The Dark Soul
Chapter 1: Sacrifice
Zelda had been standing at the shore of Lake Hylia waiting for
someone for the last hour. She understood that he was always late, but she
didn't know why Link would ask her to meet her here with no apparent
reason. Time passed and she began to worry. She stared at her reflection in
the lake's calm water and thought of where he could be. What if he was
injured or even killed? The thought was unbearable. Zelda shook her head
and told herself no. He is the Hero of Time. He knows what he is doing.
Another half an hour had passed by and still no sign of him. As she
was about to leave, she heard galloping in the distance and saw a familiar
figure get off his horse and walk up to her. "There you are, Link!" she
exclaimed, "If I had waited any longer, my dress would have been soaked!"
"I'm sorry Zelda," Link answered, "but you know me."
"Yes, I suppose, but it usually doesn't take this long for you to fight.
What took you?"
"I thought that since this is a special occasion, I'd get you something
special. When I found this, it made me think of you."
Link reached into his forest green shirt and pulled out a white rose.
Zelda was flattered that Link did such a thing and took a closer look. It was
a pearly, pure flower with silky blossoms that seemed to spread out like the
sun. "Link, it's beautiful," she finally said, "But why did you want to meet
me here?"
"Because this place has the best view of the sun," he replied, pointing
to the sunset.
For several minutes, Zelda admired the beauty of the glowing sphere,
but then something immediately crossed her mind. "Oh my God!" she
exclaimed, "The royal banquet! We'll be late!"
Before she could ask, Link already mounted Zelda and himself onto
Epona and raced toward the castle. The two then rushed through the town
and made it into the hall just as the servants were setting up. "Zelda! There
you are!" cried an anxious voice, "I was getting worried! Your father's been
as upset as I have! You should change, you've been out too long!" The
strong yet restless Impa rushed to Zelda and escorted her to her room.
Link looked at the drama building up until the King had come from
behind him and patted his shoulder. "Well, young man," he declared, "you
don't seem too nervous about the banquet."
"I'm not, your Majesty," Link replied, although he was sweating like
a pig.
"Good, because it is being held in your honor. You deserve it."
That evening, the Great Hall was bustling with activity. Hylians,
Gorons, Zoras, Gerudos, the Kokiri, a few Sheikah, even the sages had
attended the banquet and had filled the hall with conversation. The King
tapped his glass and everyone went silent. "May I have your attention
please," he started, "Tonight I hold this banquet to honor a young man that
has done so much for our kingdom. May I present to you, Link!" Everyone
applauded as the young hero stood up. "For your enjoyment," the King
continued, "I have a magician to entertain all of you." The King clapped
twice and a puff of smoke appeared, revealing a little man in a glittering blue
robe.
The magician was an amusing fellow. He did all sorts of tricks and
even whisked a bouquet of flowers from his sleeve to Zelda. However Link
didn't trust the man, not because he was charming Zelda but because he
sensed some dark power coming from him. Zelda sensed it too, but decided
to humor the magician a bit. "As for my finale," the magician announced, "I
will attempt to eat this torch and this sword!" The audience gasped as he
swallowed the fire from one of the torches. But instead of swallowing the
sword, he hurled it at one of the guards with fatal accuracy. Everyone
panicked when the second guard came to arrest the magician only to be
burnt into ash.
"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?" the King demanded. Before
the other guards could get him, the magician ripped off his cloak to reveal
his true identity, Ganondorf. All the terrified guests ran leaving only Link,
Impa, Zelda, and the King.
"Surprised to see me, your Majesty?" Ganondorf asked, "You really
didn't think that I was dead, now did you? Banishing me to the Dark World
helped me rejuvenate my power and return. However you won't be so lucky
once I'm done with you!" The guards surrounded the dark wizard in hopes
of trapping him but were killed instantly. He then glared at Zelda and
started to charge his magic. Zelda was paralyzed with fear when the dark
orb rushed toward her. She braced herself for impact until Link jumped in
front of her and took the hit.
"LINK!" she screamed when she saw him fall. Before Zelda could do
anything, Impa grabbed her and hid behind the throne with the King, giving
them a decent view of the battle.
"You jumped in front of the princess to protect her," Ganondorf
gloated, "just as I have predicted." Link charged at the wizard and the
warriors clashed. The battle raged on, each combatant equal to the other.
Before long, Link started to wear down, struggling to stand, yet he
was determined to not give up. "You may take my life, Ganon, but you'll
never take my spirit. I'll never give in to you." War cries and clashing
blades had filled the once silent hall. All went silent after a loud thwack and
a cry of pain was heard. Knowing the battle was over Zelda peeked over the
throne and saw her worst fear. Link had collapsed in a pool of blood and
Ganondorf stood over him with a bloody dagger.
Zelda rushed over to Link and laid his head on her knees. Tears
streamed down her eyes when she saw how badly wounded he was. She
gripped his body, glared at Ganondorf through her watery, grief-stricken
eyes and screamed, "MURDERER!"
"Save your energy, princess," Ganondorf coldly replied, "Your
suffering has only begun! We will meet again." He let out a sinister cackle
before he disappeared.
Zelda heard a weak groan and saw that Link was gasping for breath.
Link's head slowly turned and his dim eyes could just make out Zelda's
face. "Forgive me.Zelda." he stammered, "I.have.failed.you."
Zelda wept even more when she heard this. Link saw this and wiped her
tears with his trembling hand. Zelda let her cheek rest on his palm and held
his wrist with both her hands.
When Link started to quiver in pain, Zelda started crying, "Link! No!
Don't leave me! Please! We need you! I need you! Don't go! Don't!
NO!" The grieving Zelda tried to use her healing spells on the fatal wound,
but her efforts were in vain. On that night, the Hero of Time had died in the
princess' arms. Before the guards took his body away, Zelda knelt on the
floor and whispered to herself, "One day, Ganondorf, you will pay for what
you have done. Your crimes will not go on unpunished. You.will.pay."
Chapter 2: Remorse
It was a dark, cloudy day in the kingdom of Hyrule. The lone princess
stood at a marble gravestone carved in the shape of a sword in a pedestal.
The gravestone had only a name engraved on the pedestal: LINK. The wind
caressed her hair and chilled her bitter tears as she stood there staring at the
grave. Numerous regrets raced through Zelda's head. She never told him
her true feelings to him. She never got to say that he was never a failure in
her eyes. She never kissed him. She never said goodbye. His last words
would stay seared into her mind for as long as she lived.
The funeral had ended an hour ago and yet Zelda could recall every
moment of it. Rauru gave the sermon to all the people of Hyrule. The
goddesses had come down in human form to mourn the incredible loss of the
Hero of Time. All of Zelda's dear friends, Saria, Ruto, Impa, Malon, and
Nabooru, sat by her side and shed tears as well. After the burial, Zelda
decided to stay a little bit longer to pay her last respects. Before she left,
Zelda laid a single white rose on Link's grave. It was the same rose that he
gave her before the banquet. "You were right, Link," she whispered toward
the grave, "The rose represents my pure heart and it will be with you always.
I'll never forget you."
That night, Zelda didn't eat her supper. "Zelda," her father said, "I
know it was a great loss to you when Link died but we must move on. We
have to learn to let it go. After all, he was just a warrior."
Zelda suddenly got up and rushed to her room in tears. Link was not
just a warrior. He was her hero, her friend, and her love. He did so much
and asked for so little. No one could replace him no matter how hard they
tried. When Zelda reached her room she closed the door and threw herself
into her bed. She buried her face into her hands and let her cold tears trickle
down her quivering arms. When she could no longer sob for him, she
looked at the table next to her bed and saw her most prized possession. It
was a picture of Link and her in each other's arms smiling. She stared at the
picture and started to recollect all the memories she had with him. "Come
in," she said when she heard the knock at her door.
Impa walked in and sat next to Zelda. "You still miss him, don't you
Zelda?" she said, "I know that he wasn't just any warrior and he meant a lot
to you. If anything, know this: Link will always be there for you no matter
what." Zelda dried her tears and smiled at her loyal friend. "Good. Now I
think that you should get some sleep, Princess. Tomorrow's another day."
"Thank you, Impa," Zelda whispered. After Impa left, the princess
pulled the covers over herself. Her tears swelled in her eyes because she
knew that all this linen and silk could not make up for the warmth that was
now gone from her broken heart. The nights would now be colder than ever
before.
Along the edge of the desert, a bony figure stalked into the night and
then disappeared into the rocks. The figure raced through the hidden halls
and arrived at the throne room of Ganondorf. "Ah, General Stalfos, what do
you have to report?"
The skeletal warrior replied, "All of Hyrule now mourns Link's death.
Phase 1 is complete."
"Excellent. Send two of your men to the graveyard. It's time for
Phase 2 to come into action." Ganondorf looked into his crystal and found
an image of Zelda weeping in her sleep. "Do not worry Princess. You will
join your love soon."
Chapter 3: Revelation
The next several days, Zelda had a recurring nightmare. She would be
running in total darkness and lightning would flash, revealing a shadowy
figure with a sword. She would hear a weak voice every so often saying
something to her. "Zelda." The figure would come closer.
"I'm.trapped." The figure would be right behind her.
"I.need.your.help." The figure would grab her dress and she would
fall. "Don't.kill.her. Don't!" She would turn around and see the figure
holding his sword high. Lightning would flash and the figure would be
revealed as Link in a black tunic. Before the sword struck her, Zelda would
hear these last words, "Forgive me."
Zelda spent those days trying to figure out what the dream meant. She
often took a walk to clear her mind and let her wisdom flow. One day she
decided to come to the graveyard and visit Link, but she was surprised to see
Ruto running at her, babbling something about Link's grave. When Zelda
asked her to calm down, Ruto took a deep breath, "Zelda! It was horrible!
Malon, Saria, and I just came here an hour ago to visit Link until we saw
that the grave had been robbed! His body is gone! Two Stalfos dug up his
grave and took him! We tried to get him back but Malon and Saria were
beaten badly! They nearly got me! The girls are still trying to recuperate!"
she started sobbing when Zelda comforted her, "Who would do this?" Zelda
walked into the graveyard and saw that Ruto was right. Link's grave had
been dug up and the other two girls were lying on the ground, obviously
wounded. After she healed them, Zelda touched the headstone to see if she
could get any idea where the monsters took him. Her Triforce glowed
brightly and she went into a trance. She saw someone resurrect Link and
chain him to a wall. The next instant a shadow started flowing into Link.
Before she saw any more, the girls woke her up. Zelda now understood her
dream and she was going to find Link.
"You can't be serious! Your going to risk your life to find someone
whom everyone knows is dead?!" The King was not pleased when he heard
about what his daughter had seen and what she was going to do about it.
"Look at yourself! You are a princess, not a hero! You are supposed to rule
the kingdom with me! I know it's hard for you, but this is insane! And you
are going to go out in peasant's clothing? I don't believe this!"
When Zelda walked out of her room, she was no longer donning her
royal dress and robe, but a simple rose-colored outfit. Her shirt had no
sleeves and her skirt only covered half her thigh. She wore simple, durable
slippers and the only jewelry she had was her tiara, her earrings, a necklace,
and a bracelet. Her golden hair was braided into a ponytail. In this guise, no
one would have guessed she was the princess. "Father, I am not a child
anymore! I'm 17 and I can take care of myself!"
"I'm sorry Zelda, but you have not been trained for combat. You
were raised to rule the kingdom, not to slay evil monsters." Zelda was about
to retaliate but she realized that her father was right. Even with all her
magic and purity, she wouldn't stand a chance against Ganondorf. She
wasn't ready.
"Don't worry, your Highness," Impa had heard what was going on
and decided to help, "I have been her guard and nursemaid all her life. If
she needs to be trained, than I will do so," she turned to Zelda and added,
"Mind you, Princess, this will not be easy. Are you sure about this?"
"Yes."
The next morning Impa taught Zelda all she had learned when she was
assigned royal bodyguard. Zelda learned fairly quickly, but her body wasn't
strong enough for some of Impa's tests. During training Impa helped Zelda
hone in her magic skills, balance, and agility. Within a week, Zelda was
capable to do many physical challenges that would have overwhelmed her
before. "Well Zelda," Impa said, "I believe you're ready. Take this." Impa
tossed a solid wood staff at Zelda and was thoroughly impressed when Zelda
did a back flip and caught it. "Remember Zelda, you are stronger than you
were before, but Ganondorf possesses much more power than you. Don't let
your guard down and look out for yourself. I have faith in you."
Zelda bade both her father and her mentor an emotional farewell and
set off. "I know you're alive Link," she said to herself, "When I find you,
you will finally know how much you really mean to me."
Chapter 4: Confrontation
The dusty wind howled wildly in the Gerudo Valley. Miles of sand
blew mercilessly at the young princess, yet she was not giving up. Zelda
knew that if anyone knew where Ganondorf was, it would be the Gerudos.
Her staff had sunk constantly into the scorching sand and her ankles were
starting to burn from the heat. She finally arrived at the Gerudo Fortress, but
no one seemed to be there. When she entered the open area, a band of
Gerudos jumped down from the roofs and immediately surrounded her.
Zelda darted to escape, but the female thieves were everywhere. The
masked leader walked up to the princess and spoke, "Well, what do we have
here? It seems that we have an unwanted traveller in our mist. You know
what happens to trespassers, don't we ladies?" All the other Gerudos
muttered in agreement.
Zelda wasn't about to play games now, "I want to know where
Ganondorf is."
"Did you here that girls? She wants to find Ganondorf!" everyone
except Zelda burst out in laugher. "Why would you want to know that?"
"I don't want any trouble. I need to see him about something. Do
you know where he is?"
"Oh, I know where he is, but if you want to get that information,
you'll have to beat it out of me."
"I don't have time for this!" Zelda yelled. She tried to leave but the
leader tripped her.
"Oh no," the lead thief said, "you don't get out of this that easily!"
When Zelda got up the leader punched her, knocking her down again.
"Come on, show me what you're made of. Or maybe you're too scared and
weak to even tap me. COME ON!"
That was it. Zelda didn't want to fight, but it was inevitable. "What's
the matter," the leader mocked, "you're tired already?" Instead of
answering, Zelda thrust her leg into the Gerudo's stomach and did a sweep
kick to knock her down. When the Gerudo leader got up, she saw Zelda
brandishing her staff, ready to fight. The leader brandished her saber and
started swiping it at the princess. Zelda dodged every swipe and with her
final flip, she kicked the saber right out of her opponent's hand. The Gerudo
leader threw a smaller knife at her but was shocked when Zelda used her
telekinesis to deflect it. Zelda swung her staff and hit the Gerudo's side then
swung it again to knock her unconscious. The other thieves stared in
disbelief when they saw that their leader was defeated. Zelda expected the
other thieves to attack her, but instead saw them applaud.
"Congratulations," the recovering leader said. She pulled off the veil
covering her face to the relief of the princess. "You truly have the soul of a
warrior," replied Nabooru, leader of the Gerudos.
There was a bonfire that night and all the Gerudos had pitched tents
outside. "Sorry about fighting you," Nabooru said when Zelda walked out
of one of the tents, "I couldn't show the girls I was turning soft. Besides, it's
just a simple initiation the girls and I have all gone through. No hard
feelings?" Zelda nodded quietly and continued to stare at the fire. Zelda
explained to her friend that she believed Link was still alive and that
Ganondorf did something to him. "Oh yes, I know how to find him. Just go
to the rock in the Haunted Wasteland at night. Wait until the moon rises and
the moonlight will show the outline of his castle." Zelda thanked her and set
off to find Ganondorf and to free Link.
Zelda had followed Nabooru's directions and waited at the rock.
When the moon rose over the valley, she saw a glint of light shine on the
rocky walls. Upon closer inspection, she was able to make out the twisted
hideout in the rocks. She walked up to the formation and touched the rocks
in front of her to find that they were illusions. She immediately ran through
the rocks and into a long hall that led to Ganondorf's throne room. The
doors to the room were locked, but Zelda mentally snapped the lock in two
and burst inside. "Ah, Princess Zelda, coming here to save your beloved
Link." Ganondorf stood up from his throne and continued, "What a noble
gesture, but you cannot defeat me. I'm afraid doing so is suicide." He shot
his magic at Zelda, but she dodged it with ease. He fired numerous more
shots and found that not only could she dodge it, but reflect it as well.
"For seven years, wizard, you have placed my kingdom in turmoil.
You have betrayed my father, plagued my people, and killed our hero. Now
you shall be punished!" Zelda jumped closer to Ganondorf and delivered
several quick blows to his head.
"Well princess," replied the warlord, "it seems as though I have
underestimated you. But I have prepared something special for you." He
snapped his fingers and at once a young figure appeared in the shadows.
When the figure emerged, Zelda was so shocked she nearly dropped her
staff. "Link," Ganondorf commanded, "rid me of this bothersome woman."
Chapter 5: Resurrection
"Link," Zelda muttered. She walked up to the figure that was
standing before her. She touched his face to see if it was an illusion, but it
was really him. Before she could get closer, Link immediately slapped her
so hard she fell to the floor. When Zelda looked up at him, she realized
some differences. His warm, caring eyes were now replaced with a cold,
heartless stare. His tunic was not the familiar forest green she knew, but
more of a greenish-black. A scowl now was in the place of his usual smile.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH HIM?!" she shouted in fury.
Ganondorf cackled and said, "It's simple, dear Zelda. I took him in
and brought him back to this world. I offered him his life in exchange for
his service. Of course he refused so I had a subject of mine take over, his
own shadow. I've grown to like the boy, actually. Once his emotions were
gone he made a very worthy servant. If you want him I'm afraid you're
going to have to kill him."
Link brandished his sword and pointed it straight toward Zelda, who
was already quivering with shock. She would have been more than happy to
kill any other of Ganondorf's minions, but she couldn't find the heart to kill
the one she loved so much. "Link," she said when she stopped shaking, "I
will not fight you." She threw her staff to the ground and stood still. Link
smiled when he heard this and slashed at her stomach. Zelda screamed in
pain and gripped the wound. When she turned around Link already knocked
her onto her back. "Stop this! Please!" she yelled, but to no avail. Zelda
looked at her hand and saw that the Triforce of Wisdom was glowing. Of
course! Her Triforce had sensed the Triforce of Courage within Link, which
means his soul was still alive. "Link," she pleaded as she got up, "I know
you're still in there. If you can hear me, then stop. I beg of you." She
screamed again when he scarred her arm. "Please! Have mercy!" He tried
to stab her but his sword was driven into the wall. "Listen to me!" she
begged when Link decided to fight empty handed. "Ganondorf is using you!
You're nothing more than a puppet to him!" She was hit many times but
still wasn't going to fight. When Link pinned her neck to the wall, Zelda put
her hand on his forehead and it started to glow. The force of the healing
spell had blown Link back and onto the floor. When he got up, he started
muttering weakly, "Zelda."
Zelda ran up to him joyfully and hugged him, "Link! I knew you
were still alive!"
"I want.to.tell you." Link stammered, "you.are.a.fool."
Zelda was surprised to hear this. Before she could do anything, she felt
something sharp pierce her chest. She looked down, saw Link with a bloody
knife, and felt the blood drain out of her wound.
Zelda backed into the wall, weakened from all her injuries. Slowly,
her body slid down the wall as Link threw out the knife and freed his sword
from the rocks. She fell on her back and saw Link with his sword, ready to
strike. This was it; she was going to die. "You've done well, my servant,"
Ganondorf said smugly, "Now finish her."
Link walked up to Zelda and raised the sword above his head.
"Link." Zelda whispered with her fading voice,
"remember.who.you.are." Link started to hesitate, but he was
determined and obligated to obey his master. "Listen.to.your.heart.
You.are.a.hero, not.a.murderer."
Ganondorf saw that the real Link was starting to overcome Dark Link,
"NO! Don't listen to her! She's lying!"
"Ganondorf.is.the.real.liar. Remember.who.I.am."
"NO! I am your master! She is the enemy! DESTROY HER!"
"Remember.everyone.you.love.especially.me."
"Love makes you weak! Have I taught you nothing? KILL HER!
THAT'S AN ORDER!"
"You.can.overcome.him. I.know.you.can. Remember."
Zelda closed her eyes; her energy was gone.
Link just stood there hesitating while Ganondorf kept telling him,
"FINISH HER! DON'T LET HER LIVE!" The next instant, Link dropped
his sword onto the ground and started gripping his head in pain. Black mist
seeped out of him as his tunic started to brighten. Ganondorf knew that
Dark Link was losing control over Link's body, so he decided to finish
Zelda himself. Before he could charge his magic, he felt something pin his
cape. "Well, well. The hero, foolishly fighting to the last," he mocked when
he saw Link hold him down with his sword.
"You.scum," Link glared with hatred, "You did this. You
manipulated me. You made me hurt her."
"Yes, ironic is it not? The hero has brutally slain the one he has
vowed to protect. How sad, she never even stood a chance against you."
Ganondorf smirked when he saw Link futilely trying to hold back his angry
tears, "Crying isn't going to do you any good. It didn't do a thing to save
the poor princess." Suddenly, in a burst of rage, Link screamed and charged
at his enemy with his sword swinging in full force. Ganondorf instantly
pulled his dagger out and was able to block Link's attack. "I've killed you
once hero! I can kill you again!"
"No," Link replied as fury and rage started taking over, "Not this
time."
Once again the warriors clashed and this time Link fought with
newfound strength. Zelda opened her eyes and saw she had one last chance
to help her love. She concentrated all the frugal energy she had left and used
it to create a vortex, banishing Ganondorf back to his own world and
draining herself in the process. "This isn't over hero!" he said as Link
slammed him into the vortex, "You will pay!"
The room where the battle was fought was now as dark and silent as a
tomb. It almost felt like one to Link when he saw Zelda's motionless body
lying on the cobblestone. Link knelt at Zelda's side, thinking to himself,
"What have I done?" He held her limp hand and grasped it with both his
hands, "Forgive me, Zelda. If it weren't for me, none of this would have
happened." Link was choked up by his own emotion when he thought of
how he mercilessly beat and wounded her. He would never have forgiven
himself if Zelda died. "Please don't die, you're my angel. You don't
deserve this." Link solemnly bowed his head but then felt Zelda's hand
squeeze his gently. To his amazement, he saw her chest slowly rise and fall!
She was breathing! He still had time to save her! Link tucked his strong
arms under Zelda's shoulders and knees and immediately rushed outside,
determined to make up for all her suffering.
The sunlight glinted through the windows of Hyrule Castle, shining
through the princess' bedroom. Zelda was stirred by the light and slowly
opened her eyes. "Welcome back, Zelda," said a soothing, feminine voice.
Zelda blinked and saw that Impa and Link were sitting at her bedside.
"What happened?" the princess asked.
"We heard a knock on the door and saw that Link was carrying you in
his arms. He asked us to find some medicine and to put you in your bed. He
explained everything to us. The entire kingdom is glad that Link's alive and
is also very proud of you. Now I've got to go so I think I should leave you
two alone for now." Impa closed the door, but stayed outside to hear what
was happening.
The two just glanced around the room until Link finally spoke,
"Zelda, I'm so sorry for what I did to you. I never meant for this to happen.
I didn't want to hurt."
"Link, that wasn't you, that was Dark Link and I forgive you." Zelda
paused for a moment and then continued, "Why did you say you failed me
before you died?"
"It is my duty to protect you. Had I not died, I still would have been
there to do so."
"You've never failed me. When I first met you, you proved to me that
I could count on you no matter what. You are a blessing to me." Suddenly,
Zelda's eyes started to tear up. She stood up and threw her arms around
Link, "Oh Link! I've missed you so much! I felt so lonely! No one
understood my grief! I don't know what I would've done without you!"
She was still weak from the battle, but Link clasped his arms around her to
support her. "I love you Link. Please don't ever leave me again." She felt
him touch her chin and gently lifted her head.
"Never." Then, by some unexplained attraction, they let their heads
drift to each other and tenderly touched lips. When Impa opened the door,
she watched as a tear of joy rolled down her cheek. After the brief, yet
beautiful, moment of passion, Zelda let her head rest on Link's chest. She
closed her eyes and smiled, feeling her heart mend and warm. Her hero had
returned.
THE END
Hi! I'm a newcomer here, you can call me Traxblade. This is my first fanfic, so tell me
what you think. My email is TRAXBLADE@aol.com. I hope you enjoyed it! ;.)
Chapter 1: Sacrifice
Zelda had been standing at the shore of Lake Hylia waiting for
someone for the last hour. She understood that he was always late, but she
didn't know why Link would ask her to meet her here with no apparent
reason. Time passed and she began to worry. She stared at her reflection in
the lake's calm water and thought of where he could be. What if he was
injured or even killed? The thought was unbearable. Zelda shook her head
and told herself no. He is the Hero of Time. He knows what he is doing.
Another half an hour had passed by and still no sign of him. As she
was about to leave, she heard galloping in the distance and saw a familiar
figure get off his horse and walk up to her. "There you are, Link!" she
exclaimed, "If I had waited any longer, my dress would have been soaked!"
"I'm sorry Zelda," Link answered, "but you know me."
"Yes, I suppose, but it usually doesn't take this long for you to fight.
What took you?"
"I thought that since this is a special occasion, I'd get you something
special. When I found this, it made me think of you."
Link reached into his forest green shirt and pulled out a white rose.
Zelda was flattered that Link did such a thing and took a closer look. It was
a pearly, pure flower with silky blossoms that seemed to spread out like the
sun. "Link, it's beautiful," she finally said, "But why did you want to meet
me here?"
"Because this place has the best view of the sun," he replied, pointing
to the sunset.
For several minutes, Zelda admired the beauty of the glowing sphere,
but then something immediately crossed her mind. "Oh my God!" she
exclaimed, "The royal banquet! We'll be late!"
Before she could ask, Link already mounted Zelda and himself onto
Epona and raced toward the castle. The two then rushed through the town
and made it into the hall just as the servants were setting up. "Zelda! There
you are!" cried an anxious voice, "I was getting worried! Your father's been
as upset as I have! You should change, you've been out too long!" The
strong yet restless Impa rushed to Zelda and escorted her to her room.
Link looked at the drama building up until the King had come from
behind him and patted his shoulder. "Well, young man," he declared, "you
don't seem too nervous about the banquet."
"I'm not, your Majesty," Link replied, although he was sweating like
a pig.
"Good, because it is being held in your honor. You deserve it."
That evening, the Great Hall was bustling with activity. Hylians,
Gorons, Zoras, Gerudos, the Kokiri, a few Sheikah, even the sages had
attended the banquet and had filled the hall with conversation. The King
tapped his glass and everyone went silent. "May I have your attention
please," he started, "Tonight I hold this banquet to honor a young man that
has done so much for our kingdom. May I present to you, Link!" Everyone
applauded as the young hero stood up. "For your enjoyment," the King
continued, "I have a magician to entertain all of you." The King clapped
twice and a puff of smoke appeared, revealing a little man in a glittering blue
robe.
The magician was an amusing fellow. He did all sorts of tricks and
even whisked a bouquet of flowers from his sleeve to Zelda. However Link
didn't trust the man, not because he was charming Zelda but because he
sensed some dark power coming from him. Zelda sensed it too, but decided
to humor the magician a bit. "As for my finale," the magician announced, "I
will attempt to eat this torch and this sword!" The audience gasped as he
swallowed the fire from one of the torches. But instead of swallowing the
sword, he hurled it at one of the guards with fatal accuracy. Everyone
panicked when the second guard came to arrest the magician only to be
burnt into ash.
"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?" the King demanded. Before
the other guards could get him, the magician ripped off his cloak to reveal
his true identity, Ganondorf. All the terrified guests ran leaving only Link,
Impa, Zelda, and the King.
"Surprised to see me, your Majesty?" Ganondorf asked, "You really
didn't think that I was dead, now did you? Banishing me to the Dark World
helped me rejuvenate my power and return. However you won't be so lucky
once I'm done with you!" The guards surrounded the dark wizard in hopes
of trapping him but were killed instantly. He then glared at Zelda and
started to charge his magic. Zelda was paralyzed with fear when the dark
orb rushed toward her. She braced herself for impact until Link jumped in
front of her and took the hit.
"LINK!" she screamed when she saw him fall. Before Zelda could do
anything, Impa grabbed her and hid behind the throne with the King, giving
them a decent view of the battle.
"You jumped in front of the princess to protect her," Ganondorf
gloated, "just as I have predicted." Link charged at the wizard and the
warriors clashed. The battle raged on, each combatant equal to the other.
Before long, Link started to wear down, struggling to stand, yet he
was determined to not give up. "You may take my life, Ganon, but you'll
never take my spirit. I'll never give in to you." War cries and clashing
blades had filled the once silent hall. All went silent after a loud thwack and
a cry of pain was heard. Knowing the battle was over Zelda peeked over the
throne and saw her worst fear. Link had collapsed in a pool of blood and
Ganondorf stood over him with a bloody dagger.
Zelda rushed over to Link and laid his head on her knees. Tears
streamed down her eyes when she saw how badly wounded he was. She
gripped his body, glared at Ganondorf through her watery, grief-stricken
eyes and screamed, "MURDERER!"
"Save your energy, princess," Ganondorf coldly replied, "Your
suffering has only begun! We will meet again." He let out a sinister cackle
before he disappeared.
Zelda heard a weak groan and saw that Link was gasping for breath.
Link's head slowly turned and his dim eyes could just make out Zelda's
face. "Forgive me.Zelda." he stammered, "I.have.failed.you."
Zelda wept even more when she heard this. Link saw this and wiped her
tears with his trembling hand. Zelda let her cheek rest on his palm and held
his wrist with both her hands.
When Link started to quiver in pain, Zelda started crying, "Link! No!
Don't leave me! Please! We need you! I need you! Don't go! Don't!
NO!" The grieving Zelda tried to use her healing spells on the fatal wound,
but her efforts were in vain. On that night, the Hero of Time had died in the
princess' arms. Before the guards took his body away, Zelda knelt on the
floor and whispered to herself, "One day, Ganondorf, you will pay for what
you have done. Your crimes will not go on unpunished. You.will.pay."
Chapter 2: Remorse
It was a dark, cloudy day in the kingdom of Hyrule. The lone princess
stood at a marble gravestone carved in the shape of a sword in a pedestal.
The gravestone had only a name engraved on the pedestal: LINK. The wind
caressed her hair and chilled her bitter tears as she stood there staring at the
grave. Numerous regrets raced through Zelda's head. She never told him
her true feelings to him. She never got to say that he was never a failure in
her eyes. She never kissed him. She never said goodbye. His last words
would stay seared into her mind for as long as she lived.
The funeral had ended an hour ago and yet Zelda could recall every
moment of it. Rauru gave the sermon to all the people of Hyrule. The
goddesses had come down in human form to mourn the incredible loss of the
Hero of Time. All of Zelda's dear friends, Saria, Ruto, Impa, Malon, and
Nabooru, sat by her side and shed tears as well. After the burial, Zelda
decided to stay a little bit longer to pay her last respects. Before she left,
Zelda laid a single white rose on Link's grave. It was the same rose that he
gave her before the banquet. "You were right, Link," she whispered toward
the grave, "The rose represents my pure heart and it will be with you always.
I'll never forget you."
That night, Zelda didn't eat her supper. "Zelda," her father said, "I
know it was a great loss to you when Link died but we must move on. We
have to learn to let it go. After all, he was just a warrior."
Zelda suddenly got up and rushed to her room in tears. Link was not
just a warrior. He was her hero, her friend, and her love. He did so much
and asked for so little. No one could replace him no matter how hard they
tried. When Zelda reached her room she closed the door and threw herself
into her bed. She buried her face into her hands and let her cold tears trickle
down her quivering arms. When she could no longer sob for him, she
looked at the table next to her bed and saw her most prized possession. It
was a picture of Link and her in each other's arms smiling. She stared at the
picture and started to recollect all the memories she had with him. "Come
in," she said when she heard the knock at her door.
Impa walked in and sat next to Zelda. "You still miss him, don't you
Zelda?" she said, "I know that he wasn't just any warrior and he meant a lot
to you. If anything, know this: Link will always be there for you no matter
what." Zelda dried her tears and smiled at her loyal friend. "Good. Now I
think that you should get some sleep, Princess. Tomorrow's another day."
"Thank you, Impa," Zelda whispered. After Impa left, the princess
pulled the covers over herself. Her tears swelled in her eyes because she
knew that all this linen and silk could not make up for the warmth that was
now gone from her broken heart. The nights would now be colder than ever
before.
Along the edge of the desert, a bony figure stalked into the night and
then disappeared into the rocks. The figure raced through the hidden halls
and arrived at the throne room of Ganondorf. "Ah, General Stalfos, what do
you have to report?"
The skeletal warrior replied, "All of Hyrule now mourns Link's death.
Phase 1 is complete."
"Excellent. Send two of your men to the graveyard. It's time for
Phase 2 to come into action." Ganondorf looked into his crystal and found
an image of Zelda weeping in her sleep. "Do not worry Princess. You will
join your love soon."
Chapter 3: Revelation
The next several days, Zelda had a recurring nightmare. She would be
running in total darkness and lightning would flash, revealing a shadowy
figure with a sword. She would hear a weak voice every so often saying
something to her. "Zelda." The figure would come closer.
"I'm.trapped." The figure would be right behind her.
"I.need.your.help." The figure would grab her dress and she would
fall. "Don't.kill.her. Don't!" She would turn around and see the figure
holding his sword high. Lightning would flash and the figure would be
revealed as Link in a black tunic. Before the sword struck her, Zelda would
hear these last words, "Forgive me."
Zelda spent those days trying to figure out what the dream meant. She
often took a walk to clear her mind and let her wisdom flow. One day she
decided to come to the graveyard and visit Link, but she was surprised to see
Ruto running at her, babbling something about Link's grave. When Zelda
asked her to calm down, Ruto took a deep breath, "Zelda! It was horrible!
Malon, Saria, and I just came here an hour ago to visit Link until we saw
that the grave had been robbed! His body is gone! Two Stalfos dug up his
grave and took him! We tried to get him back but Malon and Saria were
beaten badly! They nearly got me! The girls are still trying to recuperate!"
she started sobbing when Zelda comforted her, "Who would do this?" Zelda
walked into the graveyard and saw that Ruto was right. Link's grave had
been dug up and the other two girls were lying on the ground, obviously
wounded. After she healed them, Zelda touched the headstone to see if she
could get any idea where the monsters took him. Her Triforce glowed
brightly and she went into a trance. She saw someone resurrect Link and
chain him to a wall. The next instant a shadow started flowing into Link.
Before she saw any more, the girls woke her up. Zelda now understood her
dream and she was going to find Link.
"You can't be serious! Your going to risk your life to find someone
whom everyone knows is dead?!" The King was not pleased when he heard
about what his daughter had seen and what she was going to do about it.
"Look at yourself! You are a princess, not a hero! You are supposed to rule
the kingdom with me! I know it's hard for you, but this is insane! And you
are going to go out in peasant's clothing? I don't believe this!"
When Zelda walked out of her room, she was no longer donning her
royal dress and robe, but a simple rose-colored outfit. Her shirt had no
sleeves and her skirt only covered half her thigh. She wore simple, durable
slippers and the only jewelry she had was her tiara, her earrings, a necklace,
and a bracelet. Her golden hair was braided into a ponytail. In this guise, no
one would have guessed she was the princess. "Father, I am not a child
anymore! I'm 17 and I can take care of myself!"
"I'm sorry Zelda, but you have not been trained for combat. You
were raised to rule the kingdom, not to slay evil monsters." Zelda was about
to retaliate but she realized that her father was right. Even with all her
magic and purity, she wouldn't stand a chance against Ganondorf. She
wasn't ready.
"Don't worry, your Highness," Impa had heard what was going on
and decided to help, "I have been her guard and nursemaid all her life. If
she needs to be trained, than I will do so," she turned to Zelda and added,
"Mind you, Princess, this will not be easy. Are you sure about this?"
"Yes."
The next morning Impa taught Zelda all she had learned when she was
assigned royal bodyguard. Zelda learned fairly quickly, but her body wasn't
strong enough for some of Impa's tests. During training Impa helped Zelda
hone in her magic skills, balance, and agility. Within a week, Zelda was
capable to do many physical challenges that would have overwhelmed her
before. "Well Zelda," Impa said, "I believe you're ready. Take this." Impa
tossed a solid wood staff at Zelda and was thoroughly impressed when Zelda
did a back flip and caught it. "Remember Zelda, you are stronger than you
were before, but Ganondorf possesses much more power than you. Don't let
your guard down and look out for yourself. I have faith in you."
Zelda bade both her father and her mentor an emotional farewell and
set off. "I know you're alive Link," she said to herself, "When I find you,
you will finally know how much you really mean to me."
Chapter 4: Confrontation
The dusty wind howled wildly in the Gerudo Valley. Miles of sand
blew mercilessly at the young princess, yet she was not giving up. Zelda
knew that if anyone knew where Ganondorf was, it would be the Gerudos.
Her staff had sunk constantly into the scorching sand and her ankles were
starting to burn from the heat. She finally arrived at the Gerudo Fortress, but
no one seemed to be there. When she entered the open area, a band of
Gerudos jumped down from the roofs and immediately surrounded her.
Zelda darted to escape, but the female thieves were everywhere. The
masked leader walked up to the princess and spoke, "Well, what do we have
here? It seems that we have an unwanted traveller in our mist. You know
what happens to trespassers, don't we ladies?" All the other Gerudos
muttered in agreement.
Zelda wasn't about to play games now, "I want to know where
Ganondorf is."
"Did you here that girls? She wants to find Ganondorf!" everyone
except Zelda burst out in laugher. "Why would you want to know that?"
"I don't want any trouble. I need to see him about something. Do
you know where he is?"
"Oh, I know where he is, but if you want to get that information,
you'll have to beat it out of me."
"I don't have time for this!" Zelda yelled. She tried to leave but the
leader tripped her.
"Oh no," the lead thief said, "you don't get out of this that easily!"
When Zelda got up the leader punched her, knocking her down again.
"Come on, show me what you're made of. Or maybe you're too scared and
weak to even tap me. COME ON!"
That was it. Zelda didn't want to fight, but it was inevitable. "What's
the matter," the leader mocked, "you're tired already?" Instead of
answering, Zelda thrust her leg into the Gerudo's stomach and did a sweep
kick to knock her down. When the Gerudo leader got up, she saw Zelda
brandishing her staff, ready to fight. The leader brandished her saber and
started swiping it at the princess. Zelda dodged every swipe and with her
final flip, she kicked the saber right out of her opponent's hand. The Gerudo
leader threw a smaller knife at her but was shocked when Zelda used her
telekinesis to deflect it. Zelda swung her staff and hit the Gerudo's side then
swung it again to knock her unconscious. The other thieves stared in
disbelief when they saw that their leader was defeated. Zelda expected the
other thieves to attack her, but instead saw them applaud.
"Congratulations," the recovering leader said. She pulled off the veil
covering her face to the relief of the princess. "You truly have the soul of a
warrior," replied Nabooru, leader of the Gerudos.
There was a bonfire that night and all the Gerudos had pitched tents
outside. "Sorry about fighting you," Nabooru said when Zelda walked out
of one of the tents, "I couldn't show the girls I was turning soft. Besides, it's
just a simple initiation the girls and I have all gone through. No hard
feelings?" Zelda nodded quietly and continued to stare at the fire. Zelda
explained to her friend that she believed Link was still alive and that
Ganondorf did something to him. "Oh yes, I know how to find him. Just go
to the rock in the Haunted Wasteland at night. Wait until the moon rises and
the moonlight will show the outline of his castle." Zelda thanked her and set
off to find Ganondorf and to free Link.
Zelda had followed Nabooru's directions and waited at the rock.
When the moon rose over the valley, she saw a glint of light shine on the
rocky walls. Upon closer inspection, she was able to make out the twisted
hideout in the rocks. She walked up to the formation and touched the rocks
in front of her to find that they were illusions. She immediately ran through
the rocks and into a long hall that led to Ganondorf's throne room. The
doors to the room were locked, but Zelda mentally snapped the lock in two
and burst inside. "Ah, Princess Zelda, coming here to save your beloved
Link." Ganondorf stood up from his throne and continued, "What a noble
gesture, but you cannot defeat me. I'm afraid doing so is suicide." He shot
his magic at Zelda, but she dodged it with ease. He fired numerous more
shots and found that not only could she dodge it, but reflect it as well.
"For seven years, wizard, you have placed my kingdom in turmoil.
You have betrayed my father, plagued my people, and killed our hero. Now
you shall be punished!" Zelda jumped closer to Ganondorf and delivered
several quick blows to his head.
"Well princess," replied the warlord, "it seems as though I have
underestimated you. But I have prepared something special for you." He
snapped his fingers and at once a young figure appeared in the shadows.
When the figure emerged, Zelda was so shocked she nearly dropped her
staff. "Link," Ganondorf commanded, "rid me of this bothersome woman."
Chapter 5: Resurrection
"Link," Zelda muttered. She walked up to the figure that was
standing before her. She touched his face to see if it was an illusion, but it
was really him. Before she could get closer, Link immediately slapped her
so hard she fell to the floor. When Zelda looked up at him, she realized
some differences. His warm, caring eyes were now replaced with a cold,
heartless stare. His tunic was not the familiar forest green she knew, but
more of a greenish-black. A scowl now was in the place of his usual smile.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH HIM?!" she shouted in fury.
Ganondorf cackled and said, "It's simple, dear Zelda. I took him in
and brought him back to this world. I offered him his life in exchange for
his service. Of course he refused so I had a subject of mine take over, his
own shadow. I've grown to like the boy, actually. Once his emotions were
gone he made a very worthy servant. If you want him I'm afraid you're
going to have to kill him."
Link brandished his sword and pointed it straight toward Zelda, who
was already quivering with shock. She would have been more than happy to
kill any other of Ganondorf's minions, but she couldn't find the heart to kill
the one she loved so much. "Link," she said when she stopped shaking, "I
will not fight you." She threw her staff to the ground and stood still. Link
smiled when he heard this and slashed at her stomach. Zelda screamed in
pain and gripped the wound. When she turned around Link already knocked
her onto her back. "Stop this! Please!" she yelled, but to no avail. Zelda
looked at her hand and saw that the Triforce of Wisdom was glowing. Of
course! Her Triforce had sensed the Triforce of Courage within Link, which
means his soul was still alive. "Link," she pleaded as she got up, "I know
you're still in there. If you can hear me, then stop. I beg of you." She
screamed again when he scarred her arm. "Please! Have mercy!" He tried
to stab her but his sword was driven into the wall. "Listen to me!" she
begged when Link decided to fight empty handed. "Ganondorf is using you!
You're nothing more than a puppet to him!" She was hit many times but
still wasn't going to fight. When Link pinned her neck to the wall, Zelda put
her hand on his forehead and it started to glow. The force of the healing
spell had blown Link back and onto the floor. When he got up, he started
muttering weakly, "Zelda."
Zelda ran up to him joyfully and hugged him, "Link! I knew you
were still alive!"
"I want.to.tell you." Link stammered, "you.are.a.fool."
Zelda was surprised to hear this. Before she could do anything, she felt
something sharp pierce her chest. She looked down, saw Link with a bloody
knife, and felt the blood drain out of her wound.
Zelda backed into the wall, weakened from all her injuries. Slowly,
her body slid down the wall as Link threw out the knife and freed his sword
from the rocks. She fell on her back and saw Link with his sword, ready to
strike. This was it; she was going to die. "You've done well, my servant,"
Ganondorf said smugly, "Now finish her."
Link walked up to Zelda and raised the sword above his head.
"Link." Zelda whispered with her fading voice,
"remember.who.you.are." Link started to hesitate, but he was
determined and obligated to obey his master. "Listen.to.your.heart.
You.are.a.hero, not.a.murderer."
Ganondorf saw that the real Link was starting to overcome Dark Link,
"NO! Don't listen to her! She's lying!"
"Ganondorf.is.the.real.liar. Remember.who.I.am."
"NO! I am your master! She is the enemy! DESTROY HER!"
"Remember.everyone.you.love.especially.me."
"Love makes you weak! Have I taught you nothing? KILL HER!
THAT'S AN ORDER!"
"You.can.overcome.him. I.know.you.can. Remember."
Zelda closed her eyes; her energy was gone.
Link just stood there hesitating while Ganondorf kept telling him,
"FINISH HER! DON'T LET HER LIVE!" The next instant, Link dropped
his sword onto the ground and started gripping his head in pain. Black mist
seeped out of him as his tunic started to brighten. Ganondorf knew that
Dark Link was losing control over Link's body, so he decided to finish
Zelda himself. Before he could charge his magic, he felt something pin his
cape. "Well, well. The hero, foolishly fighting to the last," he mocked when
he saw Link hold him down with his sword.
"You.scum," Link glared with hatred, "You did this. You
manipulated me. You made me hurt her."
"Yes, ironic is it not? The hero has brutally slain the one he has
vowed to protect. How sad, she never even stood a chance against you."
Ganondorf smirked when he saw Link futilely trying to hold back his angry
tears, "Crying isn't going to do you any good. It didn't do a thing to save
the poor princess." Suddenly, in a burst of rage, Link screamed and charged
at his enemy with his sword swinging in full force. Ganondorf instantly
pulled his dagger out and was able to block Link's attack. "I've killed you
once hero! I can kill you again!"
"No," Link replied as fury and rage started taking over, "Not this
time."
Once again the warriors clashed and this time Link fought with
newfound strength. Zelda opened her eyes and saw she had one last chance
to help her love. She concentrated all the frugal energy she had left and used
it to create a vortex, banishing Ganondorf back to his own world and
draining herself in the process. "This isn't over hero!" he said as Link
slammed him into the vortex, "You will pay!"
The room where the battle was fought was now as dark and silent as a
tomb. It almost felt like one to Link when he saw Zelda's motionless body
lying on the cobblestone. Link knelt at Zelda's side, thinking to himself,
"What have I done?" He held her limp hand and grasped it with both his
hands, "Forgive me, Zelda. If it weren't for me, none of this would have
happened." Link was choked up by his own emotion when he thought of
how he mercilessly beat and wounded her. He would never have forgiven
himself if Zelda died. "Please don't die, you're my angel. You don't
deserve this." Link solemnly bowed his head but then felt Zelda's hand
squeeze his gently. To his amazement, he saw her chest slowly rise and fall!
She was breathing! He still had time to save her! Link tucked his strong
arms under Zelda's shoulders and knees and immediately rushed outside,
determined to make up for all her suffering.
The sunlight glinted through the windows of Hyrule Castle, shining
through the princess' bedroom. Zelda was stirred by the light and slowly
opened her eyes. "Welcome back, Zelda," said a soothing, feminine voice.
Zelda blinked and saw that Impa and Link were sitting at her bedside.
"What happened?" the princess asked.
"We heard a knock on the door and saw that Link was carrying you in
his arms. He asked us to find some medicine and to put you in your bed. He
explained everything to us. The entire kingdom is glad that Link's alive and
is also very proud of you. Now I've got to go so I think I should leave you
two alone for now." Impa closed the door, but stayed outside to hear what
was happening.
The two just glanced around the room until Link finally spoke,
"Zelda, I'm so sorry for what I did to you. I never meant for this to happen.
I didn't want to hurt."
"Link, that wasn't you, that was Dark Link and I forgive you." Zelda
paused for a moment and then continued, "Why did you say you failed me
before you died?"
"It is my duty to protect you. Had I not died, I still would have been
there to do so."
"You've never failed me. When I first met you, you proved to me that
I could count on you no matter what. You are a blessing to me." Suddenly,
Zelda's eyes started to tear up. She stood up and threw her arms around
Link, "Oh Link! I've missed you so much! I felt so lonely! No one
understood my grief! I don't know what I would've done without you!"
She was still weak from the battle, but Link clasped his arms around her to
support her. "I love you Link. Please don't ever leave me again." She felt
him touch her chin and gently lifted her head.
"Never." Then, by some unexplained attraction, they let their heads
drift to each other and tenderly touched lips. When Impa opened the door,
she watched as a tear of joy rolled down her cheek. After the brief, yet
beautiful, moment of passion, Zelda let her head rest on Link's chest. She
closed her eyes and smiled, feeling her heart mend and warm. Her hero had
returned.
THE END
Hi! I'm a newcomer here, you can call me Traxblade. This is my first fanfic, so tell me
what you think. My email is TRAXBLADE@aol.com. I hope you enjoyed it! ;.)