Knight In a Purple tunic

The Courage Within

Samantha’s P.O.V.

I woke up lying on cool grass, with the sky above me dim and unfamiliar. My heartbeat picked up immediately. Where was I? The scent of wildflowers and the faint hum of wind hinted at somewhere... peaceful, but I wasn’t at peace. Not even close.

“Vaati?” I called, but only silence answered. “Zelda?”

No reply.

Panic bloomed in my chest. I was alone.

I tried to stand, my limbs trembling beneath me like they were made of paper. My head throbbed, and pain lanced through my skull so sharply that I dropped to my knees with a gasp. It was unbearable—like someone had driven a dagger straight through my brainstem. And then... it vanished.

I breathed out shakily and got back to my feet. I was in a field. Hyrule Field, maybe? But it felt wrong—hollow, off-kilter, like a painting smudged at the edges. The sky, once serene, darkened before my eyes. Coal-black clouds surged across it, fast and unnatural. This wasn’t weather.

This was a warning.

I took off running, fueled by instinct more than thought. But as I looked over my shoulder, I tripped—hard—and slammed into the earth. The pain came again, harder, deeper. I screamed, clutching my head as the agony tore through me.

And then I saw him.

A figure cloaked in black armor, seated atop a midnight-colored steed. His grin was pure malice, and it made every hair on my body stand up. He didn’t say a word—but his presence screamed something far worse.

He knew who I was.

And then… a voice cut through the horror.

“Samantha! Samantha, wake up!!”

I gasped and shot upright, a raw scream tearing from my throat. My hands trembled as I backed away, only to see Vaati and Tetra crouched near me, eyes wide with concern.

My lungs couldn’t pull in air fast enough. I buried my face in my hands and sobbed, uncontrollably, helplessly.

“What happened?” Vaati asked, his voice cautious, trying not to push.

“I... I had a h-horrible—”

“Shh. It’s alright,” Zelda said gently as she knelt beside me. “Take your time.”

Vaati reached out, placing a hand lightly on my shoulder. I flinched before I could stop myself. His touch wasn’t threatening, but I was still raw—still shaking.

It took me a few minutes to catch my breath, to find the words.

“I thought it was real,” I whispered. “I was alone... then these storm clouds rolled in. There was this man—this monster in black armor—and... it just felt like I was going to die.”

The group fell silent, absorbing my words. But even as I spoke, a strange tension settled over the air. My skin prickled, like something was watching.

“Not to interrupt,” Vaati said, narrowing his eyes toward the trees, “but do any of you feel that? Something’s wrong.”

He moved toward Epona, and I followed, drawn by the same sense of unease. But before I could take a step, another jolt of searing pain shot through my skull. I screamed again, collapsing.

“Samantha!” Vaati’s voice pierced the haze.

Then everything went black.

---

I opened my eyes, but I wasn’t really awake.

There was no ground beneath me. No sky, either. Just... void.

Yet I wasn’t afraid. Not until I saw someone standing ahead of me—a woman. Ethereal, radiant, in a white gown that moved like water and hair spun from gold. She held a harp in her hands. Her eyes, a piercing crystal blue, looked into me like she’d known me my entire life.

She looked like Zelda, only older.

“Who are you?” I asked, my voice barely audible.

Her smile was warm and timeless. “I am Hylia.”

I froze. The Goddess. The actual Goddess.

“Samantha,” she continued, “I’ve been watching. You are braver than you know. Smart. Loyal. A warrior in every way that matters.”

“But I’m not from here,” I said. “I’m... ordinary.”

“You are anything but. You share the Triforce of Courage with the Chosen Hero. The portal that brought you here—it wasn’t by accident. Hyrule teeters on the edge of ruin. Darkness grows, and only those bound to the sacred forces can bring light back.”

I stared at her, trying to take it in. The Triforce of Courage… me?

She motioned for me to follow her to a marble bench in the nothingness. I obeyed, too stunned to do otherwise.

“There is much you must understand,” she said, sitting beside me. “The Triforce is not simply a relic—it’s a measure of the soul. Power, Wisdom, and Courage. These forces are always in motion. If someone of impure heart enters the Sacred Realm, the balance collapses. The world shifts. That’s what Ganon seeks—to unmake balance and remake Hyrule in his image.”

I hung on her every word. She wasn’t just talking about destiny. She was talking about war.

“But,” she added, placing a hand over her heart, “when the Triforce splits, it chooses. Each piece calls to a worthy soul. And you, Samantha, were chosen. The courage within you is not borrowed—it’s yours. And it will grow.”

I swallowed hard. “What do I do?”

“You return. When you wake, you will no longer be empty-handed. You’ll have the weapons of a hero. Not the same color as Link’s—but no less powerful.”

A glowing warmth began to surround her.

“I must send you back now,” she said. “But remember this: the fate of Hyrule rests in your hands. You are not alone, young warrior. And you never were.”

Her figure faded.

And I closed my eyes, feeling the fire of purpose ignite inside me.