Ganondorf let out another chilling laugh that echoed throughout the empty hall.
"What is this little waif of a thing?" He chuckled, looking toward Link. "Some secret weapon meant to stop me? Is this thing one of yours, Link?" He laughed again. When he looked back at the girl and examined her a second time, he did notice the muddled Gerudo features in her face, but at this stage it bothered him little. Still the form of the young woman did not waver, but stood as placidly as ever. All of the sages were stone silent. She had come, from out of nowhere she had appeared in their time of need…she did mean something to their cause, but what? Link could not tear his eyes from her; she looked so lost and beautiful at the same time.
"She's here…but, how?" Ruto whispered.
"Why? What can she do, she is mortal, and she has no magic! She'll be killed!" Exclaimed Zelda.
But the girl did not heed them at all and now, and much to Link's horror she turned her vacant stare on Ganondorf. Ganondorf, meanwhile, found this outlandish female creature extremely amusing indeed, and allowed her to approach him. What was a few moments diversion when the victory was already his?
"Ah, such a pretty little thing…I could break you so easily," the threatening man cooed disgustingly and approached her at a stalk with darkness in his intent.
"No!" Link shouted, grappling over the rubble of the temple, but he could not get to her in time. The sages wanted to take action but found themselves too stunned by the girl's presence to move. They did not need to. As Ganondorf reached out and grabbed the young woman, there was a great searing noise followed by the fallen king's shout of agony. Ganondorf clutched his hand, which was smoking and blistered, to his chest and when he came to, threw the girl over with a blast of dark energy.
Time slowed as her body flew across the ground, landing a dozen or so feet away. Ganondorf was seething through his teeth, still clutching his right hand vainly. His shoulders slumped and great beads of sweat hung on his sloping brow as well. Link watched in terror, as Loraefin's form did not stir right away, but lay still against the stones.
"Bitch! What did you do to me?" Ganondorf yelled. "I'll tear you apart!"
The vessel rose and those vacant, cloudy eyes continued to stare. Ganondorf was upon her in the blink of an eye and his huge, monstrous hand shot to her neck. Again the flesh burnt and hissed, but Ganondorf did not care and ignored the tremendous amounts of pain seizing through his hand and climbing up his arm. By this time Link had traveled the distance to his friend's aid, also ignoring his own wounds inflicted from the battle though they were many. It was Darunia who came upon him from behind and seized him with his overpowering arms. Link struggled fiercely, but the Fire Sage would not let go.
"No Link! This is surely the will of the Goddesses! We must not interfere!" Darunia whispered harshly into Link's ear, his sight never leaving the horrible scene before him.
"No! Let me go! I can save her, let me go!" Link protested in agony as tears of anger, guilt, and sorrow all welled up within him.
"Nay, Brother! Let it be!" Darunia insisted and tightened his iron grip.
There was another groan from the temple walls and the earth shuddered beneath their feet. Even Ganondorf's expression grew bewildered and his chokehold slackened on the stiff body in his hands. That same stiff body's skin began to flush and then instantaneously took on a radiance that was spectacular to behold. The misty eyes rolled back, exposing the sharp whites, and the earth's trembling became even worse. Link was calling out Loraefin's name feverishly, but she could not hear him for she was not Loraefin anymore.
Her hands snapped up and grasped Ganondorf's choking arms, creating two new points of searing pain on his flesh, as if it were he who was now being held. For the first time Ganondorf looked truly startled, but he would not release this creature until it was dead in his hands, no matter what torment Its touch caused him. He felt her muscles hitch and tighten and the glow of her skin flared the instant something seemed to explode inside her body. A great dome of fire, as vibrant and beautiful as it was malicious and brutal, expanded from within her and enveloped everything near. The fire hissed and crackled and the red, orange, and gold embers seemed to suspend in mid air. The fire scorched the temple walls and a wave of heat caused by the outburst rushed outward, picking up dust and small debris as it traveled, and blew full force into Link and the sages, bombarding them.
The pain of holding her had become too great and now the great king lay flat on his back, his armor smoldering. What had this puny creature done to him? The creature in question had also crumpled to the ground, her poor body drained of all its energy. The Evil King flipped himself onto his stomach and then stood, teetering as he did so. How…how could she have done that? Darunia now released Link, but Link did not move either for he was too stunned to do so.
Is that what happened on that night, Fin? Oh by the Gods! Why didn't you tell me?
"It was Din's Fire," Ruto whispered in sheer awe, "but I thought Link was the only one who knew it."
"No, that was a will of herself, I could feel it…but she isn't there, I can't hear her. I hear…someone else. I don't understand." Saria added. Link heard what Saria had said and his heart grew even more ominous.
Ganondorf had had enough of this diversion now and left it crumpled on the floor. Though it had wounded him far greater than any weapon these sages could concoct, he had to finish what he had started, the final binding of the three Triforce pieces. He turned a blackened eye onto Zelda, who was momentarily torn between seeing to Impa or her father, and ensnared her in a deadly grasp of the mind. Zelda's own powers were not yet completely sapped, and she broke the bond with some difficulty. Darunia, Ruto, Nabooru, Saria, they all jumped to aid her, but Ganondorf's wrath hindered any weakened attack they could afford. They just were not strong enough unless they, all seven, battled together. And now there were only six.
Ganondorf flew at Zelda and she called out to Link just as his hands closed in around her body. Link's hands left the tangle of Loraefin's hair when he heard his princess's screams as the call of duty snapped him back from his guilt. At full charge did Link run to Zelda but Ganondorf again shook the ground and caused him to lose his footing. At the same time the last tremor shook the Temple of Time's doors open and the fresh air swirled in, cleaning the stagnation that had settled there.
Captain Viscen led the charge through the ancient doorway with no idea what would be found on the other side. All he had to know what that his king was there and out of his protection. What he and his soldiers beheld upon entering shocked and amazed them. The destruction, the turmoil…where was their victory?
The sages ordered them to stay back, but what were they supposed to do when they saw their princess in dire peril at the hands of the very creature none of them ever wished to behold again? But Marcus was a captain who controlled his men, and when he followed the sages' orders to fall back, they listened. Marcus's searching gaze fell upon the stretched out form of King Harkinian nearby and sent men to aid him, already fearing the worst.
"You…will…be…mine," Ganondorf's voice was desperate and haggard. He clutched to Zelda's face and waist with brutal force, so much that it bruised her, in his struggle to gain her piece of the Triforce. Zelda's mind reeled as the most frightening and peculiar sensation began to settle over her body. She felt as though she were floating, but at the same time the heaviness of her captor's hands weighed her down like an anchor. Her mind lost its sense of order, and memories, thoughts, emotions, fears; all came swirling into one bombardment of confusion.
The first time she scraped her knee, a favorite phrase of a book, all were being thrown at her, flashing colors, and sounds, as Ganondorf's red eyes were boring into her own. A new memory came to the surface; one that had long been repressed it seemed, and trickled into the barrage of images assaulting her. An infant, cradled in its mothers arm, a father's presence…the feeling of love…then darkness, fear…Was this a memory of Ganondorf's? Zelda didn't understand. Vision became blurry and outer senses melted away as Zelda's eyelids fluttered and the world heaved for her.
The mark of the Triforce on the back of her hand was pulsating erratically and continued with more alacrity as Zelda's and Ganondorf's bodies became engulfed in a light that looked as fluidic as water, shimmering and waving on all sides of them. The Master Sword was practically screaming in Link's hands, but Link did not know how to stop this madness. If he did not act soon, then Ganondorf would gain the second power of the Goddesses. What a fool he had been! What a fool!
Zelda's flaxen hair whipped around in the fierce wind that was now blowing through the opened temple doors. Ganondorf raised his hand above her and his Triforce mark was beating and pulsating as well. The small triangle on the left began to slowly gain luminance and as it did, the princess's body grew weaker and shallower. Noise was everywhere, the soldiers' shouting, the wind howling, thunder and lightning clapping outside…the sages' calls, the blood swimming in his ears…
Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Link's mind was going to explode.
But then a figure of calmness came, almost seeming to block out the noise that assaulted him by wrapping him in a blanket, and stood before him in nothing but her simple sleeping garments and unshod feet. Her face was expressionless, which made her as unfamiliar to Link as if he were looking upon a stranger. He stared at her, but there were no pupils to stare back at him with, nothing but foggy pale orbs hidden under half closed, dark lids. She stopped, and her arms rose from her sides and to the air as she planted her feet, waiting for something. The russet colored hair slid from her shoulders behind her as the eyelids closed, the neck arched backwards, exposing the young smooth skin, and she did not move.
Link nearly burst into tears, but Zelda's scream awakened him again as the light around her began to fade and Ganondorf's glow became more radiant. Link had no choice, he never did…his world, and his princess needed him.
It was then the Master Sword pierced a light so bright that every soldier in the room fell to one knee in reverence. The blade was fed by the power of Courage in Link's own hand, and it hummed and sang at its new glory. With his mind focused on only one goal, Link set his feet on the path to Ganondorf with death in his eyes. His cropped hair bristled and glistened with sweat and blood and the lips that were once so sweet and full of grace and humor, curled backward into a terrifying snarl. He passed the frozen figure of what once had been his friend and in one quick, deft motion, let the Master's blade slip right through her and out again as if she were no more than empty air. The vessel collapsed and Link walked on.
He was so close, so close to possessing that second piece of the Triforce for Himself. All He needed was a few moments more and the world would tremble at His feet, as it had never done before. Ganondorf felt His strength growing, surging through him, and he felt the Princess of Destiny's slender, lithe figure finally breaking beneath His power. Her golden locks and fair face contorted again, fighting until the last breath.
Even now when she is about to lose everything, lose the Triforce of Wisdom, she still tries to battle me! Ganondorf thought it ridiculous. Zelda's light was nearly extinguished and her eyelids fluttered closed for what would be the last time.
A pain ripped through Ganondorf's gut so terrible and awesome that his whole body convulsed in agony. He dropped the Bearer of Light and fell to one knee, gasping for life giving breath. His hand flew up and clutched what had pained him so and found his own blood bursting forth and the Master Sword protruding from the wound. Ganondorf's sight followed the blade to the hands of the wielder, and beheld the Hero of Time in rage and silent tears streaming down his face. Link could not bear to be looked upon by this monster, the same demon that had caused him all of his life's pain, and in another wave of embittered resentment twisted the Master Sword, wet with the blood of his loving friend, as far into the black heart as was possible.
Sound ceased, only Ganondorf's dying, raspy breath was heard echoing throughout the temple. The sages were silent out of sheer astonishment, the soldiers because they had just been witness to an event surely ordained by the Goddesses, and the Hero of Time said not a word for his heart was breaking. With a merciful tug Link ripped the sword from Ganondorf's chest and Ganondorf's body began to tremble all over. Light spewed forth from the wound and within seconds enveloped the fallen Gerudo king's body.
Link nearly stumbled backward at this sudden burst of light, but dove forward instead and picked up Zelda in his arms and carried her like a child to Saria and Ruto's sides. All watched in horror as Ganondorf's body writhed and warped itself in frenzy, straining and convulsing in the blinding light as if fighting for control. Link saw Loraefin's defeated body still laying where it dropped, and without a thought to himself, or to the terrific events going on, Link ran for her and kneeling down shielded her body in his strong, protective arms. The light began to flare and Ganondorf's body rose from the floor. Link looked up to watch as the form of the Evil King began to change shape and split, and with each passing moment the roar of phenomenal powers grew louder and louder.
Ganondorf's body became silhouetted and one could see another creature being torn from him, as if out of his very soul. The other creature was a larger, disfigured form that resembled an animal more than a man. Nabooru could not tear her eyes away from the scene, as disgusting and ruinous as it was, and though her former lover, the same man who destroyed and murdered so much in her life, was in great pain, she felt no satisfaction.
The form that was shaped in the fashion of men was then dispelled from the portal of light and fell to the ground with a mighty crash. The second form though, still struggled and screamed in its confinement of radiance. Another threshold broke open before the Door of Time and the resisting, violent thing was dragged into it, still screaming its boar-like screech as the Sacred Realm's gate closed over it.
And then it all ended.
The Temple of Time returned to its natural silence and a blanket of calm fell upon all in the room. Breathing again resumed though no one had the thought to speak aloud. Link looked down to see Loraefin's own eyes staring back up at him, as beautiful and as blue as when he had first laid eyes on her. Tears began to fall down Link's cheeks unbidden as her sweet mouth twisted in pain and her small, bloodied hand clamped down over his own. Her breathing was haggard and her other hand rested on the great wound in her abdomen, the blood seeping out and through the fingers. She looked up at him with a confused, tortured look and Link cradled and rocked her body and brought her gentle hand to his lips to kiss. Her mouth parted to speak and Link's heart heaved so heavily that he felt it drop back down again.
"It…it hurts," she said and then her breath slowly left her and her lovely gray-blue eyes grew distant, and she died.
No one dared to approach him for a long time. He just sat there, holding her, unable to accept the reality of what he had done. She was dead…Loraefin; his sweet, beautiful Loraefin was dead in his arms. A great moan ripped through his throat so moving and mournful that even Nabooru found herself weeping to see him with his head bowed over the unmoving body, rocking with her back and forth amongst the rubble. Everyone was too entranced by this scene to notice the two mysterious figures slipping out silently through the shadows themselves, one figure carrying the lifeless form of the other. It was Marcus that finally had the courage to touch Link on the shoulder, but the hero would not look up at him.
"Link, Link…come on now lad," Marcus's voice was as distant to Link as the feeling of the hand on his shoulder. He ignored him and Marcus let him be with his own grief. The Captain turned a weary eye to the Alter of Time now, and for the first time saw the rejected being in fair light.
"It can't be," Marcus muttered and motioned to his guards to come with him, swords drawn. The man lying near death in front of the Alter of Time was none other than Ganondorf himself, defeated and weak. Nabooru shoved one of the soldiers out of the way so that she may see as well and staring at the face of her people's fallen king amazed her. Shallow and old did his features appear, sucked clean of all their strength and vigor, but the sickly green taint in the skin was gone. He appeared…normal again.
"His magic is gone," Saria said quietly, her voice questioning as much as stating, and took her place next to Nabooru. "There's nothing to fear from him now."
"You're right, the bastard's finally done it, hasn't he?" finished Nabooru, her voice still breathless from battle, and nodded to Captain Viscen. Normal or no, Ganondorf's huge, lumbering frame was soon dragged away by five strong men so that they might deal with him later. The king, Impa, and Princess Zelda were rushed to the infirmaries as well, and Marcus went back to fetch Link. He was still there, clutching Loraefin's lifeless body, only Saria stood beside him now, and as he cradled Loraefin's head, she cradled his in her childlike arms, her cheek resting on his bristly locks. And no one noticed in the midst of so dark and sorrowful an hour, that the storm had broken outside and the first glimmer of stars shone down through the clouds, affording the only light in an otherwise moonless sky.
AN: Well? How did everyone like that? With this chapter, thus concludes my planned story outline. Past this, I have a vague idea of what will happen, but hey, that's half the fun! So…what's going to happen? Ganondorf split into two beings? Loraefin with Din's Fire? We'll all have to wait and see! (Because at this point, I don't have much of a clue either…)