Chapter 21: The Trial of Change

Gannon and Link sat around a small campfire later that night. The man who had driven their cart earlier had left to another group, not feeling all that welcome in the small light that the fire gave off.

Gannon had materialized a black instrument and began playing it. "What is that?" Link asked after a while, the first time either of them had talked since earlier.

"It is called an ocarina. Would you like to try?"

"That'd be cool," Link replied with a smile. Gannon was about to hand over the instrument before they heard a loud shout.

"Oi, Link-goro!" There came another shout, followed by the view of Pogoro. "The Sage said he'd like to talk to you."

Link looked back at Gannon, who nodded. The boy gave Gannon a sheepish smile and a slight wince. He stood and left with Pogoro.

Gannon played the shadowy ocarina once more. He only let out a few notes before he heard the giggle of the Mage. "What do you want?" Gannon growled; the ocarina disappeared from his hand.

"To pose a question."

"And what would that be?"

"What did you mean by, 'every time I killed her?'"

"Shouldn't you already know that?" Gannon sent the Mage a glare.

"No, because what you saw in your memories was different from what I did." The Mage sat down in front of Gannon, crossing her legs is the way that Mages do. She pulled back her hood. Dark brown hair fell onto her shoulders and her piercing blue eyes. "You seem to recall something that never happened."

Gannon's face contorted in fury, but he calmed himself down. If this Mage, even if he still hated her, was offering him a way out: a way out of the constant guilt that caused him so much ache, Gannon would gladly take it to smuggle those memories away.

"You mean," Gannon swallowed down a flood of emotions, "when I killed Zelda?"

"Never happened," the Mage stated.

"How? I can remember every detail, everything!"

"Then tell me," the Mage wasn't asking; she was commanding. Gannon sent her a glare. "I can't help, unless I know what you 'know,'" she answered to his look.

Gannon was still glaring at her when he started, "She had caught a sickness. None of the doctors or magicians could save her, so I went to look for a cure." The Mage nodded, so that was still the same. A stream of sadness began to fill him. He hesitated to ask, but somehow found the words to, "If I didn't kill her... She still... Died from the..."

"Yes."

"So I failed?"

"Well, you managed to live for around a hundred thirty years. I'd call that an achievement." The Mage smiled at her pitiful attempt at humor.

"Not to me. That's just saying how long I've been without her," Gannon replied with a flinch.

The Mage put her hood back on as her head turned to two newcomers. Link and the Sage were on their way over. The Mage's grin softened, "Not for long. You're going to Hyrule Castle, aren't you?"

Gannon laughed, "As if they'd let me in!" The Mage continued to watch Link with a smile.

"I'm not so sure about that." Gannon's face grew serious.

"I didn't mean... We don't have that kind of connection until I die. I'm still my own person."

"Pity," the Mage muttered so only Gannon could hear. The other two were getting too close to talk so loud. She stood, wiping off her purple cloak. "Perhaps you should tell Link exactly whom you are... Link." The Mage patted Gannon's head playfully as she walked away.

"I see you two made up?" the Sage asked Gannon warily.

Gannon flashed the Sage a look, "Hardly. We've just come to..." He smirked, "an arrangement." The ocarina appeared in his hand once again, and he brought it up to his lips. He started to play Epona's Song.

"What kind of arrangement?" The Sage frowned.

"It's personal," Gannon said before he took a breath to continue his song. He closed his eyes to show the Sage that the conversation was over.

"Hmph," was all the Sage's reply. The Sage nodded to Link. "Link, remember what I told you."

"I... guess..."

The Sage wasn't all the way satisfied with his answer, but decided that it would be best if he left anyways.

"What'd he tell you?" Gannon asked, lowering his ocarina. His eyes were still closed though.

"Why does everyone think you're evil?" Link asked suddenly. Gannon's head bowed, making Link feel guilty.

"So that is what he told you." Gannon smirked, "What do you think I am, Link?"

Link rubbed the back of his head. "Umm... I don't know... Confused?" Gannon's ears, although not noticeably, perked up at the word. "I don't know; sometimes you have a blade to my throat and otherwise you are curing me of sickness!" The boy sat down. "That's why I'm asking."

"Look at your left hand, Link. You bear the Triforce of Courage. Courage is not the absence of fear; No... Usually fear is all around you. Courage is the ability to overcome fear. But Power..." Gannon pulled off his black gauntlet, making the Triforce of Power visible. "Being the Host of Power is much different. You don't overcome fear: you have no fear. With Power, others must fear you." His eyes opened and made contact with Link's. "Do you understand?"

"I-I think..."

"Others think of me as evil because I make them think that. It has been engraved into my nature to do such. For you though, I don't doubt that you fear me, you just overcome that fear enough to stay in my presence. Take the driver for instance, could barely stand a day around me. I would bet you anything that we'll have a new one tomorrow."

"Oh," Link whispered. It made more sense now. He watched with curiosity as Gannon returned his gauntlet to his hand. Link inspected his own hand. "So the Triforce affects our natures?"

"Precisely."

"So you... Weren't always like this?"

"No, why?"

"I was just wondering." Gannon moved his gaze from Link to the sky, going back to playing the ocarina. He began to play Saria's Song, but stopped after the sixth note. "Gannon?" Link asked Gannon, who had begun to quiver. It took a second for Gannon to notice that his body was shaking. His fumbling hands dropped the ocarina.

Gannon clenched them into fists, in his left appeared his black sword. Link watched in horror as the man brought it up to his throat, realization hitting him. He stumbled to stand and ran forwards to Gannon. Blood dripped from Gannon's neck just as Link's fingers wrapped around the blade, pulling it away from the older man.

Gannon let go of the blade in defeat, not having cared either way. His head hung lower. He felt someone's hand lift his face. It was Link.

"What were you doing?" the boy shouted.

"Trying to die, what do you think?"

"I think we should go right up to the Sage and tell him to look you over for mental illness!"

Gannon smiled sadly, "Boy, you don't need a Sage to see that." He coughed. He ignored the blood that he could feel pooling in his throat.

"And if you wanted to have me scared, there are better ways." Gannon said nothing. There was honest worry in Link's eyes and voice. "And there are other ways to show your selfishness too!"

"I can be as selfish as I want," Gannon retorted, blood spilling from his lips. Link jumped back.

"Well I'm going to get the Sage whether you like it or not!" He picked up Gannon's sword so he wouldn't try to kill himself with it again. Link ran off as fast as his legs would take him; also trying not to get punctured by the razor-sharp blade in his hands.

While Link was gone, Gannon sat in the sand. He stared at the stars above him. "Goddesses!" He muttered, "Why can't I escape this? It doesn't matter if I didn't kill Zelda! She is a new person now; she has no memories of me. I am a monster in this world! I can barely control myself anyways. I'm impulsive, rash, short-tempered, and exactly how Ganondorf was. I don't want to be him. And, if history serves itself well, I don't want to end up as the last Boss for Link."

"My, wasn't that a confession," the Mage voiced. Gannon jerked up, although it hurt to move. He could see the obvious displeasure on the Mage's face. "Never expected that you of all people would commit suicide."

"Just proves how little you know of me," Gannon muttered, more blood seeping from his lips. Neither of them smiled. "I can't be 'saved', as you put it, because there is nothing left to save."

"You don't really believe that," He could hear the Ghost say behind him. "Or I wouldn't be here."

"Shut up," Gannon muttered in reply.

The Mage perked up to this. "Who are you talking to?" she asked.

"Go ahead, tell her," the Ghost dared.

"No one; at least, no one who matters," Gannon said through gritted teeth.

"Ouch, now that hurt."

"That doesn't answer the question."

"Gannon!" Link's voice resounded in Gannon's head, tenfolding the headache that had already begun in it. The Sage flinched at the sight of Gannon, who had blood dripping down his lips and neck. "Heal him!" Link begged.

"No," the Mage commanded, "not until I get the answer. Who are you talking to?"

"I'd die before I told you."

"They already know you're a lunatic; why not add to the pile?" The Ghost teased.

"I told you to shut it!" Gannon yelled, making everyone jump. He got to his feet, turning to the Ghost. The Mage watched in curiosity as Gannon raised his left hand, Power radiating from it so much it was visible.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"Give me one reason why not."

"Gannon, what are you..." Link asked, but stopped when he saw the glare the man sent his way.

"Don't bring Link into this," the Ghost warned Gannon.

"That's already been done, Link." Link flinched at the tone of Gannon's voice, not knowing that it hadn't been directed at him.

"Gannon, if you get rid of me, I promise you will become like Ganondorf. Destroying one's conscience doesn't have good effects!"

Gannon snarled, but suddenly felt himself become heavy. His vision began to blur, then it faded back to normal. The blood-loss was taking its toll on him. He struggled to stay standing, and then he collapsed. The Ghost lurched forwards to catch him.

Everyone stared, no one knowing what to do. Gannon stopped himself from falling just in time. When he looked over to the group, both of his eyes were a misty blue, as if not his own.

Gannon's next words puzzled everyone the most. "Help him." The man fell to the ground.

Author's Note: I hope this gave you more insight than confusion. Yikes. By the way, Hyrule (geographically) is a combination of A Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time, Twilight Princess, and a tiny bit of Skyward Sword. I may decide to change something somewhere, but for now that's how it is.