A/N: This is a fanfiction of TLoZ Twilight Princess so I do NOT own any of Nintendo's characters. I wrote this before his identity was revealed, so I believed Hero's Shade was merely a predecessor of Link, yet I didn't think he was Ocarina of Time Link. I thought he was someone in between TP and OoT Link. So I wrote him a fanfiction as someone completely different. So, despite that he is the main character in here; he IS NOT OCARINA OF TIME LINK! Just...just read it. You'll figure it out.
The First Hero
Prologue
It was the start of another beautiful day. The sun had ridden high in the sky, and was smiling down upon the land, blessing farmers with the heat of spring after a long, cold winter. The grass had begun to turn green some time ago, but now, the colors seemed to shine ever brightly. The trees were swaying gently in the wind, as if dancing to the soft voice of the breeze. Water trickled through a stream, gurgling to the croaking frogs. Fish jumped up out of the water, catching flies and dragonflies in their yawning mouth, before returning to the water to savor their lunch.
Birds chirped in the branches of the trees, carrying twigs and straw from off the ground to build a nest for when it was truly time for them to birth their young ones. The sound of bustling people rose to my tower. I watched outside with intense fascination, as to see how nature worked its wonders. I rested my chin in my palm and rested my elbow on the arm of my chair, wonder-ing if I could go outside.
It seemed so inviting, the outside air. The breeze called out to me, as though it were telling me to relax, and let go of my worries. I was pondering whether anyone would notice if I left the castle. I stood up in my room, walking gracefully to the door. I glanced behind me, to the window. It was made of stained glass, with wood binding it together and forming swirling patterns. The window was the size of a large door, and it was able to be opened. It led to the balcony, which had high, polished, brown wooden railing that came up to my waistline.
Inside my room, I had three chairs. One to stare out the window while it rained. One to sit at my desk and write. And one to just relax in or use to accommodate a guest. All three were of the same design; a high back that rose up and stopped just as it reached the pointed bone in my head. It had a soft red cushion on the top so I didn't hurt my head laying on it. The back was basically a lot of curled branches that formed the insignia of the castle. A large bird with open wings and tail with outstretched talons had been carved as an outline and plastered over the Triforce. The Triforce was two triangles joined by their corners, supporting one other triangle balanced perfectly on the top.
The legs of the chair were also dark brown and made of wood that had been stained and waxed. The cushion was of royal fabric, red and velvety. It was very soft, and I admired the fact that these had been made specifically for me, modified to fit my tall figure. My desk was carved from the same wood the chair legs had been taken from. It consisted only of a top and one single drawer. I didn't have very many things atop it; just an inkpot, feather quill, a stack of paper, and a large map I was currently drawing.
My "wardrobe", if that's what I could call it, was more of a walk-in closet. It supported two wooden doors that were fitted with glass pieces, and the bird-Triforce design was made of wood on each of them. The wardrobe had a curtain I could pull back while I stood in the closet and dressed myself. I knew that if I stepped in my closet, I would be able to reach my arms out and have to stretch to obtain my clothes from the entrance.
Because of the glass windows and the consequential fact that I hadn't pulled the curtains to a close, I could easily see the clothes my wardrobe/closet consisted of. Three shelves bore neatly folded stacks of clothes. Some were undergarments for when I wore my armor, and others were casual outfits I wore when I went out. My long heavy sword and circular polished shield were neatly placed inside my wardrobe. I decided I might need those and I stole back to my closet. I gently strapped myself in my armor and slid my sword and shield onto the belt I wore around my shoulder.
I looked over to the other side of my room, where a hearth fire blazed brightly. I had been keeping it well stoked, not just because I wanted to draw heat from it at night, but so I could have some comfort being alone in my tower. The crackling of the flames eating through the logs soothed me, though I wasn't sure why. I knew the flames would bring ruin, despair, and chaos if they escaped the hearth and burned out of control, but I also knew they brought warmth and an aura of peace I couldn't even begin to explain.
I looked to the wall slightly left of the fenced-in hearth and saw my reflection. I was terrified of it now, my reflection that was. It brought back bitter memories, but I always had the urge to keep the mirror. After all, who should be scared of seeing their own face? With a shudder, I remembered that I had good reason to fear not only my image, but also my shadow. Other than the horrible memories I had of it, the mirror was great. It was tall and elliptical, and had been trimmed with steel. Covered in a protective coating, the mirror was supposed to be shielded from the elements, no matter how old it got, which was amazing.
Also, I had doodled on it with silver ink, marking the Triforce in a series of strange bands I'd seen in a dream. Also, I had even marked it with little squares and parallelograms. The mirror I had seen in my dream and had taken the design from was circular, but I didn't care. I just used what I had. Also, the other mirror was thicker, by an inch at least, and the backing was covered in either stone or metal, I wasn't certain. It had been aimed at the sky, as if catching the light from the heavens and was ready to reflect it upon a solid black rock I had seen in my dream.
Deciding not to spend any more time staring at my reflection, for fear it was going to peel itself out of the mirror and attack me, I headed for the exit. Part of me longed to go back in my room, like I was never going to see it again, but I denied the urge. I closed the door to my room and left it unlocked. If something bad did happen today, I wanted the king to see the world map I had drawn from memory and put it to good use.
I also wanted people to see the view I saw every day, even if they themselves had seen it before. I at least wanted them to know what I loved to do all day. I wanted them to see the letters I wrote, but kept in my desk instead of delivering them to my beloved. And, probably the most important thing, the doodles in the mirror. I knew they were special, but I wasn't sure why. If people opened up my drawer and saw my original mirror sketch, maybe they would understand it. I was certain the drawings would be in good hands, especially if it were the king who received them.
I turned to face the corridor that stretched out in front of me, yawning wide like the jaws of a lion. Small tables boasted candlesticks of marvelous design, with twisted metal cords branching off to the sides and upholding unlit candle wicks. Swords and shields from fallen heroes were mounted to the wall, not as mockery, but respect and a way to tell people; this person died to defend this castle. They were not weak, but strong, brave, and duty-bound. It is here that we shall remember their name.
The names of the fallen soldier were engraved on the shining shield, but if the shield hadn't been, or was unable to be recovered, then the name was branded on the blade of the sword. Some fallen heroes didn't even have a sword or shield, so they were given a banner. Unfortunately, too many soldiers had fallen, so only the bravest got the right to have their weapons here.
I hope that, when I die, my sword and shield will be on that wall, I thought. I passed through the corridor and only saw a few people on my way to the garden. They waved to me in greeting. Giving a simple smile, I waved back, and continued heading for the gardens. I reached them a short time later and I collapsed in the center of a patch of bright pink flowers. I closed my eyes, ready to relax, when I heard someone giggling. I opened up my left eye and focused on her, wondering who it was.
She was wearing a long pink dress the color of the flowers and a long stretch of cloth covered the front of it. It was almost like the tapestries, and it depicted the multitude of insignias the kingdom had come to have over the centuries. Her dress had lighter pink trim at the bottom and covered the fact that she was wearing pink high-heels, but with how she was sitting in the flower patch, the dress didn't cover her bright shoes. Her white socks came up to her shins and also had lace trim around the top, though I wasn't sure why. Who was going to see them with that long dress?
The shoulders of her dress were of solid gold, with little designs I couldn't quite make out from such a distance. I could see little blue jewels sparkling in the shoulders however, and they gleamed in the sunlight. She wore a ruby necklace that had white-gold chain links. Her crown also had a single, large blue stone in it also, and it was on a gold-plated surface, that connected to smaller leaf-shaped gold pieces. The crown disappeared behind her long pointy ears, but the jewels rings in her ears also drew attention to her complex.
Her blue eyes sparkled in the sunlight, framed behind circular glasses, but her beauty was not denounced by her eye-wear. Her hair was decorated with the flowers, but these were made of gems, not petals. Her light-brown hair was pulled back into a braid, falling down into the grass, and the only hair that escaped the braid were the two thick pieces clasped in front of her ears, and one strand near her hairline that wasn't long enough to be pulled into the plait. She smiled, making the outside seem even friendlier.
"Aren't you a little old to be sleeping in my gardens?" she asked with another small chuckle. She raised her hand to her mouth and touched her lower lip with her index finger's knuckle, revealing her ring and long silk gloves that came all the way to her elbows.
"I will answer your question according to that which you desire me to speak, Your Highness," I responded with a hint of playfulness. I knew Her Majesty wasn't too caring about such matters. If given the option, she would chose to stay here, tending to her garden, and leave politics and treaties up to her husband. Judging by the fact that the flowers were blooming so early, and that the plants showed no sign of frostbite, I'd say she'd done a pretty good job of taking care of it already.
"My, my," she spoke in her gentle voice. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you were trying to learn to speak like a noble, Mister Knight. So, why are you here in my little utopia?"
"You are never too old to come outside and smell the flowers. My room just didn't seem like the best place to receive such a glorious day, Your Highness," I voiced.
She laughed this time, fully, and it was a wonderful sound. It made me feel happy, like the snow had finally given way to the flowers, or that evil had been vanquished, and people could all live in peace. This was why I loved my home, Hyrule Castle. Even though the king, my closest friend was waging war with the Gerudos, I was peaceful here. I got to meet so many nice people, most of them soldiers, who, like I, were ready to defend the Royal Family and the castle, even if it cost us our very lives.
I figured since the king was trying to hold off the gorons and zoras from attacking him, so that he could fight the Gerudos without much interruption, he probably was going to need my world map. I was half-tempted to run back to my room and fetch it for him, and then start consulting him based upon the ideas of treaties I was certain I could write. I was also willing to go to the gorons and zoras in person, asking them to aid us in the fight. If they wouldn't help the king, then I would visit the Ordonians and Kakarikoites. The least I could do if I was sent would be to persuade them from joining the Gerudos.
"What ails you?" the Queen of Hyrule asked me as she noticed my troubled face. "Are you...upset with me? Do you know something I don't?"
I nodded and got to my feet, bowed, and then rose again. "I believe I can help the king end this war swiftly. I need him to see my map of Hyrule. Perhaps if he understands the landscape he can know what sides to block from attack. If you accompany me to my room, I can show you."
The Queen of Hyrule was overly-trusting of me. I half-expected her to ask me to explain how the map could help us win faster, but she merely held out her hand, as if asking me to lift her. I reached out and firmly took it, hoisting her to her feet. I started to say something when an arrow whizzed by my head and barely missed Her Highness.
I was a well-trained knight, and I remembered my teachings from seven years ago. I pulled Her Highness close to my right, protecting her with my shield. I wasn't as concerned for myself as I was her, after all, I had armor, and she didn't. As an added bonus to my skill as a soldier, I knew I was supposed to protect the Royal Family from anything and everything that wished harm upon them.
The Queen did not struggle in my arms. Instead, she pressed herself closer to my side, knowing that I had a better chance of protecting her if she stayed close to me. I turned to see who had fired such a deathly arrow, and I saw him. The King of the Gerudo Thieves himself had paid us a visit. Behind him was an army of creatures I remembered seeing from a long time ago. Three bublins, green creatures that wore shredded loincloths and leather helmets, glared at me with their beady red eyes and raised their bows.
Behind them were six bokoblins. They were even more grotesque than the bublins. These creatures were purple, like they spent time bathing in wine, and they were missing over half their teeth, and they showed me this fact as they bared them with rage. Hefting their clubs threateningly, the menaces shrieked out something I would probably never comprehend.
The King of Gerudo Thieves was the most terrifying thing of all. Though he was human, he still had the same evil eyes, the same lust for power that these creatures had, yet his was ten times more threatening. He had grayish-black skin, and he had lines of gold stretching down his hands, leading to his splintered fingernails. His hair reminded me of the dying red embers I saw when I watched my hearth fires extinguish. His eyebrows disappeared into his hairline, as did his beard. Though he was smiling, there was no warmth to it. It was either evil, or mockery, or glee, I couldn't be certain. All I knew was, I must defend the queen from this madness.
"You didn't expect me to come to the castle, did you?" he asked. His voice was paralyzing and I wanted to run from it. There was a rumor I had heard about evil. If someone had enough of it in his or her heart, then it would be evident. The voice was explained to me as indescribable. At first, I was wondering what kind of answer was that, but now I knew. This man had a voice of uncaringness. It was as though he could kill hundreds, no, thousands, and laugh at the victims, at their weakness, their hopelessness. He could slaughter people as though blood was neither a surprise nor foreigner to him.
I knew right then; if given the chance, this man would have the Royal Family slain in the most painful way imaginable, he would do it and laugh in mockery of them. He would enjoy seeing them gone. I couldn't let that happen. I just couldn't. I was ready right then to save Her Majesty from the wrath of this...this creature!
The Gerudo King stepped forward and I took a step back, but he just kept coming. I felt a tree come into contact with my back and I knew, I was trapped. Swallowing as much fear as I could, I readied my sword. Steeling my voice and nerves, I said, "What do you want?"
The question made him laugh, but it was not friendly. I regretted my words the second he answered. "I want to see Hyrule Castle in suffering. Its citizens shall be in suffering and ruled by fear. I want to see myself on that golden throne, ruling all the land, until there can be nothing seen that is not under my command. And most importantly, I want to see the Royal Family obliterated. I will not stop until every male, female, and child of their lineage is dead. I want to see the soldiers here destroyed, broken at their very roots. I will leave them to bleed to death."
I hesitated before answering. How... How could anyone be so evil? Swallowing my rising lunch I said, "Then I guess we cannot agree and you will not leave in peace, because I will die before I let that happen." I glanced at Her Majesty who was crying in fear, and in appreciation. She would have been dead by now if she'd stayed in the garden by herself.
The King of Thieves laughed again, and I shuddered. He noticed this apparently because he took another step forward, three feet from my face and spat, "Then I suppose I'll just kill you first, and then the woman."
Your Highness, I thought. Please, please be able to hear me. When I yell now, no matter what the sentence or circumstance, run for the castle. Do not cry out for help until you reach the main court. The soldiers will see your face and help you. Do not return for me, but alert the king of this arrival. Tell him to ready everything to take this man down. I will come to help you in the end, so do not worry about me. I will survive.
Okay, I heard. I was surprised she actually knew my thoughts, but she kept her eyes trained on our enemy. Glancing right and left, I calculated how to get her out of this. If I could get all of these people's attention trained on me, making them think I have the queen I could lure them away from the palace door giving her enough time to lock it and hold them back, but the most important part was timing. I had to find a way to keep her from getting shot or clubbed and I had to make sure no one harmed her. I knew just how to do it.
I discovered I didn't need the queen to get everyone except Her Highness' attention on me. Ripping my sword from its sheath, I used my blade to slash at the King of Gerudo's face. He parried the attack easily, but it enraged him, especially since I used that time to run. The queen had snuck behind the tree out of the line of sight of everyone except me. I heard arrows being lit by blames and released in my direction.
I also felt a large powerful hand snatch me and lift me off the ground by my neck. I saw the Gerudo King glaring up at me as he lifted me high. I noticed the monsters weren't attacking me, but watching to see what their master would do. All eyes were off the queen and focused on me, so I began considering the sentence I was going to use to alert the queen. Before I got the chance to even consider it, a wave of poisonous energy radiated off of the Gerudo King's fist. It was power, pure, evil, and poisonous, and it filled my lungs, coating my throat. I could feel it beginning to burn through my near-lifeless body.
The Gerudo King spoke first. "Not so brave, are you boy?" He began to squeeze tighter and I could feel the air being crushed from my lungs, so I took my chance and said, "Better to die now, than be forced to suffer later." I struggled to inhale, but no air met my lungs. My vision was quickly fading, but I caught sight of the queen as she quietly exited the garden. I didn't even hear the sound of her locking all of the mechanical devices in the door, nor did I hear her piling heavy objects against it.
The Gerudo King said, "I am Ganondorf, and I am not to be messed with. You have crossed the line boy. Now, let's see who is under that helmet." His other hand blocked my vision through my eyeholes and then tore off my helmet. My lip was bleeding, I was certain; I could feel the sliver of blood trickle down my chin. My eyes were beginning to close, so I used the last of my breath to whisper, "You fool." My eyes closed, but I felt myself being dropped.
I was still alive, barely. I was rapidly trying to intake air, no matter how painful. My throat screamed bloody murder, but I continued to breathe heavy breaths. I knew my esophagus had been cracked, but not crushed, hence, I was still able to inhale. I felt the ground tremble as Ganondorf turned to the castle door and search for the queen. He pounded on the door, trying to get it open. Storming back over to me, he tore his sword out of its sheath.
"I will make sure you never breathe again," he roared. It was then that he heard the clinking of armor and he turned to watch an enormous black horse pounding the ground as it ran. It was covered from head to hoof in heavy armor that was spiked. It whinnied at me, urging me to get up.
"R-Run...Thunderblaze," I coughed. This was my favorite horse, and he was indeed loyal. He had been with me on my journey, and he was always chasing after me, even when I didn't call him. He never listened when I told him to leave, because he felt as though I were the Royal Family and it was his obligation to protect me. I knew he wasn't going to leave. He was too stubborn. If I died, he would too, and we both knew it.
Ganondorf rolled his eyes. "I don't have time for this!" He turned to one archer and one bokoblin and said, "Do with him as you wish. I have a castle to conquer." With that, he blew a conch horn and charged the door. With his bare hands, he broke it open, shattering it to splinters. Monsters that had been summoned when the conch was blown charged after him, pounding their way through the castle.
I suddenly felt pain sear its way through my body and concentrate in my ribs. A bublin had jumped into the air and cracked my ribs before readying an arrow to shoot me. Apparently, the bokoblin and bublin weren't too bright, because they didn't count on my horse being a factor. Thunderblaze killed the bublin with one powerful kick. He then proceeded to trampling the bokoblin before it got the chance to even scream.
I was still alive, which told me my duty was not fulfilled. Thunderblaze nuzzled my neck, urging me to rise. Taking a deep breath, I mustered my strength and fought my pain as I stagger-ed to my feet. I turned to my horse's saddle and pulled myself up. I knew I would never be able to make it to the top on foot before Ganon did. I also knew I didn't have the strength to run, let alone ride. But I had to try. I was going to die if it meant getting to the top of the castle.
"Ride free," I whispered to him. He took off running for the door out of the garden. I hefted my shield and put it on my back. Barely able to hold my sword, I wondered how I was going to be of any help. I pushed the thought out of my head, and continued to ride. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a fairy I had been saving for the right time. I uncorked the bottle and watched as it spun around me, sizing up how badly I was injured. It released a special mist that filled my lungs and helped my breathing become steadier, less painful, but it wasn't enough to clear the poison from my searing lungs.
I jumped off my horse at the last second, opening the tall door to the top of Hyrule Castle. The air was moist now, as if the castle knew something big was about to happen. The sunny weather I was enjoying earlier this morning had changed drastically, and lightning flashed in the distance. I ran up the stairs to the throne. It was empty, but that was only because the king and his soldiers were keeping Ganon at bay, and doing the best to stop his monsters. I noticed that the top of the palace was in ruins.
Usually, there were three women leaning against the giant Triforce sculpture, but the top of the Triforce had been ripped off, as had the sculptures. Body parts of the sculptures were scattered around the room. The head of Faerore, goddess of courage was crushing the king's throne. Nayru, the goddess of wisdom, had some difficulties with her dress and it lay in ruins before me. Going unnoticed, I decided to get closer. The only ones left in the room who were still alive were the king, queen, Ganondorf, one bokoblin, and three soldiers.
I heard the king pleading with Ganondorf to turn from evil, but he would not listen, he swept the king aside with the flat of his blade, obviously toying with him. I heard him say, "Who is there to stop me? Those three soldiers are no match for my power; neither are you or your queen. There is no hope left for Hyrule Castle! It is mine."
"There is a hope," I called, my breathing heavy. I staggered forward and stepped in front of the king, queen, and the three soldiers. "Because I am not dead yet, and I will fight to my last breath." I raised my quivering sword arm, but with all my armor, I knew I wasn't going to have the strength for long.
Ganon laughed at my misfortune. "Trying to play the hero, are you?" He held out his arm, signaling his last bokoblin to finish me. It charged forward, screaming in its shrill voice. It prepared to bash my skull in, so I sliced through its stomach. Purplish-red blood dripped to the ground and the monster cried out and fell to the ground. Without thinking, I leapt into the air and landed on the monster, stabbing through its heart and ending its life immediately. I glared up at Ganon and snarled.
He walked forward as though he owned the castle. I knew that if I challenged him like this, I would lose. The weight of my armor was unbearable, and with the poison slowly making its way to my lungs, I knew I would have to make a sacrifice to defend the Royal Family. I stripped off my armor, letting it clatter noisily to the floor. Underneath my armor I wore the hero's clothes. They were faded green, due to the fact that I had traversed the world and covered them in many substances, nearly bleaching their color.
I took out a hat from my pocket, along with my fingerless gloves and my single gauntlet which I strapped to my left arm. My hat reminded me of a windsock, but I never told anyone that, because I did enjoy wearing it. It came down to the bottom of my shoulder blades, and had stitching along part of the top, because I had ripped it on my last adventure. It also had the rip folded up and sewn so that the end of the fabric did not fray.
My outfit was known as "The Hero's Tunic" and I wore it proudly in the olden days. It came down to the section between my knees and my hips, and underneath it I wore a brown chainmail. Under that I wore pants that poofed out at the bottom as they reached my boots and were tucked in. My boots were brown and made of leather, rising up to my shins. My arms were covered in fabric that was melded with the chainmail and was hidden under my tunic's sleeves, disappearing beneath my gauntlets. The white undershirt's collar was folded over the neck of my tunic, but the outfit was not uncomfortable. It was relaxing, and it made me feel confident.
But I still knew I didn't have the strength to fight this guy alone.
I didn't want the king and queen to get hurt so I said, "Your Majesties, go and call for reinforcements to help you defeat him. I'll... I'll hold him off for as long as I can. Quickly!"
"No!" The king, my friend, declared. He had light blue eyes that sparkled when he was happy. He had dark blonde hair that supported his golden jewel-studded crown. He wore a long royal blue cloak that fell to his knees, and a royal robe. The white collar of his shirt was also folded over his outfit, and he too wore fingerless gloves, though his were for style, not protection. I couldn't let my determined friend get hurt. I had to defend him, no matter what. It was my duty, and my obligation. I would remain loyal to Hyrule, and to the Royal Family.
"I'll...be okay." My voice was shaky. The poison was spreading through me rapidly, though by doing the Ending Blow on that bokoblin, I had consequentially enabled the deadly mist to travel to my heart faster. Another effect of the poison was that it was making me doubt myself. I didn't believe my words, and that was evident. I knew right then, I was going to die, and I guessed the soldiers of Hyrule, the king and queen, and Ganondorf could tell that I was walking up to Death's door.
"Aww," he taunted. "It looks like the Hero has given up." He stood there, mocking me. Rising out his right hand, he beckoned me forward, ready to slay me.
I brandished my sword, fighting my screaming muscles that were being eaten away by the acidic poison, and I declared, "The Hero's soul died a long time ago when his journey ended. I am merely the empty shell he left behind." And with those words, I charged. Praying to Din, the goddess of power, I pleaded for strength. I also prayed to Nayru for wisdom and Fareore for courage. But I knew; this was the final battle I would have to endure.
I could hear Ganon laughing that cold, cruel laugh at me, but I quickly silenced it when I hit his chest with my shield, full force. I called my technique, the "Shield Attack". It was designed to break bone when it came in contact with the human body. Just because my shield was blunt didn't mean it wouldn't hurt when it slammed into Ganon. He coughed upon impact, giving me time to horizontally slice his stomach. He glowered at me, keeping himself from howling in pain. It was his turn to strike now.
I leapt back and felt him graze my chest. His sword was dripping with the poison I suffered from, but now I had to deal with the fact it was in my blood, instead of just my throat. I felt my energy being sapped and I decided the only way I was going to defeat Ganon was to get behind him and slash at his unguarded rear. Calling some of my strength, I leapt to the right just as he tried to decapitate me. I rolled and came up behind him. Pushing myself off the ground I slashed at his back and dragged my sword up his spine.
He reached around to grab me, but I was too quick. I bashed him in the side with my shield and leapt into the air, ignoring my aching muscles best I could. I barely missed the King of Gerudo Thieves' skull, and I grazed his shoulder. Now he had two things he was going to need to reach around to squeeze in order to stop the pain.
I watched his boot come around and this time, I didn't even have the strength to duck. I was kicked in the head and I felt my nose begin to bleed. Had he broken it? I wasn't sure. I did know that he had the advantage because I could barely get up. After performing the Ending Blow, Shield Attack, Back Slice, and Helm Splitter respectively, I didn't think I had the strength to get off the ground where I had fallen. The poison was taking its toll on me, and soon I wasn't going to be able to breathe. I coughed and struggled to get up.
I had three more tricks up my tunic, and I figured that since this guy had near-inhuman strength, I was going to need all three just to knock him out. I got to my feet and sheathed my sword, calling, "I surrender." Ganon drew closer to me, so I guessed he intended to kill me for getting in his way. As soon as I saw my chance to strike, I pulled my sword from its case and diagonally slashed at him. "And you fell for it," I told him.
I dashed behind a pillar and braced myself against it. My legs were shaking horrendously. I could feel the sweat drenching my face. I realized that, in order to pull off the final two moves I had in mind, I was going to need to lighten my weight. I could see Ganon cursing over his breath as he headed towards the pillar so, to buy myself a little more escape time; I raised my quivering sword arm to the sky and summoned a bolt of pure light. Electricity sparked in the sword. I swung my sword in Ganon's direction and the bolt of light flew off.
Ganondorf sliced at the irritating ball of light and it started heading back in my direction. I Shield Attacked and sent the orb back to its original target. It pierced his body and literally shocked him. He trembled and vibrated because of the electric light but he shrugged it off and kept coming.
I unstrapped my shield from my arm, hoping that I wouldn't need it again. I could see the King of Gerudo Thieves coming closer still, and I heard the shaking of the armored knights as they feared Ganondorf would overtake me. Concentrating best I could, I charged up energy in my sword. I saw the light reflect off the blade as I pulled it close to my chest.
"I'm ready!" I called.
"Too late!" Ganon snarled. He leapt forward to run me through, but I dragged my sword across the ground and then, with crushing force, slammed the blade against the ground, releasing a shockwave that threw my attacker off his feet. He managed to grab me though, and he pulled me closer, using me to cushion his fall. I felt him roll me over and rake his sword over my right eye. I cried out, but I didn't have any strength left to even touch my eye. I felt the blood drip down my face and heard the cry of the Hylian soldiers behind me. And the sobs of my queen rose to my ears. The angry shout of my king washed over me, reminding me that I had to continue.
I kicked Ganon off me with everything I had. He flew maybe three feet away but just kept coming. I used the last of my strength to get to my feet, only to realize I had nothing left. No energy. No battle spirit. No blood. It was all either eaten away by the acid, or it had leaked out of my eye. I knew that I had to do the Great Spin, for it was the only way to defeat the Gerudo king and restore peace to Hyrule Castle. But what did I have left to offer. I understood that the Great Spin required full energy and health to perform. I didn't have either.
But I did have my life. And it would be the only way to do this attack.
Pouring my soul into my sword, I charged the blade with everything I had left in my body. Ganon came closer, wondering what I was going to try to do this time. He seemed to think I was just bluffing, and that whatever I was trying I wouldn't accomplish. But I did. I waited until the King of Thieves was almost upon me before releasing the energy in my sword, spinning on one foot. I sliced through Ganon's stomach, this time drawing so much blood he was neither able to move nor escape.
The amount of pain that had been dealt to him when I slashed my sword was nearly unbearable, but the wave of flames that followed was the real reason he fell. One of the flames descended upon his eyes and put them out, and Ganondorf lost. No one, human or monster, could have withstood all of that damage, but for some reason he survived, and only lost his sight. Without their leader, the monsters and the Gerudos alike would not be able to take down the king, thus, Hyrule was safe... For now.
"You did it!" I heard the king shout triumphantly. I heard him come pounding over while his soldiers put Ganon in chains. I only managed to choke out these four words; "My duty...is done." I collapsed on the ground, drained of everything. The Great Spin had stolen my life, because that was all I had to give to prove I was worthy to use it. But at least I had saved Hyrule. With my job done, I felt my soul tear its way free from my body, and the Wielder of the Triforce of Courage...fell.
