Pre-Notes: This chapter was finished MUCH faster than the last. Also, this chapter is longer than the three-paged last one. This one might just be my favorite so far, and I hope that you will enjoy it too.

Chapter Seven: A Lost Cause

The shadowed man sat in darkness, contemplating the events of before. He had been born for one purpose alone, and the only one who ever stood with him now stood against him. His little sister had sided with the enemy. What the hell can I do? He thoughtHe had no ally now. Not his sister. Not his father. No one. Join them, a voice told him, no. You mustn't betray father's cause. Then it hit him. Why didn't he think of it before? I'm coming father. He thought

The forest echoed with the sound they made; no playful melody flying through the trees here. Link and Phae trailed back through the Lost Woods on the way to the cabin, soaked with a feeling of failure.

"Phae," Link said. No response. "Phae, what's the matter?"

"What if he didn't know before? Now he knows for sure. Link, this was a mistake." She sighed as she arrived at the moon-covered cabin.

"But I already know how he plays his game. Even if he comes after us, I'm sure we'll be fine." He said in a comforting voice. She looked at him, half relieved.

"I suppose you're right. After all, it's two against one, right?" she smiled at him. "Come on let's get something to eat." He too was relieved, now that Phae had calmed down, and for the first time was showing an uncharacteristic smile. Link smiled at her and the two went inside.

So now he had this. Where though would it take him? He didn't really care. As long as he had his flower, his beautiful Oleander, he couldn't care about anything in the world. True, there still was a chance that Shadow Link may seek them, but for Link- he felt like he was ready for anything.

The next morning, Link got up to feed Epona, and while making breakfast, Phae walked down the stairs.

"Hello," she said with a plainly. Link looked at her with a grin.

"Well good morning," he said. "After breakfast, would you come with me to the market? The bazaar's got fresh fruit today."

"Yes, that would be nice," she said with that same grin Link was going to like. She took a seat at the table. "Thanks."

The temple shuddered at the sight of the shadow, who walked importantly through the entryway. The door of time remained shut, yet the shadow walked up to it.

"Thanks for this father. We will triumph over the fairy boy you set out to defeat." With a grin so horribly twisted you might panic at its sight, the shadow absorbed himself in a dark purple aura. The world around him disappeared and was shortly replaced by another environment that appeared. It was all white. There was no end; even the ground was intangible. All there was to be seen was a fallen man, bound by chains to a wall unseen.

"Father," the shadow said in a respectable voice. The man looked up, his eyes swollen red. There was little expression in his cold, green face, yet anyone could recognize that look about he-Ganondorf. Lord of the Gueredo. Wielder of the Triforce of power - he had been lying in defeat for all of these years.

"Son," he said, "free me from these chains." Yet even he knew better; the chains could not be broken.

"I cannot, father." He said humbly.

Ganondorf slowly replied, "Then take me back to Hyrule."

"Yes father." And he did- he grabbed him by the arm and phased back into the temple of time.

"I am weak, my child. And soon the sages will take note of my absence. Tell me: where is your sister?"

"She has joined the enemy, father."

"Then we must kill her," He said. And with his only remaining strength, he left the temple of time, free at last.

That day, Hyrule castle had a new ruler and the skies above turned red once more. (1)

Phae rode with Link to the gates of the market to find something not right; nobody was walking the streets. No dogs were barking. Link rode into the castle grounds to see a horrible, familiar sight: The red skies over Gannon's Castle. Phae jumped off of Epona and ran up to the pit-like moat of fire and collapsed in horror.

"This means he already knows about us," Phae whispered.

"How could this have happened?" Link whispered in return.

At the highest tower of the castle, in the golden room where the Triforce once united, the dark lord sat on his throne as the shadow paced about.

"Father, when will I get to stand beside you?" he turned and faced Ganondorf, whose eyebrow was raised.

"What do you mean? You are but a puppet," he said, slightly amused.

"If it had not been for me, you would still be chained up!" he said with a red glow in his eyes. Ganondorf Laughed.

"Then you shouldn't have freed me."

"Fine then. You can handle him on your own." He once more was absorbed in the dark purple aura and disappeared from the room.

Link got off of Epona and looked up at the castle. It was tall and black, with spikes covering most of its towers. The gate had been torn apart and the hills surrounding the grounds were no longer green but covered in ash and gravel. There was no greenery anymore, just a deep pit of fire.

Before he realized what he was looking at, a dark figure materialized by the front door of the castle.

"Phae," he said, "look over there! At the door!" Shadow Link was standing there, and he walked over the pit of lava, nothing under his feet. "Why is he here?" he asked. The shadow approached, though he didn't appear threatening.

"Brother,"

Author's Notes: c Yes! All done! See, it was longer and I got it done faster! I hope that was okay, but there is something that I believe I should address-

Things in this chapter:

(1)-You might be wondering how the castle appeared over such a small period of time, because, although the issue wasn't discussed in the game, there was a seven year period in between the time Link fell asleep and Gannon taking over the castle. Well, taking advantage of this not-necessarily-suggested topic, (and for the purpose of this fanfic) Ganondorf, both times, took over the castle swiftly and drew the castle from the earth with the power of Din. -- There. Explanation. Hope you liked it and all that stuff.