Well, I've re-written this whole thing. I THINK it's about as good as it used to be. I'm really mad that I can't find it because it's a huge pain to have to rewrite something that was actually pretty good the first time through.

Please excuse any spelling errors. I sped through this so I could get it up nice and fast for everyone. I think I caught them all. But still… I don't admit I'm perfect.

Meh. Here it is anyways.

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Character- Link

Setting- Link has just been killed by Ganondorf. But we all know that Death just can't stop him.

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Courage (Part 3)

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My eyes snap wide open.

I can see nothing but the black and stormy rain clouds above my head.

Rain falls down onto my face.

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What the hell just happened?

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I realize that I'm not breathing.

I try to take in a breath.

I can't.

I try desperately to get air in me.

My lungs are screaming.

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Then, suddenly, air rushes through.

I take it in huge gulps.

I start to cough.

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An amazed feeling passes through me.

I don't know why I feel so…

Energized.

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I find the strength to sit up.

I feel a small, dull ache in my chest.

I can't place what caused it.

I rub it, massaging the ache away.

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"Oh, Link. You were dead!" Comes Navi's voice.

It sounds watery.

I look over to where I heard her voice.

She's floating right beside me.

I can feel her joy and anxiousness.

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"I felt like I was." I say.

Dead, I mean.

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Goddesses my chest still hurts.

But it's fading away now.

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What on Earth caused me thi-?

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My mind reels

Ganondorf.

Ganondorf was stepping on me…

Killing me.

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Holy shit.

He DID kill me.

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But… I'm back now.

What is going on?

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"Hold on…" I say slowly, trying to grasp the situation, "Where's… where's Ganondorf. I was fighting him, right?"

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I'm all ready for an answer from Navi.

But a scream from Zelda erupts in the distance.

I snap my head in the direction of her scream.

Ganondorf is looming over her.

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No time to worry about trivialities.

If I'm alive, I'm alive.

… But if I don't do anything now, Zelda won't be alive for long.

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I jump to my feet and sprint towards them.

I don't think I've ever run this fast in my life.

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I notice that Zelda has the Master Sword in her hands.

Again… I've no clue as to how she has it.

But that doesn't matter.

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Zelda glances over in my direction.

She smiles.

I motion my hands in order to tell her to be quite.

I slow my sprint down enough so my footsteps make almost no noise.

Stealth.

That's what I need now.

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Then Zelda opens her mouth.

Oh no.

Oh NO!

Don't you say anything.

Please don't say anything.

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"LINK! CATCH!" She screams.

She then launches the heavy sword into the air.

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On to Plan B, I guess.

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I see Ganondorf turn around, his face full of a disgusted curiosity.

I smirk at him.

I see his eyes flash.

With what emotion I'm not sure.

Anger.

Fear.

Hate.

Rage.

Amazement

Maybe all of them.

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I don't even bother to look up for my sword.

I know it's going to some straight to me anyway.

I raise my hand.

I can feel the pull of the Master Sword as it shifts towards me.

Somehow, I pull it to me. (Another triviality: as long as I have a weapon, I don't care how I got it.)

It snaps right into my hand.

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It's only then that I remember that only minutes ago that my arm had been broken.

But wouldn't 'cha know?

I'm all better.

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I spin the sword in my hand.

Then I prepare to charge.

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I hope to the Goddesses that this surprise attack knocks him off his guard.

For a moment, Ganondorf looks stunned.

Even though it's probably because I'm alive again and not because of my attack,

It's still the reaction I wanted.

I run up to him as close I as dare to without making my move last second.

And at around two feet away from his tree-trunk legs,

I break into a roll.

The world flips round as I come out from under his legs.

I jump to my feet in a liquid motion.

I spin to his unprotected back.

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Just as Ganondorf goes to turn around,

I lash out with the Master Sword and take off his tail.

It lands on the dirty, wet ground.

Blood splashes everywhere.

My boots become speckled with the stuff.

But the rain washes it away in seconds.

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Ganondorf spots his tail bleeding on the ground.

He gives off a bone-shaking roar.

I can't help but smirk at the bastard.

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Ganondorf raises both his long blades,

He prepares to strike.

I now realize how stupidly slow he his.

But I push aside my thinking.

I let my instincts take me over.

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I whip out my bow.

I load a light arrow onto the string with a quickness that I've never seemed to have before.

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I let the arrow fly towards Ganondorf.

Anywhere will do.

As long as it hits him.

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A blinding flash follows.

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I hear Ganondorf screaming.

I know the arrow has hit him.

I blink rapidly.

The light begins to fade.

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Then I see what lies before me.

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Ganondorf is sprawled out on the rocky ground.

Rain bounces off his twisted and broken figure.

Oozing blood pools out from his tail stub.

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I walk towards him.

I'm not smirking.

Not now.

This is no time for that sort of thing.

I'm filled with a calm and stern feeling.

As though someone had erased all feelings other than those.

I know what must be done.

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Ganondorf makes the move to get up.

I don't even flinch.

It's too late for him.

I know it.

He knows it.

The time for his failure is now.

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A beam of light wraps around Ganondorf.

I look towards the source of where it's coming from.

Zelda.

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She stands with her slim arms outstretched.

She's holding Ganondorf down with some sort of barrier.

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Zelda knows it too.

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I flip the Master Sword around gracefully.

I walk towards the fallen King of Evil.

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"Link!" Zelda calls out, struggling to remain on her feet, "Deliver the final blow!"

She then collapses to the ground.

But I know she's all right.

I can feel it.

I don't even feel a burst of panic.

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Suddenly

Light blazes around the Master Sword for a moment.

I can feel it's power exploding inside of it.

It hums softly in my hand.

The sword has a strange glow to it now.

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I stare at Ganondorf.

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Then,

I pull back my sword.

I keep my eyes fixed on his.

I say nothing

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I thrust the blade into Ganondorf's forehead.

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"Six Sages, NOW!" I hear Zelda scream, from her crumpled body on the ground.

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Six shoots of light dance around us.

They weave a path amongst us.

They then zoom around Ganondorf's body and surround it.

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The lights merge together and form a white portal.

Ganondorf floats in it.

His eyes dart around.

When he spots Navi Zelda and I, he shoots a death glare.

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"Curse you all!" He screams at us, "Curse you Zelda. Curse you Sages. Curse you Link!"

The portal begins to shrink.

"Someday, when this seal is broken… that is the day I will eliminate your descendants!"

The portal shuts completely.

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He's gone.

For good.

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It's over.

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A small smile blooms on my lips despite my efforts.

Zelda stumbles over to me.

She stands up as straight as she can.

Tears shine in her eyes.

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"It's over." She whispers.

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Then,

The sun peeks behind Death Mountain.

The falling rain ceases.

The sun's golden rays pierce through the gray gloom.

I feel the warm glow on my face.

My smile grows.

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"It's all over." Zelda whispers again.

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She then turns to Navi and I.

"Thank you so much for all you've done. But it is time you returned to your rightful time." She says, almost breathlessly.

But… It's not me she's speaking to.

She addressing Navi alone.

But, before I have time to question it, Navi is whisked away in a haze of blue light.

I'm left standing with Zelda in the muddy, rocky wasteland that was once Hyrule Castle.

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"Don't worry Link," Zelda says gently, "I've sent her back to your rightful time. You'll soon see her again."

She pauses.

She stares pointedly at me.

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Oh…

Oh.

"You mean… You're going to send me back too?" I ask, already knowing the answer.

Already knowing that it's going to happen.

No matter what.

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Zelda nods, only slightly.

As though the thought hurts her.

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"But…" I begin, losing hope that my words will have any effect on the outcome, "I… I don't want to go back."

I'm shocked to find that this is the truth.

The whole, honest to Goddesses truth.

But that won't make a difference.

I know I'm going back anyway.

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"This isn't your time Link. You belong in your own world." Zelda replies.

Her eyes begin to swim with tears.

At first I mistake them for happy tears, like they were before.

But then she chokes out;

"I'm so sorry. All this is my fault."

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"Er… you don't need to be sorry. It wasn't really." I say awkwardly.

I've never been in a situation like this.

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"If I had never had asked you to do this in the first place-" She begins.

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"-Then who knows what Ganondorf would have done to this place?" I cut in.

I gain more confidence, "I was told this was destined to happen. I didn't want to believe it at the time… but now I see that that was true. It was because you asked me that I was able to save Hyrule."

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She smiles at this.

Only slightly.

But it's still a smile.

"I should never have-"

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"-But you did. It's in the past." I cut in yet again, "If there's one thing I've learned from this whole… thing, it's that the past has… past. And that's all."

I smile weakly at my poor explanation.

"Look, all I'm saying is that I don't really… want to go back. I don't belong there. I… don't belong here either, really."

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I realize that it's no use at all.

I sigh, heavily.

It make me realize how tired I am.

"You're going to send my back no matter what I tell you, aren't you?" I ask.

I already know the answer to this question also.

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"Yes," She says in a near whisper.

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She looks at me.

Into me.

It's eerie, but at the same time… welcome.

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"May I have my ocarina back, Link?" She asks softly.

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I pause, only for a moment.

Then a take the Ocarina of Time out.

I hold it out to her.

She takes my hand in hers.

Her pale skin is no longer hidden by her silk gloves.

They appear to have been burned off.

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"When you get back… go and visit me, will you? I'm sure that my younger self would love to meet you." she says, a grim smile on her face.

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I try to smile back at her.

But I find that I can't.

The time for smiling is over.

Good-byes are a lie.

There is no good.

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Zelda sigh gently.

"You deserve something much better than this half dead world," she tells me.

She takes the Ocarina from me.

Her hands pull away from mine.

She brings the instrument to her chest.

"Go… Go back to your rightful place. To your rightful age. Grow as you were meant to grow… as you were meant to live."

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I see tears dancing in her eyes again.

"This is goodbye, Link. Enjoy the only thing I can give you now. Enjoy what I had stolen from you seven years ago. Enjoy your true life."

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She closes her eyes.

She plays the notes of her own lullaby.

They sound haunting and shill… but beautiful too.

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I begin to feel lighter.

I know that soon I will be leaving.

I'll be leaving the one place I ever amounted to anything in.

I realize that in the past, there is no life waiting for me.

Not really.

"This was my true life." I say, mumbling.

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Zelda brings the Ocarina away.

She looks at me.

One last time.

Our eyes meet.

She smiles… weakly.

Then, the blue tunnel of light surrounds me.

I begin to ascend into the sky.

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I feel tears sting my eyes.

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I make a silent promise to myself:

I won't just leave Zelda like that.

If I go back seven years,

I'll visit her younger self. Just like she asked me to.

Then… I'll wait seven years.

I'll wait for this day.

Then I'll be there.

And as soon as she turns around after sending me back…

She'll see me standing there.

After waiting and living seven full years.

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I smile gently at this.

The tears in my eyes prickle.

"I'll come back for you." I say to Zelda.

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Then the blue light floods my vision and I see no more.

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I feel my feet hit something hard.

A stone floor.

The stone floor in the Temple of Time.

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I am back.

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The blue light fades away.

I look to Navi and see that the blue light around her is just fading away too.

We've both arrived at the same time.

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I look down at my hands.

I'm back… to normal.

I guess.

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I place the heavy Master Sword in its pedestal.

I step back and admire it.

I sigh.

Navi looks over at me.

I smile gently.

We both say nothing to each other.

My tears slowly ebb away.

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We both stare up to the stained-glass window above us.

The sun streams in and bathes us in light.

I should be feeling happy.

I know I should.

But I'm hit with a sudden realization.

I think I know what's about to happen next.

I guess it's something I've always known since day one…

I know that now we'll have to say goodbye.

First Zelda and I…

And now Navi and I will have to part ways.

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And I don't feel guilty saying that this goodbye will be much worse than the one I've just been through.

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I stare up through the window,

I'm not really looking at it…

I stare through it.

I'm trying to think of what to say.

Goddesses, I wish that Navi would start.

It's not going to be easy.

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I can't wait much longer.

I'm the one who has to start this.

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"Navi." I say.

It sounds distant to my own ears…

So full of sadness.

So… little… childish.

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"Yes, Link?" She asks, although she already knows where this is leading.

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"Navi, I'm sorry." Is all I can choke out.

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"I'm sorry too." Navi says gently.

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"I'm… I can't go back to the forest. I can't. You know I can't. Not anymore. Not now that I know what I really am. I can't pretend to be a Kokiri." I say.

It sounds so strange to say it.

But I manage it anyway.

The home that I've had for so long can no longer bear me.

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A long, steady silence passes.

I can hear birds singing just outside.

But the cold stone walls of the Temple cage us in silence.

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I let out a heavy sigh.

"Hylians don't have fairies, Navi." I say calmly.

This sentence makes me burst inside.

My tears are back.

It hurts so much to say these things.

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"I know they don't… I know." She whispers, as though she is trying to reassure me.

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Navi looks at me.

I smile at her.

I feel as though my face is going to break.

She tries to smile back.

But she can't.

This causes my eyes to throb.

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Oh Goddesses, don't let me cry.

Let me be strong for Navi.

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"I'm not going back either." Navi says, suddenly and determinedly, "I'm going to find somewhere else. Somewhere more beautiful than Hyrule. Somewhere where I won't be reminded of the harsh memories… somewhere I can meditate over all the good ones."

She flashes me a small smile.

"All the good times we've had."

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"I hope one day I'll find you there, Navi." I say.

A small voice in the back of my mind tells me that I most certainly will.

I push my hair out of my eyes.

"Who knows, maybe someday I'll need to go there too."

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"I'll miss you." She whispers so softly I can barely hear her.

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"Yeah." I say.

My voice is so small.

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"You're the best partner anyone could ever ask for." She says.

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"Yeah." I say again.

This time my voice cracks a little.

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Another silence.

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"I need to go now." Navi says.

Her words tear my apart.

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"… Yeah. I know." I say slowly.

Then, I muster up all of my remaining energy.

I fight back my tears.

And I grin as big as I can.

"Goodbye." I say.

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"Bye." Navi says, her face blooms into a smile at the sight of my own.

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She turns around and flies up towards the open window.

The sun surrounds her.

I try to see her through the bright light.

I squint.

I wave to her, a small black dot amongst the bright golden sunshine.

My tears run freely now.

I can't hold them anymore.

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Then… she's gone.

The one who led me through everything.

The one who gave me the chance to start this…

And to end it.

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What would I have done without her?

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What am I going to do without her?

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She had to leave.

We couldn't be together.

Our time together ended.

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And what a great time it was.

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I don't think it was as good as it was the first time. But it never does, does it? It still turned out well though. I got everything across that I wanted to.

And now…

I'm sad to say, that my next entry will be my final entry. Courage Part 4 is fully completed and not lost and ready to go. I'll have it up by the end of this week. Hope you enjoyed this chappy. Bye for now.