Bonus Chapter 2: Execution's Aftermath
The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Majora's Mask
By Ganondorf8
November 27, 2017
Bonus Chapter 2: Execution's Aftermath.
Waking up after sleeping for about an hour--having an alarm clock helped prevent me from oversleeping--I got out of my recliner, made myself another hot cocoa, and settled back down to read more of the Hyrule Historia. I had chosen to focus on events that took place after Majora's Mask as reading up on what happened in the ancient past didn't pique my interest though I was sure to look back on it if my mood changed. I knew reading this book would get difficult due to the controversial issue of how events were categorized into different timelines based on when they happened and how they affected other events.
I never understood why this "Legend of Zelda" series needed to have multiple timelines--three to be exact--as all it seemed to do was to sow the seeds of confusion and anger particularly when things just didn't add up right. Rainbow Dash would often say how annoyed she would get trying to figure out the timeline because any "self-made Zelda fan" in her own words would always complain about it. I wasn't particularly interested in it from a video game perspective but rather from a historical one. Alternate timelines would let you see how a world differed had it taken a different path rather than what was expected.
And yet, this timeline where I had adventured in Termina was one where the kingdom of Hyrule had taken a much darker path than intended. Granted, all three paths could boast the same thing given that Ganondorf's influence shaped them but this timeline in particular was one that resonated with me the most. This was due to what happened to him in particular and how it had gripped my fascination with how it turned out. As I began reading about what happened after "Ocarina of Time" and "Majora's Mask", I remembered Ganondorf's plans for conquering the world had been exposed resulting in him being arrested.
Even though I had read about it before, I felt the need to familiarize myself with it again in the context of learning what happened after the fact. Before he was arrested for crimes against the Royal Family of Hyrule, Ganondorf fought back against those who had come to take him. Many of the Royal Guard lost their lives at his hands as they were inexperienced compared to him--a sidenote revealed that he was the strongest swordsman who lived in Hyrule at that time--despite outnumbering him almost ten to one. They eventually caught him but the damage had been done and many families grieved at having lost loved ones.
His punishment was execution at the hands of the Six Sages who had been tasked with carrying out the deed. This didn't happen straight away as there was political red-tape that came from his people, the Gerudo, who protested against the arrest and demanded his immediate release or else face dire consequences. King Harkinian refused their demands, telling them their threat meant nothing given how Ganondorf's actions were seen as treason of the highest order. It is said that Nabooru eventually decided to accept the king's decision resulting in her people condemning her initially before coming to the realization that she was right.
Ganondorf was a threat to Hyrule and needed to be killed so as to prevent the horrible future that the Hero of Time had witnessed. While the Gerudo were associated with him through blood, King Harkinian decreed that they wouldn't be punished though something would eventually happen which acted as a psuedo punishment. After waiting for about two years in a prison known as the Arbiter's Grounds, which was once the Gerudo's Fortress but had been changed so that it could accommodate criminals, he was chained to an ancient looking slab of rock and given a chance to say some final words.
Rather than speak, Ganondorf stared at the Six Sages with hatred in his eyes--these weren't the same Six Sages from the other two timelines--before they produced a sword and plunged it into his torso, effectively killing him. Their task completed and the world safe from his evil, they prepared to leave when a miracle happened, the worst kind of miracle as no one expected what had happened to have... well... happened. A small mark appeared on Ganondorf's hand and he began stirring until he opened his eyes and began laughing. He then pushed back against the chains which had bound him until one broke revealing a horrible truth.
On his hand was the Mark of the Triforce, a sign that he had been chosen to wield its might in his hand. The mark indicated that he was in possession of the Triforce of Power and had used its might to cheat death though he himself didn't realize it until it happened. Upon breaking free, Ganondorf killed the Sage of Water without mercy, turned his attention towards the others, pulled out the sword from his chest, and was prepared to slaughter them when he decided to banish him to another dimension as a final means of stopping him. They had no choice but to do this as had they done nothing, Hyrule would have been destroyed.
With his banishment complete, the remaining Sages mourned over the death of their comrade, though they made a grievous sin by not revealing to King Harikinian what had happened to Ganondorf and the Sage of Water that day. They chose to keep it a secret thus it would forever shame them until death eventually claimed their lives. They also chose to isolate themselves from Hyrule by choosing to remain watch over the Arbiter's Grounds in hopes of finding peace with what was sure to be eternal torment--I felt a kindred spirit with them given how I had suffered torment in a similar manner.
Lifting my head up and looking at the ceiling, I shuddered knowing what happened to Ganondorf. Despite this being the second time having read about his fate, it still chilled me to the bone knowing he left quite an impact before being banished. At the same time, I felt saddened that the Sages chose to keep things so secretive. It reminded me of how my friends constantly asked me their questions regarding what they remembered when we were all in Termina. I didn't want to talk about any of it due to being stressed about it and I felt like keeping it all a secret even though I knew that would just cause headaches for everyone.
Their mistake was one I had no intention of making myself yet I still felt uncomfortable talking about it. I had hoped to tell my friends the truth but because they bombarded me with so many questions, it proved too much for me to bear. I needed advice on how best to approach the situation and so later that night, I sent a message to Princess Twilight, my companion throughout my journey across Termina. Granted, Her Highness was a little apprehensive given she needed to get adjusted to her role as an alicorn after being a fairy for who knew how long but she was willing to listen to what I had to say.
Several days ago...
" And that's what happened..." I wrote in my new journal. It felt weird writing in this one given how my old was filled with so many memories--both good and bad--while the new journal was still fresh.
Princess Twilight wrote back. " I'm surprised that Rainbow Dash of all people managed to diffuse the situation. If anything, I was expecting her to make it even worse resulting in you losing your temper."
" You'd be surprised as to what she is capable of doing."
" Even the pony version of Rainbow Dash is full of surprises." Twilight wrote. " But, to get back to the matter at hand. I truly wish I had been there to help you, Sunset, as I know what happened just as much as you did. I mean, I was there with you the entire time so it's not like I missed anything. It's just that Equestria needed me more than ever to fix the blunder caused by my ignorance."
I rolled my eyes as I wrote my response. " Your obsession with Starswirl the Bearded is going to get you in trouble one day, Twilight."
Princess Twilight responded with several lols before writing properly. " I couldn't help myself! I got to finally meet my idol after learning he had been missing for over a thousand years along with the other Pillars of Equestria! I was just eager over getting to meet the one who inspired me and almost ended up dooming Equestria. Starlight Glimmer gave me quite the stern lecture a few days later and I still have her words ringing in my ears."
" What was Starswirl like?"
" Did you ever learn about him when you were Princess Celestia's student?"
" Not really." I wrote back. " She tried to convince me to learn about him but you know what I was like back then, right? I had a major superiority complex that blinded me from understanding what it meant to have humility. In my eyes at the time, Starswirl was an ancient myth whose time had passed and it was time for new blood to rise up and become the most powerful unicorn who ever lived. Looking back on it now, I missed a great opportunity by being an idiot. She forced me to learn a few tidbits before giving up on that venture."
Princess Twilight then used a sad emoticon--surprised that actually worked on paper as opposed to a cellphone--to express her sadness. " At least you're better off now than you were before as without my suggestion to our friends there of helping you, your current life would be completely different."
" It certainly did me a world of good."
" Anyway, back to Starswirl the Bearded." Twilight wrote. " At first, he came off as being very aggressive in that he cast aside everyone's opinions except his own. I mean, he is great and everything but his attitude needed to be toned down to a more respectable level. If I may be so blunt, he was a complete and utter jerk."
I never would have imagined seeing Princess Twilight say such things about her idol but I supposed even the greatest of individuals could have a nasty quirk about them that otherwise ruins a perfectly good reputation. Me? I supposed that I had issues with Princess Celestia over similar matters which related back to my past as her student. I felt she had cheated me, robbed me of the chance to learn about forms of magic more powerful than what she had been teaching me at the time. I know now that she wanted me to learn it for myself in due course once I had learned humility and friendship but I was too stubborn to realize it until much later.
Her Highness must have felt crushed to learn that Starswirl wasn't as perfect as she made him out to be. From what I knew of him from Celestia's teachings, he was at times very eccentric in that he was so aloof with his thoughts, you'd think he were an alien of some kind. Other times, he was a stern and harsh taskmaster who didn't tolerate failure nor was he fond of accepting assistance from others. Starswirl believed himself superior but in truth he was probably very afraid of being deemed weak in the eyes of his peers. Perhaps this isn't the case anymore and Princess Twilight had changed him somehow through her usual ways.
It didn't matter how difficult the person was, yet Her Highness was able to get most beings in Equestria to understand the Magic of Friendship. Those who couldn't or didn't want to understand were ones who were so vile in their evil nature that nothing could change them from their ways. If Starswirl had been changed by Her Highness, it certainly would be a miracle given how gruff he was. Even something as talented as him needed friendship in his heart as trying to go it alone without friends was nothing short of a suicide. Heck, he ought to consider coming here and speaking to me about such matters. I'd definitely give him a memorable experience.
" So... Did you manage to change his ways."
Princess Twilight responded with what looked like ponies clapping wildly--quite the visual image if I ever saw one--as an emotion and what clearly meant a yes. " At first, he saw me negatively what with accidentally returning the Pony of Shadows from limbo but I managed to get into his good graces with a plan to fix my mistake. Later, when he learned the truth about Stygian--who the Pony of Shadows really was--I think that was what made him realize that friendship was something he couldn't condemn as being useless. Had Starswirl used it instead of scorn and hatred, Stygian wouldn't have gone down the dark path he took."
" I have a feeling Starlight helped."
" She's come a long way since I first made her one of my students." Twilight wrote. " Shoot! I just realized that we're supposed to be talking about you, Sunset. Guess the excitement of meeting Starswirl in person got to my head. Okay, I'm going to focus my efforts on helping you out. Again, I wish I had been there so I'm sorry our friends gave you such a harsh time, but I believe you did the right thing by needing some time on your own to think it over."
" Do you think I was too harsh?"
" No." Twilight wrote. " They need to respect the fact that you had a much harder time of things than they did. I'm sure you probably told them about how you've been struggling to overcome Ganondorf's temptations and that most likely didn't settle well with Applejack." I was surprised at how accurate Her Highness was as I saw her writing in my journal but then, she knew our friends well since the pony versions of them had similar quirks. " You should address the elephant in the room regarding what Ganondorf wants of you, Sunset. It will be difficult for them to take it all in but it's necessary."
" I've already told them everything."
" Really?" Twilight wrote. " Then I guess they are struggling to take it all in. Maybe you should tackle this slowly so that they can get used to it. By explaining everything to them all at once, their emotions are trying to assess things. Start by going over everything again but in greater detail and not leaving anything important out of the conversation. They must be told everything, Sunset."
I struggled to write a response. " Um... Are you sure about that?"
" For our friends to understand and accept it, you must tell them everything."
" Er... Anything else?"
" You could mention the fact that their Equestrian Magic was present in that world." Twilight wrote. " I still don't understand how our magic could have been blocked but that's something I intend on researching whenever I have a free moment. Right now, I need to provide Starswirl with a map as he intends on travelling across Equestria to see everything before he finds a place to call his own. He should know that things have changed from what he remembers so I don't want him getting lost or doing something that could potentially cause an issue for us in the future."
" Figures you would want to research Termina."
Princess Twilight was ecstatic with her response. " Of course. I mean, who wouldn't want to research a world where so much is different from what you're used to seeing. I know we can't go back there but I remember enough where I can easily write a fifty page essay on it. Anyway, I need to wrap this up as I have a meeting to attend to. We'll be hosting yet another festival in Canterlot and Princess Celestia put me in charge of organizing everything. We've even got the legendary Songbird Serenade performing though from what I hear, she can be very particular about what she wants."
" Sounds like it will be a blast."
" Not literally of course."
Thinking back on that conversation with Princess Twilight now, I should have been honest and told her everything about the Mark of the Triforce she most likely had on her hand, a mark that symbolized her connection not only to me but also to Ganondorf himself. While I hadn't actually seen the appear on her hand during our journey in Termina, I felt she possessed it given she had it during my first journey. I knew that was a stupid excuse but there was no other explanation I could come up with. If Ganondorf suspected the same thing, her life was in great danger and I would be the one to take full responsibility for her fate.
Looking at my own hand, I could barely make out the Mark of the Triforce that I had which represented the Triforce of Courage. If anything, the mark had become more of a curse than a blessing as all it did was make me feel more miserable with every passing day. Why this Triforce piece continued to reside within my body remained unknown but it was clearly causing me to suffer from a mental breakdown on occasion. I hoped I would find an answer before I would completely lose it in addition to helping out Princess Twilight sooner rather than later as it felt like time was starting to run out.
I shook my head upon realizing that I was getting myself worked up again. This is what happened whenever I thought about everything that had befallen me ever since I was first dragged into the world of The Legend of Zelda. A video game and its sequel couldn't possibly cause so much stress in a person but then these were no mere video games given my own experiences. I needed to calm my nerves and reading the Hyrule Historia would do just that despite how the book was all about the history not only of the series in the world I called home but also the history of the series' narrative.
Flipping through a couple of pages, I stopped at something that caught my attention because of a rather graphical image. Depicted in the image was what looked to be the Gerudo's Fortress yet it was slowly being taken down and replaced with another building more menacing. I quickly remembered that the fortress became a prison for criminals yet why go about making such changes? The Gerudo were still living there so taking away their home felt like a rather extreme thing to do and I doubted they would take it lying down. If anything, they were likely to cause a riot or something far worse.
On the other side of the page, my answer quickly came to me in the form of a completely unexpected twist. Because the Gerudo consisted only of women with one man born every one hundred years, their numbers compared to the other tribes was small. As such, many Gerudo travelled to Hyrule Castle Town to look for boyfriends and form a loving relationship with them resulting in children being born. While it was an intriguing idea initially, the Hylians didn't appreciate it and quickly quashed such notions. It also didn't help that Ganondorf had been arrested for crimes against the Royal Family thus placing the Gerudo in a perilous situation.
With their threats falling on deaf ears, their king imprisoned, and their means of having children cut off at the root, the Gerudo began to suffer almost immediately. In the span of a single year, many of them died due to freezing to death from the cold winds that blew about in the desert at night. I was so surprised with such a revelation that I coughed slight and almost dropped the book on the ground. Why not say anything about until it was too late? Was pride preventing them from asking for help or did Ganondorf not care about them? Then again, perhaps he wanted better for his people but couldn't deliver?
Nabooru, who had allowed Ganondorf's execution to go ahead, was one of the fortunate Gerudo who had been blessed with twin daughters, but she knew that she couldn't live with her people given she gave their king a death sentence even though they did eventually forgive her. She gave a Gerudo whom she trusted the custody of her children before leaving via a self-imposed exile and never returned, her fate forever remaining a mystery though some claimed Nabooru died out there in the desert. King Harkinian, who knew that the Gerudo weren't evil, sent the Captain of the Royal Guard as an emissary to give them what was clearly an ultimatum.
" Are you the leader of the Gerudo?"
" Our king has been imprisoned for his crimes against King Harkinian though we have since accepted this as necessary for peace in Hyrule. Our leader, the Exalted Nabooru, left two months ago for reasons she asked me not to reveal to anyone, thus I am now the leader of the Gerudo."
" Ah, so I'm speaking with the right person then?"
" You are."
" I trust you recognize the armour of my station?"
" You're from the Royal Guard aren't you? I've seen that style of armour many times lately what with soldiers from the castle directing the workers to tear down our beloved fortress in order to convert it into a prison for Hyrule's most damned criminals. Judging from your armour being specially tailored, you're either their captain or someone who is really good at impersonating him. I'm personally going with the former as if you were the latter, I'd have every inclining to cut you down out of sheer spite."
" I'm the Captain of the Royal Guard, Shining Armour, here on behalf of King Harkinian. May I ask for your name, please?"
" Since you gave me your name first without me asking, I shall give you mine in return. I am known as Spitfire."
I immediately stopped reading upon recognizing Princess Twilight's--also Twilight Sparkle's--older brother, Shining Armour as the Captain of the Royal Guard. I vaguely remembered seeing him somewhere in Hyrule though I best remembered him portraying the Captain of Clock Town's militia in Termina. At least he was still consistent at being someone of authority who was serious about his work. Spitfire on the other hand, was the same as before except she was wiser than before. I recalled her wanting to become second-in-command through brutal means but it appeared she had been chosen to become their new leader.
Shining Armour looked at the demolition of the Gerudo's Fortress. " I see that everything is going according to schedule. I was afraid that you and the other Gerudo would have tried to sabotage our efforts at converting this place into a prison but you've been pretty civil about it."
Spitfire took offence to his words and grabbed his chest plate, pulling him towards her slightly. " What do you take us for!? Just because we were associated with Ganondorf doesn't mean we should be treated in the same manner! Besides, it's not like we can do anything to stop our fortress from being destroyed piece by piece." Shining Armour began flailing about prompting her to let him go where he stumbled before landing on his butt. " You're really pathetic for a man but I suppose you've probably got a lot on your mind right now."
" There was no need to be so barbaric!" Shining Armour shouted as he got back up.
" Considering we Gerudo have been kicked out of our home, can you blame me for being so angry?"
" No... I suppose not."
" The Gerudo's Fortress has been part of our tribe for generations." Spitfire said. " To have it taken away from us by King Harkinian is beyond unreasonable! We are being persecuted for actions our king performed in his bid for power! To remove us from our ancestral home without any compensation has made us very bitter!"
" But, you know the real reason why this happened."
Spitfire sighed, her demeanour calming down, her expression changing from anger to sadness. " Yes... I'm aware that most of my people died from freezing to death over the course of the past year due to how cold the desert gets, but that shouldn't have meant us losing our home in the name of converting it into a prison. It would have been nice had I been given an audience with King Harkinian rather than him making the decision without our consent."
" You weren't the leader at the time." Shining Armour said as he brushed himself off. " Nabooru was but she disappeared according to your own words. Besides, that's water under the bridge though believe me when I say that I'm sorry she chose to leave. According to some of the soldiers working here, she had twin daughters but gave custody of them over to someone she trusted immensely."
" That would be me."
" You!?"
" Surprised about that?"
Shining Armour nodded. " A little bit."
Spitfire sighed. " To be honest, she shouldn't have given me custody of them. You see... I was jealous of Nabooru having been chosen to be second-in-command instead of me but if not for her being thrust into the role of leader after Ganondorf was arrested, I'd probably have been exiled instead to the Haunted Wasteland." She then shook her head before getting more aggressive. " Why am I even talking about such things to a man like you? Why Nabooru gave me custody of her daughters is of no concern to you, Shining Armour. Now, you've come here for something besides pointless chit-chat."
" Before I get to that, I need to check on the status of the project."
Shining Armour tipped his helmet slightly forward as a means of excusing himself and proceeded to walk over to a pair of soldiers leaving Spitfire to look on as he began talking to them about how the fortress conversion was going. In her mind, she wanted to kick all of the Hylians out of the desert but knew that she couldn't despite being the Gerudo's acting leader given that both Ganondorf and Nabooru were no longer there. At that point, all her people could do was watch as everything they stood for was slowly being changed. Had Ganondorf not been so driven towards wanting to conquer Hyrule, none of this would have happened.
She turned her eyes towards another Gerudo woman who was holding a pair of babies in her arms and smiled whilst waving her hand to inform the woman that she needed to take the babies away from what was happening. The babies in question were the twin daughters Nabooru had given birth to yet Spitfire had to focus on dealing with Shining Armour's surprise visit to the desert so the Gerudo woman watched over them on her behalf until he left. Despite Spitfire's attitude being fiery at times, the devotion she had towards Nabooru's children knew no bounds with others being jealous. She had also made a pledge to Nabooru where she would give them the life that the former second-in-command couldn't.
When Shining Armour came back over to see her, Spitfire had since looked back on what was happening. " How long will this process take?"
" Since when is that a matter of importance to the Gerudo?"
" We didn't want this to happen to our fortress but King Harkinian decreed it." Spitfire answered. " Had we more standing in the kingdom, we would have protested this decision until the king finally caved in, but we knew such an action from us would've only caused further damage to our position. So yes, I do deserve to know how long this will take. After all, my people no longer have a home because of this project and living out there in the desert would be the equivalent of sending us to our deaths."
" That's the reason why I came here."
" To remind us that we have no home?"
Shining Armour shook his head. " King Harkinian is well aware of the fact that the Gerudo have been displaced as a result of the project and so he has come up with a decision for you and your people to consider. I must warn you right now, Spitfire, that this is something you should accept as there are no other options available to you. It's either go along with this or end up getting wiped out of existence within the next decade or so."
Spitfire's eyes immediately flared up as she clenched both hands into fists. " Are you threatening my people, Shining Armour? I've managed to refrain from losing my temper but if you cause my people misery by any means, you and King Harkinian will wish you never encountered the Gerudo."
" That's not what I meant to imply." Shining Armour said as he waved his hands. " It's just that considering the condition of your people, this is the best option the king could come up with though his advisors were against it because of obvious reasons. Me? I'm in favour of his decision as it will give the Gerudo a chance at living a peaceful existence though it does have a sacrifice involved."
" What is it?"
" The king will allow the Gerudo to move to Hyrule Castle Town where they will be assimilated into Hylian culture over a period of time." Shining Armour answered. " You will be allowed to marry and start families but any children born from such unions must be raised as Hylians. In other words, the Gerudo culture will cease to exist."
" Are you serious!?"
Shining Armour slowly nodded his head. " The advisors wanted you all to die out here in the desert because of your association with Ganondorf yet King Harkinian condemned them for being barbaric beyond nature and made this decree in an effort to save the Gerudo. I know that this wouldn't be an issue had the Gerudo's Fortress been left alone and the prison built elsewhere yet the desert was the most ideal location because of how harsh it can be out here."
" For my people to survive, we must give up our own identities?"
" I'm afraid so."
Again, Spitfire turned to look away from the project, and saw the remaining members of the Gerudo. Their numbers had always been low compared with the other tribes due to how only one male was born every century so they struggled to maintain such numbers, yet it was much more evident now due to the harsh desert winds that had plagued them over the past year reducing their numbers from fifty to roughly less than twenty-five. It pained Spitfire to know that agreeing to King Harkinian's ultimatum meant her people would become Hylians within the next couple of generations but what other choice did she have?
For the children that Nabooru gave her to raise before the former vanished, Spitfire had to keep her pledge no matter what the cost. Would her people even accept such an ultimatum, especially from a man who wasn't Ganondorf? Again, they had no other choice. While some Gerudo would rather choose to die out there in the desert, the others knew what it meant to survive by any means necessary. It had been a cornerstone of Gerudo society for generations where survival took precedence over everything else so to betray it meant betraying their own existence.
There were two Gerudo who would definitely refuse to assimilate into Hylian society... the two witches out in the desert who were Ganondorf's surrogate mothers. They represented the ancient customs of the tribe and most likely would have every inclination to defend such customs until their final breaths. Their existence wasn't known to King Harkinian but to ensure peace reigned throughout Hyrule, Spitfire knew she had to let him know where they could be found. Despite how strong Koume and Kotake were, their magic had dwindled considerably ever since Ganondorf was arrested.
" We agree to the king's decision."
Shining Armour was surprised. " Just like that!?"
Spitfire nodded. " As the leader of the Gerudo, my voice is that of my people. Besides... It's like you said, Shining Armour. If we don't then we will cease to exist. I know giving up our culture is going to be difficult and we aren't going to be welcomed initially by the Hylians, but I am doing this for personal reasons in addition to our survival. There is... one more thing the king must know and I guarantee he won't be happy when you tell him about it."
Within the span of several months, the remaining Gerudo integrated into Hylian society by giving up their culture in exchange for living in peace. At first, the Hylians weren't thrilled with having them around due to what happened in the past, but they slowly accepted the Gerudo. Within a couple of generations, they had fully assimilated, their existence becoming nothing but a memory, a once proud tribe gone. I'm not sure if that was true as Ganondorf was still alive so that made him the sole survivor of his people but I doubted he even cared about restarting the Gerudo so long as he could achieve his goals.
Hyrulean history would remember this incident as being the "Great Assimilation" though historians were split on how effective it was in the long term. The Gerudo weren't the only tribe to have effectively been wiped out. Despite their acknowledgement in various books, little was known about the Kokiri other than they were deemed forest spirits. Those who tried learning more about them entered the forest only to never return so it reached a point where interest in them waned until it stopped entirely. Interest in the Kokiri would return many years later but it was too late as they were no longer present in their forest glen.
The death of the Great Deku Tree was felt by the Kokiri who viewed the tree as a father figure. Without his guidance and protection, they felt lost and so migrated deeper into the woods leaving behind nothing of their existence. Initially, this account was debated by historians as they had no proof that this ever happened, but the account was proven to be accurate by an explorer who went to the forest and discovered an abandoned village. This village was once the Kokiri's home but had since become infested by monsters who began appearing ever since the Deku Tree's passing.
Remnants of the Kokiri found in their village included a number of tools they had invented as a means of self-defence against enemies, numerous belongings in their homes that they couldn't take with them, and tracks--footprints--which had quickly decayed by the monster infestation. The explorer chose not to pursue the Kokiri as he--a footnote confirmed he was a male--knew better as going deeper into the woods meant certain death. As such, no other information existed regarding the Kokiri. While I was disappointed to read that, I chose to keep on going to see what else happened after Ganondorf's arrest.
Turning the page, I came upon a section dedicated to the Gorons. Not much had changed with them apart from Darunia stepping down as their leader due to getting much too old to lead his people, and appointed his son as the new Big Boss. He was named Link, after a young boy who had destroyed the Dodongos which had plagued their favourite rock quarry, and much like his father, he was respected by his Brothers and protected them with his very life. Unlike previous leaders, Link wanted to forge stronger ties with Kakariko Village to the point where Gorons began migrating there to live.
Some Gorons questioned such a decision but ultimately thought it was best for the tribe as a whole. Darunia remained as an advisor to his son for years until he passed away in his sleep as a result of old age. It is said that he was buried as any Goron leader would, by having his coffin lowered into the heart of Death Mountain's crater, a ritual that dated back to their earliest ancestors. After Darunia's burial, legend says that Death Mountain never erupted again. It was as though his spirit had extinguished a pain that had existed with the mountain since anyone could remember.
My heart wept over his passing but it seemed it wasn't in vain given what he ended up doing to Death Mountain. I turned to the next page and was presented with another image that depicted what looked like a giant fish-like creature. A description below the image read that "Lord Jabu-Jabu, patron deity of the Zoras, leaving with other Zoras in tow to the southern seas to start a new colony." Huh... Why go to such trouble when Hyrule was peaceful enough to not warrant a migration? I could understand their deity leaving as he wasn't tied down but what would King Zora have said about this?
As I continued reading, I was shocked to see that it was King Zora himself who planned on leaving their domain with a small number of Zora. He intended on leaving his daughter behind to lead the remainder of the Zora while he and the others travelled with Lord Jabu-Jabu. Why would a father abandon his own child to go southward? I felt that King Zora was being a terrible parent to Princess Ruto--the name of his daughter--but further reading revealed that this wasn't the first time this had happened. The Zoras were known for mass migration but still, it was unprecedented in my opinion.
" You wished to see me, father?"
" I did indeed, my dear Princess Ruto."
Hondo Flanks was portraying King Zora as before with Rarity herself portraying Princess Ruto. There was another image below Lord Jabu-Jabu that depicted the real King Zora and Princess Ruto yet as I read through the Hyrule Historia, my friends, family, and others I know become the characters of Hyrulean history. Originally, I believed it was my mind that was causing this but perhaps it was Ganondorf's magic instead? I never really paid that much attention to it when I last read up on these legends of Hyrule but perhaps now I should take it more seriously so as to not become mislead. I shrugged my shoulders before continuing on--I shouldn't overthink things.
" I've noticed that you have been visiting Lord Jabu-Jabu more frequently than usual." Rarity said. " You should know that I continue to prepare his meals morning and night as is my duty as his attendant so do not think that I have been shirking in my obligation."
Hondo Flanks shook his head. " No, it has nothing to do with that." He looked away from his daughter who in turn began to get annoyed before he turned back to face her and sighed heavily knowing that he couldn't hide the truth from her. " Ruto... The time has come for Lord Jabu-Jabu to leave Zora's Domain and migrate to the southern seas."
Rarity was confused to say the least. " Huh? Why would he do such a thing, father?"
" Our domain is not the only one where Zoras exist." Hondo Flanks answered. " Come, Ruto... Sit down and let me explain things." Rarity nodded and sat down on the raised platform that stood before her father and waited for him to explain himself. " We Zora did not originally come from Hyrule. No, we came from a much different land but chose to migrate here when Lord Jabu-Jabu wished to swim to this kingdom. When our ancestors arrived here some five hundred years ago, they settled here in what became Zora's Domain, and have remained here ever since to this very day."
" Was Lord Jabu-Jabu with them when they arrived?"
Hondo Flanks nodded. " He was the one who guided them to this very location. Lord Jabu-Jabu is such a fickle creature, Princess Ruto. He only stays in one colony for so long until he swims either towards another or helps to found a new one. In fact, he has been to Zora's Domain on many occasions throughout the centuries."
" There is another Zora's Domain?"
Again, Hondo Flanks nodded. " There are numerous colonies of Zora beyond the one here in Hyrule. Back when the original colony established itself in ancient times, there was a fear that if the colony grew too large, it would result in the eventual obliteration of our kind. To prevent this from happening, a decision was made to form new colonies where upon our people would not feel congested, and could live how they wanted to. However, it quickly became clear that in order to do this, it involved making a sacrifice that most Zoras viewed as too much thus they refused to acknowledge such an action."
" What does this have to do with Lord Jabu-Jabu?"
" Everything, my dear Princess Ruto."
" Explain!"
" Whenever Lord Jabu-Jabu swims to other waters, a number of Zora from the colony he resides go with him to form a new one." Hondo Flanks said. " This has been our way for centuries though it is a painful experience as it rips apart families yet it is necessary to ensure our survival. When Lord Jabu-Jabu leaves us in the coming day, he will be taking a contingent of Zoras with him and they will start a new colony. He will eventually return here at some point in the future but those who go with him never do."
" That explains why you've been seeing him."
" This is a day I have long feared."
" So some of us will be leaving to form a new colony?"
Hondo Flanks nodded. " Yes."
" I suppose that is necessary for the survival of the tribe."
" And I shall be going with him."
The instant Hondo Flanks said that, Rarity's world shattered like a mirror. Despite being a tomboy who wanted to assert her independence, she appreciated everything her father had done for her especially after her mother passed away when she was really young and didn't understand what had happened. To hear that her father was leaving the domain that he had ruled over since as long as she could remember caused her to feel faint though she quickly recovered. But then she realized she could just go with him and form a new colony thought it meant needing someone to assume the role as the next King Zora.
Rarity knew that there were plenty of eligible candidates who could become the seventeenth King Zora though would any of them be willing to step up? Wait! Did it seriously just say seventeenth? Since when was that established? I needed to see if this was accurate so placing a bookmark at where I was, I went back to the table of contents, and began looking up where in the book I could find the section about the Zoras. It took me a few minutes to find it--there were a lot of chapters that covered just about everything--so I flipped through until I reached it and began combing it to see where it mentioned anything about the Zora Royal Family.
Most of the information was about their anatomy, relationships to other tribes, and their culture to name a few examples, yet that wasn't what I was looking for. I was about to give up when I chanced upon a footnote dedicated to the Zora Royal Family and the number system used--I honestly didn't think it would get a mention given how trivial it would sound to some people. The footnote said that each colony had its own monarchy as despite being part of the same tribe, they were viewed as separate entities within the collective. This resulted in numerous King Zoras rather than a single one ruling over the entire tribe.
Going back to my bookmarked place in the Hyrule Historia, I could see why someone would become King Zora XVII as there had been sixteen of them previously who had ruled over Zora's Domain though I wish it had been explained in better detail in this chapter rather than in the appropriate chapter about the Zoras. But then, I supposed it was unimportant as this was about events after Ganondorf's arrest. Getting back to the story--finally--Rarity was confused with what her father was getting at yet she was about to understand the truth the instant she asked him a question that would change everything for her.
" Why must you go with them, father?"
" In order for a new colony to begin, the king must go there to rule over them." Hondo Flanks answered. " Throughout the five hundred years of we Zoras living here in Hyrule, there have only been seven instances where one of our ancestors of the Zora Royal Family had to embark on a journey to form a new colony. In each of these instances, Lord Jabu-Jabu lead them to a place where they could establish themselves a new domain and continue on with the traditions our ancestors established. Upon my leaving here, I shall become the first King Zora of the new colony whilst another here shall ascend the throne to become King Zora XVII."
" Then I hope they will do a good job of ruling over our people."
" He shall with you as their queen."
Rarity then checked her ears as she felt as though her father had misspoke. " What did you say, father?"
" The next king shall have you by his side."
" What!?" Rarity exclaimed. She was clearly distraught over learning that she wasn't going with her father but refrained from completely losing it. After all, she found herself an ideal future husband upon handing over the Spiritual Stone of Water, Zora's Sapphire, to the one who saved Lord Jabu-Jabu when Ganondorf had infected him with a deadly parasite that made him act in an irrational manner. " But... I have already found myself a man who will become my husband. Granted, he isn't a Zora but he will be a fine king who can guide our people to prosperity. But that isn't the point I'm trying to make here."
Hondo Flanks then raised his hand. " Enough!"
Rarity went silent before speaking in a calm voice. " Why must I remain here?"
" The next King Zora must be married into the Royal Family." Hondo Flanks answered. " Since you are my daughter, Ruto, you are heir to the throne and thus you must remain to continue on with our family until the time comes where your child must ascend. I know this is going to be a difficult burden but Lord Jabu-Jabu has decreed this and we both know that we must always follow his advice."
" Father..."
" I am aware that you handed your mother's stone to that boy who saved Lord Jabu-Jabu but know that your love for him could never be." Hondo Flanks said. " I suspect that he has his heart set on another who is closer to him than either of them suspect, thus your chances with him are slim to none. I know that my words are ones you do not wish to hear but you must understand that such love could never be."
Tears began trickling down Rarity's eyes but she wiped them away before nodding. " Yes... I... I understand what you're saying, father, even if it does hurt my heart. I shall remain here in our domain and carry on the legacy you will leave behind, but I shall choose the one who will become my husband when the time comes. You will not have a say in the matter otherwise it would be seen as forced and not genuine."
Hondo Flanks nodded. " I respect your decision, my dear Princess Ruto." He then pointed down at the water below his feet prompting Rarity to do the same. " Before I leave to go to the new colony, you must learn about the greatest secret of our family locked within the treasure you see before you. Inside, you will find a book that was written by one of our ancestors that details how one can make a legendary armour not seen for hundreds of years."
" What does it do?"
" It enables one to swim underwater indefinitely."
" But... We already do that."
" And it provides added protection against both ice and fire, the natural weaknesses of the Zora and is easy to maneuver about in." Hondo Flanks said. " When you choose the one whom you wish to fall in love with, you must strive to forge this armour for him. When your mother was alive, she forged this armour for me believing I would have need of it for battle, but I never wielded it for that purpose so it became more of an ornament that I hung in my private chambers as a reminder of how much I miss her."
" What was my mother like?"
" I could tell you so many stories so where shall we begin?"
Looking up again from what I had just read, I gained a new sense of respect for King Zora. He didn't want to leave his daughter behind whilst he left to begin a new colony, but it was a tradition amongst the Zoras which went back centuries so to refuse such traditions would have been viewed as blasphemous. According to the book, King Zora left with roughly half of his people leaving Princess Ruto to rule over her people. For the first few years of her reign, she ruled on her own as she was too young for marriage and her heart was still focused on the one who saved Lord Jabu-Jabu, but she knew that such love could never be.
Eventually, she fell in love with a young Zora male who was famous for having a scar across his chest that he earned in battle when a rogue group of monsters had attacked the domain one year before King Zora left. He was quite humble in that he viewed Ruto as the real power of the throne with him merely a figurehead yet she insisted that when they got married, they would be equal partners when it came to ruling over their people. His true name was never revealed as he became King Zora upon marrying Princess Ruto, but more importantly, the wedding gift he received was the legendary armour known as Zora Armour.
Princess Ruto had succeeded in forging it for her new husband and unlike her father, this new King Zora insisted upon wearing it full time as a reminder to the people that he appreciated everything his wife had done when she ruled over Zora's Domain. They would rule together for roughly twenty years, had roughly a dozen children during that time, and eventually passed away leaving their eldest child, a son, to assume the throne thus their tradition continued on. It is said that Princess Ruto would forever remain a legend whose story would be handed down from generation to generation of Zoras.
I felt saddened knowing that Ruto would eventually pass away but I supposed like anything, no one could truly live forever unless they weren't entirely human. At least she left her mark in life for future Zora queens to follow so it's not like she was going to be forgotten. From what I had read so far about the aftermath of Ganondorf's arrest and subsequent botched execution, two tribes had vanished over the years while two others slowly adapted to having new leader who sought to bring about their own policies that would enable their people to reach new heights.
The only tribes I had yet to read up on were the Hylians and the Sheikah though the latter only consisted of one member. Flipping through several pages relating to the Zoras, I stopped at a page that was surprisingly dedicated to Impa, Princess Zelda's attendant and sole survivor of the Shiekah. Many in Hyrule Castle Town believed she existed though none had ever seen her whilst historians debated her existence saying that she died years before Ganondorf's attempt to procure the Triforce. One historian was able to learn about Impa's history in addition to what became of her.
Unlike the other tribes, whose lifespan was roughly a century, the Sheikah were capable of living much longer lives. In the ancient past, they were capable of living for many centuries but this gradually dwindled over time until it became two or three centuries at the most. Legend said that the Sheikah were blessed with the blood of Hylia, the Goddess whom they served in ancient times, and that it passed down through their descendants giving them an unnatural long lifespan. However, long life didn't make them invincible as they could still be killed by normal means.
According to the Hyrule Historia, Impa's lifespan was roughly three hundred and fifty years and that she had served five generations of the Royal Family of Hyrule. She had seen things others could only either dream of or view in history books yet it didn't discourage her from carrying out her duty. Even after Ganondorf was arrested, she continued to serve as the protector of Princess Zelda though she did give birth to a daughter whom she taught to continue on with the Sheikah tradition of protecting the royal family. Who Impa married was never made public but the only thing that was known was that she outlived him because of her blood.
That left only the Hylians to read up on despite having done so earlier with regards to the Gerudo. Hyrule Castle Town greatly expanded so as to incorporate more commerce and people who would purchase goods though it also experienced an exodus where people wanted more simple lives rather than the hustle and bustle of town life. This was also true with those living in Kakariko Village and even the proprietors of Lon Lon Ranch desired a change. They proposed a new town be made where they could live a peaceful existence without having to deal with stress but there was no where a town could be built... Until Impa revealed a possible location.
" You've found a place where we can live a simple life?"
" I have though I am afraid you will not like the location."
" We don't care how far we must go in order to reach it. All we care about is that we can live our lives in peace without all that stress which has been bogging us down. We've even got plans to build a new ranch that will be better than Lon Lon Ranch ever was."
" Have any of you considered the repercussions of your actions?"
" What do you mean, Lady Impa?"
Applejack was portraying Impa though if I were to be honest, I personally didn't think it suited her personality. Well, I mean, Impa was always an honest person given her own personal experiences what with having lived for so long, yet she was way too serious for someone like Applejack--Impa also lacked a fiery attitude. No wonder some called Applejack a one-dimensional person but I shouldn't be saying such things about her. Her portrayal of Cremia made more sense as she was akin to Applejack in a lot of ways but I had to accept the fact that she was portraying Impa, a role that didn't quite add up.
Without showing emotion, Applejack got straight to the point. " King Harkinian will not stop you from wanting to create a new town for yourselves but you must know that such an undertaking is not as easy as you think. If you had listened to my words, you would know that the location I have found is one that you will not like. Be that as it may, you are free to go there but it will be difficult."
" Where is the location?"
" Beyond the Lost Woods, to the very southern reaches of Hyrule."
One of the townsfolk in question was very concerned. " What!? You found us an ideal place beyond the forest? Why would you have us build our new town there? Isn't there anywhere else in Hyrule where we can start our lives anew?"
Applejack shook her head. " There is no where else you can go aside from there. I know that you are concerned about the journey which is why I insisted that you heeded my words carefully but this will most likely not deter you from going."
" I believe we can make it out there." Another person dressed in farming gear said.
" Are you not the proprietor of Lon Lon Ranch?"
" Y'all are correct." I was surprised to see Granny Smith portraying the owner of Lon Lon Ranch, Talon, given she was the owner of the Milk Bar in Termina. This portrayal made more sense as Granny Smith owned Sweet Apple Acres in Canterlot, a place which specialized in farming apples for use in numerous apple-related products. " Mah daughter and I will be goin' to this here new town we're all plannin' though my one employee, Ingo, is gonna stay because of how he feels about me."
" I am hoping your new ranch will continue to benefit Hyrule."
" Reckon it will as I'll have more space tah work with than before."
" Much of the Lost Woods has become a haven for the monsters who thrive there now." Applejack said. " Ever since the loss of the Great Deku Tree, the forest is no place for anyone save for those foolhardy enough to go there in search of treasure. While King Harkinian would wish to have soldiers escort you, he is unable to provide any as a result of the castle being undermanned as a result of the construction efforts happening in the desert. The path you must take brushes past the area of the Lost Woods deemed the most dangerous but so long as you do not stray too far from your path, you shall reach your new home."
Granny Smith looked glum. " I was kinda hopin' we'd be receivin' an escort."
Applejack shook her head. " As I said, the castle is undermanned due to many soldiers being at the Gerudo's Fortress helping with the construction. As you all know, the Gerudo have been permitted to assimilate into Hylian society as a result of their home being converted into a prison for Hyrule's most dangerous criminals. Until work over there has been completed, the king cannot afford to provide any escorts for you. That is why I suggested you heed my words carefully. I will not stop you from attempting the journey but know that you will not have any protection."
" Guess we'll just have ta risk it."
Another person spoke up. " We demand to have an escort!"
" Yeah!" Another said. " Why does the Royal Guard have to focus their efforts on the Gerudo? They have been nothing but problematic for us Hylians from the very start though their assimilation into our society is one that I approve of."
" Sounds like y'all are bein' a bunch o' hypocrites." Granny Smith said.
" We deserve protection as we're Hylians!"
" No need ta be yellow belly cowards now." Granny Smith said. " Why, just a few minutes ago, y'all were itchin' ta get going yet now ya actin' like this because we ain't gettin' a personal escort simply cause they're busy. Now, granted, I ain't what y'all would call the best person ta say what I said given my lazy attitude, but reckon I still think my words make sense given how y'all are actin'."
" You're right about one thing?"
" What's that?"
" You're not the best person to say anything given your lazy attitude! No wonder your employee chose to quit when he did. That's right! I know what happened between you and him, Talon, and I think it's sad you lied about him to Lady Impa. I've visited Lon Lon Ranch many times over the past several years and each time, you were just lazing about doing nothing of value while your employee constantly compared over how he was doing all the hard work and not getting any recognition. If I had been in his shoes, I'd have quit rather than continue working for someone like you."
" Okay, so I sorta misspoke about Ingo."
" Lying to Lady Impa will condemn you."
Applejack, who had remained relatively calm whilst Granny Smith and the other Hylian continued bickering, finally had enough and decided to put a stop to it. She considered using one of her Deku Nuts, a Shiekah means of blinding anyone so that they could disappear into the shadows, but instead reached behind her back and took out what looked to be a small dagger of unknown design--I recognized it as a kunai, a weapon used by ninja for a variety of purposes--before throwing it with incredible precision. It struck the ground in-between where Granny Smith and the other Hylian were standing, resulting in them stopping their argument.
" This senseless bickering serves no purpose other than to divide you before you have fulfilled your dreams of starting a new life." Applejack said. She turned towards Granny Smith who in return gave her a sheepish expression. " While you did lie to me, Talon, about your employee, I can understand why because it is never pleasant to admit your own weakness to others. But, I would refrain from doing so in the future. I shall speak with Princess Zelda of these matters so please wait a few minutes until I return."
Turning around, Applejack entered the castle leaving the people outside to ponder over what she had said. They knew that to form a new community, teamwork was essential as bickering would only cause strife resulting in chaos. They were taking a huge gamble by choosing to abandon their current lives but this was something they had been planning for a few years now ever since Ganondorf's attempt at wanting to conquer Hyrule. They wanted a peaceful existence away from strife, a fresh start where they would be in control of their own destinies, but again, their bickering had to cease.
Granny Smith and the other Hylian realized that they had to get past petty differences if they intended on making their new community so they shook hands and pledged to put their problems behind them--their faces indicated otherwise. For a few minutes, the gathering of Hylians began talking amongst themselves on how their new town would function. The first thing they needed was someone to become mayor so they did a quick vote to see who was best suited for the job. Unfortunately, three people ended up receiving equal votes but before they could vote again, Applejack returned from her audience with Princess Zelda.
" You weren't gone as long as ya said." Granny Smith said.
" I did not need to speak with Her Highness for very long."
" So what did y'all talk about?"
" Despite my own judgement, Princess Zelda has commanded me to guide you through the Lost Woods." Applejack answered. " While this does mean I will not be by her side for some time, she has insisted that she will be fine and that I am needed here."
One of the people spoke up. " We appreciate you doing this for us, Lady Impa."
" Then I propose that you do not waste my time."
" What do you mean?"
" You will all meet me by the entrance to the forest in precisely twenty-four hours." Applejack answered. " Those who do not arrive on time will be left behind while the rest shall follow me until we reach your final destination. I suggest you get prepared and bring only the essentials that you will need for your new future. The monsters of the forest will not hesitate towards feasting on those who plan to bring all their worldly possessions. If you are still determined to do this, I shall be waiting at the designated location."
This became known as the "Great Hylian Migration" where a contingency of Hylians from Hyrule Castle Town, Kakariko Village, and Lon Lon Ranch migrated to the southern lands beyond the Lost Woods in order to start a new community. The journey proved difficult despite them having a guide in the form of Impa, sole survivor of the Sheikah, as many of them chose to bring everything they had when she insisted otherwise, resulting in a lengthy journey where people occasionally stopped to ensure they hadn't lost anything. It didn't help that the people weren't fighters leaving Impa to having to deal with them herself.
When they eventually made it past the Lost Woods, the Hylians learned that there was even more forest than originally assumed. This was because there was map of the lands beyond the Lost Woods so no one knew to expect what they did. Regardless, they continued their trek through the uncharted greenery of the forest until they came upon an open area that looked primed to have a civilization built on it. There was plenty of place to grow vegetables, a large field that was perfect for a new ranch, fresh water from a nearby waterfall, and perhaps most important of all, no conflicts, the perfect ideal peace.
Her task completed, Impa wished the Hylians luck as she returned to the side of Princess Zelda, yet mentioned that the new town would be recognized as being part of Hyrule despite how cut off it was from the kingdom proper. The Hylians proved themselves resourceful as they managed to build their new community within a span of a year and immediately, their old lives quickly became forgotten, replaced by new ideals of living in peace and not wanting for anything. A mayor was selected in short order--the one chosen had proven himself a natural born leader--and the town was named Ordon Village after an ancient spirit whose fountain was located nearby.
Roughly three years after Ordon Village came to be, King Harkinian passed away due to contracting a terrible disease, leaving his daughter, Princess Zelda, the current regent of the kingdom until she wed and a new king was crowned where she would be co-rulers with the man who would be her husband. Before he died, King Harkinian proclaimed that Hyrule would be divided into four provinces named after the divine Light Spirits who once dwelled in Hyrule in ancient times: Ordona, Faron, Eldin, and Lanaryu, with Hyrule Castle Town situated in the center of the kingdom. The Gerudo Valley region was simply renamed the Gerudo Desert and it was here where the Arbiter's Grounds were located.
Upon becoming queen, Princess Zelda worked quickly to ensure the people that she would not carry on the legacy her father started, but also instill her own legacy for which she would be remembered for. Many across the kingdom accepted her as their ruler though they insisted she marry as soon as possible for tradition sake. Many suitors from across Hyrule, including those from the lands beyond, came to see if they would be the one Princess Zelda would choose, yet they were turned away as they weren't who she was looking for. After about two years of this, she would finally choose someone, a man who bore a slight resemblance to the boy she had befriended as a child.
She would marry this man a year later in a grand ceremony that was attended by everyone across the kingdom and representatives from beyond Hyrule's borders, yet before the wedding took place, Princess Zelda decided to seek out the boy who had warned her father of Ganondorf's treachery, the boy who had effectively altered the course of history. When she last saw him, it was when she gave him the Ocarina of Time believing it safest in his possession. Her Highness also taught him the Song of Time so that if he ever was in danger, he could rely on the Goddess of Time for protection.
It had been six years since then, and Princess Zelda had spent her free time trying to find him. When the boy left Hyrule, he did so on a personal journey to find a valued friend and claimed he would never return. Roughly two years after he left, rumours began spreading of people seeing someone hanging around the edge of the forest. This prompted Her Highness to send out soldiers in hopes that they could find him but their efforts amounted to nothing. After failing to find him for four years, Impa was sent to find him and succeeded relatively quickly. With the boy's location known, Princess Zelda would soon meet him in person.
" We finally meet again."
" How long has it been?"
" It has been roughly six years since we last saw one another. You know, you proved rather the elusive one to find given that none of my guards were able to track you down, but if not for Impa, our meeting would not be taking place right now."
" There's a reason why I've been hanging out around here."
" I know that we will eventually reach that point but for now, I would like to hear about your exploits. Surely, after six long years, you have surely seen many different things in the course of your life in addition to that journey you made long ago to find your friend."
" You could say that's true but I personally wouldn't agree with that assessment."
I immediately stopped reading when I saw who was portraying Princess Zelda and Link and slapped my face several times. I couldn't believe it! I mean, how was this even possible? Was my mind playing tricks on me? It didn't feel that way as I had recently taken a nap to ease my mind so perhaps I was dreaming this instead? Grabbing my arm with my hand, I pinched it and yelped slightly, proving that I wasn't dreaming. Princess Twilight was portraying Princess Zelda--I remembered this from my first journey--yet the one portraying Link was... well... me. How could I be in the story and reading it at the same time?
A third possibility had to do with Ganondorf. Was this his means of tormenting one last time before he would leave me alone for a while? This theory was a longshot at best as he had little to no power in the world I called home--Equestrian Magic was the dominant force around here--but then I still knew little about his power so I could have been completely wrong and that he was somehow manipulating me. In any case, it felt weird seeing another version of me within the confines of this book, yet at the same time, this was how Her Highness felt when she first saw Twilight Sparkle after the Friendship Games had ended.
" I am certain that you are aware that my father passed away about three years ago, correct?" Princess Twilight asked.
I nodded my head. " I am sorry that he died much sooner than expected. Granted, I never really got to know him because I was seen as an urchin back then in the eyes of your guards who turned me and pretty much everyone else who they deemed inappropriate away from the castle. As such, I can only mourn his loss to some degree. I heard you've been ruling on your own since then but will be getting married sometime soon." I propped my sword and shield against a nearby tree before sitting down. " I'm glad you found someone who see you as a person and not just a princess turned queen."
Princess Twilight blushed. " My husband-to-be bears a slight resemblance to you, you know."
" Is that a fact?"
" Yes."
" I'm certain you fell in love in him for reasons besides that."
" Of course." Twilight said. " He is a very charming young man who possesses a gentle spirit that allows him to see the faults of anyone including himself. He personally doesn't see himself as kingly material but I've insisted otherwise saying he will make a fine king who will be loved every bit as much as my father was. He wasn't even born into nobility, a fact no one in the kingdom suspected though the royal court had a field day complaining that I needed to marry of my status. I put them in their place by saying that the decision was mine alone as to whether I would marry him or not. Of course, you already know what my decision was."
" Does he have a name?"
" He's called Vazard and once served as a knight in a neighbouring kingdom."
" Wouldn't that make him one of the nobility?" I asked. " Usually, you have to be of noble birth or have good connections to become a knight at least in Hyrule. I can't imagine him being a knight without those credentials."
" He was born a commoner but was accepted as a knight for defending his village from barbarians."
" That certainly would do it."
Princess Twilight then looked at me with a saddened expression. " When I met him for the first time, Vazard's resemblance to you was so uncanny, that I immediately began thinking about you and what you have been up to all this time. In a way, I suppose that there were feelings towards you in my heart, as though we were something in another time, but I quickly realized that such feelings had no meaning. We had only known each other for a short while yet I still remember those being some of the best moments of my life."
I sighed. " When I came back from my journey, I came to a realization."
" About what?"
" Before I get to that, I need to ask you something, Princess Zelda, or would that be Queen Zelda now?"
" Princess Zelda is fine."
I got up onto my feet, my expression firm but not aggressive, yet Princess Twilight could sense that something was wrong. " Before I go any further, let me tell you about my journey because you have curiosity smeared across your face." I paused for a few seconds to collect my thoughts. " When I left to find my friend, Navi the Fairy, I ended up in a world that was parallel to Hyrule. In this world called Termina, I encountered people who looked like people of this world but possessed different personalities. As I tried to understand where I was, I learned that the moon would fall in three days."
" How could anyone save a world in such a short period of time?"
I smiled as I reached for the pouch on my belt, opened it, and took out the Ocarina of Time before presenting it to Her Highness. " I have you to thank for allowing me to have the ocarina to use on my journey in addition to reminding me of the Song of Time. I was able to free and summon the Four Giants, the Guardians of Termina, by reliving the same three days continuously and defeated the one responsible, an entity known as Majora's Mask."
" So the Goddess of Time protected you as I had wanted." Twilight said. " It makes my heart happy knowing that she was able to protect you. I am also happy that you were able to save an entire world. No doubt the people of that world shall forever immortalize you as a legendary hero who helped them in their time of need."
" After saving Termina, I left and returned to Hyrule which is when that realization I mentioned kicked in."
" Link... You sound as though you're missing something."
" Princess Zelda... I need to know if you told anyone about my adventures across time."
At first, Princess Twilight refused to say anything, her expression going limp which prompted me to lean forward to coerce her to say something. She then turned her face away from me and right there I knew that she was trying hard not to answer my question. Eventually, she sighed before looking at me. " I can't hide the truth from you, Link. My father made the decision not to share your adventure with the people of Hyrule. He felt they would not believe it and deem it fantay, and even he had doubts over whether it truly happened despite the proof you had in the form of the Triforce of Courage."
" He didn't want anyone to know?"
Princess Twilight nodded. " Instead, he decided that your adventure would remain a secret that the Royal Family of Hyrule shall guard for as long as possible. Eventually, it will become a legend that is sure to become known to the people, but for the time being, my father's decision will stand. Just so you know, when I assumed the throne, I had to decide whether to ensure my father's decision or not. It took me only a mere moment to make a choice."
" But... but... why?"
" What do you mean?"
I slammed my fist into the tree behind me, leaving a large indentation before looking at Princess Twilight. " Why would you and your father do that? Do you know what I had to go through in order to prevent that terrible future from happening? I would have appreciated it if you had told my story to the people as it would have meant me being remembered for something rather than just be another person whose name became lost in the annals of time. I hoped to leave behind a legacy of my own but that has forever been dashed by you."
Wow... I couldn't believe what I was reading. Link, the Hero of Time, who had travelled back and forth through time to defeat Ganondorf, was infuriated with Princess Zelda simply because she and her father refused to recognize his exploits by sharing them with the common folk. No hero would ever strive for recognition as that lead to fame resulting in them being corrupted over time by their perceived greatness. The right thing is what a hero should strive for in addition to helping those who needed it. In my own opinion, the Hero of Time was acting like a brat all because he wanted to be remembered for what he did.
The mere thought that I once portrayed him made me sick to my stomach. I mean, King Harkinian had a point in that the people would never believe that a mere boy could travel back and forth through time to prevent a terrible future from happening. Link should have been grateful that the Royal Family of Hyrule chose to closely guard his story where it would have one day become a legend in its own right but perhaps he just wanted the glory now rather than later on. I hoped his descendants wouldn't adopt his mannerism otherwise the legacy he desired would have been tarnished by their actions in his name.
And yet, I could actually sympathize with Link. Sure, he wanted to be remembered as a hero but there was an honourable tone to it. Perhaps he wanted to be remembered so that he could inspire others to one day become heroes and find their own path in life. He could also pass down his skills to future generations of his family and again inspire others to want to follow in their footsteps. Rather than thinking only of himself, Link was essentially guaranteeing that Hyrule would always have a hero ready and willing to protect the kingdom from evil ones such as Ganondorf or anyone else wanting to assume his particular mantle of villainy.
" Link... I wish you had told me of this."
" When it became apparent that no one remembered me for what I did, I chose to hide here in the forest as it's the only home I've ever known." I said. " Aside from you, your guards, and your attendant looking for me, I haven't had any visitors in a very long time."
" Are you not of the Kokiri?"
I shook my head. " I was born a Hylian and raised as a Kokiri. I had hoped to follow them but they left no trace of their existence in the village. Besides, even if I had followed them to where they went, it would have resulted in me being cursed by the dark power that radiates over the forest." I then looked upwards before grabbing my sword and swinging it around a few times before sheathing it into the scabbard on my back. " I learned many skills during the course of my adventure and my aim was to perhaps teach them to others so that they could one day become heroes. My skills would be forever remembered and my name would become legend."
Princess Twilight then smiled. " Then why not come and live in Hyrule?"
" What do you mean?"
" You would make for an excellent knight, Link." Twilight answered. " The Royal Guard have been needing new skills for a long time now and you would be the perfect one to show them abilities the likes of which they have never seen before. Granted, it would be a difficult transition seeing as you would be deemed in their eyes, a commoner, who only became a knight by my hand, but I am sure that over time, you will earn their respect."
I slowly shook my head though it pained me to do so. " I truly appreciate you giving me the offer, Princess Zelda, but I feel that Hyrule Castle Town is no place for me. The forest has been my home for as long as I can remember and I would prefer to remain here until my time comes when life leaves me. Should you have need of my skills, then I shall be there to help no matter what but perhaps its best for me to be here in this tranquility."
" Are you sure you won't change your mind?"
I was about to shake my head when I instead nodded. " Perhaps, when I get older, I will leave the forest and move to Hyrule Castle Town. For now, I just want to remain here and be amongst the trees that I grew up with. If you ever want to pay me a visit, feel free to do so though you'll probably have an entourage with you because you are the queen and all. I was serious about being annoyed that no one will remember me but I'll get over it eventually. In the meantime, why don't I give you a tour of the Kokiri Village? It's not much since they did abandon it years ago but it will give you an idea as to how they once lived."
Princess Twilight nodded. " I am sorry that your legacy will not be remembered but I know that legends will be told about you in the future. In any case, I do hope that you will move to Hyrule Castle Town someday. Should this come to pass, I shall recommend you becoming one of the Royal Guard. No... I think they deserve to be called a different name, a name deserving of the defenders of the kingdom."
" What did you have in mind?"
" They shall be, 'The Knights of Hyrule', protectors of the realm."
It says that the Hero of Time lived in Kokiri Forest for a number of years until he finally chose to move to Hyrule Castle Town. By the time he did this, he was already in his thirties so many of the skills he learned in his youth had gone to waste. Upon his arrival, Princess Zelda anointed him as one of the Knights of Hyrule and made sure to provide him with ideal lodgings somewhere in town. Deep down in his heart, the Hero of Time wished that he could have passed his skills onto someone worthy enough to continue his legacy. As such, what he had accomplished had become lost.
He would eventually marry a young woman who had chosen to move back to Hyrule Castle Town from Ordon Village, a woman--a footnote said it was most likely Malon, the daughter of the proprietor of Lon Lon Ranch--who was said to have granted the hero his most trusted companion, a mighty steed who he would ride into battle when needed. Within a year after being married, they were blessed with children, two boys and two girls. Both boys and one of the daughters would join the Knights of Hyrule with the other daughter choosing to follow in her mother's footsteps yet they were never taught the skills their father learned in life.
When the Hero of Time passed away, his spirit could not rest knowing that he never passed his skills onto anyone. He would be condemned to walk the earth as an undead solider until he could successfully teach someone the skills he learned in life. The Hero's Spirit, the name that he was given by the people, became feared all across Hyrule whilst others offered sympathy knowing he was forced to live an eternal twilight until he could pass on what he knew. Many sought him out in hopes of learning what he knew yet all of them failed thus he continues his existence. Would the Hero of Time find peace? Only time would tell.
One of his children's children decided to move to Ordon Village as the thought of becoming a solider was something they had no interest in. However, the blood of the hero did not disappear as it carried on through the following generations. Perhaps one day, a new hero descended from the Hero of Time would emerge, one that Hyrule needed, one who could learn the skills of the Hero's Spirit that he never passed down in life, and finally allow him to rest in peace. It's says that when he left Hyrule, he was separated from the elements that made him a hero though no historian had ever been able to confirm whether this was true or not.
Placing my bookmark on the page and closing the book, I had numerous thoughts go through my head. While I was happy to know that Hyrule experienced a time of peace after the arrest of Ganondorf, I was saddened at what happened to certain individuals. It seemed that even when things were going right, something was bound to go wrong. It felt like the stage had been set for something grand given how certain events played out yet I wanted to focus on events that occurred long ago in the ancient past. Had I kept on going on my current course, I would have learned about the Twilight Realm but I had my mind set on the past.
I had a number of options I could consider but for now, I wanted to grab some food as it had been a while since I ate anything. Getting up from my recliner, I headed over to the kitchen in order to make myself a snack, yet my mind continued thinking about what I would learn next from the Hyrule Historia. Not everyone appreciated the past and instead preferred thinking about the future but I had a strong connection with the concept behind ancient history Perhaps I should consider going back to the very beginning of Hyrule's history or as far back as historians were able to uncover.
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Breath of the Wild is becoming canon~
Well...Since the Link from Ocarina of Time was still a child after going 7 years into the future, returning to the past to prevent the future from happening, went on a personal journey to find a friend, went to a parallel world, saving said world and returning to his own world. Despite him being old now, I guessing that his mind was still young and wanted to be remembered for all that he's done for Hyrule.
I wonder how'll Sunset will react to meeting herself as the Hero's Shade in Twilight Princess? Another question...Will Sunset either be a Wolf like in Twilight Princess or will she be a unicorn to replace the Wolf form?
You do know that some of the guredos escape and made it across the desert to start a new tribe. The Theory is that naboroo did it and started a whole new city. And in Breath of the wild they took back the desert which got bigger
8577831
I actually went with a different legend that I read about many years ago though I made some alterations to make it stand out. Since we don't know where Breath of the Wild occurs in terms of the timeline, I took some leniency by doing what I did. I think Sunset is going to be interested when we get to the final bonus chapter--I've personally been looking forward to writing about it for quite some time now.
8576845
I think I'd go with the wolf form for accuracy and out of respect for the source material.
In terms of references you missed:
1. King Harkinian is the name of the king from the Legend of Zelda cartoon.
2. The MLP characters are portraying the same characters they did in Ocarina of Time for consistency.
3. Ordon Village and the names of the provinces are all from Twilight Princess.
4. The Gerudo's Fortress is where the Arbiter's Grounds now stands.
8576791
In terms of the final bonus chapter. Speaking of which, I think it's time to introduce the more recent MLP/EQG characters into the mix as I did say they could be used in these bonus chapters.
8460993
Most of not all scenes of the end credits correspond to a mask collected. If you did not collect a mask then you don’t get its scene and instead are shown the mask that you would have needed to get that scene.
So some magic BS probably happened, either involving the Moon children. or the Ocarina of Time, making sure all the Happiness from the masks remains.
8579282
I think it could be the reunion timeline because that is the only place it could fit or another timeline spilt during the windwaker. What if gaogon made the wish to restore hylrule? That would explain the rock salt everywhere except on the mountains. So do you have any theories?
8579606
I've always thought that Breath of the Wild occurs somewhere in the downfall timeline since the events of Ocarina of Time would still follow the adult timeline except that Ganondorf prevailed. Though that doesn't explain where the Koroks fit in unless the Kokiri still evolved into them nor how the Zora and Rito tribes can exist at the same time as the latter evolved from the former. Nintendo never were very good when it came to explaining the timeline leaving it up to fans to make some sense of it.
8579553
In this case, Sunset collected every mask so all of those scenes happened only without her actually seeing them. I've actually never beaten the game without collecting all of the masks so I've only ever seen the scenes in question. Granted, I didn't use all of them, particularly the ones that featured only one character or weren't significant enough for what I wanted.
8580163
Well the biggest clue is it is the last game in the timelines.
I think the little speech that Zelda gives is q red herring. I remember a mirror in the downfall timeline being called the mirror of twilight but it's the dark mirror. Everyone just assumes through the Ember of twilight means Twilight princess. So what do you think? I always see videos saying the game says Ember of twilight must mean Twilight Princess so that mean child timeline. They just delete any comments that says differently
Loved the chapter Ganondorf8 keep up the good work
8580387
One other thing to take into account is that in other languages that same speech mentions the great sea in some form. The Game Theorists were able to narrow down which timeline BotW to the downfall timeline, taking into account existing land marks within the games, gannon's appearance, and Link's clothing.
8586525
Well there are two great seas. The one hinted at in skyward sword we can cross off because it is before the spilt. So the great sea must be the sea in wind waker and spirit tracks.
I don't think the downfall and adult timeline shouldn't be different timelines.
I think it is possible for those two be one timeline.
Because if no hero showed up wouldn't it count as a defeat? So if that is true could the child timeline fit in too? I think the Zelda timeline is just a jumbo gigantic red herring. I am working on how to make it one single timeline and I think it is possible I also think that the reason Breath of the wolf doesn't fit that well. If you want to hear what I got so far just ask and I'll pm it to you