Who will be at the very top of Hyrule Pro-Wrestling?

Just moments away from HyruleMania 3, HPW takes one final look at the Death Mountain, Goddess and Triforce Championships!

Every title reign starts somewhere.

Text on the screen reads “DAY 1.” In a split screen, footage plays of Veran winning the TCW Women’s Championship by defeating rival Mamamu Yan on TCW TV’s fourth episode ever, while Zelda won the HPW Goddess Championship at HyruleMania 1 on New Year’s Eve, 2020. And neither could have imagined on those days how their legacies would grow.

The days tick by, Veran first defended her title on day 21, TCW TV episode seven, against Madame Aroma. On day 24, Zelda defeated Riju in non-title action, but that did thwart Riju from earning a title opportunity the old fashioned way. On day 41, Zelda successfully defended her title against Gerudo legend, Nabooru. On day 42, episode 10 of TCW TV, Veran successfully defended her title against Marilla of the dancing twins. Day 49, episode 11 of TCW TV, Veran successfully defended her title against the other dancing twin, Judo.

Day 91: Zelda challenges Link for the HPW Triforce Championship on the Triforce Anniversary, but fails to become a double champion; Veran successfully defended her title against Maple, the winner of a #1 contender’s tournament. Day 105: Veran celebrates surpassing 100 days, and is called out by her next opponent, “Shadow Hag” Ardelia Gangopadhyay. And on day 126, for TCW TV’s special themed episode, TCW: Turn Up the Heat, Veran defeated Ardelia and retained the title.

Day 151, Zelda successfully defends her title against Oaky Treetoh. Day 152, Veran’s first reign ends as she loses to Mamamu Yan at the PPV, TCW: Hardcore Harvest. Fast forward to Day 230, where Zelda retains the title against Lana at Treasure Island 2. Day 272, Zelda won alongside Link and Osphala in a Trios match at Battle of the Bog. Then at Clash of Fates, Zelda retained the title against Tali to mark Day 304. And of course, Day 365, New Year’s Eve 2021, at HyruleMania 2, Zelda faced Hilda and marked her ONE YEAR title reign.

In that same stretch of time, Veran would make her way back to the TCW Women’s Championship and defeat Queen Ambi at TCW: Spring Fever. So as Veran started over, day 153 total, Zelda waited for the Triforce Tournament to return. Zelda was among the losers in the All Champions Fatal 4 Way between herself, Link, Fin Balure and Tali. Then on the second Triforce Anniversary, Zelda’s team would technically win in a Trios match alongside Link and Groose as the UnderWorld Order would be disqualified. By then, Veran would have made it to day 273 total, having defeated Ambi in their rematch, as well as defeating Mamamu Yan in another rematch.

Veran’s second reign was 275 days, which made for 428 days total. In that same span, Zelda defeated all four Poe Sisters on one night, then faced Veran at Termina Velocity. Veran would win that match and earn a title opportunity for Treasure Island 3. Zelda won that match, and moved on to have a rematch with Hilda at Clash of Fates 3. But then, Veran would return and challenge Zelda to the very tiebreaker that is happening tonight at HyruleMania 3. Zelda’s reign stands at Day 730. Will she make it through to start year three? Or will Veran prove she still has one last run in her?

The Ruler of Ruin looks out over Ikana River.

“This. This was the one constant in my life. The ice of Snowhead melts to feed this river. It flows between the Ikana and Garo regions, then splits before the Woods of Mystery to end in the Southern Swamp and Turtle Lake. The current is strong, unforgiving, and full of jagged stones. It was my inspiration for how I fight in that ring.” Just like the Ikana River, Igos du Ikana was cold and merciless in his TCW career. He wasn’t undefeated, but he did have one of the quickest rises to the TCW Championship, with nine knockouts in 22 matches. He then had one of the longest reigns in TCW history, and would be the last champion of TCW.

“When the doors closed on Termina Championship Wrestling,” Igos says, “I had no idea what was to become of my life. I had possession of the belt as a parting gift, and it held the precious memories of the past, but no answers for my future. And then, the call came.” Wrestling minds from around the world were converging to create a new, superior company: Hyrule Pro-Wrestling. And they wanted Igos du Ikana to be part of it. He gladly accepted, battled in the inaugural Triforce Tournament, but fell short of the finals. But he used an opening to bring the past to the present in his feud with Ghirahim, and now the HPW Termina Championship exists.

Igos could not keep hold of the HPW Termina Championship, but he has taken that as a sign to finally move on. “Perhaps, like the Ikana River, I have reached the fork in the path. I am flowing away from the Termina Championship, and now heading for something more. The greatest title in all of Hyrule, and of all pro-wrestling. It will be mine. And the Hero’s Shadow shall Fall to Ruin.”

Kage walks the shore of Lake Hylia.

The Hero’s Shadow grew up here, raised by “that crusty bastard.” Kage doesn’t feel so bad about hating him now, because now he knows that man was never his father. “Not by blood, and not by love.” HPW Media asks if he ever learned that man’s name. “Shin Yusha.” Wait, wait, the Shin Yusha? A dark beard but platinum blonde hair? With tattoos all up his left arm? He was from the Twilight Era of Hyrule’s wrestling history! Kage knows Shin’s wrestling history. He basically embodied the saying, “You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.”

Shin for “Core,” Yusha for “courageous good deed doer,” or usually just “Hero” for short. But as if by fate, it also worked as “Shin’nyu-sha.” “Interloper” or “Invader,” something far from a hero. As Shin failed to retain titles and failed to regain titles, he grew bitter. He led a faction of like-minded wrestlers struggling to stay afloat, and they came within reach of conquering Hyrule’s wrestling industry, but were blocked out and even blacklisted. So, left without much choice, Shin Yusha/Shin’nyu-sha faded away into retirement, where his bitterness only festered. And it would seem, it drove him to the point of breaking the law and abducting a child.

Does Kage know how old he was when Shin kidnapped him? No, but that probably means he was at the age where he was too young to remember much of anything. He only knows how many years it’s been since “the bastard” started training him to be a fighter: 23. That adds up, Link is 25 now. Kage says, “Huh. So I guess I’m 25, too.”

Kage now hikes up the hill from Lake Hylia to pass by the Eastern Abbey. Being an abbey, the monks there raised orphans. Some were adopted, some stayed until they were adults. Either way, Kage grew up envying those kids. The ones that were adopted ended up with better parents than Shin. Those that stayed had the monks and each other, who were all better people than Shin. Shin told Kage to never talk to the people at the Abbey. Kage obeyed so as not to be slapped around by Shin. The training was hard enough, he wouldn’t give Shin any excuses to take out his frustrations on him.

But still, Kage couldn’t help but want to pass by here as part of his jogs. He went by here, stopped at the River of the Dead, and returned back the way he came. Some of the kids at the abbey would call out, but Kage kept to himself, so Shin let him be. As Kage grew stronger, he had to push himself harder to keep building his cardio. He’d go further and further along the riverbank. He leads the way in the present to a broken bridge. It wasn’t this way when he was younger. He used the bridge as part of his lap, as he wouldn’t have to stop and turn around. He would take a wide turn to make it onto the bridge and go in stride to cross the river and head back.

One day, a board broke in the bridge. He fell, tried to hang on, but couldn’t. He fell into the river, he wasn’t a good swimmer and it was so cold. He thought he was going to drown, then he thought he was going to freeze to death. But a few monks found him, dragged him out and saved him. A normal person would’ve been grateful, but Kage just panicked that Shin would be upset. Kage ran home, cold and wet. Shin asked what happened, though not nearly as nicely. Kage twisted the truth so as to leave out the monks. But somehow, Shin knew he was lying. Shin went after Kage but Kage fought back. “For an old bastard, he could still throw stiff shots.”

Kage asked Shin why he hated him so much. Shin said he didn’t hate Kage, he hated everyone. Kage meaning “Shadow,” he was to be the shadow cast by Shin to darken this world. Shin felt wronged by the world so Kage would be his revenge. Obviously Kage doesn’t give a damn about the old man’s grudge, but it’s not like there was anything else for Kage to do with his life. No education aside from basic reading, writing, and speaking. Well, some math and basic things of the world. But everything else was fighting. Kage fought in “the underground,” got noticed by The Dark Forces, and become a wrestler. “You know the rest.”

“So then why fight Link so hard?” HPW Media asks. Kage isn’t sure himself. He knew there was a resemblance, so maybe deep down, there was resentment. Not like Shin’s, but not not like Shin’s. The envy he had for the abbey orphans, seeing someone who looked like him be successful at wrestling despite having the happy life he never had, maybe it riled up something inside of him. “But I’ve moved past my blood brother. This is about me. I fought for Shin, I fought for the Dark Forces, but no more. I’m fighting for me now. I’m fighting to prove that I’m the best. I am not Shin’s shadow, I am not the Hero’s Shadow. I cast MY shadow on wrestling now. No one’s getting rid of me.”

Kage returns to his home, the same home where he grew up under Shin. Kage brings something out to show the cameras. It’s the Triforce Championship, redone in a darker color!

“This is my shadow, and it will follow me wherever I go.” The Shadow has already implemented changes, will anyone be able to stop his reign of darkness?

TONIGHT
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T͘͘͟͠Ḩ̢͘͟É̸҉̨Y̨’̢Ŕ̨̧͞͡È̵̡͞ ̀͟͏̶͠H̵̛͡É̢͢͡R̛͏Ę̵̶̕͡
FACE YOUR FOE

The HPW Death Mountain Championship is being raised above the ring.

As is tradition, the Death Mountain Championship Ladder Match will be HyruleMania’s opener! But something not so much tradition as is a trend is this title changing hands at HyruleMania through this ladder match. Torbevito knows the pressure he’s under, from having the opening match of the biggest night of HPW’s year, to defending the honor of Arrow Club, and even living up to his family legacy. His father, El Torbellino, The Whirlpool, set a high bar for a Zora luchador, practically innovating what any high-flying wrestler does today. Torbevito wants to break the trend while upholding the “Legacy of the Whirlpool.”

Aveil has one last pep talk with the Gerudo Sisterhood. Shabonne says, “Aveil’s gonna get the Death Mountain Championship!” The others respond, “SA’OTEN!” “The Dames are getting the Trios Championships!” “SA’OTEN!” “We’re gonna be on top!” “SA’OTEN!” “We’re gonna be on top!” “SA’OTEN!” “We’re gonna be on top!!” “SA’OTEN!!” Meanwhile, Odolwa meditates. He’s like a statue as he has his fists pressed against each other, and the camera zooms out to show he’s doing the splits across some chairs! He’s flexible, but also focused. This combined with the ferocity we’ve seen could make him one to watch out for.

Midna is streaming her warm-up with the resistance band, but she notices she’s getting bombarded with hater emotes and long comments. She looks closely and sees it’s “that weird Ghirahim White Knight again.” She reads one of the comments, “You’re wasting your time working out, because you’re still going to lose to the Great Ghirahim.” “Right, like how I lost the I Quit match at Clash of Fates. Oh wait, I didn’t! I won! Bet you didn’t like that much, huh, ya fanboy? Poor widdle Ghiwahim’s face was awl swollen after I hit him wid a chair~!”

Midna laughs but the next comment comes in, and in all caps. “MY FACE WASN’T SWOLLEN, JUST BRUISED! DON’T USE BABY TALK TO BELITTLE ME!” Midna’s confused for a moment, but then she realizes! This viewer IS Ghirahim! Ghirahim’s stream stalking her! “That’s both hilarious and creepy! Though, I guess that’s Ghirahim, huh? Cringe comedy incarnate.” Midna tells Ghirahim that he’ll end up with a lot worse than a bruised, swollen face. He’s going to lose to her again, and she will become the NEW Death Mountain Champion! Meanwhile, Ghirahim fumes in his room while he throws his phone down on the floor.

Everyone gets a knock on their doors. They’re all being told that it’s time, and they all exit their locker rooms to head for gorilla. The Celebration of Greatness is about to begin, but who kicks off the festivities with a victory?

My Thoughts:

Almost time for HyruleMania! I wish I had more skill for visuals in this because I would’ve loved a visual highlight reel for all that about Veran and Zelda, and even for Igos’ story in TCW. And I feel I kinda rushed the Death Mountain stuff but between those hype articles the last month, and things coming down to the wire, I just didn’t have time to get more in-depth. But HyruleMania 3 is publishing before the next hour, hope you all enjoy!