The Call to Heroism

 As Tack woke up, he carefully placed Carly on his back and headed toward the towering castle at the far north end of Castle Town. The path seemed longer than usual, his thoughts heavy with the recent news about their parents.Upon entering the castle, an elderly woman stood waiting for them. Her presence was calm, yet commanding."Hello, I'm Impa. You must be Tack and Carly," she greeted, her eyes sharp despite her age.Tack, confused, glanced at Carly. "Yes, we are. How do you know our names?" he asked cautiously."I'm the one who called you both here," Impa replied, her voice firm but kind.As Impa spoke, a young woman descended the grand staircase. Her long blonde hair cascaded behind her, and her presence lit up the room. Tack couldn't help but stare. She was beautiful, like something out of a dream."Young man, are you listening?" Impa's voice snapped him back to reality.Tack blinked, flustered. "What? Oh, yes, sorry!" He stammered, his gaze still drifting toward the young woman."Tack has a crush!" Carly teased, poking him in the side."I-I do not!" Tack said, blushing furiously.Carly smirked. "Right, sure. I'll agree... but only on the outside," she said, laughing.The young woman smiled as she reached them. "Hello, you must be Tack and Carly," she greeted warmly."And you must be g-gorgeous—I mean, Zelda!" Tack stammered, his face turning redder by the second."Smooth, Romeo," Carly muttered, rolling her eyes.Zelda chuckled, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "You're sweet," she said before leading them toward the throne room. As they walked, Impa and Zelda exchanged whispers and soft laughter, their voices almost conspiratorial.When they entered the throne room, Tack's attention shifted. A tall man with greenish skin and fiery red hair sat at the far end of a long table, his armor adorned with symbols of the Gerudo tribe. Around his neck hung a small trident pendant. His eyes were sharp, calculating, as he spoke with a royal guard.The man's gaze shifted to the newcomers as they entered."Why, hello, Your Majesty," the red-haired man said with a bow, his voice smooth but laced with something darker."Hello, Ganondorf," Zelda replied, her tone guarded. She motioned for the guard to leave.The guard bowed and quietly exited the room. Ganondorf's eyes flickered toward Tack and Carly, his devilish glare unsettling. Carly shrank back, clutching her brother's arm."Excuse me, Princess, but what are these children doing here?" Ganondorf asked, his voice dripping with disdain.Tack, sensing the tension, clenched his fists, his eyes narrowing at the Gerudo king. Carly, however, looked close to tears.Zelda remained composed. "These children are going to save Hyrule," she said firmly, her gaze unyielding.Ganondorf's expression darkened, but he said nothing more. Muttering something under his breath, he turned and stormed out of the room, his heavy boots echoing against the stone floor.Once he was gone, Zelda sighed, pulling out a large map of Hyrule. She pointed to three key locations. "These are the three temples. One on Death Mountain near Kakariko Village, one in the Kokiri Forest, and the last in Zora's Domain."She placed three colored stones on the map—green for the forest, red for the volcano, and blue for the domain. "You'll need to visit each of these temples to unlock the sacred powers needed to defeat the growing darkness. These are your first steps as the new heroes of Hyrule."