Chapter 6: Are Doomed To Repeat Them
"And so, it all came down to these." Link sighed, dangling the three pendants from his fingers. "Three ancient dungeons, three old men, three trials, three deadly guardians… well, okay, technically TEN deadly guardians… and here we have them. The Pendants of Courage, Power and Wisdom… created from sacred stones, for the purpose of bringing the Master Sword back into the world."
"The Kokiri's Emerald, Zora's Sapphire and Goron's Ruby…" Father Brian was transfixed by the pendants. "I never imagined that I would see even one of them within my lifetime, let alone all three."
"They're nice, I'll admit… but really, they're just a means to an end, aren't they, Link?" Zelda guessed. "They're for one purpose… getting the Master Sword. The Sword is what's important… that's all you need them for."
"Harsh, but true." Link sighed, putting the Pendants in his pack once more. "Correct… I need the Master Sword, and now I think I'm ready for it. With it, I can finally destroy Agahnim… he's the first priority."
"The… first?" Zelda blinked. "What do you mean, the first? Are there other things you need the Sword for after him?"
"Maybe." Link grunted. "For now, though, I concentrate on Agahnim… the wizard is what I need to worry about now."
"You have a plan, I hope." Father Brian looked a bit worried. "You weren't planning on just charging the front gates, were you?"
"Give me SOME credit." Link smirked. "I stopped by the Hyrule Graveyard on my way back from Death Mountain and found something interesting there… a grave out in the open, with the name of King Gerard III on it."
"So? Kings die just like all of us." Father Brian frowned.
"But when they do, they're interred in a crypt beneath the castle." Zelda explained. "And that's not all… there IS no King Gerard the III. The last King Gerard was the second… that grave must be… fake…" Her eyes widened. "Link, you didn't…"
"No, I didn't dig it up." Link assured her. "I don't even have the tools for such a thing. But I did examine the headstone… and I discovered it moves rather easily, like the ornamental shelf in the throne room. A hole underneath it leads down to the other side of that collapsed passage in the secret underground tunnels… a path which I've already cleared out with a couple well-placed bombs."
"I get it." The Princess smiled. "You figure any Knights still down there will have expanded their search past that point already, and you'll pass them up by going in through the graveyard… and have a clear path into the throne room."
"Exactly." Link nodded. "Once I have the Sword, I'll be going in there. At the same time, Sahasrahla, Aginah and Morris have agreed to launch a feint on the front gates as a distraction. When I come in through the throne room… first, I'll be able to lay your father to rest as promised." Zelda nodded, not trusting herself to speak. "And after that, I'll head straight for the tower. As soon as I'm in there, the old guys only have to keep any Knights from following me up and hitting me from behind until I've dealt with Agahnim once and for all."
"A workable plan." Father Brian approved. "When will it commence?"
"In only a few hours… I just stopped by here to update you guys, and now I'm off to draw the sword." Link stood up. "In only a few hours, Hyrule will be free once more. I'll be back here tonight with Agahnim's head… I'll see you both then." He turned and walked out, closing the Sanctuary gates behind him. As he did, his eyes narrowed; somebody was standing out on the path, watching him. Fortunately, it did not seem to be a Knight, just an ordinary man.
"Hey, Link!" The passerby waved. "Don't worry, I won't rat you out to the Knights! See yas!" Link slowly waved back.
"Another Kakariko Villager? Don't remember him… ah well, at least he wasn't a Knight…" He muttered, then jumped as the doors swung open behind him. "Huh? Zelda, what…"
"Link." She cut him off. "Before you go… tell me. What do you plan to do after Agahnim's death? You can't fool me that easily… you have some sort of plan to continue the fight."
"…Heh. You don't miss a beat, do you." Link gave in. "It's the other descendants of the Sages… the ones who have already been sent over. I only knew two of them, but none of them deserve that… and on top of that, as long as they remain in Ganon's power, the threat wouldn't truly be over."
"So you're going to go in THERE? To the Dark World?" Zelda demanded. "Even your ancestor… the Hero of Time… and all seven Sages together… even they couldn't kill Ganon! And you're going to try?"
"No… I'm not into suicide. Strictly a rescue mission." Link explained. "I told you about the Magic Mirror… showed it to you. With that, I can bring them back… and bail myself out at any moment if Ganon himself shows up. If he's got them all at his center of power, then that'll be a problem… but there's a chance he hasn't, and the only way to find out is to go look." Zelda shook her head.
"It's still too dangerous… who knows what kind of monstrosities Ganon's created to do his bidding? Even if you have the Master Sword… nobody's luck lasts forever, Link. We don't even know if they're still alive… for all we know, Ganon might have killed them as soon as they crossed over. Isn't stopping Agahnim enough? Isn't saving Hyrule enough for us, Link?"
"No… it's not." Link turned to look directly into her eyes. "Because Hyrule WON'T be safe… because we DON'T know if the Forger's killed them. I have to go and find out… and if they're alive, I HAVE to bring them back. What if the barrier's weakening already, Zelda… not enough for him to come through himself, sure… but what if he sends more minions, just as strong as Agahnim, here for you? I won't let that happen, Zelda. I can't."
"That's… why?" Zelda whispered.
"Part of it." Link admitted. "I won't lie and say that's the only reason that matters… I want to save Hyrule as well, and to rescue as many of those girls as possible. But part of it… yes. Because you won't be safe until I do that. And I won't stop until Agahnim… until Ganon… until none of their ilk can ever get to you again." He sighed. "Go back inside… it's still not safe for you to be visible. A Knight could come by at any time." He turned to leave, then paused as a hand grabbed his arm. "What…" And then Zelda kissed him, suddenly and silently, pulling him to her in a fierce embrace. Moments passed… moments that felt like years… and then she pulled away from him.
"Link… just don't die. Come back to me… after Agahnim, and after everything else you feel you have to do. I'll wait for you… for as long as you need to keep fighting, I'll wait for you. Just return to me." The doors of the Sanctuary slammed behind her, and Link stood there, thoughts a blur.
"…I will." He vowed, even though she had already left. "I promise… I will." Turning, he walked north and west, towards the Lost Woods… towards the Master Sword. For once, no Knights barred his way… not even a single Green was sighted as he headed towards his goal. When he entered the forest, however, somebody else was there to greet him.
"Yo, kid!" The average, nondescript middle-aged man grinned.
"Bronze Roger." Link nodded to him. "I see you decided to come back to your gang after all."
"Just for a while." Roger shrugged. "I'll probably leave again sooner or later… maybe after Agahnim's toast."
"If that's the case, it'll be a REAL short reunion." Link chuckled as the two of them walked through the forest. "I'm killing him tonight." Roger blinked.
"Whoa… you serious? I shoulda known THAT'S what you're here for… you're gonna draw the Sword, aren't you?"
"That I am." Link nodded. "And then… well, you already know what I plan to use it for. I've even got a battle plan set up… old man Aginah and two of his friends are going to storm the castle as a distraction while I slip in."
"No kidding?" The thief's eyes glittered. "Well then, they won't be alone. Me and my boys'll stand with them, Link… we'll buy you all the time you need to take the wizard's head." Link grinned.
"Count on you not to want to miss out on the fight… thanks, Rog. I owe you one."
"Well, there IS this ring in the royal family's treasury I've heard about… joking, joking!" Roger laughed. "Ah, you already know the way to go, I see. Yeah, it's in here."
"I've been here twice… both times, I didn't have what I needed." Link said quietly as the two of them stepped into the Grove of the Master Sword. "But this time… I'm ready." Bronze Roger stopped and stood at the entrance, watching quietly, as Link walked towards the altar. It hadn't changed one bit; pedestal, alter and podium all stood there silently, with the hilt of the sword sticking out above the last. Opening his pack, Link drew out the three Pendants. "The Hero's triumph, on cataclysm's eve, wins three Pendants of Virtue. Courage… Power… Wisdom… representing the three pieces of the Triforce." Stepping up onto the podium, he placed the three Pendants into the sockets. As each one touched the indentation, it began glowing with an unearthly light… a light that also filled the Master Sword as the last one locked into place. Link's face remained as calm as ever as he walked around to the back of the pedestal. "The Master Sword, he will then retrieve… keeping the Knights' line true." He placed one hand on the sword. "Weapon of my ancestor… Hyrule needs you once more. Awaken again… and strike down this evil that has cursed our land!" With a steely rasp, the Master Sword slid out of the stone as easily as if it was being drawn from a simple sheath, and as it did, the light filling it exploded over the entire clearing, blinding the watching Bronze Roger. When the thief's eyes cleared, he saw Link, standing on the podium, holding the Master Sword over his head… and at the same time, another Link, only ten years old but with eyes that spoke of even more experience than the young warrior Roger had known. And on the back of his right hand… on both their hands… was an emblem of three triangles forming a pyramid. One of those triangles was glowing with a golden light.
"Link… who… what are you?" Roger whispered.
"I… am Hyrule's arm. A great evil has come to our lands… it is my task to drive it out." Link replied, eyes locked upon the sword he held above his head. "Me? I am just a mortal man… but this… this Master Sword is something different. This will allow me to slay even Agahnim."
"Indeed it shall." Sahasrala's voice filled the clearing suddenly, and Roger turned to see the three old men standing behind him. "This is extraordinary, Link… you've done it. You have taken up the sword of evil's bane… and like all evil, Agahnim's magic shall be reflected from it. Hyrule's destiny is in your hands now." Aginah and Morris nodded in agreement. "Contact us when ready… we shall make our preparations for the assault. We're counting on you now, Link." And then the old men were gone as silently as they had come.
"…" Link stepped down from the podium. "Hmph… I don't have anywhere to put this. My sheath's already occupied… maybe I should make a quick stop by my house to drop my uncle's sword off."
"Phew…" Roger seemed to relax a bit. "Still the same old Link, I see… I was worried for a moment that you'd be… well…"
"No, I'm still me." Link assured him. "The sword couldn't change me that much… but it has changed me some, no question about-"
"Link!" Zelda's voice screamed inside his head. "Help, Link! Agahnim's here… he's come to the Sanctuary! He's found us!"
"Hold on, Zelda!" Link thought back. "I've got the sword! I'm coming! Just hold him off for a few minutes!"
"What is it?" Roger demanded, seeing his face. "What's wrong, boss?"
"Agahnim's found the Princess!" Link growled, breaking into
a run for the edge of the forest. "That guy I saw outside… he
must have been a Knight without his armor on! I've got to get to
Sanctuary to help her!"
"Sanctuary! So that's where she
is…" Roger's eyes widened. "Right! I'll get the boys and
we'll follow you… don't argue, he might have brought Knights
too! You just get there as fast as you can… we'll be right behind
you!"
"Right…" Link ran faster. "Just hold on, Zelda… hold him off…"
"Only a few hours…" Zelda muttered to herself. "A few hours to go… and then my father will be avenged… Hyrule will be saved… and this nightmare shall end."
But it won't really end, will it? Part of her thought. Link won't let it end… he'll go to the Dark World. Agahnim was only the beginning… I've known this. Known it ever since the nightmares started coming. Zelda shivered. She had meant to tell Link about that, but somehow it had never seemed the right time to talk about how the nightmares had grown worse… until they came in the daytime as well, when she was simply sitting around the Temple of Time… The SANCTUARY, she corrected herself fiercely. It was called the Sanctuary now. All she could do was wait there… and yet, her instincts told her, more and more, that she should not be. Something inside her yearned to be out there, fighting by Link's side… and worse, the feeling didn't seem new. It was like she had done so before, like it was old behavior beckoning her to repeat itself… but she had never done any such thing. And when she DID sleep, the nightmares were worse… although the one of being trapped within the crystal was the worst, it was now accompanied by another almost as bad. The man who had imprisoned her in the first nightmare, tumbling off into an endless white void… his face twisted, horribly contorted with hatred as he shouted curses upon her, upon Link, upon the Sages…
"Princess!" Father Brian yelled, jolting her out of her thoughts. The old man had been sweeping out front; now, he had slammed the doors behind him. "Princess, you must flee into the passageways! The Knights of Hyrule… they're here!" Zelda jumped to her feet.
"A curious patrol? Surely you can tell them off?"
"No, princess…" Father Brian shook his head. "NOT a patrol… all of them! There must be hundreds of them there!" Zelda's eyes widened in shock.
"All of them… then this isn't just a check. They know I'm here… let's go, then. I can collapse the passage behind us, to buy us some…" She paused, then muttered a very un-princessly word as she heard the dull thumps of explosions from nearby underground. "No! They've already thought of that… THEY'RE collapsing the passage!"
"Then… what do we do?" Father Brian wailed. "We're doomed!"
"No…" Something glittered in Zelda's eyes. "No, we're not. Link's gone to get the Master Sword… he'll be back soon. And they've made a major tactical error…" She pointed at the doors of the Sanctuary. "Unless all those boys out there have brought a LOT of REALLY strong explosives, they can only get in one at a time through there… and they have to take me alive, which means they can't shoot me or bomb me. I'll have to hold that door until Link gets back."
"Y… you?" Father Brian stared at her. "You're… going to fight them?"
"Indeed I am." Zelda walked towards the door. "My father taught me everything he knew… and I've stayed out of this fight long enough." She slammed both doors open and glared out at the array of Knights before her. All five orders… Green, Purple, Red, Black and Gold… stood arranged before her in a warped parody of a respectful presentation. One Knight in gold walked out in front of all the others and bowed to her.
"Princess Zelda… I am Commander Kolak. We've come to escort you back to the castle."
"I believe the normal response is 'you and what army' but I see that you've already planned ahead for that. Well done." Zelda replied coolly. "However, I don't see that it will do you much good… I have no intention of returning to the castle."
"Ah." Kolak stood. "Then I am afraid we shall have to coerce you. I regret the necessity, but…"
"But if you don't, Agahnim will make you eat your own head." Zelda finished, smirking. "And he COULD, probably. Somehow. Well then… why don't you try?" Kolak slowly drew his blade.
"If you insist… then I shall subdue you myself! I appreciate your bravery, but a single unarmed girl against the Commander of the Knights is a forgone conclusion!" Running forward, he lunged at her with a swing aiming the flat of his blade at her head. At the moment he came within arm's reach of her, however, he saw her face… and the strange light in her eyes.
"I am sorry for this… but you are already lost." Faster than the Commander's eyes could track, Zelda's right hand whipped out and grabbed his face, crackling with blinding white energy. Kolak had time for one agonized scream that trailed off into a feeble whimper as his armor fell off, aged and corroded… and beneath it, in the space of a few seconds, his body underwent a similar process, becoming an ancient, withered husk that fell to the ground, stone dead. As he crumbled further into dust, Zelda suddenly felt a massive surge of power to the northwest. Link… he's drawn the sword. The Knights of Hyrule stared, awestruck, as the Princess glared over them all. "Forgone indeed…" She displayed the back of her hand, revealing the symbol that had appeared there… three triangles forming a pyramid, one of which was glowing golden. "I am the last descendant of the Sage of Time… mortal men stand no chance against me."
"G… get her!" The Captain of the Black Order yelled to the other three Captains. "All four of us at once!" Yelling, they drew their swords as well, and charged the door. Zelda held her ground, and as their blades came down, her hand snaked out like a whip, lightly slapping each of them across the face in turn. One, two, three, four times she struck… and the four Captains fell, withering and aging like Kolak had.
"I can hold this doorway as long as I need to." Zelda proclaimed to the fearful Knights. "You cannot attack me in numbers that I cannot match, here… and long before I tire, the Hero of Time shall return with the Master Sword. He comes, even now… run, and perhaps you shall live to see the sunset." There was a stirring in the Knights… and then their numbers parted, to reveal one man standing in the middle.
"Impressive, Princess… but I don't think it's my servants who need to worry about that." Agahnim smiled wickedly. Zelda paled.
"You!" Agahnim… no! Thinking quickly, she sent out a psychic message to the northwest. "Link! Help, Link! Agahnim's here… he's come to the Sanctuary! He's found us!"
"Hold on, Zelda!" Link's reply pleaded. "I've got the sword! I'm coming! Just hold him off for a few minutes!" Zelda turned back to Agahnim.
"You've come yourself, then… you have a lot to answer for, traitor." The sorcerer's grin widened.
"Did you really think I expected these amateurs to bring you down in a fair fight? It was amusing watching you dispose of those five, but I am afraid I am on a tight schedule. Time to come with me."
"Come and get me, you filth." Zelda snarled. Agahnim shrugged and began waving his hands, chanting under his breath. Between the palms, a sphere of glowing energy formed, and then was launched like a missile at the princess. Even as it flew out, however, Zelda was moving forward as well. Stretching her left hand out, she grabbed the energy sphere out of the air and squeezed it, dissolving it like a deflating balloon… and at the same time, she closed with Agahnim.
"Ho ho! Daring!" The wizard's own hands shot out at her, but Zelda turned to the right, spun around the arm and slammed her right palm into Agahnim's shoulder.
"Got you!" White energy crackled and flared around the arm, and the Knights watched, stunned… and nothing happened. Moments passed, and then Agahnim turned his head to face her, smiling triumphantly. Zelda had gone pale. "You… it didn't work? What ARE you!"
"I… am beyond time's grasp." Agahnim purred, stretching both hands out towards her... revealing the back of his right hand, where the same symbol on her own glowed just as brightly. Zelda shrieked as a lightning bolt slammed through her body like a lance, and then crumpled, unconscious. "Well, then… time to return-UH!" There was a sickening crack as a metal candlestick smashed into the side of his head, sending him to the ground beside the fallen princess. Father Brian stared at the bloody implement, then down at the Wizard. Agahnim's head was twisted nearly upside down, his neck completely snapped.
"You… monster. Hyrule… has no need… for one such as you." The old priest panted, breathing heavily… and then he stared, dropping the candlestick in shock, as Agahnim stood back up.
"This IS a day for surprising heroes…" The wizard whispered, mouth moving impossibly. "And yet… all in vain. Time is powerless against me… do you think Death can do any more?" The ancient priest stepped back, shaking, as Agahnim hurled an energy orb into his chest that slammed him all the way back into the rear wall of the Sanctuary, where he bounced off and crumpled to the floor. Sneering, Agahnim reached up, grabbed his head and realigned it properly, ignoring the cracks and snaps, then bent down and picked up the defeated Princess. "Back to the castle, you useless cretins… we have to prepare for a guest who will be knocking on our doors very shortly." Shaking like leaves at what they had just witnessed, the Knights saluted, turned and began marching away, with Agahnim bringing up the rear, carrying the fallen Zelda effortlessly.
"I'm here!" Link yelled, ignoring the scraps of armor outside and throwing the doors of the Sanctuary open. "Zelda? Father Brian? Where are… oh, no… Goddesses, no…" He ran over to the back of the room, where Father Brian's body lay. As Link bent over him, the ancient priest's eyes attempted to focus on him.
"Link…?"
"I'm here, father." Link assured him. "What happened?" He immediately saw that Brian did not have long; the scorched wound in his chest and broken bones from some impact spoke clearly on that matter. Not even Syrup's medicine could save him.
"Link… only a second too late…" Brian groaned. "I… have failed, Link. In my duty to Hyrule… and to Zelda. She fought well… but Agahnim is… a demon, Link. He cannot be killed… by mortal means. She was taken to the castle… and I… left here to die."
"You're…" Link searched for something to say. "Father, you're not…"
"I know… I was too old, I had no business in combat… but I had to try." The old priest smiled wanly. "I'm sorry, Link… you're the only one… who can. Quickly, now… to the castle tower. The secret passage is destroyed… you'll have to go in another way. Go now… before Agahnim works his magic on her… and sends her to his master… stop him… Link." Brian exhaled one last time, and his eyes closed. Link was motionless for a moment… and then he stood.
"Sahasrala." He thought. "Change of plans. I'm blowing the roof off of the castle. You and the others just get there as soon as you can to keep them from following me up the tower."
"What? Link, what happened!" Sahasrala demanded.
"Agahnim took Zelda, that's what!" Link yelled back, dashing out of Sanctuary. "There's no time for subtlety any more. Anybody who gets in my way now DIES."
The trip to Hyrule Castle was nothing but a blur in his memory; before he knew it, he was standing at the bridge across the moat. The castle loomed in front of him, even more menacing than it had seemed when he had first infiltrated it, what seemed like a lifetime ago. But this time, he was not afraid… all thoughts, all emotions, had been erased and replaced by one dreadful, burning mission. As he walked up to the bridge, Link heard a rustling behind him, and turned around. A Knight of the Red, hiding in the brush behind him, was throwing a trident. Deflecting the weapon with his shield, Link did not make a single noise as he lopped the unlucky man's head off. Strangely, not a drop of blood stained the Master Sword; its blade remained bright and clean. Not really noticing, Link turned back to the castle, where he saw at last the forces arranged against him. On the bridge itself, a line of Red Knights… beyond them, standing in the open gateway, a line of Purples… and further back, in the courtyard, one more line of Greens. On top of the castle battlements were four Reds, one at each corner, holding caches of bombs.
"The Blacks and Golds must be inside." Link guessed. "If I take my time, those bombers will blast me… so I won't." Growling, he launched himself forward with every ounce of speed the Pegasus Boots could muster. The Reds were momentarily startled by his seemingly suicidal charge, and that was all he needed; with one broad sweep, the Master Sword chopped their tridents in half, and the next sweep took their heads, passing through all four effortlessly. The Purples were just as unprepared; when Link burst through the bodies of their comrades without stopping at all, they did not raise their swords, and like the Reds, their heads flew. The last line of Greens, hearing the screams of the Reds, had enough time to raise their weapons protectively… and Link blasted through them, breaking down the castle doors in his furious charge. The Greens turned to stare after him… as the bombs thrown by the confused rooftop Reds landed on the ground where they had expected Link to halt. Among the Greens.
"Thought they'd do that…" Link grinned viciously as he heard the explosions and screams outside. "Right… up to the roof." As he turned to the left, he paused; the King's skeleton would undoubtedly still be in the throne room. "Damn… I know I made a promise, your majesty… but I can't. Not now… I have no time. Your daughter needs me… forgive me." He turned to leave… then froze as he heard a twisted voice from the door to the throne room.
"Why Link… I'm shocked. Shocked and appalled." Grinning horribly, the reanimated skeleton of King Lucas walked into the grand hall. "Breaking a solemn vow… whatever would your dear Uncle Albert think?"
"Damn you, Agahnim…" Link hissed, turning to face the foe. "You gave it a voice… and made it wait for me."
"Agahnim gave me nothing but death…" The skeleton hissed. "Death, and eternal pain… until you came. Free me, Link… release me from this agony! I am still master of this castle, and until you relieve me of that, you shall not enter the Tower!"
"You lie… you're nothing more than a puppet. But it seems I have no choice." Link held up the Master Sword. "I'll finish you quickly!" He charged, and the skeleton's empty sockets glowed. As he neared it, the bony fingers clawed at him… but Link was already attacking, spinning around in the whirling blade technique. The skeleton was silent once more as both arms were sent flying completely off by the force of the blow, and then followed by the head. Not stopping for a second, Link pulled out a bomb, lit it and then shoved it into the neck hole of the King's robes. As he moved towards the flying skull, the explosion behind him completely incinerated most of the bones; and as a last touch, the young warrior drove the Master Sword through the skull, splitting it in half.
"It is done." Link muttered as he turned and ran towards the roof. "You can sleep, majesty… now all that is left is to avenge you, and save your daughter." He was unsurprised to hear another voice in his head following this statement.
"Thank you… Link, nephew of my most trusted Knight. Like my friends who still live, I grant you my blessing, and my approval. Use the sword well… cleanse my kingdom of this infection. Good luck, hero." And then the voice was gone, as Link burst out onto the roofs and fell upon the bomber Knights like the wrath of Din. When they were all slain, he turned to the tower, then paused and looked out over Hyrule. From the east, a sphere of light was flying along the skyline towards the castle. From the south, a glowing, pale white wisp was soaring. And from the north, a flittering, flickering shadow glided forward. Sahasrala, Aginah and Morris were coming. And then as he looked further, Link saw more… Bronze Roger's band of thieves were pouring out of the Lost Woods, howling like barbarians. Even louder screams were coming from Kakariko, where Miz Emma was leading a mob of townspeople armed with a variety of vicious implements. And if one looked closely to the river that led into the castle moat, he might spot the telltale head fins of the fish-men Zora people, led by one ten times as massive as the others. From all its corners, Hyrule was striking back against the curse at its heart.
"Well, that'll keep the Knights in the lower castle off my back." Link grunted. Facing the tower once more, he glared at the barrier of magical energy. Below it, painted on the castle's roof, was something he hadn't seen before; a sinister emblem of an eye. He ignored it. "Time to put this to the test for real. Agahnim's magic… by this sword, it shall be broken… destroyed." He swung the Master Sword down upon the barrier, straight between the glaring eyes, and the flickering energy snapped as easily as a piece of rope, the severed ends flying off, withering and dying. "Destroyed… and Agahnim himself is next." Throwing open the tower's door, Link glared at the pair of astonished Gold Knights on the other side. The room was carpeted in red, and in its center was the same eye pattern.
"Impossible… nobody can pass Master Agahnim's magic but us!" One of them choked.
"I didn't so much pass it… as I obliterated it." Link ran at them. "And the same goes for you boys!" The guards snapped back into action and hoisted their weapons, which Link saw were spiked chain maces, of the same type Sir Remos had used when guarding Zelda in the dungeons. "Oh, no you don't!" Link jumped the one on the left, hacking and slashing at him. The golden armor was thicker and tougher than the lesser orders', but after four hits Link managed to penetrate it and slay the Knight. As soon as he did, he heard a whistling noise, and rolled aside as the spiked mace whirled through the air at him. It struck the fallen knight instead, and the spikes lodged in the body. The other Gold Knight cursed and tried to free his weapon, but it was too late, and Link slew him as well. As he stepped into the next room, the two Black Knights did not pause in surprise as the Golds had done, but charged immediately.
"Uncle Al always said they put the real hotheads in Black…" Link growled, holding his sword steady and waiting, then knocking them both flat on their backs with the whirling blade attack. One quick thrust and then another disposed of them after that, and Link went up to the next floor. There, no torches were lit; the room was absolutely black. Pulling out his lantern, Link swung his sword just in time as he saw the charging Black Knight only a few steps away. He was the only one in the room, fortunately. Beyond that, however, was a maze of thin cement walls. Not only did Link have to find the doorway, but it was locked, forcing him to scour the maze further for a key. "I forgot… this tower was designed as a last refuge for the royal family if war came to Hyrule again. A fortress within a fortress… but I'll pass it." Eventually, he found the key and climbed to the third floor of the tower. It was still dark, and now it was even more dangerous; the way onward led across a narrow, unguarded pathway surrounded on all sides by a deep pit lined with spikes. Knights charged him, but Link managed to knock them to their dooms instead of falling himself. Another threat manifested itself at that point; when something slammed into the side of his head suddenly, Link almost fell over. Righting himself at the last moment, he glared around at the air, and soon located the source of the attack-a truly bizarre creature, consisting of an eyeball on bat wings.
"That's no Hyrulian monster… Agahnim must have pulled it from the Dark World." A single arrow killed it, and did so just as well against the others Link was constantly on guard for. "How many floors does this place have…" The young hero growled as he climbed another set of stairs. "Ah, light… whoa!" A line of archers and spear-throwers was facing him. Diving behind a nearby statue, Link exhaled in relief as the weapons clattered off of it, then threw a lit bomb overhead. As soon as it exploded, he followed it, hitting the Knights in their confusion and killing those who the bomb had not already claimed. After them, a swarm of the eyeball bats commanded by a Red Knight posed no difficulty. The floor after that dispensed with all subtlety; it was simply Knight after Knight. Gold, Black and Red all fell to the Master Sword.
"Link!" Sahasrala yelled telepathically. "We had even more volunteers to help than we thought! The remaining Knights are penned up in the basement; how are you doing?"
"Not good!" Link thought back. "I haven't found them, and this damned tower only has more and more floors!"
"When you encounter Agahnim, be careful!" Sahasrala advised. "His magic is strong, but the Master Sword reflects all evil, even his! Defeat him by any means necessary, Link… good luck! We're counting on you!" Charging up yet another set of stairs, Link was confronted with an empty room… a room with the emblem of the eye on the floor again. Charging through the door, Link finally saw the wizard Agahnim with his own eyes for the first time.
"So… here you are at last, Link." The evil magician smiled. "You certainly took your time." The wizard was standing behind a cushioned altar, designed to look like the maw of some horrible beast. Lying on it, unconscious, was Zelda.
"Agahnim." Link fought to keep the relief off of his face. "You're right… it's been far too long that you've plagued our kingdom. Now… it ends. I may have taken long… but not long enough for you to send the Princess, it looks like. You've failed your master."
"Heh heh heh… how foolish you are, young one." Agahnim chortled. "Not long enough? Ha! I could have sent her hours ago… but I thought I would wait for you, so you could see her vanish before your own eyes!"
"Mistake… that's not happening!" Link lunged forward, then grunted in pain as an invisible barrier stopped him. Backing up, he hacked at it with the Master Sword, to no avail. "What the heck?"
"A force field… as if I thought you would just sit back and allow me to do this." Agahnim threw his head back and laughed. "Fool! This is the last time you shall ever see your beloved princess… say goodbye, Zelda!" He raised one hand, and then another, both crackling with magical energy… and then lines of power shot out from both, combining into a sphere around Zelda. She stirred slightly, and glanced over at Link.
"Link… I'm sorry… he got me… Link… help me…" And then, in a flash, she was gone, and Link was left staring at Agahnim in shock and despair. The Wizard simply grinned.
"And THAT means game over for you, doesn't it, Link? Good effort, but in the end, I beat you. You LOSE, Link… all seven descendants have been sent over. The barrier is breaking, even as we speak… and soon, we shall emerge and cover this land." He turned away. "I am but one of the Eyes of Ganon… how do you expect to withstand the others when they emerge, let alone our master, who bears the Golden Power? I go now to prepare for their coming… as you should prepare for the end of your wretched life!" He flew through the air without moving his legs, disappearing behind a curtain in the back of the room, leaving Link alone. The force field dropped; Link hadn't realized he had been leaning against it, pounding on it helplessly.
"Zelda…" He croaked. "Why… why did you say YOU were sorry? I'M the one… who failed you… I promised I'd come back for you… but I couldn't save you… Zelda…" And then, beneath the despair… something rose up. Something familiar. Something that had risen when he had fought the Armos Knights, the Lanmolas, and the Moldorm… this time, without shape or form, but there nonetheless. Something that made him stand... Made him walk forward. "Enough. I can get her back… I WILL get her back. And before that… I WILL purge Hyrule of this scourge!" Ripping aside the curtains, he followed Agahnim through into the tower's final room, with three walls made entirely out of glass. Normally, they would let one see over Hyrule from above, but at the moment some power of Agahnim's made them dark. The wizard stood with his back to Link, conversing with another, unknown person.
"What's wrong with it, Arrghus?" He was demanding. "I sent the Princess through! The barrier should be weakening! So WHY can I still not pull anything stronger than a Patra!"
"I don't know, boss!" Whoever Arrghus was answered. "I don't… boss! Behind you! Look out!" Whirling around, Agahnim banished the magic, letting the windows show the blue sky once again.
"Who… oh. Oho!" The wizard's eyes glowed. "You still wish to fight me, even though you've failed completely?"
"I haven't failed… not completely." Link snarled. "I'll go to your Golden Land… and I'll bring her back here. There's only one thing to do before that… obliterating YOU."
"Ha!" Agahnim looked even more amused. "You are as brave as your ancestor was, lad… and as foolish. He was lucky, to defeat the great King Ganon… you will not have the same fortune! If you wish to fight me, it means only one thing-that you wish to be killed! And I'll be more than happy to grant that wish for you! I am AGAHNIM, one of the Eyes of Ganon… and you are nothing more than a boy with a sword that doesn't belong to him!" He raise his hands, and fired from them a sphere of destructive magical power, which flew straight at Link's chest… and with a swing of the Master Sword, he deflected it. The blast turned a blinding white as it flew away from him, hitting a wall and dissipating harmlessly. Agahnim stared. "How did you…"
"I told you." Link shook his head. "I will destroy you, Agahnim… completely and utterly. My Uncle… the King… the other Wise Men… the Princess. All those people and more are calling on me at this moment… calling for your death. You've hurt Hyrule more than any man should ever… here and now, it ends. As does your life." Agahnim's eyes flashed.
"I think not, lad!" He fired again, and Link charged, knocking it aside even as he swung at Agahnim… and with a howl of pain, was blown away by the burst of magical sparks that erupted as soon as the blade touched the wizard. Unhurt, Agahnim loomed over him as he stood.
"How…?"
"Idiot child… my body is still that of a descendant of one of the Seven Sages!" Agahnim informed him. "You think the Master Sword would ever harm the line of Saria, the Forest Sage? The childhood companion of the Hero of Time? Ha! You know nothing about the power you wield… and that shall be your undoing!" He fired another blast, and Link instinctively swiped at it, realizing too late that it was not the same attack as before, but a cluster of smaller blue orbs. As the sword hit it, it burst, scattering in all directions; two of the tiny shots hit him, and he winced, but did not fall. "Hm… you withstood that better than I thought you would…" Agahnim paused in his gloating as he saw the eerie light in Link's eyes. "What are you… bah, I care not! I grow weary of this!" He fired another of the larger blasts, and again the Sword slashed… but this time, it hit the blast with specific timing and aim… reflecting it back at Agahnim. The Wizard grunted in pain as the magic smashed into his own body. "ARGH! No… how? How did you know you could do that?" He stood and glared at Link with an entirely inhuman fury. "How did you KNOW!" A moment of silence, and then Link chuckled darkly, slowly.
"How did I know? Because… I'VE BEAT YOU LIKE THAT BEFORE." Agahnim went completely white.
"You… you lie…"
"No." Link shook his head. "At first, I thought the memories I was having… the images I recalled… were being sent by my ancestor from the afterlife, to aid me. But now I know better… I really DO remember those things. I remember how they happened now… and I remember you." He began to walk forward, slowly, confidently.
"No… no…" Agahnim sputtered, melting into shadows and darting to another corner of the room. "You're just a brat… a descendant of him… a fool…"
"Wrong again." Link turned and continued walking. "I was wrong, too… I didn't know. I wasn't getting help from my ancestor… I was just remembering when I WAS him. Hyrule knew I was needed… and it brought me back. Me, and the Princess… she doesn't know, but she's the same one too. And that just leaves you."
"Shut UP!" Agahnim screamed, firing another magic blast… and again, Link deflected it back into his cringing form.
"You haven't learned at all… this is the exact same strategy you tried against me all those years ago." Now it was Link's turn to sneer. "All that time… all those centuries… and you haven't changed. You haven't learned. You think I don't know you? Servant of Ganon… no. I recognize you now… you're no servant." He displayed his right hand, where the emblem of the Triforce was displayed, one triangle glowing golden. "Ganon… no… Ganondorf Dragmire… You haven't learned a single damn thing." The utterance of his true name caused the wizard to freeze in shock, hands raised… and on the back of his hand, the symbol of the Triforce shone as well.
"You know… everybody forgot my name, but you still know it…" His teeth suddenly clenched in an insane rage. "And you still have it… the power you stole from me… the piece of the Triforce that should have been mine by right!"
"Wrong." Link advanced again, and again Agahnim fled to another corner of the room through the shadows. "It was never yours… even the piece you took, the piece that made you the Forger of Power, was taken by theft. You will never possess the Triforce, Ganon… never."
"Ha… wrong!" Agahnim's eyes had grown bright again. "You forget, Zelda is mine… and if you still have the Triforce of Courage… then I can rip the Triforce of Wisdom from her! And with not one, but TWO pieces at my command, you will finally die by my hand!"
"You won't get the chance!" Link dodged the cluster of blue spheres he fired, batting one of the fragments at Agahnim as it burst on the wall behind him. "I'll kill you here and now!"
"And all that shall mean is my return to my proper body!" Agahnim laughed scornfully. "As a matter of fact, why not? I shall return to it now, and burst forth triumphant through this castle's gates… and my true face will be the last thing you ever see!" His eyes flashed… and nothing happened. "Wha… what? What is this?" Again they flashed, and again there was no result. "No… NO!"
"Looks like you're stuck." Link realized, smiling. "Can't get free, hm? So, then… what happens if this body IS killed? From what Father Brian said, ordinary means won't stop you… but if I keep it up, and blast your body down to nothing with your own magic… what then? Will its destruction free you… or do you die with it? You don't know… I can tell. And to be honest, neither do I. So the question becomes… do you trust your luck against mine?" He advanced, holding the Master Sword before him. "Time to find out."
"Stop…" Agahnim took a step back. "Stop right there…" Still Link advanced. "No… HA! GOT YOU!" His hands flashed out, and from them came not a single blast, but a great storm, a hundred lances of lightning blasting towards his body. "Your Uncle was killed by this… and Princess Zelda defeated! Not even you can…" His voice fell silent in horror as he saw Link holding up the Master Sword, blocking the assault… and then, with a roar, he flung the blade outward, and the few remaining fragments of the blast turned upon their owner. Agahnim screamed and twitched as the magical energy raced through his body.
"No… not again…" Slowly, he raised both his hands to the ceiling. "I can't… lose to him… again…" Slowly, he fell forward onto his face, and did not stir. Link walked towards him, raising the sword, then stopped only an inch away.
"No… it'll just bounce off. Then how do I make sure he's-AH!" Agahnim's hand shot out and grabbed his ankle, and the wizard's face grinned up at him.
"Ugh… well met, boy. You were right… I see you now. You have come back to fight me again… Link. They call you the Hero of Time now… but I remember your name. Link. And you remember how I first fell… enough to be suckered into thinking I was finished again. I'm not. But I AM tired of fighting you for now… and I know why the barrier isn't opening yet. I thought I needed seven… but I need EIGHT. It's been too long since I saw my home… and I think I'll bring you along with me! Are you ready to finally see the Golden Land, Link? Let me tell you… there's no place on Hyrule like it!" Link struggled frantically to escape as the wizard began dragging him towards the glass wall. It shattered, revealing not Hyrule's sky, but a sky that burned with gold, whose sun was a ruby-red brilliance. And Agahnim pulled him towards it.
"No… I won't… not on your terms…" Link tried to escape, but he could not. "You won't… take me… you…" He could not free himself from Agahnim's grasp. Slowly, he stopped struggling. "…So. You want to bring this fight onto your home turf? All right then…" He threw back his head and laughed, long and loud, as he threw himself forward, hurling both of them off of the tower. "FINE! If you want me to take everything away from you a second time, who am I to argue? Let's go, Ganondorf… we'll play the whole damn story out again!" He looked at Agahnim, and Agahnim looked at him; both of their faces were bound in maniac grins, and together they laughed insanely as they plummeted into the Dark World.
"HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!"