Chapter Twenty Four

We start out to the Great Deku Tree with tons of food and new blankets from the Kokiri. They smile and wave at us with the utmost of cheeriness, and we do the same. Zelda and Sheik ride up front on Sheik's horse (both Sheik and Link, especially Link, got a little panicky about their horses until I explained that Link could call Epona with Epona's Song on the Ocarina of Time. Sheik's horse came with Epona.), Navi sleeps on top of Link's head while he and I ride on Epona. As we ride, I tell Link about cell phones. He's amazed that we have devices that can communicate across the world. I wish I had my I-Phone to show him. But, then again, it wouldn't really work here since there's no Internet...

"And you can even see where other people are?" He asks incredulously.

"Yeah, but only on certain phones, like mine." I reply. It's weird talking to someone who has no idea what a cell phone is.

"Hey guys, we're here." Sheik yells back to us.

The Great Deku Tree looms in front of us. He looks pretty much the same from before, except for the Triforce hovering in front of him.

Wait, a second... is that the actual Triforce?

Everyone looks shocked when they realize the same thing. Even Navi comes out to gape at it.

"It couldn't be..." Zelda whispers.

But it is. We ride closer to it. The three perfectly symmetrical golden triangles glimmer in the light ray of sun that hits them. In fact, I think that they're actually made of gold. They give off a faint sparkly glow, like rainbows reflecting on them. I can totally see why this is the most important item in all of Hyrule.

We get off the horses and walk over to it. The Great Deku Tree wakes up with a thunderous yawn equal to an earthquake.

"Hero," He rumbles. "Thou hast completed thy quests. Thou hast proven thyself worthy of obtaining the Ultimate Weapon."

"Great, what is the weapon?" Link shouts up to the tree.

"I wish thee luck in thy battle against the Dark Lord. Thou shalt do well, I am sure." He says, totally oblivious that Link even spoke. Then his face disappears in the wood.

"That answered a lot," Navi mumbles.

"Hero, we meet again." A graceful voice says from behind us.

We turn around and find ourselves facing Nayru, Din and Farore. They smile at us. "You have done well, and proven yourself quite capable of handling the Ultimate Weapon." Din says.

"We are happy to bestow it upon you." Nayru says.

"As we have to all of you." Farore adds.

Link looks confused. "All of us?" Farore motions for us to turn around. When we do we all gasp.

Behind us stand every Link there ever has been. All 16 of them. I recognize Twilight Princess, Skyward Sword and Ocarina of Time who stand in the front. I also see Wind Waker, who looks no older than ten and incredibly short. Weird seeing him out of the game, he doesn't look as cartoonish. All four of the Four Swords stand side-by-side. It's easy to distinguish their distinct personalities just by looking at them.Minish Cap doesn't have Ezlo anymore, just a plain green hat. Young Ocarina of Time gives us a wide grin. He's about as tall as Wind Waker, maybe an inch or two taller. Even A Link Between Worlds is here. Every single Link there's ever been. Poor Link looks so confused that I think he might fall over. And in front of them a pretty young woman holds the Triforce. Her blond her is tied with ribbons in the front, and she wears a simple white dress. She smiles at us. It's Skyward Sword Zelda.

"Each of yours, Zelda's and Ganondorf's predecessors have held a piece of the Triforce, whether they know it or not. Now, it is time for your generation to become holders of the Triforce." She says.

"Ganondorf has always held Din's piece, the Triforce of Power." The top Triforce shimmers and disappears.

"Princess Zelda has always held Nayru's piece, the Triforce of Wisdom." The lower left of the Triforce disappears and Zelda gasps in pain. She quickly unwraps the cloth she's tied around her right hand.

"Zel? What's wrong?" Sheik takes her hand and stares at it in surprise. Link and I hurry over as well. A Triforce mark has appeared on Zelda's right hand, showing that Zelda is now the holder of the Triforce of Wisdom.

"And last, but certainly not least." Other Zelda says, holding the last Triforce piece. "Each of the Heroes have held Farore's piece of the Triforce. Now, Link, it is time for you to become the holder of the Triforce of Courage, just as those before you." The last piece fades away.

Link grimaces and shucks off of his glove and stares at his right hand. A Triforce mark now brands it, marking Link as the holder of the Triforce of Courage.

He stares up in shock at the goddesses. "Me? A Triforce holder?"

Farore laughs. "Link, you have already been chosen as the Hero that is to save all of Hyrule. Is it really so difficult to believe that you are a Triforce holder? You and your predecessors have shown immense courage for centuries. You are more than qualified to hold my piece of the Triforce."

"I get why Link has one, but why me?" Zelda asks quietly.

"You are greatly tied to Link's defeat of Ganondorf, you always have been." Nayru explains. "You have always been wise beyond your years. You are an ideal holder for my piece."

"But why give a piece of the Triforce to Ganondorf?" Sheik asks, still holding Zelda's newly marked hand in shock. "That just makes it tougher to beat him."

Din's face darkens. "I do not enjoy giving my piece of the Triforce to the Dark Lord, believe me, Sheikah. But he is the rightful holder of it, and I have no choice in the matter. The Triforce chooses its holder, and he is the most qualified to posses Power."

"You now have the Ultimate Weapon." Other Zelda says. "You can defeat the Dark Lord. Remember, you are a hero, Link. You have fought this fight for centuries, and have won many times. Try to make history repeat itself, huh? We wish you luck in your fight." She smiles brightly and then walks over to Skyward Sword Link, who stands in the front of the army of Links. He smiles at her and puts his arm around her waist. Then, in a burning flash of gold like the one that brought me here, they all disappear.

"Good luck, Heroes." The goddesses say in union. Then they too disappear, leaving us alone to gape at the Triforce marks on Link and Zelda's hands.