Prologue ( where we left off)



Ganondorf was furious with himself. He had ben using the crystal the Sorceress gave him the whole time and had forgotten about the sword. He quickly ran to his bag and puled out the sword. He held it up, but nothing happened. He concentrated, but still nothing happened. Jim asked if he could try. Ganondorf did not see any reason why not so he gave the sword to Jim. At first nothing happened. Jim disappointed was going to give it back, when the sword started to vibrate in his hands. Jim almost dropped it he was so shocked. Then he and Ganondorf noticed the sword beginning to glow. At first it was faint and almost unnoticeable. Then all at once it blasted a brilliant white light that covered the whole land. Ganondorf and Jim had to shield their eyes it was so bright. When they came accustomed to the light they looked around. There right before them, covering as far as the eye could se both up and down and along the horizon was the palace of the Evil thing. They knew that they had passed that way once or twice. How had they not bumped into it they didn't know. In fact as they looked around, the land in which they were was no bigger then that of a small meadow. Had they been walking in total circles this whole time. Then it hit Ganondorf. This sword revels the truth. It breaks all illusions or falsehood. The truth was that they were in a space no bigger then a meadow, the falsehood came from them thinking it was bigger because they could not see. The crystal, while although another instrument that deals with truth, was made to contain, not revel. With the truth obscured they passed though the land over and over again. They had not been going tin circle, they had been going in the same direction for weeks. Only now that they could see the truth would they finally get to the palace of the Evil thing. Ganondorf awoke the rest of the group and they all set off for the palace with renewed courage and faith. Soon this would all be over...one way or another.



Chapter 25





Link found it more and more difficult to breathe. He didn't know why. The ropes that had tied him to the chair had been taken away days ago. He had been free to roam his room for some time now. There was nothing restrictive about his surroundings. Every creature comfort was in place for him. There was a guard outside his door. The guard was there not as a protective measure, but sort of as a butler. If Link said he was hungry, the guard got him food. Thirsty, he got the finest wine he could remember. He was living in luxury, but despite all these things he ate very little and slept even less. He spent most of his time crying or mopping around. He was in a daze, he didn't care about anyone or anything. There were moments when he felt so overwhelmed that he couldn't sit still, followed by moments when he could not stand up even if he wanted to. Link knew he was tipping on the edge of insanity, but he didn't care. His life meant nothing to him anymore. Living was the torture now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Miko entered the room of his master after being summoned.

" You wish to speak to me master?"

" Yes. The band of warriors have learned of a way past my outer defense. They are currently on tier way to the palace. When they arrive you and your men may begin to attack them. You will be defeated very easily, but do not worry. I have Link right where I wish him to be. Your job is to delay the advance of the group until I can put Link into the picture. Do you understand?"

" Yes my master."

" I will monitor your progress. Kill as many as you can, but don't allow yourself to be killed. I may have use for you sometime later."

Miko nodded, bowed and left the room. As he got out into the main chamber and headed to the barracks he thought to himself sarcastically, " It is so reassuring that he may need me sometime later." Miko picked up the pace and ran in the direction of the barracks.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Ganondorf and the group walked towards the Palace, all were astounded by the sheer size of it all. IF you looked up you saw no end in sight. As you looked sideways, you saw no end on either direction.

" This thing goes on forever. How are we ever going to find Link in all this?" Kid commented.

Ganondorf agreed. There was no way they were going to find Link. Even if all of them searched their whole lives, they still may never find him. There had to be a way to find him. Ganondorf was contemplating that fact when Impa called the attention of everyone to something she had found.

"What is it" Jim asked.

" Well it may be nothing, but I was standing here and I kicked a rock that I had stubbed my toe on. The rock flew at the palace. However, instead of hitting the wall, it passed right through."

" Show me where it went in." Ganondorf demanded walking towards the wall. Impa took at few second to re think where the rock flew into. Once she was sure she found the spot, Ganondorf picked up a rock and threw it at that part of the wall. To his astonishment it too went through. Ganondorf tried to put his arm though, but it was blocked. "Curious", Mason commented. " It seems to me that inanimate objects pass though with ease, but flesh does not." Everyone looked at Mason in astonishment. That was one of the first things he had said that was not a whimper, or a whine, or a rant all trip. Jim in response to the suggestion nocked a arrow and fired it into the area. As Mason had said, the inanimate object went through.

" So how do we get ourselves in there" Zelda inquired.

" I do not know" replied Jim.

" Maybe I can get in there." suggested Kid.

" We just said that no flesh can enter" Jim replied.

" I am not flesh, remember. Us Gorons are made up of rocks and minerals. Maybe I can get in and see if there is a lever or something that will allow us to go in."

" He's right" exclaimed Ganondorf. " Gorons are made up of rocks and stuff. Kid should be able to pass though. Try it."

Kid nodded and to everyone's amazement he passed right though and back out.

" See I told you. Now if I can find a switch on the inside..." Kid started to say.

" Wait, I have something even better." Ganondorf shouted. He said some words and a instant later the entire party had been turned into Gorons. Everyone stood there and admired their new looks and made fun of a few of them who looked funny as Gorons. One by one they entered the Place and afer they were all in Ganondorf tuned them all back to their original selves.

Now then, I suggest we split up into two groups and look for Link. Jim you go with Zelda Malon and Mason, I will go with Impa and Kid. When one of finds him we can contact each other with this whistle. I have made it magicly enhanced so only members of our party will hear it. Once it is blown a small greenish orb will seek out and find the other whistle and lead the half of the group to wherever he is. Are we all clear? If you find him but run into heavy resistance...don't try and fight them yourselves..get there est of the group. Now then you guys to that way, we will go this way."

Everyone took off in their own directions.

" I hope we are not too late" Ganondorf thought to himself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Miko looked into the mirror that showed though magic where the intruders were. He watched as they split up. He send half of his garrison to follow one group and half to the other. He accompanied the group that the warrior Jim lead. He had heard members of his men speak of this Jim, they said he rivaled even the great Link. This he would have to see for himself. As they traversed the palace, Miko's adrenaline was rushing. He had not tasted battle in a long time and he would now have the chance to do what he had spent most of his life preparing for, end the world as he knew it. He knew that one way or another this will all end tonight. As his group turned the corner they came face to face with the group lead by Jim. Neither side moved for a long time. Both sides were waiting for the other to make a move. Finally Jim pulled two swords out, one in each hand. The rest of his party drew weapons also. Zelda had a short sword, Malon had a bastard sword and Mason had a hunters bow. Miko ordered his group to draw weapons also. There was a moment of hesitation and then like a thunderous stamped Miko and his men advanced on the four warriors come to stop them. He saw Jim yell something to his group and then they too rushed in. Miko smiled to himself.

" There is no way they will survive this. They are outnumbered 100 to 1." Miko hung back and waited for the inevitable. Just then there was a blinding flash and when everyone eyes had cleared, Jim and his group were gone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jim, Zelda, Malon and Mason had been running one way for a half hour now. There legs were beginning to hurt and it looked like there was no end to this hallway in sight. Jim was in the lead trying to push the others to go a bit more. Finally he called a stop to rest. He gave some water to them to drink. They were just about to get under way again, when they heard the sound of thunder. It was very loud and seemed to surround them.

" That's odd" Zelda commented. " Do you guys hear thunder?"

They all said they did. Jim didn't understand it. There was no wind or anything outside. In fact when the sword reveled the lay of the land, there was no sky to speak of. So how could there be thunder?

" It sound like it is coming from inside" Mason said.

Just then it hit Jim. It was not thunder, but the sound of hundreds of men coming their way. Jim jumped up and tried to listen to where they were coming from. Just then a large group of guards came out of one of the walls and stopped right in front of them. Jim thought about turning and running away, but they would never outrun them. He tried to think of anyway out of this. Thinking of none he did the only thing he could think of. He drew both his swords and prepared to fight. TO his astonishment Zelda, Malon and Mason did the same. He watched as three hundred men by his estimation drew their weapons. Jim turned back to the others.

" On my signal cover your eyes. Don't ask why just trust me."

Jim slipped a small vile out of his sleeve and waited for the guards to attack. Once they did he waited for them to get as close as possible and then yelled "NOW." Zelda, Malon and Mason and him closed their eyes as he threw the vile. It exploded in a blinding white light. A second later they opened their eyes and Jim ran though one of the walls. Zelda, Malon and Mason stood there for a second looking in disbelief. They shrugged their shoulders and followed him. Once on the other side Jim ran once again. He yelled back to them.

" Just as I though, the walls are not solid all the way though. If any of you know of a way to see openings that are invisible to the naked eye, I would like to hear it."

" I think I might have just the thing." Mason said.

He stopped and pulled a exact duplicate of the lens of truth out of his backpack.

" It is a magnifying glass that can see past illusions. I forgot that I had it until just now. We should be able to see when one of these walls is a fake with this."

He handed it to Jim who looked though it. Jim looked all around and handed it back to him.

" I think it is broken. I see nothing with it."

" Let me give it a shot" Zelda said taking the lens.

She looked though it and it started to glow.

" Just as I thought" She said. " You must posses magic for it to work. I will lead us then. When I spot one I will call it out. You then tell me if I should turn or not Jim. Ok?"

" Sound good to me" he said.

So the four of them took off once more with Zelda in the lead, Jim right behind her Mason behind him and Malon in the rear. Jim thought to himself. " I hope Ganondorf and the others are having better luck."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

" I don't think we can hold out much longer" Impa exclaimed.

It had been a few minutes now sense Ganondorf and his party were attacked by some three hundred or so guards. Impa and Ganondorf had held them off this long and even Kid was doing well, but there was just too many of them. Ganondorf let loose and giant fire ball that took out a dozen or so. He was getting weaker by the minute. He was powerful enough, but all the magic he was expending was taking its toll. He needed to rest. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Kid curl up into a ball.

"Oh great" he thought to himself. " Now the Kid is giving up."

To his astonishment however Kid started to rotate in a circle until he was as hot as a cinder. The then took off taking out a few dozen or so guards. " Well I'll be" Ganondorf exclaimed. Seeing Kid's heroic effort gave Ganondorf and Impa renewed strength. Ganondorf let loose a fire ball so big it incinerated more then half of the remaining army. Impa took out guard after guard with vicious ferocity. Kid who was now attacking the guards from behind was not doing too shabby himself. "By the Gods" Ganondorf said to himself. " I think we can actually win". The three of them fought for several more minutes until all of the guards were dead or severely wounded. The three of them stood there panting and sweating form exhaustion. It had taken them almost an hour, but they won. Ganondorf collapsed in on himself, no longer able to stand and Impa and Kid did the same. They were sitting for only a few moments when to they heard the sound of thunder. Could more men be coming? They got up and tried to prepare themselves for battle when out of the air three men and women appeared. A human male, a Male Goron and a female Zora. Ganondorf and his group jumped back and drew their swords. The new arrivals seeing them with their weapons drawn did the same. They stood there for several minutes, neither side moving. Finally the woman who appeared addressed Ganondorf.

" Who are you?"

" I could ask you the same question Zora" he retorted.

" Very well I am Ryoko, princess of the Zora's and daughter to the queen. I have been sent by my mother to aid in the quest of Link and his companions. The other two gentlemen are, The Goron Darunia, son of the warrior Darunia and the human gentleman is Kafei, who once was helped by Link himself. We came here on the request of Link and summoned by Jim, our lands greatest warrior."

" How did you get here and why did you appear out of thin air."

" Well it's a long story."

" We have got some time, go ahead."

" Well, all of us had gathered in clock town after word had spread to our lands that our savior Link need some help. So some of us like Kafei came out themselves, while myself and Darunia here came by the bidding of our parents. We left Clock town when a message arrived from a Deku shrub saying to meet Jim and the rest at the Deku Palace. On the way there we were joined by a girl from Ikana valley that would not give her name and a fairy from your land called Navi. When we arrived at the Deku palace we learned that you had all taken off to find the lair of the Sorceress. We decided to wait like asked. After a few weeks we decided as a group to leave and try and find you. The Deku princess came along with us. On our way to the lair we were visited by a great Fairy. She told us that you were already in the palace we sought and she said she would transport us to where you were. That is when we showed up here before you. I don't know where the rest of our group is, and by the way where is Link and Jim?"

" Jim is with the rest of our party, which is where I assume the rest of your party went. Link, well Link is another story."

They all heard shouts and footsteps far off.

" We need to move, I have no idea how many more are in here. I will tell you what happened to all of us as we go."

So Ganondorf, Impa and Kid took off once again in search of Link with their new found companions by their side.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Link was huddled in a corner when the door to his room opened. Link didn't even look up. He had no will to do anything anymore. He could hear footsteps coming his way, but they sounded distant and far off.

" Liiiiiinnnkkk....Wake up Link. I wish to speak to you."

Link tried to lift his head and see who was addressing him. As he opened his eyes, he noticed that nothing was in focus. He tried to look at the thing that was talking to him but he could not see that far.

" Do you know who I am" It said to him.

Link nodded his head that he didn't.

" I am the man who has come to end your suffering. I know how hard it must be for you to live day after day like this. I know you wish death. You embrace the end. I am here to give that to you. DO you desire that? Do you wish to die."

It took a lot of effort but Link nodded his head that he did.

" Very good. Now I will do that for you, but you must do something for me. There are people here who are killing my men. We have done nothing to deserve this. They have attacked us without provocation. What is worse they are masquerading like the heros who valiantly died by the hands of the evil creature that created these clones. If you kill them for me, I will release you from this endless torture so you can be reunited with your loved ones and your friends. Will you kill them for me."

Link stood up and faced this man.

" Yes I will" he said.

" Good. Then take this sword and drink this liquid, it will give you your strength back."

Link did as he was told and he did in fact feel better.

" GO now and kill those imposters. Do it for your friends. DO it for your peace of mind, moreover do it for yourself."

Link nodded and set out to find and kill the men and woman who would set him free.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As he watched Link leave the room he laughed out loud. The fool had taken the bait. He looked at the bottle that contained the liquid.

" he even drank the potion. He will no longer be able to tell what it real and what is not. Now everything to him seems like a dream, far off and distant. He will surely kill his companions."

He walked out of the room in search of Miko. Soon he would no longer need that pathetic creature. He smiled to himself. " I will enjoy watching him die."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After Jim and Navi had filled each other in on what had happened to each of them, they set off once again to find Link. They had seen nothing of the guards that they came across hours before. They were beginning to think that they had lost them when Zelda called a halt.

" I see a large group of men coming this way thought that wall. She said.

The group headed back the way they came.

" No good" she said. " There are more that way too."

" Well It looks like we have no choice but to stay and fight" Jim said.

Jim drew his two swords and stood ready. The rest did the same.

" Ok here is the plan, we stand with our back to each other. No one moves unless the whole group moves. Got it?"

Everyone nodded that they did. The two groups of guards came out of the walls about forty feet in front of them on both sides. Jim knew this did not look good. He could take out a few dozen or so on his own, and Zelda could take out maybe as much. He knew that Malon was almost as adept with a sword as Link was. He didn't know how much the woman who was always silent or the Deku princes could do. HE knew that the fairy was good only as a scout and to help with range attacks. Mason was completely useless in a fight, he knew that. The two sides drew their weapons and moved forward slowly and deliberately. Jim was bracing for the fight when he heard Navi in his ear.

" When I yell now, cover your ears."

" How can I do that when I am holding weapons?"

" You will have to drop them"

" NO way.. I am not going to be unarmed when they attack"

" Just do it, trust me"

Jim didn't like the idea but he would give it a shot. He saw Navi go to all the others as well. When the guards were almost on top of them they all heard Navi yell now. They all dropped their weapons and covered their ears. Then to their utter amazement all the guards stopped dead in their tracks. Jim let go of his ears in looked around in astonishment. Then he heard the girl who had not spoken up to this point yell out.

" Quickly, pick up your weapons and kill them. The effect does not last long."

Jim needed no further prodding. He quickly picked up his sword and hacked and slashed hundreds of guards. Zelda, Malon and the girl did the same. After a few minutes the rest of the guards started to wake up, but they were easily dispatched. After it was all over Jim came over to Navi and the girl.

" Ok, will someone please tell me what just happened?"

" Maybe it will be simpler to tell you who I am." the girl said. "I am the daughter of a scientist who was experimenting with a mask that would be able to talk to redead's. After many long months he had completed it. However when he put it on, he became a redead himself. I was fearful of him and locked him in the closet in the basement. Then one day a mysterious young boy came and released him from the curse of the mask. He left soon after. Many years later I found out who that boy was, it was Link. A few years after that my father died. Well one day I was looking through his old lab notes and came across his research on the redeads. In his notes he had written down the exact pitch the redeads used to freeze their enemies. I soon became obsessed with creating a devise that could produce the same pitch. After many years of experiments and research I created a small devise that could produce the same pitch at a higher volume. It had a longer effect. The problem was, that it had to be swallowed and it takes three days to ingest and work. The moment someone who had taken the devise opens their mouth, they produce the pitch. Used once it is ineffective. Then it takes three days again for another to work. When I herd that Link was back and looking for help, I quickly swallowed one of the devises in case of emergency and headed to clock town. The reason I have not spoken was because if opened my mouth, the devise would go off and It would take three days again to get it back. So I just remained silent. When I came across Navi I found I could communicate with him telepathically. So I told him who I was and why I didn't speak. When we were trapped just now I told him to tell all of you to cover your ears."

Jim was satisfied with her explanation. He suggested that they move on. Everyone agreed and they stared to head in the direction they were originally heading when out of no where Miko popped up. He lunged at Jim who was taken by surprise. Jim quickly stepped out of the way on as Miko passed him, he buried his sword right into Miko belly. Miko let out a faint gasp of air and then fell on the ground dead.

" So this is the great Miko huh? I expected more out of him. In fact that was kind of disappointing." Jim said as he wiped the blood off his blade. He put it back into his sheath and started to move again. After a few moments he could hear insane laughing coming from behind him. The entire party turned around and saw what no one could believe. HE was ALIVE...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the blade went though his belly a thought ran though Mikos mind.

" I can't believe lost. I am not supposed to lose. My master is the most powerful thing in the universe."

Miko hit the ground hard. Al went black. He saw himself floating in mid air above his body. His foes were walking away. Just then his master came to him.

" Get up. Get up and destroy them. How dare they kill my servants. I will give your powers beyond your wildest imaginations. Now arise and kill them."

Miko felt himself being pulled into his body and when he awoke, he felt very powerful indeed. Now he would make them pay.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jim could not believe it. He was sure he had killed him. Jim drew his sword one more and charged at Miko, but instead of hitting him again he was knocked backwards by a huge ball of fire that came from Miko. Jim hit the wall hard and went unconscious. Everyone was taken by surprise. How could this be, he had gotten up and now he was stronger. Miko let loose another fire ball and all braced for impact. When it did not come they all looked up to see Mason standing there holding back the ball with one of his hands. Then to everyone amazement he threw it back at Miko, who dodged it.

" Get Jim out of here and find Link quickly. I will handle Miko" He said.

No one moved for a moment and then Mason yelled once more.

" LEAVE NOW!!!"

Everyone ran down the hall with Zelda and the Girl carrying Jim. When they were gone Mason turned to Miko and gave a sly smile.

" I see you are surprised. That is good, then I was careful in hiding who I really am. I have known of your dark desires for years now, and now I am going to stop you, once and for all."

With that Mason let loose a magical blast that knocked Miko back fifty feet. Miko got up a bit dazed but none for the ware. " Good" he thought to himself. " Finally a challenge."

The two Zoras stood there and prepared for a battle long sense coming.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ganondorf and his group had been running for hours now without running into one false wall. IT wasn't that they weren't looking, it was that there were none. Ganondorf finally called a rest. And everyone collapsed with exhaustion. This was getting ridiculous Ganondorf thought. "There has to be a turn somewhere around here. Ganondorf searched for the next false wall with his magic and found one a few hundred feet in front of them. He was relived to find one and started to get everyone up when he sensed something else. There was someone coming their way from the other side of the wall. Ganondorf told the rest and they got ready. After a few moments they were very happy and relived to see Link walk out from the wall. Everyone yelled out of glee and Impa even ran towards him. Ganondorf put his sword away and smiled. He had found him, safe and in tact. Now they could stop the evil thing together.

Ganondorf started to walk towards Link. What he saw next shocked him to his core. What he saw was this. As Impa got a few feet in front of Link she threw her sword down to hug him when Link raised a sword and cut her right across the chest. She gasped and fell to the ground in utter disbelief. Everyone stopped dead in their tracks. Ganondorf watched as Link cut down Kid and Darunia. Ganondorf didn't know what to think of this. Could this be a clone? No it was Link, he was sure of it. Why was he killing his friends. Ganondorf didn't know but he didn't wait to find out. He took the rest of the group and ran back the way they came. As they started to run, more guards appeared in front of them. They were trapped. Now they had to make a choice. Try to fight past the hundreds of guards, or face Link who as obviously under some kind of spell. Ganondorf didn't like the looks of this. He drew his sword and did the only thing he could think of...find a way past Link.