Lord Arcana smiled as he slowly walked across the desolate landscape that was once Hyrule Field. He was enjoying the total carnage all around him. Even though more than half of the dead bodies lying on the field were his own soldiers, he still couldn't be happier. His army was still much larger, Hyrule Market had been taken, and the remainder of Hyrule's defenders were now backed into a corner. Lord Arcana didn't even bother to avoid stepping on any of the dead bodies as he headed toward Hyrule Market, even though it would have been difficult to do so even if he had wanted. As far as Lord Arcana was concerned they were all beneath him, and their deaths only proved how pathetic they truly were.
All the Darknuts were currently standing at attention on either side of the entrance to Hyrule Market creating a clear path for Lord Arcana to walk down. The remaining Wizzrobes were all situated on top of the crumbling wall. They were using their magic to make themselves hover slightly above the wall so as not to collapse it completely. The remaining Arcanites, which even though suffering extreme losses still outnumbered the Darknuts and Wizzrobes even if just slightly, were all inside the ruins of Hyrule Market preparing for both Lord Arcana's arrival and the final assault.
Still smiling, Lord Arcana continued walking toward Hyrule Market, stopping only once to look at one of the hundreds of frozen Gorons. After admiring the beauty of the spell that had done this, Lord Arcana pushed the Goron and continued walking as the frozen Goron hit the ground and shattered into hundreds of pieces. Laughing now as he walked, Lord Arcana stopped again as an Arcanite came running up to him.
"My lord," began the Arcanite as he bowed before Lord Arcana, "there is somebody waiting for you within the city. It's your son, Ganon."
"What!" yelled Lord Arcana, his smile being replaced with a look of anger. "Damn it, this isn't part of the plan. I was supposed to conquer Hyrule and then I would release him so that I could kill him and take the Triforce of Power. Ganon is more cunning than I ever gave him credit for. He sensed the seal containing him weakening and released himself. Of all the things to take after me with, it had to be that."
"What do you want to do sir?"
"I'm thinking! Now let me see. Maybe I can use him to take over Hyrule and then kill him after. No, too risky. Those bitch mothers of his trained him to hate me. He wants me dead as much as I want him dead. The longer he's alive the worse off I'll be. Guess I'll just have to kill him now then. Go, tell my son to step forth. I will not go to him. He must come to me."
"At once."
The Arcanite bowed again before turning around and running back into Hyrule Market. Lord Arcana then began rubbing his chin as he thought of how to kill Ganon. Lord Arcana smirked and let out a chuckle as he reached down and pulled a sharp and crooked dagger out from his boot. Standing upright again, Lord Arcana stared at the blade. The metal blade glistened dully in the darkness of the night from the light of the fires burning in Hyrule Field as well as the raging firestorm that was Hyrule Market.
After staring at the dagger for some time, Lord Arcana slipped it up his sleeve. He then stood there waiting for Ganon to arrive. The thunder and lightening that had been there for so long had now ceased. The only things now giving off light were the fires, and currently the only sounds that could be heard was the crackling of the fires. The drizzle that continued to drench the battlefield had now turned into a very fine mist. While not as bad as the drizzle, the mist was still soaking everything in sight.
Ganon finally appeared in the entranceway to Hyrule Market. Slowly he stepped forward, stopping once he had crossed the frozen river. Lord Arcana and Ganon just stood in their spots staring at each other. The Darknuts continued to stand at attention, but the Wizzrobes were watching everything that was going on very intently. Several dozen Arcanites had even snuck into the entranceway to see what was going to happen. Then, to both the Wizzrobes and Arcanites surprise, both Ganon and Lord Arcana smiled and laughed.
While still laughing they both walked toward each other. They weren't walking slowly, but they weren't running toward each other either. As soon as they neared each other they both spread their arms out and then embraced one another in a hug. Lord Arcana's laugh began getting more devious as he slowly pulled the dagger out from his sleeve. When it was fully out of his sleeve he gripped it tightly in his hand and got ready to stab it directly into Ganon's back. Just as he was about to do this, Lord Arcana felt a sharp pain in his chest and staggered backwards.
"How does the old saying go;" laughed Ganon as he watched his father stagger backwards in pain, "great minds think alike? Well, I guess you just weren't fast enough father."
"You. . .bastard!" shouted Lord Arcana as he looked down at the sword protruding from his chest.
"Pathetic fool. Did you really think I wouldn't know that you would want me dead?"
"You always. . .were too. . .smart. . .for your own. . .good."
"Oh father. I really want to thank you for all that you're doing for me right now."
"What. . .are you. . .talking about?"
"It's the only reason you're still alive right now. I'm sure you can feel it by now. Not only is your life slipping away, but so is your power. I placed a spell on my sword before stabbing you. I am draining all of your power as well as all your knowledge about war and the Dark Arts. Everything that once made you the most feared man in the world is now being given to me. I will be more powerful than ever. With your powers now combined with my own, I will be unstoppable."
"I. . .won't let you," declared Lord Arcana as he tried to step toward Ganon with the dagger held high. "If I. . .can't have Hyrule. . .or the. . .Triforce of Power,. . .then. . .no one will!"
"You make me laugh father," Ganon laughed as his father fell to his knees in pain. "Well, I've really enjoyed this reunion and all, but I'm afraid it's time to say goodbye. Goodbye father."
With a laugh wicked enough to rival his father's, Ganon pulled his sword out of Lord Arcana's chest and immediately slammed it back in, this time making sure to pierce his heart. Unlike when Gerik had tried, Ganon's sword sliced through Lord Arcana's chest plate like butter and pierced all the way through to Lord Arcana's back. Positive that Lord Arcana was dead, Ganon removed his sword and watched in glee as his father's limp body fell to the ground.
The Wizzrobes and Arcanites all looked on in horror as they watched their leader's dead body fall to the ground. They could not believe that he had been killed, and so easily as well. In desperation the Arcanites that had seen what happened drew their weapons and charged forward. The Wizzrobes in turn each fired a magic spell at Ganon. Ganon just stood there, his back toward all of them, as the spells and Arcanites approached. Just as the spells were about to hit Ganon created a barrier that deflected all the spells. He then quickly turned around and summoned a powerful gust of wind to blow the Arcanites back, but not kill them. The Darknuts remained motionless throughout all of this.
"Fools!" shouted Ganon to the Arcanites and Wizzrobes. "Take a lesson from your fellow Darknut soldiers. They know the rules. Not only have I bested your leader, but he was my father as well. Either way, that now means that you are my soldiers. The Darknuts aren't letting emotions cloud their judgement, and neither should you. None of you like me I'm sure, especially after killing your beloved leader, but I don't know any of you and as a result I don't like any of you either. You are my army now though, and together we will conquer Hyrule. If nothing else you should do this to complete my father's dream. Now you can either join me or not. Just know that I reward my faithful servants well, and I kill any who oppose me."
The Arcanites and Wizzrobes just stood there. They knew that every word Ganon had spoken was the truth. He was their leader now, and even if they all joined forces they couldn't hope to kill him, especially now that he was stronger than Lord Arcana had ever been. With reluctance, they all bowed to their new leader.
"Good. I knew my father would never allow any idiots into his army. You have all chosen wisely, and you will be rewarded handsomely for all your troubles should you survive the final battle. Now go and inform the rest of your fellow soldiers waiting inside Hyrule Market of what transpired out here. Tell them of their new leader, and prepare for the final assault. I meanwhile, shall summon forth the Triforce."
The field in front of Hyrule Castle was a welcome sight for the weary warriors retreating from the front lines, especially the Hylians. The Hylians had been fighting this war from the very beginning without rest, and though they knew that retreating meant they were on the verge of losing they still welcomed this chance to relax and recover. Even though this was a chance to rest, they knew that they couldn't become careless. That's why upon reaching the castle King Hyrule ordered archers to stand watch on top of the cliffs overlooking the path to the castle as well as on top of the giant gate that blocked the path.
Currently the gate was open, allowing everyone to retreat to the safety of the field behind it. As the archers stood there making sure that no enemies were following them, they also watched as their allies and comrades were falling back from the city, many carrying wounded with them. While nearly no one escaped unscathed, some of the more seriously wounded were in terrible shape. There were some with missing limbs, and still others had large gashes across their bodies exposing both bone and guts. None of them, even the most experienced among them, had ever seen horrors such as this, and it was enough to make the blood of even the most stalwart among them run cold.
At seeing the return of their warriors, several dozen retainers and other assorted people came running out of Hyrule Castle to tend to the injured. The first one out though, was Malon. As soon as her feet left the castle halls she began searching frantically for her father. She looked at the warriors who had already arrived, as well as the wounded, and after not finding her father headed down to the gate to wait for him. Her worry began to grow as the number of Hylians returning was decreasing and was being replaced by retreating Gorons, Zoras, and Gerudo. As Malon continued to wait, the golden light that was illuminating the entire area was beginning to grow dull and it was getting harder to see who the new arrivals were.
The Heavens' Light barrier was beginning to shrink. As the total number of retreating soldiers was getting smaller, the barrier started to flicker before finally failing completely. The entire area went pitch black, the path leading to the castle being slightly illuminated by the firestorm that was Hyrule Market. Torches were immediately lit all along the cliffs, the gate, and the castle walls. All the waiting archers readied their bows knowing that the enemy could now come after them with the barrier down.
Malon's heart sank as the last of the retreating warriors made their way past the gate. Giving up all hope, she was about to turn around and join the others when she spotted another figure walking up the path. The figure was carrying someone in their arms. Malon's excitement was short-lived though. The figure was too tall and not bulky enough to be her father. Her spirits did rise slightly when the figure stepped into the light and she could see his face. It was Link, and in his arms was the limp and unconscious body of Zelda.
"Link," Malon called out, "are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine," he replied, "but Zelda is unconscious. Quick, take her up to the castle for me. I have to go back and see if anyone was left behind."
"Don't bother," came a familiar voice from behind. "Everyone else is dead. I made sure to check before coming here."
Link quickly turned around as Malon focused her attention on the man standing behind Link. It was Gerik, and wrapped around his shoulder was Talon. Talon's eyes were half closed, his face badly bruised, and he had several small cuts up and down his chest and back. Despite all that, and to the joy of Malon, he was very much alive. Malon quickly ran over to him, but as she approached she could hear him mumbling.
"Don't worry about him," said Gerik. "From the looks of it he took a heavy blow to the head. He should be fine in a couple of hours, but there's no way he can continue to fight. Hey Link, what happened to Zelda!"
"I'll explain later," Link said turning around again. "Right now we should regroup and plan for their next assault. Let's go."
Link walked forward and past the gate still holding Zelda in his arms. Gerik followed after with Malon helping him to carry her father. Once they were all through the gate was shut almost immediately and a dozen knights armed with pikes stood behind it to stop anyone that charged the gate. Once behind the gate Gerik and Malon handed Talon over to the retainers who were bringing all of the wounded unable to continue fighting inside the castle. Malon went with them while Gerik headed over to Link.
Link didn't hand Zelda over to the retainers. Instead he carried her over to the fence just outside the moat and laid her down on the ground. For anyone just looking at her it appeared as if Zelda was dead. The only sign that she was still alive was her breathing, which was very shallow at the moment. Link just stared at her expressionless face with a look of extreme worry, water dripping off of his rain soaked face onto hers. Gerik stood back a few feet, unsure of what to say.
As he waited for Link to make the first move, Gerik heard a female voice shout his name from behind. Turning around, Gerik was nearly tackled to the ground as Navi ran and jumped into his arms. The two quickly kissed before Gerik released his embrace and let her fall back to her feet. The two of them then just stared at one another with big smiles on both their faces.
"You jackass," Navi quipped. "Do you know how worried you made me?"
"Not half as worried as when I didn't see you standing on top of the wall with Link and Zelda when I returned," he replied. "I told you that I would return, and that I wouldn't be alone. I always keep my word."
"Smart-alec. Maybe that's why I love you so much."
"Zelda," shouted a very worried sounding voice from nearby.
Link, Gerik, and Navi all turned to see King Hyrule walking toward him. His face was in a state of shock as he stared at Zelda's unmoving body. As he got closer he slowed his pace removing his helm as got closer. Link, Gerik, and Navi could all tell that he was on the verge of tears as he stared at Zelda.
"Your majesty," Link quickly said as he got up and headed over to him, "don't worry. She's perfectly fine. Her body is just exhausted from that spell she used; that's all. Once her body has had some time to rest, she'll wake up and be her normal self."
"Oh, thank the gods," King Hyrule cried. "I am so glad to hear that. If something had happened to her, I don't know what I would've done."
"Speaking of that spell," piped in Navi, "Link, that wasn't the Heavens' Light; was it?"
"Yes, it was," he replied taking a glance at Zelda's unconscious form. "How do you know about the Heavens' Light?"
"I know all the magical spells out there. Heavens' Light happens to be one of the few that I do not know how to perform myself. Doesn't matter though. Even if I did I don't have enough magic to even start the spell. Only the truly gifted can even attempt to use the Heavens' Light. I've never heard of the spell actually being performed before. Where did Zelda learn it?"
"She learned it in the Triforce Room back at the Temple of Light along with every other magical spell and an increase in her magic. Navi, are you feeling alright?"
Link noticed that Navi was breathing heavily. Her eyes were filled with weariness, and even though her face was soaked from the mist Link was positive that she was sweating. She had shone a burst of energy when she had seen Gerik and ran up to him, but now she was unconsciously rocking back and forth slightly as she stood and every once and a while she had to steady herself before falling over. Navi had hoped that no one would notice, and was surprised when Link had said something.
"Don't worry about me," she said with a weak smile, "I'm fine. I'm just a little tired is all. It's no more than the rest of you."
"Yes, it is," said Link. "You can barely stand."
"Alright, I may have gone a little overboard with my magic, but I'm telling you that I'm fine."
"No, you're not. You're not going to fight in the next battle. When the battle begins you're going to be in the castle watching over Zelda and resting. That's an order."
"But you can't do that! We've already suffered heavy losses. Taking me out of the fight will only hurt us even more."
"I'm not going to send someone voluntarily to their death. You're in no condition to fight. I'm surprised at you. I thought that you out of anyone would have had the brains enough to retreat in the condition you're in."
"Navi, listen to Link," Gerik said in a caring tone. "What good will it do to fight if you can barely stand? I don't want anything happening to you. Besides, Zelda will need someone to watch over her. Please Navi, do it for me. Stay out of the fight."
"Okay Gerik, if that is how you truly feel. I won't participate in the next battle. If the fighting spills into the castle however, then all bets are off."
"I'm glad that you got all that settled," interrupted King Hyrule, "but Navi was right about our suffering heavy losses. I've just received a quick head count of our remaining forces. The Gerudos have roughly 265 troops remaining, the Gorons roughly 135, and the Zoras roughly 100. As for our own troops, we have a combined total of about 300 troops remaining. We're looking at roughly 800 troops total that are left. Four armies and we can't even break a thousand. These counts don't include any of the wounded, but most of the wounded aren't expected to make it anyway."
Link, Gerik, and Navi just stood there, their faces blank. The numbers weren't really a surprise to them; they had always known the numbers would be high. In their hearts though they had all hoped it wouldn't be this bad. As they stood there, they all started looking around the field, King Hyrule doing the same. Most of the troops were resting, either sitting on the ground or propped up against something. Their faces were sullen, all joy having been sucked out of them. Even though each and every one of them knew that the odds were stacked against them, knew how this was most likely going to end, none of them were showing any fear. They had embraced what was going to happen, and were ready to face it head on.
"Well wait a minute," said Gerik all of a sudden as he turned toward Link, "if Zelda learned that powerful attack inside the Triforce Room then you must have learned something there as well. Am I right?"
The statue of Naryu fell silent and it's blue glow began to fade. When it was gone, a green light began to shine from behind them. Link and Zelda both turned around to see the statue of Farore glowing green just as the statue of Naryu had glowed blue. Knowing that this statue was for him, Link stepped forward and awaited the statue's response.
"Link," the statue began to say, "the Hero of Time, wielder of the Triforce of Courage. . .failed you did to kill Ganon seven years ago, ending up only sealing him away in the end. This was no fault of your own. You were thrust into combat without any knowledge of how to properly wield the Master Sword, and as a result you could not tap into the sword's true power. Place your hands upon my own, and I shall make this knowledge known to you."
Knowing that there was nothing to worry about, Link stepped forward confidently and placed both his hands upon the statue's. Just as what happened to Zelda, Link's body became engulfed in the green glow of the statue and he began to hover. The glow grew brighter and brighter ending in one big flash. Link was then back on his feet and removing his hands from the statue's hands.
"There, now you know how to wield the Master Sword. In your hands, the sword will once again become the Sword of Evil's Bane. Unless evil is destroyed, it will always return. It is now your destiny to use the sword to vanquish the evil that threatens Hyrule once and for all. Only you have the knowledge, and only you can accomplish this goal."
"Yeah, I learned something alright," said Link solemnly, "but it's not going to help us. Not anymore it's not."
"You're wrong Link," came an old yet familiar voice from above them. "The Master Sword awaits you. You have only to go and take it from it's pedestal. Hoo hooooooot!"
"Kaepora Gaebora!" Link said in amazement as he looked up at the owl perched on top of the fence. "You're. . .you're still alive."
"Wait, did you say Kaepora Gaebora?" asked Gerik as he looked at the giant owl. "He's the third Guardian of the Triforce! The tides have just turned back into our favor."
"Actually Gerik, he's the last remaining Guardian of the Triforce," explained Navi as she wrapped her arm around his shoulder. "Remember, I gave up that position when I came here to help you guys. It's good to see you again Kaepora."
"Ah, and it does my old heart good to see you again Navi," said Kaepora with a smile. "I'm glad to see that you have not yet been taken by this terrible war. That goes for all of you. And no Gerik, I'm afraid that the tides have not turned back into your favor. I am an old man. My fighting days are behind me, but I shall assist you in any way possible."
"Kaepora Gaebora," started up Link again, "you said something about the Master Sword awaiting me. What are you talking about? Wasn't the sword destroyed when Ganon was released and the Temple of Time exploded."
"Ganon!" exclaimed Gerik before Navi covered his mouth and whispered in his ear that she would explain everything.
"No Link," said Kaepora Gaebora. "It would take an explosion thousands of times greater to destroy the Master Sword. Though the Temple of Time is gone, both the sword and the pedestal it rests within remain. You have only to go and pull the sword from the pedestal to be reunited with your sword again."
Before anyone could say anything else, the Triforce symbol on the back of Link's hand began to glow. Everyone stared in wonderment, not sure of what this meant. As they continued to stare, another bright glow caught their attention. They all looked down and saw that the Triforce symbol on Zelda's hand was glowing as well. Then, in the blink of an eye, the glow from the two Triforce symbols became a beam of light that shot off their hands and into the night sky.
Everyone quickly watched as the two beams of light shot straight up into the air and then turned toward Death Mountain. The two beams of light were then joined by a third that was coming from somewhere in Hyrule Field. The three beams collided in mid air lighting up all of Hyrule in a bright light for a brief second. After Hyrule returned to darkness the now combined beams of light shot straight toward the summit of Death Mountain, crashing into the mountain with such force that it sent a small tremor throughout all of Hyrule.
At the spot where the beam of light collided into Death Mountain, an aura of light descended from the sky. It wasn't bright enough to cast any light out upon Hyrule, but it was bright enough for anyone that looked at Death Mountain to notice. Nobody had any idea what was going on, but Link caught a glimpse of Kaepora Gaebora ruffling his feathers out of the corner of his eye.
"What the hell was that all about?" asked Gerik.
"It's finally happened," said Kaepora Gaebora, his voice distant. "The Triforce has been summoned."
"What!" exclaimed Navi in surprise. "But. . .but how? Since Link, Zelda, and Ganon all possess one fragment of the Triforce, they would all have to be together to summon the Triforce."
"Apparently Ganon found another way to summon the Triforce. Link, you must stop him. If Ganon touches the Triforce and makes his wish, then all hope will be gone."
"But how am I supposed to stop him?" asked Link, not sure of what to do. "If I had my Goron Tunic I could take the Ocarina of Time from Zelda and teleport myself to the Fire Temple, but without it I'd never survive the heat. Ganon already has a lead on me. I'll never be able to catch up to him."
"Flying is much faster than walking young one. I said I would aid you in any way possible, and I meant it. Climb on my back, and I will fly you up to the formation known as Spectacle Rock. That is the spot where the Triforce waits. Of course, we'll be making one little stop along the way."
"Right," winked Link, knowing exactly what Kaepora meant. "I'm not sure of what to wish for myself though. Gerik, I'm about to ask you the biggest favor anyone could ever ask someone. If you say no I'll understand. Ganon is going to have to be distracted if I'm to make it up there and make a wish before Ganon does. Would you do it?"
"Come on Link," said Gerik in a joking tone, "do you think I would ever turn away from a fight? Hell no I wouldn't; especially if it's someone who can give me at least a decent challenge. I held my own against Lord Arcana didn't I, and he's way stronger than Ganon. I'll be perfectly fine."
"Well your majesty," said Link turning toward King Hyrule, "that only leaves you left. With Gerik and I off saving the world, and both Zelda and Navi incapacitated at the moment, you're in charge of Hyrule's defense. I hand over the soldiers to your command sir. I'll try to get this done before they attack again."
"Take all the time you need," said King Hyrule confidently. "We may be on the verge of defeat, but we're also on the verge of victory. It all now depends on who makes their wish upon the Triforce first. We will hold out if the final attack comes, no matter the price. Just make sure you're the one who makes that wish."
"Don't worry, I will," said Link with full confidence as he climbed onto Kaepora Gaebora's back. "Well Gerik, you ready?"
"I've never been more ready my entire life," he replied with a smile. "Now I can get my revenge on the man who corrupted my parents, and finally restore my honor. Let's go."
Kaepora Gaebora, with Link riding on his back, started flapping his wings and took off into the sky. Before taking off himself, Gerik turned toward Navi. He could see the worry in her eyes, but he just smiled back at her. He knew that she would have had that same worried look if he had stayed behind to wait for the final battle. Without saying a word, Gerik hugged Navi, kissed her forehead, and then took off to find Ganon.
Kaepora Gaebora flew through the air effortlessly. His vision allowed him to cut through the darkness and see everything as clear as day. He flew so swift and silently that the enemy soldiers right underneath him weren't even aware of his existence. Kaepora flew toward the burning remains of the Temple of Time, and, just as he had said, the Master Sword was sticking up out of the rubble unscathed. He quickly swooped down toward the sword, scaring the hell out of a few nearby Arcanites. As he neared the sword Link stretched out his arm and grabbed the Master Sword as they flew past.
With the Master Sword in hand, Kaepora rose back up into the sky and headed straight for Death Mountain. Several Arcanites, who were now aware of their existence, drew their bows and fired arrow after arrow trying to take them down. Most of the arrows fell short and Kaepora effortlessly dodged the rest. All of this attention didn't go unnoticed. Ganon, who was still standing in Hyrule Field, looked up into the sky and saw Kaepora Gaebora flying toward Death Mountain with Link on his back.
"What a surprise," said Ganon with a scowl, "that meddling kid is on his way to stop me. And it seems that he has that damn owl helping him once again as well. Well played Link, well played. Too bad it's time for you to die now. I was hoping to kill you with my bare hands and look into your eyes as your life drained away, but I'll settle for killing two birds with one stone."
Ganon raised his right palm into the air and began creating a ball of dark energy. The spell circled around in his palm as the ball became bigger and bigger. When the ball was of sufficient size to kill both Link and Kaepora Gaebora, Ganon extended his arm backward to get more force behind the attack and fired. Just as the attack was about to leave Ganon's hand though, Ganon was dropkicked in the head and the dark energy attack flew off course. Ganon quickly looked to see who had attacked him and saw Gerik standing there with his sword drawn and ready to fight.
"You're not killing anyone today Ganon!" shouted Gerik with full resolve.
"Foolish boy, do you have any idea who I am?" shouted Ganon in anger. "You will pay dearly for your insolence."
"Really? Then why am I not afraid of you? Oh, I know why. It's because I was able to hold my own against your father, who is easily twice the warrior you are. Face it Ganon, you're small time."
"Fool!" Ganon laughed. "I've already killed my father, and what's more, I took all his strength and power for my own. His powers are now combined with my own. I am now more powerful than he ever was."
"Makes no difference to me," Gerik said, a hint of fear in his voice. "I don't have to kill you; I just have to distract you."
"Then why do I hear fear in your voice?"
"Don't confuse fear with excitement. Now let's go Ganon, unless you're a chicken."
Kaepora Gaebora flew on toward Death Mountain unaware of the fact that Ganon had spotted him. Though the dark energy ball Ganon had fired was no longer on a direct course thanks to Gerik, it was still heading toward them. Kaepora saw the attack at the last second and attempted to dodge, but the energy ball hit Kaepora's right wing. Kaepora Gaebora squawked in pain as he fell into a nosedive. Kaepora Gaebora nosedived straight into the mountainside, sending Link flying off his back and into a huge rock.
Recovering from the blow Link stood up and looked around for Kaepora Gaebora. He saw him several feet away, his right wing now blackened and shriveled. Kaepora himself was breathing very slowly, and except for an occasional twitch he didn't move as Link approached him. Link circled around the his body toward his face, which was covered in dirt and rocks from the nosedive.
"Link. . .we're. . .here," Kaepora managed to say.
"Don't talk, conserve your energy," Link said, not sure of what else to do.
"It's. . .too late. . .for. . .me. Go! Stop Ganon. . .before. . .it's too. . .la–"
Kaepora Gaebora's head dropped down back into the dirt. His eyes were now shut, his body went limp, and his breathing stopped. Link just sat there staring at the now dead body. As he sat there, he noticed for the first time that the area all around him was illuminated. Looking all around him, he noticed that the light was concentrated behind the huge rock he was sitting against. Taking a peek behind the rock, he saw the Triforce, complete and floating in midair awaiting the one who would make their wish upon it.
The Triforce was one of the most beautiful things Link had ever seen. The Triforce was about the same height as him, and it looked and shone as if it was made out of pure gold. As Link stared in amazement he stood up off the ground and started walking toward it as if he was mesmerized. As he approached it three bright lights shot down from the heavens, one blue, one red, and the last green. They flew down and landed around the Triforce. The lights didn't take any form, but instead floated in the air as just a ball of light. Staring at each one of them, Link knew that they were the three goddesses, or at the very least representations of the goddesses.
"Link, we are glad to see that it is you and not Ganon who has reached the Triforce," said the green ball of light that represented Farore.
"Be warned though when making your wish," said the red ball of light representing Din. "While it does have the power to fulfill your heart's desire, wording your wish wrong can cause more harm than good. Take this wish for example. Should you happen to wish all the evil in the world destroyed, you'll wipe out all life. All living things have evil within them, no matter how little the evil may be. Even you have evil within your heart."
"But then what should I wish for?" Link asked the goddesses, hoping that they would point him in the right direction.
"We cannot answer that for you," said the blue ball of light that represented Naryu. "The answer is within you. Have you ever wondered why you need courage, power, and wisdom to make a wish upon the Triforce? It is not only a defense against evil, but also a way to prevent someone from making the wrong decision when making their wish. You need power to overcome all obstacles and summon the Triforce, wisdom to know exactly what to wish for, and courage to make that wish even though it may be the most difficult thing you've ever had to do."
"You know what you have to do Link," said Farore. "There is only one wish that can save Hyrule now. You know what that wish is. Now make it."
"Step away from the Triforce!" shouted a familiar and demanding voice from behind.
Link quickly turned around and saw Ganon standing there. Link stared into Ganon's face with a look of determination, but something else caught his eye. Link looked down and saw Gerik's body being held by the back of his shirt in Ganon's hand. Gerik's entire body was a bloody mess. It was so bad it was impossible to tell how many cuts were actually on his body. Gerik's face was also bruised badly underneath all the blood, and Link was sure that Gerik's right arm was broken in at least two places. As Link stared in complete shock, Gerik slowly raised his head and looked at Link.
"I'm. . .sor. . .ry. . .Link," Gerik struggled to say as he coughed up blood. "I. . .held. . .him. . .off. . .as long as. . .I. . .could. Tell. . .Navi. . .that I. . .love. . .her."
"You bastard!" yelled Link in full anger while drawing the Master Sword as Gerik's head and body fell limp.
"Please," smiled Ganon as he tossed Gerik's bloody and beaten body to the ground, "you plan on using the Master Sword on me again. You don't even know how to wield it, which is why I still live. Now step out of the way and allow me to make my wish or you'll end up like you're buddy over there."
"Seven years ago I may not have known how to wield this sword, but now things are different. This time Ganon, you will die. You will pay for all the lives you've taken, and all the lives you've ruined. Today Ganon, I will kill you!"
Link's words were full of nothing but anger. Link's usually cheerful face was replaced with a look of utter hatred. Link planted his feet firmly in the ground and gripped the Master Sword with both his hands while Ganon drew his own sword. Link's knuckles were turning white he was gripping the sword so tightly. Link had never felt this kind of rage before, but he knew exactly how to get rid of it. As he stood there waiting for Ganon to make a move, the Master Sword began to glow.