He Was Clad in Green

I open my eyes and immediately sigh. I sit up in my bed and just take a moment to wake up. Everything in the small room around me is plain- white walls, brown carpet, white bed sheets. There's not pictures, weapons, or any other sort of memorabilia to decorate the room. Normally, this would make me sad, but I remember that every boy in the country had a room just like mine, a room with nothing to remember.

I stand and dress as quickly as I can. Beige shorts that barely come to my knee, a plain white shirt with a large blue stripe in the middle, and gloves that have the finger slots cut off- the typical village wear for our male members. I slip my pale feet into my sandals and head out of my room and into the living room where my mother sits alone. She has something in her lap, but I can't exactly tell what. Her soft auburn hair hangs down in tendrils and her cerulean eyes are edged with tears. "Mom?"

"Oh, Sam! I didn't see you there," She smiles and tries to blink back the tears that were forming. Sadly, I know why she's crying. It's the biggest day of the year, celebrated by all of Hyrule. Each fifteen year old boy of any race is taken into a temple and given a test. If there is no reincarnate this year, we all celebrate with festivals and parades. If there is a reincarnate, we also celebrate, but also prepare for whatever evil is about to befall us. It's called Judgment Day. "I was just, uh, ready to do some house work."

"I won't be picked, Mom." Is all I say, though I'm not exactly sure of myself. There are only a few boys in my village who seem most likely to become the next Link, but the elders see him more in me than anyone else. I mean, I do have all of his features; tall and lanky build, long blond hair, pointed ears, and his shining blue eyes. Everyone expects me to take his place and I admit it'd be exciting to be the hero, but it also scares me.

My mother just nods and bites her lip, unsure of what to say in this situation. It seems as if she knows I'll be picked and is trying to come to terms with my fate. I shift my weight from one foot to the other as I think of something to see. My mother shifts as well, revealing the object in her lap again. "What's that?"

"Oh, this," says my mother sadly. She lifts it so the chain unwinds and eventually a necklace hangs from her fingers. on the end of the gold chain is the golden shape of crescent moon with what looks to be fire surrounding it. She smiles at the necklaces as a fond memory plays in her head. "Your father gave me this necklace."

"Oh," I whisper. My father was a man with a vision, an adventurer of sorts. He left for an adventure when I was little and had never come back. He has been presumed dead. My mother, though, had never given up hope. Even when I had.

"He told me that he loved me so much that he'd even set fire to the moon," she whispered. I wasn't exactly sure what to say here, but I knew I had to say something.

"I miss him too, Mom." She nods, standing up and making her way to me. She spreads the chain and places it over my head and around my neck. Then she steps back and draws in my whole being. A look of pride shines in her eyes. "Promise me that no matter what happens today, you'll always wear this?"

"I promise," I say and I mean it. I don't intend to take this thing off my neck ever for any reason. Just as she's about to say something, the Grand Noise goes off -a giant siren that all of Hyrule can hear- which signals that all of the appropriate aged boys need to report to the temples closest to them. I have to leave, but I look my mother in her beautiful eyes and I say, "I love you."

"I love you too," she says and watches me sadly as I exit the house and enter the fresh air. The sun is shining and the grass is gleaming with morning dew. Pelicans flying over my head are squawking, but I don't even mind the annoying sound. It's a beautiful day in my small village of Pillis. I look around and see all of the other boys leaving their homes as well, their mothers and fathers wishing them good luck. Their fathers, I think sadly. I shake away the thought as I see my nemesis, Daryn.

"Ready to be disappointed today?" I ask as I walk up behind him. He turns, his blond hair waving in the wind. Daryn is almost like a twin of me; same hair, almost the same height, but his cheekbones are less defined and his eyes are a deep brown. Daryn has bragged for as long as I have known him about being the reincarnated Link, but everyone believes it will be me. I really don't think I am, but I like to tell Daryn I will be and he won't.

"No, I'm ready for satisfaction! You're the one who's going to weeping in disappointment, loser!" With that, the boy rushes ahead of me and into the crowd of boys and out of my sight. I scan the crowd again, looking for my best friend, Luca. Finally I spot his light red hair and I rush over to him.

"Ready?" He asks me with a little shakiness to his voice. He's scared of what might happen today, I can tell, but I don't call him on it. Luca likes to pretend to be brave, but I'm usually the one who gets him out of trouble with bullies and protects him when he's scared. I don't speak, just nod as we both make our way to the north side of the village. Before us -and the sea of boys- is a large temple made of gray bricks, raising higher than any building I've ever seen. Each directs has a tower stemming off of it and on the very front is a stained-glass window that holds the image of the fabled Triforce.

We both let out a sigh and wait as the boys go in one at a time, each coming out with a grim expression and disappointed eyes. They're not Link. I bite my lip, praying that somebody before me is Link, or maybe even some one else in Hyrule is Link, just as long as I can stay here and protect me. Eventually, it winds down to just me, Luca, and Daryn, but even then the chances of anyone else being Link but me are slim. Daryn goes in, coming out moments later with the same look as all the other boys.

Luca goes in and comes out quickly, a smile strapped onto his face. I gasp and my veins start coursing with adrenaline. But, as he approaches, he mouths the words "Not me," and keeps walking past me.

I sigh. The Elders have saved the favored for last and I knew right then and there that my fate had been decided. I clenched my hands into tight fists and let my teeth dig into my bottom lip as I walked from the open field and up the steps of the temple. As soon as I'm ushered inside, the doors closed and something in front of me flashes with light and energy, forcing me to close my eyes.