As the lift continues to make its way down, it begins to shake as it suddenly crumbles sending the group plummeting into frigid cold water. Link lands on a sheet of ice as Mila lands on his back. Quill is able to catch himself before hitting the water as he flies over to Link and Mila. "You two okay?"

Link nods as he looks down to see a Zora warrior frozen in the ice. He jumps back in shock, sending Mila into the ice. "Ow! Link?"

Mila looks at the ice and gasps. Link then looks around to see platforms of ice in the water with Zoras frozen inside of them. Mikau climbs up onto the sheet of ice and sees Link staring as he chuckles nervously. "Yeah, I forgot to mention. I came here with an army a while back and I was the only one to escape. I closed three of the hatches and ran. The fourth one I have never been able to reach."

Mila stares in shock as the rest of the group climbs out of the water. Hana and Anya look around as Sheik pulls out a kunai to prepare for a fight. Malon pulls out an arrow and nocks her bow. Link then realizes that Shiro is nowhere in sight. "Shiro? Shiro! Where is he?"

Dekii looks down in the water. "His armor caused him to sink. He should be happy he's wearing a Zora Tunic underneath."

Mila grips Link's arm as she looks around. "I don't like this place. Let's hurry up and be done here so we can leave."

Anya and Hana roll their eyes and Malon shakes her head. Link pulls Mila to her feet and looks around defensively. LOOK OUT! Link quickly grabs Mila and jumps to the next platform of ice as the one they were on was thrown clear by a tentacle. Link looks back to see a giant octorock peaking out of the water. It's demon eyes stray over to Link and Mila as Link clutches her close. 'I have to fight him and protect her at the same time?' Don't blame me. If you had listened before... 'Shut it! I am still not going to stop them!'

Link jumps from Mila's side and plants his sword deep into the octorock's tentacle. He pulls back to find it is stuck and he couldn't budge it. Another tentacle wraps itself around his middle and drags him into the water. Suddenly blood enters his vision as he resurfaces. A fan with sharp blades in the edge flies past and cuts one of the creatures eyes as he spies another cut on the mouth of the creature. He looks at Mila as she catches her returning fans. Mikau swims out of nowhere and slashes at the tentacle with the sword. The now dislodged sword sinks into the depths of the freezing water. Link puts on his iron boots and sinks into the dark part of the water where it is incredibly freezing. He can feel his body temperature drop and begins to look for his sword frantically. He grabs it as another tentacle catches him and drags him back into the warmer waters above. He removes the boots and buries his sword up to the hilt into the monsters eye. The monster flails as the last of its life drains from it. Link looks around to find the rest of his friends regaining their footing in time to see the monster die. He then turns to see the water draining and the ice melting. In a matter of seconds, the water is completely drained and the Zoras are gasping for air, beyond disorientation. Shiro is shivering like crazy, having been in the dark freezing waters for a while. Link looks over to Mila and Mikau. "You two handled yourselves pretty well back there. Mikau, would you like to join us to help out the other lands?"

Mikau looks over at Link in surprise before he smiles. "I would be honored."

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The climb out of the temple was killer, but they managed. Link collapses on the bank in exhaustion as Epona, Shadow, and Mimi come up to meet them. They are being followed by a large white Akbash dog. Malon jumps up at the sight of them. "Cheif! You've found me! I guess you wanted to come!"

She runs over to her as Mimi climbs up on to Link's lap. Link strokes Mimi's back as Quill stretches his wings. "Okay! From now on, I'm sticking to delivering messages. I'm staying out of the temples. No offense, but I have a girl that I wish to remain with a little longer. I'm not ready to die fighting, yet."

Dekii and Navi shrug at this as he was the only one listening. Mikau is giving instructions to the Zoras to go up river and report to the king. Mila is scolding Shiro for being useless, Hana and Anya are talking to each other about Link, and Sheik is pulling out his harp to check for damage. Link looks to the water with a sadness in his eyes. Their next stop is the Gerudo Dessert. He has lived there for fifteen years and has been accepted by the thieves as one of their own. He wonders what their reaction to him will be after what has happened with Ganondorf. Link did not even notice as he mutters the word silently. "Master..."

Sheik turns to stare at Link as Dekii looks in confusion. Those two heard him and while Sheik feels Link should get over it by now, Dekii pities Link and wishes there was some way to reverse all of this. AGAHNIM! Link jumps to his feet as Mimi tumbles to the ground in shock. Everyone turns to see Link pull out his sword. Some are confused, some prepare for a fight, others feel he has become paranoid. Suddenly there is a flash of light as Agahnim appears just inches from Link. He places a hand on Link's chest and the two disappear before anyone ha time to react. That all happened too fast. Sheik panics as he jumps onto his feet. "Fan out an search every inch of Hyrule! Check the dessert, the waters, the mountains, and the forest! Don't stop until we find him safe and sound!"

Everyone is on their feet in a matter of seconds as they run off in different directions. Quill, Navi, and Dekii take to the skies as the Zoras dive into the river and begin to head north to tell their king of what has occurred.

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Link is thrown forward onto hard ground as he hears laughter all around. He suddenly hears a familiar voice. "Careful with him. I don't want him harmed."

Link blinks and looks around, realizing that his weapons are all gone and he is surrounded by many monsters, traitors, thieves, and magic users. He recognizes many from his travels with Ganondorf and looks before him to see said person standing before him with a rather dark yet somewhat soft smile on his face. Link recognizes Vaati to his left. They are standing on some platform high in the sky as Hyrule is seen through the clouds below. It looks like some sort of ruined city in the sky. He soon recognizes it as what it once was. Dragon Roost City. Ganondorf walks forward until he is standing right in front of Link. "I finally found you. Don't you know how much trouble you caused me? You have created so much ruckus in the kingdom that now it has become a hazard to make my next move."

Link stares at the floor, not wanting to make eye contact with the man speaking to him. He can feel so much rage and hurt for the man in front of him, but at the same time he can still feel hope that there is a way to turn this around, a chance that he can convince him to stop. He finally has his chance to do the one thing he has been wanting since his defeating Gohma; talk with his Master. "Why?"

Ganondorf frowns at this as he puzzles over what the boy had said. "Come again?" Link takes a deep breat and starts silently as his voice slowly raises in volume. "Why, Master? Why have you done this? Why are you hurting all these people? Why are you spreading this darkness? Why do you desire the Triforce? Isn't that why you want me? For the Triforce? Am I nothing more than another pawn to you? IS THAT WHY YOU'VE KEPT ME ALL THESE YEARS? JUST SO YOU CAN TAKE THIS BLASTED TRIANGLE OFF MY HAND THEN THRO ME ASIDE? HAS EVERYTING YOU TRULY EVER TOLD ME, HAS IT ALL BEEN ONE BIG LIE? WHY DO YOU WANT ME ALIVE IF THE TRIFORCE IS ALL YOU WANT? WHY NOT TAKE IT WHEN I WAS THREE AND BE DONE WITH ME?!

Link gasps for breath and shakes before them all but he manages to suppress his tears of pain. He turns a heated glare up at the man before him as he repeats for the last time in a tired, dry, cracked voice. "Why, Master?"

Ganondorf stands there, staring at Link before he sighs. He then circles Link as he takes a deep breath. "Honestly, I have had to ask myself a few of those same questions. When I first saw the Triforce on your hand, I felt this sudden urge to just destroy you and be rid of you while at the same time receiving my goal. What I saw in you was a will and desire to live. Despite your dead parents and you wandering the streets in rags, dying of hunger, you were still happy. You approached me while everyone else would've turn and run away. You also had this spark that attracted my interest and I knew I could do you no harm. I decided then on to take you in though I did not expect that your love for Hyrule would be so great, especially since they treat all Gerudos like scum. Despite my many pleas, they continue to ignore our needs and you were the only one who could talk that oaf of a king into helping us. That is the main reason why Zelda and Sheik suspected me as the cause of the problem. Why everyone did. It was because I was a Gerudo."

Link continues to stare at the floor as his anger slowly subsides. He listens carefully to his words and can feel his stomach bottom out at those last words. "They didn't trust you...because you were a Gerudo? But it turned out they were right."

Ganondorf smiles at the change in Link's voice. "But what if they were wrong? What if by some twist of fate, I wasn't the cause of this and it was someone else? What would you say to that?"

Link blinks as his face becomes emotionless. "They would still...suspect you?"

Ganondorf approaches behind Link and whispers into his ear as he takes Links left hand into his own. With his other hand he wraps it around Link's left arm to hold him still. "Yes, boy. I am doing what is right for my people. They are your people too. You should be helping me take revenge on all these people who treat us as nothing more than dirt. You should be helping your people too. I do not wish to harm you, Link. You have become like a son to me. I had adopted you, taken you in when no one else would. They respected you and loved you only for those three golden triangles on your left hand. I cared for your life and I had promised to protect you because I came to care for you like family. Please, boy. Join me..."

Link is silent as his thoughts whirl in his head. He begins to feel weak and is leaning back into Ganondorf's chest for support. He is lost. He is confused. He is hurt. He is tired. Ganondorf smiles as his grip on the boy lessens somewhat. He then rubs Link's arm soothingly as Link can sense darkness slowly take him. "Master..."

Suddenly the is an explosion as Link opens his eyes to see a small Deku Scrub firing orbs of green energy at the crowd. "Get your slimy hands off of Link!"

"Dekii?..." Link struggles for consciousness as he is laid carefully on the ground. He hears Ganondorf growl in anger as he steps over Link and walks to Dekii. "Master?..."

Ganondorf throws a ball of dark energy at Dekii knocking him out of the air. The scrub hops onto his feet and sends on other orb of green energy back. The Dark Lord easily knocks the orb to the side and sends wave after wave of energy at Dekii, sending the poor 9-year-old scrub flying in the process. Dekii hits the ground hard as he is blasted closer and closer to the edge. Finally Dekii can no longer get back on his feet as the Dark Lord bears down on him. Ganondorf smiles as he lifts Dekii into the air with a wave of his hand. He then brings both of his arms above his head and summons up a gigantic or of dark energy. "This will be rid of you, you pestering weed."

He then throws his arms forward as the orb shoots towards the limp and helpless Deku Scrub. The is a flash of green as Link darts past Ganondorf and grabs Dekii, using his own body as a shield. Ganondorf's eyes widen but it is too late. "LINK! NOOOOO!"

Link is hit in the center of his back with the dark energy which explodes on contact, sending the pair forward off the edge and plummeting to Hyrule bellow. There is then a flash of purple as Vaati dives after them.

Link feels the air whipping around him as he clutches the unconscious scrub to his chest. He looks down at Dekii as tears rush to his eyes. "I'm sorry Dekii... I'm so sorry... Don't die...don't die..."

He can feel darkness around him again and lets the darkness mercifully take him as he clutches the scrub ever closer.

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Darmani who is running in one direction with Navi flying alongside him. "What do you mean you've lost Dekii? A flying plant isn't that hard to miss!"

"Tell that to the Peahats!"

Darmani shakes his head and looks to the sky in hopes of seeing him. He then stops with wide eyes as his vision catches Link and Dekii plummeting out of the sky. Vaati appears and catches them but can't slow down enough. Darmani quickly gets underneath them and catches them before they hit the ground. Vaati mumbles a 'thank you' as he quickly gets up and check Links over. "They need medical attention. What's the closest town?"

Darmani stutters. "C-Castle Town?"

"Let's go!"

Vaati puts Dekii in Darmani's arms and picks up Link before rushing off towards Castle Town.