Part 10: The weight of three worlds
After some time passed, Link pulled himself together and got up. He still had a job to do and he was going to see it through. He went upstairs to find everyone.
When he reached the top of the stairs Zue was the first he encountered. Zue's expression became incredibly gleeful as soon as she saw him.
"Yay! Beast, you're awake!" she said, running over to him.
Deciding to go along with the name, Link smiled back. "It's good to see you again Zue. Has everything been alright?"
"Uh-huh! We did what you told us to. All the villagers stayed hidden and didn't come out until we were absolutely sure that it was you and your friends." Zue said happily. It put Link at ease to see someone happy after all he'd experienced. "You missed it earlier, Beast. Mom almost fainted when she saw that it was Princess Midna with you. It was funny!"
"I'll bet it was." Link said. "Say Zue, do you know where my friends are?"
"Yeah. I think they're down the hall to the left." She pointed for him.
"Thank you." Link said and he walked to the room, with Zue following behind him.
Link got to the room and opened the door. "Doctor? Princess Zeldaaaaawhhhaaaaaaaaaaaattt the?" Link said as he gazed up at the massive spinning contraption made of brooms, wheels, wood, and whatever else looked like it could have just been lying around. Zue gazed at it too but with a look of awe instead of confusion.
The Doctor poked his head out from behind it. "Ah, Link! Awake at last. Come on over here, we've been waiting on you."
As Link just stood there dumbfounded the Doctor had to grab his arm to bring him over to where the group was.
"Doctor, what is this?" Link asked finally.
"Tell you in a minute. People to talk to." The Doctor said as they finally got over to where Clara, Zelda, and Midna were. Link and Midna looked at each other for a moment and then quickly looked away, both faces turning very red, Clara the only person in the room to take notice.
Zelda spoke, snapping Link to attention. "Sir Link, I wish to thank you for once again coming to my aid. I am in your debt."
"It is an honor, your highness." Link said, giving a small bow to her (Rusl had always stressed to importance of showing proper respect should he ever meet the ruler of Hyrule again).
Zelda signaled with her hand that the bow was not necessary. "It is unfortunate, however, that I must ask for your help once again."
"What do you need?" Link asked.
"Just a moment." Zelda said, taking notice of Zue. She walked over to her and said "Zue, honey, could you please wait outside for us? We all just need to talk for a bit and we'll be right out."
"But I wanted to play with the funny man's big toy." Zue said sullenly.
The Doctor joined in. "We just need to use it for a bit and then you can play with it all you want, ok? We just need a few minutes."
"Ok." Zue accepted and left the room, closing the door behind her.
Zelda turned back to the group. "Sorry, but I didn't want a child to have to overhear the direness of the situation." She said grimly. "Doctor, please tell the others what you told me."
The Doctor took the floor. "My machine here has been monitoring the space-time of this universe, trying to detect the ripples that form from the portals, maybe find one we can use to get back to your universe."
"Your magic pinwheel can do all that?" Midna asked.
"It's not magic, it's non-technological technology of Lammasteen!" The Doctor countered. "Works well in a pinch when your local area hasn't gotten to making toasters yet."
"So you found a portal back?" Link asked.
"Several, but not the good kind." The Doctor stated.
Everyone stayed quiet so he could elaborate.
"There are portals open all over this dimension, going every which way, but they all are beginning from the same point of origin."
"That little universe the Master pieced together." Clara realized.
"Yes, and those portals aren't just acting like doorways anymore. They are sucking up parts of this universe and sending them there."
Midna stood up abruptly. "He's adding more of the Twilight Realm to his world?!"
"Not just the Twilight Realm, Midna." Zelda said. "By the look of things he's taking from Hyrule and the Doctor's universe as well."
"So the Master is ripping things from our universes to try to make his own 'super' universe. Is that even possible?" Clara asked.
"Not for long." The Doctor said. "Eventually his makeshift universe will reach a breaking point and shatter. When that happens those portals are going to start sending things into the void. All our universes will be lost into nothingness."
"What's the point of the Master doing this, then?!" Link exclaimed. "If taking from all these worlds is going to destroy him too, why would he do it?!"
"Easy." Midna said. "He's a sore loser."
"Or he hasn't given up hope of obtaining the Triforce." Zelda said.
"What do you mean?" Link asked.
Zelda explained. "The Master has all the memories of Ganon's past lives. He knows that with everything in danger the bearer of the Triforce of courage won't just stand by and do nothing to stop him."
"She's right." Link admitted to himself.
"…And he knows that as the bearer of the Triforce of wisdom, my Light Arrows are one of the few things that can inflict lasting harm on him. So if you go I'd go with."
"All this is just to get you two." Midna stated.
Zelda nodded. "The Master has lain out a simple choice for us: do nothing and let three worlds vanish forever, or try fighting him and risk one of the greatest powers ever known fall into the hands of a madman."
"Become nothing or gain everything." The Doctor quoted. "This is definitely my least favorite regenerations of the Master."
They all sat in silence for a moment, taking everything in. Clara broke the silence first.
"What the plan?"
Zelda answered. "If we can somehow manage to destroy the Master, the power of the Fused Shadow will return to Midna and she'll be able to reverse the portals, restoring the universes back to the way they were before."
"That's not much of a plan." Link said.
"12% of one at best." Clara said.
"When do we leave?" Midna asked impatiently, eager to end the threat that pledged her people.
Understanding her eagerness, the Doctor said "I can use the Sonic Screwdriver to help momentarily stabilize one the portals so we can cross into the Master's world safely. But after that there's no telling what we'll have to deal with, so make sure you're ready before we set out."
All nodded in agreement. All went their separate ways to prepare. Clara had to quickly move out of the way as she opened the door and Zue ran in, wanting to play with the Doctor's "toy". As Link went back downstairs he overheard the Doctor telling Zue exactly what she should not do so that the "toy" won't self-destruct.
…
Link looked through his belongings to see what was still usable. The clawshots were still functioning and his shield was still strong, but all his bottles of potion had been destroyed when the Master hit him with lightning ("Where in all of Hyrule am I going to be able to find another bottle?!"). Looking through his arrows to see how many remained Link's mind wondered.
Not even when he was first transformed into a wolf did he feel as unprepared as he did now. So much was at stake. So many. He knew he had to try of course. He couldn't let the villagers disappear forever, nor the rest of Hyrule, nor the people of the Twilight Realm, nor those of the Doctor's strange universe. He could not let his allies fight alone against the Master, not after all they'd done for him and with everything on the line. Even though Midna broke his heart she was still his friend and he would fight to his last breath for her.
…But still…he was afraid.
He was afraid that he was only fighting because it was his destiny to as the bearer of the Triforce of courage.
He was afraid that he was about to fail in his destined duty and die, three different worlds going with him.
He was afraid that what made him destined was about to make a terrible man all powerful.
…He was afraid…
Link snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of someone coming down the stairs. He turned to see who it was and it was Zelda.
"Princess Zelda!" Link exclaimed, quickly giving a bow.
Zelda laughed a little. "Link, there is no need to be so formal. In our coming battle there will be no hierarchy, simply allies fighting together."
Link rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry. Rusl always taught me the importance of respect for royalty."
Zelda smiled. "Well we'll have plenty of time for proper etiquette later, should we succeed." Zelda then straightened her face to get down to the business she'd come down there for. "Link, for our coming battle, I believe it's important for you to have this." She said, handing him the Ocarina that played in the Tardis. Link looked at it, puzzled.
"This was used generations ago by the Hero of Time." Zelda explained. "He defeated Ganon in his own time and then went back in time to prevent Ganondorf from ever gaining power using this Ocarina. I was reminded of this when the Doctor first told me of his missing Tardis. I was going to show it to him but the portal captured me before I could."
"What am I supposed to do with it? The Doctor said time doesn't really work here." Link said.
"I do not know, but it has saved us once already." Zelda said. "The Hero of Time is said to have been named Link. He probably was one of your past lives."
"He was. Err…is." Link said, staring at the Ocarina in his hand. "What I mean is…ever since that Time Vortex stuff I can remember bits and pieces from my past lives and I kinda remember this thing."
Zelda noticed Link's mood. "Link, what troubles you?"
Link started to deny that anything was wrong, but Zelda's stare told him that she wouldn't accept anything but the truth.
"I…don't think I can win this. I'm afraid that we're facing something far greater than we can handle. I'm here because I'm destined to save Hyrule in its darkest hours, but what if destiny isn't enough to win this time?"
Link looked to the ground in shame of his cowardice. Zelda placed her hand gently on his shoulder.
"You are right." She said. "Destiny is not enough to win this. And you are also wrong. You are not here because of destiny. You are here because you came here."
Link lifted his head back up to her as she continued. "I also can remember some of my past lives thanks to the Time Vortex. You and I have been many things through the lifetimes: allies, friends, lovers." (Link blushed heavily at the last one.) "And through all those lifetimes I have trusted and believed in you, as I do now, but not because you are destined to save us. Destiny can be overruled or ignored. Ganon believes that it is his destiny to rule all, a destiny I will never allow to happen. I believed in you because in every lifetime, including this one, you chose to be our savior. In every lifetime there were many times where you could have quit and no one would have blamed you, but you kept going. You kept fighting. Not because it was your destiny to, but because you wished to save all those you care for. You are not here because of destiny. You are here because you wanted to help the Doctor. Because you wanted to save me. Because you wanted to see Midna again. And I imagine you have reasons for wanting to face the Master again."
"The villagers. Ilia. Colin. Zue. Midna.
Zelda smiled at him. "The Triforce of courage is nothing without the courage that already exists in the heart. You won your past battles because you fought for them. Why would you imagine this time to be any different?" She said as she walked back upstairs.
Link gripped the Ocarina determinedly. Zelda was right. He was afraid, but fear would not stop him. It was because everyone was counting on them that they would not fail.
"Live or die, destiny or not, I choose to fight this day."
After gathering all his supplies Link fastened his sword and shield to his back and exited the basement.
All five of the allies met outside the household, Alia and Zue to see them off. The child's cheers of good luck heard loudly as they made their way to the nearest portal.