Thanks to RaidenFarore for co-writing a pivotal scene in this chapter. Flashbacks are indicated by Italics.
"That's impossible." Zelda said, her voice shaking as she stood, still staring at him.
"Link?"
"Zelda." He responded, quietly, his voice low and weak. He was calm, as if no time had passed since they last spoke. Zelda fell to her knees, tears streaming down her dirt-stained face.
"H-how...how are you here?" She said through tears, wiping her face. Link breathed slowly, kneeling down to face Zelda.
"I escaped the rubble of the castle." He said calmly. "I came here, and I've been here ever since."
"Why did you not seek us out? Do you not know what has become of Hyrule?"
Link sighed, his eyes lowering. "I...I know what happened." He said.
"They wiped us out, the Zora and Gorons, they're gone..." Zelda whispered, as she looked up at Link.
"I know." He said, his lip quivering. "I'm sorry." He said.
"I don't get it...you knew all of this..and yet remained here...?" She asked. Link nodded.
"Yes." He said.
"Then...why did you not return to us..?" Zelda said, her voice filled with confusion and pain. Link stood up once more.
"I failed at the castle. When I returned to Ordon, everyone was murdered but Colin. I've since lost him too." He turned towards the pool. "I've lost everything."
Zelda stood , her voice slightly raised, as she spoke at Link. "YOU'VE lost everything?" She said. "I've lost my kingdom, my people, and-"
"Your connection to the Triforce." He said, staring into the pool. She stopped talking, shocked at his knowledge.
"Yes, I-"
"I did too." He said, looking back at her. "I regret everything, Zelda. I regret ever leaving Ordon to give you that sword. I was never meant to succeed, and now, I've failed beyond repair. The only hope lies here." He said, pointing to the pool.
"What?" Zelda asked, staring into it.
"The Triforce was once held here." Link said. "It's power emanated from the water...it's kept a small piece of my connection intact." Zelda's eyes softened at this, as she grabbed Link's left hand, staring at the back of it, a faint triangle pulsing within his skin.
"Link...do you know what this means?" She asked him, staring into his hurt eyes. He didn't respond. She continued. "This means we can beat the Destroyer, we can-"
"No." Link said calmly, pulling his hand from her grip. His eyes stared into hers, and held for a moment.
"No...?" Zelda asked. Link broke their stare, as he looked away, tears welling in his eyes.
"I'm not the hero I once was." He said. "I'm not even a legend anymore." Zelda gasped, as her face filled with anger.
"I've spent 20 years looking for hope!" She said. "And you're all I have left!"
"What can I do?!" He said. "You don't understand how any of this works! You've never had to kill people, or see your friends die! You've never had an entire country place it's hope on your shoulders!" He yelled back, his eyes turning angry. "I can't go back into the world, not after what happened, not after I failed!"
"You can!" Zelda yelled back. "We have people, they'll answer to you more than they will to me!"
"No." Link said, turning calm again. "They won't." Zelda sighed.
"Darbus is with me, let him talk to y-"
"No." Link said. "I...I'm sorry, Zelda." He waved his hand, the faint glow from the back of it pulsing, as the vines that covered the walls of the cave began to twist, and create a door between Link and Zelda.
"No!" She screamed. "You can't do this!" Link ignored her, sitting down to stare back into the pool. Zelda allowed the tears to flow freely down her face.
"This...won't stop me!" She yelled. "Darbus will break these down, you'll see!" She stormed out of the cave, sobbing the way there.
"Darbus, you have to-!" She stopped, looking to the place they had camped at. Darbus was gone.
"Shh." Said a voice from behind her, as a knife pressed against her back. A hand covered her mouth, as men surrounded her. She kicked the man holding her mouth, and called out, before a bag was thrown over her head.
"LINK!"
"You...have to keep going." A sick Colin said to Link, blood trickling from his mouth. Link sat beside him, staring into his friends eyes.
"Colin, I-"
"No..." Colin said. "No more hiding...Hyrule...needs you." Colin coughed, as he clenched Link's hand.
"I'm sorry, Colin..." Link whispered. Colin chuckled.
"Cancer." He said, staring off. "Never thought..that would be the end of me."
"I can't-"
"You will." Colin said, wheezing. "You'll get back into the world. You'll make things right. You always do." Colin coughed, as his body tensed up, his eyes widening, before going limp, the dark cave growing silent. Link said nothing, as he sat crouched next to his only friend.
"I can't."
Link's memory was interrupted as he heard Zelda's shriek, his head turning to face the vines. He stepped towards them, before pausing, breathing in slowly, and continuing, moving the vines and slowly exiting the cave. His eyes shifted to the group of people, who had Darbus in chains, and Zelda tied up, as they loaded them into a wagon. Link's eyes widened with shock, as he moved his hand to his back, reaching for a sword that hadn't been there for years. He breathed out slowly.
"Goddesses be damned."
Zelda groaned as her body was dragged down what she could only assume was a hallway, the bag over her head obstructing her view. She had been gagged, and separated from Darbus days before, after they were transported to what she knew had to be Hyrule Castle. The men were rough with her, keeping her bruises fresh and her bones sore. She heard the sound of a door unlocking and opening, as her body was slumped on the ground. They chained her hands to the floor, and stood beside her, on each side. In a flash, her hood and gag were removed, and as her eyes adjusted to the dim light, she recognized the room. Her books were there, her sword. Her throne. And then she recognized the man in the chair, his deep eyes barely shining in the candlelight. Her breath left her, as time seemingly stood still, her mind in pure shock as she looked at the man.
"Ganondorf." She said just barely louder than a whisper, her voice shaking with fear. The bear of a man sat on her throne, slumped back, breathing slowly and heavily as he took Zelda's sight in. He stood up, his chest rising and falling, as Zelda prepared for the worst.
"Leave us." He said to the men who brought her here, his deep voice resonating in the room. They left without question, closing the door behind them. Ganondorf sighed.
"Kill me." Zelda said quickly. "I won't beg." Ganondorf sighed once more, slumping down in the chair once more.
"How?" He said, his voice aged and shaken. "With what power? You were not the only one who's powers vanished. The Goddesses Curse effects even the great Ganondorf." He said calmly.
Zelda said nothing, her eyes full of rage as she stared at her enemy. He nodded, his eyes grim in the dim light.
"Yes. I no longer wield the Triforce of Power." He held up his left hand, his skin showing, the lack of the golden triangle confirming his claims. "I am a mortal man once again."
"You are no man. You are a monster."
"Perhaps I was. Now, I am a savior. I wish not to kill you nor the hero, though I missed that opportunity, I am told. I wish to bring back my people." He said.
"I'm tired Zelda. For many years we fought, all that time I sought your destruction in order to rule Hyrule and to claim the Triforce for myself. I wanted revenge for the slaughtering of my people and their suffering at the hands of those weaker than them. I hated you. I hated the hero. I hated Hyrule for flourishing while we struggled to survive in that damned dessert."
He paused a moment to catch his breath, his voice shaking as he continued.
"The Goddesses are cruel for giving us this fate. Curse them." He said,
Zelda could see the weary look on his face. He looked like a man with not much hope left.
"Why bring me here if you aren't going to kill me?" Zelda spat back at him, ignoring his claims ot pain.
"Bait." He said quietly. "For the true enemy."
"You've destroyed Hyrule, pig." Zelda responded, straining against her chains. "You're the only enemy here."
"No." He said. "I've destroyed the selfish inhabitants of this cursed land." He said. "The real enemy is the monster who lurks in the shadows." He said.
"Don't spit lies at me, Gan-"
"Lies-" Ganon boomed, Zelda's body recoiling in fear. "-are not the words of Ganondorf!" He said, his chest rising and falling. "The Hylains have long used their cursed Gods as a way to banish those superior to them. The Gerudo are not unique in this crime." He said. "Even your old ally Midna was banished by your people."
Zelda didn't respond, Ganondorf's words stinging her.
"Ah." Ganondorf whispered. "The truth hurts, doesn't it?"
"What are you getting to?" Zelda said quietly.
"Zant." Ganondorf said. "He has returned from the realm of the dead." He sighed. "He seeks to destroy this world, all of it." He said. "You and I are his prime targets."
"...you lie." She said. Ganondorf's eyes filled with rage.
"GANONDORF DOES NOT LIE, WENCH!" He said, standing up, and strutting towards her, his monstrous stature towering before her. She cowered before him, as he breathed heavily, his hand clenched in a fist. "You will see when his fire destroys what's left of your pitiful country." He said. "TAKE HER BACK TO THE DUNGEON." He boomed, walking back to his throne and slumping into it, his face disappearing again in the darkness, as guards entered the room, covering her face and gagging her mouth, before dragging her away once more.
Bum bum bum! LOTS OF PLOT ADVANCEMENT! I'm really happy with this chapter, and SO excited to be introducing both Link AND Ganondorf (!) into this, and even more excited to write the scenes that involve BOTH of them. A lot of stuff is going on now, and the gears are really turning! Is Ganondorf telling the truth, is Zant really returning? How did Ganondorf return from the dead, and is he really alive? Will Link go after Zelda, or will he remain in his cave? What will happen to Zelda and Darbus? Find out in the next installment of...The Legend of Zelda: The End of Legends!
PS - I don't have Breath of the Wild yet, and I want to play it so bad. :/
Reviews are very appreciated!
-Darth Ganon