Chapter II: Fall of Hyrule Castle

"You're supposed to be sealed away," Link threatened.

"Am I?" Ganondorf said. He lunged at Link with a broadsword. Link stepped to the left and parried the attack.

"Why are you here?" Link asked.

"I think you know why," Ganondorf answered. "I want revenge." He swung the broadsword horizontally at Link. Link blocked it and swung diagonally at Ganondorf. Ganondorf stepped out of the way. The two circled each other.

"You know you will not win," Link said. "Get out of here."

"Oh, but Link," Ganondorf chided, "You're aren't dead yet!" Ganondorf lunged again and Link sidestepped. Link swung down at Ganondorf, only to have it blocked. Ganondorf kicked Link in the face, knocking him back. Link wiped his lip as Ganondorf walked up. Ganondorf raised his sword over his head and swung down. Link beat it out of the way with his shield and swung horizontally. Ganondorf jumped over the slash and kicked Link again. Link was knocked to his back. Ganondorf landed and stabbed at Link. Link rolled out of the way.

Link swung at Ganondorf's feet and Ganondorf jumped up. Link stabbed his sword into the dirt and pulled himself up sideways. Just as Ganondorf landed, Link pulled the Master Sword out of the earth and swung it across his body at Ganondorf. Ganondorf blocked it, and punched Link with a free hand. Link stumbled back, and Ganondorf shoulder-rammed him. Link smashed into a wall. He looked to see Ganondorf shooting magic at him. Link swung and knocked the magic back at Ganondorf. Ganondorf jumped out of the way. Then he vanished. Link looked around frantically for his opponent, but couldn't find him. Then he heard something behind him and ducked.

A bokoblin flew over his head. Link stabbed upward and got it. He stood up all the way and was thrown to his stomach by an explosion. He looked over his shoulder. The Happy Mask Shop had been blown up. Link got back to his feet. He looked around him at the destruction taking place. Soldiers were being slaughtered by the endless hordes. Peasants were being murdered and buildings were being burned. Link looked to the castle. Parts of it were on fire, and arrows rained from every direction. Link looked down at the Master Sword. Something had to be done. Link started lighting bombs and throwing them into groups of bokoblins. They exploded and sent bokoblins into disarray. Link set a Light Arrow to his bow and fired into a group.

The Light aura exploded forth and burned through bokoblins with relentless force. The bokoblins it touched were disintegrated into blue flames before vanishing. Link fired another. More bokoblins were defeated. But more continued to pour through the gateway. Then another explosion sounded. Link turned in the direction of the noise to see the castle under catapult attack. Images of Zelda flashed through Link's mind, and his eyes widened in horror.

"ZELDA!" Link shouted, and started to make his way to the castle. Bokoblins tried to stop him. But Link wasn't about to let them. He jumped forward and slashed at one. Another tried to stab him. Link blocked it with his shield and sliced the bokoblin in half. Another jumped at him. Link ducked underneath, then beat it away with his shield. As he did, he slashed at another. More bokoblins came to get in his way. Link grunted in frustration and slashed at two more. Then he put his sword away and took out the hammer. Holding it with two hands, he slammed it into the ground.

The force caused the ground to shake. The shockwave threw bokoblins everywhere into the surroundings. Link now had a clear path. He sprinted forward, putting away his hammer and taking out the bow. Up ahead at the gate was a bokoblin. Link set an arrow and shot as he approached. It flew true and took out the bokoblin. Link looked behind him. Scores of bokoblins were chasing him. Link looked back ahead and continued to run. He made it to the bridge and put the bow away. The bridge was down and the castle doors were open. Link took out his sword and shield before heading inside. As he ran across the bridge, it started to fall apart. Link felt the planks give beneath him. He jumped forward and stretched his arms out. But he didn't make it, and Link fell into the moat. Link swam up to the surface and looked around. How was he supposed to get inside now?

Another explosion sounded. Link looked up to see part of the castle wall coming down on him. Link swam out of the way. The castle wall crashed into the moat, creating a wave which threw Link up on dry land. He landed on his face. Link lifted his head, moaning in pain. He wiped away some of the dirt over his face to see catapults not far off.

"Bloody catapults," Link said, getting to his feet. Then he got an idea. Smiling to himself, Link started to walk towards them.

The bokoblin loaded another flaming boulder onto the catapult. Why couldn't it see some action? Then it heard shouting. It looked to see Link slash it.

Link swung his sword at a charging bokoblin. He spun and sliced one behind him, while beating another in the face with his hilt. Link stabbed him, and blocked an attack with his shield. Link swung and got that bokoblin. After looking around to see it was safe, Link picked up the boulder and threw it off the catapult. Then he hopped on. Link swallowed before cutting the trigger. The catapult arm pitched Link into the air, right at the castle. Link held his sword and shield out as he realized he had no way to slow down. He shut his eyes as a tower neared.

Link smashed through the roof, creating a spray of wood and brick. He broke through the floor of two stories before stopping. Link lifted his head in excruciating pain. His body hurt all over as he lifted himself up. He got to his feet, groaning in pain.

"I never do that again," Link muttered to himself. Then he remembered what he was doing.

"Zelda!" Link whispered, and tried to run. But as he took his first step, he fell back down. Link yelled in pain as he clutched his leg. He looked down at it. His right leg was broken. He reached for his belt and grabbed a bottle he kept there. It was empty. Link stared at it in disbelief.

"You're kidding me," he said. He threw it off to the side and rolled over. Link looked around and grabbed a piece of wood. He also ripped up some tapestry cloth and tied the wood to his leg. Then Link got up slowly. He proceeded to walk down the stairs as fast as he could, holding onto whatever was there.

All there was were walls.

Link made it down to the rest of the castle. By now smoke was everywhere from fire. So he bent down as he hobbled, trying to make his way to the throne room where Zelda might be. A bokoblin appeared in front of him. It spotted him and moved towards him. Link readied his sword and shield. The bokoblin struck. Link deflected with his shield, and for a moment he almost lost balance. But he recovered by swinging back at the bokoblin. It vanished into blue flames. Link continued to move forward. He took a door into a great hallway, and started to hop towards the throne room. He fell against the huge oak door and felt for the handle in the smoke.

At least I know the doors are good, Link thought as he found the handle. Link grabbed it and shoved the door opened. It drifted open, and Link caught himself with his sword. He looked in the throne room, searching for Zelda as smoke floated in.

A shield smashed into Link's face and he fell to his back. Link's hands went to his face as he moaned in pain.

"Link?" his attacker said. "Is that you?" Zelda came forward from around the wall holding a shield and dagger. She dropped them and knelt down beside him.

"Link! I'm so sorry," Zelda said. Link looked up at her, comforted that she was safe.

"At least it's nothing like taking a catapult through a tower and several stories," Link replied.

"What?" Zelda asked.

"I'll explain later," Link said. "Right now I have to get you out of here. We're in more danger than we thought."

"How right you are," Ganondorf said, coming out of the smoke. Zelda screamed in horror at seeing the King of Evil. Ganondorf swung his sword, and Link blocked it with his shield. He moved it out of the way and rolled to his stomach. Link got to a knee and parried another attack. He stood up and parried a powerful swing. His steps were more off-balance now. Ganondorf took advantage of this.

Link slashed at Ganondorf. Ganondorf beat Link's blade out of the way with his own. He charged his blade with dark energy. Link took the opportunity to thrust at Ganondorf. Ganondorf swung his sword like a golf club and hit it.

There was a flash of light. Link looked at the Master Sword. The blade was shattered, and the shards were floating in the air. Then time went back to normal, and the shards flew everywhere. The force of the impact threw Link back to his back. He stared incredulously at the hilt of his Master Sword, shattered. Ganondorf laughed and grabbed Link by the throat, lifting him into the air.

"I have waited long for this day," Ganondorf said, chuckling at Link's attempts to break Ganondorf's to break his grip. "Now die."

Link was panicking, reaching for anything loosen the hold on his neck. His vision was starting to blacken. Link felt his hands slowing and dropping. He stopped thinking correctly. Then he heard a piercing yell and was dropped. A slender hand pulled his arm around a figure as he gasped for breath.

"Don't give up on me now Link," Zelda said, trying to help him to his feet. Link struggled, only half-conscious. He sort of slumped as Zelda walked him away. Ganondorf was still screaming, trying to rip free the burning piece of wood Zelda had stabbed him with. Link felt his eyes start to close.

"C'mon Link, we're almost there," Zelda said. She tried to lift him up more. Why did he have to be so heavy? She looked behind her. Ganondorf was trying to pull it free out of his leg. She looked back ahead. Link was trying as best as he could, sort of stumbling along while holding onto her shoulder. She wished he didn't grip so hard.

Zelda looked behind her. Ganondorf had gotten rid of the wood and was stomping after them in furious strides.

"Link hurry!" Zelda said. Link tried to move faster. Zelda looked behind her. Ganondorf had caught up. He raised his sword.

Then a catapult smashed through the wall and into Ganondorf. The explosion took Zelda and Link out the hole into the courtyard. Zelda struggled to her feet and put Link's arm around her again. She dragged him a bit further on. She glanced to see if Ganondorf had caught up. He wasn't there.

Zelda cleared 150 yards, out of Ganondorf's reach of magic, and started to summon magic. Zelda called upon Farore to take them way. The wind blew, and there was a light. The light faded, and Zeld and Link were gone.