Title: Before the Fall

Fandom: Legend of Zelda: A Link to The Past

Rating: T

Disclaimer: Don't own any of it.

Notes: All made up characters for this one. Mentions Link and Zelda though. This one takes place right near the very beginning of the game.

Before the Fall

A young Hylian woman with long blond hair braided neatly down her back finished clipping the last sheet to the line and sighed in relief. Bringing the empty basket back inside, she grabbed her purse and headed for the Kakariko Inn.

Walking into the back area of the establishment where the bar was kept, she made her way over to one of the stools right up near the bar.

"Hey Nico!" She laughed, grinning as her boyfriend looked up though shaggy brown bangs as he wiped the counter clean.

"Hi Hanna." He grinned. "Great choice to come by today – Elder Dahla over there was planning on passing on one of the tales of old. So, what do ya wanna drink?"

"The usual Nico." She grinned, standing up and heading to a stool closer to the slowly gathering crowd.

"Gather 'round young'uns." Elder Dahla grinned, eying the turnout. Taking a last swig from his now empty glass, he brushed his frizzy grey hair behind his long, drooping ears and looked around. "So, which tale would you like to hear?" His raspy voice questioned.

Amongst all the numerous suggestions, young Hanna's clear voice rang out the loudest. "I would like to know about the monsters that infest our fair land."

"Oho!" He laughed, "Now there's a tale!"

Everyone quieted down, realizing the Elder had chosen.

"Well," He started, "Long ago, not long after the Three left the Triforce behind, the power of the Gods began to wane."

"Goddesses." Hanna grumbled.

"Pardon me?" Dalah questioned.

"Everyone knows the Three were Goddesses." Hanna snorted.

He burst out laughing. "To be honest young lass, the tales of old do claim the Three to be women – though they've also been referenced as everything from powerful fairies, to balls of light, to ancient Hylians themselves! Everyone refers to the Three however they like, and I call them Gods, mostly to save my old voice." The Elder exclaimed, winking at the embarrassed young woman as the other patrons snickered.

"Now, to get back to the tale," He chuckled, "As the power of the Three began to wane, people were born just a little less perfect, a little more dark for a few years, before the world seemed to settle down and grow light again. During that time, a few animals, and even some people had been born with such evil in their hearts, that there was no way for them to live amongst the people.

"Exiled, they fled to some remote area within Hyrule, and were believed to be the ancestors of the Dark One himself, Ganon.

"When Ganon twisted the Golden Land into the Dark World, as it is known today, his darkness and evil began to leak from the formerly sacred land, and began to tarnish our own. When he was forcibly imprisoned within his domain, the taint seeping from his world to ours stopped, but by then the damage had been done.

"There are tales out there describing where the most vicious and dangerous of monsters came from, and where they are now, but as they're locked away and imprisoned, I believe you'd prefer to hear more of the more average variety?" He questioned.

"Yes please, Elder Dahla." Nico breathed, filling up the old man's mug.

"Very well. During the fabled Imprisoning War, an uncountable number of soldiers lost their lives, but what many didn't learn until a few years later was that many had went missing as well.

"When Ganon was sealed away, a few poor souls had gotten trapped within the edges of the sealing. Some may have been pulled into the Dark World, twisted beyond all knowledge, but the rest were warped from this side. There are literally hundreds of tales describing the likely beginnings for each breed of monster, but overall, most agree that they're the descendants of the knights that were trapped somewhere between this world, and the Dark one during the sealing." He sighed.

"That's horrible!" Hanna gasped.

"I know child, but it seems to be true. Buy have no fear, those things are no more Hylian than the grass beneath our feet any longer, even though they once may have been." He said, gently patting the girl's trembling hand.

"Elder Dahla, do you have any news of the rumors running amok about Agahnim? He saved our world a few years back, so I'd really prefer the truth over simple rumors." A male voice called from the back of the room.

Immediately an older blond Hylian male leapt to his feet with an enraged cry. "You know not of what you speak! This world suffered disaster until Agahnim with his strange magic came! You live now in peace from the work HE has done!"

"Sit down Halarab." Dahlia sighed.

"But-!" Halarab yelped, turning on the elder.

"Sit. The people, and you yourself, deserve to hear of what little I know." He sighed. "So listen."

"As you wish." He sighed, carefully sitting down.

"I will not bore you with rumors of experiments in the towers, or missing girls, as we've all heard those a thousand times. But I will say this: Agahnim does seem to hold more sway now than even the King. And that bodes as ill tidings for us my friends. Something odd is afoot up at the castle, and I intend on finding out what I can within the week.

"For now, keep your ears open and your thoughts alert. These tidings never fail to send a shiver up my old spine." He finished gravely.

As whispers broke out, Hanna quietly looked around the room as Nico scurried back behind the bar. She watched the Elder finish draining his mug and stand up. "Mind helping an old man outside young lady?" Dahla asked.

She was on her feet in an instant with her arm held out, as her mother had always taught her. "Of course Elder."

The man walked without a limp, and seemed rather spry for his old age. She idly wondered why he requested her aid. As the door to the Inn swung closed behind them, he turned to her and said, "You seem to have a good head on your shoulders lass. Keep your head up and your ears open – You never know what news you will find."

She headed home as if in a daze that night, and crawled into bed. She was asleep nearly instantly.

It was nearly a week later when news that a young man named Link had kidnapped the Princess was carried to the village. She kept her ears alert, but she never did see Elder Dahla again.

End: Before the Fall

A/N: Ok, just thought I'd clear a few things up. This is more a collection of one-shots rather than a continuing story, so they can be read in any order. If any are continuations or such, they'll be listed at the top.

I'm basing these off the original SNES version of A Link to the Past, sometimes with hints from Ocarina of Time. There will also be liberal amounts of my own thoughts on Hyrule within.

I got a comment that things were inaccurate on a few points. In OoT and LttP we only ever see one tiny library, so I've been working off the assumption that most tales and myths are passed down by storytelling (hence the way these one-shots are based around retelling said stories for the most part).

Almost no characters in LttP were given names save the most important ones. Link, Zelda, Sahasrahla, Ganon, Agahnim, and Kiki the monkey are the only actually named characters, if my memory serves me correct.

This story is listed as complete, because it technically is. I may add more one-shots to it – I'm incredibly fond of these after all, and their great for getting me writing again, but basically, I'll update when/if I feel like it.

Any reviews would be appreciated. But I'm mostly writing these because I like them. ^_^

However, should there be a place/person you would like to see in one of these, leave a review, you may spark another idea. ^_~