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~ Darkness Gains a Foothold ~
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     Narrator: Princess Zelda

     I recall the day it began as if it were only yesterday. In the morning of that particular day, I arose from my bed. The light from the sun gave a pink hue to the near cloudless sky. It poured in from the tall glass doors that let me walk to my round stone balcony. I breathed my greeting, "Good morning, Hyrule." as I sat up from my soft bed. I lifted the plush, royal purple sheets off of myself and stood upon the rich red carpet beside my bed after I pushed away my sheer canopy drapes. I wished not to appear lazy, so I began to dress myself immediately. My dress was quite complex and consumed time in adorning myself with it. While I usually have others to help me dress, I wished to do it myself this time... I needed this morning to be with only my thoughts; a heavy feeling came with me when I awoke that day. I slipped on first my lower skirt, white and light with just a touch of pink in its hue. It flowed down to the floor, where it was trimmed with rich stained wood brown, embroidered with swirls and leaves. Over these were ornate patterns to liven sight of the white. I covered my torso with a simple, yet elegant form-fitting pink top, held up with very thin straps at my shoulders and having a neck-line a little low, especially compared to my previous dress. Lighter pink writing lined the outside of the bottom, which was a split just under my chest and opened up to hug my hips and cover my bottom. At the base of my ribs, a little strap held the split together and let the two parts open afterward. Around my waist, I wrapped a golden link belt, which in front changed to many different and decorative golden emblems which held three shining sapphires. This was keeping up a tabard in front of my legs, designed with the Royal Family crest to show my dominion. My shoulders were covered with golden pauldrons that were in two pieces, yet joined together. The top piece had the decor of eagle's wings. The bottom displayed a large sapphire. I slipped on long white layered gloves, the bottom layer being of pure white, covering my hands completely. The top layer was designed to reveal my hand, covering only a triangle space on the back of them. The wrists were adorned with embroidery. On my feet, I wore small, white slippers.
     When my dressing was done, I then took care of my hair. I sat down in front of my wooden vanity desk, boasting a large mirror and several grooming items. It had very little in the way of cosmetic makeup, for many in the castle which include my dressers, believe I did not need such products. I, for one, was happy they think this. I stared at myself in the mirror for a minute or two. Not in prideful adoration. No, I was thinking very hard to myself. You see, this dress I was wearing was given to me on my twenty-first birthday, a present that was celebrating my age for I had become old enough to marry and become queen. While I was honored to have such a present, I could not help but feel troubled. Marriage... Was I to marry someone I did not know? Was my kingdom to be in the hands of a king foreign to the land? Would Hyrule even have its name afterward? Such thoughts plagued my mind. But I shook them off this one time and reached for my tiara which laid before me. A beautiful work of art this was! Its center piece was brilliantly designed, a golden V containing a sapphire in its vice, the bottom having a curved portion branching from the arms of the arrow-like shape. Also, a downward portion coming from the center point which would come between my eyes. One either side, four golden leaves spread across connected to a small chain that contained a back piece on the end to keep the tiara secure upon the wearer. This, I placed upon my head. Now properly dressed, I exited my chambers and left for breakfast in the royal dinning hall.
     My breakfast became interrupted when suddenly I had been notified that trouble was brewing in Hyrule once again by one of my scouts. He had told me of a monster that resided in Lake Hylia, the glorious and vast lake at the south end of Hyrule's reaches. I was distressed, for it was still so short a time of peace before evil began to come again. Impa, my attendant and adviser, told me it would be wise to organize a group of soldiers to get rid of the beast. I agreed and did just that. It took only two hours to complete the plans. Riding horses, the selected soldiers hurried into the horizon. I could just watch them go.
     The next day they returned. They told me the monster was no longer a threat for, in fact, there was no monster at all. The scout looked sheepish, but he did defend his accusation of one being there. I believed this to be so. I said the guards, "Please do not be angry with him. I am sure his claim was most sincere, but it appears the people have taken this matter into their own hands and fought back themselves. Their aid to our land is something I approve of. My only regret is your wasted time. To this, I apologize."
     They bowed to me, telling me they had no hard feelings. Impa smiled widely as she said that it was good the people were beginning to stand up against fear instead of wallowing in it. I felt that to be a little hard on our citizens, but I was obliged to agree for I could not deny what our recent history had been like. She could easily laugh it off, but I was suspicious. I did not understand why there would be a lone monster in the lake one day and then vanish the next. Though perplexing at first, it became clear to me that this wasn't even about the monster at all. No, something more was at hand. I could not give any proof to my suspicions, so I spoke nothing of it. It worried me for I could not even share my thoughts without being accused of being paranoid. What could I do? I tried to relax that day. The more I tried, the more I became uneasy. I could not let my guard down. I just could not.
     I arose the next day still in slight anxiety. I had not spoken much at all to anyone that morning, which caused Impa to become curious about my well being, for usually she would find me making conversation to anyone I met, howbeit short. She kept silent about her concerns for me until lunch time. She finally asked me, "Princess Zelda, what ails you?"
     "Whatever do you mean, Impa?" I asked in response, taken back by her question.
     "Your face is what I mean, my dear," Impa answered with softened eyes. "Your eyes do not hold their youthful and cheery glow like they once did. Only when you are upset does your shine leave you."
     "Is it really that obvious?" I asked in a disheartened tone.
     "I'm afraid it is. Being your attendant since you were a toddler, I have learned your habits such as this," Impa winked to me. "Is this about yesterday?"
     I could not answer at first. Impa still amazed me as to how she could find out my thoughts without my speaking of them. I finally gave in to her and replied, "Is it wrong for me to be concerned, Impa?"
     "Not at all, Your Highness," Impa answered. She appeared surprised at my question. "What is wrong is when you begin to have your mind wander to places it should not go. You should not be led to anxiety about a matter so small. The monster is gone, now. What more can we do to convince you?"
     "Oh, please do not misunderstand me, Impa. I do believe the monster is gone, yes, but I cannot help but feel there is more afoot than just this lake bed beast," I explained. "Whenever there was trouble in Hyrule, a simple creature was not the cause but merely a symptom. I am concerned that yet another harsh oppression is at hand for us and I do not know what to do."
     Impa remained silent for a minute as she pondered on what she had just heard. I continued to stare at her, waiting for her response and bracing myself to be told to settle down and eat. At last, she answered, "You do have truth in your logic, I must admit. A simple monster is never truly the root of the problem when such a problem occurs. But fret not, my dear. Right now, there isn't anything anyone can do. For as of the moment, no more troubles have appeared to us. We are but human and we can only act on what we know. Currently, we do not know anything more than what was given. If more is to come, it will come. Then we can act."
     I nodded to her, for what could I do but agree? Despite this, I still could not quell my ill thoughts completely. At the very least, I could finally relax a little. I knew I could not even so much as try to prevent danger from coming this time. All I could do was wait for it to come, if it was to. This time I began to trust that the Goddesses would see to it as it was meant to be. My eyes kept wandering to the window. It was getting rather dark with clouds of rain. They appeared ominous, but I could sense it was my own fear twisting how I perceived things. After lunch was finished, I requested to stay in my chambers for at least an hour to rest. I needed a little nap to help calm my nerves. Impa suggested that I take a hot bath instead, heat being. Bathing in heated water can relax the mind well, she told me. I agreed to that and bathe I did. I was able to relax my body and rest my mind. I believed at least for today, I should not work myself up so much.
     It had been hours after my bath when I had noticed that those clouds were not lightening up. To my perception, they seemed worse than before. Eerie was their shadow in the twilight of the sky. The winds howled through the windows of the throne room. My skin became chilled and my mind was restless once again. Wind was not uncommon, but this wind had a sting to it. I requested the windows be shut. It was done for me but that did not settle my nerves. It was then, a loud explosion caught my ears.
     "What was that?" I asked in a raised voice, wanting to be heard.
     "We will find out, Your Majesty!" a small group of soldiers said at once before scampering off to find out what was the cause for the tremor.
     "Impa... Is this what I was feeling before?" I asked my attendant. "My worry, I mean. Is this what I had feared would happen?"
     "Fret not, dearest Zelda. I am sure there is a better explanation for all of this," Impa said to me. "I promise you, everything will be well."
     "But... I simply cannot help this. I... I am scared," I admitted.
     "Please try to stay calm," Impa pleaded in her usual strong voice. "I said it before, and I will say it again. Everything will be-"
Unfortunately, she was interrupted by the horrified yells of guards, shouting, "A seige is being laid to the castle! An army outside is waging war upon us!"
     "Calm yourselves!" Impa commanded. "What is this army you speak of?"
     "An immense gathering of terrible things is outside the castle, throwing bombs and flaming arrows at our defenses!" a guard explained in a panic. "We're orginizing a defense plan right now. We have to hurry, or else they'll invade the market town and its people will be in even more danger!"
     After he had finished speaking, another explosion was heard from a distance.
     "No... not war. Not again!" I moaned. "We are not ready for war!"
     "Then we'll have to make ourselves ready. Hyrule has surrendered to a dark force before, but no longer will it give in," Impa stated. "How large is the army would you say?"
     "It is tremendous, Mistress Impa! Stalfos on the ghosts of horses! ReDeads at the rear and Poes as the quick-strike force! And above all... their leader resembles surprisingly like that of..." The soldier gulped in fear as he gained the courage to continue. The name he listed almost made me faint. "...Ganondorf."
"You're mad!" Impa said in tone that suggested offense. "It is not possible for Ganondorf to be among us!"
     "I wish I were mad, Mistress! I wish that I was so deluded that I would think something of the sort on my own! But all who have seen him will tell you the same thing!"
     "Not again..." I breathed softly to myself in despair, my face downcast. "Please, not again."
     "Mistress Impa!" a second soldier rushed in. "Please excuse my barging in, but I must say that our troops have been sent out and we are now defending the castle. The war is intensely heated already. Their strategy is well organized."
     "What will we do now, Impa?" I asked meekly.
     "You are the Princess, Zelda. What are your orders?" Impa asked me back. I can only guess she was trying to make me think sensibly during a heated time. I knew I had to do such a thing if I was to be a good ruler.
     "Stand archers at the tower turrets, send guards to the market town and bar the way to the Castle," I commanded. "Stand soldiers at the Castle's main floor to make a blockade for any intruders. Get the pots and tar ready if need be."
     "You heard her, men!" Impa shouted out. "Get to your posts!"
     She drew her own sword, a katana. She told me that she will personally deal with anyone who sought to harm me. Two Elite Soldiers stood beside me, one at my left and the other at my right. The throne room doors were shut and locked tight. All I could do now was wait. I stood up from my throne and cautiously stepped to the window. I did not want to look, but I wished to know what was going on. The war was a horrible sight to behold. But all the same, I could not tear my gaze away from the window. What my eyes perceived was vicious, cold blooded and painful to take in. The enemy army was a well established one and certainly well prepared. It was just as the soldier had reported: Stalfos mounted upon ghosts of horses, ReDeads in the outer rim of the siege to paralyze anyone trying to get past them, and Poes in between and setting fire to everything they could. Hyrule's soldiers came rushing out to defend the castle. Mounted Stalfos were more than happy to greet them in their own manner. That is when I saw him; their leader. Riding atop a Black Gerudo Stallion which was adorned with red cloths and steel armor, a man with red hair and wearing black armor was waiting in the back. Once the draw bridge had released the last of our defenses, the leader of the enemy suddenly swooped into action. By the swiftness of the steed, its stride being so long, I could tell it was an enormous horse. This led me to fear the size of its rider as well.
     I could watch no more. I knew that dreadful man was on his way. Because of this, I did not notice an extra figure in the meddle. I strode wearily back to my throne and nearly collapsed upon it. It was so silent inside the room, I could hear the shifting of the curtains as they settled back into place due to my releasing them.
     "What to do? What to do...?" I asked myself in worry, beginning to rub my forehead.
     "Fear not, Your Highness!" the guard at my left said to me, stamping his halberd onto the floor. "If anyone can stop the mysterious enemy, it will be Hyrule."
     "Yes! Yes!" the guard at my right spoke up, lifting his sword. "There is a reason why we are all in our positions. We shall do what we need to do!"
     I knew they meant well, but it did not cheer me much. My mind was occupied with fears of the future. I began to regret sending Link back in time, because I needed him now.
     As I was locked in my thoughts, I did not know the happenings that were taking place. The man upon the black horse barged his way through the soldiers, ignoring those who could not reach him. Five Stalfos on Horse Ghosts assembled at the same speed and in arrow formation acted as a shield in front of their master. The drawbridge tried to close and shut them out, but by an unseen force, the chains snapped and the bridge dropped open to let the devils into the town. There was someone who followed them, but no one ever saw the figure sneak inside the Castle grounds. The intruders did not harm the civilians. They did not fire arrows nor did they swing their swords. It was as if the people were not worth their effort for they only pressed onward to the Castle. They were coming for me. They soon came into view of the archers in the turrets. They fired their arrows and the Stalfos return-fired. The men in the towers were getting killed by those shots, but one by one the Stalfos fell from their horses, leaving only the master of the army alone. He dismounted his steed, which continued to race on, by jumping from its back and over the blockade the soldiers had erected. He became out of the archers' range and began striking the Castle doors with a tremendous Greatsword. The soldiers were ready and waiting to attack. The pounding stopped as suddenly as it began. The soldiers were not sure if an archer had suddenly struck the man and we had won, or if the foe had taken another route. However, the answer surprised everyone when suddenly the doors came flying off their hinges and hurled for the troops. Majestically, the dark man came strolling in, swinging his massive sword at all the soldiers that he could reach. He barged his way through many halls and barricades.
     I could feel the evil radiating from the intruder and that evil was closing in. I tried to keep calm, but my nerves were becoming more tense than ever, to the point of trembling. Soon, the throne room doors were being hammered upon. I stood up at the shock. The guards took a battle stance. The doors burst open and Impa came flying in backwards towards me. She fell upon the floor and was met by a fast sphere of dark energy which blew her aside as I screamed in terror. A second sphere of such matter came blazing through, knocking out the guard on my left. The guard at my right hollered and rushed forward to the enemy courageously. The man swung his heavy weapon to knock the sword out of the guard's hand. Then he punched the guard's stomach, causing him to bend over. He was then picked up by the throat and thrown out the window, shattering the glass and causing him to fall for a deadly drop. I heard his faint cries until they ceased all at once. I was alone. He turned his head and stared upon me with menacing eyes. It was then that I took in his details.
     His skin was an awkward color, a sort of dark brown, yet with a tone of gray that clearly was unnatural. His face was unique, if not frighteningly so, with high cheekbones, prominent muscles within his eyebrows, and a wide demonic grin with teeth that were white like a ghost. His cruel, piercing eyes were melting red closest to the pupils, which revealed a burning hatred about him, but haunting yellow at the rim of the iris. His hair was deep blood red which connected his flaring eyebrows and thick, blazing mutton-chop beard that revealed only the front of his square-like chin. Such locks were kept back and medium in length, pulled backwards in a mullet style, left to loosely hang down to his shoulder blades. Though with a receding hairline that bore his forehead, he's not with the appearance of being terribly aged. And yet, very few wrinkles at the corners of his eyes and the sides of his grimacing face told he was experienced in years. His torso was very muscular with a massive chest and solid abs which were large, but not exactly fit. This gave the appearance of his stomach being a little more outward than complimentary. His arms were sizable with muscle, suggesting power inside his limbs. His hands were large and his fingers, thick and baring black fingernails. His legs were long, strong and thick with muscle as well. His thighs were longer than his shins, but both were strong. His feet were large and sturdy, making it seem impossible to knock him over.
     His clothing was also very awe-striking. On his forehead, a gold plate with five purple gems rested in place; the center gem was large with the four surrounding ones much smaller. Attached to this forehead mount was a pair of thin gold chains traveling back into his hair. At his collar bone, another ornate gold plate stretched across, holding five large, purple, translucent gems. Below that was a small, sand tan drapery with square-like waves. At the core of his clothes was a deep dark purple body suit. The body suit covered his entire body from his ankles and wrists to his neck. Over the dark article was a limbless body suit; dark purple, yet not as dark as the undermost and cut off at the top of his chest in opposite diagonal directions. This was trimmed with a slightly darker purple color. Wrapped around his forearms were black cloths that start at the wrist and ended towards the elbow. On this were white square-like waving lines much like the drapery upon his chest. On the outer most side of the forearms were black armor plates with golden trim and shining designs inside of it. They were bound to the forearms by dark purple straps. Black patches with a golden emblem were strapped to the backs of his hands, carrying tiny golden thorns on the knuckles. Across his waist was a black belt that held a gold emblem on either side of his abdomen. His stomach was protected by black armor plates that seemed to compliment his core. Attaching the golden emblems together was yet another drapery like the one near his neck, including a longer one beneath that, which hung down to his knees while bearing a mysterious symbol in purple. Wrapped around his thighs were black cloths with white designs on them much like his forearm cloths. His boots were strong and sturdy, bearing black armored rims with a large circular plate over the knees. The plate boasted a trio of silver blades for fence-like protection. Clinging to the front of his shins were armor guards like his forearm guards, black with golden trim. All around the armor piece that covers his calves were tiny golden spikes. Seeing so many needles upon this man began to make me shiver internally. The foot of the boots had black soles and deep purple coverings on the top with three black overlays at the toe. A sturdy black belt-like fixture attached from one ankle to the other. At the sides of this belt were golden thorns that gave a small curve upwards. The most noticeable feature was the black mantel on his shoulders. It was composed of five total pieces, each linked together. The middle section laid across the back, having a tall wall-like protection for his neck. Across the base of the neck piece lined golden spikes, tiny at the face and progressively larger towards the back, and in front the mantel came down in two parts with a golden spike ending both parts. This was what the chest plate of jewels was attached to. Linked to that on either side was a small cap-like armor piece that protected the top of his shoulders. The outer most pieces were large shield-like pauldrons that bore three long spikes of gold. All the armor pieces were trimmed with gold as well. Such armor gave this man a terrifying appearance. Attached to a part of the middle mantel, a red cape draped down and hung just above the floor. The blood red interior is intimidating enough along with the black exterior complimenting its eerie impression, but the gold decor at the base and the mysterious symbol like on his front drapery continued to strike fear in me.
     I was nearly paralyzed in fear as he approached me. As his heavy boots hit the stone floor, I did not know whether the weighty clomping sound I heard from them was indeed from them or my own pounding heart. He grinned at me as I stepped backward, still advancing. At last, he spoke with a deep and menacing voice that almost left me in worse paralysis than I already was.
     "Princess Zelda..." he addressed in an implying manner and with more breath than voice. "I see you have rebuilt what was fallen but few years ago. Too bad I missed the grand opening, for I would have gotten a tour. Instead I had to find the way to the throne myself. This castle is quite confusing when you don't have a guide, you know."
     "Who... who are you?" I stuttered. "W-what do you want? What do you want so badly you would slay others for it?"
     "What do I want? Is it not obvious as to what I want?" he chuckled. "Hyrule, as it stands now, has been on the maps of this world for far too long. I have come to tear down this ancient relic of a kingdom. Many painful memories were born in this land and now I shall end it all. You are my last road block."
     "I will not surrender to a cold blooded man as yourself!" I stated as forcefully as I could, given the circumstances. Here I was, facing a man with a close appearance of Ganondorf and with a close coldness to the shrunken, blackened, frozen heart as him.
     "Foolish girl... Did I ask you to surrender?" the evil man asked me while retaining his grin. He continued to advance towards me. "I do not wish for you to surrender, Princess. Oh, no indeed." He reached out and grabbed me by my throat with his monstrous hand. I almost could not breathe as he lifted me up. I wiggled and struggled to break free as I grabbed his wrist to keep myself from being hung by my neck alone. However, my efforts were in vain. He continued his speech, "What I wish for is that you and all of Hyrule will perish once and forever! Die by the hands of Gravitor, Overlord of Shade!"