Ganondork
goo
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2010
Greetings, Ganondork here. It's been quite awhile since I last posted a story on here, and I've felt really guilty about that. I've had an idea in my head for a week or so now about mixing Skyward Sword, Wind Waker, Ocarina of Time and Assassin's Creed Revelations' ending into one amazing story. Due to this, most canon is basically thrown out the window, but this is perhaps my greatest story yet. I am very proud of it, it's about 5000 words, but very much worth the time in my opinion. I hope you take the time to read it and enjoy it as much as I had writing it.
The hero clutched his sword with an iron grip as his dazed adversary took a step back. With all of the strength he could muster, he took a final leap, his sword raised into the air. As he reached his peak and began the descent back, his sword too began to lower. The blade made contact with the hero’s archenemy’s face and split skin, blood gushing out. He grabbed at his face desperately as he tried to stop the blood from flowing out. Unsuccessful, the villain fell to the ground onto his knees. “Link…” He groaned, one hand covering his grotesque face, “You may…” He coughed loudly, “You may have defeated me… But I will be back. I swear it, and I will kill you. Don’t…forget…it…” With a final breath, Ganondorf fell to the ground, dead.
Link sheathed his sword and turned away from Ganondorf’s corpse. His grim expression did not show quite the content one in a similar position would; his face was devoid of any pride, happiness, or even relief. He loosened his grip on his sword and continued forward; ignoring the cries of delight that Zelda was letting out. Finally understanding, she stopped. “Is something the matter, Link?”
He sighed, “Why must we fight? Ganondorf… His actions are not righteous, but my killing him is no better. I am a hypocrite that kills like an oblivious vigilante; thinking I am doing right. Who’s to say that he was trying to rid the world of something evil? The Triforce… It… It destroys the good intentions of man and turns them into these cruel, cold-hearted monsters. Perhaps I am just as bad as the ones I execute, but I don’t realize it.”
Zelda didn’t say anything for a moment, her eyes studying Link’s. “Why would you say that? He’s the reason for the Great Sea; we would still be living in Hyrule if not for him.”
Link looked away and began to walk faster, “Hyrule… That’s where we should live. That’s exactly where we should live, Zelda. Stay with me – live in Hyrule with me.”
Zelda stopped immediately, “Live in Hyrule? We can’t do that; there’s no food, no water, nothing!”
Link continued walking, “We can go back when we need more food and water, and don’t worry; we’ll survive.” He finally stopped at the exit to the Castle and looked at her, “I promise.” Still shocked, she shook her head. “Then I won’t be returning until I need my necessities,” he paused, “Go now,” he barked bitterly.
Tears formed around the corners of Zelda’s eyes. She ran past him, on the verge of crying. Link felt a pang of guilt, why was he so cruel just then? He wasn’t usually like that, and yet, he had just yelled at her without a second thought. “Oh god…” He murmured, “It’s happening to me already. I’m becoming like him already; soon I’ll be killing the innocent. All of this power…” He looked at his right hand, which was shining a brilliant golden light in the shape of the Triforce, “It’s corrupting me slowly.” Without a second thought he bolted out of the Castle in pursuit of Zelda.
He burst through Hyrule Castle’s doors loudly, “Zelda?” He asked loudly, “Zelda, are you here? I’m… I’m sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking; I was stupid. Please… If you’re listening, please forgive me.” He waited there for a minute, but without an answer. Link’s heart was racing as realization hit him that she was already gone. It was just him and the howling wind outside that filtered in from the opened doors. “Maybe,” he began, “Maybe if I relinquish this sword… This wretched sword… Then maybe, just maybe, I can stop myself from meeting a similar fate to that of Ganondorf.”
He looked up at the statue of the Hero of Time, “Why can’t I be like you? The Triforce didn’t ruin you like it is to me. It’s never made you a monster, you probably died a hero. Meeting a fate like you – that’s what I wish could happen. But no, I am doomed to die alone, without even Zelda.” Sadness washed over him as he uttered her name, “Zelda…”
He stepped down the flight of stairs with a fierce look of determination. With each step, it echoed across the lonely halls many times. With the final step, it was just him and the pedestal. He held the Master Sword high into the air. “I am not your hero,” he declared, “I killed Ganondorf, but I am not the one to bring my people back to Hyrule. Whoever does that… That’s the hero. Let my words be written by the ghosts that haunt these halls; my story… It is one of many thousands, and no one will truly suffer if it were to end too soon.” He turned his sword downward, facing the ground. With a powerful thrust, he forced the Sword back into its pedestal. It slid back into place with a hiss that echoed around the halls with double the intensity of Link’s steps.
Without a single glance at the Sword that was once his, he turned. He took step after step up the flight of stairs that he had at one point ascended with the Master Sword in his hands, but this time he left empty-handed. He walked up the flight of stairs leading to the Hero of Time’s Statue. “Triforce… I have relinquished my role as the hero, but you are still here. Why must you plague me? Do you intend to play games with me, break me until I’m a madman without the ability to think properly?” With each step, another question was fired into the air, but none were answered. “Answer me!” He shouted, “If you have the ability to ruin a man, why can’t you speak?” Finally reaching the top step, he stopped talking; instead he looked at the base of the Statue.
At the base of the Statue was a golden wolf. Its tongue was hanging out and it was breathing loudly in a rhythmic pattern. Link cautiously approached it, crouching down, prepared for it to pounce. As he stepped within a few feet of the canine, a low growl escaped its throat. His hands balled up into fists, Link prepared himself as best as he possibly could. With one final step, the wolf pounced and tackled him.
Link awoke in a land unfamiliar to him. The landscape was clouded, making it difficult to see. It seemed like there was no defined ground, but he was on something, and yet clouds were still underneath him as well as around him. Looking forward, he noticed the golden wolf sat on his hind legs for a moment, breathing loudly like he had before. This time it echoed around the land, making it sound like he was everywhere at once. He raised his head and let out a howl. In a flash of light, the wolf disappeared and an armored silhouette took his place. It appeared like a suit of armor without a body to hold it up. A rusted sword was in the figure’s hand and his armor slowly bobbed up and down.
“Hero,” he growled, “Why have you relinquished your weapon? Your journey is far from over. Or have you quit?”
Indignation filled up inside Link’s stomach, “And what if I have? You don’t know me, and you don’t know what I’ve gone through.”
An odd sound escaped the figure’s throat and his chest moved up and down, as though he was laughing, “You have some nerve, ‘hero,’” he mocked, “I have seen more gruesome things than you can even imagine. I have seen heads cut off, people burned, things that would make your meager troubles seem as pathetic as cutting your thumb and crying about it.”
Anger welled up inside of him now. Fists raised, he charged the figure. As he came close, he threw a punch. Without using his sword hand, he grabbed Link’s fist and threw it down. He hit Link in between the eyes with the pommel of his sword. Dazed, Link fell to the ground. Putting his sword to Link’s neck, the figure began to make what seemed like a laugh again. “Are you finished?”
Link’s eyes only portrayed fear as he looked at the sword. “Yes,” he mumbled. The figure took his sword away from Link’s throat and sheathed it. “Who… Who are you?” He asked.
“A friend,” he replied.
Link stood up. “Why am I here?”
“I must show you why you must not quit now. Hyrule… It’s a lost cause, Link. Save the Great Sea, and forget about the past. There’s nothing you can do.” Link opened his mouth to protest, but the figure put his hand on Link’s forehead, and he slowly fell out of consciousness.
A green-haired girl entered a small, wooden house. As she looked at the table, she noticed a note on the table. It was titled “Saria.”
Intrigued, she opened it.
“Saria, my dearest friend, I have been in Termina a week now, safe and in high spirits, but recovering from the worst. In a long string of events, I have saved the land from peril. A small family has fed and sheltered me while I continue my search for Navi. They warn me that the road back to Hyrule is overrun with bandits and mercenaries. What this could mean, I dread to guess. When I first set out to Termina, I did so with a single purpose; to find Navi. However, word has spread that Ganondorf has created an army and intends to take Hyrule and any neighboring lands. And doing so, he may find the Temple of Time, a sanctum full of infinite wisdom.
“So what will I find when I travel there? Who will greet me, Ganondorf’s army as I feel more strongly or nothing but the whistling of a cold and lonely wind? Castle Town is the only resistance, and his forces can easily crush them. Once they have taken the Temple, will I be welcome there? Ah, I am weary of this fight, Saria. Not because I am tired, but because my struggle seems to lead in one direction only; into chaos. Today, I have more questions than answers; this is why I will travel so far; to find clarity. To find knowledge left by people who came before, so that I may understand our fight better, and my place in it.
“Should anything happen to me, Saria, should my skills fail me, or my ambitions lead me astray, do not seek retribution or revenge in my memory, but continue the search for truth, so that all may benefit. My story is but one of many thousands and the world will not suffer if it ends too soon.”
A lone figure strode across the desolate Hyrule Field, the grass crunching under his boots. His sword and shield in hand, his face was expressing no true emotion. He seemed young for such weapons, but under his skin laid muscles – and abilities – that were beyond his years. He came to a halt when he approached the drawbridge to Castle Town. The bridge was up, but with significant creaking, the bridge finally lowered. Without a word, the hero walked across the bridge into the Town.
Looking forward, he was caught by surprise when an arrow pierced his armor. Taken aback, but not hurt, he took a step back to recompose himself. With one hand on the arrow’s shaft, he looked for his attacker. As he looked to the rooftops, a figure he recognized was accompanied by several men armed with bows. The man in the middle had a deep tan and red hair. He wore heavy armor on his muscular body and a smirk on his face.
“Link,” he chuckled. “Nice to see you again, do you like what I did with the place?” He gestured to the ruined buildings. The square was stained with blood – and the occasional corpse. “Doesn’t it just rub you the wrong way, Link? Want to come up here and kill me?” Link broke the arrow off and threw it to the ground. As the arrow hit the ground, traitorous guards spilled out of gates. Dropping his shield, Link charged towards the new threat.
Sprinting forward, he leaped above the first guard, knocking him in the head in the process. He hit the ground and rolled in front of the guard, who was armed with a javelin. Blocking the javelin’s blow, he spun off the guards back and grabbed another oncoming soldier’s javelin, blocking yet another strike. Struggling to get control of his javelin, Link sent the Master Sword through his throat.
Taking the dead soldier’s javelin, he blocked an oncoming guard’s attack, and jabbed him in the stomach. A new guard ran with full force, his sword raised. Grabbing his arm and redirecting it to his right, Link managed to block a guard to the right’s attempt to kill him. He kicked the sword-wielding guard in the stomach and sent his blade into the disoriented one’s head.
He ducked under a swing of another javelin and jabbed his attacker in the foot, causing him to double over, earning him a sword to the back of the head. A guard came from behind and grabbed Link. Struggling, he managed to shake him off and avoid another soldier’s spear – which then hit the guard that grabbed Link, killing him. Head butting the spear-wielding soldier, redirecting attacks, and even countering ones from behind, Link weaved through the large mass of guards, looking for a moment to take the offensive.
Finally achieving such a position, Link drew the Master Sword. Swinging his sword with great strokes, he took out multiple enemies at a time. He pounced on a nearby soldier and stabbed him three times over. With a final spin with his sword outstretched, Link noticed movement in the corner of his eye. He turned his head to find a figure wearing clothes similar to him. He seemed to be pale, as if he wasn’t really there. The figure turned around and continued forward, but Link continued to watch him.
Seeing a guard running with a javelin, Link raised his sword to block it, but the Master Sword was knocked out of his hands. The force of the blow sent Link onto the floor where he was surrounded.
Link’s hands were tied with rope as he was carried to Ganondorf. Guards lined the edge of the rooftop as Link and his captors approached the Gerudo King. “Quite a battle,” Ganondorf applauded, sarcastically. “All that matters is that you’re dead, though,” he gestured to the guards to bring Link towards the edge of the rooftop. Link shook himself free, earning every guard to unsheathe their swords simultaneously. With a wave of his hand, Ganondorf called the guards off, and they slowly calmed down.
Ganondorf gave him a look as Link walked past him. Ganondorf pushed him forward onto a plank of wood that was hanging over the edge. Another plank was parallel to the one Link was standing on. To Link’s surprise, the figure was on the other plank, walking. Link looked over at him, earning Ganondorf’s curiosity. Looking over, the Gerudo King didn’t see anything. Looking forward again, Link’s feet were at the edge of the plank. Building up the suspense, Ganondorf slowly put the noose around Link’s neck.
Link breathed out of his nose, his breath visible in the cool evening air. Ganondorf tightened the noose, “Any last words?” He asked as he untied the ropes binding Link’s hands.
Link didn’t say anything as he sent his elbow into Ganondorf’s nose. Backing up, Link took the noose off his neck, threw it toward his dazed opponent, and lassoed it around Ganondorf’s neck. Holding onto the other end of the noose, Link jumped off the building. Still holding onto the noose, Ganondorf was thrown to the ground as Link hung in midair, ten feet above the ground. Spinning viciously, Link lost his grip on the noose and fell to the ground. He hit the ground loudly, but stood up. A javelin hit the ground mere inches from him. Ignoring it, Link sprinted towards the Temple of Time.
Link stepped inside the Temple of Time and quietly closed it behind him. Using Deku Sticks, he blocked the doors from being able to be opened from the outside. Looking around, the only door he noticed was locked. “I don’t have the Spiritual Stones,” he commented. Looking around, he didn’t find another door. About to give up, he turned to leave. The figure reappeared and walked through the door, as if it were open. Link watched him as he walked towards the closed door. As he approached the stairs, he turned left. He looked both ways and then raised his left hand to the wall. He then walked into the wall and disappeared.
Intrigued, Link retraced the figure’s steps. As he approached the wall, he raised his left hand towards the wall. The Triforce symbol began to shine radiantly on his hand. The Triforce then appeared on the wall as well. With considerable noise, the wall gave way, revealing a winding staircase. He looked both ways, and then walked forward. As he stepped onto the first stair, the wall closed behind him. Bathed in darkness for a moment, Link searched blindly for a railing. Out of nowhere, the torches lit themselves, giving Link the ability to see once again.
After several minutes of descending the stairs, he hit the bottom. Poorly lit, Link could only make out pillars around him. He continued walking forward. In the center of the room was a chair. “The wisdom, where is it?” He looked at the chair. “I understand now. The wisdom is not from a book… It is from you.” He kneeled down and looked at the skeleton in the chair. He wore a green tunic very much like Link’s and wore a hat that looked exactly like his. In his skeletal hand was a golden harp.
Standing up he looked at the harp. “Why do you have this?” He gingerly picked it up, fearing it might break if held too forcefully. He strummed it slowly, seeing how it sounded. A beautiful melody filled the atmosphere. As he picked up speed the entire world seemed to grow lighter. He closed his eyes as his strummed it faster and faster, producing a song of such beauty that the Ocarina of Time could never hope to match its elegance.
Many years had passed since the defeat of Demise. Link and Zelda never returned to Skyloft, but instead stayed in the land that they named “Hyrule.” They had a child together, small and beautiful. Link’s love for Zelda was unmatched by any other; they were always together, and when they were not, they were in each other’s heads. Returning from getting food and water, he heard a scream that sent chills down his spine. It was Zelda.
Sprinting inside of the Sealed Temple, he saw a lone Bokoblin tower over Zelda. In her hand was the child, who was crying. “Go away!” She cried. “Leave, please!” She begged. The Bokoblin inched closer, holding his machete menacingly over his head. He brought it down upon Zelda, piercing through her delicate flesh. The machete went through her stomach and went all the way through, the tip visible on the other side. She let out a small squeak. The child continued to cry as the Bokoblin took the machete out of his mother’s stomach.
Without a word, Link sprinted towards the Bokoblin. He grabbed it by the head and threw him into the wall. A sickening crack followed the impact. Unsatisfied, Link pried the machete out of the Bokoblin’s hand. He sent the machete into the Bokoblin’s stomach dozens of times until all that was left of its midsection was a bloody mass.
He grabbed his child, cradling it in one arm and holding Zelda in the other. “Don’t die… Please, don’t die!” He pleaded.
“Link…” She said weakly, “I’m so sorry…”
“For what?” He asked.
“For having to die… To leave you with the responsibility to raise our child alone… Link… I don’t want to die…” She whispered.
“No… No… You will survive, you will,” he stammered.
“You’re just telling yourself that Link…” She said, “I’m growing weaker with each breath I take… Link… I… I love you…” She said quietly before her eyes became glazed.
“Zelda!” He cried, unable to believe she was really dead. Tears formed around the corners of his eyes as he silently sobbed. His child had grown silent and watched Link hold Zelda’s body. Link’s heart was torn into millions of pieces as he yelled her name over and over, praying that she would somehow come back to him.
Connections with Skyloft had been lost many years after the death of Zelda. Every Bird Statue lost its ability to take Link to Skyloft, trapping him and his son in Hyrule. No denizen of Skyloft ever left the comfort of the skies and came down to Hyrule even when it was possible to go back. Link’s son grew up in a world that was populated by himself, his father and many dangerous denizens. With the end of his quest, the Dragons did not have anything to do with Link either, but they too slowly died. Whether it was from old age, or an incurable illness, Link outlived them.
Link watched his son grow up and begin a family with a girl from Skyloft, while Link only grew older. They decided to live in Hyrule to keep Link Company, which Link greatly appreciated. His days were spent in the Sealed Temple playing the Goddess Harp in remembrance of his precious Zelda. Sometimes his grandchildren would listen to him, other times they would be with their father. Loneliness was constant in his older years, and yet, it did not bother him; the Harp carried more power and knowledge than his family could ever know.
“Why have you built a library if you don’t plan to keep your books?” Link’s son asked. Link had grown very old, his body frail, his grandchildren fully grown.
“You should go. When Demise’s hatred creates a new enemy of these lands, the Sealed Temple must be empty,” Link replied.
“I see, this is not a library at all, it is a vault,” he deduced.
“The harp must stay hidden, far from evil hands, at least until it has passed on the secrets it contains.”
“What secrets?” He asked.
“Go son,” Link said, shaking his head, “Go be with your family, and live well.”
Link’s son embraced him, “All that is good in me, began with you, father.” His son turned and left, leaving him all by himself.
The door to the vault closed behind Link as he stepped down the flight of stairs. As he passed each torch, it unlit itself, bathing the staircase in darkness. He took his time going down the stairs; he did not want to overwork his old body. “This was so much easier when I was younger…” He commented as he reached the final step.
He walked slowly towards a chair he had positioned in the center of the room. As he was about halfway to the chair, he stumbled forward, nearly falling. Slowly recomposing himself, he continued towards the chair, holding his arms out to balance himself. Finally reaching the chair, he held onto the arm of it with his hands. He lowered his hands as he bent over to sit. He sat onto the comfortable fabric of the chair and let out a sigh of relief. He reached into his tunic and pulled out the Goddess Harp. “Zelda…” He muttered, “I’ll see you again soon…” He strummed the harp one last time and closed his eyes. He bent his head down as he strummed it faster and felt himself slip away.
Link awoke with the harp in his hand. He looked at the skeleton. He kneeled back down again. “You’ve been through so much… Rest in peace, Link.”
“Master?” A robotic voice said behind him.
Link whipped around, looking at a figure he did not recognize. She floated a few feet off the ground. She had a blue skin tone and appeared human-like, but something about her proved otherwise. He looked her over and noticed that she lacked any arms, her cape making a substitute for them. “What are you?” He asked.
She didn’t say anything for a moment, but just looked at him. “There is a 98% possibility that you are in fact the descendant of Master Link.”
“Well, who are you then?” Link pressed on.
“My name is Fi. I was created by Her Grace. She later became the Zelda that my previous Master knew,” she replied. Link didn’t say anything, he just looked at her. “Please Master, play the harp for me,” she continued. He did as she told and began to strum the harp. As he found a rhythmic tune, she began to sing along. Slowly their duet picked up pace and it echoed around the desolate halls; their only audience was the skeleton.
When the song finally finished, Link bowed his head for a moment. When he looked back up, it looked as though something in him had changed. “Fi?” He asked, “Fi, is that you?”
“Master Link, I presume the song has done its job,” she responded.
He nodded, “It appears that both of our personalities were mixed. My wisdom with his mannerisms, for the most part he still has control over his body and thoughts, but now he also contains my consciousness. Why did you bring such a burden upon this boy, though?”
“Was this not why you created such a song?” She asked.
“For future generations to use in a time of peril,” he replied.
“He has Demise’s reincarnation and his army knocking down the Temple’s door as we speak,” she commented.
“Seems like we’re in quite a predicament, I should let the kid use my knowledge to get himself out of this,” he suggested. Fi nodded. Link turned to go, “And Fi,” he began.
“Yes, Master Link?”
“I’ve missed you,” he said.
“I have missed you as well, Master,” she said, her face as expressionless as always.
With the Master Sword back in his hands, Link opened the door to the Temple of Time. Not to Link’s surprise, he was surrounded by Ganondorf’s army. “Give yourself up, Link,” Ganondorf said as he pushed his way to the front of the army, “You are outmanned, just throw it all away now and give me the wisdom that is being held in this Temple.”
“Do you want it?” Link asked rhetorically. “Have it,” he held out the Goddess Harp. Ganondorf outstretched his hands, reaching for the harp. As his fingers were about to touch it, Link let the harp go, sending it to the ground. The delicate material broke into many pieces; the Goddess Harp was destroyed.
“What have you done?” Ganondorf yelled.
Link, ignoring Ganondorf’s question, took his bow off his shoulder and dropped it onto the ground. He threw the Megaton Hammer to the floor. He unsheathed the Master Sword and dropped it onto the floor. “Link,” he began, “The harp spoke of your eavesdropping in my time of peril, and now it lingers in my mind like an image from an old dream. I do not know where you are, or by what means you can hear me, but I know you are listening,” he paused, watching both Ganondorf and his army give him confused looks, “I have lived my life as best I could, not knowing its purpose. But drawn forward like a moth to a distant light and here at last I discover a strange truth; that I am only a conduit for a message that eludes my understanding. Who are we, who have been so blessed, to share our stories like this, to speak across centuries?” He took another pause, “Maybe you will answer all the questions I have asked, maybe you will be the one to make all of this suffering worth something in the end,” he directed his attention to Ganondorf, “I am done.”
“It was a wise decision, Link,” Ganondorf commented as he pushed Link towards the edge of Death Mountain. “You have condemned Hyrule; this land shall curse the name that is Link for the rest of its meaningless existence.” Link didn’t say a word as he stood there, his hands tied behind his back, “I never thought you of all people would just quit, but I’m not one to complain,” he said as he put the noose around Link’s neck. He tightened it, “Goodbye, Link,” Ganondorf said as he pushed Link over the edge.
Link woke up with a start. The figure was watching him, “That is why you do not quit. Do not… Do not do what I did. I heard you say I died a hero’s death, but I did not. I quit when Hyrule needed me most, just as your legends say. There is no reason for them to celebrate me, they should condemn me and reject my existence. But civilization forgets, and I have received praise that I never deserved. Go now, Link, do not repeat my past failures.”
“Link, are you here?” Link heard Zelda call. Link stood up, and ran down the flight of stairs. To his surprised, she wasn’t wearing the dress she was before; instead her hair was up and she was wearing the clothes he had met her in. “Oh, thank goodness you’re here, Link. I was afraid you had left for good.”
“I… I’m sorry for everything, Zelda,” he said.
“Tetra,” she corrected, “But it’s alright, I shouldn’t have overreacted. But we should hurry up and go back to the Great Sea; I want to check out the Ghost Ship.”
Link nodded and she headed out. He didn’t follow her just yet; instead he looked at the statue of the Hero of Time. “You may have believed that you didn’t die a hero’s death, but I think otherwise. You and the Link who came before are the true heroes; you both did all that you could do for Hyrule, whether you created it or put it out of its misery. Sometimes good things need to end sooner or later. I don’t think I’ll ever see you again, but I will always remember you,” with that, he ran out the door.
Link believed that he had said that to nobody, but he had not. As he left the Temple, the Golden Wolf came out of hiding and looked at the Master Sword which was still in its pedestal. And for once in a very long time, he was smiling.
***
The hero clutched his sword with an iron grip as his dazed adversary took a step back. With all of the strength he could muster, he took a final leap, his sword raised into the air. As he reached his peak and began the descent back, his sword too began to lower. The blade made contact with the hero’s archenemy’s face and split skin, blood gushing out. He grabbed at his face desperately as he tried to stop the blood from flowing out. Unsuccessful, the villain fell to the ground onto his knees. “Link…” He groaned, one hand covering his grotesque face, “You may…” He coughed loudly, “You may have defeated me… But I will be back. I swear it, and I will kill you. Don’t…forget…it…” With a final breath, Ganondorf fell to the ground, dead.
Link sheathed his sword and turned away from Ganondorf’s corpse. His grim expression did not show quite the content one in a similar position would; his face was devoid of any pride, happiness, or even relief. He loosened his grip on his sword and continued forward; ignoring the cries of delight that Zelda was letting out. Finally understanding, she stopped. “Is something the matter, Link?”
He sighed, “Why must we fight? Ganondorf… His actions are not righteous, but my killing him is no better. I am a hypocrite that kills like an oblivious vigilante; thinking I am doing right. Who’s to say that he was trying to rid the world of something evil? The Triforce… It… It destroys the good intentions of man and turns them into these cruel, cold-hearted monsters. Perhaps I am just as bad as the ones I execute, but I don’t realize it.”
Zelda didn’t say anything for a moment, her eyes studying Link’s. “Why would you say that? He’s the reason for the Great Sea; we would still be living in Hyrule if not for him.”
Link looked away and began to walk faster, “Hyrule… That’s where we should live. That’s exactly where we should live, Zelda. Stay with me – live in Hyrule with me.”
Zelda stopped immediately, “Live in Hyrule? We can’t do that; there’s no food, no water, nothing!”
Link continued walking, “We can go back when we need more food and water, and don’t worry; we’ll survive.” He finally stopped at the exit to the Castle and looked at her, “I promise.” Still shocked, she shook her head. “Then I won’t be returning until I need my necessities,” he paused, “Go now,” he barked bitterly.
Tears formed around the corners of Zelda’s eyes. She ran past him, on the verge of crying. Link felt a pang of guilt, why was he so cruel just then? He wasn’t usually like that, and yet, he had just yelled at her without a second thought. “Oh god…” He murmured, “It’s happening to me already. I’m becoming like him already; soon I’ll be killing the innocent. All of this power…” He looked at his right hand, which was shining a brilliant golden light in the shape of the Triforce, “It’s corrupting me slowly.” Without a second thought he bolted out of the Castle in pursuit of Zelda.
He burst through Hyrule Castle’s doors loudly, “Zelda?” He asked loudly, “Zelda, are you here? I’m… I’m sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking; I was stupid. Please… If you’re listening, please forgive me.” He waited there for a minute, but without an answer. Link’s heart was racing as realization hit him that she was already gone. It was just him and the howling wind outside that filtered in from the opened doors. “Maybe,” he began, “Maybe if I relinquish this sword… This wretched sword… Then maybe, just maybe, I can stop myself from meeting a similar fate to that of Ganondorf.”
He looked up at the statue of the Hero of Time, “Why can’t I be like you? The Triforce didn’t ruin you like it is to me. It’s never made you a monster, you probably died a hero. Meeting a fate like you – that’s what I wish could happen. But no, I am doomed to die alone, without even Zelda.” Sadness washed over him as he uttered her name, “Zelda…”
He stepped down the flight of stairs with a fierce look of determination. With each step, it echoed across the lonely halls many times. With the final step, it was just him and the pedestal. He held the Master Sword high into the air. “I am not your hero,” he declared, “I killed Ganondorf, but I am not the one to bring my people back to Hyrule. Whoever does that… That’s the hero. Let my words be written by the ghosts that haunt these halls; my story… It is one of many thousands, and no one will truly suffer if it were to end too soon.” He turned his sword downward, facing the ground. With a powerful thrust, he forced the Sword back into its pedestal. It slid back into place with a hiss that echoed around the halls with double the intensity of Link’s steps.
Without a single glance at the Sword that was once his, he turned. He took step after step up the flight of stairs that he had at one point ascended with the Master Sword in his hands, but this time he left empty-handed. He walked up the flight of stairs leading to the Hero of Time’s Statue. “Triforce… I have relinquished my role as the hero, but you are still here. Why must you plague me? Do you intend to play games with me, break me until I’m a madman without the ability to think properly?” With each step, another question was fired into the air, but none were answered. “Answer me!” He shouted, “If you have the ability to ruin a man, why can’t you speak?” Finally reaching the top step, he stopped talking; instead he looked at the base of the Statue.
At the base of the Statue was a golden wolf. Its tongue was hanging out and it was breathing loudly in a rhythmic pattern. Link cautiously approached it, crouching down, prepared for it to pounce. As he stepped within a few feet of the canine, a low growl escaped its throat. His hands balled up into fists, Link prepared himself as best as he possibly could. With one final step, the wolf pounced and tackled him.
***
Link awoke in a land unfamiliar to him. The landscape was clouded, making it difficult to see. It seemed like there was no defined ground, but he was on something, and yet clouds were still underneath him as well as around him. Looking forward, he noticed the golden wolf sat on his hind legs for a moment, breathing loudly like he had before. This time it echoed around the land, making it sound like he was everywhere at once. He raised his head and let out a howl. In a flash of light, the wolf disappeared and an armored silhouette took his place. It appeared like a suit of armor without a body to hold it up. A rusted sword was in the figure’s hand and his armor slowly bobbed up and down.
“Hero,” he growled, “Why have you relinquished your weapon? Your journey is far from over. Or have you quit?”
Indignation filled up inside Link’s stomach, “And what if I have? You don’t know me, and you don’t know what I’ve gone through.”
An odd sound escaped the figure’s throat and his chest moved up and down, as though he was laughing, “You have some nerve, ‘hero,’” he mocked, “I have seen more gruesome things than you can even imagine. I have seen heads cut off, people burned, things that would make your meager troubles seem as pathetic as cutting your thumb and crying about it.”
Anger welled up inside of him now. Fists raised, he charged the figure. As he came close, he threw a punch. Without using his sword hand, he grabbed Link’s fist and threw it down. He hit Link in between the eyes with the pommel of his sword. Dazed, Link fell to the ground. Putting his sword to Link’s neck, the figure began to make what seemed like a laugh again. “Are you finished?”
Link’s eyes only portrayed fear as he looked at the sword. “Yes,” he mumbled. The figure took his sword away from Link’s throat and sheathed it. “Who… Who are you?” He asked.
“A friend,” he replied.
Link stood up. “Why am I here?”
“I must show you why you must not quit now. Hyrule… It’s a lost cause, Link. Save the Great Sea, and forget about the past. There’s nothing you can do.” Link opened his mouth to protest, but the figure put his hand on Link’s forehead, and he slowly fell out of consciousness.
***
A green-haired girl entered a small, wooden house. As she looked at the table, she noticed a note on the table. It was titled “Saria.”
Intrigued, she opened it.
“Saria, my dearest friend, I have been in Termina a week now, safe and in high spirits, but recovering from the worst. In a long string of events, I have saved the land from peril. A small family has fed and sheltered me while I continue my search for Navi. They warn me that the road back to Hyrule is overrun with bandits and mercenaries. What this could mean, I dread to guess. When I first set out to Termina, I did so with a single purpose; to find Navi. However, word has spread that Ganondorf has created an army and intends to take Hyrule and any neighboring lands. And doing so, he may find the Temple of Time, a sanctum full of infinite wisdom.
“So what will I find when I travel there? Who will greet me, Ganondorf’s army as I feel more strongly or nothing but the whistling of a cold and lonely wind? Castle Town is the only resistance, and his forces can easily crush them. Once they have taken the Temple, will I be welcome there? Ah, I am weary of this fight, Saria. Not because I am tired, but because my struggle seems to lead in one direction only; into chaos. Today, I have more questions than answers; this is why I will travel so far; to find clarity. To find knowledge left by people who came before, so that I may understand our fight better, and my place in it.
“Should anything happen to me, Saria, should my skills fail me, or my ambitions lead me astray, do not seek retribution or revenge in my memory, but continue the search for truth, so that all may benefit. My story is but one of many thousands and the world will not suffer if it ends too soon.”
***
A lone figure strode across the desolate Hyrule Field, the grass crunching under his boots. His sword and shield in hand, his face was expressing no true emotion. He seemed young for such weapons, but under his skin laid muscles – and abilities – that were beyond his years. He came to a halt when he approached the drawbridge to Castle Town. The bridge was up, but with significant creaking, the bridge finally lowered. Without a word, the hero walked across the bridge into the Town.
Looking forward, he was caught by surprise when an arrow pierced his armor. Taken aback, but not hurt, he took a step back to recompose himself. With one hand on the arrow’s shaft, he looked for his attacker. As he looked to the rooftops, a figure he recognized was accompanied by several men armed with bows. The man in the middle had a deep tan and red hair. He wore heavy armor on his muscular body and a smirk on his face.
“Link,” he chuckled. “Nice to see you again, do you like what I did with the place?” He gestured to the ruined buildings. The square was stained with blood – and the occasional corpse. “Doesn’t it just rub you the wrong way, Link? Want to come up here and kill me?” Link broke the arrow off and threw it to the ground. As the arrow hit the ground, traitorous guards spilled out of gates. Dropping his shield, Link charged towards the new threat.
Sprinting forward, he leaped above the first guard, knocking him in the head in the process. He hit the ground and rolled in front of the guard, who was armed with a javelin. Blocking the javelin’s blow, he spun off the guards back and grabbed another oncoming soldier’s javelin, blocking yet another strike. Struggling to get control of his javelin, Link sent the Master Sword through his throat.
Taking the dead soldier’s javelin, he blocked an oncoming guard’s attack, and jabbed him in the stomach. A new guard ran with full force, his sword raised. Grabbing his arm and redirecting it to his right, Link managed to block a guard to the right’s attempt to kill him. He kicked the sword-wielding guard in the stomach and sent his blade into the disoriented one’s head.
He ducked under a swing of another javelin and jabbed his attacker in the foot, causing him to double over, earning him a sword to the back of the head. A guard came from behind and grabbed Link. Struggling, he managed to shake him off and avoid another soldier’s spear – which then hit the guard that grabbed Link, killing him. Head butting the spear-wielding soldier, redirecting attacks, and even countering ones from behind, Link weaved through the large mass of guards, looking for a moment to take the offensive.
Finally achieving such a position, Link drew the Master Sword. Swinging his sword with great strokes, he took out multiple enemies at a time. He pounced on a nearby soldier and stabbed him three times over. With a final spin with his sword outstretched, Link noticed movement in the corner of his eye. He turned his head to find a figure wearing clothes similar to him. He seemed to be pale, as if he wasn’t really there. The figure turned around and continued forward, but Link continued to watch him.
Seeing a guard running with a javelin, Link raised his sword to block it, but the Master Sword was knocked out of his hands. The force of the blow sent Link onto the floor where he was surrounded.
***
Link’s hands were tied with rope as he was carried to Ganondorf. Guards lined the edge of the rooftop as Link and his captors approached the Gerudo King. “Quite a battle,” Ganondorf applauded, sarcastically. “All that matters is that you’re dead, though,” he gestured to the guards to bring Link towards the edge of the rooftop. Link shook himself free, earning every guard to unsheathe their swords simultaneously. With a wave of his hand, Ganondorf called the guards off, and they slowly calmed down.
Ganondorf gave him a look as Link walked past him. Ganondorf pushed him forward onto a plank of wood that was hanging over the edge. Another plank was parallel to the one Link was standing on. To Link’s surprise, the figure was on the other plank, walking. Link looked over at him, earning Ganondorf’s curiosity. Looking over, the Gerudo King didn’t see anything. Looking forward again, Link’s feet were at the edge of the plank. Building up the suspense, Ganondorf slowly put the noose around Link’s neck.
Link breathed out of his nose, his breath visible in the cool evening air. Ganondorf tightened the noose, “Any last words?” He asked as he untied the ropes binding Link’s hands.
Link didn’t say anything as he sent his elbow into Ganondorf’s nose. Backing up, Link took the noose off his neck, threw it toward his dazed opponent, and lassoed it around Ganondorf’s neck. Holding onto the other end of the noose, Link jumped off the building. Still holding onto the noose, Ganondorf was thrown to the ground as Link hung in midair, ten feet above the ground. Spinning viciously, Link lost his grip on the noose and fell to the ground. He hit the ground loudly, but stood up. A javelin hit the ground mere inches from him. Ignoring it, Link sprinted towards the Temple of Time.
***
Link stepped inside the Temple of Time and quietly closed it behind him. Using Deku Sticks, he blocked the doors from being able to be opened from the outside. Looking around, the only door he noticed was locked. “I don’t have the Spiritual Stones,” he commented. Looking around, he didn’t find another door. About to give up, he turned to leave. The figure reappeared and walked through the door, as if it were open. Link watched him as he walked towards the closed door. As he approached the stairs, he turned left. He looked both ways and then raised his left hand to the wall. He then walked into the wall and disappeared.
Intrigued, Link retraced the figure’s steps. As he approached the wall, he raised his left hand towards the wall. The Triforce symbol began to shine radiantly on his hand. The Triforce then appeared on the wall as well. With considerable noise, the wall gave way, revealing a winding staircase. He looked both ways, and then walked forward. As he stepped onto the first stair, the wall closed behind him. Bathed in darkness for a moment, Link searched blindly for a railing. Out of nowhere, the torches lit themselves, giving Link the ability to see once again.
After several minutes of descending the stairs, he hit the bottom. Poorly lit, Link could only make out pillars around him. He continued walking forward. In the center of the room was a chair. “The wisdom, where is it?” He looked at the chair. “I understand now. The wisdom is not from a book… It is from you.” He kneeled down and looked at the skeleton in the chair. He wore a green tunic very much like Link’s and wore a hat that looked exactly like his. In his skeletal hand was a golden harp.
Standing up he looked at the harp. “Why do you have this?” He gingerly picked it up, fearing it might break if held too forcefully. He strummed it slowly, seeing how it sounded. A beautiful melody filled the atmosphere. As he picked up speed the entire world seemed to grow lighter. He closed his eyes as his strummed it faster and faster, producing a song of such beauty that the Ocarina of Time could never hope to match its elegance.
***
Many years had passed since the defeat of Demise. Link and Zelda never returned to Skyloft, but instead stayed in the land that they named “Hyrule.” They had a child together, small and beautiful. Link’s love for Zelda was unmatched by any other; they were always together, and when they were not, they were in each other’s heads. Returning from getting food and water, he heard a scream that sent chills down his spine. It was Zelda.
Sprinting inside of the Sealed Temple, he saw a lone Bokoblin tower over Zelda. In her hand was the child, who was crying. “Go away!” She cried. “Leave, please!” She begged. The Bokoblin inched closer, holding his machete menacingly over his head. He brought it down upon Zelda, piercing through her delicate flesh. The machete went through her stomach and went all the way through, the tip visible on the other side. She let out a small squeak. The child continued to cry as the Bokoblin took the machete out of his mother’s stomach.
Without a word, Link sprinted towards the Bokoblin. He grabbed it by the head and threw him into the wall. A sickening crack followed the impact. Unsatisfied, Link pried the machete out of the Bokoblin’s hand. He sent the machete into the Bokoblin’s stomach dozens of times until all that was left of its midsection was a bloody mass.
He grabbed his child, cradling it in one arm and holding Zelda in the other. “Don’t die… Please, don’t die!” He pleaded.
“Link…” She said weakly, “I’m so sorry…”
“For what?” He asked.
“For having to die… To leave you with the responsibility to raise our child alone… Link… I don’t want to die…” She whispered.
“No… No… You will survive, you will,” he stammered.
“You’re just telling yourself that Link…” She said, “I’m growing weaker with each breath I take… Link… I… I love you…” She said quietly before her eyes became glazed.
“Zelda!” He cried, unable to believe she was really dead. Tears formed around the corners of his eyes as he silently sobbed. His child had grown silent and watched Link hold Zelda’s body. Link’s heart was torn into millions of pieces as he yelled her name over and over, praying that she would somehow come back to him.
***
Connections with Skyloft had been lost many years after the death of Zelda. Every Bird Statue lost its ability to take Link to Skyloft, trapping him and his son in Hyrule. No denizen of Skyloft ever left the comfort of the skies and came down to Hyrule even when it was possible to go back. Link’s son grew up in a world that was populated by himself, his father and many dangerous denizens. With the end of his quest, the Dragons did not have anything to do with Link either, but they too slowly died. Whether it was from old age, or an incurable illness, Link outlived them.
Link watched his son grow up and begin a family with a girl from Skyloft, while Link only grew older. They decided to live in Hyrule to keep Link Company, which Link greatly appreciated. His days were spent in the Sealed Temple playing the Goddess Harp in remembrance of his precious Zelda. Sometimes his grandchildren would listen to him, other times they would be with their father. Loneliness was constant in his older years, and yet, it did not bother him; the Harp carried more power and knowledge than his family could ever know.
***
“Why have you built a library if you don’t plan to keep your books?” Link’s son asked. Link had grown very old, his body frail, his grandchildren fully grown.
“You should go. When Demise’s hatred creates a new enemy of these lands, the Sealed Temple must be empty,” Link replied.
“I see, this is not a library at all, it is a vault,” he deduced.
“The harp must stay hidden, far from evil hands, at least until it has passed on the secrets it contains.”
“What secrets?” He asked.
“Go son,” Link said, shaking his head, “Go be with your family, and live well.”
Link’s son embraced him, “All that is good in me, began with you, father.” His son turned and left, leaving him all by himself.
The door to the vault closed behind Link as he stepped down the flight of stairs. As he passed each torch, it unlit itself, bathing the staircase in darkness. He took his time going down the stairs; he did not want to overwork his old body. “This was so much easier when I was younger…” He commented as he reached the final step.
He walked slowly towards a chair he had positioned in the center of the room. As he was about halfway to the chair, he stumbled forward, nearly falling. Slowly recomposing himself, he continued towards the chair, holding his arms out to balance himself. Finally reaching the chair, he held onto the arm of it with his hands. He lowered his hands as he bent over to sit. He sat onto the comfortable fabric of the chair and let out a sigh of relief. He reached into his tunic and pulled out the Goddess Harp. “Zelda…” He muttered, “I’ll see you again soon…” He strummed the harp one last time and closed his eyes. He bent his head down as he strummed it faster and felt himself slip away.
***
Link awoke with the harp in his hand. He looked at the skeleton. He kneeled back down again. “You’ve been through so much… Rest in peace, Link.”
“Master?” A robotic voice said behind him.
Link whipped around, looking at a figure he did not recognize. She floated a few feet off the ground. She had a blue skin tone and appeared human-like, but something about her proved otherwise. He looked her over and noticed that she lacked any arms, her cape making a substitute for them. “What are you?” He asked.
She didn’t say anything for a moment, but just looked at him. “There is a 98% possibility that you are in fact the descendant of Master Link.”
“Well, who are you then?” Link pressed on.
“My name is Fi. I was created by Her Grace. She later became the Zelda that my previous Master knew,” she replied. Link didn’t say anything, he just looked at her. “Please Master, play the harp for me,” she continued. He did as she told and began to strum the harp. As he found a rhythmic tune, she began to sing along. Slowly their duet picked up pace and it echoed around the desolate halls; their only audience was the skeleton.
When the song finally finished, Link bowed his head for a moment. When he looked back up, it looked as though something in him had changed. “Fi?” He asked, “Fi, is that you?”
“Master Link, I presume the song has done its job,” she responded.
He nodded, “It appears that both of our personalities were mixed. My wisdom with his mannerisms, for the most part he still has control over his body and thoughts, but now he also contains my consciousness. Why did you bring such a burden upon this boy, though?”
“Was this not why you created such a song?” She asked.
“For future generations to use in a time of peril,” he replied.
“He has Demise’s reincarnation and his army knocking down the Temple’s door as we speak,” she commented.
“Seems like we’re in quite a predicament, I should let the kid use my knowledge to get himself out of this,” he suggested. Fi nodded. Link turned to go, “And Fi,” he began.
“Yes, Master Link?”
“I’ve missed you,” he said.
“I have missed you as well, Master,” she said, her face as expressionless as always.
***
With the Master Sword back in his hands, Link opened the door to the Temple of Time. Not to Link’s surprise, he was surrounded by Ganondorf’s army. “Give yourself up, Link,” Ganondorf said as he pushed his way to the front of the army, “You are outmanned, just throw it all away now and give me the wisdom that is being held in this Temple.”
“Do you want it?” Link asked rhetorically. “Have it,” he held out the Goddess Harp. Ganondorf outstretched his hands, reaching for the harp. As his fingers were about to touch it, Link let the harp go, sending it to the ground. The delicate material broke into many pieces; the Goddess Harp was destroyed.
“What have you done?” Ganondorf yelled.
Link, ignoring Ganondorf’s question, took his bow off his shoulder and dropped it onto the ground. He threw the Megaton Hammer to the floor. He unsheathed the Master Sword and dropped it onto the floor. “Link,” he began, “The harp spoke of your eavesdropping in my time of peril, and now it lingers in my mind like an image from an old dream. I do not know where you are, or by what means you can hear me, but I know you are listening,” he paused, watching both Ganondorf and his army give him confused looks, “I have lived my life as best I could, not knowing its purpose. But drawn forward like a moth to a distant light and here at last I discover a strange truth; that I am only a conduit for a message that eludes my understanding. Who are we, who have been so blessed, to share our stories like this, to speak across centuries?” He took another pause, “Maybe you will answer all the questions I have asked, maybe you will be the one to make all of this suffering worth something in the end,” he directed his attention to Ganondorf, “I am done.”
***
“It was a wise decision, Link,” Ganondorf commented as he pushed Link towards the edge of Death Mountain. “You have condemned Hyrule; this land shall curse the name that is Link for the rest of its meaningless existence.” Link didn’t say a word as he stood there, his hands tied behind his back, “I never thought you of all people would just quit, but I’m not one to complain,” he said as he put the noose around Link’s neck. He tightened it, “Goodbye, Link,” Ganondorf said as he pushed Link over the edge.
***
Link woke up with a start. The figure was watching him, “That is why you do not quit. Do not… Do not do what I did. I heard you say I died a hero’s death, but I did not. I quit when Hyrule needed me most, just as your legends say. There is no reason for them to celebrate me, they should condemn me and reject my existence. But civilization forgets, and I have received praise that I never deserved. Go now, Link, do not repeat my past failures.”
***
“Link, are you here?” Link heard Zelda call. Link stood up, and ran down the flight of stairs. To his surprised, she wasn’t wearing the dress she was before; instead her hair was up and she was wearing the clothes he had met her in. “Oh, thank goodness you’re here, Link. I was afraid you had left for good.”
“I… I’m sorry for everything, Zelda,” he said.
“Tetra,” she corrected, “But it’s alright, I shouldn’t have overreacted. But we should hurry up and go back to the Great Sea; I want to check out the Ghost Ship.”
Link nodded and she headed out. He didn’t follow her just yet; instead he looked at the statue of the Hero of Time. “You may have believed that you didn’t die a hero’s death, but I think otherwise. You and the Link who came before are the true heroes; you both did all that you could do for Hyrule, whether you created it or put it out of its misery. Sometimes good things need to end sooner or later. I don’t think I’ll ever see you again, but I will always remember you,” with that, he ran out the door.
Link believed that he had said that to nobody, but he had not. As he left the Temple, the Golden Wolf came out of hiding and looked at the Master Sword which was still in its pedestal. And for once in a very long time, he was smiling.
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