Over the fertile, green hills of Hyrule, Link rode on the back of his favorite steed, Epona. The wind whipped by them, the hero's cap and the horse's mane flapping wildly. The rider urged the animal to run faster as the Castle of Hyrule came into view.
Once inside the gates, Link dismounted and headed for the throne room. The King had requested an audience with him, and Link did not want to keep him waiting. Princess Zelda was seated beside her father in her casual attire*, waiting for the hero as well. Once Link arrived, the audience began.
"You wanted to see me, Your Majesty?" Link bowed.
"Yes." the king gestured for him to rise. "It's a matter of honor and intrigue."
"We have received a message from another world of an important tournament." Zelda smiled. "And they have asked you to attend."
"Me?" the hero blinked. "Why? And what sort of tournament is this?"
"We understand it is an anything-goes sort of tournament." Zelda answered, holding out a piece of paper to him. "Here, have a look."
Link took the paper from Zelda's hands and examined it carefully. Details of the tournament were very vague, but instructions on how to get there were not. He was to wait on the top of the highest tower of Hyrule Castle three days from the present. The hero eyed the paper suspiciously, then turned to the King and his daughter.
"You're Majesties," he began. "With respect, how can we be sure that this isn't an ambush by some enemy or other looking to take over the kingdom?"
"For one thing," Zelda smirked gently. "Gannon's gone and secondly, the letter arrived via the Great Portal, which is inaccessible to those unassociated with the Triforces. Don't worry, it's legitimate."
"Then I accept the challenge." Link nodded politely. "I will wait on the appointed day in the tower."
With that, Link was dismissed from the court. He returned to his quarters, the tournament letter still in his hands. As he lay down in bed, he could think of nothing other than the upcoming tournament. What kind of warriors would be there? Would he be up to par with them? Was it a death match? Taking these things into consideration, Link got up from his bed and began preparing for his trip, wherever it would take him.
Three days came and went, and Link was standing atop the highest tower of the castle at noon, as the letter had instructed. Saying his good-byes to Zelda and the others had been difficult for him, but he forced himself to believe that he would be returning and that everything would be back to normal after the tournament.
In the midst of his thoughts, a column of light suddenly surrounded him and lifted him from where he stood. The light grew brighter and brighter until, finally, it disappeared and dropped him hard on the ground. Link's butt was smarting from the fall, but his mind got an even greater shock when he finally got a good look around him. Wherever he was, it was very much like Hyrule, yet… different. The castle was not the same as he remembered it, and appeared to be set up like… an arena?
"Where am I?" Link said to himself.
~~~~~
* By Zelda's casual attire, I mean the clothes that she wore in the Zelda cartoon series. She just looks so cool in that outfit!
This is Chapter 1. Where would you like to go next?
