Long Ago

Two Princesses

Hola mis amores, sorry for the huge delay in the release of this next chapter! Warning: lots of gameplay transcript ahead. Please enjoy!

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Link was panting as he jogged through the ruins of the Temple of Time. He had to admit, he was somewhat proud of himself for running all over the Great Plateau, even through the snow, in order to obtain the information about his past promised by the ghostly old man. It was exhilarating simply to recall the old man disappearing off of the tower into blue particles, and the image of the dark beast surrounding Hyrule Castle was still seared into his vision.

Link felt a driving thrill at the prospect of adventure, of something more, although he hadn't even been awake for 24 hours yet. A grunt from his left made him freeze, automatically gripping his sword.

Suddenly, a bokoblin launched itself at Link from behind a boulder and the knight attacked without a thought: sidestep and dodge, parry. Take advantage of the opening, strike. Side hop. Strike from behind, then once more, and the bokoblin erupted into smoke the color of bruises before disintegrating into nothing. Continuing forward, Link shuffled to a halt at the base of the ancient building, craning his head back and looking for a way to the roof.

Consequently, a few more seconds of searching yielded a tall ladder that stretched from the grass to the crumbling roof tiles. After checking to ensure that the aged, wooden rungs would support his weight, Link easily clambered up the ladder and pulled himself to a crouch atop the shingles.

A moment's scan of the roof presented him with an incredible image of the land that he knew to be called Hyrule: every angle seemed to show an astonishing work of nature. Turning his head, his eyes latched onto what may have previously been a bell room of sorts at the head of the temple. Carefully creeping forward to avoid the gaping holes around him, Link noticed the old man from before coming into view within the small, hopelessly weathered room.

Once Link made it within a few feet of the old man, the latter shifted his walking stick, still surrounded with the faint turquoise glow.

"Well done there, young one!" the elder chuckled. "Now, then... the time has come to show you who I truly am."

Link's eyes narrowed and he felt his shoulders tense up on instinct, as if he should be intimidated by the hooded man before him.

"I was King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule. I was... the last leader of Hyrule. A kingdom which no longer exists."

The glow flared to a bright flash and Link shielded his eyes, only to find the raggedy old man gone, and a regal king in his place. Link's jaw dropped and his eyebrows shot to his hairline as King Rhoam hovered slightly above the ground. His whole form was rimmed in what looked like aqua fire.

"The Great Calamity was merciless... it devastated everything in its path, lo, a century ago..."

- Time Skip -

"However, one princess survived to face Ganon alone..." Link shuddered as the voice from before filled his head, coming from nowhere and everywhere all at once:

"Link... you are our final hope. The fate of Hyrule rests with you."

He stumbled, choking on his breath as it rushed back into him. Champions? Hero? One princess? But...

"The living princess was my own daughter... my dear Zelda. And-" the king stiffened. "And her sister... my youngest daughter... lost her life protecting the hero's fallen body as he was taken to the Shrine of Resurrection."

"No..." A shiver struck his spine, a cold wind on his face.

"My dearest princess. Hylia's blessing on myself and the queen-"

"f/n."

King Rhoam turned to Link, confirmation in his gaze.

"She fell while guarding the Sheikah warriors who placed the hero into his slumber—your slumber." King Rhoam's hands clenched into tight fists. "She shall never be honored, for her body was never recovered."

Even as a heavy dread settled over Link, an unexplainable calm came with it. He just knew, from somewhere deep within himself, that his princess was still with him.

"The words of guidance you have been hearing since your awakening are from Princess Zelda herself. Even now, as she works to retrain Ganon from within Hyrule Castle, she calls out for your help. However, my daughter's power will soon be exhausted. Once that happens, Ganon will freely regenerate himself and nothing will stop him from consuming our land.

"Considering that I could not save my own kingdom, I have no right to ask this of you, Link... but I am powerless here. You must save her... my daughter... although my dearest was slain too long ago to be saved."

The king fixed Link with a fierce stare, one full of hope and fear, mourning and celebration.

"And do whatever it takes to annihilate Ganon."