Return to Hyrule

Why am I still alive? I don't know how I am. The nightmares, they get worse and worse. I can't take it anymore. I just hope that someone will find this and let everyone know my story and name. Nintendo. That is the name I grew up with. My first console was the N64, and the first game I played was Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Me, being only three at the time, jumped with joy as I was taught how to play, and was so into it, that I even had my parents rush to the store to get me Master Quest for the GameCube. Sure there were plenty of other games that I played, my second favorite being Super Smash Bros., but LOZ was my game to play. I spent countless hours doing everything possible, until there was nothing left. I felt broken inside. Thankfully, it didn’t last long, as the age of 7th gen console was on the rise, and my parents bought me a Wii, then an Xbox 360. I played with my Wii a lot, spending hours upon hours of playing Twilight Princess. But, when the Xbox 360 entered my home, I started to think that Nintendo itself was for kids and girls who don’t game. The Wii still stayed with me through my 4 years overseas, but the GameCube was broken before my first move, and the N64 was packed away.

When I returned just a few months ago, I had found the N64, but most of its games were gone. We already suspected the movers, as they had taken other things, but what’s done is done. I was lucky enough to have LOZ:OOT still there, and as soon as got back from our storage unit, I plugged the N64 in and popped in LOZ. The game started normally, and was running smooth. I selected Wyatt, an old one my brother used.

The first cut-scenes were fine, just a few things were wrong, like text appearing at weird intervals, or missing textures, but it was fine. What really creped me out was the fact that the whole world had this ominous feeling to it as there was no background music. Like there was something amiss. I eventually got to the part in which you start playing, but I was shocked to see Link’s house. It was in shambles. The once peaceful and calm home was now simply a hole, stuck in a tree. There was things thrown everywhere; clothes, peices of what I beleived to be jars, and... faries. It had seemed as if some one had removed their wings, as all they were were black sparkels on the ground; some, still moving. No blood was present, so I assumed the wings were remove by a sword, and not ripped off. I was stangely able to switch my POV to Link's, and what I saw was terrifying. On one of the walls, I saw the wings, and they simply read, "Hi". I was in doubt, at first, that these were actual wings. But as I moved around, a textbox appeared saying, "Do you like my art?". I turned to find that, no one was there. I continued to walk around, then decided to leave. Then, Navi enterned.

Her wings had holes in them, and she was not her original blue, rather black, with a red outline. The sequence in which Link wakes up is also messed up. Instead of being the funny and obnoxious wake up call, it was replaced by Navi saying “WAKE UP! WAKE UP YOU IDIOT! GREAT DEKU IS NOT PLEASED WITH YOUR ABSENCE!” Link then jumped up and started rolling around on his own. Before leaving, I noticed a pot and decided to break it. What came out was a group of fairies, just lying there, and when I tried to go near them, a message would appear saying “You did this. WHY DID YOU LET HIM WIN?” I ran outside and was greeted by a sad looking Saria, who didn’t say anything, but stared at me before walking away. I then jumped down from my house and dashed to the Deku Tree. When I got there, Mido wasn’t there to block me. I proceeded without sword and shield. When I got to the Deku Tree, I noticed his appearance had changed. His mouth was open already, and his bark was the same color it turns after he dies. The ground then shook and the music that plays at the end of a boss queued up. The tree said nothing for about five minutes, then he spoke saying “Wyatt, your absence is INSOLENCE! Why did you leave? For what? For who?”  The screen then went white and I was ported back into my home, and was put through the same thing, only this time, instead of going to the tree, I dashed out of the forest.

When I left, like going to the Great Deku Tree, no one was there to stop me, but I was asked a question before leaving, “Why LEAVE? Do you have to go NOW? Why leave BEFORE you say goodbye? The Great Deku Tree, HE needs you. GET me now, WYATT? Noticing how there were words in all caps, it didn’t take long before it was telling me to “leave now before he get Wyatt”.

I ran out and the cut-scene played where Saria gives you the Fairy Ocarina. Instead, the only thing she gave me was a blank, and almost terrifying, stare. The rest of the animation played and I was outside the forest. Thinking this was over was a huge mistake. I walked through the Hylian Fields and made it to the castle. But, the drawbridge was broken, as if you were adult Link. I jumped the broken river and ran to the town. I witnessed a horrifying cut-scene.

Re-deads, alongside Ganondorf, were attacking the townspeople. I tried to attack, but was then trampled by Ganondorf. The death screen showed with Saria, facing the other way. “Why?” That was the last thing that was said by Saria before her face showed on the screen. Her eyes were black and there was a trickle of blood coming from them. I was kicked by into the save screen, and that’s when it became even more weird.

The once bright and blue sky turned to a black and ominous one. My save was replaced by one that simply read: HITHERE. Scared shitless, I decided to turn off my console, but before I could, the save started itself up. Link was in the Goron tunic, and was in a room. The floor was black, and the walls and ceiling were glass. As I walked up to one of the walls, I could see that I was above ground. I checked my inventory for anything to get me out of here.

The only thing I had was the note from Zelda. Instead, I could read it this time. The only thing it said was: SEE. I looked out the window to see the pit that is underneath Ganondorf’s castle, and what was in there filled me with dread. I could see a young Zelda, Epona, Maron, and Mido. Others were in there too, but those are the only ones that had a name. They were all doing a very real death animations and letting out faint, but very dreadful, cries. As I witnessed each and every one of them die, I began to cry. Just as I did, a text box appeared saying: “Are you weeping? Why do you care? You cast us aside like we were nothing to you. I liked you…….I thought you would never stop playing with us……..but it looks like I was wrong about that.”

I continued to cry and more and more textboxes appeared, with each one asking why I was crying. Finally, the last textbox appeared saying: “I have had my fun with you. Watching you be miserable is the only thing I can’t stand. So I will let you go.” Then, the same eerie faced Saria showed up and said one last thing: “Goodbye, my friend!” The floor to the room opened, and Link died.

I was kicked back to the save menu, but was unable to make a new file. I opened the cartridge to find out that the whole thing was rusted. I sat down and thought about all of my other games. I checked them and they were fine.  I tried again a few weeks ago, and was able to make a new file.

This time Link looked sad, and was in an empty room. He could only walk around the room and that was it. I turned off my N64 and have never touched my Ocarina of Time since.

And I continue to have nightmares. Don't leave something because it ended, revisit it, reminisce the good old days, or they will come back to haunt you.

And remeber how I said they should know my story and my name? That was my story, my name? My name is Alex. Alex Lamb.

## Epilouge

*This entry was found in the diary of Alex Lamb. I, Jacob Lamb, am still awating the results on Alex. Alex was found unconcious after I had heared Alex scream "N.o. Sar.ia. STOP!" I am posting this on his behalf. I know that he will make it.*

I decided to play on the new save I had made. It took me forever to find my game, but I did. The game was the same way I left it. Link, in an empty room. But, I did see something. As I walked closer, I found out that it was Saria. I tried to turn, but she was everywere. It was like we were in one of those multi-mirror rooms. A textbox appeared, "So.....you came back? Did you miss me? I missed you. Let me show you what you have been missing....." And, like that, the once empty room's walls became transparent, and I saw the outside world. It was normal. Everyone seemed happy, and it looked as if there was nothing wrong. I saw Kokori Forest, and something caught my eye. I watched as a new person emerged from the house. It was a kid, very much simliar to Link, in everyway possible. Then I saw his parents. It was Link and Saria. *Duh*, I thought. Link and Saria look very happy, as if nothing had happened.

Saria then looked at me and said "You see, this is what WOULD have happened. But you left, and someone had to take control." The view shifted from a very calm Kokori Forest, to the one seen before. Kids were running around as Ganondorf and his men rode into the village, and on horseback with him, was Saria. She looked content with the vast  destruction in the area. She laughed when she saw one kid's house engulfed in flames.

Saria looked at me one more time and said, "See, now which one seems better? Obvious, correct? I want you to be a part of that"

*That was the last thing Alex recorded before something knocked him unconcious. An eletric discharge is in the police report, as the TV was broken and there was a blown circut in the wall. But some say it was something else. Even as I write this, I beleive that the game was looking for me, as I created the file Wyatt, my middle name. I will destroy the game as soon as Alex is better, so that we can both know that it wont hurt us again.*

*Please, don't suffer the same fate. Cherish the games you have. Rid of them if you must. They will know.....*

*They will.......*

## AftermathEdit

*Hey guys, Jacob here. Alex is ok, but he is in a coma. Temporary, the doctors say, and I am going with their story. He left one last entry in his diary, salvaged from the trash. Here it is:*

To anyone who may have found this,

I have one request from you. Let the word spread about this terror that has befallen me. Let the world understand that even though the game is off, it still lives on, in its own little way. Let this be a warning to all. Let someone make a video about this. I don't care who it is, just let the people know. I am going to play the game again one last time.

Hopefully..... hopefully Saria isn't too mad.

She wouldn't like that........