User:Tony/Sandbox/Great Calamity

The Great Calamity refers to two distant events in Hyrule's history related to the resurgence of the Calamity Ganon.

First Great Calamity
buried the technology

Yiga clan formation

Second Great Calamity
prophecy, excavation

began to use the ancient technology

Zelda began her training to attain her divine sealing power

Champions appointed

On Zelda's 17th birthday, returned from the Spring of Wisdom atop Mount Lanayru

Calamity Ganon began his return by surrounding Hyrule Castle in a dark storm. Responding to the oncoming Calamity, the Champions took to their Divine Beasts and Princess Zelda, despite not having any sign of her powers, resolved to face Calamity Ganon alongside Link. However, as they prepared to confront Calamity Ganon, he unleashed a burst of Malice from high above Hyrule Castle, infesting the Guardians intended to hinder him. This allowed him to assume control of the Guardians and overrun Hyrule Castle, killing those inside and crippling the chain of command for the royal army. By fusing his Malice with the ancient Sheikah technology, Calamity Ganon created the Blights and used them to infiltrate the Divine Beasts and dispatch the Champions inside, trapping their spirits within.

With the King and the Champions defeated, Link and Zelda fled south to the woods near the Bottomless Swamp along the Hylia River. There, Zelda lamented that Hyrule Kingdom fell due to her inability to use the divine sealing power. Around this time, a division of the Hyrulean army fled to the Akkala Citadel to make their last stand against the invading Guardian forces, only to be overwhelmed and utterly defeated. A second division was stationed at Fort Hateno with the purpose of defending Hateno Village from the oncoming Guardian threat. Link and Princess Zelda took refuge at Fort Hateno, where Link joined forces with the soldiers protecting the Fort. In the ensuing battle, Link defeated many Guardian Stalkers but was ultimately mortally wounded. Despite Zelda's pleas for him to flee, Link continued to defend the princess against the Guardians. In her desperation to preserve his life, she instinctively threw herself between the hero and a Guardian, awakening her holy power in the form of a giant hemisphere of golden light that cleanses the surrounding Guardians of their Malice.

Succumbing to his wounds, Link collapses in Zelda's arms as she mourns for the hero and his grave sacrifice. Despite the hero's condition, Princess Zelda's newfound powers allow her to hear a voice emanating from the Master Sword, who informs her that Link can still survive. With this knowledge, she instructs members of the Sheikah tribe to take his body to the Shrine of Resurrection, where Purah places him under the Slumber of Resurrection in the hopes of mending his body and reviving him from his dire condition. Meanwhile, Princess Zelda travels to the Korok Forest to place the Master Sword under the guard of the Great Deku Tree. Assuring the spirit inside the Master Sword that Link will appear to reclaim it, she leaves for Hyrule Castle with the intent of containing Calamity Ganon within the Castle until Link awakens from his slumber to face Calamity Ganon himself.

Aftermath
Over the course of the following century, the citizens of Hyrule adapted to life without a central government and took to living in scattered communities, as most of the towns and settlements were destroyed and fell to ruin in wake of the Guardians' onslaught during the Great Calamity. Many Guardians remained under Calamity Ganon's control and the majority of them concentrated around Hyrule Castle and the surrounding area of Hyrule Field, forcing the remaining Hylian populace to take refuge elsewhere. Tales of the Calamity and the hero who gave his life fighting for Hyrule passed along the Hylians. Rumors spread among the Hylians that the hero who fell in battle at Fort Hateno survived and that he entered a deep sleep to fight again.

The loss of Mipha, the Zora Champion, embittered the proud Zora warriors, fostering a deep-seated sense of xenophobia towards Hylians among them as they viewed Link to have stolen her away from them only to lead her to her untimely death. Consequently, Hylian travelers became a rarity for the denizens of Zora's Domain. However, the Zora royal family understood the tragic circumstances and fostered no ill will towards Link.

The members of the Sheikah took care to prepare for Link's return. The head of the clan, Impa, chose to wait patiently in Kakariko Village to guide Link in his journey to wrest control of the Divine Beasts back from Calamity Ganon and save the heir to the family that their clan is sworn to serve. Ten years following the Great Calamity, Purah settled in Hateno Village and founded the Hateno Ancient Tech Lab to research the ancient technology in the hopes of finding ways to combat Calamity Ganon and assist the reformation of the Kingdom of Hyrule following Ganon's defeat. Robbie, Purah's subordinate, parted with her and left for the northeastern reaches of Hyrule, establishing the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab to conduct his own research independently.

The spirits of the four deceased Champions and King Rhoam pass on.