Into The Game: Linkle

Once again the biggest video game convention is rolling around. Unlike the previous years when I attended, this year I’ll actually be working at the convention. I’ll be working six hours a day each day as a security guard.

In exchange, I get paid a bit and I get a free all-access ticket to the event, and with how expensive those tickets are, It is well worth the work. There’s also a plus that I still get to dress up while working.

So I’ll be wearing my green tunic to match the legendary heroes of Hyrule. So overall, it’s pretty neat as far as jobs come, and once I’m done each day I’ll be able to roam around and play tons of new and old videogames.

I arrive the day before the event and check into a hotel room, then head over to the convention to see if they need any help setting up. I spend the day helping vendors set their products up and hooking up tons of televisions with different consoles.

I leave later that day with my free event pass and a security pass. I head back to my hotel room, shower, and get to bed early since I have the first shift working the front door. It took me a while to fall asleep because I was way too excited.

Morning comes, I get my costume on, wrap my event pass and security pass around my next, and head over to the convention. It was still early so the event hadn’t opened yet, so I went and waited inside with the other security.

A few minutes pass, and we’re told it’s time to open up to the world. Each of the security working the front was told to pick a door, have people walk up and show their badges, tickets, or wristbands, and let them in if they had one.

I honestly thought this would be boring, but getting to see all the amazing costumes and chatting with people was fun. I forget how friendly our community can be, and in the blink of an eye, my shift was over.

Like an excited child, I put my security pass away and ran into the building to get my fill of the event. Thanks to my all-access pass, I was allowed in the more exclusive areas, so of course I had to go check out what was inside.

A lot of it was new technology for gaming, one of which was this virtual reality system that linked your brain to any game. It was pretty neat, but they said it was still very experimental so it wouldn’t be useable for at least a decade.

They also had a ton of exclusive demos for new games that would be coming out in the next year, so I hoped in line to see what they had. When it was my turn I noticed they had a Nintendo Switch with several new Nintendo games.

I decided to play on that, and they had new Mario games, Pokemon games, even a new Smash Bros. game, but most importantly a new Zelda game. So I launched it open and the title name appeared. The legend of Linkle, I wasn’t entirely sure, but I think I’ve heard of her before, I think she was in a Hyrule Warriors game.

The opening cutscene starts off with Link and Zelda facing down the mighty Ganon. Armies from both sides are clashing all around them, Link has his master sword at the ready, and Zelda has her sacred bow with light arrows prepared to fire.

They were about to fight Ganon, but suddenly they were ambushed. Link was stabbed in the stomach and no longer able to fight. Zelda used her magic to blind the enemies, she grabbed Link and returned to the castle.

The two of them used their triforces to seal themselves and the evil creatures away at Hyrule castle. Then it cuts to ten years later. Then a young blonde woman is seen sleeping in a bed, which I guess Is Linkle. Her grandma calls up to her to wake her up and Linkle jumps out of bed in a sort of panic.

She throws on her green tunic, along with her brown boots, and runs downstairs. It was really good so far and I was trying to focus on it, but it seemed something was going on inside the convention. People were running by me screaming, but not saying what was going on.

Even though people were running and screaming, I could hear this crazy humming, almost like flowing electricity, perhaps because the lights were flashing on and off. I looked down at the switch I was playing and it was doing the same thing, flashing on and off.

It was almost like an EMP was about to go off. Then something sounded like it exploded in a nearby room. The second it did, I was flung back and covered in debris. I was trapped and couldn't move an inch.

It would probably have been dark too if the Nintendo Switch hadn’t been thrown with me, it was now my only source of light. Before I could even pick it up and try to find a way out, I felt something pass over me, and I passed out afterward. I woke up to someone yelling.

I opened my eyes and sat up, and I was in some strange bedroom. I yawned, as I still felt extremely tired, but that's when I noticed my voice sounded different. I rubbed my throat, thinking it must have happened during the accident. I see my tunic sitting on the floor next to me and slip it on.

It seemed different as well, and there was now a strange lump in the chest area. It must have been damaged, I’ll have to fix it later. I slip on the boots and that's when I hear a woman calling up the stairs of Linkle.

I was confused, but the woman sounded just like the grandmother from the new Zelda game, in fact, this room looked like it as well. I run over to the window in the bedroom and look out into the distance.

I gulped as I saw a giant beaten-down castle with a large magical dome covering it. I was somehow in Hyrule? This had to be a dream right? If I’m somehow in the game, and in Linkles room, does that mean?

Somehow perfectly timed, the window fogs up showing me my reflection. I was now a short young woman, with long blonde hair, pointy ears, and of course with a set of my very own breasts. I heard Linkle’s grandma calling for her again, this time she sounded impatient.

So I decided to make my way downstairs, to hopefully figure out what was going on here. There I saw an older man holding a golden compass and a map. Granma explained that the royal family gave our family this compass many generations ago, that if one day the royal family and hero of Hyrule were defeated it would activate and save all of Hyrule.

But it only works for the chosen one. She went on to explain it never worked for her, or my mother, but it worked for me. She’s known for many years that Linkle was the one who would save Hyrule. Granma started talking about the day Linkle’s parents were killed, her mother handed the compass to her and told her to run home to grandma, which she was able to do thanks to the compass.

That's how Grandma knew. I asked her why she was giving it to me now. She replied by saying she’d been having dreams, or visions from the princess, begging for the hero to come save her. Grandma didn’t want to put me in danger, but it was my destiny.

She handed me the compass, and the triforce on it started to glow gold and pointed in the direction it wanted me to go. She then smiled and kissed my forehead telling me to be safe and return to her one day.

She placed the map in my other hand and told me to be on my way. I attach the compass to my belt, slip the map into my back pouch, and walk to the front door. That's when Grandma shouts out to me again. She told me not to forget my crossbows. I thanked her and grabbed them, then ran out the door.

I looked around, Hyrule was massive, but it was real and I was here, that in itself is amazing and a dream come true. But being the main character, not to mention one that's female, is kind of scary. I don’t know how to fight, or operate this body, What if I mess up?

I could die, I don’t even know if this is the game or another reality where the game is real. I rub my hands through my hair making it quite a mess, then I finally calm down. I suppose I’ll get no answers sitting here, and if this world is real, If I don’t save Hyrule we’re all doomed if Ganon escapes.

So with little choice, I pull out the compass and look at the direction. It wants me to go east, what's in the east? I pull out the map and check it. It seems Korok Forest is that way, that's not a bad first place to start.

I put my gear away and started walking, I had a long way to go especially since I had no sense of direction and completely ignored the compass and started heading west, but in time I’m sure I’ll figure this all out.