Zelda Art Revelations

[Ganondork]

Hey guys! I've been working on rewriting an old crossover of mine between Assassin's Creed: Revelations and the Legend of Zelda series for about a week now, and I finally finished it. It's only 12 chapters, each chapter being about 800 words, so it's not a whole lot of reading. This is a really important story for me, so I hope you guys will enjoy this.

Chapter I​

The hall was filled with the sound of steel crashing against each other, gasps for breath, and feet shuffling on the marble floors as two figures struggled to gain the upper hand on the other. The nimbler of the two was clad in a green tunic, a hat resting on his head that ended in a tail. He seemed to be very young, but his mastery with the blade showed power beyond his years.

The older of the two was a portly man garbed in a long, black robe. His skin was of a dark complexion, a large sword in his hand. Blood dripped from his torso, but he continued to fight with a renewed vitality. He swung his sword at the young hero, who avoided it and slashed at his enemy’s gut.

The hero clutched his sword with an iron grip as his dazed adversary took a step back, weakened by the battle that the two had been engaged in. With all of the strength he could muster, the hero took one final leap towards his foe, his sword raised into the air. The light reflected off of his powerful sword, sending beams of light radiating throughout the hall of which the two enemies were fighting.

As the hero reached his peak and began the descent back, his sword too began to lower. The blade made contact with the face of his archenemy and split skin, blood gushing out. He grabbed at his face desperately as he tried to stop the blood from flowing out. Unsuccessful, the villain fell to the ground onto his knees.

“Link,” He groaned, one hand covering his grotesque face, “You may,” He coughed loudly, the rattle of impending death becoming evident in his voice, “You may have defeated me, but I will be back. I swear it, and I will kill you. Don’t…forget…it…” With a final gasp for breath, Ganondorf fell to the ground, dead.

Link turned from Ganondorf’s body, his visage portraying little emotion. He held his sword loosely in his hands. His eyes seemed dead, lost to an unknown force, their blackness a dark contrast to the glowing sword in his hand.

Zelda ran to Link’s side, a wide smile etched across her pale cheeks. Her flowing hair hung at her sides as she rocked back and forth, jubilance fueling each step. “We’ve done it Link! We’ve saved the Great Sea!”

Link sheathed his sword and shook his head for a moment, as though snapping out of a trance. “But at what cost?”

Zelda was taken aback for a moment. Confusion now hung in her face like a mask as she tentatively put her hand on his shoulder. He threw it aside. “What do you mean, Link?”

“Good people died, Zelda,” Link said, anger in his voice. “And even Ganondorf had a reason to want the Triforce. Who are we? Why are we any better than he is? The Triforce,” he hesitated, looking at his hand, which now had the glowing emblem of the Triforce imbued upon it. “It corrupts people. Even I have felt its tantalizing grasp before. What if Ganondorf was a better man before he had tasted the power of the Triforce, of its power? Who is to say that I may one day become like him?”

“Link,” she said, worry in her eyes, “You’re being silly. Ganondorf only justified his acts of evil. His heart was corrupted long before the Triforce was ever in his grasp. Look at what the Goddesses had to do in order to stop him – they flooded Hyrule, Link! Don’t yo-“

“Yes! Hyrule!” Link’s eyes lit up, revitalizing his seemingly dead eyes. “Zelda, don’t you see? We’ve saved Hyrule, and we can stay here forever.” He outstretched his arm, his eyes beckoning for her to take his hand. “We can be happy.”

She stared at his hand for a long time, contemplating her options, weighing the advantages and disadvantages. Finally, she shook her head. “We would have so much to lose if we stayed here. What of the Royal Family? What of your family? We can’t just leave them behind. We stopped Ganondorf so the people of the Great Sea could begin anew. Abandoning them in their time of need would undo all that we’ve worked for.”

Ferocity shone in Link’s eyes for a moment before returning to the coldness that now plagued his eyes. “Then leave.”

Zelda was hesitant, unsure of what to do. “W-What?” she stammered.

“Leave.” His tone portrayed no emotion, only apathy was visible in his demeanor as he turned from her. She grew quiet for a long time, tears streaming down her face as she silently pleaded for him to turn back to her. But he never did. Her heart ached and she did the only thing she could do; run. She ran from the castle and far away from Link.

Link acquiesced to his life of solitude. He had earned it, at least. Hadn’t he?

 

[blue-eyes]

Great so far! When you first made this, if I recall correctly, I got rather confused. So this is more clear to me now. Can't wait for more.

 

[Sydney]

ewww 0/10

never write again

awful

needs more memes

It's a great story for such a short read. I'm gonna read it again.

 

[Dragoncat]

A Wind Waker/Assassin's Creed crossover? With grit...I like it. Only thing is...Tetra would still be called Tetra if it were me. She's the descendant of Zelda but that doesn't mean her name has changed. Seemed a bit odd to me.

 

[Azure Sage]

That was a great first chapter. It was pretty short, but it really built up a lot of things. I liked the detail during the clash between Link and Ganondorf, and you did a good job of expressing Zelda's emotions. Nice work, man.

 

[Ganondork]

Thanks for all the feedback, guys! Dragoncat, this may have been a misunderstanding on my part, but I thought that Tetra went by the name of Zelda by the end of the game?

Chapter II​

Silence. Silence was all that Link grew to expect from the castle. It was cold and barren, unforgiving to a man who wandered the hallways by himself. He walked for much of the day, exploring parts of the castle that he had never seen before. Despite his best efforts, his adventures always led him to the statue of the Hero of Time. He avoided the gaze of the statue, shame overcoming reason. He was not the Hero that the Great Sea had needed, after all.

Above all, he felt guilt. He had left his family behind, the townspeople, and especially Zelda. His heart ached for her company, but he feared that he had severed any bonds already. Remorse gripped his heart, tugging at it with such vigor that it left him breathless. He seldom slept.

The peeling paint on the walls, the rotting wood on the doors, the rusted chandeliers. These images of neglect reminded Link of himself, and his self-loathing subsequently grew every day. The decaying castle seemed like a fitting tomb for him.

How he survived day to day, he could never figure out. Perhaps it was the Triforce, who toyed with his mind, which sustained his life. It was patient, but so too was Link. He fell into long periods of meditation, his mind wandering into the depths of the castle. He searched for life, though he knew he would never find it.

Yet, there always felt to be another presence. Was it Zelda, who decided to stay in the castle alongside him? Or was it the vengeful spirit of his defeated foe who sought revenge? Above all, he was afraid of it. He knew that when Link sensed it, it too sensed him. But how?

Link concluded that it was his sword, Evil’s Bane, which attracted the presence’s attention. Was it weary of this great tool that Link possessed, or was it merely curious? Link seldom considered the reasons, but knew that if he were to confront the entity which stalked the castle, he would have to relinquish the blade.

And so it was decided. He would return the Master Sword to the pedestal in which he had found it.

***​

It was late in the night when Link snapped out of his meditations. His only source of light – the Triforce – glimmered in the darkness, a shining beacon in a strange environment. He knew the castle well, as he had wandered its halls for an innumerable amount of days. It was not long before the statue of the Hero of Time came into view. His gaze turned to the ground, avoiding the gaze of the inanimate object, and he descended the steps at the base of the statue. It was there that he would relinquish the Master Sword.

As he reached the pedestal, he unsheathed the Master Sword. A sharp hiss echoed throughout the hall. It glimmered in the light of the Triforce, reflecting Link’s face. He was unkempt and showing signs of growing into near adulthood. He was no longer a child. This left him with only a feeling of disgust with himself, looking away from the sword. The Triforce now shone brilliantly, illuminating the entire room in beams of gold. The Master Sword only magnified its effects.

“I am not the hero that I was meant to be,” Link said, as though speaking to someone. “I am vain; I am weak; I am vindictive; I am spiteful; I am only Hylian. But I am no hero. Let it be known to the ghosts of these halls that I relinquish my role in the grand narrative written by the hands of the Goddesses.” Without hesitation, he raised the sword in the air, and thrusted it downward, sliding into the pedestal with another hiss.

He turned from the pedestal, as he had from Zelda so long ago. He felt a wave of memories wash over him as he, once again, ran from his problems. Sadness overcame him, and left him on his knees. No tears came to him, but they did nothing to prevent his cries from piercing the silence that had reacquainted itself with the halls.

A shimmer appeared on his left hand once more – a mere spark. The Triforce. Anger welled up within Link as he realized that he could never escape its grasp. He stood back onto his feet; self-loathing and contempt for the Goddesses fueled his ascent up the stairs. Why did it do this to him? Why must it haunt him, like a nightmare that one wants to shove out of their mind but just can’t seem to do it? Every problem Link faced could be attributed to the evils of the Triforce. He no longer desired it, yet it never left him.

He knew not what he would do, but he knew he needed air. The statue of the Hero of Time hung over him, Link in its shadow as he collapsed to the ground again.

As Link lied on the ground, his head on the dusty carpeted, he heard the sound of rhythmic panting, as though humming a tune. This, Link realized, was the other presence that he had sensed this entire time. He knew not whether to be dubious of this entity, or trust in it. He cautiously raised his head, fearful of what atrocity he might see. Before him stood a golden wolf, which crouched low, his panting turning to growls. He watched in horror as it pounced on him. Everything went white.

 

[Dragoncat]

She's still called Tetra in Phantom Hourglass...I can't see her hastily wanting to change her name like that. But meh...

Still looking awesome! Hero's Shade has appeared! Cool.

 

[Sydney]

more chapters please

 

[DarkLink7]

Cool! That's really good... And DCat, she is Zelda. They say so in the game. Tetra is her name when she doesn't know who she is.

 

[Ganondork]

Thanks for the feedback, guys!

Chapter III​

Link awoke in a realm that seemed unlike his own. The landscape was clouded, making it difficult to see. It seemed like there was no defined ground, but he was on something, and yet clouds were still underneath him as well as around him. Fear gripped him as he considered the possibility of plummeting to his death. His heart leapt into his throat at the idea. It wasn’t until the familiar sound of panting returned that he snapped out of his trance. As Link turned his head to the wolf, it raised its head to the sky and let out an ear-piercing howl.

The wolf disappeared, only to be replaced by a tall figure. He stood over Link, his rusted armor seemingly covering only a wisp. Red eyes looked through the helmet, and a raspy, yet demanding, voice said, “Stand, ‘Hero,’ and explain your actions.”

Link stood as he was told, visibly intimidated by the figure that stood before him. He puffed his chest out, as though to feign dominance. He still was not nearly the height of the figure. “I am not the hero that the Great Sea needs, so I have relinquished my blade.”

“You are not finished. There will come a time when you are, but now is not that time.” A growl rumbled from the depths of the figure’s throat. “Take responsibility for your actions, and find enough self-respect within yourself to not run from your problems.” The figure’s tone portrayed loathing, yet there was pity within it.

Indignation burned within Link’s stomach. “Why should I listen to you?” Link asked, taking a step closer to the figure. “You are but a figment of my imagination – a phantom of my own guilt. This world does not exist; you do not exist.” His eyes showed franticness, as they grew wide with fear and confusion. He knew, deep down, that he was only trying to convince himself of this idea.

A strange sound came from the figure – a mixture of false laughter, and rusted armor clattering amongst its various pieces. “If you believe me to be false, then why don’t you wake from this? Where is your power, your courage, or your wisdom? Have your wits abandoned you with your age?”

“You do not know me,” Link said through gritted teeth, his hands balled into fists. “I’ve defeated enemies far greater than you.” His eyes no longer showed signs of fear, only blind rage. He knew not who this mysterious figure was, but he felt loathing rise within his stomach as he looked on at it.

Link was met with the same strange sound. “If you’d seen half of the things I have – beheadings, bodies burning at the stake, the bodies of my brethren contorted into monstrous beings – you would sing a different tune.” Remorse was palpable within the figure’s voice. “Your body may have grown, but you are still a child.”

Link, without a second’s hesitation, charged at the figure, his fist raised. He threw the punch as he came within striking distance, aimed at the figure’s eyes. The figure grabbed Link’s fist, twisted Link around, and held it against his back in a moment’s notice. His free hand was at Link’s throat.

“Be calm, hero. I am not the one that you should be angry with.”

“Who are you?” Link said, struggling for each breath. His arm ached from being twisted behind him.

“A friend,” the figure said. He paused, but continued again after releasing Link from his grip. Link fell to the ground, his body limp for a moment before he slowly stood up. “Forget about Hyrule. It is a lost cause. The Great Sea is all that you have left, and you must cherish that. Do not dwell on the past; embrace the present. Come, let me recount a tale.” Link opened his mouth to protest, but the figure put his hand on Link’s forehead. He soon fell out of consciousness.

 

[DarkLink7]

Sweet

 

[Dragoncat]

Hero's shade...has seen some pretty terrible things...

Keep it up!

 

[Ganondork]

This is a short chapter, so I'll go ahead and post it.

Chapter IV​

A green-haired girl entered a small, wooden house. It had been a long time since Link had left the village, and she had begun to miss him greatly. Her mind drifted away from the subject, and as she looked at the table, she noticed a note on the table. It was titled “Saria.”

Intrigued, she opened it.

“Saria, my dearest friend, I have been in Termina a week now, safe and in high spirits, but recovering from the worst. In a long string of events, I have saved the land from peril. A small family has fed and sheltered me while I continue my search for Navi. They warn me that the road back to Hyrule is overrun with bandits and mercenaries. What this could mean, I dread to guess. When I first set out to Termina, I did so with a single purpose; to find Navi. However, word has spread that Ganondorf has created an army and intends to take Hyrule and any neighboring lands. And in doing so, he may find the other secrets hidden within the Temple of Time, a sanctum full of infinite wisdom.”
Saria put her hand to her mouth as she read the note. Horror gripped her heart, fearful for her friend’s life. She longed to aid him in any way she could, but she knew, deep down, that all attempts she could possibly make to help him would be futile. This was a journey that Link would have to embark on alone, and she knew it.

“So what will I find when I travel there? Who will greet me, Ganondorf’s army – as I feel more strongly – or nothing but the whistling of a cold and lonely wind? Castle Town is the only resistance, and his forces can easily crush them. Once they have taken the Temple, will I be welcome there? Ah, I am weary of this fight, Saria. Not because I am tired, but because my struggle seems to lead in one direction only; toward chaos. Today, I have more questions than answers; this is why I will travel so far; to find clarity. To find knowledge left by the heroes who came before, so that I may understand our fight better, and my place in it.

“Should anything happen to me, Saria, should my skills fail me, or my ambitions lead me astray, do not seek retribution or revenge in my memory, but continue the search for truth, so that all may benefit. My story is but one of many thousands and the world will not suffer if it ends too soon.”

 

[Azure Sage]

Pretty solid stuff. I have a clear image in my mind when I read it and your syntax is great. You're doing great as showing Link's emotions and guilt. I'm really liking this.