The Will to Power
Chapter One: Serenity and Melancholy
Seven years had passed since Ganondorf had been banished to the Evil Realm. Though Princess Zelda and Link had managed to alter the course of the future, they could not erase the effects of certain events. Everyone in Hyrule had faint memories of a dark and dangerous time, full of monsters and ghosts and a looming, powerful evil who had control over every aspect of life. These memories would sometimes surface for no reason in the middle of the day or emerge as dreams at night but most seemed to simply shrug off such silly portents. Death Mountain was a place of majesty and friendliness, not of dread and dragons. Castle Town was prosperous and lively, not a crumbling den of the undead. And of course Princess Zelda was the ruler of the land, not that man in black armor who had assassinated the previous king in an attempt to gain the throne. No, life was peaceful and boring once more. Even the Hero of Time had adapted to this calm world. He had been working at Lon Lon Ranch ever since he returned from his adventures in Termina and was soon to be married to Malon, the ranch owner's daughter. He could not be happier.
Princess Zelda had assumed the throne with grace and dignity, guided as always by Rauru the Sage and Impa, her retainer. She ruled wisely and fairly and the land prospered under her careful command. Soon everyone in the realm was of the same opinion; that Princess Zelda was leading Hyrule to a new Golden Age. Though she was pleased to know she was a good monarch, Princess Zelda was, in the back of her mind, completely miserable. She missed Sheik, or rather, missed being him.
She could remember the seven years she had lived as that lithe boy who constantly put his life at risk to stymie Ganondorf's cruelty. He had once fought back hordes of Moblins from invading Kokiri Forest and slaughtering the impudent forest children for not swearing fealty to the Evil King. Thanks to the Gorons' help and the inherent magic of the forest, the filthy pig-men were trapped in the Lost Woods forever. Zelda could also remember when he and Impa led the exodus from Castle Town to Kakariko Village, all the while being pursued by ReDeads and Wolfos. Toward the end of the journey, Ganondorf had emerged from his newly built fortress to pursue the refugees and would have succeeded in finding them had not Impa hid all the citizens using her magic. Against Impa's wishes, Sheik distracted the false king and confronted him in battle. The night had been cold and crisp and he had heard his heart pound in time with the steely hoofbeats of Ganondorf's monstrous steed as he rode closer and closer...but she was to no longer feel these things. It seemed like Sheik's days of fighting, of even having a reason to exist, were over. She concentrated on her royal duties but no matter how busy she kept herself, she still couldn't purge the feeling of restlessness. She voiced these feelings to Rauru one day and announced to him that she might transform into Sheik during her holiday to Lake Hylia. She was immediately ashamed upon seeing the old man's shocked face.
"Princess," said Rauru reproachfully, "You cannot abandon your royal responsibilities to go galavanting across the countryside as some bandage-swaddled Sheikah! You say you wish for darkness and danger and evil to fight but you forget that this would endanger the lives of your people! You must pray to the Goddesses to grant you serenity. Perhaps Your Highness should soon concentrate on finding a husband. The throne is going to need heirs if you are going to be so...intrepid!"
Humiliated and insulted, Princess Zelda afterwards made her way to the Temple of Time. It was always deserted at high noon and the bright light shone through the stained-glass windows, illuminating billions of dust motes as though they were miniscule fairies. Her slow footsteps echoed loudly through the empty stone halls as she made her way to the Altar of Time. She reverently bowed her head and knelt before the marble altar, knowing that though it seemed as though she were alone, her retainer was near. That was the way of the Sheikah: to be hidden in plain sight. That was the way that she had been raised after the attack on the castle...no. She had to concentrate. The Princess made her invocation to the Goddesses and looked up at the Door of Time, not knowing at all for what to pray. She searched in her head and in her heart for the right words, but they refused to come. Her knees began to ache and she resisted to urge to sigh. What was she supposed to say? Deliver me from this restlessness? Send me a great big dragon to save everyone from? Give me a handsome husband to keep my life occupied? Her head began to throb with frustration and it seemed as though a soundless noise had filled her ears with an unpleasant pressure. After an immesurable time, Zelda decided upon a short prayer only so that she might leave the Temple.
"Goddesses, give me serenity," she murmured, shaking her head to relieve it of a sudden shooting pain. She did not expect a reply however, and almost jumped when she heard a man's smooth deep voice.
"Serenity is not always a good thing. This is a common misconception, you know."
In surprise, Zelda glanced around the Temple to locate the mysterious speaker only to find that she was alone except for Impa who was undoubtedly near at hand. Nervously, she turned back to the altar in front of her and whispered softly, "Is someone there?"
"I am always here though it seems like you're the only one to notice. I'm not surprised, really, given the circumstances," replied the voice.
"Who are you?" asked Zelda, now seriously worried.
"Don't you remember the sound of my voice? No, of course you don't. We didn't exactly have much time to talk before the hero came barging in after you," said the voice. "You should remember the names of your prisoners. At least I did that for you, Zelda."
"No! No, it cannot be!" hissed Zelda in horrifying realization.
"Why not? You banished me to this Dark World, the entrance of which lies sealed before you. We remain linked by the Triforce. Why shouldn't we be able to speak with each other?"
"Ganondorf, you were to be exiled completely from this land!" growled Zelda.
"Do not be angry with me for your poor work. It isn't my fault that the seal is weak enough to allow me to talk to you," said Ganondorf.
"And just why are you speaking to me? Have you something to say? Perhaps an apology for usurping my throne and subjugating my people?" demanded Zelda.
"I did not do that." The simplicity and boldness of his statement was like a slap to the Princess' face.
"You're saying you didn't kill my father or plague the land with monsters or any of that?" asked Zelda incredulously.
"I remember something like that but how can I be sure that I was not dreaming? After all, you and the hero made it so that my seven-year reign was never so. Who can say, exactly, of what I am guilty?" said Ganondorf plainly. "Would you really like to know why I am speaking with you?"
"Of course!" huffed Zelda.
"I'm wretchedly bored."
The Princess allowed her curiosity get the better of her and asked, "What is it like over there?"
"It is changing. First there was nothingness but there is more land formed every day." replied Ganondorf, "And I use the term 'day' loosely. The sky is always billowing with thick storm clouds. With no sun to see, it is difficult to keep track of days."
"I am certain you find it delightful," sneered Zelda.
"I don't. Why would you say that?" asked Ganondorf without a hint of the anger that was pervading Zelda's voice.
"I lived in the Hyrule you created for seven years. I saw what you made. It was...terrible," accused Zelda bitterly.
"What you saw was not my intention. I did not want Hyrule's landscape to change in any way," admitted Ganondorf.
"It was the result of your evil ways that Hyrule was ravaged!" said Zelda, fighting to keep her voice quiet.
"I only took what was rightfully mine," he replied solemnly.
"Hyrule cannot ever rightfully belong to a wicked man like you," said Zelda vehemently.
"I unified Hyrule before you were born. Why, then, am I not worthy of its ownership?" growled Ganondorf.
"You speak lies," scoffed Zelda, "My father unified Hyrule and ended the Great War. I am through speaking with you, King of Darkness."
"It seems as though you are unchanging in your opinion of this. However, before you go, there is one thing that I wish to say to you," said Ganondorf and Zelda sensed that he was smiling.
"Say it and be done with me," sighed Zelda.
"You have always known me to be the King of Evil, Lord of Darkness, Emperor of...I don't know...Emperor of Wrongness," laughed Ganondorf, "You knew this and yet you continued to speak with me. You even lowered your voice so that your retainer would not be alarmed."
"What are you trying to say? Speak plainly!" demanded Zelda.
"Very well, Zelda...you can't wish for peace when you yearn for battle." said Ganondorf.
The pressure inside the Princess' head lessened and she knew that he was gone. She left the Temple of Time but she was no less uneasy. It was not because she had contacted the Evil King, though she would have liked to say that. No, she was uneasy because deep in her heart, she was glad to perhaps have her enemy again.