They rode into town and Malon gasped, not out of surprise, she had already seen the devastation of the town. She had gasped because She suddenly felt a tight pain low in her pelvis. Zelda and Impa turned in their horses and looked at her. "Should you be going any further?" The princess raised an eyebrow.
"I'm fine." Malon existed. The pain was gone as quickly as it had come. Minutes later, they were outside the door to the Temple of Time and had just dismounted when Malon felt it again. "Ohhhh." She groaned. Impa propped her up and helped her walk into the temple. The pain was gone again just as it had left last time.
"My Lady, she's going into labor." Impa said, straightforwardly.
"Not now!" Malon said, panicking.
"We don't have time for this!" Zelda said impatiently and she marched deeper into the temple, Impa supporting Malon behind them.
"We cannot leave her alone." Impa protested.
"Then bring her to the chamber of sages with us." Zelda said. She held up her right hand and the triangle on the back shown with a golden light. They were surrounded by light as it got more intense and Malon felt a rush of wind swirl around her as they were all transported to a serene and beautiful room.
The strange group around her included a Kokiri child, a Zora woman, a Gerudo, a Goron, Impa, the Princess, and a rather large, wise looking man. "It's time." Zelda said to everyone in the room but Malon. "I know this isn't the way any of us planned for this to happen."
"That's what you said when the hero was killed." The Zora woman crossed her arms.
"That's what Impa said you would say when you were defeated by those witches." The Kokiri girl said.
"I know." Zelda pressed her fingers against her temple. She looked very tired. "But we're at the end now. All of us are finally gathered together and we can seal away Ganondorf once and for all."
"We don't even have the Master Sword." The Goron pointed out. "What's your plan for sealing away that wicked king without it?"
"Look" Zelda pointed to one of the many fountains in the room and an image shimmered to life before them of Ganondorf in his throne room. Two pieces of the Triforce were mounted above the throne the Dark King was lounging in. Hanging in its scabbard from the right arm of his throne was the Master Sword. Sitting in a smaller chair to his right was Link. He looked frail and sickly, his complexion had paled like the ink of an aged book left in the sun. Malon gasped at the sight of him as another round of contractions made her wince. "His vanity is without limits and he keeps his trophies close to him. He will be his own downfall. All I need you to do is help me get into the throne room and I will take the sword myself."
"And if you fail again?" The Zora asked indignantly.
"Will we not try for fear of failure? Let us lock ourselves away in this chamber for eternity and let him ravage Hyrule and spread his fear across the world? You think this chamber will be safe forever? How long can we keep the beasts that have destroyed the Sacred Realm itself at bay? Or perhaps we should wait for the Goddesses to finally awaken and take pity on us. They have been silent these seven long years and our prayers have fallen on deaf ears." Zelda had the attention of the room and Malon saw a bemused smile play across Impa's stern face in some hint of motherly pride. Zelda continued, "Our time to act is now, and if I fail I will die saying that I fought to the end instead of hiding away like a coward! I only ask that you believe in me one last time."
The large old man stepped forward first. "I will be with you." He placed a hand on her shoulder.
"For the injustices my people faced at his hands, you have me, brother." The Goron said.
This appeared to stir something in the Zora and she stepped forward, "Count on me!"
"And me!" Said the small girl.
"It's personal for me." The Gerudo said.
"Impa?" Zelda looked to her mentor.
Impa smiled warmly. "You couldn't make me more proud of you than now." She answered happily.
The history this group had with each other was lost on Malon. She felt like an invisible watcher, an intruder. Suddenly another contraction wracked her body and she cried out. The group turned their attention to her. "I will go now. You all keep an eye on things from the inside." She pointed to the Zora and Impa. "Do keep an eye on that Hylian girl please? I've grown a bit attached to her." She stood in the center of the chamber and there was a flash of bright light. When it faded, Sheik was standing in the middle of the room. He bowed politely to the group and vanished in a ring of blue light.
"Aren't any of you going with her?" Malon asked, he voice strained by the pain.
"Our duties are here." The large man answered. He waved his hand over another fountain and the group was watching Sheik make his way into the castle.
"You needn't concern yourself with that." The Zora told her, "You've got your own labor to do."
Malon nodded and the Kokiri girl knelt by her brow, dabbing her brow with a cloth damp with the water from the fountain. Impa knelt between Malon's legs and observed her progress. "You're coming along just fine. You can be ready to push with your next contractions." She told Malon. The Zora was sat beside her and Malon gripped her webbed hand tightly when her next contractions started.
"You see my son, soon we will have the third piece of the Triforce, Zelda is generously bringing it our way now." His creator was in a gleeful mood, "And then I shall have this world and the Sacred Realm in my hands." he closed his hands together as if gripping something invisible and smiled widely. "And you will sit on my right, forever."
Zelda was coking here? What could she be thinking? He had to think fast, had to formulate a way to help her when the time came. If she failed his creator would have the Triforce reassembled and it would be all over. He looked at the Master Sword beside him without trying to betray his thoughts. No, he was still to weak to lift it himself, let alone take more than a few steps without leaning against a support. When Zelda came he would have to find a way to get it to her. He was under no illusion that his creator would kill him instantly if he failed, or even if he succeeded. "Malon" The name echoed in his head and he closed his eyes. He could feel warm sunlight on his face and it didn't burn him, tall, cool grass swaying all around him with the soft breeze, a song in the distance from a sweet voice. He breathed in the sweet, fresh air and it didn't feel like the stagnant air of the throne room. He wasn't afraid to die to make that world a reality for her again.
"My son?" His creator was looking at him now.
"I was imagining the world you would create, master." He answered, "It is a wonderful place."
His creator smiled and stroked his head like a hunter rewarding his favorite dog. "In good time my son. In good time."
The shadow meanwhile was scanning the room, trying to formulate a plan, but for the moment he felt helpless.
