The Immortal Realm
Part 6: Winning Mortality
Drake looked around the interior of the castle, his eyes wide. "Lance it has been so long since I have been here...it is a dream!" he said, grinning. Lance laughed, as did link. But links eye's where clouded and concerned. "Father?" lance asked, falling into step beside the hero of time. Link looked at his son, troubled. "Son I must defeat Gannon in order to gain back my humanity...but there is something more I fear. Something that makes my heart feel as if it is going to rip in two...Zelda, she is in the tower still. And I am worried that she might not be alive when I arrive..." lance saw a tear fall down his fathers cheek. "You really love mom don't you dad?" he asked. Link smiled. "More than anything evil can offer me son. I would die for her and you."
Suddenly two guards ran up to them, their spears pointed at their throats. They lowered them as they saw who it was. The fell to one knee, respectfully. "Prince Lance, King Link! I see your quest was successful!" lance nodded. Lance immediately asked what had happened in his absence. The guards briefed him on the battle. Then they told of queen Zelda's death. Link fell to his knees. "It can't be..." he whispered as lance kneeled down beside him. "Father she is not dead...I don't know how I know it but I do. I can sense that she is alive!" he said, placing a hand on links back.
Link looked in his son's eyes, knowing that it was the wisdom of Zelda in him that told him. He nodded and stood, again becoming the king of hyrule. "Get my battle armor ready, I want only the finest materials!" he commanded. The guards nodded and ran off. Lance, Link and Drake followed them. Soon they all where geared up and mounted on mighty horses. Epona, the oldest and largest of the three, stood in front, flash, the next largest and now full grown, stood on the right of Epona, and Midnight, a strong black steed the same age as Flash, stood on links left. "HA!" they all yelled and, with a mighty neigh, rode into the sunset; rode toward destiny.
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They halted their horses a mile away from Gannon's castle, unmounting and telling them to go to the field where they will be safe. Epona neighed and nudged the two younger horses toward the fields. Link turned to the two young warriors beside him. "This will be a complete onslaught. When I give the signal we enter where we had before and make our way up. No forgiveness this time!" the harshness and anger in links tone startled lance and drake, but they just nodded. "And when we reach Gannon he is mine. I need to regain my mortality and the only way to do it is to destroy him. Drake and lance I want you to go find Zelda and get her out of there, if she is truly alive. Got it?" they again nodded, drawing their swords. "Lets go." they ran up to the borders of the castle and peered around the castle. Lance pointed to the crack, again totally unguarded. Link went first, then drake, and then lance. Link gave them a thumbs up, signaling they where doing well.
They ran up the carpeted stairs, hearing the dreaded organ blast it's evil song as they ran. Then they burst through the doors, a little uneasy as to how easy it was to get there, to find Gannon. He turned around, thinking it was just lance, and cackled an evil laugh. Then he saw link and felt fear arouse inside of him. "How did you... no matter! I shall finish you this time for good!" He shot a beam at the three. Link dodged to the right drake and lance dodged to the left and kept going in that direction towards the prisoner cells. Gannon noticed lance running to the side he knew he was going to free his mother Gannon snickered evilly. *It won't matter once I kill his father. Then I can kill him and his mother both! * He thought. Link charged at Gannon but Gannon put a force field around himself, anticipating the attack.
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Lance glanced around the corner, looking both ways, before running down the musty corridor. He could hear the anguished cries of prisoners and sterols that had obeys. He and drake came to a door. Its hinges where rusted and the bars on the cage was blackened, as if someone had thrown many pounds of fire at it. Lance grabbed the bars and looked inside. "Mom?" he called, looking around. He heard a gasp from inside and someone trying to get to their feet, but being to weak and falling back down. "Lance? Is that you?" he heard from inside. "Yes it is! Mom!" he shook the bars, as if trying to rip and bar off its hinges. But it did not budge. "Hold on, I'm going to get you out of here!" he looked around. Keys...keys...where are the keys? He thought with a sigh. There where no keys.
Drake put a hand on lances shoulder, the glow coming off of him making lance blink. "Lance, let me try." lance nodded and stood back. Drake stood in front of the door and got into a battle stance, holding his sword out behind him. It started to gather light, from where lance did not know, and a golden flame gathered around it. Drake growled as he forced the power to gather in the sword, the flames rising higher. Soon his growl became a scream as he let the power go, slicing his sword through the Door. It crumbled to the ground, reduced to a pile of ashes. Drake wiped the preparation from his brow, leaning on the door. Lance looked at drake, amazement in his eyes, as he patted drakes back in thanks. Then he ran into the cell, drake standing guard outside. Navi came out of the corner and fluttered next to lances cheek, hugging him in a fairy way. Then she flew over to Zelda, lighting the cell so lance could see.
Lance gasped at the sight of his mother, she was chanted to the wall, the metal cuffs tight on her wrists and ankles. She was bruised and cut all over, and her eyes dropped with pain. All around her the stones where blackened and crumbled, and lance knew who had done this. "Mom..." he whispered, running to her side. He threw his arms around her and kissed her cheek. "My son.... I am glad that you are alive." she whispered, smiling with her eyes. Lance took the chains on her hands and held his sword to the blackened metal, slicing through it easily. "If father does not kill Gannon I will..." he whispered as he cut the last chain.
"Link? He is alive?" Zelda asked as lance helped her up. Lance could see her eyes light up with hope and love. "Kinda...I will explain once we are out of here." he replied as drake took her other side. Zelda looked at drake, started. "Who are you?" she asked. Drake and lance grinned. "Drake Nighthawk at your service you highness." he said, bowing respectfully and grinning. Zelda's eyes widened and she looked from drake to lance, shock in her eyes. "Lance you must tell me every detail once I have the strength, I cannot seem to understand how you did this in my weakened state." she smiled at her son and they started down the castle, ever alert.
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Gannon chuckled, evilly, and twirled a beam of power in his hand. Suddenly he threw it at link, and then followed up, immediately, with another one. Link, ignoring all of the blood pouring from his body like water, his vision clouded with the red haze of rage, smacked them back at Gannon then shot him with several light arrows. Gannondorf winced in pain, his hand flying to the deep wound in his side, as he fell to the ground with a loud THUMP. Link ran over to the evil king, screaming in rage, and slashed at the open gash with all his might. Gannon gritted his teeth, screaming in pain. Link flipped backwards, away from Gannon, and stood, ready, his golden tunic and cape tossing about him in the wind. Gasping, Gannon stood up and drew a sword twice the side of links master sword. It was a brown Gerudo color with golden markings on the blade. "Ok hero time for you to die!!" Gannon said, beckoning link towards him with his hand. Link panted in rage as his mind swirled. This man killed Zelda; this man destroyed his kingdom…these thoughts swirled though links mind as images of Zelda being beaten or worse flashed in front of his eyes.
He yelled his rage and pain as he ran to Gannon, swinging his sword with the skill of a seasoned master. Gannon blocked links charge and smacking his sword into links, making the master sword fly out of his hand. Links sword went flying to the side before link could react, hitting the wall and dropping to the ground, before link could react. Gannon, taking the opportunity, slashed Link with his sword putting a deep gash in Link's stomach. Being immortal link felt nothing as his blood spilled over the floor. All he noticed was that his master sword was too far away to get while battling.
He reached toward his hip, drawing a short sword with Ancient Hylian markings on its blade. He was always prepared for this after his battle with Gannon before. Gannon swung his powerful sword at the open gash on link's stomach, but this time link fell to the ground on purpose, dodging Gannon's attack. Link growled in rage and frustration and rolled, dodging another blow. He grabbed Gannon's foot and forced his small sword though the ankle, feeling the satisfying feel of hot blood flowing over his hand. Gannon screamed in pain, swiping at link's head with his sword. Link ripped the sword out through the side of Gannon's ankle, severing it half off. Gannon fell to the ground, clutching his gushing foot as his lifeblood surrounded his in a puddle on the floor, mixing with that of links. Gannon now helpless, link ran over grabbed his master sword.
Link slowly walked to Gannon, the promise of death in his eyes. He held the sword high above his head. "I will be merciful though you deserve no such thing!!" Link yelled as his sword came crashing down on Gannon's head. Gannon gave a gurgling cry of pain as his head rolled from his shoulder. His body went limp; the evil king was dead. A blinding golden light filled the room. Link shaded his eyes, squinting as his breath sliced though his throat, painfully. The Triforce of power floated out of Gannon's chest and hovered over his body.
Link's eyes got wide as he walked over to it. He reached out; his hand inched from its tip. The Triforce of power floated into his hand, of it's own accord. Link smiled victoriously, knowing that all they had to do now was wish on the three Triforce pieces and hyrule will no longer be roamed by evil. Suddenly link felt a tingle, like blood trickling from a cut. Slowly the pain increased until Link fell to the ground, noticing the puddle of blood around him. No! Don't tell me I regained my mortality just to die again!! Link thought, his strength slowly going. He, painfully, pulled out his ocarina, knowing that he had one last form of communication.
Slowly he played Saria's song, and then his arms fell to his sides, the ocarina rolling from his weak gasp. "Link?!" he heard the sound of Saria's voice in his head, surrounding him with a feeling off worry and relief. "Saria…I am dieing…please, my friend, send…someone…" he whispered, his pain filling his voice. Saria was shocked to hear the pain in link's voice. "Link, where are you? What happened?" Saria asked. Link could feel her presence, as if she was kneeling beside him, and felt comforted. "I am on top of the evil castle…I will explain later. Thank you…" he whispered, slowly fading into unconsciousness. The last thing he heard before the black of unconsciousness fell over him was the sound of Saria, after sending a message, singing him the song she had sang him as a child when he was sick, or troubled by a nightmare.
When he awake he felt the hands of a woman nursing his wounds. "Here drink this Link." a woman's voice said. Link took the potion and drank it, greedily, feeling the feel of velvet against his skin. Link looked to the person who has saved him. It was Impa. "No rewards necessary your highness" Impa said, knowing what he was thinking. Link frowned. He knew that Impa had been Zelda's faithful attendant for years and now that she did this he wanted to do something for her. "We are in my home on Kakariko, it was the closest place. Queen Zelda, Prince lance, and Sir Drake are at the palace." Link sighed, knowing that his family must be worried about him. Impa helped link up, silently, and they rode to the castle.
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Zelda, now fully restored, lance and drake sat in the castle, worried. They knew that Impa was caring for him, but in his state they where not allowed to see him. Today he was supposed to return to them. "What's taking him so long?" lance asked starting to get worried. Zelda took his hand. "Do not worry, lance. Your father is strong, he will be here." She said, holding him close. Drake, having been knighted soon after their return, stood at the door, surrounded by the golden glow of immortality, Tears sparkling in his vision.
Suddenly the doors slammed open and a figure, limping badly, ran to them. "LINK!!" Zelda screamed, shooting out of her seat and running to her husband. She wrapped her arms around his strong body, holding him as close her as she could get. She sighed as she felt his heart beating in time with hers against her breast, him kissing her head as if he could not get enough of her.
"Oh Zelda…my love…my darling…the angel of my life!!" he said between kisses. "I thought you where dead, link…" Zelda whispered. Link held her tightly. "And I, you…Zelda the stories I heard…I was so afraid…" he kissed her, deeply, passionately, as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Lance ran to them and threw his arms around both of them. "I was so scared mom, dad! I thought I would have to rule hyrule!" he said, his voice shaking. Link and Zelda kneeled down, wrapping their arms around lance. "I love you son! I am so proud of you, what you did back there!" link said. "Lance, you have made me the proudest mother in hyrule!" Zelda said, kissing Lance's cheek. Lance blushed, smiling, and kissed his parents cheeks. Solemnly drake walked over, standing to the side and waiting for his turn. Link stood up and turned to the young man. "Drake you are magnificent. And, might I add, we will need some help clearing out some Poes in the graveyard. Are you up to Sir Drake?" link grinned. Drake laughed, his eyes sparkling and hugged link tightly. "Yes my lord!" he said, beaming.
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And so the celebration began. Parties and rejoicing in realms all over hyrule, and a newborn Princess from Zelda and Link nine months after the reunion. So began the golden age of hyrule under the proud rule of the hero of time and the Leader of the sages with their son, the Hero of Immortality as their successor; And so ends a new chapter in the story of the Triforce.
Part 6: Winning Mortality
Drake looked around the interior of the castle, his eyes wide. "Lance it has been so long since I have been here...it is a dream!" he said, grinning. Lance laughed, as did link. But links eye's where clouded and concerned. "Father?" lance asked, falling into step beside the hero of time. Link looked at his son, troubled. "Son I must defeat Gannon in order to gain back my humanity...but there is something more I fear. Something that makes my heart feel as if it is going to rip in two...Zelda, she is in the tower still. And I am worried that she might not be alive when I arrive..." lance saw a tear fall down his fathers cheek. "You really love mom don't you dad?" he asked. Link smiled. "More than anything evil can offer me son. I would die for her and you."
Suddenly two guards ran up to them, their spears pointed at their throats. They lowered them as they saw who it was. The fell to one knee, respectfully. "Prince Lance, King Link! I see your quest was successful!" lance nodded. Lance immediately asked what had happened in his absence. The guards briefed him on the battle. Then they told of queen Zelda's death. Link fell to his knees. "It can't be..." he whispered as lance kneeled down beside him. "Father she is not dead...I don't know how I know it but I do. I can sense that she is alive!" he said, placing a hand on links back.
Link looked in his son's eyes, knowing that it was the wisdom of Zelda in him that told him. He nodded and stood, again becoming the king of hyrule. "Get my battle armor ready, I want only the finest materials!" he commanded. The guards nodded and ran off. Lance, Link and Drake followed them. Soon they all where geared up and mounted on mighty horses. Epona, the oldest and largest of the three, stood in front, flash, the next largest and now full grown, stood on the right of Epona, and Midnight, a strong black steed the same age as Flash, stood on links left. "HA!" they all yelled and, with a mighty neigh, rode into the sunset; rode toward destiny.
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They halted their horses a mile away from Gannon's castle, unmounting and telling them to go to the field where they will be safe. Epona neighed and nudged the two younger horses toward the fields. Link turned to the two young warriors beside him. "This will be a complete onslaught. When I give the signal we enter where we had before and make our way up. No forgiveness this time!" the harshness and anger in links tone startled lance and drake, but they just nodded. "And when we reach Gannon he is mine. I need to regain my mortality and the only way to do it is to destroy him. Drake and lance I want you to go find Zelda and get her out of there, if she is truly alive. Got it?" they again nodded, drawing their swords. "Lets go." they ran up to the borders of the castle and peered around the castle. Lance pointed to the crack, again totally unguarded. Link went first, then drake, and then lance. Link gave them a thumbs up, signaling they where doing well.
They ran up the carpeted stairs, hearing the dreaded organ blast it's evil song as they ran. Then they burst through the doors, a little uneasy as to how easy it was to get there, to find Gannon. He turned around, thinking it was just lance, and cackled an evil laugh. Then he saw link and felt fear arouse inside of him. "How did you... no matter! I shall finish you this time for good!" He shot a beam at the three. Link dodged to the right drake and lance dodged to the left and kept going in that direction towards the prisoner cells. Gannon noticed lance running to the side he knew he was going to free his mother Gannon snickered evilly. *It won't matter once I kill his father. Then I can kill him and his mother both! * He thought. Link charged at Gannon but Gannon put a force field around himself, anticipating the attack.
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Lance glanced around the corner, looking both ways, before running down the musty corridor. He could hear the anguished cries of prisoners and sterols that had obeys. He and drake came to a door. Its hinges where rusted and the bars on the cage was blackened, as if someone had thrown many pounds of fire at it. Lance grabbed the bars and looked inside. "Mom?" he called, looking around. He heard a gasp from inside and someone trying to get to their feet, but being to weak and falling back down. "Lance? Is that you?" he heard from inside. "Yes it is! Mom!" he shook the bars, as if trying to rip and bar off its hinges. But it did not budge. "Hold on, I'm going to get you out of here!" he looked around. Keys...keys...where are the keys? He thought with a sigh. There where no keys.
Drake put a hand on lances shoulder, the glow coming off of him making lance blink. "Lance, let me try." lance nodded and stood back. Drake stood in front of the door and got into a battle stance, holding his sword out behind him. It started to gather light, from where lance did not know, and a golden flame gathered around it. Drake growled as he forced the power to gather in the sword, the flames rising higher. Soon his growl became a scream as he let the power go, slicing his sword through the Door. It crumbled to the ground, reduced to a pile of ashes. Drake wiped the preparation from his brow, leaning on the door. Lance looked at drake, amazement in his eyes, as he patted drakes back in thanks. Then he ran into the cell, drake standing guard outside. Navi came out of the corner and fluttered next to lances cheek, hugging him in a fairy way. Then she flew over to Zelda, lighting the cell so lance could see.
Lance gasped at the sight of his mother, she was chanted to the wall, the metal cuffs tight on her wrists and ankles. She was bruised and cut all over, and her eyes dropped with pain. All around her the stones where blackened and crumbled, and lance knew who had done this. "Mom..." he whispered, running to her side. He threw his arms around her and kissed her cheek. "My son.... I am glad that you are alive." she whispered, smiling with her eyes. Lance took the chains on her hands and held his sword to the blackened metal, slicing through it easily. "If father does not kill Gannon I will..." he whispered as he cut the last chain.
"Link? He is alive?" Zelda asked as lance helped her up. Lance could see her eyes light up with hope and love. "Kinda...I will explain once we are out of here." he replied as drake took her other side. Zelda looked at drake, started. "Who are you?" she asked. Drake and lance grinned. "Drake Nighthawk at your service you highness." he said, bowing respectfully and grinning. Zelda's eyes widened and she looked from drake to lance, shock in her eyes. "Lance you must tell me every detail once I have the strength, I cannot seem to understand how you did this in my weakened state." she smiled at her son and they started down the castle, ever alert.
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Gannon chuckled, evilly, and twirled a beam of power in his hand. Suddenly he threw it at link, and then followed up, immediately, with another one. Link, ignoring all of the blood pouring from his body like water, his vision clouded with the red haze of rage, smacked them back at Gannon then shot him with several light arrows. Gannondorf winced in pain, his hand flying to the deep wound in his side, as he fell to the ground with a loud THUMP. Link ran over to the evil king, screaming in rage, and slashed at the open gash with all his might. Gannon gritted his teeth, screaming in pain. Link flipped backwards, away from Gannon, and stood, ready, his golden tunic and cape tossing about him in the wind. Gasping, Gannon stood up and drew a sword twice the side of links master sword. It was a brown Gerudo color with golden markings on the blade. "Ok hero time for you to die!!" Gannon said, beckoning link towards him with his hand. Link panted in rage as his mind swirled. This man killed Zelda; this man destroyed his kingdom…these thoughts swirled though links mind as images of Zelda being beaten or worse flashed in front of his eyes.
He yelled his rage and pain as he ran to Gannon, swinging his sword with the skill of a seasoned master. Gannon blocked links charge and smacking his sword into links, making the master sword fly out of his hand. Links sword went flying to the side before link could react, hitting the wall and dropping to the ground, before link could react. Gannon, taking the opportunity, slashed Link with his sword putting a deep gash in Link's stomach. Being immortal link felt nothing as his blood spilled over the floor. All he noticed was that his master sword was too far away to get while battling.
He reached toward his hip, drawing a short sword with Ancient Hylian markings on its blade. He was always prepared for this after his battle with Gannon before. Gannon swung his powerful sword at the open gash on link's stomach, but this time link fell to the ground on purpose, dodging Gannon's attack. Link growled in rage and frustration and rolled, dodging another blow. He grabbed Gannon's foot and forced his small sword though the ankle, feeling the satisfying feel of hot blood flowing over his hand. Gannon screamed in pain, swiping at link's head with his sword. Link ripped the sword out through the side of Gannon's ankle, severing it half off. Gannon fell to the ground, clutching his gushing foot as his lifeblood surrounded his in a puddle on the floor, mixing with that of links. Gannon now helpless, link ran over grabbed his master sword.
Link slowly walked to Gannon, the promise of death in his eyes. He held the sword high above his head. "I will be merciful though you deserve no such thing!!" Link yelled as his sword came crashing down on Gannon's head. Gannon gave a gurgling cry of pain as his head rolled from his shoulder. His body went limp; the evil king was dead. A blinding golden light filled the room. Link shaded his eyes, squinting as his breath sliced though his throat, painfully. The Triforce of power floated out of Gannon's chest and hovered over his body.
Link's eyes got wide as he walked over to it. He reached out; his hand inched from its tip. The Triforce of power floated into his hand, of it's own accord. Link smiled victoriously, knowing that all they had to do now was wish on the three Triforce pieces and hyrule will no longer be roamed by evil. Suddenly link felt a tingle, like blood trickling from a cut. Slowly the pain increased until Link fell to the ground, noticing the puddle of blood around him. No! Don't tell me I regained my mortality just to die again!! Link thought, his strength slowly going. He, painfully, pulled out his ocarina, knowing that he had one last form of communication.
Slowly he played Saria's song, and then his arms fell to his sides, the ocarina rolling from his weak gasp. "Link?!" he heard the sound of Saria's voice in his head, surrounding him with a feeling off worry and relief. "Saria…I am dieing…please, my friend, send…someone…" he whispered, his pain filling his voice. Saria was shocked to hear the pain in link's voice. "Link, where are you? What happened?" Saria asked. Link could feel her presence, as if she was kneeling beside him, and felt comforted. "I am on top of the evil castle…I will explain later. Thank you…" he whispered, slowly fading into unconsciousness. The last thing he heard before the black of unconsciousness fell over him was the sound of Saria, after sending a message, singing him the song she had sang him as a child when he was sick, or troubled by a nightmare.
When he awake he felt the hands of a woman nursing his wounds. "Here drink this Link." a woman's voice said. Link took the potion and drank it, greedily, feeling the feel of velvet against his skin. Link looked to the person who has saved him. It was Impa. "No rewards necessary your highness" Impa said, knowing what he was thinking. Link frowned. He knew that Impa had been Zelda's faithful attendant for years and now that she did this he wanted to do something for her. "We are in my home on Kakariko, it was the closest place. Queen Zelda, Prince lance, and Sir Drake are at the palace." Link sighed, knowing that his family must be worried about him. Impa helped link up, silently, and they rode to the castle.
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Zelda, now fully restored, lance and drake sat in the castle, worried. They knew that Impa was caring for him, but in his state they where not allowed to see him. Today he was supposed to return to them. "What's taking him so long?" lance asked starting to get worried. Zelda took his hand. "Do not worry, lance. Your father is strong, he will be here." She said, holding him close. Drake, having been knighted soon after their return, stood at the door, surrounded by the golden glow of immortality, Tears sparkling in his vision.
Suddenly the doors slammed open and a figure, limping badly, ran to them. "LINK!!" Zelda screamed, shooting out of her seat and running to her husband. She wrapped her arms around his strong body, holding him as close her as she could get. She sighed as she felt his heart beating in time with hers against her breast, him kissing her head as if he could not get enough of her.
"Oh Zelda…my love…my darling…the angel of my life!!" he said between kisses. "I thought you where dead, link…" Zelda whispered. Link held her tightly. "And I, you…Zelda the stories I heard…I was so afraid…" he kissed her, deeply, passionately, as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Lance ran to them and threw his arms around both of them. "I was so scared mom, dad! I thought I would have to rule hyrule!" he said, his voice shaking. Link and Zelda kneeled down, wrapping their arms around lance. "I love you son! I am so proud of you, what you did back there!" link said. "Lance, you have made me the proudest mother in hyrule!" Zelda said, kissing Lance's cheek. Lance blushed, smiling, and kissed his parents cheeks. Solemnly drake walked over, standing to the side and waiting for his turn. Link stood up and turned to the young man. "Drake you are magnificent. And, might I add, we will need some help clearing out some Poes in the graveyard. Are you up to Sir Drake?" link grinned. Drake laughed, his eyes sparkling and hugged link tightly. "Yes my lord!" he said, beaming.
*************
And so the celebration began. Parties and rejoicing in realms all over hyrule, and a newborn Princess from Zelda and Link nine months after the reunion. So began the golden age of hyrule under the proud rule of the hero of time and the Leader of the sages with their son, the Hero of Immortality as their successor; And so ends a new chapter in the story of the Triforce.