Summary: As sword competition champion, Link earns the opportunity to attempt to draw the legendary sword that seals the darkness.
The trip back to Hyrule Castle was uneventful. When I arrived back at my unit, I found a letter with the Hyrule Royal Insignia waiting for me. And she got my name right.
Link,
After you won the Hyrule Swordsmanship Championship, I mentioned another trial awaited you. Each year the winner of the competition is given an opportunity to see if they will be chosen by the sword that seals the darkness to wield it. Therefore, you will accompany me to the place the sword is kept and be given a chance to draw the sword from its resting place. We will leave in one week.
Zelda
Princess of Hyrule
That was two days from now. And when the day arrived, Princess Zelda, two Royal Guards, and I headed off to the place where the sacred sword was kept. Apparently, the exact location was a well-kept secret. The first part of the journey took us northeast past the Rauru Settlement and Military Training Camp. Her Highness rode behind the two guards, and I rode next to her. We were mostly quiet as we rode, but Princess Zelda did ask me a few questions about my family. There was little I could tell her other than about my mother and father. One thing she said we had in common was the loss of our mothers at a young age. She told me she had been making this trip for the last couple of years. When she was very young, her mother made the trip, and after her mother died, her father had, until she was old enough to take over. I got the impression this trip was viewed as something of a formality, without any expectation of success.
Eventually, we all rode into a wooded area and ended up near some sort of entrance. We dismounted, and Princess Zelda said that only she and I could proceed further. The guards would need to wait here. The area beyond the entrance was covered in fog and looked very mysterious. I couldn't imagine anyone trying to navigate in the dense fog.
"I am afraid you will need to be blindfolded. The location of the sword that seals the darkness is highly secret," said Zelda.
"I understand, Your Highness," I answered.
So, I was duly blindfolded by one of the guards, then Her Highness took me by the arm, and we walked through the woods. The path took many turns, and I had no sense of direction. Finally, she announced we had arrived, and I could remove my blindfold.
I found myself standing on a triangular stone platform with the legendary sword in front of me, the hilt and upper part of the blade visible, but the lower blade encased in stone. In appearance, it looked a good deal like the Royal Guards sword I carried. But at the moment, all I could think about was how humbling to be standing before the blade that had served the heroes of legend for countless years. In front of the pedestal was a gigantic tree that looked as old as the hills.
"Link, you may now attempt to withdraw the blade," said Zelda. "Try your best. But if you feel your strength ebbing away too quickly, you must stop at once. It would be dangerous to continue in that case. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Your Highness," I answered.
I knew that no one in living memory had been able to draw the blade, and I thought it unlikely I would either. I reached down, gripped the sword, and began pulling. I pulled as hard as I could, and at first, nothing happened, though I started to feel weaker and weaker. But as I kept pulling, I started to feel the sword move, and I sensed a small chirping sound within me. I kept on pulling, and to my and Her Highness's utter amazement, I was able to remove the sword from its resting place.
I didn't know what to do next. I stood there awkwardly with the sword in my hand, looking at it, then looking up at Princess Zelda. And she, in turn, kept staring at me with her mouth open for what seemed several minutes. I think she was trying to take in what had just happened. Then she finally spoke, and her voice was quaking in what I think was a combination of fear and excitement.
"Link, the sword has chosen you as its hero," said Zelda. "I fear this is an ill omen that Ganon's return may be imminent. But you must accept your duty to wield this sword, and should the need arise, to strike down evil and Ganon. If you accept, please raise the sword overhead and swear before Hylia. Do you accept this duty?"
I think I was still in a state of shock. I would like to think that for something so momentous, I actually considered my decision. But at the time, this did not seem like something I could or should refuse. I felt obliged to accept it. I did as she instructed, raising the sword skyward.
"I swear before Hylia to accept my duty as the wielder of the sacred sword that seals the darkness," I said.
Having taken the oath, there was no turning back now. I usually carried a Royal Guards sword, and the sheath or scabbard I wore was the right size to accommodate the new sword, so I switched it. I honestly didn't know the extent of what I had just sworn to do, but I had never shied away from a challenge before.
"We should return to Hyrule Castle," said Zelda. "This is a very serious matter. I must discuss it with my father."
As we all rode back to Hyrule Castle, everyone was very quiet, and I was still somewhat in shock. Princess Zelda was unusually quiet on the ride back, and it was clear what had just happened weighed heavily on her mind.
"I will meet with you again after I have had a chance to discuss this with my father," said Zelda.
I bowed my head and said, "Of course, Your Highness."
Zelda returned to the castle, and I went back to my guard unit. Sleeping that night was hard. I was worried about the responsibility I had just accepted. The shock was wearing off, and the reality of what had happened was sinking in. No one had drawn that sword in ages, and now it had chosen me. I tossed and turned, but eventually fell asleep.
The next morning after breakfast, word had gotten around about the sword. The captain of our unit was named Feron, and he approached me.
"Link, so you have the legendary sword everyone speaks of," said Feron. "May I see it?"
"Of course, Sir," I said. I drew the sword from its sheath and presented it to him.
Captain Feron reached for the sword, then quickly withdrew his hand.
"Ouch," he cried. "The sword stung me."
I realized then that being chosen by the sword meant I alone could wield it. The responsibility for its successful use rested entirely with me. I started practicing combat movements with it any chance I got. It was very similar in design and weight to the Royal Guards sword I usually used, and I soon got the feel of it.
Later that day, one of the Royal Guards told me Her Highness wished to see me. The guard escorted me to a room in the castle, and Princess Zelda was there. I bowed my head, but she told me to sit down.
"Link, how familiar are you with the history of Hyrule, and particularly the last attack by Ganon?" said Zelda.
"I studied history, of course, Your Highness, but is there something specific you wish to tell me about?" I said.
"Yes," she said. "Your role."
She then went on to explain all that was known about the last Ganon attack 10,000 years ago, and the role of the hero who wields the sacred sword. I had heard some of the story before, but not in as much detail as the princess told it. Since the story is well known, I won't repeat it in my notes. But in the end, the princess made it very clear that it was critical to the survival of Hyrule that I be ready to overcome Ganon when the time comes. She told me that she also needed to be ready to do her part to seal Ganon away when I had sufficiently weakened him.
"Consistent with what happened last time, we have discovered four giant ancient Sheikah devices called Divine Beasts," said Zelda. "These played a key role last time in weakening Ganon for the hero. We have also excavated many smaller devices called Guardians, which can defend us. I am hopeful these same devices can be used to aid us once again."
She then dismissed me, and I returned to my quarters.
Each day, as I thought about what Zelda had told me, I felt more and more pressure from the role that I had taken on. The princess said I was critical to the survival of Hyrule itself. That meant all the people I knew and cared about, as well as hundreds more I would never know, were all depending on me to save them.
As word traveled about my exploit in drawing the sword, I noticed people started treating me differently. I would sometimes catch a group of strangers talking about me or pointing me out as I walked by. A fortune teller's prophecy about Ganon's imminent return was circulating among the population, and they were growing fearful. I became conscious of the image I needed to project, one that would reassure anyone who saw me that their future was in good hands, and they needn't be afraid. I could not be seen as weak. People needed to have confidence that I was up to the task. So, I adopted a stern and fearless demeanor.
But while I did my best to convey an image of fearless courage, fear grew within me. Given how powerful Ganon must be, how could I be sure my skills would be adequate to the task? I didn't need to just look fearless and courageous. I needed to actually be fearless and courageous, and very skilled at combat against something very powerful. I would need to train, and train very hard and, given the fortune teller's prophecy, train very fast.
It was around this time that I started having difficulty sleeping. It was almost like I begrudged my body any rest because it took time away from my training. I became obsessed with getting better and better at combat and survival. I could not do that at the castle. It was time to venture into the wild and find more significant challenges.
I sought out the Hyrule Castle librarian and asked about any books containing recipes to restore health or stamina and obtained a copy. I memorized the recipes I might need in the wild. Finally, I spoke to Captain Feron about my training plans. Since I had acquired the sword, I was pretty much left to do what I wanted, so he had no problem giving me leave. He told me to keep him informed of my whereabouts whenever possible in case I was needed. I agreed. Then I packed my belongings and saddled up Epona. It was time to go monster hunting.