The Legend of Zelda:

Prophesy of Ages

Prologue

"Never ending clash of sword will, by hero and demon be made."

Link pushed himself to his feet, straightening his blood splattered green tunic. It had been a while since he had fought an opponent quite as challenging as the red-haired man standing before him. How long will this battle last? he wondered. They were both being pushed to their physical limit, but neither seemed to be gaining the upper hand. They were too evenly matched. Making sure that the black robed man before him was still trying to catch his breath, the blonde Hylian stole a quick glance to the room's only other inhabitant. Underneath the high vaulted ceilings of the temple, and in front of the empty marble pedestal that until recently had housed a hero's blade, knelt the ruler of the realm, Princess Zelda. Her pale figure was clothed in the royal garb of Hyrule, her beautiful white silk dress complimenting a pink blouse and a light blue apron embroidered with intricate golden symbols. Atop her dark hair was a finely crafted golden crown, and her bangs had fallen in front of her face, hiding her closed eyes.

Link was glad his friend was safe, but knew that although she looked almost asleep, she was fighting her own desperate battle in order to defeat the man before them and save the kingdom of Hyrule. Without her, the red-haired Gerudo would have long since prevailed through use of his unearthly dark magics.

"You don't have time to be looking away boy!" the robed man yelled, once again charging forward. Caught off guard, Link barely managed to get his sword up in time to counter a thrust to his heart.

"I will not let you destroy Hyrule, Ganon!" he barely managed to parry another stroke as Ganon swung around, aiming for his neck.

"You want to save Hyrule?" he yelled, swinging again and again at Link. "You couldn't even save your own people." With one last slash that scraped the side of Link's face, Ganon jumped back.

Link knew that he was being provoked, knew that he should be emotionless during a fight, but the comment had struck home. If only he had been a little quicker, a little closer to Ordon, he could have saved them. Against Princess Zelda's wishes he had left Hyrule and traveled to the neighboring kingdom of Termina in search of adventure. With his head so full of thoughts of fame and glory, he hadn't even stopped to consider what terrors might befall the kingdom in the absence of the Hero of Time. After a few uneventful months, Link began to hear dark rumors in the taverns that he frequented. Rumors of Hyrule being invaded by the desert tribes known as the Gerudo. Worried for his kingdom, Link had ridden back as fast as his horse would carry him, but it was too late. The Gerudo had already taken the small town of Ordon at the edge of Hyrule, and were marching on the castle, destroying everything in their path.

Link had grown up in Ordon, been raised by the people of the town. His parents had died while he was very young, leaving him homeless and friendless. Luckily, the people of Ordon had taken him in and raised him in place of a mother and father. He owed them so much, and when he began his journey as the Hero of Time, he had vowed not to forget the kindness that they had shown him. But in their moment of need, where was he? In some foreign land seeking fame and glory.

Now they were all either dead or being sold as slaves in far off lands. All because of his foolishness, all because of his reckless arrogance. Link cursed himself, I don't deserve to be alive.

No, he realized as he raised his sword, settling into the all too familiar fighting stance. It was the person in front of him who was to blame. Ganon, the demon from prophesy and the leader of the desert Gerudos who had killed his people. It was his fault that his family had died, he was responsible for Link's suffering. A fire slowly began to burn in the pit of his stomach. He knew that he shouldn't let anger drive his actions, but his oxygen-starved brain wasn't thinking as clearly as it should.

"It was almost sad how pathetically the villagers clung to the hope that you would come to save them," Ganon sneered, eyeing the Hylian to see if his remark had any effect. "It wasn't until the very end that they realized you had abandoned them."

With a roar Link launched himself at Ganon, recklessly slashing at his aggressor.

"No Link!" Zelda screamed from behind him, but he couldn't hear her. Blind rage drove him, filling his ears with a loud ringing and causing his vision to go red. Swing, stab, thrust. His anger gave him power, but made his every move too dramatic; easy for Ganon to avoid.

"You monster!" Link screamed, his blood boiling in his veins. "Damn you!"

Ganon parried one of Link's more violent slashes, swinging around to kick him in the chest. Hard. The mere force of the kick sent the green-clad warrior flying through the air, finally coming to rest near the feet of the princess. He groaned, pain blurring his vision. For a few seconds it was all he could do just to stay conscious.

"Link, are you alright?" the princess lay a hand on the struggling hero. He managed to get back to his feet, but almost collapsed again when he felt his chest; at least two of his ribs were broken.

"Please Link," Zelda pleaded from his side. "Remember what you're fighting for. The goddesses chose you to protect—"

"The goddesses." Link interrupted, malice icing his every word. "Where were the goddesses when Ordon was ravaged? Where was Farore when its people…my people were viciously slaughtered, their corpses left to rot in the sun?"

"Link—"

"The goddesses have abandoned us," he went on, causing Zelda to look at him in alarm, "and I will fight for them no longer."

"No." Zelda whispered, fear impeding her tongue.

"But I swear," Link began again, gritting his teeth in pain as he hefted his sword. "By the time this day is out, I will see this man dead." Link suddenly brought his sword up and pointed it at the Gerudo king. "You hear me Ganon?" he yelled. "I swear I will see you burn!" With a ferocious yell Link charged forward, ignoring the shouts from the woman behind him.

Sparks flew as their blades met. Link wasted no time in attacking again and again, pushing Ganon back by the incredible viciousness of his assault. The flurry continued, and through his pain and hate Link could tell that Ganon was becoming weaker. With a powerful downward slice Link knocked the demon's black sword onto the ground between them.

He grimaced as he slowly brought his sword up the Ganon's unprotected neck.

"Go back to hell, demon," Link said quietly. Then, with a yell, he drew his sword back and swung, aiming to behead the Gerudo. Everything seemed to slow as his blade neared Ganon's dark skin. With this my family will be avenged.

Suddenly a jolt of pain shot through him, originating from the sword hilt in his hands. What was happening? He was paralyzed, unable to move, unable to finish the blow that would end the red-haired man's life. For some reason his sacred blade would not allow him to destroy the demon. Why had the Master Sword turned on him?

Realizing that something was wrong, Ganon quickly reached in front of him and grabbed his fallen blade. With a laugh, he thrust the sword toward Link's torso. Still unable to move, Link could only watch in horror as the black blade tore through his tunic and into his chest.

"Link!" he could hear Zelda scream as he sunk to the floor. Blood quickly began pooling around his body. Strangely calm, he realized that Ganon had pierced his heart. He was dying. A profound sense of sorrow overcame him. He had failed Hyrule. With his death, nothing would stop Ganon from enslaving the rest of the realm. A tear formed in the corner of his eye as darkness overtook him. I have failed.

"Link!" Zelda screamed as she watched Link fall, still transfixed by Ganon's sword. "No…" she whispered. With a sob she sprang to her feet and ran toward her collapsed friend. This has to be a dream, she screamed inside, this can't be real!

As she neared the body Ganon began to laugh hysterically, turning around and lifting his arms to the heavens as if to welcome the Goddess' wrath.

The Master Sword rejected him, Zelda realized as she slid to a stop near the fallen hero, but why? Afraid, of what she might find, she slowly reached out her hand toward Link's still chest. It was no use, none of her magic could help him now, he had already passed on. Carefully she removed the blade from his body and flung it aside. Then she buried her face in his shoulder, tears running down her cheeks. Why? She sobbed, pain wrenching at her heart.

What will happen to my people? Zelda suddenly realized that without the Hero of Time, hope was lost. Ganon could take control of Hyrule easily, but she doubted that he would stop there.

Ganon's perpetual laughter slowly brought her out of her mournful stupor. She needed to stop him. She couldn't let him destroy her kingdom, she couldn't let him enslave and murder her people. Slowly she reached her hand into Link's belt pouch, pulling out a sky blue ocarina. The instrument seemed to hum in her hands. Goddesses, I hope this works. She thought to herself as she brought the gilded flute to her lips.

Taking a deep breath, she blew. Out came the most beautiful sound she'd ever heard, each note rising and falling with the beat of her heart. Time itself seemed to shudder as the melody continued.

Ganon stopped laughing and spun around. "No!" he yelled as he realized what Zelda was doing. With a roar he reached out as if to snatch the ocarina out of her hands, but he was too late. The last note rang out, reverberating amongst the empty columns. As the sound dissipated, an overbearing silence took hold. The princess and the demon were nowhere to be seen.