「34」An Eye For An Eye, And A Tooth For A Tooth
White foam built at the tip of the wave as it splashed on the shore, only to roll back into the ocean in an never-ending cycle. It flushed the immobile body, soaking the white skin and fair hair, leaving traces of salt and sand as it retracted. Seagulls cried out as they flew over the figure, or landed next to it to pick at shells or small crabs. Suddenly, the body stirred as it came back to life. Blue eyes cracked open, fingers dug into the warm sand. The seagulls shrieked and hurried to get away, their wings taking them back into the air.
Link moaned, coughed and spat water. His eyes felt drowsy and heavy, and every muscle in his entire body sore. He lifted himself up, realising that he was completely naked. When he stood, his eyes scanned the area. Under his feet, nothing but warm sand and the water of the sea that flushed them. In the distance, a jungle of trees, each one standing densely side by side, and the rocky formations of a volcano protruding from this forest. His left hand throbbed with pain and as he glanced at it, he was surprised to see the Triforce mark glow in an almost dazzling light. He shook his head. He had no idea where he was and what was going on. Hell, he did not even remember what happened to him before he opened his eyes on this beach.
He then saw a hut not far from where he was standing. He was ashamed that he had nothing to cover his nakedness but he needed to know where he was and why he was at this place. Maybe someone had the answer. His feet left wet traces in the white sand as he walked towards the hut. He knocked once, and when the door didn't open, he knocked again, this time firmer.
"Are you looking for me?" a voice behind him suddenly said.
He quickly turned around and looked into wise, blue eyes, blushing as he realised it was a woman. She was tall, about as tall as him, with long blue hair that framed her beautiful face. In fact, everything about her except her skin was blue, from her hair and eyes, to her long floating dress and sandals. Only the applications on the dress were golden, showing the Triforce over and over again.
She giggled as she looked him over. "Hero," she said in her soft, velvety voice, "you want to know where you are and why you are here."
It didn't sound like an assumption; it was a statement. Link nodded.
"You are on the island of the Goddesses, high above in the sky," she replied, "my name is Nayru. I am the Goddess of Wisdom."
Link's eyes widened considerably and he did not realise that he was bluntly staring at her until she laughed softly.
"Your body died," she answered the unspoken question. "Ganondorf killed you."
"Then why am I here?" he asked, his memories still way too much of a blur to understand what was really going on.
"Because you need to destroy him, once and for all. We are the ones who built Hyrule, and we are the ones who created the Triforce. Ganondorf is strong, yet he only has a small fraction of the power that we possess. Hero, we will give you the power you need to destroy him. With the help of the Sages and Queen Zelda, you must banish him from Hyrule once and for all. His body must be burned in holy fire, and Link, listen, you absolutely need to destroy the wheels that we left behind, so that no one can ever lay hands on it again. Do you understand me?"
Link pressed his palm against his forehead and closed his eyes for a moment, letting her words sink in.
"I understand," he replied.
"Very well," she said, a soft smile on her lips. "Hero, I will give you my blessings now. You need to go to my sisters and ask them for their blessings. One is inside the thick forest, the other on the top of the volcano. Once we bestowed our power on you, we will return you to Hyrule to put an end to Ganondorf's reign of terror."
She stepped closer to him, and gently wrapped her arms around his neck. He blushed at the body contact, and closed his eyes as he felt her cool lips on his. Energy suddenly flushed his whole being, chasing away the tiredness and soreness that he had been feeling only seconds ago. When she let go of him, he felt healed and strong. The Triforce mark on the back of his hand throbbed, the lower right fragment glowing stronger than the others.
"Go now, to the forest, to see my sister. Good luck, Link."
The sight of Nayru's waving hand faded away as he stepped into the dense forest, and the temperatures dropped, causing goosebumps to appear on his naked skin. Small branches and pebbles cut the soles of his feet but he didn't feel it. He didn't know where he was walking, yet it seemed as if a force was pulling him towards a destination, and he kept on walking, until he came to a clearing with a pond and a small bridge that led over the water. Water lilies floated on the pond's surface, and a few ducks were busy swimming or plunging their heads under water to catch some fish. Link walked around the pond until he reached the bridge, then followed it to a temple that lay beyond.
The temple was covered by moss and ivy, the weathered stone underneath barely visible. Link hesitantly pushed a twine of ivy that hung over the entry aside and took one step inside. It was even cooler inside, and smelled strongly like damp earth, fresh grass and dried herbs. It was also rather dark, and Link had to squint his eyes in order to see better. At the end of the hall, he saw a hunched figure fiddling about something.
"Hello?" he asked into the temple.
The figure straightened up and he heard a small "oh", then they hurried up to come closer. Link now realised that the second Goddess was much smaller than Nayru. She had keen green eyes, and even greener hair, that she had tied into a knot at the back of her head. Single strands fell wildly around her youthful face as she looked up to her hero and smiled brightly. Moss covered her torso and legs, and small vines were wrapped around her feet.
"I am Farore," she explained, "the Goddess of Courage. Link, you are the one who bears my fragment of the Triforce. And I shall grant you my power."
She wrapped her arms around his back and pressed her face into his ribcage, and Link couldn't help but think of her as a bubbly child; a stark contrast to her wise sister.
"You should go now," she said as she released him again, "but know one thing about my sister Din; she is very moody and fierce, and the fact that Ganondorf is the one who was gifted with her fragment makes her flustered. So choose your words wisely."
She winked at him, then pushed him out of the temple, laughing light-heartedly.
Link followed the path that led up the mountain and as soon as he left the forest, the temperatures began to rise, warming up bis cool body. It was a long march up the volcano, and when he made it to the top, he was sweating from the exercise and the heat the volcano provided.
"You are late," said a voice from above, and as he gazed up, he met the stern red eyes of the last Goddess. Din was everything her sisters were not; she was fierce and unfriendly, and while her sisters were pretty in a very innocent way, she was not. Link would have called her erotic and seductive if he had dared so, and the sight of her body that was barely hidden by her long, red hair made him wish he was actually wearing anything to cover his lower half. She left her throne and walked down the stairs until she was directly standing in front of him, and Link could feel the heat that her body emitted.
"So you are the one they call hero," she whispered into his ear as she leaned forward, her breasts making contact with his chest. He swallowed and tried to concentrate on anything but a seductive, naked Goddess pressing against his body, yet her presence was so overwhelming that it was futile. He felt himself grow hard and his face turned the colour of her hair. She gazed down at him and a smug grin formed on her face. Her hand slid down and stopped just below his navel.
"Tell me hero, do you desire me?" she whispered, and he could not deny it. The smile disappeared and she pushed him away from her, causing him to land hard on his butt.
"Don't you know that it is forbidden to desire a Goddess?" she asked as she knelt down, and then moved over to sit on him, making him groan in the process.
"You humans are all the same," she spat out, "your lust and the desire for power will be your downfall!"
Link squirmed underneath her, unable to find out whether he wanted to get away or not, but she was straddling his hips with her weight and easily held him down.
"But for now," she continued, "I shall not be too hard on you, for it is you who is destined to send that evil worm back to hell. I will bestow you with my power, hero, but if you fail to impress me, I will throw you in as well, right after Ganondorf, are we clear?"
Link nodded and swallowed heavily. Damn, that Goddess was frightening.
His body was still burning as he walked back to the shore to where he had awoken some time ago, and as he stepped into the sea, he was thankful for the cooling effect it had on him. In the near distance, he saw the light Din had spoken of; the portal that would bring him back to the living world. He peered into the light when he stood before it where the sea parted, but he saw nothing but dark silhouettes moving around. It was time for him to go, to leave this peaceful piece of heaven. Hyrule's fate rested on his shoulders. He closed his eyes as he made one step forward and fell into the deep void.
"Stay back," warned Sheik as the barrier that Ganondorf had built around him and the hero wavered and disappeared.
"Fools!" screamed Ganondorf, "you should have saved your lives when you had time to. I will crush you under my feet like ants. Feel my wrath!"
He growled as he reached out for the cupboard and ripped out a few vials which he emptied into his mouth. For a few seconds, he only stood still, then his body began to change. He grew at least thrice his size and fell onto his hands, his fingernails growing into sharp claws. His body stretched and bulky muscles appeared under thick black fur, his face morphing into that of a wild beast with the features of a boar, with huge fangs protruding from his muzzle.
"What on earth is that?" gasped Aveil as she stared at the hideous beast.
"Ganon," murmured Zelda as she reached out for her arrows.
The floor under his body felt cold and hard as Link opened his eyes, and he lifted himself up, strength now having returned to him. A second later, he was back on his knees. His body revolted, sickness flushing his system. He felt wobbly and nauseous, afraid to empty his stomach right there if he didn't manage to get his body back under control. Then he felt it; his body was beginning to change. A scream escaped his lips as he felt his spine stretching, his ribs breaking, his legs becoming shorter, and all eyes were now on him.
"Link," whispered Sheik unbelievingly, his eyes round like a plate.
Link's face then began to swell. His nose grew longer and wider, eyes and ears moved side- and upwards. His vision became blurry, but his other senses tripled. Suddenly, everything was so damn loud, he wanted to cover his ears, and the foul stench was overwhelming, making him want to vomit even more. His fingernails broke off and were replaced by sharp claws and golden fur covered his body and the three tails that were now growing out of his butt. Where the hero had been lying before, a huge golden wolf now stood, saliva dripping down his fangs.
The nausea wore off as soon as the transformation was finished, and his senses adjusted to the surrounding. A completely new sensation washed over him as he stood on all four paws, claws scratching the ground. He opened his muzzle and a deep growl left his throat. The other beast changed direction, and now sprinted towards his new opponent. The ground trembled under his enormous paws, and he was still a lot bigger in size than the wolf, but he failed to intimidate Link, for the hero felt invincible. He was a divine beast, with the blessing of the Three, and he was determined to finish Ganon off, no matter what. His body felt feather-light as he shifted his weight onto this hind legs and sprang forward. He felt the draught of air on his tails as they straightened to keep his body in perfect balance, the pads of his paws cushioning the impact of his weight on the ground as he ran.
Ganon roared and lowered his head to skewer Link, but the golden wolf elegantly dodged the attack, and buried its fangs into the beast's side. Ganon roared louder and tried to shake Link off, but the wolf held onto his body with his sharp claws and bit harder. In a new attempt to shake Link off, Ganon let himself fall to the side, hoping to crush the wolf underneath his weight, but the latter jumped away just in time. Ganon's body hit a nearby pillar and it broke into pieces.
"We better leave this to Link," said Sheik, grabbing Zelda's arm, "if we stay here, we might be buried under those bricks."
Zelda nodded. "Link has the blessings of the Goddesses now," she said, "he will be fine." She then turned her eyes away from the battle and they hurried to get out of the throne room.
Link was on Ganon again, leaving deep scratches where his claws held on, and he bit down hard on the vulnerable underside. Ganon roared and screamed out of pain, anger and frustration, and Link knew he had found his weak spot. Right there under his chest was an ugly scar, and it throbbed vividly. Ganon's claw struck Link and sent him against another pillar, but the wolf was back on his paws in a mere second, launching himself at the beast anew. Taking the advantage of his smaller height, he simply ran under Ganon and forced him to stop in his tracks, aiming at the scar now. However, this time Ganon was faster, and he dropped down and buried the wolf under his weight. Link instinctively rolled on his back and snapped and scratched at his belly, eventually ripping off the flesh that covered the scar. Blood dripped onto his muzzle and into his eyes but he didn't let go. Ganon had no choice but to roll away from him and Link freed himself, panting as he glared at his opponent. He knew when he saw fear in someone's eyes, and he saw it in the beast's golden ones. Fear and terror, and the knowledge that it would be over soon.
A glowing arrow then struck Ganon, and Link had to close his eyes as the light engulfed and paralysed the boar-like creature. Link's head twitched as he pointed his sharp eyes towards the queen who had shot the arrow.
"Now," she screamed, "Link, deliver the final blow!"
Link growled. How dared she to interfere. This was his battle and he did not need the help of a human. With his head ducked low and fangs bared, he walked over to the small group of people standing at the entry of the throne room, growling threateningly.
"Zelda," gasped Aveil, staring at the golden wolf whose fur was covered in dark blood, "I don't think he is happy now."
"Link!" she screamed, "come back to your senses! It is us!"
"Get away now," said Sheik calmly, "we mustn't interfere. I would not count on his human half to recognise us now."
He slowly backed down, dragging Zelda along, hoping to act as calm as he could to not enrage the divine beast any further. Link stopped and watched them go, then turned back around to finish his fight, and to send Ganon back to hell. Blood splattered as he dug his fangs deeper into the execution wound that had never fully healed. The paralysed Ganon screamed out, then his body began to shrink and soon he was nothing more than a bleeding, naked human lying helplessly on the floor. At the same time, Link felt himself change both mentally and physically. The overwhelming feeling of power now slowly ebbed away and was replaced by feelings of fear and horror. He sank to his knees as the fur disappeared and he regained his human form, staring at his hands.
Take the Master Sword and plunge it into his wound, he heard Nayru's soft voice in his head, and he did as he was told, and walked over to where he had dropped the blade earlier. As he picked it up, he felt like himself again. His hand trembled as he stood over Ganondorf and pointed the blade at his wound. Whereas he had felt the lust for destruction moments ago, he now was horrified to plunge his weapon into this man who lay dying before his feet, but he knew he had no choice, and he remembered all the pain and terror that he had brought to his friends and his land. He closed his eyes and stabbed out.
"Sages, light spirits, now!" Zelda clasped her hands and sent her prayers to the heaven. A light surrounded her and out of it stepped the five remaining sages; a young girl dressed in green, a sturdy Goron, a tall Sheikah woman and a Gerudo warrior, and they walked towards the dying Gerudo king and built a circle around him. Sheik ran up to Link who was still standing before him, trembling and exhausted, and he pulled his naked body into his arms and held him tight as the sages started to chant.
"It's over now," he whispered, "it's all over." He then took off his cape and tightened it around the hero's shoulder. Together they walked out of the throne room and let the sages finish their work of banishment. Zelda ran towards them and threw her arms around Link, sobbing into his hair.
For the first time after weeks, Link was able to sleep in a real bed, without the cold that crept under his skin and into his bones. He was exhausted, both mentally and physically, and all he wanted was sleep. Zelda was worried when he did not wake up for three days in a row, but Sheik calmed her down and assured her that her hero was alright, and that he only needed a lot of rest after everything that had happened. The castle once again was under the queen's reign, and the dungeons were soon jammed with traitors of Hyrule and the men from across the borders. Zelda had the rest of the surviving minions executed, and was working hard to re-establish some order in all that chaos that Ganondorf had evoked. When she learned that it was Barzin who had assassinated her father, she personally accompanied him to his cell, making sure he'd arrive where he belonged. She had wanted to have him executed as well, but Aveil had advised her to lock him away for enough blood had been spilled in the war. Zelda had stared at the young Gerudo with hatred in her eyes, but Barzin's face had been like a mask, neither showing guilt, nor remorse or pain. He hadn't even tried to struggle. It enraged the queen so much that she had wanted to slap him in the face, but she hadn't.
Men and women from every region of the country then assembled in Castle Town, helping to rebuild what had been broken and tainted, burning or burying the corpses of the men that had lost their lives while freeing Hyrule, and many ceremonies were held to mourn and commemorate them.
Two weeks after the defeat of Ganondorf, Link was sitting on the windowsill of his room, staring outside into the snow. He knew that it wasn't over yet, that he still had one last task left, and he was ready to fulfil it as soon as possible, for he was fed up with doing nothing all day long. He had not had the chance yet to talk to Zelda much, as she was busy re-establishing her rights as a queen, and trying to put everything that had fallen into chaos back to order. He would help the people doing errands or small businesses whenever he was allowed to, but most people looked up to him as if he was the king, and they would not have him do minor works. He needed to distract himself. More than any other events that had taken part in his life so far, the encounter with the Goddesses had deeply shaped him, and he couldn't help but think of the fact that he had actually died. It had changed him in many ways, and not all were good. Sheik was there, but he no longer sought his company as before, and although he knew it was unfair, he couldn't pull himself together. More and more, he wanted to be alone, to have time for himself, to come to terms with his life as it was now. It was on that same day, then, that he decided to leave Castle Town, and ride to the desert one last time. Determined, he got up from the sill and started to pack his bags.
A/N: I am happy to see that I finished this chapter way earlier than expected and I really hope you like it.
So, Link actually died, but his soul was lifted to heaven (I'd somehow imagine that the Goddesses would live on some kind of island in the sky, so that's why he is on this damn island) I always imagined Nayru to be calm and soft, Farore bubbly and energetic, and Din fierce and dangerous. As to how Din eventually transmitted her power to Link, I leave that up to your imagination. All I can say is, it has impressed him deeply!
I decided to make Link the golden wolf this time, with three tails; each for one of the Goddesses, for it is through their divine power that he transforms. And it is also the same power that makes it so easy for him to finally kill Ganon. (Poor thing, I have always liked Ganondorf...)
Ah well, the next chapter will probably be the last chapter (unless some new idea pops up) and Link will ride to the desert once again. I have been replaying Twilight Princess lately, and the awesomeness of the Arbiter's Grounds never cease to amaze me!
Enough talk, thank you my dear readers, and please review. :3