Chapter Eight

Nakia paced back and forth about the throne room and Zelda watched over Link, ever kneeling next to him. It had grown uncomfortable hot under her headdress and sweat trickled down her face. Link slept soundly, the bandages around his waist utterly soaked red and the liquid seeped onto the tick skin of the stretcher. Zelda feared he had died in his sleep and she placed her hand on his shoulder again. She pushed him gently to the side and his fingers tensed and tightened into a fist.

"Hold on Link." she whispered and wished, for the first and probably last time, in her life that Ganondorf would come so they could be on their way.

A loud echoing of doors slamming and opening screeched from the back of the room to the front. Zelda stood up and glared in the direction where she heard the noise. Footsteps clodded on the marble floor and Nakia rushed around the corner and squeaked in surprise.

"Lord Ganondorf!" she cried, "oh! my lord! we...we have him! we have him!"

There was a slight pause and Ganon's deep voice boomed in the Princess's eardrums.

"Have who?"

"Why, the Hero of Time!" Nakia blurted joyfully, "he is here, in the throne room!"

Nakia lead Ganondorf around and Zelda bit her lip and rubbed her thumbs over her knuckles. Ganon eyed her with much suspicion and gazed at her skeptically.

"Nxi uho oie?" he asked and Zelda blinked in confusion, "Nxuk'j kho mukkoh? Ted'k oie jfoub Gruedo?"

Zelda's eyes widened in horror. He's speaking to me in Gruedo! Oh! He knows! He knows! Nakia stepped in front of Zelda.

"Please excuse my friend my lord. She was born a mute and can speak no tongue whatsoever." Ganon turned hatefully towards Nakia and narrowed his amber eyes to slits. He glanced again towards Zelda and the princess shrugged. Then Ganon's eyes spied Link sprawled on the stretcher sleeping in a pool of his own blood. His eyes widened.

"Is this truly him?" he asked and Nakia nodded.

"Yes my lord, we found him in the caverns he was weak and we captured him."

Ganondorf squatted next to Link and tilted his head sideways. "How did you find him?"

"In the caverns." Nakia repeated, "he was traveling with the sages, they tried to protect him but in the end they gave him up to save their own pathetic lives."

Zelda shrieked, she realized Nakia's mistake as did Ganondorf and he stood. "The sages would never give up Link to anyone. I know them well enough to assure you of that."

Nakia blinked and shook her head rapidly. "Well, that is just what my officers told me my lord. If you have any doubts you should take it up with them, my lord."

"Perhaps I will." Ganondorf replied with great suspicion lurking in his tone. He stared at Link once more and unsheathed the giant sword he kept around his strong waist. He grabbed the heavy hilt in two gigantic hands and pointed the tip downward.

Zelda's eyes widened in terror, but she didn't cry out no matter how much she wanted to. Nakia glared at her master in disbelief.

"W-what are you doing?" she asked her voice quaking with fear.

"I'm going to make sure he's dead, so then he can never rise against me again!"

"But he is dead! Surely he is by now!'' Nakia shouted, "Please King Ganondorf..."

"You're pleading confirms my suspicions even more. He is not dead and you know it. Once I kill him his blood will mingle with yours on this very blade as well as your friend here!"

Link cringed at the loud noise and rolled his head back to the right side and moaned. He opened his eyes slowly and tilted his head up, the blue of his eyes colliding with the red fiery-hatred in Ganon's.

"You see!" the King of Evil bellowed, "he lives! I knew it! Welcome Hero of Time, was your rest peaceful?"

Link gasped and cursed under his breath violently. "Just get it over with Ganondorf, I don't want to die listening to your gloating."

Ganondorf dropped his hands at his sides and stared at Link with narrow eyes. "I do not gloat."

Link couldn't help but conceal a half smile. "Yes you do, then someone always comes up behind you and smacks you on the back of the head...."

"Like this!" Zelda yelled and grabbed hold of the King of Evil's sides, calling upon her magic she swung him forward in mid air and pushed back, flinging him into the nearest wall. The rock slumped in where his body hit and he shook his head in shock.

"Zelda! I thought that was you beneath those old robes!" he screamed.

"Well, you should act on your hunches.'' the Princess spat and helped Link to his feet. Nakia handed him the Master Sword and sped off down the halls as Link ordered her too. Ganondorf stood brushing the crushed ruble off his thick armor and laughed right out loud.

"FOOL! You dare challenge me again!? Haven't you learned anything from our last duel?"

"Well, I suppose I always was a slow learner." Link raised his sword menacingly and stepped forward and Zelda pushed him back with her arm.

"Link, let me handle him. You're too weak, I am fresh, let me fight him." Link stared at her in bewilderment.

"Are you crazy! You don't have half the experience I have! You'll be killed!" screaming hurt and Link retreated back a bit. Zelda stared at him in pity.

"You forget I spent the last seven years in a Sheikah tribe. Besides, I would last better then you would."

"I could hold you to that..."

"Link! Please, let me do this! You're in no condition to fight, stay back. As you're Princess I am ordering you."

Link opened his mouth to protest and then gritted his teeth. "Your lucky being duty-bounded was drilled into my head Zelda. Fine, as you wish my lady."

"Thank you.'' Zelda stepped forward and conjured up a small ball of Din's fire around her hand, "Ganondorf! I am your opponent now. The control of Hyrule is in the balance. Now I will take back from you what you stole! Do not underestimate me!"

A sly and malevolent smile raced across Ganondorf's lips and he chuckled amused. "It that is the way you want it Princess. Pity that I should close those beautiful blue eyes forever."

Zelda narrowed her eyes and thrust her attack forward; Ganondorf grabbed the hem of his cape and pulled it around him. The ball of fire bounced straight off the rough cloth and shot towards Zelda. She ducked and it disintegrated the wall behind Link.

"Be careful Zelda!" he called, "he pulled this same trick on me! keep hitting it back until you strike a hit!"

Zelda smiled. "So, it's a game of tennis is it?"

Ganon shrugged. "If that's what you want to call it. But a free trip to the Black Land is awarded to the loser of this game!"(A/N: Wow, that line was a little YGOish.) He extended his left hand and sent a ball of light flashing in the air. Zelda spun using the power of Nayru's Love to reflect it. Her opponent hit it back in the same manner and Zelda put her right hand over her left, catching the ball of light in the space and hurtled it forward. Ganondorf screamed as the light ball hit him the upper left-hand corner of his chest.

"Good! Now that's he's paralyzed finish him off!" Link yelled and Zelda spun around to face him. Link tried his best to stand upright and he held out the Master Sword to her.

"Here, take this, finish him off."

Zelda stared at the weapon with wide eyes. ''But Link, I can't wield the Master Sword, only you can!"

"Then let me at him!" The Master Sword glowed with a deep blue fire and Link took a step forward. Zelda failed her arms and urged him to stay back.

"No Link! You can't! Let me handle this, I'll do it my way."

"But we could kill him right now!"

"There has been enough bloodshed, perhaps we can merely imprison him within the Golden Land and-"

"Zelda look out!" Link grabbed Zelda by the shoulders and spun her behind him, just as a stream of purple fire cut through the air and smashed into his back. Link stumbled forward in too much pain to scream.

"Link!" Zelda screamed instead and knelt slowly to the floor as Link leaned on her for support, "Link! Link! Oh...graceful Ferore!"

Link's breathing came out in short shaky gasps and his pupils faded away. Pain rocketed up his spinal cord and crushed his head and sides. He bit his lip to hold back tears that swelled up in his eyes.

"Zelda...." he managed and she took his hand in hers and his fingers trembled in her palm.

"I'm here Link." she whispered, Link moaned.

"Uh...it hurts, I can't bare this any longer..."

Zelda tightened her grip. "You must! Link hold on, don't leave me here...."

Link titled his head up and he stared at Zelda mournfully. "Use light magic to defeat him, that's the only way...understand? You-you have to hit him with his opposite that means....light-"

"Link! Stay with me!"

"I wish I could." His hand reached up and stroked Zelda's cheek softly. He took in a deep breath and then his hand fell to the floor as his eyes closed.

"Link! Link! NO! No! No! No!" Zelda shook the limp body furiously screaming with hatred and sorrow. Ganondorf stood his hand clutching his shoulder where his own attack had hit him.

"I have to admit you're skills are more then what I had expected Princess." he stated coldly and Zelda look up, hot tears streaming down her face. She stood her knuckled turning white as she drove them into her palms.

"GANONDORF! YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT!"

The King of Evil brushed the soot off of his armor and glared daggers at the young Princess.

"First rule of dueling, whether magic wielding or some other weapon, never turn you're back on an enemy. Least you find a knife jabbed in it."

Zelda rushed at Ganondorf, her hands blazing with the power of Din's Fire. She leapt into the air and jabbed her fist upward. Ganon easily grabbed her small writs and flung her to the floor with great force. Zelda's body slid along the marble tiles, scraping her arms and sides. She felt herself being lifted off the ground and with a flick of his wrist Ganondorf flung her into the nearest wall, as she had done to him moments before.

She yelled in pain from the impact and stared at Ganondorf through one eye, the other squeezed shut. The King of Evil recovered his sword, the metal blade grinding across the marbled floor as he brought it parallel with his side, then extended it forward pointing the tip at Zelda's throat.

"You have evaded this moment a long time Princess, you and that accursed boy you mingled with. Alas his time has finally ended and yours is near complete. But before I send your soul to the depths of the Sacred Realm I acquired one thing from you, and that is you're Triforce of Wisdom!"

His hand lashed out and took hold of Zelda's left, the lower left-hand triangle on the back of it glowing brightly as Ganon stared longingly at it.

"Aye, soon the Triforce will be reassembled and the complete power of the Goddesses will be mine at last."

"You tamper with powers that are beyond you're comprehension!" Zelda spat bitterly, but Ganon paid her no mind. He began to chant the spell that would draw out the Princess magic and make her powers his own. Clearly he had studied this legend well, for he knew the exact formula and words to perform and the drawing of the Triforce carved on the back of his left hand glowed with same brightness as Zelda's. The power and wisdom, Din and Nayru, elements seeped into Ganondorf's veins and he smiled as Zelda's eyelids grew heavy and she became weak with that sudden lack of magic.

Yet a third emblem glowed, from one who was momentarily forgotten and his magic held back as the Goddess of Courage willed.

Struggle not, young hero, regain you're strength for it is not yet time for you're departure of this world. Although you are a man in body you have the heart and soul of an innocent child who was forced to grow up too quickly, for the sake of his kingdom and Princess. Return weary traveler; return to thin world and recover you're strength. You're wounds healed and fight with the gift I have given you.

His eyelids squeezed together even more tightly, and he gasped suddenly and reached to his left. His fingers ran along the smooth hilt of his choice weapon and the blade shimmered in a new skylight that had occurred sometime during his last battle in this very same place.

He cringed as a deep and malevolent laugh echoed through the room and Ganon threw Zelda to the ground. The Princess groaned from the lack of energy and collapsed on the floor. Ganondorf twisted his left wrist back and forth, admiring the Triforce of Wisdom and Power glowing brightly on the back.

"Two down, one more to go." He swung towards the hero sprawled on the ground, his long cape swaying behind him. Ganondorf trotted up to Link and gripped his Kokriri tunic, yanking him to his feet. Little to the gruedo King's notice, Link's fingers tightened on the Master Sword he now held firmly in his hand. Flames licked up the side in a transparent orange haze.

Ganondorf's massive fingers wrapped around his left wrist and he began to extract the Triforce of Courage from his body. Link opened his eyes, a blazing fire of malice burning into Ganon's soul. The Gruedo ceased his chanting and stared wide eyed at the boy he held captive.

Link smiled and with a jerk of his arm, slung the Master Sword upward, splitting Ganon's sides as he had done to him and the King of Evil flung Link to the floor.

He hit on his backside and rolled over onto his feet, his sword gleaming red where the fire faded. Ganondorf staggered back and gripped his side, blood gushing through his fingers.

"YOU!?" he screamed, "but...but that's impossible! You were dead!"

"Obviously not." Link mused and summoned the flame again. Ganondorf clenched his left hand into a fist and screamed out of rage.

"Cruse you! How many times do I have to kill you boy!?"

Link lunged forward and Ganondorf stepped to the side. The Hero of Time turned up to glance at his arch enemy and shot him a sideways glance.

"Hm....a lot?"

Ganondorf's brown eyes blazed with a black fire and he slammed his fist into the wall, creating a new crater and more damage to fix when Link had sealed his soul within the Golden Land forever. Though Zelda was the one with all the magic experience, and he hadn't the slightest idea how to accomplish what must be done.

Link blinked and turned around. Of course Zelda! The Princess lay in a crumpled heap on the floor beside the wall and when Link took a step forward to assist her, he felt strong arms grip his waist and neck and tightened.

He gagged and struggled to break free but Ganon held his grip fast.

"If magic and swords don't phase you, surely brute strength will!" he hissed and Link gulped and his arm reached to his back. He felt around for his hook shot, but of course his weapons were stored away some where. All he had was the Blade of Fire.

Thinking quickly he twirled it in his fingers and jabbed it backwards imbedding it in Ganon's leg. He screamed and his grip loosened. Link slipped through and started running. Ganon extended his hand and dark purple fire sprouted from his hands, landing a few feet from Link and he jumped when it exploded.

Pieces of tile took flight into the air and rained down on the Hero of Time as he hid behind the throne which was chipped and broken beyond repair now.

"Cease you're defiance Link!" Ganon called out, "I know where you hide!"

Link got to his feet quickly and dodge away from the golden chair as it burst into splinters as Ganon's attack hit. Link turned the corner and hid behind the wall, breathing hard. Oh, what he wouldn't give for his light arrows right now. In his first match with the King of Evil he discovered his opponent's weakness.

Light Magic.

As soon as the arrows hit they would send bright sparks racing down his body and paralyze him momentarily and Link was free to stab as many times as his will and conscience would let him. But as he went in for the final strike Ganondorf some how had recovered early then expected and sent him flying. Link had taken a step backward attempting to recover from the blow when the floor had broken loose and fell away from his feet and there he plunged, all the fifty stories down to the first floor.

That is why his sides had been so beaten and every bone in his body had been crushed to pieces. The only reason he hadn't died was because at the last instant he thought of his gift from the Great Fairy.

Ferore's Wind, though he hadn't remembered it in time and he cursed himself for his stupidity. Link remembered of the pain, even now, and the excurating sting of Ganondorf's sword slashing at his waist when he floated down to finish him.

Well, Link remembered all the weak tiles now and he would not lose again. He couldn't. He shrinked back against the wall as another blast claimed a chunk of it.

"Must you be in hiding so much!?" Ganondorf's voice called out to him, "Come on Link. Fight me like a man instead of a coward!"

Link swallowed, there was nothing he could do without his light arrows. He took a step backwards and almost tripped over a brown sack that clinked with material as it slid along with him.

Link gazed down at the bag and saw the brown hilt of some sword. He reached and pulled it out, the rest of it's contents spilling out. He smiled and gasped in joy and his gaze drifted back to the sword in his hand. It was, now he realized, the size of a large dagger, for the blade was too short to be an even a short sword.

But he had called it a sword once and the red jewel on the hilt glowed like a bright beckon of hope. This was the dagger of the forest, sword of his childhood. He dropped to his knees and yelled.

"Whoo!-who! Oh thank you Nayru! Ferore and Din! Ho! Luck shines on me today!"