"Aeris! Come back to your senses!" Link shouted. "Do not make us have to fight you! You are not yourself!"
"Stop telling me I'm not myself!" Aeris shouted back angrily. "I will not let you boss me around any longer!"
She threw her hand up in the air and the clouds above starting twirling in circles. Sparks admitted from her hand. "Ha!" she cried and sent a bolt of lightning down. Link drew his sword and blocked the bolt causing it to ricochet back at her. She jumped from the branch she was standing on and drew out her daggers. She swiped them at Link, but he was quick with his sword and blocked every attempt she made to stab him.
"Ganondorf obviously did not give you enough power to stop me," Link said as his sword and her daggers met and they struggled to push one down.
"I will stop you," she said through gritted teeth fighting with all her strength to knock Link down. "Maybe if you and Zelda give me your Triforce pieces, I will let you go."
Zelda fitted an arrow into her bow and drew the string back pointing the arrow at Aeris' head.
"Aeris," Zelda said calmly. "You must see that you against us is impossible. Link could easily kill you right now and so could I, but we can't. You are our friend and we will help you. We will release you from Ganondorf's grasp."
"Lies!" Aeris cried. "All lies! I'm sick of the lies!"
"You're living in a lie right now, Aeris!" Link said and finally pushed Aeris to the ground. He held his sword to her face and looked down at her. His eyes were shining with passion. If Link was so evil to her……..he would have easily killed her right then and there. Aeris looked away from his eyes.
"Kill me," she said. "You won."
"No," He said and put his sword away. "Because I am not evil. Not like Ganondorf." His held out his hand to help her up.
"Fool!" she cried and stabbed him in the arm before vanishing.
"Argh!" Link cried and fell on his knees.
"Link!" Zelda gasped rushing to his side. She knelt beside him and pulled the dagger out. "Oh no. It's poisoned."
Link looked at her before his world went black.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Aeris reappeared in the castle beside Ganondorf.
"I failed," she said not looking at him.
"It is alright," he said cupping her chin with his hand to look at her. "I did not give you all your new powers just yet. That was just a warning shot."
"Was my poisoned dagger enough to stop him?" she asked.
"Doubtful," he said looking out the window. "But it will slow him down."
"What is your next plan?" she asked him.
He grinned and looked at her. "Nothing for the moment. Wait until they reach this castle. When they arrive………kill them," he said. "Then when they are gone you and I will take the throne back."
"Me?" she asked. "But you are the king……..you do not need me."
"You will be my queen," he said. "I will make you happier than Link could."
Aeris believed him when he said this. All she wanted was to be happy. She knew that she could trust Ganondorf. She knew he would make her happy. Unfortunately his mind control on her was strong. He used his evil powers to make her see anything he wanted. He created a false memory to show her of Link and Zelda destroying Hyrule. It was all a lie, but she did not know it.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Link finally awoke in the night in the forest of the Kokiri. Slowly he sat up and looked at his arm. It was wrapped in white bandages and he could see a spot of blood showing how much blood he would have lost if it was not bandaged immediately. He still felt sick to his stomach, but he could tell the poison was gone.
"Link, I am so glad you are safe," a girl said running up to him. "Sorry you had to sleep outside, but our houses are too small for you."
Link looked up at the girl standing in front of him. She looked no older than ten years old. She was clad in green even her hair was green and her eyes were a crystal blue.
"Saria," Link said. "You're safe. The others? Ganondorf said he had killed you all."
Saria looked down sadly. "Only some of us escaped," she answered. "Darunia, Ruto, and Rarau are dead. Nabooru, Impa, and myself survived. We put our powers together to protect some of the towns. All survivors are here now. Impa is protecting her village and Zora's domain. Nabooru is here with the other Gerudo. Let's see who else? Oh! Malon and Epona are here. Her poor father and Mr. Ingle did not make it."
Link smiled knowing that his horse was safe, but the news of half the Sages and other people dying made him more determined to stop Ganondorf.
"Where is Zelda and Navi?" he asked.
"Zelda is sleeping," Saria answered and then smiled. "She stayed up all night watching you, but I made her get some rest, but I had to promise to watch over you. Tee-hee. Navi wants to stay here and help protect the fairies. They've lost their ability to sense enemies. She said, 'I know Link needs me, but I cannot leave here without helping.' so I assured her you did not need her to fight Ganondorf and that you would be okay."
"Thanks," he said. "I'd rather Navi stay here."
"Link," Saria said with a serious tone. "This time you and Zelda must defeat Ganondorf for good. He has to die and stay dead. The Seven Sages are no more. We do not have the power to lock him away again."
"I know," Link said standing up. He staggered a little bit, but was finally able to stand up straight.
"You're a tough patient you know!" Saria said smiling again. "Ya know how many antidotes it took to revive you?"
Link smiled. "Because I'm too big right?"
"Tee-hee," she said and skipped off. "I will get Zelda and tell her you're awake."
Link grabbed his tunic and slipped it back on and then grabbed his weapons. Since they were now back in Hyrule, there was no time to waist.
As he stood there, he could not help but remember his childhood memories. All the kids had hated him except Saria.
Flashback
"What are you gonna do! Go cry to Mommy!"
"Milo, he don't have a mom."
Link's eyes filled with tears as he ran to his house.
"Link, what is wrong?" Saria asked him when she caught up to him.
"I really am a crybaby," he said. "I-I gotta stop crying."
"It's okay to cry," she said.
"No, it shows that I am weak," he said. He wiped his eyes and looked at her. "I'll stop crying starting today!"
End Flashback
"I haven't ever cried since that day," he thought. "Not once."
"Link is something wrong?"
He shook his head and saw Zelda standing in front of him.
"No, I was just thinking," he said.
"Okay," she said. "Link, come with me to the bridge."
She grabbed his hand and led him outside to the bridge.
"What's up?" he asked her.
She threw her arms around him and starting sobbing in his chest.
"I'm worried about Aeris," she said. "She tried to kill us."
"I know," he said stroking her hair.
"But………but you know if it comes down to it……..w-we may have to kill her," she said. "If she gets in our way of stopping Ganondorf."
"I thought about that too," he replied.
"I didn't know she was in love with you," she said looking up at him.
"Neither did I," he said. "I did not mean to break her heart……..but my heart belongs to you. I never had or never will be in love with her and she must have known that. She knows I love you too much."
"I feel sorry for her," Zelda said.
"Zelda, I want you to stay here," he said putting his hand on her cheek.
"Why?" she asked.
"I don't want Aeris to hurt you," he said.
"I'm not afraid," she said. "We outmatched her the last time. And if we face her again, it will be the same."
"But what if this time Ganondorf fights along side her?" he suggested.
'He will not survive. One will die. He will die.'
"What?" Zelda asked looking up.
"Was it Nayru?" Link asked.
"I don't know," Zelda shaking her head. "But I think there's an equal threat to both of us. We have to fight together or Ganondorf will not be defeated. You know this, Link! Please do not ask me to stay."
He knew she was right. He needed her help. Ganondorf and Aeris together could make a powerful match. One that Link would not survive on his own.
He looked at her again. "I love you," he said putting his hands on her hips brining her close to him. "Promise me you'll be careful."
"I will," she said. "This will not be our last time together, but let us cherish this moment that we have before our final fight." She put her hands around his neck and brought him in to kiss her. Their final kiss? They did not know. But they would not take the risk of not being able to kiss like this again.