! What use were all the lessons I gave to you, if you're still so easily to disarm, Link?"

The child lowered his gaze under the scolding and kept silent. Why speak anyway? Anything he could have said would have been just another cause of disappointement for his father. Might as well never say a word.

"What do you think you're doing there? Pick up that sword and get up! You don't deserve to rest until you at least learn to hold your weapon tight."

Link obeyed without a word, taking position before his father who was looking at him harshly.

"Come on Rune, you know as well it's worthless."

One of the soldiers approached them.

"Let's face reality, this kid won't be able to protect anyone, he can't even defend himself! Chosen hero my ass: if you seriously think, after twenty whole years of military service, I'm going to entrust this brat with my life, you must have gone crazy!"

The soldier was clearly hostile towards him, nevertheless Link couldn't help but agree with him. What was everyone expecting from him, a child, that the royal army, trained for years, wouldn't have been able to do? What changed that stupid triangle that lit up on his right hand which had him identified with the so-called "chosen hero"? Chosen or not, he was still a child and dedicating his whole life to fight a legendary enemy he didn't know anything about was not the future he was dreaming of.

"Are you truly convinced we don't need him? Or are you suggesting that the Goddesses made a mistake and you should've been the chosen hero instead?" replied Link's dad sharply.

"That's not what I said... I just think that it's pretty obvious he's not cut out for fighting and, to add, he's literally just a child... How exactly do you think he could be the only hope for Hyrule, Rune?"

A muttering between the other soldiers confirmed that he wasn't alone thinking that way.

Rune glared at them, immediately silencing the whole training room. Then, like nothing had happened, sheathed his sword.

"Well then. Those convinced that Link is useless, follow me."

A bunch of soldiers stepped forward timidly. Without doing so much as look at them, Rune turned to Link

"Leave that sword and come."

While the little group was leaving the room, some more remaining soldiers followed them from afar, curious.

The Temple of Time was situated not far from the castle, surrounded by a small forest. Despite the fact that it was dedicated to the Goddess Hylia, the patron deity of Hyrule kingdom, it wasn't a place you could visit freely without a valid reason. This because its pale walls where hosting the Goddess' reincarnation: princess Zelda. Maybe "hosting" wasn't exactly the term Zelda would've used. Since the symbol of the triforce of wisdom lit up on her hand's back, his dad forced her to live inside the temple, in order for her to learn how to control her powers.

At the same time it was a way to protect an indispensable element for the kingdom's safety.

After all, that was all she felt she was: an instrument at her people's service, her only purpose being that of fullfilling her destiny.