Zelda stood at the castle's eastern wall and watched smoke rise from the distant village. Dark creatures had attacked again last night. She clenched her fists. An ancient evil was waking beneath Hyrule, and her people were dying. She had to stop it. That was her duty as princess and her promise to every person in the kingdom. She turned from the wall and walked back toward the fortress. Hyrule Castle rose above her with its towering spires and ancient stonework. Inside those walls, she would gather her commanders and plan their defense. The grand hall would be her command center. From there, she would coordinate the kingdom's forces and protect every village, every family, every child. The attacks would not continue. She would find this evil's source and destroy it before more innocent people suffered. But giving orders wasn't enough. Zelda crossed the training yard and stopped at a battered practice dummy. Its burlap surface was torn and stained from years of use. She drew her sword and struck it three times. The blade felt light in her hands. Too light. She needed to be stronger, faster, better. Her commanders would fight, but she had to fight too. She couldn't protect Hyrule from a throne room. She hit the dummy again, harder this time. The impact ran up her arm. She would train every day until she was ready to face whatever darkness threatened her kingdom.