Chapter Five: A Deal Is Made

A/N: Happy Birthday Tollgatekeeper!


Ganondorf opened his eyes to see that he was trapped in a slowly rotating crystal, with brilliant white all around him. He also saw an albino-haired, black robed figure, humming. Ganondorf banged his fists against the crystal, but nothing happened. He tried to take out one of his blades, but couldn't.

" Don't bother, Ganondorf. You can't do anything I don't want you to do," whispered Diego.

" You are responsible for this? Who are you?" asked Ganondorf.

" I am Diego Ferago Bjorgen Gonavolo. You might have heard of me as Zephyrian, the Sword Sorcerer,"

" Why did you bring me here? I could have destroyed the Hero of Time! I know you secretly wish that he was dead,"

" No, I do not! Link is the only person that can pass the barriers that protect the Instruments of the Goddesses. And you should be thanking me! I knew that Ganon's Tower was under water, and when Link freed you, you would have drowned! I saved your life!"

" My magic would have worked if you hadn't interrupted it!" retorted Ganondorf angrily.

" Not quick enough!" said Diego.

" FINE! I owe you my life, but what good is that when I'm trapped in a crystal?"

" You are trapped inside a crystal, because you might decide to ruin my plans,"

" What plans?"

Diego looked at Ganondorf strangely.

" As if I would tell the so called 'King of Evil' what I am planning to do. Suffice to say, it involves the Instruments of the Goddesses I mentioned before."

Ganondorf couldn't think of anything more to say, and looked away. Doing this, he spotted Link's grandmother sleeping, trapped in another similarly rotating crystal.

" What is she doing here?" asked Ganondorf, pointing at Link's grandmother.

" She is here so the Hero of Time will do what I wish. You didn't seriously think that he would do this because I asked him to, did you? To succeed at anything, you have to think of all of the complications and problems that could appear. No doubt that is why you never defeat Link,"

" Hmm…Aha! I've got an idea! You and I can team up to destroy the boy,"

" I have already said why I cannot destroy him! Must I repeat myself? I. Need. Him,"

" I know that. Once the Hero of Time has collected these Instruments of the Goddesses, you can do whatever you desire, but after that…WE KILL THE BOY!"

" You've intrigued me. Go on,"


Link had only gone back through the arch to look at the arch, and how it didn't let any water through. It must have been a magic barrier of sorts, but he didn't understand it. Link passed through the arch to swim back up to the shore of Lake Hylia, but was met by a very strange welcoming party. A score of Octoroks were floating just above Ganon's Tower, and more were being attracted.

Link had only a couple of seconds to react as a deadly spiked ball was spat out of the nearest Octorok, but he managed to raise his shield in time to deflect it. More Octoroks began to attack, and Link was forced to hide behind his shield while batting any stray spike balls away with his sword. The Master Sword. Of course! After freeing Ganondorf, his minions would be also free to roam. Link hadn't expected there to be so many, though. Link only had one option, and that was to retreat back through Ganon's Tower.

Link hoped that the barrier blocking the water from entering would also stop the Octoroks. Quickly, he jumped down from the arch, and ran over to the magic cauldron. There, he noticed one-eyed Morths around the magic cauldron. He tried to feint one way, then go another to fool them, but the spiked, urchin-like creatures still jumped and stuck onto Link's clothes, pricking him in all places. Link performed a Spin Attack to rid himself of them, and noticed the jars next to the cauldron. Without thinking, he smashed one to release a fairy, which he deftly caught in his bottle.

" At least I'm prepared," muttered Link to himself, as he jumped into the cauldron.

As Link came back out of the lower cauldron, he noticed that the door was buckling. Someone or something was ramming the door to get in. Link hesitantly walked over to the door, but hurriedly flung the door wide. Link barely had time to dodge to one side as a Moblin charged forward to ram the door with its shoulder. The pig-faced creature's run carried it too far, tripping up, while its face showed surprise. Link looked back, and saw a dozen more Moblins, each armed with a spear, and Link could see some armoured Darknuts slowly walking up the steps. The Moblins bellowed piggish war-cries and charged at Link.

Link managed to block the spear from impaling him from the nearest Moblin, and ducked another spear that was thrown at head height. He used his shield to protect his head while he slashed any Moblins that came too close. One of the monsters ran at full pelt with its spear aimed at Link, but Link saw it coming, whipped around and stabbed it in the back. Another saw its chance and jumped on Link, who staggered under the weight and fell to the floor. The remaining creatures abandoned their weapons and joined in a massive pile-on.

Luckily, Link managed to escape before any real damage was done. He looked at the writhing mass of monsters, and figured that they didn't know he wasn't there. However, now Link had to contend with the much more lethal Darknuts. He turned to find the nearest Darknut preparing to attack with its huge blade held out to one side. Link waited, and waited, until the Darknut made the first move, bringing his blade down in a slashing motion. Link rolled around it and cut the bonds that held the Darknut's armour together. The amour fell to the floor with a clang, but the Darknut was undeterred and swung its blade again and knocked Link to the floor.

Link was hurt, but not too badly. As the first Darknut advanced on him, Link got to his feet and faced it, but Link whipped around when he heard another Darknut give a massive howl. The creature swung its sword horizontally, barely missing Link's throat.

Link jumped up and yanked the Darknut's helmet off, to expose its head, and in a flash decapitated it. Its body fell to the floor, motionless, making the Darknut behind Link leap high into the air to attack him. Link brought up his shield to block it, and realised that the heap of Moblins had noticed he wasn't there. They had picked up their spears, about to resume their attack.

" There's so many of them! How am I supposed to kill them all?" panted Link heavily.

Link's fighting was a blur. Dodging a spear, jumping over a blade, he planted his sword deep into a Moblin skull. Withdrawing it, he crouched to avoid being beheaded himself, and slashed at a leg, making the Moblin owner crash to the floor wit a howl of pain. Another spear came flying out of nowhere and Link could just about deflect it to one side with his shield, and blocked another Darknut blade with his sword. He hacked and stabbed wildly, seeing monster after monster fall to the ground. One spear was thrust into Link's foot, but still he carried on. Link gave a wild battle cry and charged at the Moblin who was responsible, slamming his sword right through its body. Moblins fell as Link spun around madly, still screaming.

Before Link knew it, he was performing the Hurricane Spin that Orca had taught him long ago. He put his sword out and every unprotected piece of flesh was wounded terribly, and after the killing spree, Link found himself in a clearing with a single Darknut to defeat. Finally, it was almost over. Link, overcome with relief, drained of all adrenaline, lazily blocked the Darknut's attack, rolled between its legs and stabbed the Darknut in the heart. The creature fell to the floor, giving Link a well-needed breather. After thinking he was in the clear, Link sat down to rest.

That was when he heard a screech that could only have come from a Bokoblin. Hurriedly, Link looked down over the foyer, and saw at least fifty Bokoblins, only just alerted to his presence by a wounded Moblin, which had managed to stagger down the steps. There was plenty more on the way now that they knew Link was here.

" OH, COME ON! GIVE ME A BREAK HERE!"


A/N: Just in case you don't remember the monsters mentioned, I'll describe them now.

Morth: Spiky, one-eyed urchins that stick to Link and slow him down.

Moblin: Pig-faced, muscled monsters armed with spears, and drop Skull Necklaces.

Darknut: Armoured knights that can use any weapon, and drop Knight Crests