The Hyrulean Army was hours away from the Temple of Souls, but that doesn't mean that they couldn't feel the dark power. The troops were visibly scared, but put faith in the Hero. But they weren't alone in fear. Even the Royal Commander was scared. Not even the White Sorceress, who sat behind him on his fire horse, couldn't physically comfort him. She didn't feel the need to talk. No one did.
Beside them Link rode Epona (about time, but she won't be fighting...yet), Link's trusty steed, and with him, rode Zelda. Zelda, being a royal, showed confidence. Zelda, being human, was frightened. But to but the fear behind her, and hopefully her three friends, she started conversation. "So...what happens after today?"
The prince hated to be the bringer of bad news. "You know...we get on with our lives. I got my people. You got yours."
A little pissed with Josh's pessimistic attitude, she turned to her companion. "Link?"
"I don't know. Sleep?"
"You Heroes have a knack for sleeping."
This somehow riled Zelda up. "Gerudo Kings aren't in the best position to talk, are they?"
"Princesses can't talk because they're always getting caught!" This, of course, didn't affect Lana, who was sleeping on the prince's back. She was never caught.
"You're just like those annoying suitors, you pig!" Josh stopped his horse and called for a halt. He glared at Zelda, and Link found it wise to stay out of royal affairs.
"What did you just call me?"
Zelda didn't flinch at the dark tone of the Gerudo. Head held high, she spoke with an equal darkness. "A. Pig. P-I-G."
"Pig...alright. I'll remember that. MARCH!" The Prince of the Gerudo rode a little farther this time to avoid clashing with the Princess of Hyrule. "Pig."
"You alright?" He turned and saw the beautiful face of the White Sorceress. A face that showed concern.
"No. A little tense, quite frankly."
She looked at her former pillow for a second before speaking. "I can trade spots with you, if that will make you better. Maybe you should rest."
"Not really. I just...got revenge on my mind."
"What happened?"
"I lost my friend, and Cia will pay."
A little farther back, Link was the victim of a ranting girl. The most despicable crime a woman can do to a man. "Zelda, please shut up!"
"WHO ARE YOU TO TELL ME TO SHUT UP? I'M-"
"-the only reason you're not walking, princess." He looked back and smiled. "Relax, after today, the country will be safe."
"You're overly confident."
Proxi fluttered out from under Link's hat and to his shoulder. "That's because Link has the Master Sword. We can do this, princess!"
"Proxi couldn't have said it better. We won't fail."
"Hey, Link, let's slice through these enemies quick! It'll be easy with the Master Sword!"
Link gave a Spin Attack to the poor Bulblins. "Hell yea!" Link was confident that he will win. No, he knew he will win. But there's a teeny problem.
The Temple of Souls is a monument to him, and the statues of the past heroes and the paintings of himself were kinda creepy, yet, as Link put it, quite flattering. He'll probably sell these to his fans.
"Oh ho! Link!" He looked up and on the second floor, was Cia. "Did you find a shiny, new sword?" She liked her lips, her lust overtaken her. "Mmm, I'll like to see it. Come to me and show me."
"It'll be the last thing you'll see!"
While Link became a wrecking ball, Joshua, Zelda, Lana, Groose, Darunia, Midna, Impa, Young Link, and Tingle spreaded out to cover the east and west. "Oooo, Mr. Big Fairy is doing well. What do you think, Ms. Impa."
"Link may be too overconfident. I pray he doesn't become reckless." Impa was too late to see a Bulblin attack her right, but Zelda covered her.
"He seems sure of himself, Impa. How bad can he do?"
A Redead was sent flying their way before it decomposed into smoke. "Like that reheaded oaf."
"Oaf? Groose is no oaf. What is it with you Sheikahs?"
"They'll all crazy, Groose. Especially against redheads with yellow eyes. I know from experience."
Impa smiled. "Your Highness, thanks for the compliment."
"Uh huh. Lana has a plan. I'll direct you to her."
The girly voice of the sorceress escaped the stones. "There should be three Magic Keeps here in the west and with you on the east."
Zelda began to sense for the keeps. "I can sense the Magic Keeps as well. We must capture them."
"No. Zelda, you fall back into the gardens. I'm pleading."
"Alright, Josh. Everyone, stay safe. And take care of Link. The bigger one."
Team Joshua, which consists of the Prince, the Twilight Princess, the White Sorceress, and the Sage of Fire, stormed the SW Magic Keep. However, the enemies weren't just there in force. They were strong in the force.
Even Darunia could tell, and he's a Goron with the Megaton Hammer. "Whoa! The enemies we're facing have a lot more power than we're used to!"
"This situation grows worse with each passing moment, big guy. We must capture those keeps." Three big blasts eliminated majority of the monsters in the keep, and the soldiers finished the remaining.
Josh walked towards the grinning Twilight Princess. "Great job, Princess."
"Thanks, Your Majesty."
Dividing the troops between the western and northern paths, Team Joshua was unprepared for what happened next. "EVERYONE!"
"Damn Zelda, you're going to kill us. What?"
"How odd...I can feel an eerie presence coming from somewhere in this area."
"An eerie presence, Princess Zelda? I can only feel the aura given off by the witch and her monsters."
"That's because you're Sheikah." Joshua began to sense the surrounding area, even utilizing the Triforce of Power to help him. "I feel it to, but...it's coming from the witch...and another place. Be on guard, everyone." After disconnecting communications with Zelda and Team Impa, the group listened as the White Sorceress gave orders. "It's best we're on guard. Whatever we're dealing with is coming, so let's capture these keeps."
"Alright. Midna, Darunia, stay here. Lana, take the north. I'll take the west."
Impa felt the aura of the monsters fall as they captured the SE Magic Keep. "Zelda was right. We must capture the Magic Keeps to break the connection and weaken the magic!"
"Whatever you say, old lady! Leave the north to Groose!" Groose charged towards the NE Magic Keep, destroying a Beamos along the way. With the enemies weakened, Groose, with the enhanced strength provided by the gauntlets, was able to literally trash the keep. Not even the Redeads stood a chance.
Tingle took the route to the East Magic Keep, leaving Impa to defend the SE Magic Keep. He floated on his balloon, carrying a huge surprise for the monsters in the keep. "Oh, I hope they enjoy it. It's going to create fireworks!" He floated inside, and dropped the bombs into the center of the keep. They didn't-
BOOM!
Dammit Tingle, you wasn't supposed to fall yet!
Zelda and the small number of troops surrounding her were taking on three Redead Knights. Trying to prove Joshua wrong, she didn't call for backup. But she was losing anyway. They were just too strong.
She fired a light arrow, and one of the three died. The other two were simply burned to death.
Burned to death?
"Sorry guys, but your princess is in another temple." Joshua to the rescue. He walked towards the young princess.
"I guess I should be thankful."
He smiled. "Yea, but someone has got to watch over you. Plus, I don't want to be there to see Impa rant on Link. We secured the keeps, and now he's going to face Cia."
She looked towards the temple, hands over heart. "Hope he is ok."
"Link, stop wasting your time with petty brawls! Come show me what that sword can do!"
"Link, the doors have opened and Cia is inside! That is it! Let's take her down! Swish-swosh!"
"Be careful, Hero. This comes from another Hero."
"Thanks, YL." Link made his way towards the Sorceress's Room. "I wish she wasn't a bad girl, Proxi."
"Why?"
"Because I wouldn't have to think about which sword she would get."
"Exactly! She's getting the Master Sword to the face!"
Link sighed. "You don't understand."
He pushed the door open and began wrecking the Bulblins, confident that the days of terror is over. After all, he's Link the Hero. He didn't even pull his shield out. Proxi even began singing. "He's beauty. He's grace. He'll cut off your face!"
As the Bulblins retreated in fear, Link twirled and swung his sword, taunting his enemies and the nonexistent Cia. "You know, Cia, I bring my sword, and I have no one to admire it."
"A sword is just a tool for the weak to swing around. Only fools...and MEN put confidence in them." The Hero was face to face with the Dark Witch.
Striking a battle pose, Link looked at the paintings of him. "Well, women shouldn't easily be enticed by a man's sword."
"Hahaha, true. But sometimes, you just want to touch it."
He smiled. "Too bad you'll never do that. Stand down, or face my power."
She smiled in turn. "Arrogance. Ego. Pridefulness. This darkness in you shall be your undoing!" She raised her scepter and fired a beam at Link. It touched him, and caused some pain, but he didn't bleed. He returned his gaze to Cia. "What did you do?"
Cia pointed behind him and the Hero saw a black figure. It didn't take him too long to register what the figure was. He was thankful he wasn't in the Water Temple, like his predecessor currently in the temple was a thousand years ago. He looked back at Cia. "I can see the darkness in your heart, but can you overcome it? Don't disappoint me, love." And with that, Cia vanished to parts unknown.
Proxi felt guilty for raising Link's confidence. "Oh no, Link. I shouldn't have egged you on. Don't let this imposter get you."
"He won't! There can be only one!" The imposter struck but Link dodged before giving it a taste of the Great Spin Attack. The Dark Link was easily defeated.
"Well, what can happen that's worse than this, Link?"
Lets skip to a few moments later.
"Dammit Proxi, you had to jinx it!"
"Hey! How was I supposed to know four more Dark Links would appear?"
Link was taking one on at the moment. It was tougher than the first for sure. "Hopefully the guys are holding on."
"More Dark Links have appeared? We have to stop them."
"You can, Princess. But I'm staying here. Whatever we felt earlier is coming closer. I'll give it a warm welcome."
"Okay."
Lana and Darunia attempted to use the advantage of numbers. Groose tried strength. Impa tried skill. Tingle tried balloons filled with love. While the Dark Links were formidable foes, numbers, strenght, and skill beat them. Love filled balloons were a nice touch. Kooloo limpah is in the house tonight.
Link had just defeated his Dark Link when all hell broke loose.
"AAAHHH!" Zelda nearly collapsed by the presence of such power. Impa caught her before she hit the floor.
"Your Highness?"
Zelda rubbed her head before looking at Impa in fear. "I can't believe it. But I now know for certain. He's here."
"Who?"
"Link's archenemy. My archenemy. Hyrule's archenemy."
Joshua saw exactly who he hoped wasn't coming. Rising from a black horse and laughing his ass off was Ganondorf. He could feel the power radiating from the Demon King.
He was hidden in the bushes, and heard the first words from the former Gerudo King. "Let them wear themselves out. Then the Triforce will be MINE!"
He frantically call for his friends, but in a whispered tone. "Everyone, we got bad news. Ganon has arrived."
Cia watched from wherever she was and was livid. "What! This can't be! He's come to claim the Triforce of Power!" She knew the Gerudo Prince was the current bearer of Power, but currently Ganondorf was closer to boy. The demon would get the Triforce of Power...unless..."Oh, thanks to you, Ganondorf, Hyrule is mine!"
"We'll be annihilated, Joshua! I'm giving out the call! All troops, retreat! Fall back immediately!"
Midna yelled very loudly at her troops. "We've got to fall back! C'mon, the rose garden in the west should make for a good getaway."
Impa gave a similar command to her group. "Quickly! Everyone, escape through the rose garden in the west!"
But it wouldn't happen that way, as Dark Link once again reappeared.
Link raced to the Sorceress's Keep and took on the lone Dark Link. And it was the toughest yet. Link's retreating friends couldn't leave him to face the monster on his own. But the doors to the keep closed on Link's arrival inside.
Lana ran to the keep, hoping Link could hear her. "Link, wait! I'm coming too!"
Midna followed. "He always got to be the hero, huh? Come on, guys, let's save the savior."
The fight against the sixth Dark Link was tiresome. Link had kicked it to the ground, only to miss the ending blow. "Oh, come on!"
"This is so interesting." Link turned and saw another Dark Link, but it felt...different. The dark warrior walked up to Link's side, sword in hand. "Normally. I'll be flattered, but they can't beat you like I could. Don't you just hate clones?"
Link now understood, of at least he thought he did. "You're-"
"The original Dark Link? Of course. Please to make your acquaintance. However, I prefer the name Dark." Dark ran up to the incoming clone and unleashed a Spin Attack, ripping the head, torso, and legs from each other. Link frowned at the ease his dark side defeated his dark side, but Link remembered that he wasn't a killer. Dark was. Link got into a battle stance, and Dark's red eyes flashed in amusement. "You wish to fight me?"
"Why else would you come to me?"
"True. But our time hasn't come, yet. It will, very soon." Dark disappeared as soon as the room began to spawn more Dark Links.
Three more Dark Links appeared. And he was surrounded and tired. Link hoped his friends could come in time. But the Dark Links didn't care. They attacked...and was blocked by a barrier. One of them was dust.
"Stand firm, Link."
"Thanks, Lana."
The remaining two imposters rose and greatly made their swords longer and powerful. They attacked once more.
The Hylians were protected as Midna and Darunia held one Dark Link back and Groose and Impa held the other. Pushing them back, the Dark Links were met with some Kooloo Limpah and the power of the Kokiri blade.
Link looked at his allies and bowed his head. "I'm...sorry guys. I thought I could do it."
He made eye contact with Impa, who decided time was of the essence. "Real strength comes from knowing your weaknesses."
He turned and saw the big grin on the Twilight Princess and a bigger one on the Goron. He even saw the fairy-man dance and Young Link nodding his head.
"Take the sword, and raise it towards the goddesses." Link stood up with a new resolve. The Master Sword responded accordingly, its true power unlocked.
"Aw, the power of friendship. How cute. To bad it ends now! If I can no longer pull from the darkness of Link's heart...Then I'll pull from my own! But first..."
While Cia schemed behind the scenes, Zelda took center stage. As everyone, with the exception of Joshua, gathered outside the room, she walked towards Link and slapped him. Hard.
He rubbed it as he tried to get the stinging sensation to cease. "Love you too."
"Link appears to be unscathed. Everyone, we must make a hasty retreat!" As they left for the SW Magic Keep, Zelda walked alongside Link and kissed and hugged him. "Don't you ever do something stupid ever again."
"Alright."
"No, promise me."
"I, under oath to Princess Zelda of Hyrule, will never do something stupid like I've done today...if she gives me another kiss."
She kissed his cheek. "I accept."
Impa screamed towards the army and the Hyrule Warriors. "Ok, fall back! We can escape through the western rose garden." All except for the bearers of Courage, Wisdom, and Power went to for their destination and met with an unfortunate fate.
"Ha ha ha. Did you think I'd let you run?"
Young Link, Impa, Lana, and Midna stood ready to fight. YL gripped his sword as he snarled. "Ganondorf."
Ganondorf looked at his past nemesis and grinned. "You! Come back to stop me? Tell you what, give me the Triforce of Power, and I'll let you go."
"Today you will, Ganon! It's me you want!"
Who's ready for the battle of kings? Ganondorf watched as his successor sprung in front of the group. "Ahh, it's the Gerudo Prince. And where are they now?"
"Thanks to you, far away from here."
Ganon began to walk towards the boy, and took out two large swords. One looked like a regular blade, the other, one with jagged edges. "Yet, you stand up for these Hylians? Why?"
"I could care about the Hylians. But I'll be damned if Hyrule falls to Captain Hairy."
"Like my hair? Took centuries to get it this long."
Joshua took out the Magical Rod. "Let's see how long it burns!" Joshua ran towards the demon as the larger man swiped his swords. Doing a baseball slide, the prince dodged, and before Ganondorf could attack, he was sent flying back.
Joshua turned to his forces. "GO!"
"What about-"
"Impa, don't worry about Zelda. Link will get her out. I need for you to go!" He gave one last look at the Sheikah before she gave a bow.
"Come back alive, Your Majesty."
"I will." Turning back towards the rising Ganon, he felt a hug from a feminine body. He turned and saw the confident smile of Lana. He held her and gave her a kiss on the head.
"You better come back alive, stupid!"
"Alright, snarky. Go." Lana ran off and the Hyrulean force disappeared. He then attacked Ganon, who matched every attack from the prince with defense.
"Now how would you like your death?"
"Surrounded by hot ladies on the shores of Lake Hylia."
"Nice choice. But sadly, I cannot accommodate."
The two kings entered into a short test of strength as the prince immediately pulled back. He tried using the flamethrower, but Ganon wouldn't burn. So he used a fire whirlwind to blow the larger man back. He charged once more.
"HIYAAAAAAAHHHH!"
And was hit with a ball of dark magic, which almost knocked him unconscious. "Hahahaha, what a pitiful sight. You bear the Triforce of Power, yet you won't use it. Why?"
The prince struggled to stand, so he decided to speak. "So I won't be like you."
"Me?"
"I will not be a power hungry warlord who doesn't know how to die. I won't become ruled by greed." He raised his head, smiling at Ganondorf. "I won't become a pig like you. That's because I am stronger than you."
Ganondorf stopped moving and looked at the prince, a snicker unleashing. Ganondorf let it go, and leaned his head back as he roared in laughter. Josh's smiled fell into confusion as he returned to his battle stance. "This is foolishness! You think you're stronger than me?" Creating a large shadow version of the boar form, Ganondorf swiped the prince from one end of the garden to the other.
"Ha ha ha. How dismally depressing. Would you care to struggle further?" He then picked him up and threw him into the statue of the Hero of Termina. "Always hated that kid. His talk of an alternate future bores me." He picked him up again and threw him into the wolf statue. "Wolves are such dirty animals."
"You...would know."
"Although, I would admit, the Twilight Princess was very beautiful. Could've been a bride. Of all the things we could do, before I kill her with my hands. Hell, even the Princess of Light would be delicious. But somehow, I have a craving for the color blue."
This sent the beaten and bloodied prince into a rage. The Triforce of Power shone brightly as a red light surrounded the prince. "NO! YOU WILL NOT GET NEAR HER OR ANYONE!"
Ganondorf was unprepared for the strength and speed of the enraged prince, and was beginning to lose the battle. All he needed was a distraction. He would get it from an unlikely source.
"Come to moma!" Before Joshua knew it, his body was frozen in place. He screamed in agony as the Triforce of Power was ripped from him, immediately stripping him of his Focus Spirit. He cried out as the piece of the Golden Power soared to its former master. Cia looked towards a seething Ganondorf. "What? Its girl power." Before he could say anything, she disappeared. He turned his rage towards the weakened prince.
"I would rant but that's too much time. So...die." He swiped his sword forward.
It met with an unfortunate fate. "Long time, no see, Ganondorf. Been a couple of centuries."
He may have looked different, but the stench of an enemy of a time in the past isn't. "You just keep surprising me, kid!"
"That's right. Us!"
Ganondorf turned and saw the Hero and Princess prepped for battle. The princess had and arrow reading to sink into him.
The Hero had the Master Sword. Ganondorf knew, despite his advantage, that he wasn't at full power. No use letting them know that, however. "You dare raise the blade of evil's bane to me? So be it. Hyrule's blood will be on the hands of the Hero and Princess once again." Ganondorf then vanished unto the unknown.
Link and Zelda then raised the Gerudo Prince off the ground, ignoring the newcomer. "Thanks guys. You saved me from meeting a terrible fate."
"Welcome, pal."
"You alright, Joshua?"
"Yea, nothing a potion can't fix. And I think I know where Cia's going. But first..." The trio turned and looked at the man who bore an even closer resemblance to Link.
Said hero knew exactly who it was. "Thanks, Young Link. Or shall I say, Fierce Deity."
The man just smiled.