Destiny Of A Hero 7
By: slickboy444
AN: Hey all you fanfiction fans! Here is part 7, just like I hope you all wanted! Some of the details in this story relate to my the last fic, so I suggest you all read that one before you start with this one. If you want to know the whole series to this point, the stories are "Xtra Member," "Matchmaker," and "Worse Than Death." Before I get started I wish to thank one of my reviewers, Krall, for helping me with this story. And don't forget to REVIEW! Please tell me what you all think by posting it on fanfiction.net or send it to me at slickboy444@aol.com. Remember, I don't own the X-men, Zelda, or any of the songs I may mention in this story so please don't sue. I have nothing. Thanks and I hope you enjoy this story.
All my x-men evolution fics are dedicated to Jen (aka: littlesortaredheadedgirl) the author of the x-men evolution fic "Snow." I highly recommend you all read it.
AN: 'These mean character thoughts.'
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As the evil king Ganondorf readied to deliver the deathblow to the hero of time, a huge grin spread across his face.
"At last...I win," said the king.
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" came a voice in the distance belonging to Scott.
"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" came another from Jean's direction.
"JACK! FIGHT IT! I KNOW YOU CAN!" said the final voice. It was Rogue, she was trying to come to his aid, but Mystique made that impossible.
For the briefest instant, Jack saw the looks on the faces on his fellow X-men. They were full of concern, worry, and compassion. He then saw the tears streaming down Rogue's face as she screamed in desperation for Jack.
Ganondorf then drew his sword high over his head and began the final motion to take down Jack once and for all. The world seemed to slow down as Jack saw the sword coming straight at his head. His mind was still paralyzed from the images and thoughts zooming through his mind. It was himself that was his weakness and it now looked to do him in once and for all. But through all this inner commotion, the sounds of his friends kept fighting the turmoil. Jack squeezed his eyes tighter as he actually felt the terrible images begin to fade. He felt the cries of his friends...His family. An expression of great determination replaced the pained one. The sword was almost at its mark; the grin on Ganondorf's face grew even larger. Then...A mere inches from impact...Jack Robinson, through untold amounts of inner pain, slammed his hands together and caught the sword.
"No..." said Ganondorf as his expression immediately changed to one of great frustration.
"YES!" said Rogue as she saw Jack overcome the odds.
Ganondorf's frustration grew to a boiling point as he summoned all of his strength to try and fulfil what he had dreamt of for so long.
"WHY...WON'T...YOU...DIE!" yelled the evil king as his eyes burned in a fiery fit of rage.
Jack held back the dark sword with all his strength. The spell in his head was still there, but he felt himself overcome it by sheer force of will. He watched as Ganondorf kept trying, but was not succeeding. Then, with a burst of energy, Jack did a sweep kick underneath the dark king and for the brief instant he was in the air, Jack delivered a strong punch to the chest knocking him back. Then, Jack rose to his feet as he felt the pain in his head fade ever so briefly.
"You surprise me yet again Jack," said Ganondorf as he got up, "But you know you can't win this time. That moon will be here soon and then it will all be over. Your friends...Your world as you know it will be destroyed."
"I don't think so Ganondorf! As long as there is a breath in my body...I will not let you win!" yelled Jack.
"Then we'll just have to change that!" bellowed Ganodorf as his eyes glowed blood red. "I was using only half strength before...NOW FEEL FULL POWER!"
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Suddenly, a pain in Jack's head erupted that was many times worse as before. Once again he found himself at his knees, unable fight his way through the pain that was his mind.
"Do you think I forgot all the humiliation you caused me!? Do you think I forgot what Link did to me!? Revenge will be MINE!" yelled Ganondorf as he prepared another charge.
Jack was now immobile from the spell, he kept trying to fight it, but it was to no avail. Just then he heard Rogue's voice once again.
"Don't listen to him Jack! Don't let him use you ANYMORE! Your stronger...I know it! You may not know it...But we all do!"
"Fight it kid! You did it before, you can do it again!" said Logan as he knocked away Sabertooth.
"We believe in you! You ARE the hero of time!" yelled Scott as he blasted Magneto back.
Jack heard every word they said and felt himself fighting harder. Ganondorf could see this new look on his face.
"NO! NOT THIS TIME JACK!" yelled the evil king as he ran forth towards Jack with all his might.
Jack clenched his fists in determination as he struggled to fight off Ganondorf's spell. However, this time it wouldn't be so easy. It seemed like his will alone wasn't strong enough after all. He couldn't fight the spinning images in his head for much longer, but he knew if he gave in to them he, and his family would be finished. He gritted his teeth as he tried to ward them off...But then something happened.
For a brief instant, he wasn't in Ganondorf's arena, he wasn't in Bayville, he wasn't even on Earth. He knew where he was...It was the sacred realm. He had been told about it many times before, but he had never seen it. He looked around the immediate area and spotted a familiar figure...It was Link.
"It's not over yet my young protégé...You alone are the one who determines the outcome of this epic battle," said Link.
Jack didn't say anything, he wanted to but something was stopping him. Link seemed to notice this. The true hero of time just shook his head and grinned.
"You have the power Jack...It's just a matter of how you use it. Now come on and send that evil incarnation back to where he belongs...And end this once and for all..."
Suddenly, Jack found himself back in the arena, with Ganondorf about to make a final swing. However, like lightning Jack rolled to the side, dodging the attack. In the process, he drew his magic bow and arrows.
"Hey Ganondorf! Remember THIS!" yelled the young warrior as he fired a single light arrow at the evil king.
Before Ganondorf could react, the arrow hit him head on. A bright light erupted from the impact and consumed him. Then the evil king lashed out in pain. It was as if a golden fire was burning him. Jack then grabbed the master sword and rose to his feet with newfound determination.
"NOW IT'S MY TURN!" yelled Jack as he charged the down king with a new burst of energy.
The young hero began to relentlessly slash the evil incarnation with the sacred blade. The dazed Ganondorf tried to ward the attack off, but his efforts were in vain. The effect of the arrows had not changed since the last time Ganondorf faced the hero of time. He was still hurt by weapons of such a pure nature. Slash after slash followed as the evil king fell back further and became increasingly bloodied. As he weakened, the rest of the X-men noticed that the rest of his enslaved minions weakened as well. Jack kept on delivering heavy blows with his sword and wouldn't allow the evil king a chance to regain any composure. Even after the effects of the light arrows wore off Jack still was able to knock him back. Ganondorf tried to strengthen the spell, but he was unable to concentrate long enough to do so. His actions had awakened the raging warrior from within that he remembered so vividly. Finally, Jack channeled the rest of his strength and sent Ganondorf flying with a mighty punch to the chest against the stone wall. Then, the evil king fell to his knees and began to gasp for breath.
"It's...Impossible...You're...Nothing!" said Ganondorf.
"I once believed that too Ganondorf...But now I know...I AM the hero of time," replied Jack as he readied himself for his final attack.
The rest of the X-men all began to overcome the Brotherhood and the Acolytes as it seemed that Jack would overcome Ganondorf. Their enhanced powers and agility seemed to nearly vanish at the weakening of their overlord.
"It's...Not...Over...Yet...HERO!" said Ganondorf as the eyes on his chest turned from orange, to red. "YEARRRRRRRRRRRRRRG!"
Suddenly, Ganondorf was engulfed in a dark purple light and he began to grow. His appearance began to change and his face began to morph in to a demonic pig-like beast. His sized grew to nearly five times of what he was before and two, huge swords of gold formed in his hands along with snake-like symbols that resembled Majora's Mask. Then, the evil lord and the mask within let out a savage yell.
"THE FIGHT HAS JUST BEGUN!" yelled the demonic Ganon.
Jack and the rest of the X-men looked up in horror as they saw the evil king's new form. With this new presence, came a new surge of energy in the Brotherhood and the Acolytes as they began to fight back even harder against the increasingly fatigued X-men.
"Ten minutes Jack...And it'll all be over!" said the sinister being with a smirk as it lunged forth at Jack and knocked him back.
Jack rose back to his feet slowly as he prepared to fight again, this time the clock was running out.
"Let's end this..." grunted Jack as he became engulfed in a golden light and hovered off the ground.
With a burst of energy, both warriors clashed in an explosion of energy. The force caused the ground to shake and shock waves to rain out in all directions. Jack felt his power grow as he fought to take down this being once and for all. Like before, he used light arrows to stun Ganon and then used his sword to deliver damage, but this time it was miniscule compared to before. Ganon, however, didn't take this damage lying down. Soon he began to mount a powerful counter attack. With a roar of vengeance the beast began to thrash his oversized swords at the young hero. Jack blocked them to the best of his abilities, but they were a lot more powerful than before. He could tell that Ganon was pushing the powers of the mask and his magic to the max. Soon, the demonic king began to land a series of devastating hits on the young man's body.
"Did you really think it would be this easy Jack..." taunted Ganon as he sent Jack flying back once again.
He got up slowly and he began to feel blood seep through his tattered and torn tunic. However, he went back and continued to fight again through the pain.
"It's only a matter of time now!" yelled Ganon as he defended against Jack's attack.
"You're right...It is only a matter of time...FOR YOU!" replied the young hero as the two opposing forces once again found themselves at a bitter stalemate.
"NO!" bellowed the evil beast, "NOT THIS TIME!"
Then, with all his strength, the evil king Ganon let out a massive slash with both swords in hand. Jack tried to block it, but the force of the blow knocked the master sword out of his hands and sent it flying far from the battle arena. Jack began to scramble for it, but before he could he was slammed down by a mysterious blast of dark energy and nearly knocked out.
"Jack..." said Rogue weakly in the distance as she saw this scene unfold. She too was growing weaker from fighting Remy and Pietro. She was cornered by the two minions and was near limits. She couldn't help him this time, for she had grown too weak. However, she kept trying.
From his nearly unconscious state, Jack tried to regain his composure, but Ganon wasn't letting this happen. He went on to slash Jack repeatedly with his swords again and again. Even with the power of the triforce, he was fading fast. He couldn't get his mind straight enough to use it fully. However, it wasn't a spell that was doing this...It was himself. Then, the dark king threw down one of his swords and took the young hero in his oversized hand, using all his strength to squeeze any out any hope still left within Jack's mind.
The rest of the X-men began to show signs of fatigue as well. The immortal and unbending power of the new Brotherhood and Acolytes had finally began to wear them down. Sabertooth now stood before the tattered and broken Wolverine, ready to deliver what promised to be his final blow. Mystique stood before a bruised and tired Kurt as she prepared to take him down too.
"Please...Mother," begged Kurt, "Don't do this."
"I have no choice son," said Mystique with no emotion whatsoever. "Neither of us does."
Lance had worn Kitty down to a breaking point as well. He now stood before her, ready to finish her.
"Lance...You don't have to do this!" begged the young girl to her one time love interest.
"This is beyond anything you, or I for that matter, can control Kitty. I'm sorry," replied the apathetic minion.
Elsewhere, the luck of the team was beginning to run out. Jean was finally succumbing to mental and physical fatigue as Magneto's powers gradually overcame hers. Now, the master of magnetism had her bound in a metal confinement and was choking the life out of her.
Scott was also near his limit as his battered as the unstoppable Blob once again threw his bloodied body against the rocks. He could see Jack's situation the clearest and all that stood between him and the grand battle was the immense Freddy Dukes. He watched as Jack's hopes faded and as Jean stood at Magneto's mercy.
Ganon was truly about to win.
"I didn't even need the spell this time, HERO..." said the demonic king, "I was right after all. You never even had a spell on you in the first place...It was yourself that weakened you to this point. And now...It all ends here."
Scott saw that the source of the entire situation was Ganon. If he was to save Jean, Jack, and everybody he cared about, then the evil incarnation must be destroyed once and for all. However, at the moment he was at the mercy of Fred Dukes who was about to deliver the last blow with his hammer. But Cyclops wouldn't allow this to happen. Scott pushed himself beyond the limits of endurance and used a massive optic blast to knock the immobile Blob away and open up a narrow window of opportunity. Suddenly the ground began to shake, it was the incoming moon. It was starting to get too close. Everybody listened to Ganon as he let out a horrifying laugh. Scott found himself at the fight between Jean and Magneto.
'Don't worry Jean! I'm coming!' yelled Scott through their psychic link.
'No...Scott...Help...Jack. Forget...About...Me!' responded Jean as she neared her limits and repelling Magneto's metal strangle.
'No! I won't!' replied Scott.
'You...Have...To. It's...Our...Only...Hope...'
Scott felt himself hesitate briefly.
'Go Scott...I...Love..........You,' said Jean as her psychic shield was about to give way.
'...I love you Jean,' replied Scott as he turned his attention towards Ganon and Jack.
He ran towards them with all his might. Blob and Pyro tried to catch up with him, but they were too far behind. Both let out a couple of dark energy blasts, but they were dodged. Then, at the edge of the arena, Scott found himself besides the master sword that Ganon had caused Jack to loose. Quickly, he picked it up off the ground, and felt it's power of light surge through him. He then held the sword high.
"Let my aim, be true..." said Scott as he heaved the sword directly at the evil incarnation's head.
Ganon sensed the presence and looked to his side only to see the sword coming directly at his face. He tried to move...But it was too late.
BOOM!
Suddenly a bright flash of white light engulfed the evil beast and it stood paralyzed before the power of the legendary blade. Then, the shaking on the ground stopped.
"No...It...Can't...Be..." stammered the monster as he dropped Jack on to the ground.
Slowly, the dazed hero of time looked up at the stunned monster and stood in shock at the sight of the bright spectacle. He quickly looked to his side to see Scott standing there gazing at the impacted monster. Around them, the enslaved Brotherhood and Acolytes became engulfed in an equally brilliant white light. Jean fell to the ground as she was freed of the metal confinement Magneto had her in. Scott ran over to catch her before the exhausted young lady hit. Mystique was stopped cold before her final attack could reach Kurt. Every minion was now frozen in the intensifying light that surrounded them and Ganon. As the light engulfed the evil king, he just looked at Scott who had thrown that sword.
"A...Mere...Mortal...Defeats...ME!? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Suddenly, Jack stood up and became engulfed in a golden light. The triforce symbols on the back of his hand began to glow as well. He felt a strange new surge of energy in his body. Then, out of nowhere, he heard a voice from within.
'Unleash the power...Become one with the triforce.'
Jack felt his powers grow exponentially. It was as if a new force had overtaken him through the power of his will. He then looked at the fallen evil king.
"You loose Ganon...But not because of me...Because of the X-men."
A bright blast of golden light then erupted from Jack's body and engulfed the evil incarnation. With one last great cry of defeat, the dark king Ganon was no more.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The master sword returned to Jack's hand and he held it up high in to the air. Then, the light were the evil king was standing before vanished and in it's place a beam of golden power shot up in to the sky. Jack flew with it and appeared to fuse with it. The bewildered X-men watched in awe as the event before them unfolded. They soon noticed the dark light from the enslaved Brotherhood and Acolytes fly up with the golden beam. And then they were slaves no more. Each former minion simply fell to the ground. The golden beam got brighter as it engulfed the menacing moon above them. All around people watched this spectacle unfold and became hypnotized by its splendor. The world seemed to stand still.
Then, in a bright sparkling aura, the moon and the dark landscape created by the evil king dissolved in a beautiful spectacle of rainbow colored fireworks. The X-men stood before the boundaries of what was once Ganon's battle arena and watched the dark clouds recede and the sun shine once again. Then, the beam of light flickered out and it Jack's body fell back in the pile of rubble left in wake of the event.
"Jack!" yelled Rogue as she ran through the debris over to where she saw his body fall. The others soon followed despite their injuries.
They relentlessly scanned the area for any signs of Jack's body. Finally, they found a tattered figure lying motionlessly. Rogue immediately recognized it.
"Jack?! Oh ma God, Jack!" said Rogue as she ran to his side.
She kneeled down at his side and ran her gloved hands down his face. His eyes slowly opened upon her presence.
"Heya," she said with a warm smile.
"Rogue...We did it...We won."
Soon, the whole team couldn't hold back their feelings of joy. They had triumphed over unimaginable odds and emerged victorious. Even Logan couldn't hold back a smile of jubilation.
Jack put his arm around Rogue's neck as she helped him to his feet. He couldn't help but give her a big smile. She soon found herself smiling back. Jack turned his attention to Scott, who had an exhausted Jean close by his side leaning on him for support.
"You did it again Scott," said Jack, "You saved me...When I couldn't save myself."
Scott smiled back at him and said, "Hey...That's what friends are for man."
Jack wasn't surprised by Scott's humility. He had come to expect that from him. However, he couldn't help but laugh. Scott really was a true friend. Jack then turned his attention to Jean.
"You got yourself a good man there Jean...Real good. Don't ever let a guy like him go...Cause he's one of a kind," said Jack.
"I know...And don't worry, I won't," she said held him closer. Scott could only hold her tighter.
Suddenly, a ghostly figure approached the X-men from behind. Jack instantly recognized it.
"Master..."
The rest of the team turned to see a ghostly being standing before them. He looked remarkable like Jack and had nearly the same clothes. The ghost was none other than the original hero of time himself, Link. Jack slowly approached him as the others could only watch.
"I'm very proud of you Jack...You beat Ganon. Of the countless beings who have wielded the triforce in the past, there has never been a foe that they have had to face as strong as the evil king...Yet you still beat him," said Link with a smile to the team.
"Well, I couldn't have won alone Master. My friends deserve most of the credit," replied Jack.
Link just shook his head and laughed, "I never said they didn't. In fact they deserve more than that...Even I could never complete my journeys by myself. I often need help of those I trusted and those who weren't just friends, but family as well."
A feeling of understanding came over Jack, as he knew Link spoke the truth.
"As for the rest of you all...It's good to know that Jack is in good hands. You can look after him and he can look after you. You see, in the end that's all what a true family really is. Your desire to fight for that which is noble does more than just preserve your honor, it does a great good to the overall balance between the forces of good and evil. Just as long as you never doubt yourselves about one side or the other, you will all attain true peace in the end."
"You mean like fate?" asked Jack.
Link shook his head, "No...If there's one thing I've learned it's that there's no such thing as fate. I never believed in it even though everybody I knew said this whole hero of time thing was my destiny. I just did what I knew was honorable and through it I achieved more good than I ever dreamed. Remember that...You're all in control. You all have the power, it's just a matter of how you use it."
And with that, the first hero of time vanished in a bright light, leaving the X-men to ponder his words. A steady aura of understanding came over them all as they turned around to head home. But before they left, they were confronted once again by the Brotherhood and the Acolytes. The X-men wearily prepared to fight again, but Magneto raised his hand ordering everyone to stand down. They all did so without question.
"You have saved us all from a fate far worse than death. We now have the gift of free will over an eternity of spending a lifetime as slaves to an evil madman. For this...We will not fight you...And I think I can speak for all of us when I say, thank you."
Nobody doubted the master of magnetism's words as none of his associates made a move. Some even looked at the X-men with apologetic looks, but deep down they knew they never had a choice in the first place. And with that, 11 metal orbs descended from the sky and whisked them away.
"Come on team...Let's go home," said Logan.
Now the fight was truly over...For now.
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AN: Well, only one more part left! Stay tuned for the epilogue, which is sure to have more Jack/Rogue in it, even though I thought it would be acceptable if I ended it here. So how have you all liked it? I wish I knew but this story has been greatly lacking in reviews and I don't know why. Please tell me your thoughts. Post them on fanfiction.net or send them to me at slickboy444@aol.com. Thanks again and best wishes to all of you.
By: slickboy444
AN: Hey all you fanfiction fans! Here is part 7, just like I hope you all wanted! Some of the details in this story relate to my the last fic, so I suggest you all read that one before you start with this one. If you want to know the whole series to this point, the stories are "Xtra Member," "Matchmaker," and "Worse Than Death." Before I get started I wish to thank one of my reviewers, Krall, for helping me with this story. And don't forget to REVIEW! Please tell me what you all think by posting it on fanfiction.net or send it to me at slickboy444@aol.com. Remember, I don't own the X-men, Zelda, or any of the songs I may mention in this story so please don't sue. I have nothing. Thanks and I hope you enjoy this story.
All my x-men evolution fics are dedicated to Jen (aka: littlesortaredheadedgirl) the author of the x-men evolution fic "Snow." I highly recommend you all read it.
AN: 'These mean character thoughts.'
***********************************
As the evil king Ganondorf readied to deliver the deathblow to the hero of time, a huge grin spread across his face.
"At last...I win," said the king.
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" came a voice in the distance belonging to Scott.
"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" came another from Jean's direction.
"JACK! FIGHT IT! I KNOW YOU CAN!" said the final voice. It was Rogue, she was trying to come to his aid, but Mystique made that impossible.
For the briefest instant, Jack saw the looks on the faces on his fellow X-men. They were full of concern, worry, and compassion. He then saw the tears streaming down Rogue's face as she screamed in desperation for Jack.
Ganondorf then drew his sword high over his head and began the final motion to take down Jack once and for all. The world seemed to slow down as Jack saw the sword coming straight at his head. His mind was still paralyzed from the images and thoughts zooming through his mind. It was himself that was his weakness and it now looked to do him in once and for all. But through all this inner commotion, the sounds of his friends kept fighting the turmoil. Jack squeezed his eyes tighter as he actually felt the terrible images begin to fade. He felt the cries of his friends...His family. An expression of great determination replaced the pained one. The sword was almost at its mark; the grin on Ganondorf's face grew even larger. Then...A mere inches from impact...Jack Robinson, through untold amounts of inner pain, slammed his hands together and caught the sword.
"No..." said Ganondorf as his expression immediately changed to one of great frustration.
"YES!" said Rogue as she saw Jack overcome the odds.
Ganondorf's frustration grew to a boiling point as he summoned all of his strength to try and fulfil what he had dreamt of for so long.
"WHY...WON'T...YOU...DIE!" yelled the evil king as his eyes burned in a fiery fit of rage.
Jack held back the dark sword with all his strength. The spell in his head was still there, but he felt himself overcome it by sheer force of will. He watched as Ganondorf kept trying, but was not succeeding. Then, with a burst of energy, Jack did a sweep kick underneath the dark king and for the brief instant he was in the air, Jack delivered a strong punch to the chest knocking him back. Then, Jack rose to his feet as he felt the pain in his head fade ever so briefly.
"You surprise me yet again Jack," said Ganondorf as he got up, "But you know you can't win this time. That moon will be here soon and then it will all be over. Your friends...Your world as you know it will be destroyed."
"I don't think so Ganondorf! As long as there is a breath in my body...I will not let you win!" yelled Jack.
"Then we'll just have to change that!" bellowed Ganodorf as his eyes glowed blood red. "I was using only half strength before...NOW FEEL FULL POWER!"
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Suddenly, a pain in Jack's head erupted that was many times worse as before. Once again he found himself at his knees, unable fight his way through the pain that was his mind.
"Do you think I forgot all the humiliation you caused me!? Do you think I forgot what Link did to me!? Revenge will be MINE!" yelled Ganondorf as he prepared another charge.
Jack was now immobile from the spell, he kept trying to fight it, but it was to no avail. Just then he heard Rogue's voice once again.
"Don't listen to him Jack! Don't let him use you ANYMORE! Your stronger...I know it! You may not know it...But we all do!"
"Fight it kid! You did it before, you can do it again!" said Logan as he knocked away Sabertooth.
"We believe in you! You ARE the hero of time!" yelled Scott as he blasted Magneto back.
Jack heard every word they said and felt himself fighting harder. Ganondorf could see this new look on his face.
"NO! NOT THIS TIME JACK!" yelled the evil king as he ran forth towards Jack with all his might.
Jack clenched his fists in determination as he struggled to fight off Ganondorf's spell. However, this time it wouldn't be so easy. It seemed like his will alone wasn't strong enough after all. He couldn't fight the spinning images in his head for much longer, but he knew if he gave in to them he, and his family would be finished. He gritted his teeth as he tried to ward them off...But then something happened.
For a brief instant, he wasn't in Ganondorf's arena, he wasn't in Bayville, he wasn't even on Earth. He knew where he was...It was the sacred realm. He had been told about it many times before, but he had never seen it. He looked around the immediate area and spotted a familiar figure...It was Link.
"It's not over yet my young protégé...You alone are the one who determines the outcome of this epic battle," said Link.
Jack didn't say anything, he wanted to but something was stopping him. Link seemed to notice this. The true hero of time just shook his head and grinned.
"You have the power Jack...It's just a matter of how you use it. Now come on and send that evil incarnation back to where he belongs...And end this once and for all..."
Suddenly, Jack found himself back in the arena, with Ganondorf about to make a final swing. However, like lightning Jack rolled to the side, dodging the attack. In the process, he drew his magic bow and arrows.
"Hey Ganondorf! Remember THIS!" yelled the young warrior as he fired a single light arrow at the evil king.
Before Ganondorf could react, the arrow hit him head on. A bright light erupted from the impact and consumed him. Then the evil king lashed out in pain. It was as if a golden fire was burning him. Jack then grabbed the master sword and rose to his feet with newfound determination.
"NOW IT'S MY TURN!" yelled Jack as he charged the down king with a new burst of energy.
The young hero began to relentlessly slash the evil incarnation with the sacred blade. The dazed Ganondorf tried to ward the attack off, but his efforts were in vain. The effect of the arrows had not changed since the last time Ganondorf faced the hero of time. He was still hurt by weapons of such a pure nature. Slash after slash followed as the evil king fell back further and became increasingly bloodied. As he weakened, the rest of the X-men noticed that the rest of his enslaved minions weakened as well. Jack kept on delivering heavy blows with his sword and wouldn't allow the evil king a chance to regain any composure. Even after the effects of the light arrows wore off Jack still was able to knock him back. Ganondorf tried to strengthen the spell, but he was unable to concentrate long enough to do so. His actions had awakened the raging warrior from within that he remembered so vividly. Finally, Jack channeled the rest of his strength and sent Ganondorf flying with a mighty punch to the chest against the stone wall. Then, the evil king fell to his knees and began to gasp for breath.
"It's...Impossible...You're...Nothing!" said Ganondorf.
"I once believed that too Ganondorf...But now I know...I AM the hero of time," replied Jack as he readied himself for his final attack.
The rest of the X-men all began to overcome the Brotherhood and the Acolytes as it seemed that Jack would overcome Ganondorf. Their enhanced powers and agility seemed to nearly vanish at the weakening of their overlord.
"It's...Not...Over...Yet...HERO!" said Ganondorf as the eyes on his chest turned from orange, to red. "YEARRRRRRRRRRRRRRG!"
Suddenly, Ganondorf was engulfed in a dark purple light and he began to grow. His appearance began to change and his face began to morph in to a demonic pig-like beast. His sized grew to nearly five times of what he was before and two, huge swords of gold formed in his hands along with snake-like symbols that resembled Majora's Mask. Then, the evil lord and the mask within let out a savage yell.
"THE FIGHT HAS JUST BEGUN!" yelled the demonic Ganon.
Jack and the rest of the X-men looked up in horror as they saw the evil king's new form. With this new presence, came a new surge of energy in the Brotherhood and the Acolytes as they began to fight back even harder against the increasingly fatigued X-men.
"Ten minutes Jack...And it'll all be over!" said the sinister being with a smirk as it lunged forth at Jack and knocked him back.
Jack rose back to his feet slowly as he prepared to fight again, this time the clock was running out.
"Let's end this..." grunted Jack as he became engulfed in a golden light and hovered off the ground.
With a burst of energy, both warriors clashed in an explosion of energy. The force caused the ground to shake and shock waves to rain out in all directions. Jack felt his power grow as he fought to take down this being once and for all. Like before, he used light arrows to stun Ganon and then used his sword to deliver damage, but this time it was miniscule compared to before. Ganon, however, didn't take this damage lying down. Soon he began to mount a powerful counter attack. With a roar of vengeance the beast began to thrash his oversized swords at the young hero. Jack blocked them to the best of his abilities, but they were a lot more powerful than before. He could tell that Ganon was pushing the powers of the mask and his magic to the max. Soon, the demonic king began to land a series of devastating hits on the young man's body.
"Did you really think it would be this easy Jack..." taunted Ganon as he sent Jack flying back once again.
He got up slowly and he began to feel blood seep through his tattered and torn tunic. However, he went back and continued to fight again through the pain.
"It's only a matter of time now!" yelled Ganon as he defended against Jack's attack.
"You're right...It is only a matter of time...FOR YOU!" replied the young hero as the two opposing forces once again found themselves at a bitter stalemate.
"NO!" bellowed the evil beast, "NOT THIS TIME!"
Then, with all his strength, the evil king Ganon let out a massive slash with both swords in hand. Jack tried to block it, but the force of the blow knocked the master sword out of his hands and sent it flying far from the battle arena. Jack began to scramble for it, but before he could he was slammed down by a mysterious blast of dark energy and nearly knocked out.
"Jack..." said Rogue weakly in the distance as she saw this scene unfold. She too was growing weaker from fighting Remy and Pietro. She was cornered by the two minions and was near limits. She couldn't help him this time, for she had grown too weak. However, she kept trying.
From his nearly unconscious state, Jack tried to regain his composure, but Ganon wasn't letting this happen. He went on to slash Jack repeatedly with his swords again and again. Even with the power of the triforce, he was fading fast. He couldn't get his mind straight enough to use it fully. However, it wasn't a spell that was doing this...It was himself. Then, the dark king threw down one of his swords and took the young hero in his oversized hand, using all his strength to squeeze any out any hope still left within Jack's mind.
The rest of the X-men began to show signs of fatigue as well. The immortal and unbending power of the new Brotherhood and Acolytes had finally began to wear them down. Sabertooth now stood before the tattered and broken Wolverine, ready to deliver what promised to be his final blow. Mystique stood before a bruised and tired Kurt as she prepared to take him down too.
"Please...Mother," begged Kurt, "Don't do this."
"I have no choice son," said Mystique with no emotion whatsoever. "Neither of us does."
Lance had worn Kitty down to a breaking point as well. He now stood before her, ready to finish her.
"Lance...You don't have to do this!" begged the young girl to her one time love interest.
"This is beyond anything you, or I for that matter, can control Kitty. I'm sorry," replied the apathetic minion.
Elsewhere, the luck of the team was beginning to run out. Jean was finally succumbing to mental and physical fatigue as Magneto's powers gradually overcame hers. Now, the master of magnetism had her bound in a metal confinement and was choking the life out of her.
Scott was also near his limit as his battered as the unstoppable Blob once again threw his bloodied body against the rocks. He could see Jack's situation the clearest and all that stood between him and the grand battle was the immense Freddy Dukes. He watched as Jack's hopes faded and as Jean stood at Magneto's mercy.
Ganon was truly about to win.
"I didn't even need the spell this time, HERO..." said the demonic king, "I was right after all. You never even had a spell on you in the first place...It was yourself that weakened you to this point. And now...It all ends here."
Scott saw that the source of the entire situation was Ganon. If he was to save Jean, Jack, and everybody he cared about, then the evil incarnation must be destroyed once and for all. However, at the moment he was at the mercy of Fred Dukes who was about to deliver the last blow with his hammer. But Cyclops wouldn't allow this to happen. Scott pushed himself beyond the limits of endurance and used a massive optic blast to knock the immobile Blob away and open up a narrow window of opportunity. Suddenly the ground began to shake, it was the incoming moon. It was starting to get too close. Everybody listened to Ganon as he let out a horrifying laugh. Scott found himself at the fight between Jean and Magneto.
'Don't worry Jean! I'm coming!' yelled Scott through their psychic link.
'No...Scott...Help...Jack. Forget...About...Me!' responded Jean as she neared her limits and repelling Magneto's metal strangle.
'No! I won't!' replied Scott.
'You...Have...To. It's...Our...Only...Hope...'
Scott felt himself hesitate briefly.
'Go Scott...I...Love..........You,' said Jean as her psychic shield was about to give way.
'...I love you Jean,' replied Scott as he turned his attention towards Ganon and Jack.
He ran towards them with all his might. Blob and Pyro tried to catch up with him, but they were too far behind. Both let out a couple of dark energy blasts, but they were dodged. Then, at the edge of the arena, Scott found himself besides the master sword that Ganon had caused Jack to loose. Quickly, he picked it up off the ground, and felt it's power of light surge through him. He then held the sword high.
"Let my aim, be true..." said Scott as he heaved the sword directly at the evil incarnation's head.
Ganon sensed the presence and looked to his side only to see the sword coming directly at his face. He tried to move...But it was too late.
BOOM!
Suddenly a bright flash of white light engulfed the evil beast and it stood paralyzed before the power of the legendary blade. Then, the shaking on the ground stopped.
"No...It...Can't...Be..." stammered the monster as he dropped Jack on to the ground.
Slowly, the dazed hero of time looked up at the stunned monster and stood in shock at the sight of the bright spectacle. He quickly looked to his side to see Scott standing there gazing at the impacted monster. Around them, the enslaved Brotherhood and Acolytes became engulfed in an equally brilliant white light. Jean fell to the ground as she was freed of the metal confinement Magneto had her in. Scott ran over to catch her before the exhausted young lady hit. Mystique was stopped cold before her final attack could reach Kurt. Every minion was now frozen in the intensifying light that surrounded them and Ganon. As the light engulfed the evil king, he just looked at Scott who had thrown that sword.
"A...Mere...Mortal...Defeats...ME!? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Suddenly, Jack stood up and became engulfed in a golden light. The triforce symbols on the back of his hand began to glow as well. He felt a strange new surge of energy in his body. Then, out of nowhere, he heard a voice from within.
'Unleash the power...Become one with the triforce.'
Jack felt his powers grow exponentially. It was as if a new force had overtaken him through the power of his will. He then looked at the fallen evil king.
"You loose Ganon...But not because of me...Because of the X-men."
A bright blast of golden light then erupted from Jack's body and engulfed the evil incarnation. With one last great cry of defeat, the dark king Ganon was no more.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The master sword returned to Jack's hand and he held it up high in to the air. Then, the light were the evil king was standing before vanished and in it's place a beam of golden power shot up in to the sky. Jack flew with it and appeared to fuse with it. The bewildered X-men watched in awe as the event before them unfolded. They soon noticed the dark light from the enslaved Brotherhood and Acolytes fly up with the golden beam. And then they were slaves no more. Each former minion simply fell to the ground. The golden beam got brighter as it engulfed the menacing moon above them. All around people watched this spectacle unfold and became hypnotized by its splendor. The world seemed to stand still.
Then, in a bright sparkling aura, the moon and the dark landscape created by the evil king dissolved in a beautiful spectacle of rainbow colored fireworks. The X-men stood before the boundaries of what was once Ganon's battle arena and watched the dark clouds recede and the sun shine once again. Then, the beam of light flickered out and it Jack's body fell back in the pile of rubble left in wake of the event.
"Jack!" yelled Rogue as she ran through the debris over to where she saw his body fall. The others soon followed despite their injuries.
They relentlessly scanned the area for any signs of Jack's body. Finally, they found a tattered figure lying motionlessly. Rogue immediately recognized it.
"Jack?! Oh ma God, Jack!" said Rogue as she ran to his side.
She kneeled down at his side and ran her gloved hands down his face. His eyes slowly opened upon her presence.
"Heya," she said with a warm smile.
"Rogue...We did it...We won."
Soon, the whole team couldn't hold back their feelings of joy. They had triumphed over unimaginable odds and emerged victorious. Even Logan couldn't hold back a smile of jubilation.
Jack put his arm around Rogue's neck as she helped him to his feet. He couldn't help but give her a big smile. She soon found herself smiling back. Jack turned his attention to Scott, who had an exhausted Jean close by his side leaning on him for support.
"You did it again Scott," said Jack, "You saved me...When I couldn't save myself."
Scott smiled back at him and said, "Hey...That's what friends are for man."
Jack wasn't surprised by Scott's humility. He had come to expect that from him. However, he couldn't help but laugh. Scott really was a true friend. Jack then turned his attention to Jean.
"You got yourself a good man there Jean...Real good. Don't ever let a guy like him go...Cause he's one of a kind," said Jack.
"I know...And don't worry, I won't," she said held him closer. Scott could only hold her tighter.
Suddenly, a ghostly figure approached the X-men from behind. Jack instantly recognized it.
"Master..."
The rest of the team turned to see a ghostly being standing before them. He looked remarkable like Jack and had nearly the same clothes. The ghost was none other than the original hero of time himself, Link. Jack slowly approached him as the others could only watch.
"I'm very proud of you Jack...You beat Ganon. Of the countless beings who have wielded the triforce in the past, there has never been a foe that they have had to face as strong as the evil king...Yet you still beat him," said Link with a smile to the team.
"Well, I couldn't have won alone Master. My friends deserve most of the credit," replied Jack.
Link just shook his head and laughed, "I never said they didn't. In fact they deserve more than that...Even I could never complete my journeys by myself. I often need help of those I trusted and those who weren't just friends, but family as well."
A feeling of understanding came over Jack, as he knew Link spoke the truth.
"As for the rest of you all...It's good to know that Jack is in good hands. You can look after him and he can look after you. You see, in the end that's all what a true family really is. Your desire to fight for that which is noble does more than just preserve your honor, it does a great good to the overall balance between the forces of good and evil. Just as long as you never doubt yourselves about one side or the other, you will all attain true peace in the end."
"You mean like fate?" asked Jack.
Link shook his head, "No...If there's one thing I've learned it's that there's no such thing as fate. I never believed in it even though everybody I knew said this whole hero of time thing was my destiny. I just did what I knew was honorable and through it I achieved more good than I ever dreamed. Remember that...You're all in control. You all have the power, it's just a matter of how you use it."
And with that, the first hero of time vanished in a bright light, leaving the X-men to ponder his words. A steady aura of understanding came over them all as they turned around to head home. But before they left, they were confronted once again by the Brotherhood and the Acolytes. The X-men wearily prepared to fight again, but Magneto raised his hand ordering everyone to stand down. They all did so without question.
"You have saved us all from a fate far worse than death. We now have the gift of free will over an eternity of spending a lifetime as slaves to an evil madman. For this...We will not fight you...And I think I can speak for all of us when I say, thank you."
Nobody doubted the master of magnetism's words as none of his associates made a move. Some even looked at the X-men with apologetic looks, but deep down they knew they never had a choice in the first place. And with that, 11 metal orbs descended from the sky and whisked them away.
"Come on team...Let's go home," said Logan.
Now the fight was truly over...For now.
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AN: Well, only one more part left! Stay tuned for the epilogue, which is sure to have more Jack/Rogue in it, even though I thought it would be acceptable if I ended it here. So how have you all liked it? I wish I knew but this story has been greatly lacking in reviews and I don't know why. Please tell me your thoughts. Post them on fanfiction.net or send them to me at slickboy444@aol.com. Thanks again and best wishes to all of you.