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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. 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 orginize 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 nowhere to be found nor was it bothering anyone anymore. 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 took this matter into their own hands and fought back themselves. Their aid to their 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 civilians, but I was obliged to agree. 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 said nothing about 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 concerned for me. She kept scilent 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 responce, 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 lakebed 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 scilent for a minute as she pondered on what she had just heard. I continued to stare at her, waiting for her responce and bracing myself to be told to settle down and eat. At last, she finally answered, "You do have truth in your logic, I must admit. A simple monster is never truely the root of the problem when such a problem occurs. But fret not, Princess. 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. As of the moment we do not know anything more than what was given. If more is to come, it will come. Then we shall act."

     I nodded to her. I still could not quell my thoughts completely, but at 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 percieved 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 bath instead. Bathing in warm 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 am... 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 interupted 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 Horse Ghosts! 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 a demanding tone. "It is not possible for Ganondorf to be amung us!"

     "I wish I were mad, Mistress! I wish that I was so deluded that I would think something of the sort. But all who have seen him will tell you the same thing."

     "Not again..." I breathed softly to myself in dispair. "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 intensly heated already. Their stratagy is well orginized."

     "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."

     "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 turn my eyes away from the window. What my eyes percieved 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 seige, 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, I could tell it was an enormous horse. This led me to fear the size of its rider.

     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 strolled wearily back to my throne and sat upon it. It was so scilent 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.

     "Fear not, Your Highness!" the guard at my right said to me, stamping his spear onto the floor. "If anyone can stop the mysterious enemy, it will be Hyrule."

     "Yes! Yes!" the guard at my left 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 up. 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 him, 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. 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. He became out of the archers' range and began striking the Castle doors. 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. Majesticly, 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 baracades.

     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. 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 right. The guard at my left hollered and rushed forward to the enemy. 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 a dark brown. Darker than even the Gerudo women of the desert. His face was unique with high cheekbones, prominant eyebrows and a wide, devilish grin. His eyes were red closest to the pupil but haunting yellow at the rim of the iris. His hair was as red as blood which connected to his flaring eyebrows and thick mutton-chop beard. His hair overall was flaring out and ceased its flow at his shoulderblades in a mullet style. Though with a receeding hairline that bared his forehead, he did not have the appearance of being old. A large amythist jewel was on his forehead. Connected to this were two tiny chains that were pulled into his hair. What they were connected to, I did not see. His torso was very muscular with a massive chest and solid abs which intimidated me greatly. His arms were very large with muscle, making him appear very strong. His hands were huge and his fingers are thick with black fingernails. On the back of his right hand, a dark red symbol of the Triforce was present. His legs were long, strong and thick.

     His clothing was also very awe-striking. He carried earrings on his earlobes that hung down, dragon claw-like silver fixtures grasping purple gems. At his collar bone, another ornate silver plate stretched across, holding three large purple, translucent gems. Below that was a small, sand-tan drapery with symbols enscripted in dark purple writing. At the core of his clothes was a body-suit as dark as coal. The body-suit covered his entire body from his ankles and wrists to his neck. Tiny purple gems dotted their way down the outside of his arms colinear to a silver stripe. Over the black body-suit was a limbless body-suit; dark purple and cuts off at the top of his chest in oppiset diagonal cuts. This was trimed with an even darker purple color. Wrapped around his forearms were sand-tan wraps that started at the wrist and ended towards the elbow. At the elbow, two long strands of said wraps hung loosely. On the outmost side of his forearms were two black armor plates with silver trim. They were bound to the forearms by thick black straps. Black patches with a silver emblem patched themselves on the backs of his hands on the black finger-less gloves. Across his waist was a black belt that held a silver emblem on either side of his abs. Attaching those together was yet another drapery like the one near his neck. Like his counter part Ganondorf, holding onto his legs were dark purple leggings but at the thighs, they were open and loose. Trimmed with darker purple, they matched the fashion of his outer bodysuit. His knee-high boots were strong and sturdy, bareing black armored rims at the top with a large plate over the knees. The plate boasted a curved silver spike. Clinging to the armor in front and in back were more draperies. All around the armor piece that covers his calves were tiny silver spikes. Little silver dots lined the perimeter of the armor. Under the said armor and to the foot of the boots were the same type of wrappings as those on his forearms. The foot of the boots had black soles and purple covers with three black overlays that were like steel. A sturdy black belt-like fixture attached from one ankle to the other. The most noticable feature was the black mantel he wore 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 line silver spikes and in front, the mantel came down in two parts. A silver spike ending both parts made me shiver. This was what the chest silver plate of jewels was attached to. Linked to that on either side was a small cap-like armor piece that protects the top of his shoulders. The outmost pieces were large shoulder plates that bore three long spikes of silver. All the armor pieces were trimmed with silver lining. Attaching to a part of the armor on the upper back, a cape, black in the back and red underneath, cascaded down and hung just above the floor.

     I was nearly parylized in fear as he approached me. As his heavy boots hit the stone floor, I did not know whether the sound I heard from them was indeed from them or my own pounding heart. He grinned at me as I stepped backward, but still he advanced. At last, he spoke with a deep and menacing voice.

     "Princess Zelda..." he addressed in an implying manner. "I see you have rebuilt what was fallen many years ago. Too bad I missed the grand opening, or 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."

     "Who... who are you?" I studdered. "W-what do you want?"

     "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.

     "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, no." He reached out and grabbed me by my throat with his monsterous hand. I almost could not breathe as he lifted me up. I wiggled and struggled to break free but my efforts were in vain. He continued his speach, "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!"