DISCLAIMER: Shockingly enough, I don't own any of this. Yes, I know you
thought I did, but it is not true. But, if the truth is too much for you,
you can go on believing that I own everything Zelda related. Thank you.
Zelda stood outside the ring of fire, paralyzed with fear for Link. She could barely make him out as a flash of green here and there, darting away from the towering figure of Ganon, with twin blades slashing wildly. Every few moments Ganon roared in agony, and she knew that Link had gotten in a hit. But the warrior was tiring, and Ganon was so powerful. If the fight continued for much longer, Link would fail, and Hyrule would be lost forever.
Zelda gasped as the pig-faced monster swept a blow at Link's head, but it glanced off his shield. She wished she could do something to help, anything. The Master Sword stood upright in the ground a few yards away, but she could not touch it. Only the Hero of Time, who had mastered the blade, could bear its power. The ring of fire made by the King of Evil was so hot she could not get close to it.
The battle seemed to go on forever as Zelda watched. Then a chance came for her to act. Link dealt Ganon a critical blow, knocking him down and momentarily breaking his power over the wall of flames. Zelda shouted to get Link's attention. "Link! The Master Sword! It's here! Hurry!" She saw how fatigued he was as he came sprinting over, his shield drooping on his arm. His forest green tunic was soaked with sweat and bloodstains she could not be certain all came from Ganon. She yearned to be able to go to him, to tell him it was all over, and let him rest. But it wasn't over. Ganon still lay twitching in the ruins of his castle, and evil still darkened Hyrule. The fight between Link and that twisted power would not be over until one of them was defeated. Permanently.
She watched as Link grasped the hilt of the Master Sword and pulled it free. With the weapon of the Goddesses in his hand he seemed to gain strength. For a moment, his eyes locked with the princess'. The fiery blue orbs dug into her heart. Then, without speaking, he turned and raced back toward Ganon.
Before Zelda could follow, the wall of flames rose before her, and the monster stood to battle once more. Both opponents fought with renewed vigor. Steel clashed on steel as Link pressed the attack. When he dodged away Ganon stampeded after him. Both sides took severe damage, and Zelda's heart was in her throat.
Then came the moment she dreaded. Link stumbled as he dodged an attack, and one of Ganon's swords caught him across the middle, flinging him into the ring of fire. She screamed as the young man fell, bleeding and unconscious, to the ground.
In that instant everything seemed to stop. She felt as if her world had been Link, Ganon, and herself, and now Link was no longer in it. A rage built up inside, filling her to bursting. Nothing would allow her to let Ganon win, destroying everything she loved. Standing tall, she stretched her arms out in front of her, palms toward the King of Evil, and called upon all of the wisdom and power within her.
A golden light shot from her, catching and paralyzing her foe. Zelda clenched her teeth, strengthening her magic and pouring all of her rage into its flow. "Six sages!" she cried. "Now!"
In the Temple of Light, the six sages, bound to Link's quest by friendship and power, combined their energies to open the Void. "Now, daughter," Rauru spoke in Zelda's mind, "you must cast the Evil One into his eternal prison."
But Zelda was weakening. "I cannot," she wailed. "I don't have the strength."
"Try, daughter, try."
Zelda gave one final push, then sank to her knees as her power failed her. Ganon roared in triumph. Victory was his! Raising his hand into the air, he drew the ring of flames to him, creating a long, fiery whip. Taking his time, he lifted his arm into the air and snapped it down, striking the whip across Zelda's back. Then he did it again, relishing the feel of his enemy's pain. And again. And again.
He laughed above the princess' screams. "It's too late, Zelda. Hyrule is mine forever!"
"Not if I get to you first, Ganon!" The pig-faced monster barely had time to turn before he felt the Master Sword dig into his side. His shriek of rage was cut short by another blow, and another. They seemed to rain down on him from all sides, sharp and swift. When he had finally been beaten to the ground, they stopped.
He looked up. Link stood before him, bloody, but firm. His eyes shone blue. The Master Sword was surrounded by a blinding golden nimbus. In his final moment, Ganon cringed away from the power of the hero. Link lifted his sword high above his head and brought it crashing down on the King of Evil for the last time.
Ganon's power was destroyed. As he fell into the Void, he bellowed, "Curse you, sages! Curse you, Zelda! Curse you... Link!" Then all was silent.
Link collapsed, his eyes closed. Zelda, ignoring the streaks of pain across her back, ran to him. His face was deathly pale, and the whole front of his tunic was dark red. His breathing was gentle, like a baby's, but much weaker. Ever so softly, she raised his head in her arms. "Link..."
He knew what she was asking. With an effort, he opened his eyes and looked into hers. Trying for a smile, he whispered, "Everyone has a strength beyond what they think is their limit." Her lips quavered. He said what was in his heart. "Nothing could keep me from protecting you, Zel."
Her voice was nearly as faint as his. "I know."
"Give me your hand." His lingering mood changed to one of urgency, and Zelda quickly laid his head in her lap and reached down to grasp his left hand.
His eyes closed, and she held her breath. She could not tear her gaze away from his face. She remembered how it had looked that very morning, when she had stood in the Temple of Time as Sheik. She remembered its strength, and the hint of childish delight that had come into it when she revealed herself as Princess Zelda. She remembered the deeper hint of love, hiding behind his blue eyes. Now that strength was gone, replaced by care and exhaustion, and his eyes were veiled. Zelda wanted to shed a thousand tears for him, but she could not weep a single one. Instead, she whispered, "Link—"
"Shh..." The tiny sound rolled from his lips and blew away on the wind. Yet she quieted.
It seemed an eternity that Zelda waited, her hand in his, gauging time by the slow, rhythmic rise and fall of his chest that showed he was still alive. Her heart jumped into her throat at every exhale, frightened that it would be his last, and did not relax until she saw him breathe again.
Exhale. Wait. Inhale. Relax.
Exhale. Wait. Inhale. Relax.
Exhale. Wait...
Zelda's stomach turned over. "You can't be dead, Link! Wake up! You haven't told me why I'm holding your hand!" She beat against him with her free hand, the tears flowing fast down her cheeks. He couldn't die. He wouldn't. "Link, please," she moaned.
"... your hand."
"What?" She wiped her eyes on her sleeve.
"Look at... your hand." His voice was almost transparent now, and his words came in bursts and pauses as he struggled to get in each weak breath.
Zelda eased her hand out of his, which had grown colder. A double glow on the back of it caught her eye. "Link," she gasped. Nestled side by side were two golden triangles. "How did you..?" she wondered.
"The... Triforce of... Courage... is yours." She looked down to find his eyes drilling into hers. "Someday... give it... to your son. Let him... know... how important... it is. And... remember me."
She could only nod. "I... love you... Zelda."
With an effort that broke her heart to see, he reached into his tunic and pulled out the Ocarina of Time. Trying to smile, his hand shaking with the effort, he held it out toward her. "One... last song?" he asked.
She took the instrument, and his hand collapsed back onto his chest. As his eyes closed, she whispered, "I love you, Link." Then she began to play.
When the last notes of Zelda's Lullaby faded away, the Hero of Time was gone. The princess floated alone in a blue sky, filled with puffy white clouds. It was finally over.
With tearstained lips, she kissed the ocarina.
MY THOUGHTS: I know, you are probably wondering what I was thinking, too, right? Actually, I thought this story up, planned it out, and wrote it all in a Sunday afternoon. Nice, huh? The end kind of made me wonder if I could run with that theme... that the first Link and Zelda had loved each other, but the second were brother and sister. What if Zelda did have children, a boy and a girl, Link and Zelda, and they were separated when they were babies... well, it's interesting. Tell me if you guys want me to experiment or not, to venture into the realms of a continuing sequel! For now, I'm out of here! Toodle Pip!
Sir Miles
Zelda stood outside the ring of fire, paralyzed with fear for Link. She could barely make him out as a flash of green here and there, darting away from the towering figure of Ganon, with twin blades slashing wildly. Every few moments Ganon roared in agony, and she knew that Link had gotten in a hit. But the warrior was tiring, and Ganon was so powerful. If the fight continued for much longer, Link would fail, and Hyrule would be lost forever.
Zelda gasped as the pig-faced monster swept a blow at Link's head, but it glanced off his shield. She wished she could do something to help, anything. The Master Sword stood upright in the ground a few yards away, but she could not touch it. Only the Hero of Time, who had mastered the blade, could bear its power. The ring of fire made by the King of Evil was so hot she could not get close to it.
The battle seemed to go on forever as Zelda watched. Then a chance came for her to act. Link dealt Ganon a critical blow, knocking him down and momentarily breaking his power over the wall of flames. Zelda shouted to get Link's attention. "Link! The Master Sword! It's here! Hurry!" She saw how fatigued he was as he came sprinting over, his shield drooping on his arm. His forest green tunic was soaked with sweat and bloodstains she could not be certain all came from Ganon. She yearned to be able to go to him, to tell him it was all over, and let him rest. But it wasn't over. Ganon still lay twitching in the ruins of his castle, and evil still darkened Hyrule. The fight between Link and that twisted power would not be over until one of them was defeated. Permanently.
She watched as Link grasped the hilt of the Master Sword and pulled it free. With the weapon of the Goddesses in his hand he seemed to gain strength. For a moment, his eyes locked with the princess'. The fiery blue orbs dug into her heart. Then, without speaking, he turned and raced back toward Ganon.
Before Zelda could follow, the wall of flames rose before her, and the monster stood to battle once more. Both opponents fought with renewed vigor. Steel clashed on steel as Link pressed the attack. When he dodged away Ganon stampeded after him. Both sides took severe damage, and Zelda's heart was in her throat.
Then came the moment she dreaded. Link stumbled as he dodged an attack, and one of Ganon's swords caught him across the middle, flinging him into the ring of fire. She screamed as the young man fell, bleeding and unconscious, to the ground.
In that instant everything seemed to stop. She felt as if her world had been Link, Ganon, and herself, and now Link was no longer in it. A rage built up inside, filling her to bursting. Nothing would allow her to let Ganon win, destroying everything she loved. Standing tall, she stretched her arms out in front of her, palms toward the King of Evil, and called upon all of the wisdom and power within her.
A golden light shot from her, catching and paralyzing her foe. Zelda clenched her teeth, strengthening her magic and pouring all of her rage into its flow. "Six sages!" she cried. "Now!"
In the Temple of Light, the six sages, bound to Link's quest by friendship and power, combined their energies to open the Void. "Now, daughter," Rauru spoke in Zelda's mind, "you must cast the Evil One into his eternal prison."
But Zelda was weakening. "I cannot," she wailed. "I don't have the strength."
"Try, daughter, try."
Zelda gave one final push, then sank to her knees as her power failed her. Ganon roared in triumph. Victory was his! Raising his hand into the air, he drew the ring of flames to him, creating a long, fiery whip. Taking his time, he lifted his arm into the air and snapped it down, striking the whip across Zelda's back. Then he did it again, relishing the feel of his enemy's pain. And again. And again.
He laughed above the princess' screams. "It's too late, Zelda. Hyrule is mine forever!"
"Not if I get to you first, Ganon!" The pig-faced monster barely had time to turn before he felt the Master Sword dig into his side. His shriek of rage was cut short by another blow, and another. They seemed to rain down on him from all sides, sharp and swift. When he had finally been beaten to the ground, they stopped.
He looked up. Link stood before him, bloody, but firm. His eyes shone blue. The Master Sword was surrounded by a blinding golden nimbus. In his final moment, Ganon cringed away from the power of the hero. Link lifted his sword high above his head and brought it crashing down on the King of Evil for the last time.
Ganon's power was destroyed. As he fell into the Void, he bellowed, "Curse you, sages! Curse you, Zelda! Curse you... Link!" Then all was silent.
Link collapsed, his eyes closed. Zelda, ignoring the streaks of pain across her back, ran to him. His face was deathly pale, and the whole front of his tunic was dark red. His breathing was gentle, like a baby's, but much weaker. Ever so softly, she raised his head in her arms. "Link..."
He knew what she was asking. With an effort, he opened his eyes and looked into hers. Trying for a smile, he whispered, "Everyone has a strength beyond what they think is their limit." Her lips quavered. He said what was in his heart. "Nothing could keep me from protecting you, Zel."
Her voice was nearly as faint as his. "I know."
"Give me your hand." His lingering mood changed to one of urgency, and Zelda quickly laid his head in her lap and reached down to grasp his left hand.
His eyes closed, and she held her breath. She could not tear her gaze away from his face. She remembered how it had looked that very morning, when she had stood in the Temple of Time as Sheik. She remembered its strength, and the hint of childish delight that had come into it when she revealed herself as Princess Zelda. She remembered the deeper hint of love, hiding behind his blue eyes. Now that strength was gone, replaced by care and exhaustion, and his eyes were veiled. Zelda wanted to shed a thousand tears for him, but she could not weep a single one. Instead, she whispered, "Link—"
"Shh..." The tiny sound rolled from his lips and blew away on the wind. Yet she quieted.
It seemed an eternity that Zelda waited, her hand in his, gauging time by the slow, rhythmic rise and fall of his chest that showed he was still alive. Her heart jumped into her throat at every exhale, frightened that it would be his last, and did not relax until she saw him breathe again.
Exhale. Wait. Inhale. Relax.
Exhale. Wait. Inhale. Relax.
Exhale. Wait...
Zelda's stomach turned over. "You can't be dead, Link! Wake up! You haven't told me why I'm holding your hand!" She beat against him with her free hand, the tears flowing fast down her cheeks. He couldn't die. He wouldn't. "Link, please," she moaned.
"... your hand."
"What?" She wiped her eyes on her sleeve.
"Look at... your hand." His voice was almost transparent now, and his words came in bursts and pauses as he struggled to get in each weak breath.
Zelda eased her hand out of his, which had grown colder. A double glow on the back of it caught her eye. "Link," she gasped. Nestled side by side were two golden triangles. "How did you..?" she wondered.
"The... Triforce of... Courage... is yours." She looked down to find his eyes drilling into hers. "Someday... give it... to your son. Let him... know... how important... it is. And... remember me."
She could only nod. "I... love you... Zelda."
With an effort that broke her heart to see, he reached into his tunic and pulled out the Ocarina of Time. Trying to smile, his hand shaking with the effort, he held it out toward her. "One... last song?" he asked.
She took the instrument, and his hand collapsed back onto his chest. As his eyes closed, she whispered, "I love you, Link." Then she began to play.
When the last notes of Zelda's Lullaby faded away, the Hero of Time was gone. The princess floated alone in a blue sky, filled with puffy white clouds. It was finally over.
With tearstained lips, she kissed the ocarina.
MY THOUGHTS: I know, you are probably wondering what I was thinking, too, right? Actually, I thought this story up, planned it out, and wrote it all in a Sunday afternoon. Nice, huh? The end kind of made me wonder if I could run with that theme... that the first Link and Zelda had loved each other, but the second were brother and sister. What if Zelda did have children, a boy and a girl, Link and Zelda, and they were separated when they were babies... well, it's interesting. Tell me if you guys want me to experiment or not, to venture into the realms of a continuing sequel! For now, I'm out of here! Toodle Pip!
Sir Miles