Wind Waker Alternate Ending: A Future for Hyrule
((This story is actually a snippet of something I've been working on... hope you enjoy it ^_^ There is some Zelgan and Zelink in here...))
The time drew nearer for the boy to arrive. He only had one piece of the Triforce left to find. Ganondorf was fairly sure he would have victory over the boy this time. It was only logical he did so, unless some divine intervention occured. After all, his enemy was only a child. He felt a pang of regret as he talked to Zelda. When he had planned this final confrontation, he had been fully aware he might have to kill the children. But he had not expected to become so attatched to the Princess. They hadn't been as friendly the last time around, he thought grimly.
He subtly questioned her about her life as it had been, what she knew of the boy. Zelda had prattled on about how reckless Link was, unintentionally showing her fear for his safety. She explained about her dead mother and bumbling crew, what she did for a living. Ganondorf listened intently.
It was that night, just before Zelda usually went to bed, when they sensed that the Triforce of Courage was complete.
Zelda yelped out loud when she felt the faint buzzing on the back of her hand, and looked down at her silken glove to see the symbol of the Triforce resonating proudly. When she looked over to Ganondorf, his was doing the same.
She swallowed nervously. "Does that mean... Link has really completed the Triforce?"
Ganondorf nodded solemnly. The boy would not wait. "Your friend will soon be on his way. If not tonight, he will be here in Hyrule by tomorrow morning." He sighed at the realization that this could be the last time he interacted with the young princess. "I think that it would be best that he found you as he left you. I'm sorry to do this..."
Before Zelda could say another word, she had fainted. He adjusted her tiny frame on the bed and tucked her into the dark maroon sheets. "Sleep well, my dear."
With that, he settled back into meditation, making all preperations to give a "warm" welcome to the young hero once he arrived back in Hyrule.
-S-
He had been impressed. The boy quickly dispatched the Darknuts that greeted him in place of the Princess, wasting no time plowing his way through the monster-infested path to the tower. He had travelled back in time to face his minions once more, allowing himself acess to the heights of the tower. He had quickly figured out the last riddle placed in his path. And now, he was about to walk into this very chamber.
Ganondorf kept a calm mask over his features, letting his calloused hand drift over Zelda's cheek. This is my goodbye, if the gods have their way with me. Be strong, Zelda.
Just as he pulled his hand away, he heard the telltale creak of the door's hinges. Then he heard the boots sloshing through the shallow water. A gasp as the hero spotted the princess laying in bed. Ganondorf turned to the princess. How much she reminded him of his Zelda in that moment. Perhaps his Zelda looked just as peaceful, laying in her cold grave.
"Do you sleep still?" he asked. He wondered if his Zelda lived within this girl. Perhaps she was simply asleep, just like the girl at his side, maybe she just needed to be reawakened. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the boy prepare himself, raising his sword and shield combatively. "Wait!" he commanded. It could have been the most forceful command he had ever given, he had almost barked it at the boy for the interruption of a moment such as this. "Do not be so hasty, boy..." He wanted to explain to this boy just as he had to Zelda. He needed these children to understand.
Ganondorf moved his hand to Zelda's forehead, and her subconcious melded with his. "I can see this girl's dreams..." he said more softly. "Oceans... oceans... oceans... oceans... Oceans as far as the eye can see." The thing he hated, in every direction, no beginning or end to it, limitless, swallowing everything whole. That was what filled the girl's mind. "They are vast seas... none can swim across them... they yield no fish to catch." Her dream was an enlightening one. It seemed as if she were questioning her own love for the sea as it turned into the dreadful abyss from his nightmares.
He felt a stab of anger rip through his chest. It was wrongness. The Great Sea was completely wrong. "What did the King of Hyrule say? ...That the gods sealed Hyrule away?" He jerked upwards, standing at his full height. "And they left behind people who would one day awaken Hyrule?" He gave a sarcastic laugh at the notion, his blood beginning to boil with magic. "How ridiculous..." A wind seemed to sweep through the room, but the boy did not flinch. He was angry at the Hylians for their weak, pathetic ways. The gods had shown their anger at the failed race by creating this damned sea. "So many pathetic creatures, scattered across a handful of islands, drifting on this sea like fallen leaves on a forgotten pool... what can they possibly hope to achieve?" He asked the boy, but he had no answer. "Don't you see? All of you..."
"Your gods destroyed you!" He nearly shouted it. It was so obvious. Why couldn't they see? The boy was still holding that godamned sword, ready to fight, not listening to the meaning of the words. He felt the phantom pain of the sharp edge of the blade in his chest. It sparked his will to battle as well. The boy wanted a fight... and he would get one.
"I have been waiting for you boy," he said icily as if he were talking to the Hero of Time himself. It was easy to forget that this was a different boy. He corrected himself. "For one like you... yes... for the hero." His scowl changed into a menacing grin when his lips twitched upwards. If only the boy knew what he was up against. Ganon was ready to see the Hero of Time bleed. His mind could no longer distinguish the difference. One Link was the same as another. He gave a sadistic chuckle, and concluded his speech.
"Do not betray my expectations."
-S-
It had been a long fight, but the hero had prevailed in the end. Link had many wounds, his green outfit torn and bloodstained. The young boy barely had time to catch his breath before he heard the familiar laugh that chilled his blood. His head snapped upwards towards the sound.
Ganondorf laughed aloud. This boy was all too familiar. "Yes, surely you are the Hero of Time reborn..." he praised from above, where he stood on the rafters. Zelda was cradled in a single arm, the maroon blankets still keeping her warm. He barely noticed her snuggle closer.
He felt the time drawing nearer, filling him with joy. The Triforce was soon to be united, he could feel it deep within his veins. "Your time has come... Come now... stand before me!" he challenged the boy. With little effort, he ascended to the roof of the tower. He crossed the top of the tower, discarding the blanket keeping the girl warm and laying her on the cold stone. She would soon wake from the biting wind...
The boy was quick to meet him. He had his sword in hand, and looked ready for anything. There was a determined gleam in his deep green orbs, nothing like the almost crazed one in Ganondorf's sharp sunset-colored eyes.
"My country lay within a vast desert."
The boy seemed confused at the sentence. Why doesn't he draw his sword, kill me? Link asked himself.
"During the daytime, a searing wind burned our skin, and at nighttime, a frigid gale peirced our homes. The wind always brought the same thing with it: death. But the winds that blew across the green fields of Hyrule brought something other than suffering and ruin."
Ganondorf paused, his gaze travelling across the kingdom. It was soon to truly be his. But it had not been his to take... his greed had taken the lives of his people...
"I... coveted that wind, I suppose."
His sisters had been so strong. They had never cried in the face of a sandstorm. They fought valiantly. And he had betrayed them.
No! It was for their benefit!
Liar.
It is my fate to do this.
"I suppose that it is fate. That here, I would once again find the ones with the crests. Already, the crest of wisdom is mine..."
Yes, indeed. The young princess, Bearer of Wisdom, cared for him. She was all but in the palm of his hand, one squeeze, and he could crush her spirit, hopes, and dreams.
"All that remains..."
The Bearer of Courage would not be so easily swayed. His Triforce Piece must be taken by force.
Ganondorf turned to Link. The boy was scared in that moment, a flicker of fear in those determined eyes, as the fierce eyes of his enemy seemed to hypnotize him. Ganondorf tensed, before rushing at Link. The hero had no time to react, and as Ganondorf's fist connected with his jaw swiftly, he felt his grip on the Master Sword loosen. It went flying, and implanted itself in the stone, mere inches from Zelda's sleeping form. After a few more punches, Link was sent sprawling backwards, half-concious. Ganondorf was at the boy's side in two paces. He had never before seen the hero so defenseless.
His eyes flickered ominously as he watched the pained rise and fall of the hero's chest. He was only a boy, a boy with too much forced upon his shoulders at a young age. Just like himself, being forced to lead a tribe at the age of twelve.
His tone softened the next time he spoke. "Do not fear. I will not kill you." Ganondorf lifted Link by his forearm, and stared at the golden symbol emblazoned on his hand. That fateful symbol, which would return to its dark prison and vanish from his life once he had restored Hyrule. "Now! Let us finally put an end to that which binds us together."
He took a deep breath, focusing on that image. The Triforce, reunited. First, Link's hand began to glow with an ethreal light. He was sure that behind them, Zelda's hand resonated. He lifted his own hand to the skies that were hidden by the ocean. The Triforce pieces flew skyward, and formed into the glowing shape of three golden triangles. Ganondorf felt somewhat empty without Power, but he knew he would not regret his choice once he had recived his kingdom.
He chuckled. Finally, after centuries of waiting, it was his. He released his hold on Link, and walked forward as the Triforce descended. He had waited for so long to touch the shining golden surface of this cursed relic...
Ganondorf outstretched his palm, firmly placing it onto the Triforce. With a grin, he made his wish to the godesses.
"Gods of the Triforce! Hear that which I desire! Expose this kingdom once more to the rays of the sun! Let them burn forth!"
"Give Hyrule to ME!"
-S-
She was cold. A harsh wind cut straight through her silky dress and whipped her blonde hair. Princess Zelda shivered, opened her hazy blue eyes, and gasped.
She was staring up at the sky. It was surreal, as if she were back on the deck of her ship. For a moment, she allowed herself to believe it; she was Tetra, having a peaceful afternoon in the crow's nest, and any minute, she would hear Gonzo holler to her, asking if she was alright. She would reply yes, and would notice that a fluffy cumulus cloud shaped somewhat like a heart. Then she would think about Link. And life would go on.
But it was not to be. Memories of Ganondorf's farewell flooded her mind. She sat up straight, rubbing her eyes, having a sudden urge to look around her. Once she did, she saw that she was on the top of the tower. The Master Sword was embedded in the stone behind her. Her eyes were suddenly drawn to a green figure, lying in a crumpled heap close to her. Zelda immediately was on her feet, rushing to the green-clad boy's side.
Nothing else registered in her vision except the forlorn figure of Link. He was as pale as a ghost, and completely limp. "Link!" the girl cried, gripping his slight shoulders and shaking him.
"Huh?" he mumbled, eyes cracking open very slightly. He winced as Zelda shook him. "Ow..."
Tears streamed down the princesses' cheeks. "Oh thank the gods, you aren't dead!" She hugged him close. Link was finally awake, and surprised that Zelda was hugging him. All he could remember was Ganondorf...
"Zelda...? What-"
Looking over her shoulder, Link could not believe the sight he saw. The ocean... it was... gone. The sun shone down on his face, untainted by the saltwater. And reveling in the sun's rays was a dark figure, his face turned upwards, mouth curled into a grin, and laughter escaping his lips.
Link was dumbfounded. How had he failed? It was impossible...
Ganondorf finished laughing in triumph, in the faces of the godesses. He sighed, enjoying the rays of the sun that had so long been denied to him. The gerudo noticed that the children had stirred, and were hugging each other tightly in reunion. The boy's face reflected awe, shock, and fear as he stared up at the sky over Zelda's shoulder. Ganondorf focused his attention back onto the two.
They are now your responsiblility... a voice said within his head. You have taken away all they have known. Now, you must guide them.
He did not move to stop Link from scrambling to his feet and retriving the Master Sword. The boy stanced himself protectively in front of Zelda, ready for the fight he had prepared for.
"Link..." she murmured, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Link, it's over."
The young boy stared back at her incredulously. "It can't be."
Ganondorf smiled lightly. It was not his usual smirk. This was a true, genuine smile. "Listen to her, boy. She is a wise girl... no, a wise woman."
"But... I was supposed to... the tower... and temples... Daphnes... the... the ocean!" Link stuttered, grip tightening on the hilt of the sword. "This is wrong! I want my ocean back!"
Ganondorf was surprised at the revelation that Link and Zelda felt for the ocean as he felt for Hyrule. He felt a pang of guilt, but it was buried deep, too deep for them to see. "I will grant you a fight if you wish for one, boy. You may kill me fairly in battle. But you will never see the ocean again."
Link glared at Ganondorf, nodding his consent. Zelda's blue eyes grew wide at the gesture, and she gripped Link's shoulder more tightly. "Link! This will solve nothing!"
Link turned his steady gaze to the panicked girl. "I've already decided that I'll do all that I can. Are you going to help me, or not?"
Zelda froze at the suggestion. She knew she couldn't abandon Link in a fight he was sure to lose, but she also knew she couldn't bring herself to harm Ganondorf. She gave Link a confused look. "Wh... what?"
Do not fear for the boy. I will not kill him.
She heard Ganondorf speak to her, but his lips had not moved. He gave her a concerned look, his sunset eyes meeting her blue ones.
He may be wounded, but I will end the battle before it becomes too violent. You do not have to take part in this.
Zelda gave a tentative nod, and took a step back. Link's eyes widened in surprise.
"You're not...?" The Hero of Winds sighed. "Fine." He positioned himself to where he was ready for the battle. "Ready when you are, Ganon."
Ganondorf had an urge to roll his eyes. Surely the boy was skilled, to have made it this far, but it was foolish to continue after having been beaten already. His twin blades made a sharp sound as he drew them from their hidden sheaths in the large sleeves of his kimono. They were fine swords, and a swipe from one could seriously wound someone.
He focused all of his attention on the boy. He would not make the mistake to underestimate him, he had done that once before and it had been the cause of this predicament. He focused his magic on making a barrier around the battlefield, so that Zelda would not be injured. The boy gave a glance to the barrier as it shimmered with a red light. Ganondorf stood waiting, provoking Link to make the first move.
Link knew that Ganondorf wasn't going to make the first move, so he decided to take his chances. He ran at the Gerudo, raising the Master Sword to strike him while angling the shield to somewhat protect his body.
Link's blow was swiftly blocked by the larger man. Ganondorf raised his twin blades, crossing them to protect himself from Link's sword. He then forced him backwards, and gave him a smirk.
A frown tugged at the corners of the boy's mouth, and he quickly decided on his course of action. He again ran at Ganondorf, raising the sword as if to strike him, but at the last moment, he rolled behind him and slashed at his back.
Ganondorf was too late to block the unexpected attack. He knew the boy was not foolish enough to try the same method twice, but he had not figured out the choice of attack until it was too late. He hissed a breath as the Master Sword pierced his skin. The powerful light magic felt like hellfire.
He jumped away from Link, more carefully assessing him this time. So he liked to be sneaky? Then he supposed he would have to be underhanded in his tactics as well.
Ganondorf strode forward, and slashed at Link. The boy blocked his first barrage of strikes with his Mirror Shield, sliding backwards at the force put behind it. Ganondorf decided that he needed to gain some kind of advantage, and kicked Link under the shield. The boy flew backwards, landing near the edge of the barrier. He quickly got to his feet, shaking his head clear and readying himself again.
Link rushed forward, executing a parry once more. He was shocked to find that the Master Sword met resilient metal instead of soft fabric and flesh. Ganondorf had blocked the blow, growing wise to the boy's strategy.
Link growled in frustration, and blocked the attack Ganondorf threw at him with his shield. He managed to sidestep a bruising kick to the gut, but it gave Ganondorf enough opportunity to make his first scar on the boy's skin.
Link cried out in pain as one of Ganondorf's blades sliced into his upper left arm. The Gerudo's sword edge was sharp, sharper than even that of the Darknuts. It effortlessly made the gash like a knife through butter.
Link grit his teeth, and gripped his sword tighter, his knuckles turning white. He ran at Ganondorf, jumping high into the air, trying to stab him in the head. His enemy blocked his attack by raising a single sword, and Link fell back to the ground. He hardly had the time to get up before he felt the other sword come down on his back, slicing through the green tunic that he wore so proudly.
Link got up, glaring at Ganondorf. He would not shame the Hero by losing to the Great Evil!
The boy sheathed his sword, and pulled out his bow instead. He knocked a Light Arrow, rolled out of the way so that he was behind Ganondorf, and let it fly.
Ganondorf felt as if electircity was jolting through his body. He was reminded of the powerful, paralyzing powers of Light Arrows. He was faintly aware of the boy landing a few blows on his back in the seconds he was rendered immoblie. He knew that he could dodge the arrows, should Link use them again, but it would wear him out. He decided that the boy had recieved his fill of revenge, and now was the time to put an end to the game.
Ganondorf made a large swipe with his sword, catching Link in his undefended leg. The boy leapt backwards at the shallow cut, once again raising his sword and shield. But Ganondorf had other plans. He jumped over to where Link was, twirled his sword as to angle it on the blunt side, and gave Link a powerful smack to the head with it. The boy was immediately knocked out, and fell to the ground, dropping his sword and shield in the process.
He took a deep breath, and let the magical barrier protecting Zelda fall. She ran over to Link, kneeling down and cradling his injured head in her lap.
"He certainly lives up to the Hero of Time's name," he said, sliding his blades into their hidden sheaths. "He has done all that a boy his age could do."
Zelda ran a hand through Link's blonde hair, and looked up at Ganondorf with teary blue eyes. "Will he be alright?"
Ganondorf nodded. "What he needs right now is rest. I'll have to take his weapons for the time being. He can keep them if he decides to see reason... all of them except for that infernal blade." He gave a pointed glare to the Master Sword. "It must be destroyed."
He lifted Link into one arm, and extended his hand to Zelda. The girl picked up the Mirror Shield and Master Sword, and took Ganondorf's hand. He teleported them back to his puppet's chamber, and with a snap of his fingers, the bed Zelda had grown accustomed to in the past week appeared again. He laid Link upon it, and removed his tunic to assess the damage he had dealt. Blotchy bruises were already forming over the boy's ribs, and he had a few cuts that still bled. Placing a hand over the boy's torso, Ganondorf began to heal him. Zelda watched all of this and sat beside Link, stroking his blonde hair as he mumbled in discomfort and pain.
"...Why didn't you kill him?" Zelda asked after Ganondorf had finished using his magic on the boy. "I know you must hate the Hero... so..."
Ganondorf sighed. "For a moment, I saw my younger self within this boy. I have put this boy through many trials already, and he has proven himself to me. But no child deserves to lead such a harsh life..."
He got up from where he sat beside Link. "I suppose that you will want to remain at his side until he wakes. Now, I have something I have to do."
Ganondorf waved a hand at the Master Sword, and it disappeared in a puff of black smoke. He soon followed, and Zelda had no idea where he had gone. She turned her head back to Link, still patting his golden hair.
"I'm sorry, Link. But I have something to tell you while you can't hear me, because I'm scared what you'll think." She paused briefly, before the words tumbled out of her mouth. "I love you. But I love him too."
She blushed fiercely, and removed her hand from his head as if she had insulted him in the vilest manner. "I really am sorry. Please understand. He was nice to me. He showed me this kingdom... he allowed me to see you... and allowed me to see what I mean to him through memories. Give him a chance, and forgive me for breaking this cycle."
The princess hopped off the bed, and glared at her reflection in the water. So this was who she was meant to be, and would forever be. No more Tetra. A tear streaked down her cheek, sorrowful for the loss of her ocean and self, but hopeful for the future of Hyrule.