C-1.2

< POV: ??? >

'Finally, I'm here… I mean why would he even wait up here!?!? First, he sends me to do those damn shrines and now he wants me to climb this damn church as well? Yes, it wasn't the most difficult thing I did… but still! He could have just waited below. Why would that old man do this to me? Have I done anything to him?' 

Waking up without any memories, after about a century of sleep, isn't quite as bad as you would think. At least not for her and she is also slowly starting to start remembering some things. Although hearing voices inside her head doesn't bode too well for, she guesses. These orbs or whatever those monks gave her seemed to help somewhat. Still, she was only barely able to suppress her whine and no she didn't pout… no matter what anyone else says, they are all lying. 

Definitely.

Finally pulling herself up completely and coming to face the man responsible for most of her troubles. And he still had his walking stick (lamp?) and that damn cloak of his, which is unable to hide his quite impressive looking beard and that nose of his, which is really, really big if she's honest. 

"You damn old man. Have I done something to you, or do just like to bully any girl you come across?"

"Hahahha. Well, done there, young one!"

'Young one? After sleeping for a hundred years?!? And did he just completely ignore me?

Well at least he didn't call me old…'

"Now then… The time has come to show you who I truly am. I was King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule. I was… the last leader of Hyrule. A kingdom which no longer exists. "

'Yeah sure.'

And then he started glowing…

'Glowing? Really, old man? You think this will make me believe you're a king? Nu-uh. But this is quite bright to be honest…'

And so, she did what any normal person would do, when looking at what seemed to be a sun in the making and looking away. As soon as the world became a lot darker again and she looked at the old man again…

 Who now has an even more regal beard, a crown, a lot of extremely expensive looking clothing, what with all the gold inlaid in it and finally… flames? And he is floating? Now that is not normal. Or at least she thinks so. Maybe sleeping so long made fire less dangerous but still in her books the air doesn't just catch fire without any reason, and she doesn't think that that changed if she's being honest.

'Now that looks more like a king.'

"The Great Calamity was merciless…

It devastated everything in its path, lo, a century ago. It was then that my life was taken from me. And since that time, here I have remained in spirit form. I did not think it wise to overwhelm you while your memory was still fragile. So rather than that, I thought it best to assume a temporary form. Forgive me.

I think you are now ready. Ready to hear what happened 100 years ago.

To know Calamity Ganon's true form, one must know the story from an age long past. The demon king was born into this kingdom, but his transformation into Malice created the horror you now see."

He started to explain, while pointing at the castle and the ghost like being flowing around it. Seeing it now changed something in her and her head started to pound as if something buried deep within wanted to get out and see the daylight once again. And then she started to see visions, memories, of a time long past, of a man, looking a lot like the old man in front of her, sitting atop a throne and commanding others to start… digging for something?

Then the vision changes and she see him again but this time, standing in front of her. Standing beside him is a girl, with beautiful blond hair and just as good-looking clothes. She starts saying something and then bows, the old man following her, he too starts talking and this time she hears something.

"Thank you for saving Zelda from these damn Yiga Assassins, Linkle. We will forever be in your debt."

As soon as she hears the name Zelda she starts to remember. They were best friends, and they were always at each other's side. She was also supposed to protect her, as was her duty as the personal knight of the princess herself. And so, she protected her to her very last breath fighting against hordes of guardians? Yes guardians. They were running to somewhere she couldn't remember but she could remember how they had something akin to a last stand at a giant wall. She alone fought hundreds of these guardians, which felt wrong, almost like she shouldn't have fought alone, but she couldn't remember with whom? Maybe Zelda had another guard? She really doesn't remember. Anyways, she tried her best, but it wasn't enough, and, in the end, she fell after taking a blow for her princess, then everything went bright and then completely black…

She really wanted to think a bit more about her now partly recovered memories, but the old man, 'no King Rhoam, I guess,' didn't give her time for that and continued to explain.

"Stories of Ganon were passed from generation to generation in the form of legends and fairy tales. But there was also… a prophecy."

"The signs of a resurrection of Calamity Ganon are clear. And the power to oppose it lies dormant beneath the ground." 

"We decided to heed the prophecy and began excavating large areas of land."

'So that is why he commanded those people to dig up something, because of that Calamity…'

"It wasn't long before we discovered several ancient relics made by the hands of our distant ancestors. These relics, the Divine Beasts, were giant machines piloted by warriors. We also found the Guardians, an army of mechanical soldiers who fought autonomously."

'Yes, I remember those... were they supposed to help? Did Zelda and I do something worth being pursued for?' she thought, 'probably not… he wouldn't talk to me if we did. Although he did send me on a fetch quest for him….' She could almost feel how she didn't like thinking the last part and he did seem to be a good person in her one memory of him, although people can be different in some situations, she supposed. 

She again thought back to the Guardians, which, she supposed, should guard people and her back started itching, exactly where she was hit while protecting Zelda. 'Well that bodes well…' But once more he either doesn't notice how much he gives her to think about or he just ignores it.

"This coincided with ancient legends, oft repeated throughout our land. We also learned of a princess with a sacred power and her appointed knight, chosen by the sword that seals the darkness. It was they who sealed Ganon away using the power of these ancient relics. One hundred years ago, there was a princess set to inherit a sacred power and a skilled knight at her side. It was clear that we must follow our ancestors' path. We selected four skilled individuals from across them with the duty of piloting the Divine Beasts. With the princess as their commander, we dubbed these pilots Champions – a name that would solidify their unique bond. " 

Another memory, this time with her and 4 others, 2 left and 2 right from her, kneeling in front of Zelda. 'Them.' she thought, 'I was supposed to fight with them. So why was I only with Zelda?' This time she didn't even hope that King Rhoam stopped for a moment.

"The princess, her appointed knight, and the rest if the Champions were on the brink of sealing away Ganon…

But nay… Ganon was cunning, and he responded with a plan beyond our imagination. He appeared from deep below Hyrule Castle, seized control of the Guardians and the Divine Beasts, and turned them against us."

'Ah so that is why… but…'

"He controlled the Divine Beasts? Weren't the other Champions supposed to control these?"

She swears he gave her THAT look. But of course, he didn't stray from his story and just continued to tell it. 

"The Champions lost their lives." 

'Ok maybe I should just let him finish and then ask questions.' Who would have thought? He didn't stop for even a second, again.

"Those residing in the castle as well. The appointed knight, gravely wounded, collapsed while defending the princess… And thus, the kingdom of Hyrule was devastated absolutely by Calamity Ganon. However, …"

'Now he pauses, for dramatics?!? I swear I will…'

"The princess survived… to face Ganon alone."