Chapter 7: The Gardens of the Forest

Zelda and Link stood in the courtyard in disbelief.

"No, no it can't be" muttered Zelda.

"Yes, it is" replied Mihalich.

Zelda turned to Link.

"Link, you must go immediately to the Gardens of the Forest".

"Right. I guess I'll be leaving now"

Link turned and began to exit the courtyard. Zelda ran after him.

"Wait, Link. There's one more thing"

"Yes, Zelda?"

"Don't die", and with that, Zelda gave Link a kiss on the cheek. Link turned red for a moment, and then replied that he would not die. Link mounted Epona and rode into the market to buy a shield for his journey. Link then rode his house to pick up the Master Sword that he had forgotten earlier. Link then began his journey to the Gardens of the Forest. Link rode as fast as Epona could gallop towards the forest. The journey went by fast; Link was thinking what he would do when he was face to face with Ganondorf. He was worrying whether or not he could match Ganondorf in a fight, worrying for Zelda if he failed. He decided that he mustn't fail, and when he arrived at the Gardens of the Forest, dismounted Epona and tied her to a tree. Link looked around in indifference towards the Gardens.

"These are the Gardens of the Forest?" he thought. "What's so special about these?"

Link spotted an entryway into the Gardens and stepped inside. His jaw dropped in awe as he looked at the inner workings of the Gardens, looking twenty feet below to the floor and seeing three distinct pathways, each surrounded by magnificent looking plants. There were no need for torches; there was a giant hole in the roof, providing sunlight for all of the plants. Link looked around on the cliff that he was on for a way to descend to the floor. He spotted a rope ladder to his left and began to climb down to the bottom, still in awe from the Gardens, and now knowing why it was a wonder. Link walked to the center of the room, and looked at the three paths: left, center, right. Link unsheathed the Master Sword and decided to go to the left path. Along the way he was attacked by strange little creatures that he had never seen before. He blocked their attack with his shield and slashed them easily with the Master Sword. Link continued along the path and exited the main room. Inside this new room, he saw a skeleton sitting in the corner of the plant-filled room, clutching what appeared to be a boomerang. He went over to the skeleton and grabbed the boomerang, thinking that it would prove useful in his quest. As Link put the boomerang in his belt, he heard the door to the chamber slam shut. He looked over and saw a hand over the door. He looked up the arm and saw the body of an old man. Link unsheathed his sword, ready for battle.

"Put that away, you fool", said the man.

"Why? For all I know you could be trying to kill me", replied Link.

"If I wanted to kill you then you would be dead by now", replied the man.

"What's your name?" questioned Link.

"I am McKay of the Forest, Sage of the Gardens of the Forest. My power has been weakened from Ganondorf's attack. I was able to escape death and make it into here. That boomerang you have in your belt is enchanted. It will most certainly aid you. And you, you must be the one that the legends speak of. You, you are the one who shall save this land. But, what is the savior's name?"

"Link"

"An odd name. Anyhow, I believe Ganondorf is still in here somewhere. Find him, Link, and kill him. Don't let him get to the other sages"

"I won't." McKay of the Forest opened the door and allowed Link to exit. Link sheathed his sword and re-entered the main room and looked at the two remaining paths he could take. The center path or the right path. Link chose the right path and walked down it, into a chamber. Link looked around the chamber and saw a strange drawing on the wall. The drawing appeared to be a blueprint of the Gardens. Link gazed upon it and saw that there was only one other possible place Ganondorf could be in the Garden. The center path. Link exited the room, and as he was doing so, was attacked by more of the strange little creatures. Link cut them with ease, and they withered away. Link walked the center path, and entered a large chamber, filled with overgrowth on the walls and part of the ceiling. Link unsheathed his sword and took his shield off of his back and moved around the chamber with caution. He got to the center of the chamber when he heard the entrance to the chamber slam shut.

"McKay, is that you again?"

"That fool? He was an easy battle"

Link turned and saw a tall man of the desert with flaming red hair.

"You, you, you must be Ganondorf"

"No you fool. Do you really think I would waste my time here after I conquered it? This is merely a phantom of me. I, too, know of the legends. I know what I need to do in order to gain the Triforce and ultimate power. I know that you are here to save the world. The only reason I am here is to slow you down"

"Not much of a life"

"Time to die, you fool. Let's see if you really are the hero of legend that has come to save the world." The phantom unsheathed his sword and charged at Link. Link was ready for him, and blocked his blow with his shield. Link slashed at the phantom's body, but missed as the phantom dodged the blow. The phantom then slashed at Link, only to have it blocked by Link's shield. This battle waged on like this for what seemed like hours to Link. Link was now backed against a wall in the chamber, with the phantom raising his sword.

"Some hero"

Link remembered being in this situation when he faced his dark self. Only this time, he had a sword. Link blocked the blow with his sword and cut the phantom across the leg, allowing Link to escape from the wall. Link moved back into the center of the chamber, and fumbled around for the boomerang. Link threw it towards the phantom, but it missed, and circled the chamber.

"Nice throw"

Link was now pacing backwards as the phantom approached him, the boomerang still circling the chamber. Then, the boomerang struck the phantom in the head, causing the phantom to be momentarily distracted. With this moment, Link leapt forward and stabbed the phantom in the stomach. The phantom clutched his stomach and fell backwards, fading into nothingness.

"Very good" said the voice of McKay. "You truly are the hero of legend. Now that I am regaining some of my strength, I shall transport you out of the chamber. I shall remain in here to watch over it." With those words, McKay transported Link outside of the Gardens of the Forest and in front of Epona. Link wondered where Ganondorf would strike next as he untied Epona and rode out of the forest, not knowing where he should go next.