The Legend of Zelda

A Link To Eternity

Prologue: Through the Doorway

Link stood panting, sword arm shaking with exhaustion. All around him, Gerudo Valley was in ruins. Many of the valley's warrior women lay scattered, bodies broken and bleeding. His sworn brother, Darunia, was being held back by two of the few still able to stand, desperately trying to treat the massive wound to his side. Nabooru, his sister-in-arms, lay among the dead and wounded, her once-white leggings and wrap stained as crimson as her hair. Link couldn't even find Ruto, his betrothed, anymore.

In the center of all the destruction, stood the most evil man in all of Hyrule, Ganondorf.

Gripping his sword with renewed effort, Link charged his enemy, a battle cry escaping his lips.

Ganondorf's laugh filled the valley as he raised his own dark blade, sparks flying as the two swords crossed. The deposed Gerudo King shrugged off his smaller opponent, sending the young hero sprawling across the valley floor.

"How pathetic."

Ganondorf's simple statement was heard by everyone still breathing in the valley. Link found his feet again, glaring spitfire even as he took his ready stance.

Ganondorf snorted at the gesture, sheathing his blade.

"This is beneath me. Be gone."

Throwing his hand, the air beneath the massive gate shimmered, a distorted view of the valley appearing within. At a second wave of his hand, the surviving warriors started flying towards the gate. Link dug in his heals, holding against the invisible force. Ganondorf, seeing his enemy defying his power, redoubled his efforts, causing an invisible gale to whip around the young hero. Finally, the young hero gave in to the invisible pulling force, sending him flying towards the gate, but more importantly, he was flying past Ganondorf.

Even as the Evil King realized his mistake, Link's blade was already swinging. The hand meant to strangle the life out of the young hero was instead lost to him, severed as the hero was hurled through the gate.

As Link landed on the other side of the gate, he felt, rather than heard, the savage cry released by the Evil King. Even before the young hero had gained his footing, that feeling changed into actual hearing as Ganondorf himself passed through the gate.

Before Link could return to his feet, he was again struck by an invisible force, but this time it threw him across the valley floor, adding to the young Hylian's injuries. Link was only dimly aware of a myriad of shouts, and the pounding of armored feet before passing into unconsciousness.

The first thing link was aware of was that he was no longer in pain. The second thing he noticed was that he wasn't in any room he knew.

"I think he's waking up, Koume."

That name got Link's attention. Even though the battle never happened in this timeline, he still remembered the fight against the Twinrova sisters. That said, it wouldn't be the first time that the witches had helped him, as their doubles in Termina had been nothing but helpful. Regardless, he had to get up to make sure.

"I think so too, Kotake."

Shrugging off the last vestiges of sleep, Link sat up in the bed. As expected, he found the Twinrova sisters, Koume and Kotake, sitting against the wall opposite the bed. Taking a quick look at his surroundings, he found it to be typical Gerudo furnishings, sandstone walls with wooden crossbeams and roofing.

"If you don't mind, where am I?"

The twin witches cackled as they took to their brooms and the air offered by them.

"Hoo-hoo-hoo! He speaks, Kotake!"

"Tee-hee-hee! So he does, Koume!"

Link kept a wary eye on the pair, not really sure whether being laughed at in such a manner was a good or bad sign. Before he could re-voice his original question, the sisters turned to him.

"You should see the King!"

"The King will answer your questions!"

With that, the witches flew through the door, which opened seemingly of its own volition. Finding his clothes and boots on the nightstand next to the bed, Link quickly dressed and followed the cackling twins outside. Whatever Link thought he was going to find, it definitely wasn't what he found waiting for him.

Gerudo Valley stood before him, completely undamaged. And standing in the middle of the valley, was Ganondorf.