[hr][center][h2]The History of Hyrule[/h2][/center][hr]
[i]Before time, and spirits, and life, there was only the Heavens, and Chaos. Then, three Golden Goddesses descended upon the Chaos: Din, the Goddess of Power; Nayru, the Goddess of Wisdom; and Farore, the Goddess of Courage. The three Goddesses frowned upon the Chaos, and sought to form it into something beautiful that could exist alongside their Heavens. To this end, they infused the Chaos with their own powers, cultivating it to their desires: Din, with her strong, flaming arms, shaped the land and gave form to the red earth, thus creating the land that would be known as Hyrule. Nayru, with her wise heart, poured her wisdom unto the earth, giving the spirit of law to the world, and establishing Order in what had been Chaos, creating the laws of science and magic that would govern the universe. Farore, with her rich soul, gave life to Hyrule, creating the beings that would walk the earth, fly among the skies, and swim in the waters. And thus, Hyrule was created.

With Hyrule created, the Three Goddesses birthed the Hylians, the Chosen Race that would uphold their laws and govern Hyrule, and Hylia, their patron deity, who would watch over Hyrule. Their labors then completed, the three Golden Goddesses departed for the heavens, flying far up into the sky beyond the scope of the universe - and at the point of their departure from the realm of Hyrule, the Triforce was created, a powerful, sacred artifact that held the virtues of Power, Wisdom, and Courage in balance. Legends would tell of the Triforce, the most sacred relic of Hyrule, and its power - the power to grant the wish of any who held Power, Courage, and Wisdom in equal balance within their heart while holding the Triforce. With the Goddesses gone, Hylia was left to watch over Hyrule and cultivate the life that had been seeded; slowly, but surely, Hyrule blossomed.

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Centuries passed. The people of Hyrule grew and matured, watched over by the Spirits, the Goddess Hylia, and the three Golden Goddesses. Peace reigned, and the races sent regular diplomats and emmisaries to maintain good relations between the provinces and tribes of Hyrule. However, peace was not to last; far to the west, deep in the Gerudo Desert, a man was born to the Gerudo Tribe - Ganondorf. His strength and magic far exceeded any other member of the tribe, and in fear of his power, he was cast out into the north of the desert. He traversed the Haunted Wasteland, visiting the Forsaken Pyramid, and then turned south, passing the Arbiter's Grounds as he travelled back to the Gerudo Valley. Upon his return, his strength was unquestioned, and he seized kingship over the Gerudo Tribe - Ganondorf, King of Thieves, his rule only just beginning.

Ganondorf craved power. His rule over the desert was not enough. He traveled to Hyrule Castle, seeking a false alliance with the Hylian Royal Family - in truth, Ganondorf had heard of the legends of the Triforce, and the power it granted, and he began to develop a plan to seize it, wanting to infiltrate the Sacred Realm and hold the Triforce. While he developed his plan, Princess Zelda was born, and Link's mother left him in the Kokiri Forest under the care of the Great Deku Tree. Unknown to any of the three, their paths would soon cross, and be forever interwoven.

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Ganondorf knew that the path to the Sacred Realm, and the Triforce within it, was sealed in the Temple of Time behind the Door of Time, kept shut by four keys that he would need to collect and use in combination to open the Door - the three Spiritual Stones and the Ocarina of Time, with the Master Sword in its pedestal acting as the final seal. Ganondorf knew of the Ocarina, but it would be useless without the Stones, and so he set out to seize the one stone he knew about - The Kokiri Emerald. He traveled to the Forest and visited the Great Deku Tree, demanding the Stone - but the Tree knew the evil desire in Ganondorf's heart, and denied him his coveted key. In anger, Ganondorf cursed the Tree and fled the Forest, seeking the other Spiritual Stones.

The Great Deku Tree summoned Link, now a child, and beseeched him to seek out the Stones so that Ganondorf could not. The Tree granted the Emerald unto Link, and instructed him to seek out the Goron's Ruby and the Zora's Sapphire, sending the fairy Navi with him as a companion and guide - and then passed, Ganondorf's curse claiming him. 

With the Great Deku Tree's words in mind, and Navi's guidance, Link collected the remaining Spiritual Stones, and then sneaking into Hyrule Castle to obtain the Ocarina of Time, meeting Princess Zelda for the first time as he did so. Zelda had prophecised Link's arrival in a dream, and willingly gave him the final key to the Door of Time so that he could use the Master Sword to protect the Triforce from Ganondorf - but it was too late. Ganondorf had been watching Link, allowing him to collect the Spiritual Stones, knowing Link would be given the keys that he could not take. He let Link open the Door of Time and take the Master Sword from its pedestal. 

The Master Sword recognized Link, the destiny that was laid out before him and the courage in his heart - but he was young, too young to wield the Sword to defend Hyrule, and so he was frozen in time until he became of age. Ganondorf saw his opportunity and seized it, infiltrating the Sacred Realm and touching the Triforce, ready to have his darkest desires granted - but the Triforce was only for those who held its virtues in balance, and Ganondorf possessed only Power, with little Wisdom or Courage. In a divine cataclysm, the Triforce split - Link and Zelda received the pieces of Courage and Wisdom respectively, while Ganondorf held the Triforce of Power - which, in Link's absence, still granted him the immense magic to tear Hyrule Castle asunder, erecting his own dark fortress on the site of its destruction, and conquering the land for himself, cursing the Temples of the Six Sages, knowing their combined power was the only threat to his rule.

It was seven long, dark years before the Master Sword unsealed Link. Zelda had gone into hiding, and when Link awoke, only Rauru, the Sage of Light, was there to aid him. Link set out to slay the monsters that infested the Six Temples of the Sages, breaking the curses and awakening the new Sages. With all six Sages returned to power, Zelda revealed herself to Link, and together, they challenged Ganondorf. Link defeated him in a duel of sword and magic, but in his last throes, Ganondorf's Triforce of Power unleashed its magic and transformed him into a monstrous, nigh-invincible beast: Ganon, the Demon King. He attempted to slay Link, but with Zelda, Navi, and the Six Sages, Link fought and won, plunging the Master Sword into Ganon's head, and with the combined might of the Sword and the Sage's magic, sealed Ganon forever in the now-darkened Sacred Realm, the Triforce piece of Power with him, while the pieces of Courage and Wisdom remained with Link and Zelda. Peace returned to Hyrule in Ganon's defeat, and the land began to rebuild itself once more.

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Eight years went by. Link and Zelda passed their adolescence and began their young adulthood. Link began courting Malon of Lon Lon Ranch, eventually getting engaged as the couple's friendship blossomed into a deep love, while Princess Zelda practiced and prepared to take her place upon the throne of Hyrule Castle to rule her kingdom and guide her people. Hyrule was calm, and Link and Zelda remained loyal to the people and the safeguarding of the land.

Their loyalty was soon demanded of them.

Evil rose from the East, from deep within the thick, dark treeline of the Lost Woods. A vile, ancient Demon known only as Majora, taking the form of a mask and using a Kokiri child known as Mido as a host, had emerged from unknown realms. Majora invaded Hyrule, despising the peace that has prospered there and hating the people for the love shown to them by the Goddesses - in petty anger and bitter jealousy, Majora called down the very Moon itself to fall and destroy Hyrule in three days, cursing the Four Giants, Guardians of the Land, and sealing them within terrible masks to prevent them from saving Hyrule.

Link knew that he was once again needed by Hyrule. Setting out, he trekked across the land and slew the creatures that had been created by the Masks of the Giant's curse, freeing them one by one and then calling them to his aid - they gathered, and caught the moon in the final hour of its descent, stopping it from destroying Hyrule. Majora, furious and manic, gathered its power and shed its host, Mido, now strong enough to act of its own accord. Mido stood by Link, withering but defiant - he used the last of his Forest-born life-force to infuse Link's sword with magical power, the power of hope and innocence and the essense of Nature itself. Link fought Majora, and struck it down. Entreating Navi and Zelda, the three used their magic to seal Majora back within the mask it had chosen as an avatar, locking away its power and hatred, and saving Hyrule. The mask was cast into the desert to be forgotten and its powers un-abused, and Link's sword was returned to Kokiri Village, as the only remains of Mido. Hyrule grew quiet once more.

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Hyrule enjoyed two years of peace, spending the time rebuilding their kingdom, and undoing the damage sowed by the Demon Majora. Link and Malon married, and Princess Zelda became Queen, receiving the crown and appointing Link as Hyrule's First Knight in her first act as ruler. The people looked forward to Zelda's rule, her wisdom known throughout the kingdom, as much as Link's courage.

Both were soon needed.

Peace was interrupted by the sudden appearance of Midna - the Queen of the Twili - in Hyrule Castle's throne room, weak and near-death, suffering from some terrible curse placed upon her. She begs for Zelda - and when the Queen of Hyrule meets the Queen of the Twilight Realm, she is warned of a coming invasion by Zant, the Usurper King. Hyrule is to prepare for war.

Zant soon arrives through the Twilight Mirror, swathing across the land sowing chaos and destruction, backed by an army of mysterious and terrifying Shadow Beasts, the cursed inhabitants of the Twilight Realm. Zant makes examples of the leaders of the realm, and marched upon Hyrule Castle itself. Seeing the slaughter of her people should she resist, Zelda surrendered to Zant's invasion. Hyrule was his.

Link, however, remained free. With Zelda's aid, Link travelled Hyrule in secret, helping the people and rallying their spirits to fight back against Zant. With Hyrule behind him, Link stormed Zant's twisted throne, ousting the Usurper King and defeating him, breaking his curse upon Midna. With the true Twilight Ruler returned to power, Midna and Zelda cast Zant back into the Twilight Realm and freed both Hyrule and the Twili he had twisted into his army - and then, in a final act to ensure no more strife between kingdoms, shattered the Twilight Mirror completely. Hyrule, and the Twilight Realm, returned to solitary peace.

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Since then, Hyrule has known serenity. Its people lived in happiness, once again rebuilding what they had lost, bringing Hyrule back even stronger and greater than before. Zelda ruled as well as her parents knew she would, bringing Hyrule new prosperity; Link watched over the land in his own way, and every year they both ensured the kingdom would remain safe from the enemies that had threatened it before.

Years have passed. Link and Zelda have grown old, and near their last years. Link, Hyrule's ever-faithful protector, wishes to take one last pilgrimage across the kingdom, revisiting the land he saved three times over, and to visit the six sages and their temples to pay his last respects to old friends. Such a journey was a worry on both Malon and 
Zelda, but Link assured them both of his still-present strength, and his safety. He soon departed on his journey, the route mapped, and the time planned upon - a trip of six months.

It has been eight.

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