Fanfic / Bound Destinies Trilogy

The Bound Destinies Trilogy is a trilogy of The Legend of Zelda Fan Fictions written by MiniJen, all of which expand on the series' mythology and events only mentioned in passing in the games. The three stories are as follows:

• The first story, Blood and Spirit, is set shortly after the events of Skyward Sword. Living peacefully on the surface and watching over the Triforce, Link and Zelda are called to the Alternate Universe of Termina by its designated deity, Terminus, who also happens to be Zelda/Hylia's fraternal twin sister, to help her deal with the demon Majora and its servant, the Fierce Deity. Unfortunately, Link is injured by the Fierce Deity and filled with Majora's corruption, and the situation is only made even worse when a group of rogue Sheikah, traitorous to Hylia, rise up to take the Triforce for themselves.
• The second story, Wisdom and Courage, is set seven years after Ocarina of Time in the "Child" timeline. Link and Zelda have become nigh-inseparable friends in the seven years hence, but these peaceful times are ultimately ended by the entrance of Veran, the Sorceress of Shadow (not the same villain from The Legend of Zelda: Oracle Games).
• The third and last story, Light and Shadow, is set several months after the events of Twilight Princess. As Link and Princess Zelda begin to form a bond in the days before Zelda's coronation, Midna makes a sudden reappearance in Hyrule, warning them about her cousin Verona's conquest of the Twilight Realm and her plans for attacking Hyrule. And indeed, Verona does attack not much later, imprisoning Zelda and cursing both Link and Midna in an attempt to take over Hyrule.
• A collection of side stories and one shots based on the events before, during and after each story of the trilogy is also in the works.

Blood and Spirit is complete, Wisdom and Courage is currently undergoing reedits at the time and Light and Shadow is in progress. Spoilers ahead.

See also the trilogy's character sheet.

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Tropes featured in the Bound Destinies trilogy:

As a whole

• Anachronic Order: Wisdom and Courage was the first book in the trilogy to be written, even though it takes place second in the trilogy's actual chronology. This is because when the author first started writing it, she had intended for it to be a standalone piece. However, as the story went along, she began to build a trilogy around it, eventually giving birth to Blood and Spirit and Light and Shadow.
• Artifact of Doom: The Fused Shadow. Its heavily implied that the Fused Shadow was partially the cause of Veress's Villainous Breakdown in Blood and Spirit, and, as Veran states in Wisdom and Courage, even a single piece of the stone relic has the capacity to do all this:
  Veran: Touch just one piece of it, and literally anything could happen; it could drain your life force and kill you within a matter of minutes, its power could make you lose your mind completely, or, worst of all, it could transform you into a hideous, raving monster...
• Because Destiny Says So: Seems to be the recurring reason why Link and Zelda always have the fate of the world thrust upon their shoulders in the trilogy as it is in the games.
• Bloodier and Gorier: There is quite a realistic amount of blood and violence compared to the largely Bloodless Carnage of the games.
• Completed Fic: At least Blood and Spirit is; Wisdom and Courage used to be, but it is currently undergoing major reedits.
• Canon Foreigner: Terminus, Veress, Verona, the Sheik of Blood and Spirit... the list goes on.
• Continuity Porn: Every story has quite a few references to Majora's Mask, Skyward Sword, Twilight Princess, and Ocarina of Time among others.
• Darker and Edgier: As stated above, a lot more blood, a lot more violence, and a lot deeper emotional themes.
• Darkest Hour: The trilogy as a whole has quite a few of these, but their main ones include:
  • Blood and Spirit: The first half of chapter 34, in which Link has just been completely corrupted by Majora, Zelda is an emotional wreck, Sheik is getting battered by Veress, and Terminus's seal on the Triforce is weakening. Also, the beginning of the very next chapter, in which both Link and Zelda have been killed also counts.
  • Wisdom and Courage: Chapter 33, in which Veran gives Link a No-Holds-Barred Beatdown, ultimately prompting the near-broken hero to put the Fierce Deity's Mask on and fall into her control, all while thinking Zelda is dead.
• Expansion Pack Past: The fics expand quite a bit on events only alluded to in the games:
  • Majora is the Terminian counterpart to Demise, whereas the Fierce Deity's Mask started out as Link's own Terminian counterpart.
  • It also introduces Terminus, Hylia's fraternal twin sister and the protector goddess of Termina.
  • Veress and her rogue Sheikah in Blood and Spirit are in fact the Dark Interlopers alluded to in Twilight Princess.
  • Blood and Spirit details how Hyrule was founded by Link and Zelda.
  • According to Light and Shadow, Midna (as well as Verona) are both descendants of the Veran of Wisdom and Courage.
• Foreshadowing: See the trilogy's Foreshadowing page.
• Holy Burns Evil:
  • In Blood and Spirit chapter 17, Terminus emits a holy light that causes the Interlopers pursuing Zelda pain, forcing them to retreat.
  • In Wisdom and Courage, Zelda's Light Arrows, while they can't actually kill her, cause Veran horrible pain, and during the final battle, the holy glow emitted by the Master Sword actually hurts her.
• Jerkass Gods: Din is a minor example; she's unmistakably good, but is somewhat condescending and disdainful of most mortals and doesn't mind showing it.
• In Name Only:
  • The Veran in Wisdom and Courage is not the same Veran from Oracle of Ages. Instead, this Veran is a Twili, the same race as Midna of Twilight Princess fame.
  • Likewise, the Sheik in Blood and Spirit is an original character and a separate entity from Zelda.
• Magic Music: Would it be a Zelda fic without this trope? Not only that, but as revealed in Blood and Spirit, the Goddess Harp and Ocarina of Time are in fact two halves of a pair.
• Mythology Gag/Continuity Nod: Several of them across the trilogy:
  • In chapter 34 of Blood and Spirit, when Link's corruption has rendered him unable to wield the Master Sword, Terminus shouts "It's dangerous to go alone! Take this!" before throwing Link the Great Fairy's Sword.
  • In chapter 38 of Blood and Spirit, Link wears the blue Scarf of Asskicking he wears in Hyrule Warriors.
• Ornamental Weapon: Both the Master Sword and the Bow of Light.
• Relationship Upgrade: Any time the words "I love you" are said by Link or Zelda for the first time in any of the stories, you can expect one of these to happen between the two of them. Bonus points go to Blood and Spirit for having them upgrade all the way to marriage within the narrative of the story.
• Recurring Element: The trilogy has quite a few of these, including:
  • The central antagonists of the Dark Interlopers/Twili and developing the bloodstained history of their race.
  • The relationship between and nature of the Spirit of the Hero and the Blood of the Goddess and how they both figure into Hylian mythology.
  • The relationship between the Spirit of the Hero and the spirit of the Fierce Deity.
• Sliding Scale of Antagonist Vileness: All three villains of the trilogy: Veress of Blood and Spirit was Driven to Madness and has some shreds of morality, Veran of Wisdom and Courage is just a generic one-dimensional villainess who only wants power so she can use it to kill and destroy, and Verona of Light and Shadow, according to Word of God, is meant to be the most sympathetic of all three.

Blood and Spirit

• Action Dress Rip: In chapter 17, Zelda performs this while running from the Interlopers.
• Action Girl: Sheik is this in most respects, and Veress also qualifies as a Dark Action Girl.
• Afterlife Antechamber: Link and Zelda find themselves standing at the gateway to the Golden Realm (the Hyrulian version of heaven basically) after they both die in chapter 34.
• Always Identical Twins: Subverted; Hylia/Zelda and Terminus are fraternal twins. Where Zelda is blonde, blue-eyed, and fair-skinned, Terminus is black-haired, green-eyed, and tanned. However, both are stated to have near-identical facial structures.
• Ambition Is Evil: Part of the reason Veress went rogue is because she wanted to become Impa's successor as the Sheikah leader, but was passed over in favor of Sheik.
• Anyone Can Die: And all of the main characters do die at least once during the story: Link (who dies a grand total of 3 times!), Zelda, Sheik (who actually stays dead), and Veress (albeit via suicide) all meet their end at some point or another.
• Backstory: Almost the entirety of chapter 14 details the backstory of Sheik and Veress (for which the chapter is aptly named). Sheik and Veress grew up together, and were best friends until Sheik was chosen to be the next leader of the Sheikah tribe instead of Veress; thus, spoiling the latter's ambitions of leading the tribe into battle against Demise. This bitter jealously and hatred is one of the motivators for Veress breaking off from the main tribe and forming the Dark Interlopers.
• Big Bad Ensemble: Veress and the Interlopers are the more immediate threat, though Majora also influences the plot quite a bit.
• Bittersweet Ending: Even though the story ends with Link and Zelda happily married with 2.5 kids, Hyrule developing into a prosperous kingdom and peace reigning throughout the land, Sheik still died and they still had to go through the terrors of both war and corruption, terrors that haunt their dreams even eight years later.
• Body Horror/Painful Transformation: Every time Majora's corruption progresses, the chest wound that Link received that began the process reopens.
• Bond Villain Stupidity: Veress and the Interlopers leave Zelda unsupervised and alone in their stronghold because they're completely convinced that she would not be able to find her way out alive. Zelda successfully does so.
• Can't Have Sex, Ever: Sheik reveals in chapter 13 that the Sheikah are expressly forbidden to have romantic relationships, as they believe that such emotions cloud their judgment; thus, the tribe reproduces through "birthing mothers," and the children are raised by the entire tribe rather than their birth parents.
• Conspiracy Theorist: In chapter 13, Fi tells Link that, given the schism in the Sheikah tribe and current situation, it is safe to assume that all of the Sheikah, including Sheik herself, have gone rogue and can't be trusted. Link is quick to shoot that possibility down.
• Dead Alternate Counterpart: The Fierce Deity is this to Link.
• Disney Death: Happens on more than one occasion in Blood and Spirit.
  • In Blood and Spirit, Veress seems to [1] successfully kill Link, but he is revived in the very next chapter thanks to the Resurrective Immortality that Majora forced upon him as part of his corruption.
  • In chapter 34 of Blood and Spirit, Link and Zelda both die simultaneously due to the wounds they inflict upon each other unintentionally. However, the Golden Goddesses bring them back to life so they can stop Veress.
• Doomed Protagonist: Sort of. Terminus tells Link that, no matter how hard he tries to resist, he is doomed to succumb to Majora's influence and become the demon's servant. Likewise, Fi claims that even the Master Sword's safeguards can't do anything more than slow the process down temporarily. However, since Blood and Spirit is a prequel...
• Do Not Go Gentle: Despite Terminus' claims that he will inevitably be corrupted by Majora, Link makes it clear that he's not going down easy.
• Dual Wielding: Terminus' hero wielded twin swords before becoming the Fierce Deity, after which said swords merged into the Double-Helix Sword.
• Facial Markings: The Fierce Deity bares them, and Link himself also begins to sport them as a sign of Majora's growing influence.
• Fallen Hero: The Fierce Deity is revealed to have been Terminus' chosen hero just as Link is to Zelda/Hylia. He fought Majora and won, only to end up being corrupted into what he is now. Terminus has Din, Nayru, and Farore send Link and Zelda to Termina to help and after Link has weakened the Fierce Deity, she and Zelda use the Song of Healing in an attempt to restore him to his former self; unfortunately, by that point, he has been far too corrupted by Majora to be saved, and is instead converted into the Fierce Deity's Mask. Though heartbroken over the loss, Terminus is nonetheless comforted by the knowledge that at least her hero is finally free from Majora's control.
• Flashback Nightmare: In chapter 15, Zelda has one about Hylia finding the corpse of the very first Link. She's so traumatized by said dream that she ends up assuming a Troubled Fetal Position for several moments.
• Freudian Trio: The usual example of this trope used in the rest of the [2] is changed up in Blood and Spirit as far as how Link and Zelda are portrayed (and also the fact that Ganondorf is not in the story). In this instance, the trio is as follows:
  • Link: Impulsive, determined and driven by a desire to keep Zelda safe above all else. (Id)
  • Zelda: Works towards the greater good but is also fueled by her love for Link. (Ego)
  • Sheik: Cynical, initially cold, and puts lock above emotions most of the time. (Superego)
• Four-Philosophy Ensemble
  • The Optimist: Link, though as the story goes on he could also start to qualify as The Conflicted
  • The Realist: Zelda
  • The Cynic: Sheik
  • The Apathetic: Fi, loosely
• Hope Spot: In chapter 11, when Link and Fi reunite, Fi reveals that, given the Master Sword's status as a holy blade, she would be able to slow Majora down, but his corruption has spread through Link's body too far for Fi to drive it out completely.
• I Let You Win: As it turns out, Majora let Link and co. stop the Fierce Deity so he could corrupt Link himself.
• It's All My Fault:
  • Terminus declares that Link's corruption at Majora's hands is her fault because she was the one who request Link and Zelda's aid in stopping the Fierce Deity in the first place.
  • Sheik also states that, if she had simply tracked Veress down and stopped her when she had the chance, they wouldn't be dealing with the current crisis.
    • On both counts, Link reassures them that it isn't their fault because they had no idea what would happen and couldn't have known.
• Kill the Ones You Love: As Majora grows increasingly frustrated with Link's resistance, he vows that, when Link has succumbed to the corruption, he will force Link to become a scourge and destroy everyone and everything he once held dear. Likewise, when the Fierce Deity completely succumbed to his corruption, Majora forced him to relentlessly pursue Terminus, whom he had been romantically involved with.
• Love Triangle: Over the course of the story Sheik (A) starts to fall in love with Link (B), who is already in a romantic relationship (that eventually becomes much more) with Zelda (C). The Sheikah leader is quite good and hiding her feelings for the hero, that is until Zelda accidentally finds out during a conversation between Sheik and Fi in chapter 25. As of the most recent chapter, it is still unknown if Link knows the true depths of Sheik's feelings for him.
• Mayfly–December Romance/Interspecies Romance: Terminus and her hero, in yet another parallel to Link and Zelda, were romantically involved in the events leading up to Majora's defeat, which ended badly after his conversion to the Fierce Deity. Terminus, though heartbroken by his eventual death, ultimately decides that, since she was a goddess and he a mere mortal, perhaps things wouldn't have worked out between them in the end either way. As a result of this, Zelda, who is essentially a God in Human Form, briefly fears that her relationship with Link is similarly doomed.
• Mistreatment-Induced Betrayal: Invoked. Veress and the Interlopers turned on Hylia because they believed that, having chosen Link to defeat Demise rather than the Sheikah, Hylia had forsaken them. Zelda, of course, insists that this is not the case.
• Nice Job Breaking It, Hero:
  • Terminus' calling on Link and Zelda to help her defeat the Fierce Deity gives it the opportunity to pass Majora's corruption onto Link himself. Terminus even acknowledges this and insists that she never would have called on them if she had known it would happen.
  • Furthermore, Fi ends up inadvertently revealing Link's ongoing corruption to Veress, who immediately begins scheming to use it to her advantage.
• Not-So-Harmless Villain: Played with. Sheik warns Link not to underestimate Veress and the Interlopers because even though they have been excommunicated from the Sheikah tribe, they are still Sheikah and deadly combatants, going so far as to state that they might be even more dangerous than Ghirahim and Demise.
• Our Hero Is Dead: Chapter 21 ends with Link apparently dying after Veress fatally electrocutes him. Zelda, Sheik and Fi are certain that he is dead, until Majora brings him back from the dead via corruption.
• Secret-Keeper: Terminus, not wanting to put Zelda through the same pain that she went through when Majora corrupted her hero, forces Link to promise not to tell Zelda of his corruption at Majora's hands; Link reluctantly complies.
• Someone to Remember Him By: Its implied that if Link truly had ended up being permanently corrupted, his and Zelda's child would have been the only thing the girl would have left of her lost hero.
• Speak of the Devil: Almost as soon as Terminus informs Link and Zelda of her predicament and requests their aid, the Fierce Deity sneaks up on her and tries to cut her down.
• Took a Level in Badass: In order to activate the safeguards to help Link ward off Majora's corruption, Fi also unlocks a hidden portion of the Master Sword's power, which also upgrades her in turn. Now, instead of just being an Exposition Fairy, she can help Link in combat, possesses an emotional capacity and free will, and can even summon swords much like Ghirahim did.
• Three Girls and a Guy: Zelda, Sheik, Fi and Link.
• We Used to Be Friends: Sheik and Veress were once best friends before the situation with Demise, as well as Sheik being chosen to succeed Impa over Veress.
• What Is This Thing You Call "Love"?: Played with: Fi mentions at one point that, though she herself can't feel love, she understands the concept.

Wisdom and Courage

• A Form You Are Comfortable With: In chapter 35, Din, Nayru, and Farore all assume human forms so Zelda can see and communicate with them.
• An Arm and a Leg: When Veran attacks Termina, she starts a fire at Romani Ranch, and Cremia's arm is so badly burnt in said fire that it has to be amputated.
• Anyone Can Die: Let's just say that Veran is not very discriminate when it comes to body count.
• Break Them by Talking: Veran does this to Link, right on top of appearing to murder Zelda right in front of him, ultimately prompting him to put on the Fierce Deity's Mask so she can take control of him. This also doubles as a "The Reason You Suck" Speech and a Kick the Dog moment.
  Veran: Do you know what I hate most about you, hero? That persistent little spirit of yours. The fact that you can things that would destroy others emotionally completely unscarred. But even so, everyone has a breaking point... And... I believe you've just reached yours...
• Boyish Short Hair: During the An Arm and a Leg tragedy mentioned above, Romani also gets a portion of her hair burnt off, and when they meet, Zelda actually mistakes her for a boy. Later, Veran, in yet another Kick the Dog moment, cuts Zelda's hair down to this.
• Chekhov's Gun: The Fierce Deity's Mask, which is first mentioned by Link towards the beginning of the story as he is telling Zelda the story of how he defeated Majora. Little does he know that it will become one of the biggest aspects of the story later on.
• Can't Hold His Liquor: In chapter 26, Zelda comes across a bottle of Hylian ale and decides to have some to dull the pain of losing Impa, and gets flat-out plastered after only a few sips.
• Cessation of Existence: In the final battle, Link dons the Fierce Deity's Mask once again and uses it to defeat Veran, but the conflict between his own soul and that of the mask ends up mutually cancelling each other out and destroying them both. Thanks to Zelda and the Triforce, they both come back.
• Cold-Blooded Torture: Chapter 33 depicts Link on the receiving end of a particularly savage one at the hands of Veran, who dishes it out partially in an attempt to break his spirit and partially just because she wants to hear him scream. After knocking the Master Sword out of his hands, Veran first activates the curse she earlier cast on Link to incapacitate him with pain, then slices him to ribbons with a sword, doing such things as stabbing him in the leg so deep that the blade actually hits his thigh bone, and finally going so far as to cut out his right eye with a dagger. She's only stopped from going any further than that by Zelda shooting her In the Back with a Light Arrow, and by that point, Link is puking blood and literally begging Veran to stop.
• Drugged Lipstick: How Veran gets the drop on Link while disguised as Zelda.
• Eye Scream: In chapter 33, Veran slices Link's right eye out as part of his Cold-Blooded Torture by her.
• Flashback: Most of the chapters end in a flashback to Link and Zelda's childhood post-OoT.
• Forceful Kiss: Veran plants one on Link to torment Zelda, and it works.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Din comes off as somewhat condescending to Zelda when they meet.
• Kick the Dog: Veran does a lot of this to both Link and Zelda, and nearly kills a number of supporting characters in the process.
• Secret Test of Character: The Golden Goddesses initially appear to present a Sadistic Choice to Zelda, either to restore Hyrule and Termina, as well as their inhabitants, to the way they were before Veran razed both lands, or simply resurrect Link. Zelda explicitly says that she can't choose one over the other, and having passed this test, the goddesses agree to grant both of her wishes.
• There Are No Coincidences: As revealed in chapter 35, Link's arrival in Termina during Majora's Mask just as Majora was going about its Moon Drop Apocalypse was no coincidence; rather, Farore guided him there after Terminus pleaded for help in containing the demon again.
• Time Skip: Unlike Blood and Spirit, which takes place only a few weeks after Skyward Sword, and Light and Shadow, which takes place several months after Twilight Princess, Wisdom and Courage takes place seven years after Majora's Mask!
• Traumatic Haircut: In Chapter 34, Veran forcibly cuts off Zelda's hair as part of her tormenting the Princess.
• Unhand Them, Villain!: In Chapter 33.
  "Let him go!" Zelda shouted in fury as she raised her bow, being careful to aim it at Veran rather than Link, though it was hard since the sorceress was apparently trying to use him as a human shield.
  "As you wish," the sorceress said with a cunning smirk as she vanished into thin air, letting the hero drop roughly to the floor.
• Was It Really Worth It?: Link finds himself arguing with both Navi and Tatl over whether or not using the Fierce Deity's Mask to beat Veran is worth the risk of losing his soul to it. Navi and Tatl insist that it isn't worth it, but Link is prepared to do whatever it takes to keep Zelda safe.
• Well-Intentioned Extremist: Veran states that she's doing what she's doing to avenge her ancestors and force the Twili to see the error of their ways. However, it's largely subverted, as she also spends quite a bit of time committing all manner of atrocities For the Evulz.
• World-Healing Wave: After Zelda wishes upon the Triforce for Hyrule to be restored from the destruction wrought upon it by Veran, the goddesses send one of these across the land, repairing all of the damage done to the land and reviving everyone who was killed during her conquest. Not only that, but they also do the same to the equally-ravaged Termina.
• Would Hurt a Child: Veran is not above slaying large populations of people, and does not discriminate against murdering children. In fact, its implied that she kills countless children and their families when she destroys Castle Town, Clock Town, and Kakariko Village. Also, in her slaughter of the Hylian Knights, she also killed their families and spared basically none of them. It was only thanks to Link's mother taking him to the safety of Kokiri Forest as an infant that he managed to be the sole survivor of the attack.
• You're Insane!: Link says this to Veran more than once.

Light and Shadow

• The Bus Came Back: Midna, even despite destroying the Mirror of Twilight at the end of Twilight Princess, manages to return to Hyrule and reunite with Link and Zelda, making her last comment to the hero ("See you later") true.
• Famous Ancestor:
  • Link and Zelda are descendants of the Hero of Time and the Princess of Destiny respectively, both of which have become important figures in Hylian history since the events of Wisdom and Courage.
  • The first chapter reveals that Midna is a descendant of Veran, the Big Bad of Wisdom and Courage; she is not happy to discover that the Twilight Realm's royal family is descended from such a monster.
• The High Queen: Zelda is crowned queen very early on in Light and Shadow, differentiating her from her Wisdom and Courage predecessor.
• Love Triangle: There's an implied one between Link, Zelda and Ilia already.

Side Stories

• A Birthday, Not a Break: Veran and her minions reach and raze Castle Town on the very day that Zelda is born.
• Due to the Dead: In addition to learning of baby Link's destiny, the Great Deku Tree respects his mother so much for her will to protect him that he agrees to honor her final request and allow him to stay in the Kokiri Forest.
• Heroic Sacrifice: Both Link and Zelda's respective mothers sacrifice their lives to protect their babies from Veran's forces.