The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Novelization

When Link’s senses returned to him, he was standing knee-deep in the waters of Faron Spring. Above the treetops, the moon shone bright, and countless stars scattered across the sky. It felt like he had been trapped in the Forest Temple forever. In truth, only a few hours had passed. “Heroic Link,” Faron’s disembodied voice spoke, “do not think that Hyrule is saved from the spread of Twilight. Leave these woods and head to the east, where you will find the land protected by the spirit Eldin. There you will find those you seek.” Link’s heart fluttered with joy, but the feeling passed quickly. The children could be anywhere. Were they safe? He had to find them. Until he knew they were unharmed, their fate would haunt his every step. “Know that these lands lie in Twilight. They are now a dark realm,” Faron warned. “If you set foot beyond the curtain of Twilight, you will revert to your beast form.” The Light Spirit’s words left a heavy feeling in Link’s gut. The thought of reliving that nightmare again made him nauseous, especially after spending so little time as a human. Still, he reminded himself why he endured it. The children were counting on him, and that was enough to strengthen his resolve. “O hero chosen by the goddesses, Hyrule’s fate rests in your courageous hands. Good luck.” With that, Faron’s voice faded into the wind, leaving Link alone in the spring. He stared into the water until the shadow at his feet stirred in the moonlight. From it emerged Midna’s shadowy form. Link rubbed his brow in quiet irritation. It seemed he would never get a moment of peace. “That’s better. Searching should be much easier now,” Midna said with a satisfied nod. “Of course, you’re going to help the other Light Spirits, aren’t you?” Her sharp voice grated on Link. Did she really care so little about what was happening to Hyrule? To Midna, everything seemed to revolve around her own goals. “Well don’t worry. When you turn into a beast again, I’ll take good care of you,” Midna assured with a wink. Link nodded silently, unsure what to say. Midna giggled at his awkwardness before slipping back into his shadow. Link turned from the spring with a quiet sigh. Why was she so cold? Perhaps one day he would learn the truth. For now, he had to keep moving. It was then that Link realized how exhausted he was. He had not slept since waking in the dungeons of Hyrule Castle, and the weariness weighed heavily on his legs. Rusl always said that tiredness led to foolish mistakes. Link needed rest, and he knew just the place. A few minutes later, Link reached Coro’s house. He knocked on the door of the small shack, and the salesman answered shortly after. Coro yawned tiredly, but his face lit up when he saw Link standing outside. “You’re back!” “I didn’t wake you, did I?” Coro shook his head and stepped aside, motioning him in. “Not at all. I was just dozing off. Did you find what you were looking for in Deep Faron?” Link managed a small nod before sinking into one of the dining room chairs. The strain of the day had finally overtaken him. Coro’s cheerful expression quickly softened into worry, but Link lifted a hand to reassure him. “I’m just tired. Is it alright if I stay here for the night?” “Of course,” Coro said. “I’ve got an extra bed for when my sisters come by. It’s yours tonight.” Link mumbled his thanks and made his way to the spare bed in the corner of the shack. He climbed onto the stiff cot, the rough blanket scratching lightly against his arms. The quiet crackle of the candle and the soft rustling of leaves outside the shack were the last things he noticed before sleep claimed him. * It was one of his favourite memories, and not a distant one. Link and Ilia sat together at Ordon Spring as the sun dipped toward the horizon, painting the water with gold. Link felt completely at peace as Ilia rested her head against his shoulder, her eyes fixed on the shimmering surface of the spring. “Link, I wish I could spend every day like this,” she said softly. “Me too.” Link sat beside Ilia in comfortable silence for what felt like hours, wishing the moment would never end. When he glanced at her, though, his mood faltered. The peaceful look on her face had faded, replaced with quiet sadness. Something was troubling her. “What’s wrong?” Link asked. “If something were to happen to me…how far would you go to save me?” Where did that come from? “Ilia, nothing’s going to happen to you.” “But if it did?” “I’d do anything to keep you safe.” Ilia smiled and embraced Link. “Thank you.” The memory of that evening at Ordon Spring crumbled away like dust carried on the wind. Link now lay on his back in the spring, staring up at a cloudless afternoon sky. What’s going on? He tried to sit up, but his body would not obey. Dread quickly took root, the unmistakable feeling that something terrible was about to happen. Then Ilia screamed. The sound shattered the invisible weight holding him down. Link lurched upright, and dread gripped him when he saw a Shadow Beast clutching Ilia by the neck. She clawed weakly at the monster’s arm as it tightened its grip, strangling her. Ilia reached out desperately to Link. “Help me!” Unarmed and rooted in place, Link felt a crushing wave of helplessness wash over him. He tried to scream, but his voice refused to come. Ilia’s eyes went blank. The Shadow Beast cast her lifeless body aside like discarded cloth. Slowly, the creature’s plated head turned toward Link. Its tendrils twisted lazily in the breeze as it began to creep closer. Link tried to scream again. Nothing came. The Shadow Beast reached out with its black hand, and the world vanished into darkness. Link’s vision returned in an instant, and he found himself standing in a dimly lit corridor. Regal blue carpet stretched across the marble floor, while tall arching windows of stained-glass lined the walls. “Link…” The hairs on the back of Link’s neck rose as he turned. Princess Zelda lay sprawled on the marble behind him. Her cloak had been torn open, and a spreading pool of blood stained the floor beneath her waist. Link rushed to her and fell to his knees. No…please…! Not you too! Suddenly Zelda’s hand shot out and seized Link’s wrist. He gasped sharply as she looked up at him with desperate eyes. “Why didn’t…you save us?” she choked between ragged coughs. “I…I don’t know,” Link whispered helplessly. “I don’t think I can.” Zelda stared at him for one last moment. Then her grip on his wrist weakened. Her eyes closed, and her head fell back against the cold marble floor. * “Zelda!” Link shot upright in bed, his heart hammering in his chest. He drew in a shaky breath and wiped sweat from his forehead. It was just a dream… He looked down at his shaking hands, almost expecting to see Zelda’s blood on them, but they were clean. It felt so…real. As his breathing steadied, Link clenched his fists and climbed out of bed. The sun had just begun to rise, and birds sang cheerful morning songs from their perches in the treetops. Despite the calm, Link found little comfort. He could not stop thinking about the nightmare, and the promise he had made to Ilia that evening at Ordon Spring. I’d do anything to keep you safe. The words felt like another broken promise. He had failed to protect Ilia when the monsters attacked, and now she and the children were in danger. Link had sworn he would do whatever it took to rescue them…but was he fooling himself? Could he save them without abandoning his duty as the chosen hero? Princess Zelda’s accusation still echoed in Link’s mind. Hyrule was depending on him to stop the Twilight, yet he had not even been able to defend his own village. How was he supposed to save an entire kingdom? There had been hardly any time for Link to accept his destiny. No one understood the burden he was being forced to carry. He felt out of his depth and utterly alone. Link reached into the pouch on his belt and pulled out a small piece of bread. He had no appetite, but he forced himself to eat it anyway. When he finished, he gathered his belongings and quietly made his way to the front door. He needed to get moving. Maybe the open road would help him forget the nightmare. “Leaving so soon?” Link turned to see Coro sitting up in bed, his eyes barely open. He yawned groggily, stretching his muscles before adjusting his dishevelled afro. “Sorry, I need to go,” Link whispered. “I understand,” Coro said with a small smile. “I have something for you in case you ever get lost.” He jumped out of bed and shuffled over to a small wooden cabinet near the front door. He opened it, pulled out a rolled piece of parchment, and handed it to Link. It was a map of Hyrule. Every important landmark and roadway was marked on the weathered parchment. “I travel a lot with my sisters,” Coro said, “but I think you’ll get more use out of that map than I will.” Link rolled up the parchment and tucked it into one of his belt pouches. “Thanks, Coro.” “Anytime. Good luck out there, guy. With everything going on lately…I have a feeling you’ll need it.” You don’t know the half of it, Link thought. Bidding farewell, he stepped outside and closed the door softly behind him. For a moment he simply stood there, gazing up at the pale morning sky. A cool breeze stirred his loose blond hair. Breathing out slowly, Link walked to the wooden gate across the clearing. He pushed it open, then turned to look back at the woods behind him. This was it. With that, Link set off down the road toward South Hyrule Field…