"Let me introduce you to the end…."
The springs shifted as someone sat down.
"Morning," she yawned, thinking momentarily that she was back with the Gerudos. The sun was blocked by the thickest cloud possible this morning. Sakina peeped out from the covers to see Ganondorf rubbing his head with his hands anxiously. "Let me guess," Sakina said wryly, "Link is winning." She felt her heart rate increase as she thought of him.
Ganondorf's head spun around to glare at her. "He still has me to get through."
"Ooh, forgot about that." Sakina gasped in mock horror. Ganondorf looked more rumpled than usual. A spiky unshaven look had begun to take over his jaw. He seemed to be thinking hard, his forehead crinkled with frustration. Then he nodded to himself, stood and strode out of the room by means of magic. That left Sakina in the room alone again. He had left a plate of food for her by the organ, which she ate gratefully. She did some exercises that morning, feeling lethargic and useless.
Something made Sakina think that a tumultuous event was on its way. A life-changing something. She wished that she were with Link. What was going on? She ached with the desire to know. Her chest felt wont to explode. It was this eagerness that sent her jogging furiously around the room, looking again for a way out. Trapped. That was how she felt. The sky overhead was still overcast. Lightning shot across the window, crashing quite nearby. The noise was like a thousand galloping elephants. Her heart seemed to be trying to match the speed of a rampaging stallion. Twiddling the ring on her middle finger, Sakina jumped up and down in anticipation. Water spilled over the window, making the outside a wet blur.
It was only two hours later that Ganondorf returned, snapping his fingers a lot. Veins bulged in his forehead. He looked terrified and excited. Things were changing around the room, left and right. Overhead the ceiling was shifting. Furniture was disappearing. The only thing that remained in the room was the pipe organ. Sakina noticed that he had left the tunnel in the wall open. When Ganondorf was moving some things around, his back turned to Sakina, she started to run out.
"Not so fast," he boomed. Without even turning around, he waved a hand in her general direction. She flew back to the organ and was manacled to the wall. "That's for Link. Oh, and you have company."
A pink bubble appeared in the air and steadily swelled until it was the size of a large person. Inside, however, was a girl that looked similar to Sakina, only blonde and blue-eyed.
"Zelda," Sakina breathed. She pulled against her manacles in a thoughtless last attempt at freedom. Muscles swelled in her arms with the failing tries. "Link," she thought aloud. He was coming. "He's going to kill you."
Ganondorf ignored her and crossed his arms, tapping his foot anxiously. He paced a couple of times around the room. Sakina looked up at Zelda, who stared down apologetically, loose hair falling in her face. On her arm, Sakina noticed, was a band of gold. Sakina fingered her ring around her middle finger and Zelda smiled. Sakina nodded to her in response.
Soon this whole mess would come to an end. Or else it would get worse.
Ganondorf closed his eyes, started to smile but then cursed and walked in a circle. He continued the routine for ten more minutes before throwing himself down by the organ and playing a dark tune. Sakina reached for him, wanting to wring his neck, tire him out before Link got there. Ganondorf ignored her and jammed his fingers down on a minor chord. Sakina looked up hopelessly at Zelda, who was tugging her hair desperately.
Sakina thought of something.
"Luath teine, teth mor!" She cried. Her hands flew into the air and she thrust them down. A ring of fire shot out about her, enveloping Ganondorf and his organ in flames. When the wall of fire passed, Sakina saw Ganondorf waving his hands in a counter-spell. He whipped around to face her.
"Where did you learn that?"
"The Great Fairy of Magic." Sakina spat, angrier at herself for having failed at destroying him.
Leaping off of the bench, he strode over to her.
"You're more powerful than I thought," he looked her up and down. "You could certainly be trained."
Sakina sneered. "Not in your ways,"
"We may yet have time to learn," to her disgust, he stroked her cheek. She tried to bring her hands to her aid but failed due to the shackles. Ganondorf closed his eyes and grimaced again. He whipped away from her and sat back down to play furiously on his instrument again. "What do you think," he spoke above the cacophony of sound emanating throughout the cathedral-like room, "will happen after Link fails?"
"He won't fail," Sakina said confidently. Despite her display of certainty, she had given thought to what might happen. Ganondorf, if he succeeded, would replace the curses on the temples. Maybe another hero would come, or the lands would become ruins. Sakina would surely be tortured to death, perhaps for many years.
"Have you no imagination?" Ganondorf hammered on some lower notes.
"I suppose I would have to kill you myself." Sakina looked up.
He laughed, but it was a harsher sound than usual. "All right, and after that? You would restore the lands I presume?"
"Yes," Sakina's voice wavered.
"And then what?"
"I would… go and…." Sakina didn't know. "Well, I'd wait to see how I felt at that point."
"Yes,"
"What will you do if you succeed?" Sakina countered.
His frenzied playing stopped momentarily as he relished these words. "First off, I would have to re-do all of my fine work. I might take a wife." He looked suggestively at Sakina. "A few more servants," he continued. "And of course, have all the wealth in Hyrule. I'd live like a king with absolute power." Relaxed slightly, he started playing again.
"What woman would have you?" Sakina laughed.
"Oh, many women wish for power," his fingers played an octave higher, "in fact, everyone wants just a little. But say no one did want me, I'm king and I have that marvelous option called 'forcing.'"
Sakina grimaced. Her chains retracted further into the wall, yanking her back. Ganondorf played more loudly than ever, eyes crazed, glowing the color of fresh blood.
Step, step, step-step-step….
He's on his way, Sakina realized, heart rising to her throat. Her fingers started trembling. Yanked yet again by the chains, Sakina's back slammed into the wall. Ganondorf's face had a feverish flush to it. Sakina thought she might vomit for nerves.
Step-step-step-step….
Sakina looked up at Zelda. Her great blue eyes were round with fear. Both sisters knew that this was the final, epic battle. This would determine everything for Hyrule. And for them.
Step-step-step-step-step….
Simultaneously, Sakina and Zelda watched the entry. It was hardly sixty seconds before Link burst through, eyes bright with determination, Navi glowing red by his side. He brandished his sword triumphantly.
"Come and fight me," he growled. "I am ready for you."
Ganondorf continued playing music, biding his time.
"Do you know why you are here, Link? Why you're still alive?"
"For I have courage," Link boomed. To Sakina, he was no longer the unsure adolescent he had once been but a man full of confidence that awed her. Had she been Ganondorf, she would have cowered. Link stared only at Ganondorf. On the back of his hand shone brightly the Triforce. Zelda and Ganondorf both bore the glowing marks. Sakina's neck began to burn, but she didn't notice, transfixed on Link's set face.
Ganondorf stopped playing his instrument, but turned to face Link, standing slowly. Even as Ganondorf moved forward, Link did not back down.
"You wish to battle me?" Ganondorf glared. "Then come! Come forth! Fight me!" And Ganondorf disappeared. Link ran to a new doorway, but paused for a second to look back at Sakina.
"I love you," he said boldly. He threw at her feet her sword. "Do what you can. I'll return." And he disappeared.
Sakina's chains had loosened slightly after Ganondorf had left. She felt braver now that Link was here and was motivated to try to escape. With her left foot, she kicked up the sword, catching it deftly in her hand. Slowly, she charged it up for a powerful blow that might sever the chains around her wrists. There was barely six inches of chain and it would be a dangerous attempt. Praying fervently to Farore, she closed her eyes and swung the glowing blade.
Shink!
Sakina opened her eyes. One chain undone. The manacle loosed itself from her wrist and dropped with a clang to the ground. From the other room came Link's cry. He had been hit. Ganondorf cackled. Sakina felt blood rush to her face in fury. Though tired from her earlier use of magic, she was spurred to free herself faster. She charged her sword for a powerful magical attack, but missed the chain my inches, instead putting a large dent in the wall.
"Damn!" She hissed. Taking deep breaths, Sakina concentrated. There was a roar of rage from the next room. Link had triumphed this time. Feeling her stomach clenching, she breathed more heavily but prepared another burst of magic, this time she looked at the chain and imagined it broken. "HYAH!" The chain was undone and the shackle undid itself from her wrist. Taking a moment to crack her neck, she hurried over to Zelda's glass prison. "Get ready, Zelda," she shouted.
Zelda nodded and spoke. "I have faith in you,"
Sakina breathed again, gave all her attention to the buzzing light that enveloped her sword. Swinging it in a powerful arc, she sliced a circle into the bottom of the crystal. Zelda fell out, landing on her feet. Zelda flung her arms around Sakina.
"Sister!"
"Sister," Sakina agreed, feeling tears welling in her eyes. Their reunion ended sharply as there was a shout from the battle room. Sakina and Zelda parted quickly, looked at one another with the same fierce look and ran for the entrance. Neither expected to see what was on the other side.
"NO!" Ganondorf cried, bleeding on the ground. His eyes were looking around wildly. Green magic crackled at his fingers. Link stood over him, breathing heavily, blood staining his tunic. "No! I… can't… no!" Then his eyes stared cravenly at Link. "You may have won this battle, but the war is not over!" He collapsed.
"For you," Link spat, "it is." The three of them stood around Ganondorf's dead body in wonder. Before a word could be shared, the building began to tremble.
"Oh no," Zelda, Link and Sakina chimed.
"The castle… he's destroying it." Zelda cried desperately.
"Great," Sakina stabbed the air with her sword. "Isn't that just typical?"
"Follow me." Zelda sped across the room and led them outside. Sakina had forgotten that this was the birthplace and home of Princess Zelda. Naturally she would know it inside out. They ran along the outer wall and were soon stopped by an iron gate. Sakina chanced a look over the side. They were at least seven stories up. No one could survive that jump. Yet Zelda seemed unfazed by the new impediment. Instead, she raised up her arms, gave a little gasp and the gate disappeared. "Follow me!" She said again, and hurried through. A rock nearly winged Sakina's arm. Cautiously, she ran after her sister, Link at her side. Zelda screamed from somewhere up ahead.
"Stalfos!" She screeched. Link and Sakina sprinted to her aid. There were two of them. Perfect. They were down in hardly fifteen seconds and Zelda was on her way again, destroying another gate. Across a bridge they fled… Sakina wondered mildly why this rickety old bridge was in the building… but was soon bombarded by a fire keese, which she sliced up with her sword. They rounded a corner, went through another gateway, and were soon faced with ReDead.
"Luath teine, teth mor!" Link cried. Fire shot out, destroying the ReDead permanently.
"I didn't know it was possible to kill them," Sakina frowned before anyone moved.
"Yeah, you'd be surprised what temple-hunting can do for your skills, come on." He grabbed Sakina's upper arm and ran through the next empty gateway. Finally they were at the entrance to the castle and the only bridge was a spectacular bridge made of light and colors.
"Is it…."
"GO!" Zelda and Link shouted. The castle was nearly down. They pulled Sakina over the translucent walkway and landed on the other side of the crater and watched the castle collapse in a final, spectacular heap.
It was several minutes before anyone found words to speak again. They stared in wonder at the stone mounds that had once been part of a cheerful castle with butterflies and flowers, and once part of a death-ridden building stained with blood and decorated by bones, now destroyed. Zelda's eyes were filled with tears.
"Father," she whispered.
Sakina realized that she was talking about their shared father and felt a sense of loss too.
"No, he's not in the castle," Sakina spoke suddenly. She remembered vaguely something about Ganondorf having locked him away outside.
"He's hidden in Kakariko," Link said. "But he was trapped by magic. He should be free now."
Zelda's tears didn't halt, but she began to sob. "He's alive!" She buried her face in her hands. Sakina hugged Zelda for a few moments, feeling sisterly attachment that she hadn't felt until she saw the similarities in Zelda's features. Once Zelda stopped crying quite so hard, she kissed Sakina on the cheek and then walked over to Link. "You are a true hero," and kissed him too. Sakina remembered Ganondorf's words about Link choosing Zelda over Sakina, but didn't feel anything in the way of jealousy. When Zelda let go of Link, he turned to Sakina. Zelda looked away respectfully just as Link swooped in for a kiss. Just as their lips touched, however, the ground began to shake.
"Ganon!" Zelda gasped in realization.
Link turned away from Sakina and saw the most horrible creature. It was at least twenty feet tall with threatening, curving horns and flaming eyes. In its hand was a broadsword and around its feet was fire. Link held to his sword and ran in fearlessly. It was Zelda that held Sakina back.
"Why can't I help?!" Sakina cried.
"Only the Hero of Time can do it. We must give him our confidence." Zelda spoke softly.
Sakina crossed her arms, feeling a tingling fury, but knew that Zelda was right. Fire danced before their faces and gave the two girls only fleeting glimpses of the fight. Sakina grabbed Zelda's hand and squeezed every time Link was harmed. Time seemed to go in slow-motion as Link knocked an arrow, spoke some foreign words, pulled back and the glowing arrow stuck square in the monster's forehead. Ganon stumbled for a moment, as though at a loss for action and then collapsed much like the tumbling castle, taking with him the fire and leaving three sweaty Hylians.
(A/N: Okay folks, next chapter is the big one. Hold your pants and squeeze your eyes. I'm kind of nervous and a little sad. It'll be the end of this story. It will most likely be posted within two days. Wish me luck.)