Chapter 20: The Death of a Hero
"Link," said Ganondorf as he turned around to face Link. "You survived. You are stronger than I thought. But not strong enough. Soon, I will grab the Triforce. And I will be the most powerful man alive!"
"No. I can't allow that." replied Link, drawing his bow back and aiming an arrow at Ganondorf's head. "You killed the only person I ever loved. And now you will pay. I will finish what I was instructed to do by Zelda. Only than can I truly find peace and avenge her death."
"I killed her?" began Ganondorf. "I killed her? No, you have it all wrong. YOU killed her. It was YOU who ran off to fight me. It was YOU who couldn't protect your fiancé. It was all YOU! YOU wanted to be the hero. YOU wanted to kill me. But you didn't. And now look, you are all alone in this world."
Unbeknownst to Link, his body began pulsing with a black and purple light starting around his chest. "YOU LIE! IT WAS ALL YOU! YOU DID IT." The light grew stronger and stronger.
"Why, why do you keep fighting it, Link? You know it to be true. Why are you even here? LeBaron didn't tell you…"
"TELL ME WHAT?"
"There never was a legend of a hero. You are here by a matter of chance. The fact you are still alive amazes everyone. No one expected you to live. Not a soul. The only purpose you serve was to give people hope. What a foolish thing. Hope. What use is hope? NONE. Just like you. You don't have a purpose."
The light emanating from Link's torso grew stronger and stronger with each word Ganondorf spoke.
"YOU LIE!" screamed Link. "IT'S ALL A LIE! Now come here and FIGHT ME"
Ganondorf noticed the light pulsing from Link's torso. He smiled knowingly of what was happening, and continued talking.
"No. I am not going to fight you, Link"
"FIGHT ME, NOW!" The light was now at its strongest. "What…what's happening to me?" The light engulfed Link's body. Link let out a scream of agony, and collapsed on the ground.
"Foolish boy," said Ganondorf. "He doesn't know anything of the Sacred Realm. He let the rage inside him consume him. You can't do that in the Sacred Realm. You'll die."
Ganondorf turned around and reached for the Triforce again. He was inches from it when he heard the twang of a bow, and felt an arrow graze his hair. He turned around to face Link, who had dropped the bow and was facing Ganondorf right back.
"WHAT? You…you can't be alive. You were consumed by rage. No one can survive that."
"I've conquered my darkness once before. I did it again."
"That's impossible"
"Is it? Or are you just afraid that I may be something more than just a foolish hope? That I may actually have a purpose?"
"Your only purpose is to DIE".
Ganondorf unsheathed his sword and charged at Link. Swinging it wildly, he bashed Link's shield, causing the sound to echo across the Sacred Realm. Link was backing up, avoiding the swings of Ganondorf's blade. Finally at the edge of the island, Link fought back. He swiped the Master Sword at Ganondorf's legs. Ganondorf blocked it with his sword, and backed away from Link, who was now swinging the Master Sword recklessly at Ganondorf, charged at Ganondorf, causing him to backstep to the center of the floating rock island. Both raised their blades back, and swung them with all the might in their bodies. The blades crashed against each other, and the great force caused Ganondorf and Link to drop their blades.
"I don't need a blade to finish YOU off," said Ganondorf as he took up his cloak and tossed it to the side. "All I need is THIS".
Ganondorf threw a right hook at Link, and nailed him in the face, just under his left eye. The surprise caused Link to drop his shield as he stumbled backwards from the impact, and was met with a left hook to his jaw. Ganondorf then grabbed Link, forced his body to double over, and kneed Link in the rib cage. Link was unaffected by this blow, thanks to his chain mail. Ganondorf then picked Link up and threw him against the ground. Link rolled on the ground, and crawled towards the Master Sword.
"I can't allow that," said Ganondorf.
Ganondorf walked over towards Link and kicked him in the ribcage, causing Link to flip over onto his back, close to the Master Sword. Ganondorf stepped on Link's arm as he was reaching for the Master Sword. He put his other foot on Link's throat and applied pressure.
"Heh. You thought you could beat ME? Now you will die for thinking such foolish thoughts."
"The…only thing foolish," gasped Link, struggling to get a breath, "Is what you are doing now."
"What?"
Link used his free right arm to grab the ankle of Ganondorf. Link used all the might in his body, aided by the Gauntlets of Damiani, to force Ganondorf off of him and fall to the ground on his back. Link then jumped on Ganondorf, and kept him in place by trapping his torso in between his thighs. Link raised his left hand to punch Ganondorf across the jaw, but Ganondorf was ready, and he used his free legs to knee Link in the back, causing him to flip over Ganondorf's head. Ganondorf ran to his blade, and picked it up. He walked slowly towards Link, savoring every moment of this. Link didn't have the Master Sword, and was on the ground, slowly getting up. Link got up to his feet just in time to see Ganondorf a few feet away, blade raised. Unable to react in time, Link felt a crushing blow against his rib cage, and he fell to the ground. The Chain Mail of Kamarrian protected him from death, but at a price: the chain mail shattered from the blow. Now Link lay on the ground motionless, still gathering himself from the blow.
"Fool." smirked Ganondorf. "You thought you could challenge me? All who have done so have failed. Just like you."
Ganondorf walked over towards the Triforce as Link lay motionless on the ground. Link finally pushed himself up, and got to a knee to see Ganondorf just a few feet away from the Triforce. Link reached for his boomerang and threw it with all his might at Ganondorf. The boomerang whizzed by, and on its way back, caught Ganondorf in the knee, causing him to fall backwards. Furious, he flipped over to his stomach and pushed himself up, glaring at Link.
"Why won't you die?"
"Because you still live"
Link pushed himself up, still unarmed. Ganondorf charged at Link, and swung his blade. Link blocked the blade by shoving his arm against Ganondorf's blade arm. Link then punched Ganondorf in the stomach, causing him to fly backwards. Link used this opportunity to run over and retrieve the Master Sword. Now, both he and Ganondorf were armed. They charged at each other with their blades, and the blades met each other in mid air, each pressing against the other. Link and Ganondorf struggled to gain control, and pushed each other's blades back and forth, waiting for the other to slip up. Ganondorf, realizing he was losing as his blade got closer and closer to his chest, kneed Link in the gut, causing Link to double over. Then, he swung his sword, and sliced Link's right arm. Blood now poured from the wound and stained Link's tunic as he stepped backwards clutching his arm. Ganondorf swung at Link again, and Link was unable to avoid this blow as well. More blood poured from his body and stained his clothing, this time from his thigh. Link stopped clutching his arm and now used his forearm to apply pressure on his wound, while supporting himself as he was doubled over. Ganondorf walked up to the struggling Link, and kicked him in the face, causing a loud cracking noise as Link was thrown backwards from the impact. Link's nose was broken, and now blood flew from his nostrils, down his face.
Suddenly, the sages appeared at the barrier to the sacred realm. Gavas tried to enter to come and fight Ganondorf, but was stopped by the barrier.
"What's this then?" asked Gavas.
"The barrier won't let anyone else in" said Sekim. "They are meant to fight".
"No, Link's getting killed," said Norclas. "There has to be something we can do".
"Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do" said Denpolent somberly.
"Is it true?" asked McKay of the Forest. "Is Zelda dead?"
"Yes, it is" replied Rinoma, with a tear in his eye. "Can you do anything, Denpolent?"
"No, I can't bring anyone back from the dead".
"Damn. So there's nothing we can do but wait here and watch" said McKay of the Forest.
"Indeed" said Denpolent. "Now that the barrier is sealed, neither Ganondorf nor Link can see or hear us. But we can see and hear everything that goes on."
"There's got to be another way" said Gavas.
"There isn't" replied Denpolent. "We can only hope."
Link was struggling to get up, and spitting the blood that ran into his mouth from his nose out. Ganondorf closed in him, ready to deliver the final blow.
"Serve your purpose, and die".
Ganondorf swung the blade at Link, who was now on one knee. Watching it carefully, Link bent his head to the side at the last second, causing the blade to miss. Link swung the Master Sword at Ganondorf's legs, causing him to stumble a bit. Link got up to a stand, and swung the Master Sword at Ganondorf, connecting directly with Ganondorf's arm, creating a large wound at the elbow. Blood stained Ganondorf's attire as he backed up, distancing himself from Link. Link charged, and swung the Master Sword again. Ganondorf was ready this time. He dodged the attack, and countered with one of his own. He swung his blade at Link's torso, and connected with three loud cracks. He didn't hit Link with the edge of the blade, but the broad side of it, and the force broke three of Link's ribs. Link screamed out in pain, and doubled over, dropping the Master Sword and clutching his ribs. Ganondorf grabbed Link by the collar, and held him in place. He drew his sword back, and readied it to stab Link in the throat as Link looked up. Link did the only thing he could think. He kicked Ganondorf in his weak leg, and caused him to fall backwards. Link limped towards the Master Sword, clutching his ribs with his right hand. He picked it up and turned to face Ganondorf. Ganondorf charged at Link, who was ready. He blocked his attack with the Master Sword, and countered with a slice, cutting Ganondorf's shoulder. Ganondorf stepped his shoulder and stepped backwards as Link doubled over from the pain in his ribs after exerting the effort to block the attack.
"Impressive, Link. But it will be for naught. Look at yourself, you can barely stand up."
"So long as I can move, Ganondorf, I will keep fighting".
Ganondorf stopped clutching his shoulder and dashed towards Link. Link couldn't get out of the way in time, and was tackled to the ground. Ganondorf reached in Link's tunic and grabbed the grappling hook, and tied it around Link's throat. He forced Link to stand up and pulled back on the rope of the grappling hook with all his might. Link grabbed the rope around his throat, struggling to stay alive. With a burst of energy, Link quickly moved his hands to Ganondorf's shoulders, and flipped him over. The move saved Link's live, but cost him energy, and he lay on the ground. Both men got up slowly, and circled each other. Ganondorf was the first to charge. Link braced himself, and sidestepped him at the last moment. With a brief moment to attack, Link elbowed Ganondorf in the back, and then doubled over in pain. Fighting his pain, he lifted the Master Sword. He was too slow, as Ganondorf punched Link across the face again, causing him to spin around. He then slashed Link across the back, causing Link to fall forward. Blood now stained Link's back, as he was crawling away from Ganondorf to try and get up.
"Only a matter of moments now, Link. You're losing too much blood. You can't survive much longer".
"I…only have to…survive…long enough…to see your death".
"Insolence. The refuge of the doomed"
Ganondorf walked over to Link and picked him up by the scruff of his neck. He threw him down on the ground, and watched happily as Link rolled over. Struggling, Link got up to one knee, and then stood up. Ganondorf charged at Link yet again, and the two exchanged sword blows, never allowing the other to land a strike. Ganondorf forced Link to the edge of the floating island. He raised his sword, but Link was ready. He quickly slashed Ganondorf's leg, and bought himself time to get out of the corner. Now, he had Ganondorf cornered. He backed up a step as Ganondorf was clutching his leg, and kicked Ganondorf in the face. Ganondorf's body flew off the island, and fell to the abyss below. Link sheathed the Master Sword, and uttered two words.
"It's over".
He turned around to walk out of the Sacred Realm, when suddenly, the grappling hook Ganondorf took wrapped around his body, and the hook bit into his ribcage, causing blood to flow from the three tiny wounds. Caught off guard, Link was pulled off the island, and was falling with Ganondorf. The rope in between them caught on a small floating rock island, and caused much pain to Link was his free fall was stopped immediately. Now, both Link and Ganondorf were suspended, each being the counter weight for the other. They were hanging several feet below the island, facing each other a few feet apart.
"See Link? You can never defeat me. I will always win. So why don't you join me, Link?"
"Never"
"Oh really?"
"Yea"
"Do you know the power of the Triforce?"
"No, nor do I care."
"You should. It can bring people back to life, Link. You can bring Zelda back to life. You two can lie happily ever after, Link. Don't you want that? To live with Zelda, forever and ever? All you have to do is help me get out of this predicament and up to that island. But first, there is something standing in the way of your happiness."
"What's that?" asked Link, interested in this offer.
"The Master Sword on your back. Just drop it into the Sacred Realm. Then, you can bring Zelda back and live with her. Just one simple thing. I know you can do it Link."
Memories of Zelda flowed through his mind. Their first meeting. Their first kiss. His proposal. Every happy memory he ever felt with her came to his mind, encouraging him to let go, to be with her again. Link unsheathed the Master sword obediently, and held it out, preparing to let go. Then suddenly, one more memory came to Link. Zelda's voice echoed throughout his mind.
"There exists a man by the name of Ganondorf. He seeks the Triforce for his own evil purposes. And his only way to achieve his goal is to wreak havoc upon the wonders. You, you Link are the chosen one that will prevent this" the voice said.
Link now knew what he must do.
"You're right Ganondorf" said Link, as he held out the Master Sword.
"Yes Link, I am."
"My only purpose in life is to die"
"What?"
Link brought the Master Sword closer to him, and cut the rope that suspended him as his life flashed before his eyes. Being tormented at school. Selling his first sword. Meeting Zelda. Falling in love. His quest to stop Ganondorf. Link was now falling towards the abyss below, and, with no counterweight to support him, Ganondorf fell as well.
"Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo" shouted Ganondorf.
Ganondorf fell into the abyss, never to be seen again. Link's body fell and hit a small floating island. Link died on impact.
