Chapter Eight

Annabella's heartbeat increased dramatically as wild thoughts tumbled through her mind. She was back on Earth. Was that what the song did? Transport her between Hyrule and Earth? If so, then she could just stay on Earth, safe and sound. No! No she couldn't. Link was in danger. Although she tried heavily to deny it, she had fallen for Link.

Well, if the song teleported her between the two realms, then she had no time to lose. Annabella's fingers clawed in the equipment bag, scrabbling with the Ocarina of Time. She withdrew it from the bag and closed her lips about the mouthpiece, her fingers flying quick as she played the song, which she mentally named the Melody of Realms.

Annabella closed her eyes as the notes were created by her breath. To Annabella's immense relief, the familiar whirlwind caressed her skin and lifted her. Before she knew it, her boot-clad feet were gently grazing the wet grass. She snapped opened her eyes and stuffed the ocarina back into Link's equipment bag and, after hiking up her skirts, she ran to Hyrule Castle.

OoO

After miraculously escaping captures from the Royal Guards in Princess Zelda's garden, Annabella searched desperately for her look alike, but for no avail: Princess Zelda was not outside in the wretched weather.

Annabella checked in the windows, one after one, another and then one more. She was wondering if Link was still alive, or if Ganon was telling him about how the wind was always an aide to Hyrule but always an adversary to Gerudo Valley. Just as Annabella was going to give up hope of finding Princess Zelda, she peered into a dimly lit room and saw the figure of Princess Zelda, lying down on her bed, facing the opposite wall. She appeared to be asleep.

Annabella rapped on the window. No reply. Angrily, she hit it with her palm. Princess Zelda shot up in bed, her blonde hair whipping around her shoulder as she tried to find the source of the noise. She founded Annabella's rain washed appearance and wrenched open the window. Words immediately poured from Annabella's mouth:

"Link's in trouble! Ganon's back! Oh my God, you need to help!"

Princess Zelda was stunned, but immediately took action. She bounded across her room and took down a decorative bow from the wall, along with a quiver that was not very full of arrows.

"Mounting that in my room was a good idea, eh?" chucked Princess Zelda as she climbed out of the window. The two maidens hurried into Hyrule Field, where Princess Zelda ordered Annabella to lead the way to Link's whereabouts. Annabella nodded curtly and ran along the banks of the river until she located a menacing black hole in the ground a few yards away.

"Find something in Link's bag to use as a weapon, Annabella, and jump in!" Princess Zelda cried, leaping into the black mass.

Annabella dove her soaked hand into Link's bag, feeling about for weapons. Boomerang…Hookshot…Bombchus…she pulled out the Megaton Hammer. That might just work!

She closed up the equipment bag, holding the Megaton Hammer in one hand and hitching the bag over her shoulder with the other. She leapt into the hole and tumbled downwards. When she safely landed on the floor, she saw Princess Zelda expertly shooting off her arrows at Ganon while easily dodging his magical fireballs at the same time.

Annabella darted towards Link, who was still tied up. Annabella tried to keep her breathing steady as she saw blood flowing into Link's gentle green eyes. Her shaking fingers worked at the tough ropes, attempting to untie them quickly. After only two minutes that stretched on for two days, she freed Link from the bind.

Link sprang to his feet, scooped the Master Sword up from the stone floor, and charged at Ganon, a war cry slipping through his lips.

Two-on-one wasn't going to work for Ganon. He tried to fight both Link and Princess Zelda simultaneously, but it was worthless. It was evident, even to Annabella, that the foe was weakening.

The battle wore on. All Annabella could do was watch and worry as her comrades received harsh blows and dealt back the same force tenfold. With his remaining power, Ganon knocked Link and Princess Zelda against opposite walls of the cavern, and charged at Annabella, releasing a roar of fury.

Annabella was frozen, except for her vocal cords, which would not shut down – she was screaming and screaming, unable to stop…Annabella raised the Megaton Hammer, ready to swing wildly at the horrible beast racing towards her.

And then, there was an almighty yell, and Link leapt from the ground, scaling the demon's back, stabbing slits through his fluttering cape and he did so. He leapt to Ganon's head and drove the Master Sword through Ganon's skull.

He let out a wry chuckle. "Again…again I am defeated. The true Zelda…was weaker than the fake…yet I am defeated." His harsh laughter filled the chamber, echoing off of the walls. "I have been defeated by a trio of teenaged ruffians! Me, the King of Gerudos!" His laughter was cut short as the Master Sword took its course of action.

Ganon the pig-demon turned to stone.