Ocarina of Time Chapter 58

 Chapter 58

A Demon's Wrath

The rain fell around Link as he tumbled over the balustrade. The Master Sword slipped from Ganondorf's body, and the demon king plummeted towards the balcony far below. Link's insides turned to water, and his body slammed into the tower's stone wall. He hung suspended in mid-air as something thwarted his fall. He gripped his blade, his hand somehow frozen to the pommel, as if the sword wouldn't allow him to let go. It wouldn't save him. Not this time.

"When I told you to stab Ganondorf, I didn't mean leap after him, you dolt," Courage said, sounding irritated.

Link didn't heed the spirit's words; vertigo gripped him in a sickening swirl of colors, and blood rushed to his head from hanging upside down. For a moment, Link was not aware that he was no longer falling. Only Courage's burning essence gave him enough lucidity to realize he was dangling in the air. Somebody was holding his leg, and their grip was slowly slipping.

Link heard a woman cry out while he struggled to look up. The effort intensified the pounding within his head, but he forced himself to stare upward at the balcony. Nabooru was gripping onto his leg, her face strained as she tried to pull him up over the railing. Link feared that her efforts would only send them both to their doom.

Ruto appeared alongside Nabooru and seized hold of Link's other leg. Her webbed hands faltered as well, and both women grunted as they tried hauling him up.

"Let go!" Link shouted. "I'll only pull you both over!"

"The hell I will," Nabooru shouted. She braced against the railing, pulling harder. Her hands slipped further as she hoisted Link up another inch.

"This would be much easier if you ate less!" Ruto yelled.

"I won't be eating anything soon!" Link retorted.

"Just pull!" Nabooru exclaimed, sounding less than amused by Link and Ruto's banter.

Staring downward at the sickening drop, Link knew that if they let go, he would not survive. But, if they didn't...

It was no good.

He could feel the two Sages struggling to hoist him upward. Blood pounded in his ears, and the land below became nothing more than a dizzying blur.

There's no choice, he thought. They have to let go.

Resigning to his fate, and hoping that neither they nor Navi blamed themselves for his death, Link gazed up at the two Sages just in time to see Darunia and Navi appear behind Ruto. Darunia reached easily over Ruto's shoulder and clutched Link's leg so tightly that he almost cried out in pain. Nabooru let go, bracing against the railing to catch her breath, and Darunia pulled Link to the safety of the balcony, sword and all.

"You are too light, brother. You need to eat more," Darunia said, helping Link to his feet with as much gentleness as he could manage. "I think lots of Dodongo stew for you."

"Thanks, Darunia," Link rasped. Only the Goron's firm hand on his shoulder kept him from falling over.

The rush of energy from his brush with death and channeling the Triforce of Courage was beginning to drain. As it did, injuries old and new seemed to reawaken, making Link painfully aware of their presence.

Before he could say anything else, Saria crashed into him, wrapping her small arms around his waist. Link got down on one knee, embracing her. For a moment, he forgot his pain existed, and all he could think of was the promise made earlier. She was safe. He'd stopped Ganondorf, and the Kokiri were home again. It was finally over.

"You did it!" she whispered, looking up with unshed tears glistening in her eyes. "I said you would, didn't I?"

"You did. I'm glad you're okay, Saria," Link said, trying to sound light-hearted despite his fatigue.

"Now I must name all my children after you," Darunia said proudly.

Link pulled back from Saria's embrace and glared at Darunia, not in the slightest bit amused.

"What if it's a girl?" Nabooru asked curiously.

Darunia shrugged. "Then I shall name her Linkle."

"Linkle?" Ruto asked incredulously."What kind of name is that?"

Darunia shrugged, his brief mirth quickly fading as he pressed a hand to his blackened side.

"Are you alright?" Link asked quietly. It seemed a stupid thing to ask, as Darunia was clearly injured.

"It's nothing," Darunia grunted. "Besides, you look worse."

"I can tend to you both," Ruto said. "Neither one of you will get very far in your condition."

"Later," Darunia replied, brushing aside Ruto's concern. "We have important matters to attend to and the others need us... where are Rauru and Impa?"

Nobody answered him, but the looks they shared spoke a thousand words. The Sages glanced beyond the open doors to where Zelda's body lay, and Link felt icy pain clench against his chest. He blinked away unshed tears as he spared a thought for Zelda's daughter... Eliana was likely just an infant, and Link felt an immense sorrow at the thought that she would never again see her mother. She was motherless... just as he was. Despite not knowing Eliana, Link felt a choking grief well inside of him.

He stared at the others and noticed there was no more joy in their eyes. Did they know about Zelda's child? He didn't ask, fearing that he'd have to explain how he knew. Navi peeked over the balustrade, looking towards the distant balcony where Ganondorf's body lay and seemingly oblivious to everything that was happening around her.

"Navi?" Link called anxiously. "What is it?"

Saria followed his gaze, as did her fairy. Navi turned and flew over to Link, landing on his shoulder.

"Something isn't right," Navi said, her voice hushed. "I can still sense the dark magic that emanated from Ganondorf. Can't you, Fora?"

Saria's fairy nodded in agreement and exchanged an uneasy look with Navi.

The brief exchange made Link feel physically ill and his mouth went dry.

"Ganondorf couldn't have possibly survived," he said hoarsely.

"Do you want us to check?" Fora asked.

"No," Link said abruptly, his angry tone catching both sprites by surprise. Forcing himself to relax tensed muscles, he took a deep breath, "No, I don't want either of you taking that risk."

"It would be a good idea to check," Darunia reasoned. "It would be safest if we all go together."

"You don't think his Triforce shard could resurrect him again, do you?" Ruto asked.

Unable to fathom the idea that Ganondorf could survive, Link shook his head. "He's dead," he said fiercely. "He's dead, and that's all there is to it." Everyone gazed at him, except for Darunia. He turned towards the sound of an approaching party of Hylians and Gerudo.

"You and I well know that isn't true," Courage said, as Link regarded the approaching company, "I once thought as you do, and I paid a heavy price for it."

A flock of griffins landed on the balcony behind the Gerudo. Their riders had approached from the side of the tower that offered some semblance of shelter from the wind. Link guessed they had seen the Triforce's light, and once certain it was safe to land, had come to investigate.

Toru led his bedraggled group, followed by Shinju, who clasped greeting hands with Nabooru.

"You're alive," Link said, a small flicker of relief numbing his pain. He had been certain that both Toru and Shinju had perished.

"Barely," Shinju said, turning from Nabooru. "We had to fight the whole way here through Ganondorf's chambers. Might not have made it either if the Stalfos hadn't just collapsed."

"Did you find his mask?" Nabooru asked.

Shinju nodded, her expression darkening. "We did."

She unraveled the cloth in her hands and showed Nabooru a familiar white mask shaped like a human skull. It sent chills down Link's spine. The mask was quickly wrapped back in its coverings, and Link's attention was drawn to Toru as the man approached him.

Toru's eyes grew wide as he took in Link's bloodied and bruised appearance. "Damn, boy!" he exclaimed. "Ganondorf...is he-"

"Dead," Link answered, gesturing towards the balcony railing as he tried not thinking too much about Navi's words or those spoken by Courage. "He fell."

"We need to make certain he is dead," Nabooru added, watching Link closely. When he tried to speak, she cut him off with a sharp glare. "My people were unsuccessful in killing him once. I won't allow that to happen again. Can you take some of those animals and retrieve the body?" As she finished, Nabooru pointed towards the griffins.

Toru looked surprised at the order but wisely refrained from questioning it. "Of course," he said, before asking, "Where is Princess Zelda?"

Nobody quite met his eyes.

"Zelda... she-" Link began and then faltered. It was too painful to admit that she was truly gone. It was as if by denying those words, he could somehow make the reality become less real.

Ruto stepped in to help him. "I am sorry, General," she stated solemnly. "Princess Zelda did not make it."

She gestured towards the doorway and everyone turned in that direction. None spoke. Impa knelt beside her fallen charge, her head bowed and one hand clasped in Zelda's own. Her own thoughts were no doubt far from the people around her. Glass crunched beneath Link's boots, and every step felt leaden as he made his way towards Zelda.

I'm sorry, Impa, he thought. He didn't need telepathy or any Sheikan power to sense the extent of her sorrow. I'm sorry I couldn't save her.

A chill spread through his chest like icy claws clenching his heart as he looked upon the body of the woman who would have been Hyrule's queen.

She wasn't just queen of his people, Link realized. She had been his friend and guide, never knowing how much she meant to him. Tears stung his eye, blurring his vision. She died believing Link had hated her, of that he was certain.

I should have convinced her. It was too late now. Too late for the Princess of Hyrule, and for the cousin he'd never known. Too late for the things left unsaid, and for a chance to say goodbye. Time flowed ever onward, its cruel currents sweeping all into its endless channel, leaving nothing but memories.

Zelda's eyes, once so bright but sorrowful, were closed in eternal sleep. Rauru stood beside Impa, saying nothing. Link doubted there was much anyone could say that would ease her pain.

Chipped wood and broken stones marred the floor. It was as though a tornado had ripped straight through the room, destroying the sparse furnishings within it. The hearth was almost unrecognizable, though a few tendrils of smoke still rose from dying embers. Statues of winged beasts- dragons and gargoyles- stared down at the scene of destruction.

Link noticed none of this, for his eye remained fixed on Zelda's body, her white dress stained a crimson that would never wash out. Save for the grisly wound across her neck, she could have been sleeping.

"Her spirit lingers still," Courage said. "When Ganondorf tried to touch the Triforce, I was able to heal her soul. It will mean she can move on in peace, but that's all I could do. Ganondorf hoped to end the cycle of rebirth in his favour, but for now, we have stopped him."

As the Sages gathered around their fallen princess, they glanced at one and another, and then at Impa. All were at a loss for words. Link could sense Impa's anguish and veiled despair. Her life had been sworn to the Royal Family, to Zelda, and now they were gone.

"Not all," Courage reminded him.

Even Nohansen's ghost had long since vanished. If anyone wondered why, they did not voice it. Perhaps, with his daughter's loss, Nohansen was no longer bound to this world, or he chose to grieve alone.

"Impa, I... I'm so sorry," Link said at last, forcing the words out, his voice strained. His sympathy seemed a pitiful comfort to a grieving soul. "I should have been able to save her-"

"The blame is not yours." Impa's voice was so soft that Link barely heard her. She sounded exhausted and seemed totally unaware of the injury scarring the blistered hand that still clasped Zelda's own. When Ruto offered to examine it, Impa ignored the Zora queen.

"We should move her," Saria offered. "I can suture the wound, with the right supplies. I know it's not much, but it's the least I can offer."

"First," Impa said quietly, placing Zelda's hand across her body. "What became of Ganondorf?"

"He fell," Darunia said before Link could answer. "The Mithirans are retrieving the body."

"If the Triforce of Power still resides within Ganondorf, there's a chance it could bring him back to life," Rauru said. "It would take time."

"If it does, I will be forced to kick him," Darunia growled softly. "That could be messy." At a look from Nabooru, he added, "For him."

"Such a pacifist you are," Ruto said sarcastically.

"What of the demon possessing him?" Navi asked.

"I think we must assume the Triforce of Power could resurrect it as well," Rauru said gravely. "We must seal Ganon and his host away."

"We retrieved the mask," Nabooru said, gesturing towards Shinju, who had joined her. "Perhaps we can seal the demon back inside it?"

"And let it escape again?" Darunia asked. "No, this will not do. I say we break it."

Link was barely paying attention as a brief image flashed across his mind.

"Sealing it away would prevent the demon from being reborn," Rauru said. "It is perhaps our best option if we are to ensure this calamity does not strike Hyrule again."

"So long as the seal holds," Ruto noted.

Ganondorf's eyes met Link's own and a triumphant smile crossed his features for an instant, right before the Master Sword impaled him.

Ganondorf knew the Triforce of Power could bring him back to life, just as it did when the Gerudo turned on him.

He knew. Link thought, the bitter taste of dread rising within him. Courage was right, he wasn't dead.

Damn it, Link cursed inwardly.

Saria offered him a comforting hand, misreading his expression. He squeezed it gently and gave her a reassuring smile.

"I'm okay, Saria," he assured her. She didn't believe him, not judging by her pained expression.

Letting go, Link couldn't help looking towards the balcony door. As he did, his gut thickened with nausea and his muscles ached with tension. He started walking back towards the place where Ganondorf had fallen, feeling as though some unseen force was driving him forward.

"Link?" Saria asked quietly. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing," Link replied. "Just stay there."

Several soldiers were dismounting from their griffins. One of the feathery steeds bore a lifeless figure clad in charcoal-grey armor. The griffin was eager to be rid of Ganondorf's corpse and backed away from the body. It hissed loudly and tore away from its handler in a frenzied bid to scamper away. The other griffins began panicking as well, and their riders fought to bring the animals under control. They shouted commands to no avail, pulling on lead ropes to keep the creatures from flying off. One griffin pulled free of his rider's desperate grip and threw the man to the ground before taking flight.

"The griffins," Saria murmured, her eyes fixed on the startled animals. "They say something about the body feels wrong. Like a predator playing dead."

Without waiting for Navi, Link tore the Master Sword from its sheath. The amber gem glowed, warning him all was not well. Darunia saw this, his hammer held at the ready.

How long did they have before Ganondorf was revived?

"Not long," Courage warned.

Link cursed, catching Saria's eye for an instant.

"Take his head, brother," Darunia growled, loud enough for all to hear. "I'd like to see him come back from that!"

Without waiting for the others to join him, Link approached Ganondorf's body. Glass crunched beneath his boots once more. When he saw the mark glowing on the gauntlet covering Ganondorf's hand, he swore again; the Triforce of Power had not abandoned its master.

Link unsheathed his sword, noting the glow of its amber gem.

"Link, stay back!" Rauru shouted urgently. "You heard me, Darunia. It's too late! Link, let us deal with him. Sages to me!"

Too late. Those words were becoming a bitter memento to this day.

At that moment, the Triforce of Power flared brightly on Ganondorf's gauntlet. Link's shard responded to its counterpart, causing his hand to itch, as though Farore's Essence was somehow warning him. Any doubt that something was wrong was instantly dispelled.

The warning came too late; before Link could react, a ring of light erupted around him.

Oh no, he thought. No. No. NO!

"Brother!" Darunia shouted.

The others gathered around Rauru, including Impa, who stood sharply and yelled for Link to move away.

"Get back, Link!" Navi screamed.

And then, everything happened at once. The last of the griffins took flight, screeching frantically, most of them riderless. The light blinded Link. He stepped backward, throwing a hand up to shield his face. The air rippled like a wave of heat crashing into him, smothering him. Suddenly, he was falling and slamming into wet flagstone. A torrent of wind and rain swelled, lashing at his already damp skin.

Link opened his eye, his mind still reeling with shock.

Where am I?

Link rolled onto his stomach. Quickly, he pushed himself up, scrambling against rock and rubble while scanning his surroundings. All he could make out in the dim light were crumbling ruins with blackened timber rising amidst soot-stained stone. Bodies lay scattered across the abandoned market square- people, Blin, Stalfos, and reDeads. A few Hylians lay amongst the carnage too, as did soldiers in uniforms Link didn't recognise.

I'm still in Castletown, Link thought, feeling an odd flicker of relief. He hadn't been warped somewhere completely foreign.

The Mithiran's who'd unfortunately been standing near Ganondorf's body were also caught in whatever spell had warped Link here. They stood nearby, the shock not quite gone from their pale features. They all stared in wide-eyed terror at something behind Link. Then, shouting in their native tongue, the Mithirans turned and disappeared into the night's shadows.

"Link!" Navi hissed.

He gazed up at her to notice she was looking at something, paralyzed as though struck by the horrendous spell of a reDead's piercing scream.

Link forced himself to stand, despite the agony burning in his leg. Behind him, he became aware of something breathing heavily. He mentally prepared himself and turned to face whatever it was standing behind him.

Ganondorf hovered in mid-air, fists clenched and glowing eyes filled with malice. Anger radiated from that baleful glare, like the heat of a blazing furnace. Ganondorf lived again.

"No!" Link screamed, and the ground nearly lost all solidity as the shock of what he was seeing struck him. "I killed you!"

Rauru had said it would take time for the Triforce of Power to revive Ganondorf, but even as Link watched, Ganondorf's wounds were healing.

Greatly unnerved, Link stepped back, his boots crunching against broken stone. "I KILLED YOU!" he bellowed. "I KILLED YOU!"

"I think he heard you," Courage pointed out.

Link's mind was still racing. The Sages were still inside the tower and even if they flew down to meet him- which Darunia could not- they wouldn't get here fast enough.

They were too far away to help him. The light on Ganondorf's gauntlet blazed like blue fire, and smoky wisps of light rose from his body. Link could feel the essence of his own shard flowing through him, resonating in response to its counterpart.

"Link, don't just stand there!" Navi said urgently. "Run!"

No, Link thought. He couldn't let Ganondorf escape. He had to do something.

"Get to a safe distance first. Things are about to get really ugly," came Courage's insistent warning.

Link wanted to attack Ganondorf, but he was hovering too high to strike with the Master Sword.

"Get back and see if you can find a bow. There's bound to be one close by."

Link quickly scanned the ruins around him, but found nothing. He still had a hookshot, maybe that could...

Ganondorf roared. It was a strange bellowing cry so loud that Link was certain it would bring down the very heavens. Blue light exploded around the demon king, and Link stepped back again, watching in mute horror as Ganondorf began to morph and grow. His cry started as a roar, reflecting a mix of pain and anger, and swiftly became a hellish snarl. The man's limbs bulged as he became three times Link's height.

The changes didn't stop there.

As Link watched, the figure of a powerful Gerudo turned into something else entirely.

Whatever this creature was, it certainly wasn't human.

The beast staring at Link had more in common with a Moblin than a Gerudo. Long curling ram's horns protruded from its skull, a snout replaced its nostrils, and bristling black fur cloaked its armor-clad body. Only its black armour, the red mane, and the ruby encrusted upon the beast's forehead bore any resemblance to Ganondorf. Link stared, frozen in terror.

The monster snarled again, showing its sharp yellow teeth, which curled over its upper lip. None of that horrified Link compared to the two blades the behemoth gripped in its huge clawed hands. Each one was as long as Link was tall, and he doubted that even the armor of an Iron Knuckle would offer any semblance of protection against them.

Instinct told Link to run, but he could only watch as the beast raised its beady red eyes towards the heavens. It opened its mouth and bellowed a roar that drowned out the storm's dying echoes.

"Link, run!" Navi shouted desperately. She flew down to his tunic and tugged on the collar. "Come on, run!"

"Get back, you fool!"

The swords came crashing down. Navi screamed. Ducking beneath the blade that would have cleaved him in two, Link rolled to his left. The sword went through the rocky earth, and the beast snarled, furious. Navi slipped past the two blades, darting deftly away from them.

"Navi!" Link yelled, sidestepping swiftly beneath Ganon's legs. "What the hell is this thing?"

"I don't know!" Navi yelled.

A hoof stomped down where he was standing. Link nearly stumbled, righted himself, and then quickly darted away as the other foot came down to squish him. It missed.

Barely.

The beast spun with a furious roar, blades slicing through the air. As he frantically bobbed beneath the dual swords, Link knew what he was dealing with, and the realization terrified him.

"The demon," Courage told him. "It's the demon that was possessing Ganondorf."

Ganon.

The Blin's patron deity and an Ancient with the power to kill a god. Link was certain the demon hadn't returned to full strength yet. If it had, he would already be dead.

Link dove again as one of Ganon's black blades slammed into the earth barely a few feet in front of him. Link skidded to a halt as he beheld the sharp steel. For an instant, he stood gaping in disbelief. A blade that powerful would have cleaved a boar clean in half.

"Look out!" Navi screamed.

Link caught a glimmer of steel out of the corner of his eye and ducked. The air rippled as Ganon's blade whistled overhead. Within seconds, Ganon rose one hoof to slam it on top of him. Link stepped out of harm's way and the hoof came down with a crunch.

Ganon roared, howling in rage, his two blades cleaving towards Link again. As they did, Link stepped beneath the gargantuan beast and slashed the Master Sword across the back of Ganon's leg. The sword bit through flesh, spilling blood. Link cursed, his strike falling far short of the tendon he'd been aiming for.

Ganon howled with unbridled fury. Link cursed again, running as Ganon's long barbed tail lashed towards him. The whip-like appendage missed, almost grazing him as it cut through the air. Snarling, the beast swept its blades low to the ground and spun.

Link threw himself to the hard earth and rolled, ignoring the pain flaring in his shoulder. The blades carved through the air just above him. He jumped up just as one of the two blades swept at him again. He dodged to the left, but the right sword slashed towards him.

Only Navi's warning saved him. He spun, deftly dancing out of the way. Even then, he wasn't quick enough; the blade slashed his satchel and Saria's gift was ripped in two, spilling his gear and provisions onto the sodden ground. Link kept moving, too intent on evading Ganon's weapons to recover his equipment. That was until Navi realized what was amongst the items littered upon the ground.

Sheik's mask and the ocarina.

Oh no.

Navi began to retrieve the mask, but Link ordered her back, ducking beneath a blade that slammed down beside him, leaving a deep gouge in the earth. Quickly, Link snatched up the ocarina in his free hand and then went to grab Sheik's mask.

An enormous hoof stomped on its wooden frame, crushing the mask into nothing more than broken and splintered pieces of painted wood.

"No!" Link shouted.

It was only at that moment, as Link gazed upon the shattered remnants of the mask, that he truly realized that Sheik was gone and Zelda along with her.

"I'm sorry," Navi said.

"Don't worry about it," Link said, his tone harsh.

He desperately wanted to charge and hack the monster with all his strength, but Link knew that if he did that, it would be the last thing he ever did. Sheik's sacrifice and Zelda's death would be for nothing.

Another hoof crashed down. Ganon was closing in again. Seeing the bombs that littered the ground, Link ushered Navi back and unleashed a torrent of flames to set off the explosives. The concussive blast knocked him backward, a bright flash of light searing his vision. Stone met him in a blaze of agony. He rolled, cursing, and looked up to see Ganon stomping towards him with unbridled rage.

The beast thrust the point of one of its blades into the earth and closed the distance between itself and Link. Link scrambled backward, aching from dozens of scrapes and bruises, and one of the clawed hands reached to snatch him.

Navi flew up towards Ganon's face, trying to distract him, but it didn't work.

Link grasped his fallen blade and swung with all his strength, slicing it through Ganon's hand.

Ganon lurched backward, his howl rising into the night, blood splashing from its wound. Not wasting a moment, Link jumped up. Ganon saw him move, roaring with frustration and anger as he slashed his other sword down.

It barely missed. His options dwindling fast, and Ganon unlikely to make another careless mistake again, Link chose to run. Ganon followed him, his heavy footfalls sending small tremors through the ground. The behemoth's roar tore through the night, and Link heard the beast rip its second sword free from the stone.

Link took in his surroundings as best he could. Aided by the flickering tongues of lightning periodically flashing around him, Link saw the Temple of Time's dark silhouette in the distance. Closer at hand stood a broken and dried fountain. Link assumed he was inside the Southern Market, but the darkness closing around him was so thick he couldn't be certain.

He considered whether he could shelter inside the Temple of Time until he worked out a way to deal with Ganon.

"You need a vantage point. Think! Can you climb a building or get onto the wall? You might be able to surprise Ganon if you do, but you cannot afford to dally. Hundred will die if they cross paths with him, and you will be hard-pressed to stop him."

Courage was right. If this demon was one of the Ancients, as Zelda thought, then the Sages, and the others within this forsaken city, stood little chance. Where were the Sages?

He hadn't heard from them since Ganondorf warped him here.

"You never told me how you defeated him?" Link wondered. "You've faced him before, haven't you? That's why you know so much about him."

The spirit's answer was a long time in coming.

"I have, but those were different circumstances, and we do not have the same resources now."

Channelling the Triforce of Courage, Link kept himself from stumbling across the slippery jagged stone, rubble, and broken timber with Navi leading the way, providing what little light she could. Once or twice they heard the moan of a reDead and the distant shouts of men. Link tripped and nearly stumbled on a body several times, but paid them little heed as Ganon kept up his relentless pursuit.

As Link ran, forever aware of the steady thump of Ganon's footsteps beating against the earth, he felt Rauru's familiar consciousness touch his own. Relief swept through him in a brief respite. Link saw a wall up ahead, the ruins of someone's shop or house, and threw himself towards it.

"Quickly, Link!" Rauru said urgently. "We must bind this creature. It cannot be allowed to remain in this realm."

"Where are you?" Link asked, leaning against a crumbling wall as he tried to catch his breath.

"We are coming," Rauru said. "Use your sword and our powers to aid you."

Before he could ask anything else, the connection broke, and Link felt a tinge of frustration. He already knew to use the Master Sword, but lacking any vantage point to let him strike without getting sliced into ribbons or squashed, the blade was almost useless. He'd have to make Ganon somehow fall over or climb on top of the beast. The latter option was suicidal.

Not helpful, Rauru! Link thought angrily, half hoping the Sage was still privy to his thoughts. Ruto was right; with unhelpful advice like that, Rauru was losing his mind.

Still breathing raggedly, Link stared into the night. He could see Ganon stomping towards him, still a few blocks away.

How did Rauru know where I was? he wondered. The Sages probably intended to reach him by riding the griffins. With the obvious exception of Darunia, it was their best option.

Darunia, on the other hand, would have to roll down the length of the tower's spiralling staircase, which was unlikely to present much of a challenge to him.

The stomping grew louder, and Link looked at Navi. "Link?" she hovered close to him, terrified. "Link, he's getting closer."

"I know," Link said, trying to sound calm.

"We can't stay here," Navi said. She looked at him imploringly, and Link could tell she was out of ideas too. "You have to fight him, Link."

"I know," Link repeated. "I just don't know how to get an advantage on him, and I only have my sword."

"You can still climb," Courage suggested.

Climbing? Link considered the wall, but it was too exposed, and there was little chance of surprising Ganon.

There was one thing that might work. With his bombs and other items gone, Link decided on a plan. But first...

"Navi, find me a bow," Link said.

"What?" she exclaimed.

The ground was shaking, and Link flinched as the earth trembled as Ganon drew closer.

"A bow, Navi," Link said, his voice shaking. "Just find one!"

Navi opened her mouth to protest as she held Link's gaze. Then, noticing his resolute stare, she started searching. Link sucked in a breath and hauled himself up.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

By then, Ganon was close enough that Link could smell his fur's rank stench.

He sprinted away for dear life just as a hoof crashed straight through the wall he sheltered behind.

"Shit!" he swore as stone and mortar crumbled. It was almost a wonder that Navi didn't threaten to make him wash his mouth out with something foul.

Zelda's influence was clearly rubbing off on him.

Ganon's eyes followed him, and after a moment, the heavy hoofbeats shook the earth again as the beast continued its dogged pursuit.

As Link fled closer to the town's edge, he realized he was leading Ganon straight towards a company of soldiers who'd remained near the tower.

He tried to lure Ganon away from them, but it was too late. The shouts of men grew louder, as did their horses' frightened whinnies. They rounded the corner of a side street, holding their torches aloft, and gaped at the sight of Ganon. Whatever they were expecting, it wasn't the hulking monster looming through the darkness. At that moment, some chose to stand firm while others ran for their lives. Ganon growled and charged towards them, his swords raised.

Link stopped in his tracks. He couldn't leave them, even though he had no idea how to save them. They ran straight past Link, their attention fixed solely on Ganon.

"Run!" Link bellowed at them. "All of you, run! You can't fight that thing!"

His cry caught the attention of some of the soldiers; they stared briefly in surprise at the bedraggled youth while others kept advancing on the beast. The horses within the assembled group danced as if stepping on hot coals, and Link could only watch in dismay as their riders attempted to keep their charges' under control, not heeding his warning.

"Get back!" he cried. "Get back!"

A few brave archers formed ranks and notched their bows. They took aim and fired. A volley of arrows hissed through the air, only to shatter against the monster's hide. Spears too were thrown, but they also clattered uselessly to the ground without so much as scratching Ganon. A few men at the rear, armed with crossbows, also took aim, staggering their attack; moving back to reload, while the companions covered them.

Reload. Shoot. Fall back.

The result was the same. The bolts might've been striking rock for all the good they did.

This only terrified Ganon's attackers and many of them fled without thought for their companions. One brave spearman managed to sidestep a sword swing, only to have Ganon's other blade connect solidly with his spear, breaking the weapon in two. The unfortunate soul only had time to look at his weapon, holding the broken halves in each hand. He screamed a profanity and started running, but it was too late, and Ganon's next swing found his torso.

As this was happening, Navi found a bow, still held in its dead owner's hands. Sheathing his sword, Link dashed from his cover behind a chimney and ran across the street to where the archer lay. The body was still warm, but Link could discern no sign of life.

Fumbling desperately, he pried the man's taut fingers away from his bow. Whispering an apology, he snatched the quiver. More shouts rose from the road, and Link looked up in time to see several archers on horseback riding out of an adjoining alley to join their fellows. The scene was chaos as some men, the crossbowmen included, ran for their lives, while others made a desperate stand.

Ganon snarled as the archers attacked to little avail but then seemed to grow bored of the spectacle. The demon stepped forward, one enormous blade cleaving straight through the nearest horse, slicing its body in two. The animal's scream ended as abruptly as it began, and Link froze, horror-struck. The horse's rider cried out from beneath his steed and Link could only watch as Ganon's hoof crushed him.

Disheartened, the other riders and remaining men followed their comrades in a hasty retreat. One rider was knocked from his saddle, with Ganon's blade striking him with a sickening crunch. His horse fell onto its side, but then managed to regain its feet and flee into the night. Link stared at the mangled bodies, and in a flash, his horror turned to rage.

"To me!" he bellowed, trying to distract Ganon, hoping to get Ganon's attention and give the survivors time to flee. "It's me you want! I'm over here!"

He seized Courage, drawing on it, drawing on as much as he safely could.

It was too late.

Ganon's blades tore into the remaining men, leaving their entrails strewn across the already blood-soaked ground. The slaughter was over as quickly as it had begun.

"No, damn you!" Link screamed as Ganon cut down another spearman.

You were too late to save them. Too late to save Zelda. The brutality of Ganon's butchery stood as a reminder of all the deaths he'd failed to prevent.

Despite his bitter thoughts, Link knew that the fates of those soldiers had been sealed when they committed to their charge. There was little he could have done.

A sudden flash of light seared Link's vision, nearly bringing him to his knees, and when he looked up, he could see that warrior again. There was no mistaking the rage in those burning eyes.

Ganon saw the spectral knight and instantly bellowed a challenge, ignoring the survivors of his bloody melee.

Notching an arrow, Link imagined Light flowing into the shaft and was rewarded when the arrowhead glowed. Ganon advanced, taking a swipe at the warrior. The blade passed through from shoulder to hip without harming him, and the warrior merely smirked.

"Aim for the eyes!" Navi whispered urgently. "While he's distracted!"

Taking a deep breath, Link pulled the bow taut and let the arrow fly.

Please, let it hurt him.

The arrow missed Ganon's eye by a longshot, and instead, it sunk into the monster's shoulder. The beast howled in pain.

For an instant, Link felt hope. It had worked! Drawing another arrow as Ganon dropped his blade, he fired again. The beast snarled and ripped the first arrow free, followed closely by the second.

Ganon retrieved his blade as Link fired another arrow. The beast flinched as the arrow sunk into its arm. Another arrow zipped through the air and sunk into Ganon's shoulder.

"Move!" Navi shouted.

Link stopped drawing Courage, the spectral warrior instantly vanishing, and tossed his bow, running for cover. Behind him, mortar and stone shattered as the rampaging demon struck the wall.

Link ran from the alley and into the confines of another narrow street. He spotted more Blin and was glad when they ignored him. Instead, they fled from the might of their god and from Link himself. Once he was sure he had lost Ganon, Link dared to double back, breathing hard and quietly making his way towards Ganon without being spotted. Link realized that, save for the tower's dark silhouette, he had very little idea where he was. He couldn't see the Temple of Time anymore and nothing seemed familiar.

We could be anywhere in Castletown, he thought. He didn't dare send Navi out to check; her glowing form would be a beacon.

"I can try drawing him away from you," Navi suggested as Link trod through the abandoned street.

"No," Link said firmly. "I won't risk losing you too."

Link had failed Zelda. She had tried to be as much of a companion to him as Navi and he'd let her die.

"I'm not letting you fight that thing alone," she countered fiercely, flying up to hover in front of his face before Link hissed at her to stay down. Navi hastily obeyed and then added, "Whatever happens, we're in this together."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Link told her quietly.

He rounded a street and saw Ganon staring down an alley. Link could hear people shouting nearby. He hoped they were fleeing or else more would die before this was over.

Ganon's hearing was far keener than Link expected, for the moment he stepped upon a rodent's bones, the demon's head jerked and turned towards him.

Link cursed, feeling Ganon's gaze on him. He notched an arrow, aiming for an eye while channelling Light. He let the arrow fly and prayed that it would strike. It grazed Ganon's cheek, eliciting little more than an angry snarl.

"What is this going to take?" Link breathed.

He let loose another arrow, striking Ganon's face just shy of his eye. Ganon ignored the obvious wound and instead chose to stampede towards the youth. Link momentarily stared in astonishment before turning and dashing into the night.

He ran into the alleyway again, knowing that Ganon would be hard-pressed to fight him. He would have to demolish every building between him and Link. Even derelict and decrepit as most of the remaining structures were, Ganon would be unable to go charging through them.

Another small band of Blin, Stalfos and Wolfos amongst them, saw Link and charged. A thought occurred to him and he channelled water. He imagined the puddles in the street between him and the approaching monsters turn to ice, and in moments they did. With a spray of curses, Link's foes went skidding, sliding and falling over each other.

When he was several blocks away from Ganon, his would-be adversaries left behind, Link collapsed against an inn's wall. The three-story building of whitewashed stone stood silent and cold. Broken shutters, splintered and smashed furniture, and doors ripped from their hinges all testified to time's cruel passage. Link slumped against the wall, out of breath, his heart pounding madly.

"Did we lose him?" he asked, breathing heavily.

"I think so," Navi whispered. She stared down the alley before meeting his eye. "Link. He'll start killing more people if you don't keep fighting him."

"I know, Navi." The knowledge pained Link, a gnawing sense of guilt clawing at him. He'd failed to stop Ganon killing those men on the road. Everything had happened too fast. His only hope was that Ganon's focus would be solely on reclaiming the Triforce of Courage.

"Then..." Navi said slowly. She sounded uncertain. "It's only a matter of time before more soldiers arrive, or the Sages even."

"I have an idea," Link told her. He looked back at the inn and trod carefully, not wanting to rouse any Blin lurking nearby. If they chose to stay and fight instead of retreating as the last few had, the noise would likely garner Ganon's attention. Nothing stirred in the corridor's dark shadows as Link entered, and he was grateful for the thick layer of ash that muffled his footsteps.

A rancid smell hung in the air, growing stronger the closer Link came to the inn's front.

Blood, Link thought. The inn's front door was ripped violently from its hinges, and in the street beyond, Link could make out bodies of Blin strewn across the ground. Feeling sick, he glanced around the common room and headed for the stairs.

"Link, what are you doing?" Navi asked.

"I need you to guide Ganon here," Link said. "Try not to make it obvious, and keep well away from him."

"What?" Navi's eyes went wide. "You said earlier that was a bad idea."

"It is, but it's the only option we have," Link said solemnly. He was out of ideas, and his strength was waning fast. It had to end soon. "Can you lure him here?"

He held Navi's gaze for a moment, and she nodded. Link realized she was trembling too.

"We'll be okay," he told her, fighting to keep his fear at bay. "Just be careful. I don't want to lose you too."

"You won't," Navi said, smiling faintly.

Then she was gone, zipping out the window and flying off into the night.

Wondering what he'd just done and whether it was the right thing to do, Link swallowed. He felt horribly alone now and wanted to call her back. Concentrating on what he had to do, Link ran up the flights of stairs. He reached the third floor and entered one of the rooms. The little remaining furniture looked as though somebody had either taken to it with an axe or an animal had chewed it. He stepped over a broken table leg, past a child's discarded toys, and walked over to the window, pushing aside the shutters rattling against the breeze.

He climbed out the window and onto the roof. Carefully scaling the roof, and making sure the tiles he stepped upon were secure, Link made his way towards a chimney facing the wide street. It was no easy task; the tiles were slick with rain, and more than once he almost slipped. Finally, he reached the chimney and leaned against it as he caught his breath. In the distance, Ganon roared.

Navi had found him. Link just prayed she would keep out of harm's way. Then, he felt the rhythmic tremors of Ganon's approaching footsteps coming from behind.

He heard a griffin's screeching cry and then another calling in response. Link wondered if it was the Sages. Hopefully, they would keep away until he could make sure Ganon wouldn't harm them. He couldn't channel Courage without giving Ganon his position either, so he let the Triforce's essence slip from his grasp. That meant the Sages wouldn't find him as easily, but they would find Ganon without difficulty.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Ganon's footsteps weren't as quick as Link expected. He must have lost sight of Navi. Perhaps she had only given him a brief glimpse of herself to make it appear she wasn't intending to be seen.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

The footsteps came closer until Link heard the beast's breath. It growled, and Link saw Navi peering out an alley adjoining the main road. He dared catch a glimpse of Ganon from his hiding spot. His breath caught as Navi darted from cover and slipped into the inn.

Ganon roared, stomping forward in pursuit. The building shook with each step, and Link feared it would collapse before the beast reached him.

Not yet, Link thought, gripping his sword. Not yet.

As he did, that strange sense of awareness surged from the blade again, brushing Link's mind as it did. The emotion that surged through him was one of determination and familiarity. The sword had been designed for this moment, to defeat the Ancients who threatened Hyrule and the Sacred Realm.

Ganon raised one clawed fist, sword held high.

NOW!

Link dashed across the rooftop as fast as he could. Upon reaching the ledge, he drew Courage and focused Farore's essence into the Master Sword. Again the image of the spectral warrior flashed in Link's mind. In that brief instant, Link finally understood who the spectral warrior was.

Surprise flashed briefly across Ganon's face as Link threw himself from the roof, both hands gripping his sword's pommel. He struck Ganon, his weight driving the Master Sword straight into the ruby fused to the demon's skull.

Link's hands loosened from his blade's hilt, and his boots scuffed against the beast's jaw, causing him to slip. Ganon's teeth sliced open his right leg and blood gushed from the wound. The beast jerked backward violently, throwing Link against one of the monster's enormous horns. Only his Goron chain-mail saved him from being skewered, and he grabbed onto Ganon's horn while the beast stumbled backward, his howls tearing through the night.

The Master Sword's gem pulsed, and Link felt the blade's radiating heat wash over him in a wave. Ganon stumbled, twin blades clattering to the earth with a reverberating clang. Link realized in a horrifying moment that the beast was falling backward into the decrepit remains of a shop opposite the inn.

Link threw himself from Ganon. His body slapped the stone, slamming into it with such force he felt bones break while Ganon crashed into the building behind him, its wall collapsing with an ungodly roar. Dust rose in thick plumes and Link coughed, choking, convulsive agony gripping his cracked ribs. He forced himself onto his stomach and grasped broken stones, pushing himself to his feet. His right leg wouldn't support his weight, and he looked down in dismay to see blood drenching his trouser leg. He felt light-headed.

Blood loss, he realized. It seemed bitterly ironic that he'd injured himself in a similar fashion while slaying the Gohma Queen all those years ago. Back then, he'd used restoratives to heal the injury. He had none now; they'd been crushed beneath Ganon's enormous hoof.

"You did well," Courage praised him. "Come. You must end this."

"Link," a small voice whispered. Navi flittered over to him, her eyes wide and frantic. "You have to lie still. You're bleeding heavily."

"I know," Link said weakly. "I have to make sure he's dead."

"But-"

Ignoring Navi's protests, Link scrambled to where Ganon lay, moving by sheer strength of will. The beast's chest heaved, the Master Sword still protruding from its skull. Limping, limbs wooden, Link wrenched the blade free.

The beast growled weakly before its voice rumbled, "Do not think that it ends here, Hylian. You know not what has begun. Even if you cast me into my prison, I will return someday, and I shall curse your descendants and their kind." Ganon gave a harsh rattling laugh, bloody foam caking its lips. "The cycle cannot be broken, even by your Sage's seal." The creature wheezed, spitting blood. "Forever we are bound in this endless struggle. I will return."

"And when you do," Link replied, "We'll be ready."

Mustering strength he did not know he had, Link plunged the Master Sword into Ganon again, and finally, the demon went silent. Link could see the Triforce of Power still glowing on the demon's hand, but even as he watched, the gleaming light of Din's essence began to fade. For certainty's sake, Link plunged the Master Sword into Ganon one final time. With that, the last ounce of his strength left him. His trembling hands faltered, his fingers slipping against the hilt. His legs buckled, and he fell amidst the broken rubble.

He'd won. Relief flooded through him. If Link possessed the strength, he would have laughed and not cared if anyone thought him mad for doing so.

It was over. The price had been a heavy one: for him, for Zelda, and for Hyrule. He lay amidst the rubble, feeling a small measure of peace he hadn't felt in a long time. Had Link not been so weary and tired, he might have wept for joy. But for now, he just wanted to sleep a while...

So tired.

"Help comes," came Courage's voice, impossibly distant.

"Your name..." Link wondered. "You never told me your name."

"You know it already."

Voices shouted in the distance, some Hylian, some Gerudo. Hooves thundered and horses neighed shrilly.

"Link!" Navi's shouts broke him from his trance as she darted to his side.

"It's alright, Navi," Link whispered feebly, this time managing a delirious chuckle. "We did it, just like you always said we would. You told me, and you were right."

Link didn't hear Navi's reply as she hovered frantically around his head. He shivered, and somewhere he could feel Farore's essence burning within him as it tried countering the chill spreading through his limbs.

So cold.

Navi disappeared from his side, and her departure confused him. Where was she going? Rain splashed across his face. Link closed his eye, unable to remember the last time when he was able to rest...to just...

"Over here!" somebody cried. A Hylian, Link thought dimly."Oh, bloody hell! You're not dying on me. You hear, boy? You're not dying on me! Toru will have my head. You! Fetch me a healer. Now, damn it!"

Another voice.

Gerudo.

Link didn't remember fainting, but when he woke, he was lying in the middle of a cold and damp street with the Master Sword at his side. He could not recall retrieving it. Somebody pressed a bottle to his cracked lips, and he swallowed the liquid without tasting it. He coughed and spluttered, wheezing as pain seared his damaged ribs.

A pleasant warmth settled in his stomach and began spreading throughout his body. Another person, Link realized, was helping him sit upright. He squinted as light pained his eye. There were people gathered around him bearing torches, and the two figures attending to him were Gerudo.

"Does he live?" someone asked.

"He lives," another replied, closer at hand.

Most of the gathered crowd weren't looking at Link, but rather at the six figures gathered around Ganon's body.

The Sages.

Before he could say anything, Navi appeared in front of him. Her ashen face and red-rimmed eyes made Link realize she had been crying.

"Link," Navi said, her voice hushed. "For a moment there, I thought I'd lost you."

"So did I," Link rasped.

Before they could say any more, both Navi and Link were distracted as the Sages rose their hands. He heard Rauru's strong voice as circles of white light burned brightly around Ganon's body. There were six in total, each containing a symbol burning in their center. A swirling white vortex appeared beneath Ganon, swallowing the demon within its maw. Nabooru strode to the vortex's edge, and Link could barely make out the shape of a mask held within her hands, a mask with a skull design. Nabooru gazed at the cursed object for a moment and then threw it into the swirling light that led to whatever prison the demon was sentenced to.

Then the vortex vanished, flickering out of existence like a snuffed candle flame. Of Ganon, and the Gerudo king, nothing remained. The debris Ganon lay amidst was also gone, sucked into the void forming his prison. The shadows across the edge of Link's vision grew once more, closing around him before he drifted off again.

~ 0 ~

"Wake up, Link."

Somewhere within the depths of his tired mind, he heard a voice call out. He recognised that voice, but confusion rattled him, for he knew that it was impossible for him to hear her again.

"Zelda...?" Link murmured.

Link opened his eye to find himself standing on the edge of a lake, its surface a perfect mirror that revealed a blue sky with patches of white clouds stretching across its expanse. Before him stood Zelda, her beautiful white dress untarnished by the misfortune that befell her. The hem was submerged in the water, yet the fabric seemed oddly dry. There was no sign of the wound that had killed her or any of the other injury that she had sustained.

"Zelda, it's really you?" he asked. The shock jarred him, and for a moment he could only stare. "But..."

"I'm... dead?" Zelda ventured softly.

Link was stunned by how easily she said that. He looked away, shame burning inside of him. "I'm sorry, I didn't-"

Zelda reached out a hand to touch his arm. He stared at it momentarily and then looked into her sad eyes. "You have nothing to be sorry for, Link," she said gently, her smile weary. "Words alone cannot express my gratitude for what you have done."

"Did we really win, though? I couldn't save you," Link said, his words heavy with fatigue. "Or did we only buy Hyrule time?" Link recalled Ganon's proclamation that he would return. He still felt exhausted from fighting for so long, the lethargy reflected in his voice.

"You have tried to carry so much, but I ask you not to blame yourself. You came for me, as I knew you would. You stopped Ganon, and secured a future for all Hyrule," Zelda said firmly, clasping his hands in her own. "As for Ganon, he has been sealed." Zelda sighed heavily, her gaze downcast, then continued, "That seal will break, eventually. A thousand years, or a couple of hundred, I cannot be certain."

Their eyes met, and Link knew deep down that she was right.

"Then..." Link said slowly, averting her gaze. "You're saying we failed?"

Zelda looked aghast. "No, we...you did not fail. The Goddesses have given us a second chance to undo the damage caused when Ganondorf tried to seize the Triforce."

Link frowned, perplexed. "What do you mean?"

"When you defeated Ganon, the Sages were able to separate the Triforce of Power from him. They sealed Ganon away, ensuring the Shard of Power couldn't return to its master. The Triforce is now sealed within the Sacred Realm," Zelda revealed. "So long as the seal remains intact, Ganon cannot retrieve the Triforce. If you touch it, I am certain that it will restore Hyrule."

Link nodded in response, understanding the task ahead of him.

"I had hoped to accompany you but..." Zelda glanced away, her eyes brimming with tears, her voice trembling. "I cannot now. After this, I must journey into the place beyond this gateway. It grieves me that I will never watch my daughter grow... nor hold her. There will be peace in her time..." Zelda choked, her voice breaking on those words. Tears rolled down her cheeks, and despite his instincts telling him that it was improper, Link caught her as she folded into his embrace. Something inside Zelda seemed to break, and she wept bitterly, her head against his chest. Her shoulders shook with her sobs and Link wondered for a moment at how their roles had reversed. Her words spilled out, a torrent of raw and terrible grief. "Oh, Link, I wanted to tell you... I couldn't risk him finding out, but then he did, and when he threatened her..." she gasped suddenly, her voice quavering as she spoke, "He told me what he'd do... he showed me... I-" her voice faltered. "I saw him kill her..."

Those words made Link's heart ache.

"Shh.." Link hushed her. He shut his eye for a moment, trying to temper the mix of rage and disgust boiling within him. He had known Ganondorf could manipulate thoughts and memories to make people see things that weren't real, much as Dark Link had tried to do to him, but to hear it from Zelda's lips sickened him. "It was just a terrible dream.. a horrible dream." he managed soothingly, struggling to contain the anguish welling up in his chest. "It wasn't real... It's over now. Eliana is safe. He can't hurt her."

He felt Zelda tremble, then stiffen and straighten. There was a hint of shock in her deep blue eyes that were now so full of sorrow. "How..." she swallowed thickly. "How do you know her name?"

"Impa told me," Link lied. "I haven't told anyone. Not even Navi." He hated lying, but she didn't need to know that Ganondorf had told him. Nor did she need to know of his chilling words that had almost broken Link's will to fight him. "She's safe... It's over."

"Yes," she agreed. "It is."

She turned away, dabbing at her eyes and staring into the endless expanse of blue. Sensing that she was slightly abashed at having wept so bitterly in front of him, Link kept silent while she composed herself. After what she'd been through, he didn't blame her.

"What was she like?" he asked slowly, trying to break the awkward silence and distract Zelda from her recent ordeal.

Zelda bowed her head. Closing her eyes, she murmured, "She was the most beautiful girl I have ever seen..." a sad smile tugged at her lips, and she laughed without mirth. "I suppose every mother says that about their child."

"Until they start breaking things," Link offered. "Saria says I was a menace around pots. Guess I still am." He was glad to see Zelda's simpering laugh, even if it lasted for a moment."You still haven't told me what she looked like?"

Zelda took a breath, appearing more composed as she continued, "Eliana looks a bit like her father, Prince Owain, in some ways. What I would give to see her one last time. To have her in my arms again and tell her that I love her. She'd be a year old now, perhaps a little more. But..." she turned to face Link again, her eyes red-rimmed. "The Goddesses didn't give me this chance so that I could divulge my regrets to you."

Link opened his mouth to object, and to tell her he wasn't the least bit fussed, but she broke in before he could speak. "Do you know where we are?"

Link glanced at the endless expanse of blue water. It was an eerie place with no breeze, nor any sign of life apart from themselves. Then as he watched, a fog swirled around him, obscuring his surroundings. Having seen this in his visions of the Sacred Realm, Link wasn't startled. As it faded again, he found himself standing in the fog-shrouded gardens of Hyrule Castle, with Zelda standing beside him. He recognized the tall towers and stout walls of the palace, but he was sure he hadn't been to this part of the gardens before. The path was bordered by well-tended hedges and vines that wove their way along tall trellises, their deep green leaves fluttering in a gentle breeze. Somewhere up ahead, he could hear a fountain bubbling and the soft chirp of birdsong. Yet, despite this, the gardens seemed strangely empty.

"Hyrule Castle?" he murmured, looking at Zelda. Her expression had become clouded, but he could still see the pain she was trying so hard to hold back. "I don't understand."

"We stand upon the gateway to the realm of the dead." Zelda's voice was solemn. "For each person, it takes the form of somewhere that has a significant meaning to them."

A memory stirred in Link's mind, and he realized he'd been here long ago when three Wolfos had attacked him. Pushing the painful memory aside, he glanced once more at his surroundings.

The gateway to the realm of the dead. If that was where he was, then...

"Wait, If I'm here too, doesn't that mean..."

I'm also dead? The words caught as his throat seized painfully. He thought of Malon and how the news of his death would devastate her.

"Dead? No. Even now, the Sages are healing you," Zelda reassured him. "You will return to Hyrule soon. You must go to the Temple of Time and place the Master Sword within its pedestal. Then, you will be able to touch the Triforce and restore Hyrule."

"What if the Triforce doesn't work for me?" Link asked. "It split when the last person tried using it."

"I am certain it will accept you," Zelda said. "Otherwise, I would not ask this of you. You do not seek its power, and that is where Ganondorf faltered. If your desires are not selfish or twisted by evil, it will accept you."

Zelda started walking up the path, and Link followed beside her. They passed the last of the hedges, the tall wall looming just ahead of them.

"Do you remember how we met?" she asked, pausing by the fountain, her eyes fixed on the stairs that made their way up the wall and onto the battlements.

"Kind of hard to forget," Link said, smiling ruefully. "I fell off the wall. It wasn't exactly how I'd planned to meet you."

"I'm sure it wasn't. You never did tell me what possessed you to climb up there?"

Link shrugged, then smiled. "It seemed like a good idea at the time."

They both stared past the well-trimmed rose bushes and towards the place where Link had been so unceremoniously dropped by Zelda's little brother.

"I had hoped to send us back in time using the ocarina," Zelda said quietly, her eyes still lingering on the ground where she'd once tended to him. "I wanted to send you back to your childhood, to live out the time that fate so cruelly stole from you. But then, I realized that when you leave your childhood behind, it's not something you can go back to, no matter how much you desire it."

"No," Link agreed softly. "I guess not." He felt such mixed emotions about Zelda's plan, he wasn't sure how to respond. "Not unless you wiped my memory,"

"I would never have done that, not unless you desired it." Zelda met his eye, sounding horrified. "I've done enough damage to your life as it is."

Knowing that he would never get another chance to tell her, Link clasped her hand in his own and knelt before her. "You did what you had to do, my Queen. What Ganondorf did wasn't your fault. I know you may not think it... but, back in the Desert Colossus, when I said that I never hated you for what happened... I meant it."

A warm sense of relief swept through him as he spoke those words, bringing some small comfort to his weary soul.

Zelda's eyes went watery, but she held herself together. "You need not kneel, Link. Please..."

He stood, holding her gaze.

"Thank you," she whispered. He let go of her hand, and as he did, he felt something tugging at the back of his mind. He could hear voices, but a quick glance told him that there was no one else in the gardens. Yet, he was sure he could hear someone calling his name.

"You have to go back now," Zelda said as she too looked over her shoulder. "Just promise me that you will do this one last task for me. I ask you not as your queen, but as your cousin and... as a friend."

"I will," Link said.

Zelda smiled sadly, and then she embraced him again, whispering, "I could not be more proud of what you have done. I just wish I could see my little Eliana again."

"I'm sure she is in good hands. The Sages will take good care of her."

"I'm sure they will," Zelda said. "At least I know I leave Hyrule in capable hands. Eliana will make a fine queen, I'm sure of it."

"As you would have," Link murmured.

Zelda's sweet, sad smile tugged at Link's heart. "Tell the others not to grieve for me... and tell Impa..." she paused, her voice faltering. "Tell her she meant more to me than words can express."

"I will," Link whispered, bowing his head so that the golden threads of her hair touched his brow.

The fog began to close in around them again, cloaking the castle and gardens within its white veil. There were more tears in Zelda's eyes, and her voice broke as she stood apart from him and spoke, "Goodbye, Link. May we meet again. Someday."

"Goodbye, Zelda," Link murmured.

In that instant, she vanished amid the swirling fog, and the world went white as a confusing roar of sound descended upon him.

~ 0 ~

Link could feel the cold, damp stone beneath him. The smell of ash and blood overwhelmed him as he slowly became aware of his senses. He awoke to find Saria kneeling by his side, one hand clutched tightly in his own. Her own fairy and Navi hovered beside her.

"Is he going to be alright?" Navi was asking. The other Sages had gathered around him too, their faces tired and worried. He could see the sky and noticed with vague surprise that the storm had passed. The first vestiges of dawn lit the cloudless sky, heralding the dawn of a new day.

"Ha! He is too stubborn to die," Darunia boomed, his voice strong and confident despite his injuries. "He will be fine."

"Just don't get too excited okay, Darunia?" Nabooru said. "I don't want to heal him again because you squashed him."

"Or have him faint again," Ruto added.

Darunia snorted derisively. "I am not as clumsy as you think."

Link barely followed the conversation, despite having been healed. He felt as tired as the Sages looked. He just wanted to sleep, but permitted himself a small smile and pushed himself upright. Ruto and Nabooru stepped in to help him, but Link shrugged off their assistance.

"See?" Darunia said happily. "He is fine."

"It's over?" Link asked hoarsely. His throat was dry, and it was an effort to speak.

"It is," Rauru replied. "The storm has passed and Ganondorf has fallen. It is finally over."

At those words, Link closed his eye and sighed. The tension melted from his muscles, and he relaxed, feeling the weight of month after month of hardship lift from his shoulders.

It's over, he thought.

Distantly, he heard the majestic song of a bird cry out. The Sages paused in their deliberations and turned towards the sky in search of the lone animal. As the first fingers of light slowly crept upon Hyrule, a phoenix greeted the morning, soaring above the ashes of Castletown.

Next Chapter

Reviews

SunPraiser31 chapter 59 . Apr 1, 2017 Aaaaaahh. Why are my eyes so sweaty? Who left this bowl of chopped onions here? Link did it. It's all over. But at what cost? That final goodbye with Zelda was hard to read. I wasn't prepared for that. At least Link got to day goodbye, but... Fantastic job on that. It really got to me. Writing scenes like that and conveying the proper emotions is one of the hardest parts of writing, and you did a fantastic job of it here. If I recall, the bit Zelda mentioned about sending Link back in time is how the game actually ended. I suppose these next couple of chapters are your own twist on it, then?

Sheep6873 chapter 59 . Feb 8, 2017 Really like what u did with this chapter the goodbye with zelda was much more meaningful

Guest chapter 59 . Sep 18, 2016 Plz make some sort of sequel to this even if it's like a one shot of links life and interactions with the sages post epilogue. This story is absolutely amazing

TheHero136 chapter 59 . Mar 5, 2016 Wow, just wow. Its all coming to an end isn't it. Since this is happening, I want to ask for one big recommendation. CAN YOU PLEASE DO A WIND WAKER SEQUEL? PLEASE? That would be awesome. I'm sure others agree. Anyway, your writing is good but I think the intensity wanes a little towards the end, which is something you may want to avoid. But regardless, great job and you have my respect.

Shaveza chapter 59 . Mar 2, 2016 I am CRYING. I think it took me a few moments to realize Link wasn't dead - kind of like it took Link a few moments to realize he'd been caught. Ooooh-man. I am still sobbing over Zelda. Poor Impa! The final fight with Ganon was amazing to read. Oh man, its almost over. How many chapters left? This has been such a fantastic journey.

Cyan Quartz chapter 59 . Mar 2, 2016 And from those ashes, Hyrule will rise again, huh? Man! I loved this story. I know it's not over yet, but seriously man, this has been a ride.

Lord Darth Yoda chapter 59 . Mar 1, 2016 - Took me a bit to figure out how Link stopped falling. Thought at first the MS helped. - Took ya long enough Darunia lol - Typical hero. Don't count the final boss out until you see him stop breathing. Even then... - May have to reread this. Been so long between updates I've forgotten these side characters and the secondary plots. :( - Aww you didn't destroy the Tower. That insane escape is half the fun! - Hi Ganon! You glorious terrifying nonsubtitled monstrosity of a pig you! _ - This fight feels like if you're outta magic and don't have the Goron Sword and are desperately trying to figure out a stratgy. - Oh sire Rauru it's easy to tell him to fight Ganon when you're not the one hiding terrified behind a broken wall. -lol OoT gets to do the cool final jump attack his other 3D cousins do. - Hmm your Zelda didn't send Link back. I wonder if that's still in the works. I actually wonder if reversing time would reverse the effects of Navis problem. Shed still have to go to the forest eventually though. Hmm...

just a sock chapter 59 . Mar 1, 2016 Wow... Great chapter. It had a ton of depth and action which I love. Aw, Zelda! She died a noble death, though. For Hyrule. Darunia is now my official favorite character besides Link at this point because a) he saved Link, b) he provided some slight comedy relief as well as Ruto during the whole "Linkle" scene, and c) he's just Darunia. XD anyways... I'm looking forward to the next installment! ;) *smiles* :D