"I'm here to see Ganondorf!" announced the Iron Knuckle to the Stalfo guards in front of the tent.
Without losing a moment, one of the Stalfos immediately swiped away the burgundy, weighty fabric that covered Ganondorf from view and entered. The Iron Knuckle shifted from foot to foot, his head turned to witness the battle a few miles away as he waited for a response from the Gerudo. It wasn't long before the Stalfo reappeared from behind Ganondorf's barrier from the world, lifting the flap for the Iron Knuckle to enter.
Ganondorf sat upon the floor of his tent, eyes closed in meditation, legs crossed, and breathing slowly. Within the last few hours, a cloud of calm hung over the Gerudo leader, as though all the death and destruction outside did not so much as touch him. His brow was furrowed causing a crease to appear between his eyes. No doubt the leader was plotting, as his calculating nature often led him to do so, although the Iron Knuckle debated the importance of whatever plans Ganondorf was engaged in concocting as the leader had, indeed, agreed to meet with him. Daring not to waste the leader's time, the Iron Knuckle knelt down, ensuring that his head was no higher than Ganondorf's, and delivered his report.
"We remain at a stalemate, your Highness. The Hylians dispatched their cavalry only a short while ago, however neither side seems to be making progress. What do you wish?"
Ganondorf's booming voice startled the Iron Knuckle as he responded, "You say that neither side has an advantage over the other, am I correct?"
"Yes, your Highness."
The leader's next response surprised the Iron Knuckle greatly. "Take no action. Everything is exactly as I want it to be. All that is left is to wait patiently."
"What is this about waiting patiently?" inquired the Iron Knuckle, confuzzled and quite disillusioned as to what Ganondorf had in mind.
"There is a part of my essential goal that none of you are aware of, though I assure you that it will guarantee us Hyrule in the long term, and possibly even more."
In an effort to hopefully influence his leader to take action, the Iron Knuckle continued, "Desde has been defeated, your Highness. And the catapults no longer work."
"Ah," exclaimed Ganondorf, a smile flitting over his harsh, acute features, "Then this will all happen sooner than I intended it to. It really is quite delightful."
Not knowing how to react to the leader's satisfied disposition, the Iron Knuckle promptly stood up, dismissing himself from Ganondorf's presence. "Right, sir. I will let the troops know to continue with what has been planned."
Contrary to what Link had expected, they did not immediately set off to seek out Ganondorf for a final battle. Rather, the three companions found themselves in a position where they were planning how exactly they would approach Ganondorf. The process was long and confusing, and Link thought the two women much too cautious in their approach, whereas he preferred a more direct alternative that would finish the job quickly.
"First of all, the scouts in the army have already determined that Ganondorf is settled at approximately two miles behind the farthest ranks of his army. All we need to do is, essentially, loop around the troops situated at the East and South Wall and head due South until we find him. It would be much safer that way," reasoned Midna, fiddling with the cape she had thrown back around her shoulders.
"Midna, you really don't take too much time in considering how the three of us are very skilled warriors, have the protection of the Goddesses, therefore we should be able to just cut from here to Ganondorf without having to adhere to this loop you're suggesting. I'm not saying that your idea is wrong, because it really could work. But how long is the Castle Town really able to stand?" retorted Link, leaning against Epona.
During this discussion, Zelda gazed at the water in Nayru's Basin, flashing through images of all her people. She saw what had happened to the Gerudos, as they were still enchanted by the deep sleep Ganondorf placed upon them. The Zoras were completely immobilized, as the ice had touched and overcome each being of water in their vicinity, transforming their domain into a subzero nightmare of a winter land. Death Mountain was none too encouraging either, although Zelda could not properly assess what had become of the Gorons as the smoke clouded the Basin's vision, leaving nothing to be said of the Gorons except for a thick layer of black and gray. Perhaps the only situation that left Zelda with nothing to fear was that of the Kokiri, who had, somehow, managed to save themselves from the great fire and were now rebuilding their lairs, bit by bit.
"Then let's assume that we decided upon your solution, Link. The possibilities of death are high, and with us dead, we can't exactly save Hyrule, can we?"
"Well with your solution, Hyrule may be gone by the time we face Ganondorf!"
Midna was growing more and more hostile by the second, and her violet eyes now flashed thunder as she spoke to Link. "Don't you realize that the only way we'd be able to be sure that we'll reach Ganondorf is with reinforcements backing your Hylian army? We can't have reinforcements at the moment, Link! The entire kingdom besides the Town is paralyzed for battle!"
"Oh, will you both just stop with your pointless arguments?" cried Zelda suddenly. Both the Hero and Midna swung around to face her. Zelda had dismounted from Link's horse, firmly holding Nayru's Basin in her arms. Her usually peaceful face now bore an expression of irritation, and her eyes had narrowed as she glared at her comrades. Almost as quickly as she had turned on Link and Midna, Zelda then faced in the other direction and gazed into the Basin. Lifting her hand, the Princess then carefully dipped her fingers into the Basin, frowning all the while. Behind her, Link and Midna began to approach, curious as to what action Zelda would commit next. They peeked over her shoulder, however all Link and Midna managed to catch a glimpse of was only the transparent quality of the water in Nayru's Basin, nothing more. All they could do at this point was rest their eyes on Zelda, as the Princess gradually closed her eyes once more, and began uttering a chant in ancient Hylian.
Midna nudged Link with her arm and, quietly so as not to disturb the Princess, whispered in Link's ear, "What is she saying? Can you understand her?"
Link shook his head at Midna and cupped his ear, indicating that he couldn't hear Zelda well enough to decipher what spell she was casting, if any at all. The Princess was now rotating her hand clockwise, rippling the surface of Nayru's Basin as the waves gently touched the crystal sides of the Weapon. Then gently, bit by bit, the water began to glow, its clearness giving way to a milky white to match the clouds in a summer sky. Eventually, the Princess took her hand out of the liquid, suspending her fingers over the mouth of the Basin, allowing the water to cling on to her pale skin before sinking back into the opening. As the Princess brought the Basin close to her chest, Link could not help but take note of the tear that was slowly making its way down Zelda's cheek, leaving a wet trail as the drop crept along the Princess' skin, turning each area it touched into a darker colour. The Hero followed the tear until it clung on to Zelda's chin, as though deciding whether or not to fall before gravity's force pulled the drop down into the Basin. It was as though a chemical reaction of some kind had occurred, and soon the milk white surface of the water shone steadily and steadfastly before quickly fading into its original state. Only then did Zelda open her eyes, serenity returning to her flushed cheeks as she faced her friends.
"Midna, we are able to follow your solution if you wish. Link, we really don't need to worry about not enough soldiers defending Hyrule at the moment," she told them, approaching Epona.
Link and Midna turned towards each other, both pondering as to what exactly Zelda had in mind as they observed the Princess mounting the Hero's horse. However, Midna rapidly punched Link in the shoulder before she leaped upon Zelda's steed, shooting him a grin.
"I told you so, yet you wouldn't listen," bragged the Twilight Princess, causing Zelda to let out a cheerful laugh.
Indignantly, Link puffed out his chest and strode towards Epona, grabbing at the reins. Climbing onto her back, Link turned to Midna one last time before digging his heels into Epona. "Unfortunately, I can't quite remember the last time you made a rightful decision, Midna."
It wasn't long before Midna was shouting at Link as the Hero made off with Zelda. "Perhaps you should dust off your memory, Hero, or perhaps you are getting a bit too old?"
At the end of every winter comes another spring, time after time, year after year, the pattern never changes. With each burst of sapling trees, the scent of new beginnings take over the entire land. The harsher the winter, the more every man, animal, and plant awaits the return of the spring winds, and the warmth and sense of shelter they carry with them. It is these sentiments that characterize not only spring, but also the budding presence of hope. And unbeknown to all except Zelda, the Princess had effectively planted the seeds of such a feeling in every corner of Hyrule with that mystical spell she had cast when she held Nayru's Basin.
Despite the summer morning, spring reached Zora's Domain for the second time in the year, albeit this second occurrence proved to be more symbolic and hypothetical in nature. An earsplitting crack broke the silence surrounding the Domain, as a deep gorge formed in the ice, first beginning as a simple chip in the ice, then ending as a deep drop that sliced through the water's hardened surface. At that instant, if one closed off all other senses besides their hearing, the sound of water splaying upon the ground would dominate their ears, as the icicles hanging off the branches of the many trees in the area shrank and let their bodies melt as the sun shone upon them. The ice sculptures within and without the water were no more, as the Zoras' hard shells gradually released their hold upon the entire clan, exposing their ears to the incessant gurgle of clean water as it invaded each and every crease in the ice.
High up on a nearby cliff, Ruto flexed her fingers, opposing the force the receding ice that still clung to her body exerted upon her. The mixture of warm air and frozen water caused her to shiver as the Zora Queen shed off the layer of cold that had previously surrounded her. With one last gasp, Ruto contracted her body and the last of the ice tumbled heavily off her scales. Exposed to the sun, Ruto inhaled deeply, enjoying every bit of the air that filled her lungs to their full capacity, opening her eyes to witness the outside world in a series of transformations. Below her, many of the Zora were now emerging from their previous prisons and looking about, their eyes blinking rapidly as each attempted to create a logical explanation for the past few hours. Satisfied that the Zora were now mobile, Ruto turned to face one of the Zora captains, who was in the act of adjusting to his now rapidly beating heart and, sternly, addressed him while fixating her gaze upon Hyrule Castle Town.
"A battle is being fought, captain. Mobilize your troops, for Hyrule cannot fall to Ganondorf."
"Yes, my Queen!" bellowed the captain with determination and still shivering, however a newfound fire had sprung to his eyes, combined with the anticipation and excitement of a battle.
Far into the Lost Woods, Zelda's magic crept between the majestic oaks and firs, or what remained of them, anyhow. A gentle breeze darted in and out among the charred bodies of what had initially been the giants of the forest, spontaneously cupping the ashes and cinders that had settled themselves upon the ground, acting as reminders of the most devastating fire in centuries. Wildlife no longer roamed without care, as the incineration of habitats drove birds high into the sky in a bid to seek shelter elsewhere, and other animals had simply abandoned their homes to escape the impending blaze. Following the wind and the handfuls of ash it lifted into the air, one would eventually have found that the breeze led them directly to an untouched enclave in the Woods composed of wooden huts, the entrances into which were marked by long ladders extending upwards. However, at that point in time it was useless to peer into the individual huts in order to meet the inhabitants. Rather, the Kokiri that had built and managed these abodes were gathered in a clearing at the center of their village, forming a gathering. In their midst was a girl by the name of Saria, whose green hair distinguished her from the rest of the children. On either side of her were two boys, one by the name of Mido who was caught in the middle of a heated argument with another boy around his size. The Sage of the Forest had planted herself in between the two in a bid to mediate their attack upon each other.
"Mido! You are going against everything the Great Deku Tree used to preach, and you call yourself the leader of the Kokiri?" criticized the unnamed Kokiri boy, pointing a finger at the slightly chubby frame of Mido.
"Well, there's a first for everything, isn't there? And the Great Deku Tree isn't here to protect us anymore, so we should protect ourselves!"
"So we should go and fight? This is a battle for everyone else in Hyrule, and we've never fought before so how do you expect us to all of the sudden become a little clan of fighting Kokiri?"
Mido took a step towards the youth, his face becoming as red as the hair upon his head, hidden underneath his green cap. "And this is the second time in recent years Ganondorf has tried to take over Hyrule, and we need to play our part in stopping him from ever coming back again!"
"Now, now," interrupted Saria gently, "Can we please have a formal, civilized discussion about this instead of yelling back and forth? I say we put this matter to a vote."
The second Kokiri boy faced Saria and made his plea, "Saria, we can't put it to a vote because Mido's solution really isn't realistic. Just because the rest of Hyrule is in turmoil doesn't mean we should just abandon everything we've ever believed in to participate in a certain cause."
"A certain noble cause," emphasized Mido, holding his head high.
"You power-hungry little twit," growled the boy.
Just when the situation looked as though it would deteriorate, a young Kokiri girl ran into the clearing, her blond hair streaming behind her and panting as she yelled to Saria. "Saria! Come quick! You must see this!"
With one last warning glance at the two boys, Saria broke into a sprint and followed the young girl as she ran into the Woods. Dodging and weaving in between trees, the green scenery of the Woods soon gave way to the incinerated part of it, and Saria felt a great sadness deep within her as she witnessed for herself what Ganondorf had caused. The ash stifled the air, rendering it thick with a sort of smog in which Saria found it hard to breathe, let alone run as the girl led her farther and farther away from the village. Just as she thought that she would collapse from fatigue, Saria halted as her friend pointed to a patch of land in the distance. "Look!" she beckoned Saria.
The Sage let out a gasp of wonder as she gazed out ahead of her and realized that something was working in their favour. Saplings of trees and the stems of flowers were breaking free of the cindered ground, soaking in the sun's energy with their leaves. Never before had Saria expected the Woods to recover so quickly from a devastating event, yet here it was happening before her very eyes. However, despite the beauty of the Woods' resurgence, a particular sapling in the center of it all caught Saria's eyes and seemed to call for her, urging the Sage to visit it as the tree made its entrance into the world. Obeying her instincts, Saria approached the tree as it grew, higher and higher, its branches lengthening, its trunk twisting. It wasn't long before leaves shot out of the tree's branches and hung low, some parts almost grazing the ground of the Woods. At that instant, Saria recognized the tree as a willow, a specimen that had never before made its way into the Woods. The sage marveled at the royal quality of the willow and watched admiringly as its trunk began to transform into a shade of white, and its leaves reflected the colours of emeralds. Undaunted, Saria continued to approach the tree before laying a hand against its bark. The Kokiri lifted her head to gaze at the sun, hiding from her in between the leaves of the willow, before gazing again at the trunk of the tree, which seemed to be speaking to her in a language only they could understand.
"Zelda," Saria muttered, "It's an omen from Zelda."
Not too far from the Lost Woods, two horses sped by, keeping a distance from a battle that had been raging for an entire evening and now went straight into the morning. Link and Zelda raced Epona out in front, while Midna manned Zelda's steed, keeping her friends in sight. Neither the Hero nor the Twilight Princess were aware of the magic Zelda had installed upon their allies, yet the Princess reassured them that soon, all would be well. In the meantime, Ganondorf awaited, and in turn the entire fate of Hyrule, waiting to be sealed.
