Shattered:

Chapter 2: Enter the Sorrow

Saria raked her nails down Ganondorf's hand, pounded and kicked and struggled as best as her small frame would allow. But her vain attempts meant nothing to the man who had once dominated the lands of Hyrule. Ganondorf snapped his arm, violently shaking the girl to a stop.

"There is no use fighting child." He smiled and tightened his grip on the Kokiri's throat. "There will be no escape for you."

Saria looked up at the face of the monster that held her captive. His eyes were glazed and distant, as if he weren't there. But the rest of his face said otherwise. His lips were stretched in an unmistakable grin, the grin of an utter madman. She squeezed her eyes shut as he carried her further into the temple. She didn't want to admit it but Saria knew she couldn't overpower him. And she knew what the Gerudo had planned for her. Deep down she knew whose blood covered the temple walls in her dreams…

"I will win this battle. There will be no hero to appose my reign." Ganondorf chuckled as he descended the elevator into the depths of the temple. He stepped forward into the circular room and raised his right mangled hand, forcing the walls to turn and open the path to the heart of the temple. Saria gazed at his hand in horror. His flesh hung in tatters from his fingers, allowing her to see the dozens of bone splinters that punctured the muscle of his fingers and knuckles. She watched as blood slowly trickled from the shredded remains, attracting flies to land and feed, as they desired. But he didn't seem to notice. He didn't seem to feel it at all. Saria quickly closed her eyes, averting them from the grisly sight.

Heavy footsteps sounded as Ganondorf entered the room where his shadowy double once resided. He gazed at the worn and faded tapestries. "It is a fitting place to receive one's divine retribution is it not?" He lifted Saria to eye level and watched smiling as she scowled at him.

"You…are not a god," she spat. "You are a monster."

"Not yet child, not yet." Ganondorf laughed and wiped the liquid away with his crumpled hand, removing it and leaving a trail of crimson in its place. "Ah it is almost disappointing that you will not be around long enough to witness my rise as a god, but no matter. Some must always fall to make way for those who are truly great."

A large grin spread across the Gerudo's face as he clinched his fist, effectively squelching the meager air supply the girl had been receiving until then. Tighter and tighter he squeezed as the Kokiri's eyes bulged and her skin grew darker. It had been so long since he held the life of another in the palm of his hand. He had truly missed that experience. "You will be the first sacrifice that propells me to godhood."

Saria kicked and struggled as her lungs screamed for oxygen. A single tear slid down her cheek as her thoughts raced to things undone and words unsaid. So this is how it's going to end, killed by a madman before I could even… Her arms slid down to her sides as her vision darkened and became hazy. Before I could even…

Ganondorf smiled as he felt the Kokiri's death drawing near. His pleasure was cut short however, by the feeling of cold steel slicing through his muscle, scratching his bone, puncturing his powerful body. He recognized that pain... "Try anything and the girl will die, Hero." Ganondorf grinned and turned to face his destined nemesis, the Kokiri girl hanging limply in his oversized fist.

Link scowled. This was the one situation he had prayed would never come. He lowered his bow slowly, returning the once notched arrow to its resting place upon his back. If the Gerudo king was not mad when he had first conquered Hyrule then insanity had truly reached his mind now. Link watched the man carefully as he began formulating a plan of action. He could read the utter carelessness in the man's eyes, as if he had not a fear in the world, as if he had some information Link did not.

Ganondorf chuckled as Link studied him. "But even if you were to leave I couldn't quite guarantee the girl's safety." He smiled at the reaction he was drawing from the boy. He could see the hatred burning in his eyes. Oh but his hate would grow a thousand fold by the time his plans were fully unfurled.

Link glared as his opponent only smiled. Goddesses how he wanted to wipe that smile from his face with the edge of his sword. But there were more important matters at hand, such as saving Saria. In a mere heartbeat Link snapped his fingers signalling Navi to burst from beneath Link's hat and dive straight for Ganondorf's face, plunging her tiny hands into his left eye. it was Navi's turn to chuckle as she darted around the Gerudo's face. The Gerudo screamed in pain and swatted at the fairy with his mangled hand as Link moved in to rescue his friend. Link slid the Master Sword from its sheath and approached from the left, taking advantage of the blind spot his companion had provided him.

Ganondorf cursed and spun around just as the Master Sword came slicing toward him, narrowly missing his arm as he moved. Link growled and continued his attack, forcing the gerudo back with each swing. Ganondorf laughed as he became increasingly unbalanced. He was enjoying the fight, relishing the taunting he was giving his rival. With each swing of his sword Ganondorf dangled the girl in harm's way.

Link was growing more frustrated with each move. Every second that this continued was another second Saria was in that madman's clutches, yet he couldn't risk harming her. His eyes turned to her only to find her eyes open and moving. To his surprise Ganondorf's grip on her throat had loosened during the battle. A grin spread across his lips as her eyes met his. He could see the hope there. She knew he would rescue her.

Ganondorf saw his opportunity to strike as Link was momentarily distracted by his hostage. It was all the time he needed. He thrust his hand forward, drawing forth the power to shove Link backward, smashing the hero into the stone wall. He laughed at how he had managed to catch Link off guard. Link gasped as he tumbled backward, landing hard upon his stomach, knocking the wind from his lungs. He lay prone for a moment, gasping for air and cursing himself for his moment of inattention. He shouldn't have allowed himself to become distracted, even if it was for such a wonderful sign.

"I am ending this now Hero of Time," Ganondorf sneered. "You have failed."

Link watched in horror as Ganondorf lifted Saria above his head. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as he threw himself up from the floor and dashed toward them. Each step was an eternity as he inched forward . Every sound became inaudible as they were drowned out by primal scream that escaped his lips. Every sound that was except for the heart shattering echo of snapping cartilage and bone.

He had been too slow. He had made a mistake. Link froze as he watched the body of his best friend crash to the floor in front of him, her eyes gazing up at him, open and lifeless, her throat crushed by the hand of his mortal enemy. He didn't notice the loss of his sword as he let it clatter to the ground. He didn't see Navi fly to his side, wiping away a tear that rolled down his cheek. He didn't hear Ganondorf's laugh as he disappeared from the temple. All he knew were those blue eyes, staring into his soul.

He choked as his knees connected soundly with the stone floor. Navi watched in silence as her partner gathered the small girl into his arms. She hadn't once thought that this would come to pass. The entire time she believed that Link would rescue Saria. But...

Link buried his face in Saria's hair as the sobs he could no longer control wracked his body. He held her tight, waiting for her perky voice to speak up and tell him everything was alright, waiting for a gentle hand to wipe away his tears and say everything was ok, waiting for his friend to smile up at him.

"Saria," he managed to sputter. "Saria, please wake up. Please wake up. Saria...please say something...please wake up. Oh Goddesses please..." Tears streamed down his face, soaking her soft green hair as a choked sob interrupted his words. Navi fluttered above him as he rocked back and forth, clutching her to his chest. She waited as the torches slowly flickered and went out one by one, casting the room into total darkness.

And all she could make out in the inky blackness were the soft sobs that she couldn't cure and the mumbled words of "I failed her."

Author's Note: Wow..uh sorry that it took me darn near forever to update this story. I had almost forgotten it existedx.x But no longer! I will do my best from this point on to keep updating on a halfway regular basis at least. I hope you enjoy and keep your comments coming. I want to know what you think of the story.