//------------------------------//
// Bonus Chapter 1: Conflict 
// Story: The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Majora's Mask 
// by Ganondorf8 
//------------------------------//

The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Majora's Mask
By Ganondorf8
November 20, 2017
Bonus Chapter 1: Conflict.

Looking back on what I experienced during my adventure in Termina, I had become a much stronger person. Sure, I was tormented to no end both personally and seeing what was inflicted upon other people, but through it all I gained a better understanding of myself. Despite my own flaws that stemmed from my troubled past, I could appreciate the fact that I helped those who needed it by providing them a sympathetic ear whilst solving the problems that plagued them. I had earned humility yet it was a painful victory as it was what I lacked during my time as Princess Celestia's student.

This coupled with a better grasp of how friendship worked, I had saved an entire world from destruction by manipulating the very fabric of time. This wasn't new for me as I had saved another world and the one that I now called home but the sensation of having accomplished such a feat was one I couldn't help but indulge myself in. But, I knew not to let it get to my head as there was an unfortunate side effect that resulted from this recent world being saved. When I saved Hyrule from Ganondorf, only I remembered the events resulting in my friends having trouble believing me but this time they knew what had happened.

Ganondorf made sure that they would remember the events of Termina and it resulted in me having a lot of questions to answer. Unfortunately, it was a really awkward time for us in that so much happened. First, we saved Camp Everfree from being closed down by a business tycoon--a guy named Filthy Rich whose name was appropriate--and gaining both new magic and magical forms in the process. That alone was a major headache because of how Twilight Sparkle struggled with accepting what she had done as Midnight Sparkle and dealing with Gloriosa Daisy, whose ambitions, whilst honourable in their own way, lead us to having to face off against another person who was consumed by Equestrian Magic.

A few weeks later, we had to deal with the Shadowbolts who wanted to win a dance competition--it might not sound like much but Rarity was dead serious about it--followed by solving what turned out to be a rather obvious mystery that could have prevented the new Daring Do movie from being released--Rainbow Dash would have been crushed. About a week or two after that, I met Starlight Glimmer, the real one and not an alternate version, and we hit off pretty well despite her not remembering the events of Termina, yet this was short-lived as we had another person who got consumed by Equestrian Magic, Juniper Montage, though she wasn't as bad as Twilight Sparkle and Gloriosa.

When the problem with Juniper had been resolved, my friends finally decided to confront me about the elephant in the room and I knew there was no point in trying to change the subject or not wanting to talk about it. I was fortunate in that other issues came up that distracted us from having to deal with that particular issue but deep down I knew it was something that had been on their minds ever since everything was changed back to normal. In a way, this was Ganondorf's means of giving me one final bout of torment knowing my friends would hound me until I confessed to what I knew.

I wished Princess Twilight had been there to help me answer their questions but she had her duties in Equestria to attend to. On a side note, Her Highness had been extremely giddy in recent days and I was confused by her sudden lapse in character until I was given the explanation. She and the pony versions of my friends had succeeded in performing a miracle, the restoration of the six "Pillars of Equestria", the heroes who were the stuff of legend. No one knew what happened over a thousand years ago until now thanks to Princess Twilight's constant geeking-out over her idol, Starswirl the Bearded, resulting in their return.

Do I know much about the pillars? Not at all as not even Princess Celestia knew anything other than Starswirl disappearing without a trace. I've no doubt that Her Highness is going to be sending me messages talking non-stop about them until I either tell her to stop or she gets bored. Unfortunately, this news from my birth home couldn't avoid what I had to deal with in the form of answering my friend's questions. If there was a saving grace, they didn't ask about the Triforce of Courage inside of me--I didn't know if they were aware of it or not--but their remaining questions proved difficult for me to answer.





Several days ago...

" I know you all have questions relating to what happened about two months ago." I said.

" Y'all guessed correctly." Applejack said.

I sighed. " I'd hoped to have not been put on the spot like this but I knew there was no way of avoiding it."

" How in the hay did we end up in that plumb crazy lookin' world?"

" It's... complicated.

Applejack slammed her fist onto the table leaving behind a crack that trickled across but didn't break it. " Now wait just a gosh dern minute! How can ya say somethin' like that given that all of us remember what happened. Sunset... I know y'all don't like talkin' 'bout your past but you can't expect us ta accept that for an answer for even a second! Sayin' it's complicated makes it sound like ya don't think we can handle it and that's pure bunk!"

Rarity nodded. " Agreed. I mean, Applejack's method is much too vulgar for my tastes but her point still stands. We've been through so much together, darling, so the idea of you thinking less of us just because we don't understand what's been going on is completely unfair. You know that we are going to keep on asking questions until you cave in and answer them so I think it's best for you not to take that route and simply come clean. I insist on it as it will make things much more smoother rather than being tense."

" Way to make me look like the villain, Rarity."

" Perish the thought."

" What are y'all gettin' at?"

" We all remember what happened when our world changed into that other one." Rarity answered. " We've been putting off confronting Sunset about it for quite some time, too long if you want my opinion, because of other committments getting in the way. What we saw cannot be undone no matter how much we try and for that we simply must know the truth or else we shall suffer endless nightmares."

" Welcome to my world." I said, sighing.

" Chillax!" Rainbow Dash said, in an attempt to get the tensions to simmer down. " While I thought it was awesome that I was a fearsome pirate who commanded a fierce and loyal crew despite being evil at the same time, there's no need to grill Sunset even if she does know what's going on." She then darted her head left and right in hopes no one outside of her circle would hear what we were discussing--we were in the library at our usual table--before continuing. " Don't feel pressured into explaining yourself, Sunset. Yeah, I know it sounds weird that I'd say something like that but I feel you're being given too much unwanted stress."

" That is weird." Rarity said.

" Y'all feelin' okay there, Dash?" Applejack asked.

Rainbow Dash nodded. " Remember back when we first agreed with Princess Twilight to become Sunset's friend?" The others all nodded though I refrained from taking offence as I wanted to hear where she was going with this. " Most of the time, all we did was grill her because of what she did when she thought less about everyone, so maybe we should take it easy on her this time?"

Of all of my friends, Rainbow Dash was the last person I expected to offer such sage advice. Usually, she would view such things as being lame or that she had no idea what was going on due to her mind being fixated on something else, yet she surprised me by protecting me from the onslaught Applejack and Rarity were giving me. In truth, I couldn't hold back anymore as even I was getting sick and tired of not saying anything. Despite my hesitation towards it, I began telling my friends everything about what happened including my personal torment, Ganondorf, Princess Twilight's involvement, and even Starlight Glimmer.

It felt good getting so much off of my chest by telling them everything but it quickly soured when I was reminded by Applejack that she and the others had been given a similar explanation before regarding my previous journey and what I said about it. At the time, my friends didn't really believe me and thought me having either dreamt it or I was going through some stress, but they didn't have that excuse now. They had to have believed me now as they remembered what happened thanks to Ganondorf. I chose to ignore Applejack and continued with my explanation until I finished, requiring some water afterwards as it took quite some time.

Twilight Sparkle was the first to ask a question. " So you couldn't use your magic?"

I shook my head. " I had to rely on my own skills and whatever else I could find."

" I can't believe you whupped the butts of both those demons." Rainbow Dash said.

" That wasn't my favourite moment."

" Still, it was totally awesome you did that!"

" You're missing the point, Rainbow Dash." Twilight Sparkle said.

Rainbow Dash scoffed. " Whatever."

Twilight Sparkle continued. " Still, I can't even begin to imagine the kind of torment you went through, Sunset. Had we retained our memories during that experience, we could have helped you but instead we were forced to portray the characters we had been designated as. So many familiar faces both friend and foe, and none of them could help with the sole exception of Her Highness, the other me. I'm surprised she kept her memories even though she started out like the rest of us."

" If not for her, we'd still be stuck in that world." I said.

" I'll admit that I did bein' the owner of mah own farm." Applejack said. " But, why is this Ganondorf fellow so interested in ya?"

" He wants me to become his servant."

My friends were shocked upon hearing me say that and as expected, Applejack was the first to say something. " What!? He wants y'all to do that!? I hope ya refused as there's no way any of us could accept such an outcome. You're not evil, Sunset, and that's ta honest truth."

I lowered my head. " There were times when I allowed myself to listen to his words at the beginning."

" You're not evil!"

" I'm still resisting but I don't know how long I can keep it up."

That clearly didn't settle well with Applejack. " So... Y'all are thinkin' of givin' up are ya? Sunset... You were the one who saved our butts not once, not twice, but three times despite ta odds bein' squarely against ya and you were pushed to ta limit, yet here y'all wanna just quit and let this guy mess with yer mind? Princess Twilight would be ashamed if she saw y'all right now actin' like this."

Rarity then stood up. " Maybe talking about this wasn't such a good idea after all."

Rainbow Dash scoffed. " Ya think?"

" Applejack... Maybe we should give Sunset some space?"

" But we've still got plenty of questions." Applejack answered.

" Yes but she's clearly showing signs of not being up to the task." Rarity said, pointing at me where they saw that I had since buried my head in my hands. " I know this is an awful lot for us to take in yet Sunset is feeling it the most. As much as I would like for her to continue explaining things, we should come back to it another time when clearer heads are prevailing and not brash arrogance."

Applejack then looked at me and realized that Rarity was right. " Shoot! I didn't mean ta make her feel so stressed out 'bout it. I mean, she did say that she stopped listening to that guy's words but hearing her say that she can't resist made me lash out because she is much tougher than that. Heck, Sunset is more resilient than ta rest o' us and that's sayin' somethin' given that we're still comin' ta grips what with us havin' magic and what not." Applejack then looked at Rainbow Dash with a smile on her face. " Guess we should have listened to ya instead of making things even worse."

" I like it when you say I'm right about things." Rainbow Dash said.

" Don't let it give ya a swollen head."

" Me? A swelled head? Pfft! Yeah right!"

Both Applejack and Rainbow Dash began jabbing at each other in a playful manner leaving Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy rubbing the bridges of their noses in frustration over seeing such a display, yet Twilight Sparkle chose to comfort me instead. " On a personal note, I'm glad that you managed to put Sunset Demon to rest. I know it must have been a nightmare for so long but I'm happy you can move on with your life. I am surprised that you also took down Midnight Sparkle but then I dealt with her with everyone's help. If you want us to have a better understanding of this, Sunset, we need to know more."

I sighed. " I'm not ready for that just yet."

" Give it some time."

" How much though?"

" Not too long otherwise we might think you were trying to cover it up."

I looked at Twilight Sparkle squarely in the eyes and nodded. " I need a week or two to calm my nerves before we can try this again. In the meantime, I need to keep my mind occupied otherwise I'll likely relapse or something and become even more irritable than I already am. I promise that I will tell you guys everything as you're all part of this now even though I wish that weren't the case."





What was my method of keeping myself occupied? I decided to ask Rainbow Dash if I could borrow the same book that I read before after my previous journey ended. It wasn't the smartest idea imaginable as I should have gone with something that wouldn't remind me of my experiences in Termina. Much to my surprise, Rainbow Dash agreed to let me borrow her book and even more surprising was the fact that it was a new edition--it had additional lore the previous version lacked--and so once again I found myself with the Hyrule Historia in my hands, the very book that housed legends of this video game world that essentially was a part of my life.

This new version cleaned up some information that had been deemed incorrect in the older edition and while I wanted to read up on that, I wanted to read about legends that I had either ignored or glossed over at the time. It was also much thicker, a testament to it having more content, though there was no way I could get through so much in a single sitting without my brain turning to mush. Like before, there were images that accompanied the text along with footnotes designed to explain things for those who were curious so I could imagine myself witnessing what transpired within the endless stream of words that were before me.

Looking at the table of contents, I could see that it was more streamlined than before--they made an effort to make it more user friendly--so I began combing through to see what would take my fancy. Initially, nothing stood amongst the earliest known legend though I was admittedly curious about the Four Sword but I kept looking until stopping at something that honestly made me question why I never noticed it before. My eyes focused on the section dedicated to "Ocarina of Time" and in particular, a chapter that talked about an event which had occurred before Ganondorf's rise to power.

Memories of my journey through Hyrule then began flooding through my head and yet this was something I didn't know about. I felt compelled to know about this event as it would give me additional information that would satisfy my curiousity--I was beginning to act a lot like Princess Twilight in that regard--so flipping through the pages, I came to a stop at the chapter in question. I was greeted with an image of the different tribes that existed in Hyrule though they were at each other's throats. I wasn't surprised at seeing Ganondorf's people fighting but the other tribes defintely shocked me to my core.

"The Hyrule Civil War." I said to mysef. " Why do I have a feeling that this is going to make me feel miserable by the end of it?" Knowing that I couldn't refuse my curiousity, I grabbed a cup of hot cocoa which had been brewed several minutes ago, took a sip, put it down on the side table next to me, and began to read about this event. Hyrule had seen its share of problems ever since it was first founded as a kingdom in ages past yet nothing compared to what happened ten years before Ganondorf's eventual rise to power and the darkness that plagued the land for seven years.

It seemed that the tribes of Hyrule had grown distant towards one another in recent centuries as a result of the changing landscape, famine, conflict, and other factors that resulted in strained relationships. It didn't help that other tribes, namely the Zora, Gerudo, and Kokiri had begun to make themselves known to the Hylians, Gorons, Sheikah, and the fairy folk who thrived where fountains could be found. What should have been friendly encounters quickly turned sour when each of these new tribes claimed territory that had been sought by other tribes resulting in tension flaring and conflict following soon after. One example involved Lake Hylia...





" Why must you insist that the lake belongs to you?"

" The water flows down from our domain in the northeast until it reaches the lake."

" What a terrible excuse!"

" What!? You air breathers are so ignorant that it makes me wonder how you managed to survive for all these centuries."

" Like I'll allow a fish freak to tell me what to do."

" This body of water is the territorial right of the Zoras and we shall fight to the very end in order to keep our claim."

" We Hylians came here long before you abominations crawled out of the water so this lake belongs to us."

" Then we have reached an impasse."

" I'm going to give you fish freaks an ultimatum. You have until the end of tomorrow to clear out of the lake and never return. If you refuse to leave by then, we'll have no choice but to slaughter you all until there's no one left."

" Typical of you air breathers to want to resort to violence in order to get your way. It's your means to an end so that you can flex your convoluted ideals of being superior to we aquatic denizens but such threats will fall on deaf ears. We Zora will not yield! Should we be killed then more Zora from other domains beyond this land will come and avenge us leaving you unable to overcome their numbers. Go and tell your king that this lake belongs to us."

" Don't you dare push me!"

" What do you plan to do about it?"

" You'll find out soon enough."

" Is that a threat?"

" I'll say no more."





From what I was reading, this was but one example of tensions that existed between the Hylians and Zoras. Both tribes laid claim to Lake Hylia yet neither were willing to yield resulting in tensions between the two. Unfortunately, it only grew worse from there until actual bloodshed occurred when three Zora were ambushed by Hylians and slaughtered like cattle. The Zora were furious and retaliated by killing two Hylians and kidnapped several children who were simply there to get a closer look at the beauty that the lake had become known for across Hyrule.

Upon hearing this attrocity, the Hylians immediately travelled to Zora's Domain and demanded the release of the children. The Zora said they would only if the Hylians would surrender their claim of the lake and never set foot there again. This didn't settle well with the Hylians who refused such a demand with one amongst their number killing a Zora right in front of everyone present. From there, things escalated out of control with both sides engaging in battle, hatred driving their minds. Whilst the children were unharmed, the same couldn't be said about the Hylians and Zoras who were killed.

By the time the conflict was resolved by the timely intervention of King Zora, the damage had been done resulting in all but three Hylians from the group--it says that there were roughly fifteen Hylians--who had travelled to Zora's Domain having lost their lives and only two Zora losing theirs in addition to the one who died initially. Additional encounters would occur over time with Lake Hylia being a focal point for their grievances--and the battleground--where more lives were lost, scores injured, and environmental damage being inflicted resulting in the land and water becoming contanimated.

This went on for about several months before the two leaders finally decided to meet with one another to resolve the problem. Because of the tensions between the two tribes, the leaders met one another in a private location known only to them without any entourage. This was done as a means of building trust between them as neither would have any kind of advantage over the other. Would this result in lasting peace despite what had already happened or would the conflict continue until they destroy one another. My heart began racing as I continued to read only to suddenly stop upon seeing who was portraying both leaders.

I honestly shouldn't have been surprised that people I knew would be portraying characters in a video game. I immediately recognized Hondo Flanks as King Zora though he looked much younger than before. He was Rarity's father who loved his sports teams which annoyed her to no end because she lacked his passion yet he loved his daughters and his wife with a passion rarely seen by most men in his position. From what I could remember of this journey, I never met the king until right at the very end to warn him of Ganondorf yet he wasn't portrayed by anyone yet was this time. 





" To be honest with you, I did not want to have this meeting given the circumstances that exist between our two tribes, but I feel that this is necessary as a means of preventing further bloodshed and loss of life." Hondo Flanks said. 

It turned out that the King of Hyrule was Night Light, Princess Twilight's father, and would also be Twilight Sparkle's father in the world I called home. Her Highness never really said much about her parents other than how they tend to be gullible with regards to accepting things when they should in fact be cautious, but what she did say was that she wouldn't have pursued magic and become Princess Celestia's student if not for their support. As for the human version of Night Light, I've yet to meet him--the same with the pony version--but much like Her Highness, Twilight Sparkle has nothing but admiration towards her father. It made me wish that my own parents had given me that kind of love.

Night Light nodded, the expression on his face was one of shame. " My people did not wish for this meeting to take place between us but I agree that it must be done in order to preserve a semblance of peace."

" I am sure you understand what has been going on with regards to the lake located in the southwest of this land?"

Again, Night Light nodded. " To think that our respective people would quarrel over such a beautiful place."

Hondo Flanks glared at his counterpart. " We Zora are one with the water so it makes sense that the lake rightfully belongs to us."

" And yet we Hylians did find the location first before your people did."

" Yes... That is the unfortunate reality of it."

" My people would riot on the streets were I to yield anything to you, King Zora." Night Light said. " They are very passionate about the lake as it represents a tranquility rarely seen in this land, yet I do understand that your people, the Zora, have a much better understanding of that tranquility given how you possess a strong flare for dignity."

Hondo Flanks lowered his head. " It is the same with my people. They believe the lake is rightfully ours and to see me give it up to save face would cause them to rise up in anger and declare war against the Hylians." Noticing a flower that was growing nearby, he reached down, gently plucked it from the ground, and fawned over it before placing it back on the ground where it came from. " If only the tensions had not occurred between our respective peoples. We could have shared this place without the loss of life."

It was at that moment where Night Light began formulating an idea. " Perhaps there is a way we can solve this issue."

" I'm afraid that I must protest against it."

" But, I have not told you anything."

Hondo Flanks raised his hand. " While I have no personal quarrels with you, King Harkinian, my people will not yield any territory that we have claimed as our own. Whatever your idea is, it will not go over well with the Zora."

" King Zora... If you would just let me explain."

I never would have expected Hondo Flanks, or rather, King Zora, to be so stubborn as to want to ignore a potential means of solving a crisis. Then again, this was supposed to be a younger version of him so his maturity wasn't as strong as it was when I encountered him during my journey through Hyrule. Although, he might have been under an intense amount of pressure resulting from the Zora not wanting to show weakness in the face of those who were different from them. Night Light was likely going through the same thing but perhaps even more so as he was trying to reach out for compromise.

Who knew that there were such tensions that existed between the tribes of Hyrule. Granted, when I was there on my first journey, there was nothing but peace to be had barring the actions of Ganondorf, but reading about what happened was a complete shock. If tensions were bad between the Hylians and the Zoras, I feared what I would learn with regards to the former dealing with the Gorons, Kokiri, and especially the Gerudo. I mean, I knew this was a fictional world inside of a video game but it felt just so compelling and my own personal experiences of being there added to it.

Hondo Flanks then got up and turned away from Night Light. " We Zora are known for showing the utmost respect to those who have earned it whilst maintaining a form of dignity the other tribes could never hope to understand. Our aim here was to discuss a means of preventing further violence between our tribes yet you choose to want to deal with it yourself and not ask for my opinions. Perhaps my people were right about how you Hylians believe yourselves to be superior to everyone else. I am sorry, King Harkinian, but I feel that I must put the needs of the Zora first and foremost." 

He began walking away leaving Night Light to come up with anything to salvage this meeting. " Do you have any children?"

Hondo Flanks whipped around upon hearing that. " What did you say?"

" Do you have any children?"

" Why are you asking such a preposterous question?" Hondo Flanks asked. " Are you trying to salvage this meeting between us? If so then I am afraid that your efforts are sadly in vein and that I must return to Zora's Domain."

Night Light sighed. " My wife... gave birth to a beautiful baby girl about a month ago. Despite having an illness that keeps her bedridden, she was still able to go through with her pregnancy despite the odds being stacked against her, thus my daughter can be viewed as being a miracle child. Anyway, as is tradition within my family, we are naming her Zelda, after my wife, who is also named Zelda. For my child, I am hoping she will grow up in a land that knows nothing of violence but rather a peaceful existence where all tribes are united together under the one banner of my family."

" Why should you Hylians rule over everything?"

" No... I do not wish for that."

" Then you are contradicting yourself."

" Let me explain my wish, King Zora." Night Light said. " I wish for the tribes to unite together and form one kingdom again like it was in ages long passed. Yes, this land was once a glorious kingdom but tensions between the tribes reached a boiling point as a result of needs outweighing peace. I know that reunification is a difficult prospect as everyone has needs that they wish to see fulfilled and that is why I have chosen to meet with each leader in hopes of finding a solution before things get out of hand. Because of the tensions between the Hylians and Zoras, my efforts have proven difficult."

" What are you getting at?"

" For my child, I am willing to make sacrifices for her sake and the sake of everyone in this land."

Hondo Flanks then sat back down in bewilderment over what he had just heard. " You are willing to make concessions knowing that your people would despise such a thing? I must admit that you have surprised me as my assumption was that you would be like the rest of your kind. Perhaps I was hasty in believing that all Hylians are the same. You are different from them in some regards but you must be willing to go even further lest your words be simply that, words without any substance to them, without any real meaning behind them."

" The lake shall be named Lake Hylia..."

" Is that the name you wish to go with?"

Night Light nodded. " It shall be named after an ancient goddess who once fought alongside the creatures of this land in ages past. Much of that particular legend have been lost to time but my family does retain some snippets that were documented in a few books. Anyway, the Hylians will have control of the lake's..."

" I knew it!" Hondo Flanks shouted as he shook his fists. " Your words were meant to serve as a distraction!"

Night Light shook his head. " No... I am doing what must be done for everyone. The Hylians shall own the surface of the lake and the nearby land whilst the Zoras shall own everything that lurks underwater."

" That... Is actually a good compromise."

" Both sides end up getting something out of it."

" Yes, but my people will not forgive the Hylians for what happened nor will your people forgive the Zoras."

Nodding his head, Night Light went silent for several moments before continuing. " Which is why an alliance between our tribes is necessary though for the time being, it must be between our respective families, King Zora. The Zora shall control and guard all bodies of water throughout this land. In return, the Hylians shall refrain from interferring with your culture until such a time comes where both tribes can co-exist with one another."

" An alliance does sound like a good idea but I am not convinced."

" What more must I do?"

" You have done more than enough, King Harkinian." Hondo Flanks answered. " But, you must reach out to the other tribes who exist in this land. If you can forge alliances with them then we Zora shall join in the unification. To address how your people might feel about this arrangement, I proclaim that only you may visit Zora's Domain for the time being until our respective people gain a better understand of each other."

" Then it seems I must earn your trust."

" No, you must earn my respect."

Night Light looked upwards. " Then I shall proceed to form the remaining alliances that I need. This land shall once again become a kingdom where everyone is treated equally and all cultures are respected. Your status as a king will not be tarnished in that it shall be recognized even though my reign over the land will be evident."

Standing up, Hondo Flanks walked over to Night Light and placed his hand on the latter's shoulder. " If anyone can make this land into a kingdom much like the old one was before any of our times, it is you, King Harkinian. By the way... My wife recently laid eggs which hatched into several beautful Zora babies. Knowing that our people are small in number, she took all but one child to the southern lands in order to start a new Zora colony though she was reluctant to leave until I encouraged her that it was for the best. Before she left, my wife named the youngest one, Ruto, after one of her ancestors."

" So you believe peace can be achieved?"

" Yes."

" Then I shall do everything in my power to see that happen."

" For our children and for the people, let it be so.





Looking up from the pages of text, I was surprised at how both monarchs were able to come to a compromise all because one of them asked about whether the other had any children. It made me happy knowing that they found a common bond even though it cost the lives of innocents from both sides to reach that point. King Harkinian showed tremendous humility by making the first move with King Zora accepting and adding his own contributions. Still, they should have come up with a solution much sooner as then there wouldn't have been any senseless deaths.

I quickly flipped back to the table of contents to see how long this section about the Hyrule Civil War and I was surprised to see that it covered roughly thirty pages. I had no desire to read through everything as some parts were more significant than others and I'd likely fall asleep before finishing. Flipping back to where I was before, I skipped through some pages though I made sure to read snippets here and there just to make sure I got the gist of the events. There were some additional conflicts between the Hylians and Zoras though no lives were lost and an incident involving the Hylians visiting the Kokiri Forest only to be frightened away by something.

Another incident involved the Shieikah going on a spying mission to learn more about the Gerudo which resulted in the entire party losing their lives in the desert that existed beyond the fortress the Gerudo called home. A footnote revealed that there weren't many Shiekah left during this time as most had died in service to the Royal Family of Hyrule throughout the centuries, and those who perished in the desert left only the sole survivor, an attendant to Princess Zelda by the name of Impa. My mind then suddenly got flushed with memories of my encounters with this Impa who was portrayed by Applejack when I was there.

To be the last one of your kind must have been nothing short of an eternal nightmare with so sign of it ever ending yet according to the reminder of the footnote, Impa served as any attendant would do in her position regardless of what had happened to her people. As much as I wanted to continue reading more about her life, I chose instead to focus on the civil war in hopes of seeing what else had occurred. Flipping through a few more pages, I came to a stop upon seeing an image of a familiar person resulting in me slapping my forehead. I knew it was my mind showing those I knew in my life as these characters but I wished it hadn't been so subtle here.

" Why is Pinkie Pie in this book?" I asked myself before reading further. Not only did King Harkinian have to deal with the Zoras and their claim over Lake Hylia, but also the mountain people known as the Gorons, who laid claim to Death Mountain and were willing to fight to defend it. They also wanted more territory, namely a small village that had been built at the base of Death Mountain and was originally the home of the Shiekah. Whilst their love of eating rocks was well known, their fighting prowess wasn't as obvious. Gorons weren't pushovers by any means in that they could easily overpower anyone who stood as an obstacle.

Of all the Gorons, the one who was seen as the strongest was Darunia, their tribe's patriarch though they preferred to call him their Big Brother. I remembered Pinkie portraying this particular character--seeing her swinging around that oversized hammer in my mind was something I'd never forget--during my journey and she was as fun loving as always though she was more focused on protecting the other Gorons. I also recalled that there were tensions with Darunia that revolved around being disrespected to which he took great offence. " If Pinkie is portraying Darunia again, I wonder what she'll be like as a younger version of herself."

I shuddered to think of such a thing. A younger Pinkie was more dangerous than an older one as being young meant having a more wild personality and she was definitely wild given how her parties had a tendency towards breaking every rule of physics several times over. According to the book, Darunia had every intention of leading his "Brothers" to the village at the base of Death Mountain and conquer it but was having doubts over whether he was making the right decision. King Harkinian, several days after having met King Zora, wished to meet with Darunia in hopes of avoiding conflict.





" Why are you looking so glum, Darunia?"

" Wah!" Pinkie Pie shouted as she jumped slightly off the ground before patting her chest where her heart was. " Even though you're my older sister, Maud, I wish you wouldn't keep on surprising me like that. I'm likely to receive a heart attack one of these days."

" I just walked up next to you and asked a question." Maud Pie said.

" Yes but you are so quiet that you act like a ghost or something."





I stopped reading and rolled my eyes upon seeing that Maud Pie, Pinkie Pie's older sister, was once again portraying a Goron. At least this time she was alive and well as opposed to the opposite like she was in Termina but I shouldn't have been surprised to see her. I was surprised that Pinkie's other sisters, Limestone Pie and Marble Pie, were absent given how all four of them were pretty close despite Pinkie being the odd-one-out because of how she behaved differently from them. Maybe they would make an appearance as I continued reading or maybe just Pinkie and Maud were necessary for this. Scratching my head, I continued reading.





" Why are you pacing back and forth, Darunia?"

" What!?" Pinkie Pie exclaimed whilst smiling a dishonest smile that was easy to recognize as being false. " I don't know what you're talking about, Maud. Me? Pacing back and forth? Pfft! Don't be silly! I'm just looking down at that village below at the base of Death Mountain."

Maud Pie looked down at the ground for a second before looking back up at her younger sister. " Then why are there scuff marks from your hammer?"

Pinkie Pie sighed. " I never could get anything past you."

" I am just observant, that's all."

" You should have been made the Big Boss of the Gorons."

Maud Pie shook her head. " Our Brothers chose you to lead us, Darunia, as you possess the greatest strength and experience. Besides, you are a descendant of the one who freed our ancestors from the dragon that once terrorized this mountain. I am also his descendant through blood though I lack what you possess, strength. I could never lead our Brothers without them not taking me seriously."

" But you're older."

" Age doesn't have anything to do with it." Maud Pie said. " As long as any of us can remember, we Gorons choose our leaders based on strength, conviction, compassion, and being level-headed in a given situation. While you struggle with that last one, you excel in the other three qualities making you the best candidate. In any case, your leadership is needed now more than ever."

Swinging her hammer around a few times, Pinkie Pie slammed into it the ground, a sign that she didn't appreciate Maud's answer, but also knew that she was right. " Ever since that messenger who represents King Harkinian wished to meet with me, I've been thinking about what it would mean for the Gorons. From what I was told about the messenger, he looked rather scrawny as though he had no meat on his bones and looked like he could get pushed aside without any effort."

Maud Pie raised an eyebrow. " I am surprised that you didn't lose your temper when you found out."

" Oh I was angry that these Hylians would send someone like that to see me."

"  But?"

" But, I've too much on my mind right to even worry about that." Pinkie Pie answered. She pointed down at the village below before turning her attention towards a higher elevation of the mountain that looked like it was moving though it was in fact a collective of Gorons who appeared to be agitated. " When those strange shadowy folk first founded that village long ago, our ancestors thought nothing of it and carried on with their lives. But, when they recently began expanding onto the mountain, our Brothers grew furious and demanded that we take action against such disrespect."

" What do you think?"

" That's why I've been pacing about, Maud."

Maud Pie rubbed her chin as she looked down at the village. " I heard that the sole survivor of the shadow folk plans on opening the village up to regular people. That sounds nice as everyone deserves a chance to live somewhere."

Pinkie Pie nodded. " But our territory has been violated when they began expanding. I've refrained from initiating an attack because I believe that would solve nothing but the others are demanding retribution by taking the village for ourselves."

" What do you plan on doing, Darunia?"

" I don't know."

" Maybe their leader will help make a decision."

" You mean the King of the Hylians?"

Maud Pie nodded. " He is on equal footing with you, sister, so if anything he should be able to come up with a decision on how to solve this."

Pinkie Pie grew enthusiastic at first only to become glum shortly afterwards. " Even if we were to find a solution, our Brothers wouldn't accept it. They would prefer to go wild and destroy whatever was in their path out of sheer anger and you know how difficult it can be to stop a Goron once he is mad. If this King Harkinian is a man of character who can stop this village from expanding into our territory, we might be able to work things out. I might even make him an honourary member of the Gorons though I expect to be treated as an equal in return and not simply someone who he can step on whenever he likes."

" You are conflicted."

" Don't I know it."

No wonder Pinkie Pie didn't know what she wanted to do. On the one hand, her pride as a warrior was being tested as she was remaining civil over a situation where her people were clearly furious and demanded her to take matters into her own hands as leader and do something. On the other hand, her will to please her people had gotten shaky as she believed a physical altercation would result in the Hylians entering Death Mountain to seek revenge. While she had no doubts that the Gorons were far stronger than the Hylians, their numbers were smaller than theirs.

Having all that pressure was never any good as it would cause complications further down the line, yet I was surprised to know that Kakariko Village was originally the town where the Shiekah resided--if I did know then I had forgotten. Being within proximity to Hyrule Castle Town made sense as the Shiekah were ready to act upon the king issuing them a command but since Impa was the only one left, allowing commonfolk to live there would give them roofs over their heads rather than just let it rot for eternity. If there was one thing I had to question, it would be why build Kakariko Village at the base of Death Mountain?

If it had been built say, somewhere near the center of Hyrule--I knew there was a ranch there but it could have been incorporated into the village--it would have solved all known problems with the Gorons not feeling that their territory is being threatened and the King having his personal spies close at hand. My curiosity grew deeper as I continued to read and it became apparent that Darunia was going to make a crazy decision that would change the outcome. Why did I feel that way? He seemed liked a civil man on the outside but was prone to bursts of rage were he pushed far enough.

To Darunia, his people meant everything to him and had to make difficult decisions. Would he seriously consider attacking a village that wasn't much of a threat despite the incursion they had made? An act like that would have made him come across as being ruthless and unreasonable but perhaps he was concerned that the Hylians would continue expanding Kakariko Village therefore taking more land from the Gorons? I do remember Darunia as having a mean streak when especially upset but the idea of seeing him resort to excessive violence was too much for me to bear.

" You need to make a choice, Darunia."

" And I have, Maud."

" What did you decide?"

" I'm going to meet with the Hylian King as he requested." Pinkie Pie answered. " If he and I can forge an alliance where both of us are treated with the same respect, he and I shall become 'Sworn Brothers'. He must also help deal with the problem his people are causing down below in that village. I know that our Brothers won't be happy when I tell them about it but they must remember that I am the Big Boss of the Gorons. My decision is final!"

" I am happy that you came up with something."

Pinkie Pie then grabbed her hammer and lifted it up effortlessly. " However, should I find that this King Harkinian is deceitful in any way, I will have our Brothers attack that village and take it over in the name of our sovernity."

Maud Pie merely blinked. " Are you sure about that?"

Pinkie Pie nodded. " I must place diplomacy over aggression for the good of my people but I must also make sure we are treated fairly. I know that we Gorons had an alliance of sorts with the Hylians back in the ancient days but those times will never return. If the Hylian King wishes to forge an alliance, he must be willing to respect me."

" I will not question your decision."

" I'm the Big Boss so what I say goes."

" Now we need to focus on the other matter."

" There's something else?"

Maud Pie nodded. " Ever since the people from the desert first made themselves known, they have been attacking anyone who sets foot in their territory. I know we are on the other side of this land but their actions could drag us into a potential conflict we shouldn't really be a part of. I meant to mention this to you earlier, Darunia, but you were so fixated with how to deal with that village that I chose to hold off until you had come to a decision."

" Who is the leader of those desert people?"

" Someone wearing heavy black armour."

" I wouldn't want to meet someone like that."





My entire body shivered at the notion that Maud had mentioned Ganondorf but then I remembered that he was the King of the Gerudo Thieves before his eventual rise to power resulting in him conquering Hyrule by getting his hands on the Triforce. Even before he plunged the kingdom into darkness, he proved to be a threat to the land simply because his people were causing unrest by attacking those who entered their territory without permission. If I remembered correctly, Ganondorf was the only male amongst his people hence why he was made their king though I suspected it had to do with tradition more than anything else.

While my heart wanted me to read up about the actions of the Gerudo, my curiosity wanted me to know whether the Gorons attacked Kakariko Village. Turning to the next page of the Hyrule Historia, I was greeted with a positive result in that no attack ever occurred, but then my heart sank upon learning another truth. Instead of attacking, they instead simply rampaged through the village to reach Hyrule Field where a much larger conflict had erupted. I had hoped Darunia would have shown restraint or at least common sense but I supposed his pride as a warrior blinded him.

Flipping through several more pages, I reached the section that was dedicated to the Gerudo. I knew some aspects of their culture though now I could learn even more thanks to the information contained within this book. The Gerudo were a band of desert nomads who were relatively unknown through Hyrule's history in that they didn't appear anywhere in history books until around the time of Ganondorf's rise to power. It said here that a pair of Hylian men accidentally discovered the Gerudo when they were curious about what was located to the west of Hyrule Field as it was an area no one had ever explored before.

The two men were captured and treated harshly because of their gender by the Gerudo but were eventually released by order of Ganondorf though I suspect he may have had ulterior motives in doing so. After that, the existence of the Gerudo became common knowledge to the Hylians resulting in the Hylian King, Harkinian, to attempt to forge an alliance, but he quickly discovered that they weren't interested. He believed it to be a misunderstanding and made a second attempt at forging an alliance but again he was denied by the Gerudo. After that, he focused on forming other alliances but held out hoping they would join one day.

Given the harsh conditions located within the desert, the Gerudo had learned to adapt to their surroundings by using what resources they had available, but it proved a difficult task in that there were times when resources were non-existant forcing them to seek other resources from beyond the desert. They chose to target the Hylians as they were the closest and did so by using a combination of nightfall and their thieving skills. Surviving out in the desert meant training one's body to fight against anything with the strongest being viewed favourably amongst the others.

As I continued reading, I soon discovered that there was a hierarchy amongst the Gerudo below their king. Whoever proved themselves to be the most efficient thief in terms of stealing, fighting, and being excellent marksmen whilst on horseback were given higher positions of power. Huh... I was expecting friendship and compassion but I supposed that didn't matter to the Gerudo. Those who lacked these skills were deemed the lowest among their society and were given menial tasks such as standing guard or having to find resources either by stealing them or finding them in the desert.

Skimming through the next few paragraphs, I came upon an incident that piqued my curiosity. King Harkinian made a third attempt at forging an alliance with the Gerudo and sent his envoy to make peace with them but like before, they refused to hear what they had to say, but this time they chose to take matters into their own hands. Whether Ganondorf ordered them or not, they attacked the Hylian envoy. The attack was carried out Nabooru, who was viewed as being the one Ganondorf would choose to be his second-in-command after the previous one died of a disease, yet she--Nabooru--viewed herself as unworthy of such a distinction.





" Why did you come here a third time?"

" We only wish to speak to your king about forming an alliance with our king."

" Then you have not only wasted your time but ours as well."

" Please! We believe that this alliance between our tribes shall be beneficial for everyone."

" We of the Gerudo know you cannot be trusted."

" Why do you think that?"

" Aside from the Great Ganondorf, all men are useless and nothing more than mewling cowards who think of themselves as brave souls. We can see that you hide behind your fellow men hoping to use them as shields rather than face us yourself. Like we said to the others, we acknowledge your existence but refuse to form an alliance. Go back and tell he who sent you out here our message and don't ever come back here again or else you will force our hand."

" But that isn't what our king wishes."

" Leave! Now!"

" Please be reasonable."

At that precise moment, Nabooru appeared on the scene having heard the commotion. I wasn't surprised to find that Rainbow Dash was portraying her like she had done when I was going through Hyrule, yet she was much younger than before, an indication that these events took place long before Ganondorf's rise to power. I also recognized Spitfire as being the one who had spoken with the envoy--she was also younger--though if I recalled correctly, she had an issue with Rainbow over her status as second-in-command but perhaps that isn't a factor here as this was years ago.

" What is going on here, Spitfire?" Rainbow Dash asked.

Spitfire turned to face her and rubbed the bridge of her nose. " Those Hylians sent another envoy in hopes of getting to meet the Great Ganondorf. I have told them that we aren't interest in forming an alliance yet they keep on insisting on wanting to meet him. It's like they just don't get it at all."

Rainbow Dash leaned forward to get a better glimpse of the envoy, her expression clearly showing she wasn't amused. Standing on a bridge that overlooked a massive valley were roughly five individuals each on horseback though one was situated behind the others. Rainbow could tell that this one in particular was their commander though she shook her head knowing that he was nothing but a coward for hiding. Were he a real leader, he would be out in front. The others looked even less threatening to her as they lacked weapons meaning that they would run away at the first signs of battle.

" This group is even worse than the last one was."

" I know, right?"

" But, you have to admit that they are persistent."

Spitfire shrugged. " I guess but this has really gotten on my nerves."

" Do you want me to take care of them?"

" Wouldn't that be beneath you?"

Rainbow Dash shook her head. " I could do with some entertainment to relieve me of my boredom. Besides, we need to get as much out of them as possible." Spitfire was taken aback by this yet Rainbow assured her that this was what Ganondorf wished of them. Nodding, Spitfire stood aside allowing Rainbow to take her place before she looked down at the envoy. " You were told to leave yet you're still here. Give me one good reason why you shouldn't be punctured by countless arrows right now."

" We wish to see your king." The envoy said.

" The Great Ganondorf is too busy to see the likes of you."

" But we can help you."

" Are you being serious?" Rainbow Dash asked. " You believe that you can help us? What makes you think that we Gerudo need any help especially from a man?"

" We know that your people have been suffering as a result of living out here in such a desolate landscape." The envoy answered. " You have need of resources in order to survive and we can provide you with enough provisions to last for eternity if need be. All we ask is that your king forms an alliance with our king and together with the other tribes, we can restore the ancient kingdom that once was to its former glory."

Spitfire whispered to Rainbow Dash. " The only way they would know about that would be if they spied on us without our knowledge. Hmmm... That does explain a lot when you think about it for a second. Those shadowy figures were snooping around here a while back in the dead of night before heading off to the Haunted Wasteland though we don't know if they got back alive given how many have lost their lives attempting to cross those accursed sands."

" They were foolish to go out there."

" Only we Gerudo have the means of crossing the wasteland even though we rarely do so given the danger."

" As much as these men annoy me, I've no intention of sending them there." Rainbow Dash said. " That would be too cruel so instead we will deal with them in the usual manner we take upon any who dare set foot in our territory who are men."

" Do you mean what I think you do?"

Rainbow Dash nodded. " Give the signal to the archers to get their bows ready and tell them to wait for my command." She turned her attention back towards the envoy who appeared nervous as they wondered what was being discussed. " Tell me... Why does your king want an alliance? We have very little resources of our own and surely your king wouldn't want a desert to be a part of his grand design."

" He believes that everyone should be equal." The envoy said.

" What about the place you call home?" Rainbow Dash asked. " Is it somewhere we Gerudo would take a fancy to?"

The envoy nodded. " Our town is a place where everyone from all across this land are accepted and can come to experience exquisite beauty. We have shops that cater to everyone's needs, places where you can play games, but the best part is seeing the majestic sight of our castle. I'll admit that we could do with more guards as those already in place are few in number and they tend to not move about very much."

" Anything else?"

" There is a Great Fairy's Fountain somewhere on the castle grounds."

" That's all we needed to know."

" What are you talking about?"

Rainbow Dash turned towards Spitfire but spoke out loud so that the envoy could hear her. " Once again, we refuse to form an alliance with your people. The Great Ganondorf has no need of your help and he will not tolerate anymore of you coming out here. Let this message from him tell you that you are no longer welcome here in our territory, and I trust one of you will make it back alive to inform your king about it."

Nodding her head, Spitfire then gave the order for the archers to rain arrows down on the envoy whilst Rainbow walked away from what was about to happen. In her mind, she didn't want to witness the bloodshed that was about to occur but she wasn't about to question Ganondorf's command. The envoy's horses freaked out and began panicking whilst the men tried calming them as arrows rained down from above. Two men were skewered by numerous arrows, killing them instantly, with a third meeting his end when his horse bucked him from his saddle and he fell into the valley below.

The envoy who had done all of the talking in the name of King Harkinian was killed when he was struck from behind in the neck and back as his horse was retreating. As for the remaining man, he managed to escape on his horse, yet this was intended as the Gerudo wanted one to report back to the Hylian King of what had transpired--none of the horses were killed much to my own personal relief given what I really am. Spitfire then ordered a end to the arrows given that there were no longer any targets and celebrations erupted as the men had fled with their tails between their legs.

Spitfire then walked over to Rainbow Dash who didn't watch the proceedings. " I know you're not fond of seeing people get killed, Nabooru, but we have to do what's necessary for our own survival and those Hylians needed to know that we would no longer tolerate their frequent intrusions."

" I know but sometimes I think we're going too far with it."

" Yeah, I can see where you're coming from."

" On the other hand, you make a valid point."

" At least we don't have to deal with the likes of those Hylians anymore." Spitfire said. " I'm sure this experience will keep them from coming here again unless their king is so stupid that he decides to come here in person."

Rainbow Dash sighed. " We'll be dealing with them soon enough."

" What do you mean?"

" There's a reason why I came over here."

" Oh, so this wasn't a pleasure call?"

Rainbow Dash shook her head. " We've been given a command by the Great Ganondorf to prepare ourselves to leave for the field by nightfall. He wishes to attack the Hylians and lay claim to their land as a means of expanding our territory and provide us with valuable resources. No doubt they will retaliate as a result for killing four of their envoys so expect more bloodshed in the coming hours. The Great Ganondorf also said that we should prepare to give up our lives so that he can succeed and elevate both his status and our own futures."

Spitfire's jaw dropped. " What!? We're to fight against them?"

Rainbow Dash nodded. " I'm against the idea of killing those Hylians but we must obey the Great Ganondorf."

" Why would he want to attack them?"

" The reason he isn't here is because he visited the temple out in the desert."

" He went to meet those two Gerudo witches again, didn't he?" Spitfire asked. Rainbow Dash nodded and the former sighed. " I know those two are fellow Gerudo and deserve the utmost respect but I do wish they wouldn't keep on influencing the Great Ganondorf like they do. Sure, they are his surrogate mothers and raised him when his mother died after giving birth but they have been a bad influence on him. If his mother were still alive, she would have condemned those two witches."

" We're not in a position to question him, Spitfire."

" I know but I feel as though we're going to get ourselves killed." Spitfire said. " I mean, we're both teenagers, Nabooru, and have our lives to look forward to. The idea of being used as a sacrifice isn't exactly what I signed up for if you understand my meaning."

" Now you know why I've been hesitant towards accepting that distinction."

Spitfire's eyes opened wide. " What!? You mean you haven't decided if you intend on becoming the new second-in-command? Of all the women in the fortress, you are seen as being the most worthy in the Great Ganondorf's eyes, and that means you're at the top of the pecking order. I'd gladly accept such an honour but I know you feel like someone else should have it instead. Nabooru... Take it from me when I say you shouldn't let this opportunity slip by. I was once considered for the position but the Great Ganondorf cast me aside when I proved unworthy in his eyes--I still feel pain even to this day over it."

" I could recommend you given my position."

" You'd do that?"

Rainbow Dash nodded. " I prefer being a common thief who does what she needs to in order to get by. You have way more influence than I do and besides, the others cling to you like mewling kittens. The Great Ganondorf will be better served with someone like you, Spitfire, so when he returns from the desert, I'll speak to him about having you become the new second-in-command instead of me. Despite his aloof demeanour, he will listen to me as he enjoys my company despite him being only a few years older than both of us." She then paused for a moment to let it all sink in regarding what they were doing later. " Come on... We'd better get ready for nightfall."





I wasn't at all surprised that the Gerudo would kill those envoys at the behest of Ganondorf. He was the kind of person who enjoyed killing anyone who got in his way as a way to remind everyone of his dominance, but to influence his own people into acting in a similar manner made me sick to my stomach. At least Nabooru didn't resort to such barbaric means despite her connection to Ganondorf--one I was sure she sometimes despised. No... she hated the very thought from what I remember but again this was a younger version of Nabooru. Her convictions wouldn't amass themselves until later on in her life.

Turning the page, I was confronted with a large image that showed the Gerudo attacking Hyrule Castle Town with the Royal Guard responding in kind. There were buildings burning everywhere, innocent people running for their lives, and of course, lifeless corpses from both sides were strewn about. According to the description below the image, the Gerudo stopped their attack after a couple of days before retreating. Did Ganondorf suspect that his assault was pointless? Or did he have something else in mind? I couldn't even begin to imagine what was going through his mind when this happened and I'm glad for it.

Reading on, I learned that as a result of the Gerudo attacking during a time where King Harkinian was visiting Darunia in hopes of forging an alliance with the Goron leader, he was forced to abandon his mission and left Death Mountain to return to his people. This wouldn't have been an issue had the king not left during the ceremony which would have made him an honourary member of the Gorons as well as Darunia's Sworn Brother. Being snubbed in such a manner infuriated Darunia resulting in his people trampling through Kakariko Village as I learned before and into Hyrule Field where they intended on attacking the Hylians as well out of spite.

Because of the conflict having had the Gorons join in, things had gotten worse for King Harkinian until he discovered another problem had occurred. The Zora, who had refrained from additional contact with the Hylians, had investigated the conflict in hopes of understanding what was going on. One of them was killed by accident when a Hylian soldier assumed they were acting aggressively resulting in further chaos. All at once, every tribe within the kingdom were at each other's throats all because Ganondorf had started things and unfortunate circumstances caused it to spread. 

With renewed vigor along with chaos happening all around, the Gerudo attacked again though they also had to deal with the Gorons and Zoras in addition to the Hylians. Many lives were lost as a result of this civil war and it lasted for a few weeks. According to the book, there was one tribe that didn't get involved mainly because the others never knew of their existence and because their guardian knew that getting involved would only worsen things. Protected within the safety of the forest, the Kokiri lived a peaceful existence under the protection of the Great Deku Tree.

Unlike the other tribes, the Kokiri stopped growing when they roughly reached the age of ten thus they remain kids for the entirety of their lives. Huh... I do recall hearing about that from someone but I couldn't put my finger on it. " I guess my memories of my Hyrule journey are getting hazy." I said to myself. " Yet my memories of Termina seem to be getting stronger which doesn't sound right." Mulling it over for a few moments, I decided to not pay it any mind and continued reading. Despite not aging physically, the Kokiri do age like the other tribes so it wasn't like they were eternal.

One thing they were told by the Great Deku Tree was to never leave the forest under any circumstances. Doing so was said to result in their lives coming to an end though this was never proven as few records exist about them. Another thing they were warned about was to be weary of those who would enter the forest and to stay away from the Lost Woods, an area deep within the woods where those who were curious enough became lost. Those who escaped never went back whilst others were changed into either Skull Kids if they were Kokiri, or monsters if they were anyone else. The Lost Woods was also said to hide a secret from a time long ago yet only the foolhardy sought to find out the truth.

My eyes then noticed another image that showed the Kokiri surrounding what appeared to be a woman though I couldn't be sure as the perspective wasn't all that good--it wasn't a photo but rather a painting drawn by a child. I continued reading and was shocked to find that the image related to an incident that occurred sometime during the civil war. A mother and her child fled from the violence by seeking refuge in the Kokiri Forest. The Great Deku Tree sensed an outsider had entered the forest and told the Kokiri to remain hidden until he could understand why a Hylian woman had come.





" Why hast thou come here?"

" I fled from the conflict that has engulfed this land with my precious child."

" Thou must be from one of the tribes who insist on fighting amongst themselves. Yes... I am aware of what has been going on beyond these sacred trees and I am not impressed with what I have seen. Once, this land's people were united and the ancient kingdom of old prospered but they slowly drifted away, becoming enclosed until they no longer knew of thy other peoples until now when conflict brought them together."

" I'm a Hylian along with my child... but... I fear the worst..."

" The children of the forest, the Kokiri, are fearful of outsiders who enter this sacred and forbidden forest. Those who come here often bring conflict resulting in the children being exposed to dark forces or they come seeking out the ruins that exist in the darkest depths of the Lost Woords in order to find treasure. I can sense that thou aren't like those who have come here before you.  Thou possess a gentle spirit but I am afraid thou cannot remain here. If word were to reach your kind that thou are here then others will likely come and the forest shall be consumed by those who do not understand its purpose in our world."

" Deku Tree... It doesn't matter what happens to me."

" And why dost thou think this?" The Deku Tree asked.

" I am dying."

The Deku Tree went completely silent upon hearing the Hylian mother who had collapsed before him had just revealed. While he was a benevolent spirit who was wiser than most other beings that existed in Hyrule, his first priority was protecting those who dwelled within the forest, the Kokiri, from outsiders no matter. He knew that if they were to leave the forest, they could become corrupted by evil forces and eventually return to spread that very poison resulting in all of the children wanting to see the outside world. Against his own judgment, he lied to them and said that they would die if they ever left.

Not a day went by that he regretted feeding them a false narrative but it was to protect them. With regards to the land beyond the Kokiri Forest, the other tribes were aware of his existence though none of them were aware that the Kokiri existed. The Gorons thought nothing much of the forest as green colours didn't make sense to them whilst for the Zoras, the lack of any bodies of water aside from some ponds which weren't adequate for them. Hylians were curious about what lurked within the forest though only foolhardy explorers were crazy enough to even attempt to go there. The Gerudo had bigger ambitions so they had no interest in the forest at all.

" Wilst thou share thy story?"

The mother was surprised. " You will... hear me out?"

" Yes." The Deku Tree answered. " In my hastiness to protect the children of the forest, I assumed you to be a threat. I can see now that thou are badly wounded though thy child in thy arms remains fine. What thou sayst about thyself is true in that you are indeed dying from thy wounds. I am sorry but there is nothing I can do to save thee."

The mother smiled weakly as her strength began waning. " When our people were attacked by the desert nomads, my husband went off into battle to fight them in order to protect not only his people but his family as well. Sadly... he perished in the conflict which broke my heart but... I knew that I had to be strong... for the sake of our child. Knowing that it wasn't safe, I chose to flee with my child... in hopes of finding a safe haven."

" You chose this forbidden forest?"

" It was the only place I could think of."

" Whilst this forest is under my protection and the Kokiri can live here in peace, I am not above helping others who have need of it."

" As I fled from the violence, I was attacked by several of the desert nomads." The mother said. " I could not defend myself... as it would have meant causing injury to my child who is... nothing but a baby. Fortunately, they turned their attention towards others who attacked them... allowing me to flee. I suppose that I... should have sought medical attention for my wounds yet I had... to keep going to ensure my child's safety. With what little strength I had left, I was able to reach this forest... and appear before you, Deku Tree. My life has now become forfeit... and death will claim me shortly."

" Dost thou have a request."

" I do."

" What is it?"

The mother began struggling to speak as her life began leaving her. " I will not live to see my child grow up nor will he ever know of his parents. But... I wish for you to take him into this forest and protect him where I could not. I know this is unusual... considering my child is not one of the forest children... but surely you can see that he deserves... a chance at having a peaceful life."

" I can sense something about your child."

" What... Do you mean?"

" He is destined for greater things one day."

The mother was surprised as she started coughing blood. " I am happy to hear that... as I lay dying. It's unfortunate that I won't get to see... what my child will grow up into... but perhaps it is best this way. Deku... Tree... Please do not mention to him... what became of me. It... would break his heart... if he knew his mother... died in such a manner. I know... it sounds like... I'm being selfish... but the last... thing I want is... to inflict pain... upon my child."

" If that is what thou wish then I agree to your terms."

" One... last thing..." The mother said, her life hanging by a mere thread. " His name... is Link... An unusual name yes... but I named... him as such... after an ancient... hero who... once... saved this land... from a demon... who sought... a power hidden within... the clouds... and was said... to... have used... a majestic bird. Please... treat him... as one... of the forest children... and... love him... in a way I... couldn't. Link... my... child... may you... live your life... in peace... and know... that... I... will... always... love... you............"

With that, the mother's eyes closed as her life left her body but not before she coughed up more blood. The Deku Tree knew that she had passed away and was silent for a while before turning his attention towards what she had left behind. The baby named Link began crying but quickly stopped upon seeing numerous pairs of eyes watching from a distance. These belonged to the Kokiri, who were curious as to what had happened. The Deku Tree sensed their presence and knew they needed to know the truth or else it would haunt them so he beckoned them to come forward.

" Hear my words, children of the forest, the words of the Deku Tree."

One of the children stepped forward though they showed hesitation. " Um... What is that, Great Deku Tree?"

" This is a Hylian child, Saria, who has just lost his mother to the ravages of war."

I immediately recognized Fluttershy by her voice though she looked a little bit younger here than what I was used to seeing. If I remembered correctly, she portrayed the character known as Saria who became Link's childhood friend. Link... He was the one I portrayed... I felt a personal connection with him and it made me feel conflicted. There was someone else I recognized amongst the Kokiri yet she didn't seem all that happy about having a Hylian around. It was Diamond Tiara though I forgot who she portrayed in this world--it felt weird seeing her acting like an antagonist as opposed to being someone who guarded her people.

" Why did the mother die?" Fluttershy asked.

" She succumbed to the injuries that she received when she fled from her home."

" Oh, the poor little thing."

Diamond Tiara then spoke up. " Why would one of those outsiders do something so foolish? Why not find a means of healing her wounds instead of coming all the way here and with a small child no less. She might have even brought whatever did this to her to our homes."

Fluttershy glared at Diamond Tiara. " You don't have to be so blunt about it, Mido."

" I'm just speaking the truth, Saria."

" Yes... I suppose you do make a point there."

" Those other tribes fighting one another are sure to wipe each other out if they keep at it." Diamond Tiara said. " I don't understand why they are fighting in the first place. This land used to be so peaceful until they started getting greedy and wanted more territory. Bah! They're all a bunch of idiots for choosing to act like barbarians. Why should we have to put up with such arrogance all the time?"

" What are you suggesting?"

" I say we sever all ties with the other tribes and fend for ourselves."

Fluttershy clearly didn't see it that way. " While I do agree with you on some things, Mido, I completely disagree on other aspects. While we should remain here in the forest where we are under the protection of the Great Deku Tree, we shouldn't isolate ourselves from the other tribes out there. Sure, we might never get to meet them given they would become cursed upon setting foot around here but simply casting them aside is nothing but ignorance." She then looked down at the baby who had been paying attention the entire time. " And what about this little one? He is from another tribe so you believe he should be thrown out of the forest where he will likely die?"

" That's not what I'm saying."

" It sounds like it to me."

" Saria... I... I'm only thinking what's best for the Kokiri." Diamond Tiara said. " After all, I am the leader of our tribe despite the Great Deku Tree being our guardian, and my job is to make sure all of you are safe from anything that could threaten our way of life."

Fluttershy then picked up the baby who began cooing in her arms. " This baby is anything but threatening! In fact, he has lost everything and doesn't even realize it. His mother wished for him to be given a life and what better way than to have him be raised as one of us. Sure, he will eventually grow older than us but there's no need for him to know about that until he comes of age." The baby began giggling and Fluttershy giggled in kind resulting in everyone other than Diamond Tiara to giggle. " I don't know what the future will hold but at least this child will be given a chance to live."

" Fine!" Diamond Tiara shouted. " We will make the baby one of us."

" See?" Fluttershy asked. " That wasn't so bad now was it?"

" But... I will need to be convinced that he can contribute to the village."

" Then so be it!" The Deku Tree announced. " This child of destiny shall be raised amongst you as one of the Kokiri. I know that this will be a difficult task at first because he is much younger than all of thee but thou can succeed in showing him what it means to be a Kokiri. Remember thou must never reveal to him the truth of his origins. This task shall be handled by myself when I believe it necessary for him to know thy truth. Come, children of the forest. We shall prepare an appropriate burial for his mother so that she may rest peacefully in the eternity of the great beyond."

" Yes, Great Deku Tree!" Everyone said.

" Link... Thy life dost begun but thy future is unclear."





Using a bookmark that was conveniently located on my side table, I placed it where I had just finished reading before closing the book and placing it on my lap. So many emotions were racing through my mind ranging from sadness to joy to outright anger over what occurred during this civil war. While I was infuriated over how Ganondorf had started the main conflict by attacking Hyrule Castle Town, his actions alone didn't cause so much pain and misery. No, the other tribes were equally to blame. Darunia shouldn't have allowed his anger to blind his judgment and the Zoras shouldn't have been so curious.

The Hylians appeared to be the innocent victims on paper but in reality they shouldn't have tried to forge alliances knowing that something could go wrong. The only tribe who didn't do anything were the Kokiri simply because they chose not to get involved and for that they were the smartest. Had they decided to take action, the forest would have likely been burned to the ground resulting in them losing their homes and the Deku Tree would have lost his life. Most people weren't satisfied having a small amount of anything and strove to acquire more even if it meant losing their humanity.

I supposed Ganondorf had a valid point whenever he mentioned how most sought power above all else. It was a driving force that compelled people to go to great lengths to secure it as they believed power would give them everything they wanted. I should know as I once wanted the same thing they did... power. I was consumed with that desire, I lost all traces of myself and became a monster that was an amalgamation of my lust for power and the evil that existed in my heart. If not for Princess Twilight and my friends... I shuddered at such a thought ever happening.

Perhaps the saddest thing with what I read had to involve the Hero of Time having lost both of his parents to war. I was fortunate that I didn't lose my parents though it has been many years since I last saw them. When Princess Celestia took me with her to Canterlot as her student, they never bothered sending me letters nor visited to see how well I was doing. I felt as though they viewed me with disdain and an utter failure for not fulfilling their expectations resulting in me harboring a grudge against them. Maybe one day I will see them again and hope something can be salvaged but I wasn't about to hold my breath on it.

Reading all of that left me tired so I decided to take a nap before continuing on with the next part that would tickle my fancy. Consuming the rest of my cocoa and placing the cup on my side-table, I placed the book on the ground and rested my head on my pillow before closing my eyes. At least I knew that everything would turn out fine despite so many losing their lives in the process of making it happen. King Harkinian was able to unite the tribes together by forging alliances resulting in Hyrule being restored yet sadly it would only be a short-lived peace due to Ganondorf's rise to power changing things. 

As I began dreaming, I wondered what I would read about next in the Hyrule Historia. I could continue on with Ocarina of Time though I suspected there wasn't much else I could learn given that I had my own experiences there and those were much better than reading about them. I didn't need to read any other legends regarding Majora's Mask--for obvious reasons of course--so perhaps another video game within the narrative was in order. My mind thought of reading about events long before Hyrule existed or perhaps following on from where my second journey concluded. Both were promising yet I'd say the latter felt more intriguing.