Fanfiction Friday: ELOZE
Posted on June 27 2014 by Tyler Meehan
It’s been a week full of new features here at Zelda Informer—Caption Contests on Monday, Photoshop Contests on Tuesday, Wednesday saw us start a Zelda Fan of the Week feature… And we’ve still got a few more up our sleeves. We’re trying to get back to being a true fansite, one that not only reports Zelda news but which thrives on the Zelda online community that we all adore and revel in. There are parts of the fandom, though, that rarely get a true focus: we often share fanart, fan remixes and musical arrangements, and of course fan articles—but it seems not many of us ever talk about fanfiction. Understandably so, to a degree: the generalization of fanfics being nothing but slash fics and porn is not without reason.
But that generalization is just that: a generalization, one which can cause readers to miss out on breathtaking works of art if they don’t seek it out. So in our newest feature addition, Fanfiction Friday, we’ll be endeavoring to locate and share some of the most amazing Zelda fanfics we can find. You can head to the comments to point us towards some of your own favorites, but today we’ve already got our selection. When talking about Zelda fan stories, there is really only one way you can start it off: with one of the most detailed, well written, and fascinating tales of the fandom.
…Why not write a fanfic about Dark Link?
With that thought began one of the greatest epics that we fans have been graced with—ELOZE: Tale of Two Thousand Years.
Originally conceived by author Dark Link (hereafter referred to as “DL” to avoid confusion with the character) way back in 1998, around the release of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, ELOZE tells the tale of a new generation of Hero…but not one seeking to stop Ganon’s latest rampage. Rather, this tale takes place after Ganon has returned and been sealed away once more, when the Hero takes on a new task: end the cycle of Ganon and the Heroes once and for all, defeating the Demon King forever. Along the way, he and his companions—which soon comes to include the enigmatic Dark Link himself—traverse the entire realm of Hyrule and beyond: from the infernal desert of the Gerudo to the winding paths of the Lost Woods; from the vast reaches of the Far Sea to the unfathomable depths of the lightless Underworld.
The great thing about ELOZE is how well it fleshes out the realm of Hyrule and makes it really feel like a vibrant, living world. Though based off some sort of amalgamation between OoT and AoL’s Hyrules, it isn’t only landmarks and temples. North Castle goes from a single room to a vast city with an enormous population. Saria Town is transformed from simple town to port city, with all the docks and sailors one would expect. The simple caves of AoL now stretch miles into the earth, forming a lightless Underworld to make your skin crawl with fear. Numerous Ocarina monuments are revisited, with new features often accompanying the many signs of their ancient state and making them feel like brand new, yet familiar, structures.
What’s more, the lore and items of the franchise are expanded on in ways that I can only wish an actual Zelda game would attempt. The Book of Mudora, for example, is no simple tome for translations—it is now a magical book of prophecy, with pages of information appearing and disappearing in the time it takes to turn a page. Characters receive similar treatment, with Link and Zelda being fleshed out beyond anything seen in the games, original characters like the Gerudos Sofia and Galdenor often getting the spotlight, and even the villains and monsters having personalities and roles that are so fitting it makes me pray for a game with a villain holding this much depth.
And that’s without even mentioning the rich and complex character that is Dark Link. Having only had two brief appearances to draw from at the time of the tale’s conception, DL somehow managed to weave together a fascinating anti-hero, replete with numerous powers and abilities that a centuries-old creature of magic would likely have. There are plenty of Zelda fans who have spent years asking for the shadow of the Hero to be given a larger role in the games, and I dare you to read through ELOZE without joining their ranks.
This is all accomplished with a detailed prose that makes reading it a true joy. Sentences and actions flow from one to the next with an ease that I sometimes see published authors failing to match, and it carries the reader along from beginning to end (well, the end of what we have currently—more on that in a moment) in a way that makes for an enjoyable yet excellently deep read.
So, an epic adventure, memorable and surprising characters, terrifying villains, fantastic writing…are there any downsides?
Well, I wouldn’t call them “downsides” per sé, but they might turn some people away so they deserve fair warning. For the timeline-obsessed, keep in mind that this was started in 1998, when there only five games to worry about and the official timeline was a long ways away from being revealed, so you shouldn’t expect its history to be anywhere close to official. Read over the ELOZE timeline before starting the actual story to avoid confusion, and, if it helps, think of it as taking place in an alternate universe, similar to Hyrule Warriors.
When you do start reading, just know that this fanfic is LONG, clocking in at a total of 92 chapters thus far (the first two, I feel, being a tad tedious, so you might need to power through them to get to the excellence of the other ninety). Unfortunately, ELOZE is not yet complete, and it may never actually finish. Hate to say it, but the tale has gone without update for nearly seven years now, and DL has shown no sign of that changing anytime soon. She may be gunning for a sweet Ocarina of Time reference with a release of the next arc in August…or she may have abandoned this fanfic entirely. I will continue to hope for the former, no matter how bad the odds of it may be.
Nevertheless, it is without a doubt one of the finest pieces of Zelda fiction that I have ever had the pleasure of reading through, and I know many others who share that sentiment. Only skip over it if some of the above “downsides” prove unforgivable to you, and even then, do so knowing that you are missing out on an amazing journey. I won’t say it’s perfect, but if you have any interest in Zelda fanfics, or in any other stories in the epic fantasy genre—like, say, The Lord of the Rings—I highly recommend you check this tale out. There is not a doubt in mind that it will strike a chord with many of you, and you will quickly join me in the ranks of those who think of it as the Legend of Zelda fanfiction.
I’d like to end by quoting one of my favorite portions of the entire story. Taking place shortly after the [supposed] deaths of our heroes, this dialogue between a mighty Stalfos general and his Lizalfos underling has always stood out to me—not only for the insight it gives into the villains, or the way in which the scene is composed, but also because it is exactly what I hope we may one day see in an actual
Zelda villain: a confident, powerful foe who recognizes how dangerous the Hero is and takes steps to ensure Link’s demise, leaving nothing to chance and always assuming that the goddesses will guard their chosen one…
“So that’s your report.”
A skeletal hand crushed a slender silver goblet. Kleox Dinolfos blinked nervously. He was standing to attention as erect as he could; his spiked armor creaked as he moved. His scaly green tail stuck out behind him, straight as a rod. Everything about the Lizalfos captain spoke of fear. The musk of his body screamed it.
The orange flames in Maximus’s eye-sockets flickered brightly and Kleox’s armor rattled. “I want
bodies, lizard,” the Stalfos said coldly, rising to his feet. “I want to see them. Until I know they are dead, they are not dead. Do you understand me?”
“S-sir,” Kleox got out, stuttering in his terror. “But sir, they were caught in a cave-in. The tunnel collapsed on them. Nothing could have lived through it, sir, nothing – they’re buried under tons of rock!”
Maximus’s hand shot out like a snake, the bony fingers locking around the lizardman’s muscled neck in the same way they had locked around the goblet. Kleox choked and clawed at that merciless grip as he was lifted high into the air; his head bounced off the low ceiling of the chamber, narrowly missing the bowl of white-hot stone that gave light to the room. “Then
dig them out,” Maximus hissed, his eye-flames boring into the Lizalfos’s single orange orb. “I don’t care if you have to pull everything out of the Eastern Reach. I want the bodies found. I want them exhumed, and I want them laid out in this room! Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir,” Kleox choked.
“Good.” The eye-flames thinned out, giving the impression that the Stalfos’s eyes had narrowed. “Because you may
know they are dead. Maybe the Lady herself knows they are dead. But all I know is that descendants of the Hero tend to spring out of the woodwork when you least expect it. And until I see the bodies for myself, Link Fifth is presumed alive and dangerous.”
“I will – do as you command – my lord –”
“Good.” Maximus’s fingers opened, and Kleox dropped to the ground, coughing and choking as he massaged his throat. “See to it that you do.”
ELOZE can be read in its entirety at North Castle. Put it high on your reading list, people—this tale deserves nothing less.
All artwork by DL.
