The Legend of Zelda: Unraveled Legacy (pods6827 & StarMech)

[StarMech]

"There are so many stories. Countless tales spoken across the vast rivers of time...

Tales of people and places gone by the years; Stories of Love...of Lust...Greed...Power...Friendship...Wisdom and Courage. Of monstrous evil and divine defenders. But within the vast Kingdom of Hyrule there's a familiar tale that seems to repeat across the ages: A story about a golden divine power on the peril of being swallowed by the darkness.

...The tale of a Beast, a Princess, and a Hero...​

From countless of years, centuries and millennia, the history of these three individuals can be traced back to the very beginning. Of the word being forged by the Three Goddesses of Creation and who's peaceful life was placed in care of a lesser but incredible powerful and benevolent Diety, who came known as the Goddess Hylia, whos body and soul embraced everything with a sacred light. But as there cannot be light without shadow, this divine force of good also coexisted alongside a brewing darkness; A wellspring of chaos and hatred born from the depths of demise and despair.​

Said darkness took many forms, but across multiple eras, the most well-known came in the force of a Man turned into a Beast; A monstrous pig enveloped by the powers of darkness. This Demon King was known by many names, but most stories speak of him by the name of Ganon...​

In his many forms, whatever if as a Man pushed to the brink by his denied desires, or as forsaken Monster of pure hatred, Ganon always emerged in power and lied waste upon the land of Hyrule; But to stop him, two individuals always raised to confront his Divine Power: One was a a Princess bestowed in Wisdom, a reincarnation of the divine Hylia; The other was a man of humble beginnings, blessed by the goddesses with a unrelenting Courage. A warrior who fought to the very end, as the Hero who wielded the Sword that pierced the Darkness."​

"Time and time again, the Princess and the Hero always found a way to vanquish the evil of Ganon and bring peace to Hyrule. Centuries later, the demon king managed to remerge and cause havoc once more, only to be brought down all over again; an endless cycle of Peace and Destruction...With each passing time, Ganon grew bigger and bigger in power, but at the cost of what little humanity he still held on, being absorbed and enveloped in the power of Malice. With the pass of the eras, the man he once were was far gone; Now nothing but a Calamity, an unrelenting force of rage and destruction...and even so, he was brought back into slumber, by the edge of the divine Blade...​

Despite their best efforts, generation after generation, it seemed like this ancient evil would forever return one way or the other; The Princess and the Hero were locked, eternally trapped in this endless cycle of sacrifice, unable to truly achieve peace or fully live their lives out of the hands of fate...that is...until a particular fight between these three forces. The Hero and the Princess, alongside a powerful army of might and sorcery, engaged in an fierce war against Ganon, but as the Hero was delivering the final blow; His divine sword was encased in a blinding light. In an effort to finally free its master from this never-ending fight, the sacred blade shattered itself pieces and unleashed its sealed power in its full force; Striking the malice-infused monster and vanquishing the spirit of Ganon, seemly for good...​

"From that time forward, it seemed that the cycle was finally broken. Years passed, and no beast rose to oppose the light...nor any Princess forward appeared to carry that once divine light, nor a trace of the Hero or his sacred sword. With peace finally achieved, Hyrule started to step into the modern world; Using the ancient technology of its past to ignite their brand-new future..."​

"Stories of these three soon fell into legend....then into mere stories or fairy tales...many doubting they were even real. The names of these three characters fell into obscurity..."​

"......"​

"The Kingdom of Hyrule, with the help of the ever-devoted and technology-adept Sheikah, used their ancient knowledge to step the land into a new era. Acquired more modern technology utilizing energy crystals and complex machinery, some even manipulating the magic that was once was only at the hand of wizards and sorceress and implementing them into the every day life. Some races grew resentful of the Hylian Revolution that endured, whatever if for envy, or worry.,but either case; It appeared only the sky was the limit to this brand-new Hyrule..."​

"...That is...until the greed of this revolution caused a deep wound within the citizens of the land..."​

"Without the forces of chaos constantly antagonising the kingdom, the different races and clans started to distrust eachother. Perhaps creating a small shard of malice in their hearts. The Hylian reign became more and more powerful, taking advantage of the Sheikah technology to get the upper hand; The different races of Hyrule were at a brink of starting a war and part of the people of the Sheikah appeared to be growing bitter and resentful of their "masters"...However, the more wiser and older of the Sheikah came to a risky-but-necessary conclusion: If they were to stop this war from breaking out, someone or something had to become a common target...​

As such, the Sheikah Sages created a machine that'd play the role of an unstoppable force that could only be defeated by the union of all races. Their name changes, many played the roles of villains and lead all the attention to them. Despite the loss and hardships, this plan was a success, and the Hylians learned a lesson of humility, as peace and unity was restored amongst the many inhabitants of the kingdom...but at a cost. Many of the Sheikah was still resentful of their previous treatment, as well as having to having to play the antagonistic role in fate...and so, the Clan itself broke from within; Many adopting their pretended name and disappearing. Nobody knows what became of these rouges, but the remaining noble Sheikah, realizing there was no longer need for them to accompany the Royal family of Hyrule with their job done, decided to erase themselves from history...their name simply falling into myth..."​

"......"​

"Many moons have passed since those times...The Hylians have grown to a balance between the their ancient ways and their modernized world, while other races have adopted new traits while others have decided to remain mostly the same. Regardless,
peace and prosperity seems to be reigning after the sacrifice of those long forgotten stories..."​

"......"​

"But one has to wonder...what are the chances of a new Legend to be forged from those ancient tales...?"​

​

========================================
- The Legend of Zelda: Unraveled Legacy -
========================================​

- Prologue -​

This dream in particular felt weird. Floating amongst a white either, nothing to see for miles. Was this the sky? Some other dimension? There was no way to tell. A soft breeze caressed his face as he stood afloat amongst the nothing when a soft voice ringed in his ears...or so one would hear; This was different, like he could hear the words, but not the voice.

"...you...are the light..."

A blurred figure appeared, far away from his position...

"...your courage....shall be our guide...."

It was hard to tell what it was saying, only a few words managed to reach him...

"History will repeat...you must be ready...."

A powerful blind amongst the nothing blinded him...and so the dream ended and Link opened his eyes....

---------

~ Ordon Ranch ~

The early morning sun emerged from the horizon shined upon the vast green grass and the soft crop fields at the small but prosperous ranch. Ordon Ranch rested peacefully at the very border between the Lanayru and Faron provinces of the Central Hyrule region. The perfect position to welcoming the fresh morning breeze, as well as to avoid the more chilling winds of the night. A simple yet cozy patch and ambrosia amongst the already lush environments of the Hyrule fields. It was still somewhat secluded by tree, needing a dirty path before it reached the actual highway...

Of course this serene place didn't mean that this was a lazy morning. Currently an older man was already up and working. A muscular man with a somewhat lack of hair, wearing a simple sleeveless denim jacket, a white shirt and working jeans was carrying a big wooden box filled with multiple vegetables. With a mighty lift he placed them on the back of his truck-like vehicle. Unlike how our ideas of automobiles work, these one was different, but common in such a magical land like this one. The wheels glow of a blue hue, showing the mechanism that made them spin was functioning. The ancient yet techno-looking motor seemed to spout out of the hood, a big glowing crystal incrusted within it. That's just how automobiles worked here in Hyrule, as magi-technology had become a little more common amongst certain areas...

After placing the last box upon the truck, Mr. Bo swiped the sweat off his shining forehead. "Well, that's the last one..."

He looked around to see if anyone else was nearby. "Ilia? Ilia where are you, girl?"

He looked around, searching for the one named Ilia. Reaching near the stable entrance was a young woman of shot blonde hair and green eyes. Her skin soft yet slightly smudged with the dirt of work, yet only added to her ranch charm. She was in that age where her body had developed real nice, with alluring curves despite her common sized bosom. Her way of dress was of a more traditional farmer gal and was currently barefoot as she brushed the hair of a adult horse.

"Oh there you are..." Said Mr. Bo. "Been prepin' the horses all morning, dear? No need to over-prep them, tho. They won't be prancin' around till a couple of days in after all..."

Ilia smiled as she looked back at her father. "Yeah yeah. I just feel I should be taking care of them more now that ou repalced them for your brand-new truck.." She joked.

"Hey hey. Com on, honey. You know is not like that." Laughed the farmer man, "Besides, is it bad that I'm a little excited? A lot of Rupees went to pay for this beauty. it's gonna help up with the deliveries a ton!"

Ilia chuckled, "Just joking, dad, don't worry..." While yes, it was a little sad for her, who was always so inclined to nature, that the old delivery horses were starting to get too old, specially in comparison to the much more reliable automobile, but she was still happy for her father to be so full of energy...

"Say, did you check the Cucco coop today?" Asked Mr. Bo. Ilia stopped her brushing.

"Huh? I thought it was Link's turn today."

"Right right." Said the man, "Where's that boy anyways."

Ilia simply huffed and crossed her arms, looking away as she said, "Probably sleeping, as usual..."

"You're always so harsh on the lad, dear. I'll go wake him up, ok?"

Mr. Bo headed to the nearby house, roaming through the hallway before reaching a particular door. "Link? Hey Link! Raise and shine, boy!" He said as he knocked on the young man's door.

Inside Link's room, the boy was just waking up. The beep of the alarm clock app in his EyeSlate continuing to beep. The EyeSlate being this handy multi-purpose magitech slates, produced in mass based on ancient tools but modified for simpler and mass people use.

"You awake, Link? Come on boy, you can't be sleepin' all day. Wouldn't that look bad on your resume as a knight? Hahaha." Mr. Bo joked.

It was a brand new day...for Link...and unknowingly, for Hyrule itself.....

---------------------

((And so with a big exposition lore narration and a cozy beginning, we start. i hope you liked my intro. Let's try our best to create a great story! Don't worry not all posts need to be gigantic. i was just inspired, haha.))

 

[pods6827]

As Mr Bo knocked on the door to his room Link was underneath his covers, one arm snaking out in an attempt to hit the snooze button on his EyeSlate. For the last few weeks he'd been having the weirdest dreams, and while he couldn't always remember them after waking they tended to wake him up part way through the night, meaning he was getting less sleep. 'I wish I could tell what that voice was saying,' he thought as he tried to bunker down in his bed, 'What is it I need to be ready for? It feels important but I don't know why...' Unfortunately for him the knocking was a bit harder for the young man to try and ignore, not least because it was his landlord making the noise, and so with a groan he lifted himself out of his bed, rubbing his eyes as he made his way to the door. "I'm up, I'm up," he mumbled, the Hylian youth reaching out to open the door as he did so. Link looked at Ilia's father with an almost bleary expression, the last traces of sleepiness still present. "Give me a minute to get dressed and I'll get my chores finished before I head out to the city."

Going through a (slightly quickened) version of his morning routine, Link managed to get himself ready to start the day in almost record time, walking out of the house fully dressed only a short time after he'd been woken up. He walked outside to where Ilia and her father were waiting, giving the two of them a sheepish grin as he approached them. "Alright, I should be able to do all my chores before I need to get going. First things first, checking the Cucco coop." Inwardly the young man was grimacing at the thought. For some unknown reason the Cuccos didn't particularly like him. They weren't usually actively aggressive, but if he took too long checking their home they'd certainly peck him something fierce.

 

[StarMech]

Mr. Bo smiled heartily as the young Hylian lad arrived. His hands placed on each side of his hips as he gave a healthy chuckle. Ilia, on the other hand, simply huffed and turned her gaze away; Excusing herself before walking away.

Bo simply sighed, "Please excuse her, Link. She is still a bit upset after, you know, your little fight the other day."

Link had been living at the ranch for a while. Despite not being blood-related to the two, he was still basically part of the family. But like any family or close group of people, fights and conflicts do break out from time to time. People discuss, make up, it's just a natural thing. The only different here was things were a little bit more...awkward, sort to speak.

"You know, when she accidentally walked in on you when you..." Bo gave a small cough of awkwardness, "Were 'busy' why watching those videos on your Slate." That reminder was certainly one that would make Link blush. After all, that bickering of him and Ilia all started when he was watching some particular...mature...set of videos while attending himself, when she barged in much to the embarrassment of both. Of course, that immediately followed by the poor boy being kicked out of his own room as the blushing lass continuously threw pillows and other harder objects at him....

"I understand, you're still a growing kid and everyone goes through similar things from time to time. But you know how Ilia gets; She always tries to hide her embarrassment with that fiery personality of hers." Said Bo, "Just give her a while to cool off, okay?"

He then decided, for Link's sake, to change the subject. "Well then. Please go check on the Cuccos. I still need a couple more boxes to load in the truck so hey, want me to give ya a ride to town? Will be quicker than walking, hahaha."

 

[pods6827]

"Hrk!" Well, there went any semblance of dignity that Link might have had previously. A blush appeared on his cheeks as he remembered just what had happened the day before. And the worst part was that Bo just kept talking about it. "Yes we all know what happened, there's no need to talk about it any more." Part of him wanted to go after Ilia and try to talk to her, but her father was probably right. Better to let her cool off a bit before they talked again.

"I will take a ride into town though," Link said once his blush had faded. "Alright. I'll just go check on the cuccos now." With that the young knight started walking over to the cucco coop, grabbing his thick leather gloves to protect him from their sharp beaks and talons. Once there he went about his business, making sure that everything was in order (and only getting pecked a handful of times for his trouble) before heading back to Mr. Bo.

"Everything's all set with the cuccos," Link said as he approached the older man. "I'm ready to get going whenever you are."

 

[StarMech]

((Not sure if intentional or not, but your post seems to cut at "Part of him wanted to go after Ilia and try to "))

"Atta boy. Hop in" Said Bo before getting inside the truck, awaiting for the young Hylian to follow suit. "We'll be at the city in no time. Ilia, dear, take care of the ranch in the meanwhile, okay?"

With the sound of the engine rumbling, the two were soon put into motion. The strips of the wheel glowing with a blue hue while spinning around. Leaving the ranch in charge of Ilia's capable hands, the truck crossed through the arch of trees along the dirt road util arriving at the open fields; A fresh soft breeze blowing through Link's hair.

The formidable size of Hyrule Castle City was visible despite their distance, looming over yonder with its tall towers and buildings.

"So, Link." Bo started, "Any plans for today? Are you gonna go meet with your knight student friends or you're simply taking a look around town? I'll be selling the crops at the market today so no need to worry about me."

 

[pods6827]

Link climbed up to the passenger side of the truck, buckling himself in just as Bo turned his key. The Hylian shouted a goodbye to Ilia as they started driving down the dirt path that led to the main road.

Although it was a bit noisier than travelling by horseback, Link couldn't help but enjoy the ride, and the way the wind whipped through his hair. "I'll likely spend some time with my friends once I'm done with my training," he said in response to Bo's question, "I'll probably head back home by dinnertime though." As they traveled Link could see the city rise up over them, becoming more detailed as they drew closer.

 

[StarMech]

"Sounds like a plan. You been doing quite the progress, or so I heard, haha. I'll be the the market district if you need anything." Bo said.

The city now came into full view. Three huge pillars with crystal-shaped tops were constructed outside the walls; The Great Defending Pillars, as they called. Capable of generate a shell of magic that protected the city in times of crisis. Of course, it hasn't been used for a long long while due to being in times of peace and the royal guard being more than enough for the occasional monster roaming around.

There was also the walls and gates located around the town, with four main gates. The Royal Castle and the other tall structures could be easily seen above it.

Passing through the gate revealed the many streets and passways the city held. People going left and right, standing, talking or buying. You could see members of many races although mostly Hylian. The merchants from far away territories already placed upon the sides of the streets, showing and selling their wares, while other simply chilled underneath the shades of a tree or continued through their daily routines.

It only took a little time before they parked, the man and the young Hylian stepping out of the vehicle. Bo bid Link farewell and went on his merry way, moving the merchandise to his desires destination while living our hero to his own devices.

------

As Link walked around the city it was hard not to notice so many people at work, rising banners, placing decorations and getting everything prettier. After all, celebrations were just a couple of days away. The Festival of Time; A big tradition amongst the kingdom of Hyrule; Where the memories of the past are celebrated and the famous Sage of Souls bestows a charm and a blessing for the whole city.

It was simply mesmerising. Link probably distracted by the preparations hat he was caught off guard by a sudden rough pat on the back. "Well well, about time you showed up..."

Looking back he would see a Hylian young man taller than him, with a bulkier build of body and wearing a green jacket and some black jeans and boots . His skin of a faint tan, his eyes of a bright amber and his most prominent feature; Hid big and pointy red-haired pompadour.

"What was the hold up, huh Link? Over-snoozing as usual I bet." The man said with a hearty laugh before jokingly continuing, "You're pretty hopeless on that. How will you ever get near the skill of your good ol' pal Groose like that?"

This was Groose, one of the students at the Hyrule Knight Academy alongside Link. In their first days, the two were always at odds with eachother; With the red-haired boy always trying to push him around. However, with the pass of time, he learned from his mistakes and gained a respect from the young blonde Hylian and, despite his usual boasting atittude, the two became very good friends.

"But hey, I kid I kid. Glad to see you up and about, pal." Groose smiled and placed a friendly hand on Link's shoulder. "Did that old man Bo put you on farm chores again? You seem to have that "I almost got pecked by Cuccos again" look on your face."

((And yes, his theme was immediately playing in my head as I wrote XD. ))

 

[pods6827]

Despite the strength behind the hand that patted him on the back Link barely flinched, having grown used to such treatment in the years he'd known Groose. "I think that if I lived for a thousand years I'd never approach your skill in boasting," was his response, the joking tone clear to anyone paying attention. While the red-head could often be a bit over the top, there weren't many others who he counted among his friends.

"I don't mind doing the chores," Link commented as the two knights-in-training walked through the city streets, occasionally taking a moment to watch the various decorations being set up, "And at least I only get pecked by the cuccoos. Last time you came to the farm you got treed by them." The blonde finished his sentence with a small smirk, remembering the sight of the larger boy clinging to a tree branch as though the hounds of hell were after him.

 

[StarMech]

Groose was quick to reply nervous. "I-I had totally control over that situation, thank you." He said followed by a nervous cough. "I simply...um...underestimated the ferocity of those cuccos, that is all."

He was quick to change the subject, as he also looked around at the preparations for the festivities.

"Everything seems to be going smoothly. I know we both can't wait for the festival. It's gonna be so sweet! All that delicious meals and stuff to buy. Not counting all the pretty gals that will be coming from all over Hyrule, hehehe~"

Groose had always been a bit of a womanizer, so Link was used to his ramblings; Taking them in good fun. After all, we was never a jerk about it, at least no longer, and sometimes his attitude paid off...while plenty of times it comically ended in failure.

"I mean there are so many towns over that must have such beautiful Hylian women that'd probably be looking for a good time, right? Or beyond that; I heard envoys from the desert are coming these year...so it means we may see some of those sexy Gerudo girls walking around." He said all giddy with a wide grin on his face.

He posed heroically as he continued, "With such fine knights like me...and you of course, I bet plenty of them will be eager for a date! And of course, later on the night we can watch the grand ceremony with the Sage giving her blessing to the kingdom. I heard the new Sage is quite the pretty woman too..."

"You two seem to have plans. Hopefully, your training is also included on them, Mr. Groose?"

The man of the red pompadour froze in place right in the mid of his posing as the vocie and the sound of steps and metal clangs approached them. He had his back faced right to them so he didn't see it coming, but Link was able to see right away who it was, which also put him into a focused position.

A woman of black hair, shapely body and knight's armor plates approached the two Hylians. Her expression very aloof, similarly to her tone of voice. "May I remind you you have been dipping in class as of late. This going for you two."

"O-of course, Captain." Groose said with a faint stuttering.

This was Capitan Ashei, one of the Captains of the Royal Knights and a instructor at the Knight Academy.

With her silted expressions he looked past the tall young man and towards Link. "I see you arrived early, Mr. Link. Good. We don't want a repeat of you arriving late due to over-sleeping like last week, am I right?"

"Now Ashei, you don't need to be so strict to them. They have still been doing exceptionally as of late." Said the man to her right. He had combed brown hair, blue eyes, a frame of thin glasses, a dark purple vest and baggy brown pants and also carrying what it looked like an old book. Shad was the royal scholar, well known for keeping track of the history of the kingdom as well as being the one in charge of intelligence and information at the royal guard.

It was really hard to tell if Ashei was really being angry or strict, right now, as she always had that aloof and somewhat snarky tone in her voice. Still she continued, "I suppose so. Regardless just wanted to make sure to tell all our students that some of the class will have the honor of guarding right at the ceremony of the Sage. The King is really happy to see inspired young knights to be part of the event alongside the veterans. You'll have some free time before and after the main ceremony so...whatever plans you may have won't be ruined by this little task."

Shad chuckled as his voice became a bit more grandiose in tone. Ashei sighed and shook her head, knowing very well he was about to get into one of his historical tellings that could last for hours if not stopped.

"Ah, it is a shame though that so many people, youth included, have basically forgotten the origins and meaning of the Festival of Time these days. Many think it is just about the Sage of Souls giving her blessing upon the kingdom as some sort of good luck charm, while others think is measly a date to party and celebrate." He continued, "But the Festival was created as a symbol of peace amongst the many races of Hyrule. A celebration of the friendship and bonds between members of any tribe, putting aside their differences for the common good after the sorrow experienced at the times of the great wars. The Sage is suppose to be the mediator between the Triad of Goddesses and the mortal plane; Fabbled to be able to glance at the river of time itself. It is why this festival is suppose to be a time of reflection upon good and bad actions from the past, to helpp carve a brighter futur--AGHH!!"

It was then when Shed felt his long ear being pulled hard by Ashei, bringing his history class to a screeching halt. "Alright, you had your fun." She said with a cold stare at him. "We are not spend all day standing in one of your long ramblings again..."

She turned to the two young Hylians and said, "I'll leave you two be. Just remember to come to class later today, alright? See you then. Let's go Shad."

With that she started to walk away, while still pulling upon the scholar man's ear.

"Ow ow ow! Come on, at least let me go Ashei."

"Heh, not a chance..."

Groose sighed in relief once the two teachers were gone. "Captain Ashei can be quite scary when angry. Then again, it's always so hard to tell..."

Now calmed down, he turned back to Link and spoke again, "I guess being part of the main ceremony doesn't sound so bad. It's like getting front row seats, right? We better not disappoint."

 

[pods6827]

"Of course you did," Link said with a placating look on his face, giving the impression that he totally believed Groose, honest.

Link gave his friend half an ear as they walked down the city streets, having become very used to the redhead's talk about finding dates. Perhaps that was why Captain Ashei's sudden arrival took him by surprise, and he quickly straightened his back when he realized that she was there.

The young knight smiled sheepishly as Ashei mentioned his oversleeping, rubbing the back of his head gingerly. "Don't worry Captain, it won't happen again." The arrival of Shad removed some of the tension that had been present, especially when the man started one of his famous (or infamous) lectures. Link had heard that some people kept recordings of the scholar's speeches for when they couldn't sleep, but he thought that was a bit unfair. Then again, he'd never really had any trouble in that regard.

He was torn from his thoughts by Ashei cutting off the other man's words, refocusing his attention when she addressed him and Groose. "Of course Captain," he said as she began to drag Shad away.

Link turned to face Groose, "Yeah, the greatest knights around will be able to put on quite a show." He clapped a hand on his friend's shoulder, "And you'll be there too." He said with a laugh. The young man looked around them, seeing the various sights. "Well, we have a bit of time before class starts, any ideas for what to do until then?"

 

[StarMech]

"Oh har har." Groose gave a sarcastic laugh at that small joke at his expense before happily grinning, "Well, we still have quite enough time to roam around town. I'm thinking we could head to that street with the restaurants and grab a bite to eat, then maybe check if those folks at the market have any cool items from the far land and th--"

Groose's voice seemed to start to mute inside of Link's mind when a strange feeling started to cross through his body, as if he was being watched....

From the corner of his eyes he then noticed something at the distance. From from of the rooftops, behind Groose, there seemed to be a mysterious shadow, human shaped; Alas unable to figure out at the distance they were....

However, as soon as the young Hylian blinked, it was already gone. Who was that? And why it filled Link with so much dread...?

"Link?...hey Link...Dude!"

Our hero was then brought back to reality when his red-haired friend shook him a bit. "Hyrule to link. You doozed off there buddy. I said we better go get something to eat." Groose said before rising an eyebrow, "What's wrong? You seem like you saw a Poe or something..."

 

[pods6827]

Link listened with half an ear as Groose talked about what they could do before class started when something caught his eye. Turning his head found the cause of his distraction, a shadow, humanoid figure, just far enough away that he couldn't make out any more details than that before he blinked, and the figure was gone.

Something had been off about that whole situation, but for the life of him he didn't know what, like something he'd forgotten a long time ago. Link was drawn out of his thoughts by Groose pushing on his shoulder a bit. "Hm? Oh, sorry. I thought I saw something in the distance, but I guess it was just my eyes playing tricks on me." Despite his words Link couldn't help but think that it was more than that, a nagging feeling at the back of his skull, but there was nothing he could do about it right now.

Looking back at Groose, Link made a decision. "Yeah, let's go get something to eat. It'll be good to make sure our stomachs don't start growling when we need to be on stage."

 

[StarMech]

"You got it!! I'm so hungry, I could eat an oct--" Groose chuckled, "Well, you know how that saying goes..."

The two young men soon headed to a nearby food shack for some delicious grub. Having a fair amount of Rupees, Groose paid for most of the meal (Although it was clear that was because he usually ate twice of what our heroic Hylian could). However, our hero continued to be a bit unsettled as his eyes caught the attention of a mysterious hooded figure that was waiting outside the restaurant. It didn't looked anything like the strange shadow he saw...was him just being paranoid? After all, it could have always been someone waiting for someone else...

Regardless, the two finished their meal and were back to roam the streets. Their usual chatting continued, Groose asking if Link was truly okay after looking at his worried expression. It a sudden shout caught the attention of the two knights-in-training.

"Eeeeek!! Somebody stop him!! Thief!!!"

A woman exclaimed as she stood up from the floor after being pushed down beforehand, a tall and lanky man hurried past Link, shoving him to the side and making their way through down the path to the Market District...

"That awful man just now stole my purse! I was taking an antique to the Market to sell!!" Explained the poor woman.

Both Link and Groose recognised that particular subject. Sakon, a common nuisance across the city. A petty thief that always found his way to return to stealing items or con visitors for loads of rupees.

"That guy again!? You'd imagine after getting caught by the guards so may times he'd give up by now." Groose complained before opting a more heroic stance, "But never fear, we are knights of Hyrule as such is our duty to--HEY!!"

The mysterious cloaked figure interrupted the red-haired man's boast as it passed near them, rushing after Sakon's trail.

"Link, we gotta follow that dude. We can't let whoever that is to steal our thun--I mean, it could be dangerous!"

 

[pods6827]

Despite the pleasant mood, both at their table and in the surrounding area, Link couldn't help but think back to the shadowy figure he'd seen on that rooftop. He did his best to wave off Groose's questions as they walked even as he noticed a cloaked figure outside of where they'd been eating.

A shout caught his attention as they walked however, and Link turned his head to see the unfortunately familiar form of the thief Sakon rushing past. Groaning as he realized that the man was up to his old tricks once more. He started running a moment before Groose, not wasting any time. "Indeed, if nothing else you'd think he'd have left for a place where he wasn't so well known."

He nodded as he began following the cloaked figure and Sakon, "Yes, there's no telling what Sakon might do to that person if he gets too close." He chose to ignore Groose's slip of the tongue, as despite his desire for fame and glory the blonde knew that his fellow knight-in-training could be trusted in a pinch. Fortunately his years of training, as well as his time as a farmhand, had given Link an impressive well of stamina, which meant that he could chase the two nearly all day if he had to.

 

[StarMech]

The two Hylians soon went into the chase, following Sakon's trail as he dodged the meandering people across the streets. He tried to block their progress by pushing around a couple of food carts in their direction. "Yikes! That antique he stole from that lady must be pretty expensive if he is going all out on us." Said Groose a few steps behind Link. Despite his muscles, he admitted the blond-haired boy always beat him at stamina. He continued to run and run without really getting tired, while the young red-pompadour man was already panting after a long trek from one big district to another.

At the same time, the mysterious cloaked individual also remained on the trail a bit after Link. Very impressive for someone wearing such a long robe. The chasing continued down to the market district. Despite being well known amongst the guard, the festival times were perfect for his getaway, as with so many people, it'd be difficult for Link & Groose to catch up. Once he could cross past the main Shopping square around the fountain, he'd be scott-free!

However, looking back he yelped at the fact the three individuals were still on his tail. "You miserable brats! I won't be caught again" He said with a devilish grin. From his pocket he held on a small black orb which he then threw straight at our heroes. It was not harmful, but as soon as it hit the ground it exploded in a screen of smoke, leaving the three coughing alongside nearby civilians.

"Hahaha! Excellent!!" Sakon cheered. His plan successful, now he just skipped in happiness, noone to stop him...of course his pride was his undoing. While he mindlessly skipped to victory, he did not see the sudden obstacle that was put before him, smacking right into it...or rather him.

As Sakon turned out to smach right on the back of a bulky Goron. "Owww! Watch it you stupid rock-head!!" Sakon yelled

"Huh?"

The Goron turned around, of white hair and a small white goatee and wearing a red scarf across his body with the symbol of his tribe on it. "I said move it!!" Sakon yelled. The Goron however, remained aloof, simply opting to grab the petty thief by the back of the shirt and lifting him up and keeping him in the air, his lanky legs waggling around.

"I don't like your tone, bud. Might wanna apologize?" The Goron said, quite chill. He probably did not know he had stopped a thief. Link, Groose and the cloaked figure all arrived moments later.

"Oh, hey there, younglings. Whatcha' need?" Said the Goron.

 

[pods6827]

Seeing the busy Market District coming up ahead Link began to worry that he wouldn't catch up to the infamous thief before he made his escape, especially as Sakon reached into a pocket and pulled out what he recognized as a smoke bomb and tossed it towards them!

Coughing miserably, Link pulled his shirt slightly up to cover his mouth before moving through the cloud, slowing slightly as he saw Sakon run straight into a large Goron. He walked over to the two, knowing that Sakon's escape attempt had failed once again.

"Congratulations sir," the young man said once they were all together, "You've caught a thief. On behalf of the Hylian knights I thank you." Reaching forward Link grabbed the stolen item out of Sakon's hand and holding it out of his reach.

"Groose," Link said, looking to his friend, "Call the guards and let them know we've got Sakon." He looked to the mysterious cloaked figure as well. "And thank you as well, whoever you are."

 

[StarMech]

Groose nodded and quickly held to his Eye-Slate to make the call to the knights.

Sakon had practically given up at this point, simply sighting as he was continued to be held by the strong Goron.

"Huh? Haha, no need for the formalities, kiddo. I just happened to be standing here when this fella bumped into me." Said the modest Goron as he stroked his short white beard. "I'm pretty sure you lot would have caught up with him eventually. He doesn't seem like the smartest. Hahaha!"

Sakon simply groaned in annoyance. He still deserved it, though...

"But in all honesty. You all seemed like perfectly capable folks. People these days hardly go and lend a hand for something so small. Is nice to see a strong spirit still remains in the youth. The name is Daruin, by the way. I'm here as, how you say, an envoy from the Goron Clan for the festival."

The cloaked person's smile was shortly visible from link's position. A warm smile, really....familiar.

A voice finally broke, one that made the young lad's heart skip a beat. It was sweet and femenine, as well as one that quickly spun the gears of his mind to memories past.

"Well, an strong will to help others has always been one of Link's strength...right?"

The individual pulled its...or rather her hood off to reveal a long flowing stream of golden hairs. Her piercing emerald eyes finally visible to the now amazed group. Even Sakon. All of them with their eyes widened; As, of all the people in the city, she was the one they least suspected to be...

"Well I'll be." Said Daruin followed by another healthy laugh. "If it isn't her majesty herself: Princess Zelda."

"Z-Zelda!?" Exclaimed Groose, almost dropping his Slate from the shock before readjusting himself.

It was indeed none other than Princess Zelda of the Royal Family of Hyrule. One of the many carriers of the name; A tradition that originated from old tales and myths, as a lucky charm for the royal offspring.

"Thank you so much, everyone. Sakon keeps finding ways to slip even the guard. And i wasn't gonna just stand there idly while he stole a precious item from that poor innocent lady." She spoke.

"Haha, not a problem, your highness." Chuckled the Goron.

Groose however barged in while he looked around. "Well it's nice to see you two, Princess. But where're your guards?"

Zelda simply huffed. Puffing her cheeks slightly in a somewhat adorable sight despite her upset stare. Her hands placed on each side of her hips. "Seriously Groose. Is it so wrong to finally be able to see two of my friends without the royal guard interrupting and dragging me away as always?"

While yes, everyone knew Princess Zelda as the prestigious, wise and serene girl of nobility. Link himself saw her as much more. After all, there was a time where her duties and studies did not clog most of her free time; A time as children where she and Link were the best of friends. almost inseparable they were. Every day she could, she would sneak off the castle and take a ride on Mr. Bo's wagon to Ordon Ranch to go see the young Hylian. And even when he and Groose got past the bully-bullied relationship, the three stood as tight companions.

Wise and virtuous were in fact big parts about her. But her more carefree, overly curious and somewhat feisty and hot-tempered side were something the people more close to her knew her; Specially Link. She wasn't just a distant princess who's only role was to look fine and act all princess-like. And that's why she and Link clicked oh so well.

Of course the constant visits started to diminish more and more with the years. Her father, while trusting and welcoming of Link, was somewhat of a stern father; Always nudging Zelda to follow tradition and to beehive as the royal princess she was. Wth the pass of times and her maturing as a woman, her studies and royal duties became more and more, leaving no time to spend it with the friend of her youth...

And while it hasn't been like he hadn't seen her in a million years, link could easily notice how much she had grown. Already cute and sparkling as a girl, she was just if not more stunning now. Her skin seemed soft and delicate and her golden hairs appeared to shine under the warm sunlight. Her figure was nothing to scoff at; A fantastic series of curves that gave to a shapely and enticing rear (although current hidden due to part of the cloak.) and a above average bust, tightly but comfy held by her blue and white top.

"It has been so long since I saw you guys. I knew that with everyone making preparations for the Festival, I'd managed to at least get to say hi." Zelda said before looking at Link with the warmest of smiles, "But as usual, you managed to get involved in your own mini adventure like always, huh Link?"

((I'm assumed you wanted to use the BotW Zelda design. I like it a lot so I really wanted to use it.))

 

[pods6827]

Link had been about to welcome the Goron to their city when another, familiar voice spoke up. Turning to the cloaked figure the young knight's eyes widened as he realized who this person was just before she lifted her hood to confirm his thoughts.

"It was no problem Zelda," Link said, watching with no small amount of amusement as the Princess of Hyrule huffed at Groose. 'The more things change...' he thought, the scene being almost entirely similar to others that had occurred over the years. Only their ages having really changed since the beginning of their friendship. Well, he thought, that and the beauty Zelda had grown into that is, though Link was less willing to voice that thought out loud.

"Well what's life without a little adventure right?" Link responded, giving the princess a smile in return. "And you should talk; after all it's not like sneaking past the royal guard is a walk through a meadow. Much as you might make it seem that way." The last part he muttered, the Royal Guard's inability to keep eyes on Zelda a long-running joke among many of those who knew her.

"Which reminds me," the young knight said, recalling just why they'd ended up in the alley, "We should see about getting this back to that woman, from the way she was screaming it seems like it's important to her." Link hefted the bag, getting a feel for the weight of it as he spoke.

 

[StarMech]

"Well then, don't let me stop ya." Said Daruin. "I'll keep your little pal here till the guard arrive so you don't have to be waiting."

"Thank you so much." Said Zelda after a short bow.

"Haha, the pleasure is mine, princess. No go along. I'm sure you wouldn't like the knights to see you here so you can spend some extra time with your friends, right?"

With their goodbyes said the three walked back the way they came while the friendly Goron waved his free hand at them. Sakon simply sighed in defeat while still being held by the other hand...

----------------------------------------

Zelda had to put the hood on when delivering the antique back to the woman, in order to avoid someone telling the guards on them. But after the woman happily thank them all, and even gave the two Hylian boys a small sum of Rupees for their troubles, the three were by their lonesome for Zelda to remove the hood once more.

"Well, I'm glad that's over. Still a bummer we themselves were the ones who caught Sakon." Groaned Groose only for the princess to shake her head with a sigh.

"Humble as always, Groose..."

"Hey hey! I'm glad he was stopped! That's the most important part. I'm simply saying..." The man of the red pompadour replied followed by an awkward cough.

"Anyways..." Zelda turned towards Link as they walked. "How are things back at the Ranch, Link? How's Ilia doing?"

"Yeah. Did you two make up?" Asked Groose just as curious. the blonde hylian girl rose her eyebrow as she did not know they were at odds.

"Oh nothing major, princess. They had a little fight over some cuccos, that's all. Honest!" He said. He knew very well (since Link revealed to him) that his little issue with Ilia was a way more...lewd misunderstanding, but he was not going to be a bad friend and blurt such a embarrassing thing to someone he knew well Link really liked.

"Oh. I see." Zelda said, buying it.

 

[pods6827]

After saying their goodbyes to Daruin and returning the stolen item to the woman Link pocketed the offered rupees, thanking her for her generosity.

Once the three of them were alone and Zelda had removed her hood Link felt himself start to relax, his earlier worries fading now that he was with his closest friends. "If we hadn't chased after him then Sakon likely wouldn't have fun down that particular alley and he might have gotten away," he commented, "So even if we weren't the ones to physically catch him we still contributed to his capture."

He half-glared at Groose when he brought up his fight with Ilia, not wanting the Princess to know just why they'd been fighting. Fortunately the other man seemed to know what not to say so he didn't need to do anything special.

"That's right, just a minor argument," he said, grateful that his female friend seemed to believe the story. "But let's not focus on that. So Zelda, we still have a little time before we need to get to class, is there anything that you'd like to do?"

 

[StarMech]

"Well. There is something...but we really don't have enough time. Chasing after Sakon took way longer than I expected." Zelda responded, her expression showed she was containing her sadness.

"Yeah, its a bummer." Groose groaned. "We haven't all hang out in years. Life of a Princess, I guess..."

Zelda nodded in agreement before turning to Link. "However Link. I was wondering...there's a somewhat long gap at the time of the festival before the actual ceremony, where I could convince the guards to let me meet up with you guys again. So how about we hang out there. With the festival going, there will be plenty to do and see!"

"That sounds like a plan!...but..."

The royal princess looked at Groose with concern. It seemed so odd that he'd put a "but" to hang out with a pretty lady like Zelda, even if with Link.

"Well you see, I did have some plans at that hour. Working on a lil' side-project of mine. Sooo, I'm afraid you two will have to hang out without the mighty Groose this time around. I know I know, that's simply heartbreaking, but don't let my previous appointment ruin your fun, ok?"

Zelda couldn't help to chuckle softly. There was the Groose she knew, which helped get out of her sadness. "Alright. But we'll at least save one of the festival's sweet treats for you."

"Haha, sounds good to me!"

"Well. I better go. I'm so glad we were able to see eachother again, even if in not the best circumstances. But I guess I'll see you at the festival, right Link?"

Zelda had to go. With a finally goodbye she put her hood back on and walked out of sight, probably to slip abck to the castle without being seen.

That's when Groose looked directly at Link and grinned. The young Hylian sure found his actions weird? He /knew/ Groose had no previous appointments....

 

[pods6827]

Link felt a little sad that the three of them wouldn't be able to do what Zelda wanted, but perked up a bit when she turned to address him. "I don't have anything that I'd need to do during that time, so that idea sounds good!"

He was momentarily surprised when Groose spoke up, claiming that he had something else that he needed to do. Link's eyes narrowed slightly at the redhead, knowing for a fact that the other guy didn't have anything like that planned for today...

Still, he wouldn't let that bother him; although he'd have liked for all three of them to spend some time together, he didn't exactly mind spending time with only Zelda, he saw Groose every day after all.

"It was good seeing you as well," Link said, the young knight waving goodbye as the Princess made her way back to the castle. Once she was gone he turned back to face Groose, "Come on then, if we don't have anything else to do now we should probably start heading over to class; wouldn't want to make the Captain mad after the way she warned us earlier."

 

[StarMech]

"What? you ain't gonna thank the great Groose for setting the opportunity of a lifetime?"

The red-haired Hylian grinned and he placed his arm on link's shoulder. "Why of course I don't have a previous appointment, remember? I just decided, on my good heart, to throw you a bone."

After a pause he continued, "Think about it. You and Zelda. Alone. At the Festival. When'd you ever have such an opportunity ever again, right? Who know what may happen?"

"As such, the Great Groose shall give you a hand in giving you a chance to possibly score a date with the princess herself! I know I know, I can be pretty selfless sometimes...."

With his theatrics done, he did agreed with our young hero about heading back to class, as he feared to get on to Miss Ashei's bad side again...

--------------------------------

The rest of class went as usual. Some lectures, followed by a series of training exercises. Swinging their blade across the air, all the knights-in-training, both male and female, stood in formation as their shouts broke through the castle courtyard's silence.

Amidst the training, Link was able to notice upwards on an elevated pathway to see the Princess watching down at the class, wearing her usual royal attire. Seeing that Link's gaze met with her, prompted Zelda to giggle and give a short "hi" wave at him. However, it was shortlived when the precense of King Daphnes Bosphoramus Hyrule V, the current ruler of Hyrule, made his appearance next to her. This caused all knights to train extra hard to not look unfocused.

Link knew the King had good intentions, but simply was a bit overprotective of Zelda. Always worrying whenever she went out to research or chat with friends.

--------------------------------

Class continued. Miss Ashei having left her students tot rain on their own with 1 vs 1 battles. Currently it was the time for them all to take a little break amongst the limits of the castle courtyards and nearby hallways.

Groose was busy trying to impress some lady knight students, meaning Link was on his own, trying to relax by simply walking around the area.

It was then when he heard something weird coming from deep within the hallways...

 

[pods6827]

A light blush formed on Link's cheeks as Groose talked about helping to get him a date with Zelda, "You're a real prince Groose," he said as they walked, "What would we ever do without you?" he asked, only slightly sarcastically, the gratitude in his voice still obvious as they made their way to class.

--------------------------------

Class went fairly well for Link, the young man managing to stay awake during the lecture, if for no other reason than excitement over the festival.

Later they began their formation drills, lining up and practicing their strikes as their teacher watched for any mistakes. Speaking of watching, part-way through the session Link noticed Zelda standing up above them, giving him a small wave, and while he couldn't do much to respond he gave her a nod and a smile.

Then he saw her father the King walk up behind her and he focused back on the drills, not wanting to screw up while their ruler, and Zelda's father, was watching.

Then they moved on to one on one sparring, which was where Link really shined. He was one of the better swordsmen in the class, and while he didn't always win when sparring he generally put on a good show regardless. Today though he was in good form, managing to beat every opponent he faced without much trouble.

--------------------------------

On their break Link decided to take a walk to relax, leaving Groose to his flirting as he made his way around the campus. A noise caught his attention however, and he made his way across the hallway to see just what was causing it.

 

[StarMech]

Link arrived by a slightly opened door, very secluded from the rest of the campus. As he approached he could heard what it seemed like low gasps...

He slowly peeked through to find an unexpected sight. There it was, professor Shad, but rather than reading his books or in his usual long lectures, he was with his back against the room's wall, gasping and grunting softly while his cheeks reddened. His pants well down on the ground, as a woman stood on her knees servicing him with her mouth.

"A-ah...ngh..w-we shouldn't be doing this here..." He muttered following a groan. The woman seemed very focused on her job, but Link was quick to recognize her: It was Captain Ashei!!

Her armor, clothing and undergarments lied on the ground near them. she was entirely naked, currently giving Link a view of her muscular yet curvaceous figure, her exposed back and round bare rear to him. She continued to lick upon the scholar's rod before stopping to speak, in her usual aloof tone, "These damn training sessions get me way too eager. And we haven't done this in a while..."

"F-fuck...Ashei...uhng...." Shad had a hard time complaining, just letting the soldier continue her blowing while resting his hand upon her coal black hair.

The Captain was always so strict and cold most of the time. Link would have never imagined she also did these kind of stuff in private. He also couldn't help but notice how attractive she was, despite her current position. Link could feel himself getting hotter...harder...