The Hero's hand was steady on the sword as he came into the burning square. Standing in the wreckage of a wall, the Gerudo king stood with arms folded, waiting. The same feral smile that had rested on his face in the underground city was visible now.

"You have always stood in my way, little chosen one." Dark light was glimmering in Ganondorf's fists as he slowly stretched out his arms, rolling the power between his fingers. "Somehow the goddesses have always left you just enough to stop me. But-" Lightning flared out at the green-clad youth. The Hero caught it on his blade, and the shock burned through his hands.

"We fight as pieces perfectly balanced on the scale. You can never truly defeat me. Your presence draws me back, just as it did earlier."

Ganondorf shot forward, and the Hero barely managed to bring the blade up in time to stop the sweeping arc of his fists. Bracers rung against the straining metal.

"Aren't you tired of this?" the Gerudo king whispered, as they stood locked together in the middle of the square. "Haven't you wanted to lay it all down?"

"Never." But even the Hero could hear the lie in his own voice. A creeping fog of exhaustion was beginning to cloud his mind; he wasn't sure if it was his body or his own spirit fading.

The smile on Ganondorf's face softened. In the same motion he brought his arms forward, nearly splitting the Hero's face with the sword. Too quickly to follow, he flipped his hands around and the Hero found the sword flying out of his grasp. The two remained, almost crouching, face-to-face in the square. With a certain amount of detachment, the Hero could feel the heat from the fires nearby, and felt the smoke coat the back of his throat.

The same soft smile lingered on the dark king's face as he breathed, "Lay it down. Step off the wheel. Let me have the power that resides within you, and then you can rest forever."

Half-formed thoughts leaped and died in the Hero's mind. One hand grasped at the empty air for a vanished sword. He would not, could not listen to this song of rest, and yet it pulled at every part of him.

"You do not fool me." The Hero's voice was clouded with effort. "You seek, as always, only your own ends. You, as I, know only this fight."

"Ah, but no." The smile remained. Even as he began to back away, feeling for another weapon, the Hero could not tear his gaze from Ganondorf's face. "I remember the soft winds that blow life. I remember the lovers in my arms. I remember the harshness and beauty of the desert. You have had too many lives, far more than mine. You do not know how to use this power to reshape the world. I do. You remember only the fight... I remember far more." Standing, he held out a hand. "Let go of that which you hold too tightly."

The Hero blinked. The surroundings blurred around them. They were in a grassy field lit orange with twilight. No, they were in a castle with light through stained glass lying upon them. No, they stood atop a tower with water pouring down its sides. No, they remained at the bottom of a tomb underneath a cloudy sky. They were in none of these places. They were in all of them.

Out of the corner of his eye he located the sword, a bright glint in the rubble.

"You remember nothing. Not even who you are." There was... was it pity, on the Gerudo king's face? His hand remained outstretched. "Let all that is past go."

Silently, the Hero shook his head. It was true. The memories were gone, of who he had been in this life. But there was still purpose. And it was still his.

Mutely, he turned and ran for the sword.

Lightning exploded into the rubble beneath his feet. He jumped, rolled, screamed as his wounded shoulder hit the pavement. He came up next to the sword, grabbed it, turned to face another magic bolt that threw him against the nearest wall. He slid to the ground.

Through the ringing in his ears he thought he heard someone calling a name.

"Link...!"

Footsteps broke the fractured stone, skidded to his side. A youth with a kind brown face and green eyes bent to him.

"Get away. You'll be hurt." The Hero tried to push the other youth out of the way, one eye on his foe in the middle of the square. To his surprise, the other refused to budge.

"Don't be stupid. You're falling apart, brother. It's my turn to help you now."

"...I have no brother."

The other turned to look at him. A flicker of disbelief passed over his face briefly, but it was replaced by wry amusement. "Well, we'll discuss disownment after you judge my sword skills, not before." The Hero found himself swordless again, this time less able to move and seize it back.

"My son," murmured another voice next to him. Gentle arms were picking him up as the other youth blocked a sizzling magic bolt from the Hero's opponent. Faint laughter echoed out in the smoky air.

"You can't... you'll be hurt," the Hero protested, faintly.

"Family is like that sometimes," the older man said firmly as he carried the Hero's body.

Cradled in his arms, the Hero could not move. And then, like melting snow, the fog began to dissolve from his mind.

I know you.

Diron's face, above him, was lined with a calm determination. He knew that face now, knew it in its excitement and sorrow, in its fear and love.

I have known you all my life. His twin, with a resolve clear in his shoulders, was facing off against the Gerudo king, who threw amused, small flickers of dark light. He knew his brother, knew the way he slept and the way he worked, the small jokes, the kind smile.

I have only told myself I don't belong. I have missed it this entire time.

Link looked up at his father's face. He put one arm, the only one he could move, on his father's shoulder.

"Father. Stop, please."

Diron looked at him. "You've fought hard enough. Whatever this is, we'll figure it out."

"I know. I'm not going to fight. Put me down."

His father paused for a moment, then let him down gently, holding onto him as he recovered his balance and found the strength to stand.

"I'll stop this," Link said quietly.

He began walking towards his opponent, who turned to him, waiting. He came to Jason's side; his twin tried to interpose himself between the two.

"Brother, it's all right." Link gently pushed the tip of the sword down. He stepped forward into Ganondorf's reach. The Gerudo's eyes smouldered.

"You were wrong. I do know who I am. And because of that..." Link held out his hand. The Triforce flared on the back of it. "I have no need for any power to tell me."

The light grew bright, singing in his ears. Link found himself holding a golden triangle, its weight and warmth slight in his palm. Dropping his hand, it floated in the space between them.

"We all need to let go," he whispered.

Silence filled the air as Ganondorf stood, the triangle reflected in his eyes. After a moment, he stretched out his hand to take the floating Triforce. Another smile curved beneath his eyes.

"No," he replied.