Before the Calamity

Legends passed down through generations tell of a never-ending battle between a brave warrior, a princess who carries the blood of the Goddess and a mighty, foul beast known as Ganon. The warrior, bound by the hero’s spirit, has always been tasked to defeat this monster, chosen by the three golden goddesses through the Master Sword.

It all began when a powerful, wicked demon strived to take over the world beneath the clouds and destroy the three goddesses' work. The demon was stopped, but swore up and down he would haunt the warrior and the princess for the rest of time. Because of this curse, the entity was bound to be reborn to only be overwhelmed by his uncontrollable anger and hate. It seemed as time passed, his power diminished, and slowly, this man-beast known as Ganon became a work of fiction — and rarely was he seen for thousands and thousands of years.

That did not mean, however, that he wouldn’t come back. The last known revival of Ganon was 10,000 years ago, where he was promptly defeated by a flourishing, advanced Hyrule thanks to Sheikah technology. Autonomous legions of Guardians and the indispensable Divine Beasts guided by four of the five Champions easily won against the monstrosity that Ganon had become, but it was the princess born with Hylia’s gift and the hero, the final Champion, with the sword of evil’s bane, that sealed away the threat without struggle. There was no way Ganon could return for ages — and they were right…

But the King was afraid. Afraid of what the Sheikah might do. Without them, Ganon's siege would have been a different story, with many casualties like legends past, but this also meant the Sheikah were more advanced than his people. They could overthrow him if they dared. Soon the praised technology was outcast, and buried deep underground. The Sheikah were forced to make a difficult decision; abandon their magic and live normal lives like Hylians, or be shunned and banished from all the rest of Hyrule.

There was a split in the race, and the exiled souls took on the name Yiga that festered their hate for Hyrule and planned to resuscitate Ganon, desperate for revenge… and if they got their technology back, they might even control him.

Thousands of years passed, and even as the Yiga numbers dwindled, a prophecy was finally determined; Calamity Ganon would be revived in the coming decade. The only way to defeat him was said to lay dormant beneath the ground, and the current king, a strong headed man named Rhoam, demanded to begin excavations.

Hyrule was now on the path to defeat Ganon just as their ancestors once were, and research on the uncovered mechanics began immediately. The Yiga became aware of this, and that made the excavations far more dangerous than they had to be when they began prowling, knowing only the royal blood of the goddess stood in their way. The princess’s training became a risk that Hyrule’s King and Queen had to be willing to take. King Rhoam was determined to keep his land safe; and at any cost. Queen Eleanor possessed the sacred gift she would teach her young daughter, but before she could… tragedy struck Hyrule’s royal family without warning. The King’s dear wife died of an unknown illness, and he had to act as king, and not as father. Princess Zelda was forced to train alone in the bitter springs of Hyrule, yet she couldn’t seem to grasp her inherited powers without the guidance of her mother, and was soon a coming-to-nothing to her people.

Years passed without the princess making progress, but then a beacon of hope shone upon Hyrule once again that not only verified the prophecy, but caused a stir among the denizens all over Hyrule. A young boy, well-renowned for his skills in swordsmanship, besting men twice his size by the age of four, was blessed with the ancient, long lost sword that hadn’t been seen in ten thousand years.

The Master Sword.

This was a pivotal moment in history, and forever changed Hyrule and the boy’s own life. He no longer had the luxury of staying in Hateno Village with his family and friends. He met Princess Zelda formally, and was blessed by the king. He was then tasked to train in Hyrule Castle, yet it seemed like he was the one guiding his fellow soldiers. Years passed, and he became the face of Hyrule, almost like the son King Rhoam never had. Second highest in command, leader of leaders and advisor to General Getrian.

Now, he stood as a captain of the Royal Guard at Hyrule Castle, admired for his beautiful blade, powerful upbringing, and new status as an appointed Champion. With his serious blue eyes, blank expression, and soldier’s uniform, he truthfully, but internally, wondered if he would be enough if Princess Zelda was unable to grasp her sacred power.

They had yet to choose the other Champions. Hopefully they could give both him and the princess hope in defeating this… Calamity Ganon.