I was suddenly hit by massive Lord of the Rings nostalgia, enough that I was finally able to finish this fairly-large chapter.
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Chapter Seven: The Battle of the Gerudo Desert
Hyrule Castle, two days later…
Zelda once more sat at the head of her round table, and this time, all of the Sages had finally arrived, including Nabooru. The Gerudo Sage made no mention of the fact that Ganondorf was also on his way in secret, having to use his magic to elude the vast army still encamped in the valley, but had merely explained that Twinrova had been absent from the temple when she had been there. As it lent proof to the belief that the witches had been the ones to free Ganondorf, Zelda accepted the explanation without question.
"At last, all the Sages are accounted for," Zelda began, her gaze darting between Saria, Darunia, Ruto, Impa, and Nabooru. "All our armies are gathered here at the castle. There's only one last thing to do before we take the fight to the Witch-king. Saria, Darunia, Ruto, do you have the three Spiritual Stones?"
The three of them each held up the Kokiri Emerald, Goron Ruby, and the Zora Sapphire without a word.
"And Link, you possess the Ocarina of Time," Zelda stated, Link nodding his head in confirmation. "With these, we will open the Door of Time. Inside are six pedestals, one for each Sage. Stand on your respective pedestals, and you will be transported to the Chamber of the Sages, where Rauru waits for you."
"And what will you do in the meantime, Princess?" Impa asked.
"I will confer with my generals on a battle plan," Zelda answered. "Nabooru, while you were there, what did you see? What exactly are we up against?"
Nabooru sighed. "Aside from the monsters and men we've seen already? There's a whole lot more of them there, as well as giant spiders, Dodongo-like beasts that might very well be dragons, gigantic war beasts with great towers slung onto their backs, and eldritch phantoms that chill your blood just by looking at them. And there's…something else. I…can't really describe it, as I did not see it, but…something else is there. Something powerful, lying in wait and hidden for now from sight. That is all I know."
"They could very well be waiting for us to counterattack," Zelda mused. "They'll fortify their position, no doubt. And once you begin to use your powers against them, it's very likely you will all become prime targets."
"I suggest bodyguards," Impa suggested. "Each of us protected by a group of our finest respective warriors. That way it will not be so easy for them to overwhelm us, and if things do not go well, they could give us time to retreat to safer ground."
"I think it's a good idea," Darunia added. "After all, not all of us here are born fighters." At this, he glanced at Saria and Ruto. "Their inexperience on the battlefield will leave them vulnerable."
"Experience will come with time," Zelda gravely replied. "Though it saddens me greatly that you two even have to be put into this situation in the first place."
Ruto dismissively waved a hand. "Don't worry about it. I'll manage."
"It's the only way to protect the forest," Saria hesitantly said.
"Even so," Zelda continued, "we must exercise extreme caution. The Witch-king has demonstrated that he cannot be slain by mortal means. I'm certain the Master Sword could destroy him, but given the circumstances, we'll have to find another way unless drawing the sword is absolutely necessary."
Fingering the ocarina in his hands, Link said, "So, are we gonna start or what?"
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Gerudo Desert…
The Witch-king observed from the highest balcony as his soldiers hastily erected barricades, killing pits, and other gruesome traps all along the valley pass. He knew it was the only way to get into the valley, and forcing the enemy into a bottleneck was a fitting reprisal for his embarrassing defeat at Hyrule Castle. Still, rumors abound that the residents of this land were strongly in-tuned with the magical elements of their world. The enemy would doubtlessly throw their best into the fray, and the Lord of the Nazgûl knew that magic would also be an important factor in the coming battle.
That suited the Witch-king fine. He too had magic on his side.
The Witch-king barely acknowledged two other figures striding up behind him, identical in their black rags and faceless hoods but lacking the Witch-king's unique mask. Two of his fellow Ringwraiths, having recently arrived alongside the others.
"Durin's Bane is growing restless," Khamûl, the so-called 'Black Easterling', commented.
"We will not have to wait for much longer," the Witch-king replied without tearing his gaze from the scene below. "The enemy will march here soon, and when they do…we will be ready for them."
"If only your confidence was more infectious," Morgomír, the third most senior of the Nazgûl, answered darkly. "But after your defeat before…"
Morgomír didn't have a chance to finish before the Witch-king rounded on him and slammed the lesser wraith roughly against the wall. "The situation would not have changed had either of you been in command instead! So do not patronize me on matters you have no knowledge of!"
Morgomír wisely said nothing in response. Hissing disdainfully, the Witch-king released his grip and turned back to look down upon the valley. "Our enemies have only one way to enter this valley. We will filter them into a bottleneck with our traps; then our Goblin archers will harass them from the clifftops. Once their advance has fully halted, Durin's Bane will move in with his bodyguards to tear them apart. This time, victory will be ours."
As if in agreement, a thunderous roar like a bursting volcano shook the Gerudo Valley as the last of the ancient demons of shadow and flame proclaimed its lust for blood to all that could hear.
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Temple of Time…
Once Link had opened the Door of Time, the Sages had all filed into the room that contained the Master Sword and did as they had been instructed. They had then vanished in several flashes of light. Now it was a matter of waiting.
Not that Link and Zelda were just standing around waiting.
"Our scouts report that the enemy has heavily fortified their position," a Hylian general informed Zelda. "They've set up all kinds of traps in the valley leading up to the Gerudo's Fortress."
"They know we're coming," Zelda surmised worriedly. "Hopefully the Sages will be able to neutralize them before we move on."
"Your Majesty, are you sure this is a wise course of action?" the general asked uncertainly. "They outnumber us many times over as it is. We'll be forced into a bottleneck, and it could mean suicide for us, especially if they've managed to get troops onto the cliffs."
"What else can we possibly do, Kazakk?" Zelda demanded. "You said it yourself; we're outnumbered many times over. Facing them in open field is definitely suicide. If they go on the offensive again, there's no guarantee we'll be able to defend our outlying villages. And after the beating we took just days ago, Hyrule Castle is in no shape to fend off another siege!"
Kazakk shut his mouth, knowing the Princess was right.
"The Sages are our best hope of stopping the Witch-king," Zelda continued. "And the bottleneck will benefit us too, if we are able to drive any enemies off the cliffs, because it will mean they cannot take advantage of their superior numbers."
"Yes, Princess," Kazakk replied in resignation.
"Hey," Link suddenly spoke up, gesturing towards the Door of Time.
Zelda turned to see that the Sages had returned from the Sacred Realm, and it was easy to tell that something was different about them. The way they carried themselves, the look in their eyes…
"How long were we in there?" Saria asked.
"About twenty minutes," Link replied, folding his arms.
"It felt like weeks," Nabooru commented with a weary sigh.
"Time has no meaning in the Sacred Realm," Impa informed them. "It bends and flows however the Goddesses will it to."
"Which will work well for us," Darunia added, pumping a fist. "Because now we know how to use our powers to the fullest!"
"So what's the plan?" Ruto asked as she folded her arms.
"I've been conferring with General Kazakk here on that while you were busy," Zelda began to explain. "Link and all of you will be at the front, using your powers to first clear out any traps the enemy has put in place. Then you can use them to support the rest of our troops as we push on towards the Fortress. Our primary goal should be killing the Witch-king. If he falls, his troops will be leaderless and vulnerable."
"Cut the head off the snake," Darunia summed up. "A good plan."
"But isn't the Witch-king just a tad bit invincible?" Ruto spoke up.
"While my father failed to slay him, there must be a way to undo him," Zelda pressed. "I've no doubts that the Master Sword could do it, but since we can't rely on that just yet, we'll have to hope the holy nature of your powers will be enough."
"If we can even make it to the Fortress, that is," Saria muttered.
"We will if we work together," Zelda declared. "While the Sages lead from the front, I want the Gorons to secure the cliffs while the rest of us force our way through the Valley."
"We can chuck rocks at them once we've done so too," Darunia pointed out.
Zelda nodded. "Yes, since we can't get our own archers up there, that will have to do."
"So does that mean we're ready, then?" Link asked. "Because I personally want to get rid of these guys as soon as possible."
Zelda nodded. "Alert all your peoples. We march on the Gerudo's Fortress in one hour."
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Gerudo Valley…
Despite his rather soured opinion of his foster mothers, Ganondorf was quite thankful that they had taught him as much as they had about magic, because without it, he would have been spotted long ago by the many sentries patrolling the Valley. As the Goblins had clambered up the cliffs to gain the high ground, Ganondorf had had to try his luck with even more dangerous cliffs and pitfalls further off, using magic interchangeably to either hide himself or scale the cliff face.
As he did so, he took note of their activity.
They're digging themselves in, he observed. The Hylians must be planning to counter-attack.
Just as he reached the highest point in the entire Valley, he heard a fierce roar that sounded like a mix between an exploding volcano and a dragon. When he saw the beast responsible, lying in wait inside the old Gerudo archery range, his eyes widened in utter shock.
The Hylians will be marching right into a death-trap, he realized. There's no way they can stand up to…whatever that thing is!
He could sense even from far away that this was a beast with an incredible amount of power, far more than what he possessed as of now. But he knew that he could not seek them out and warn them. Not yet. They would not believe him, and would probably try to kill him right then and there. He had to time his appearance perfectly.
With a quiet rumble in his throat, Ganondorf decided to stick around and monitor the situation until the Hylians arrived. Then, when that fire demon entered the fray, he would join in and distract it long enough for them to escape, because he knew this was not a battle they were going to win on their own. The Goddesses had been quite certain about that. It was not the most well-thought out plan, but right now he didn't see any other options that would not end up with him being butchered by the Hylians for thinking he was still their enemy.
I really hope this "faith" thing doesn't come back to bite me in the ass, he mused bitterly as he knelt down to assume his watch. Because Goddesses know they sometimes have a rather unflattering sense of humor…
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Gorons, Kokiri, Hylians, Gerudo, and Zoras by the thousands marched across Hyrule Field towards the desert, countless banners fluttering in the breeze. At the head of each force was their respective Sage.
"I can't believe you guys just flat-out ignored me!" Mido groused as he walked right behind Saria. "I'm the Chief of the Kokiri! I'm supposed to be the one in charge!"
Saria rolled her eyes. "You gave yourself that title, Mido. Nobody's ever taken it seriously. And I bet your own ego made you think it was given to you."
"Someone has to be in charge!" Mido complained.
"The Great Deku Tree is in charge," Saria reminded him coldly, looking over her shoulder with her eyes narrowed. "And it was his decision for us to join the fight, as much as he didn't want it to be so. Hyrule needs every person it can get."
"And that's just it!" Mido whined, throwing up his hands. "You and the Great Deku Tree always take Link's side! What's so great about him?! It took him forever to get a fairy, and then it didn't even bother to stick around! That's how lame he is!"
Saria had had enough. She stopped and whirled around, causing Mido to stop as well, while the other Kokiri continued to march past them. "You want to know why I always take Link's side? Why the Great Deku Tree cares about him so much? It's for a lot of reasons, some of which I highly doubt you'll ever let yourself believe because you're so determined to hate him! First of all, he's kind, generous, and brave, and you're a self-centered jerk with an ego the size of the Lost Woods! The only reason you're so mean to Link because you're jealous of our friendship! You think he's trying to 'steal me away from you', well guess what?! I was never yours to begin with, Mido! I don't want to be involved with a selfish prat who thinks he's entitled to whatever he wants! So no, unless you miraculously change your tune and start being nicer to everybody, and mean it, you might as well just get over me! Second of all, he never had a fairy before because he is a Hylian, not a Kokiri! Haven't you noticed how's he aged over the last three years? And the Great Deku Tree let him stay because he knew Link was destined to become a legendary hero! And you know what? He did! He traveled through time to save the world from an evil king who murdered our father in another time that Link made sure never happened! So I suggest you start acting grateful for what he did and accept that he's a far better man than you!"
Huffing angrily, Saria whipped around and stalked off to take her place at the head of the Kokiri forces, while Mido was left stunned into silence and immobility. Soon the Know-It-All Brothers came up beside him, shaking him out of his stupor.
"Jeez, that's rough, man," the first brother commented.
"She's right, though," the second brother pointed out.
Mido waved them off irritably as he started walking again. "Shut up, you two."
Nabooru, having overheard Saria's tirade, smirked to herself as she glanced over her shoulder at the Emerald Sage. Way to go, kid.
Meanwhile, at the head of the entire army, General Kazakk regarded his princess next to him, seated on a snow-white horse. "Your Majesty, I strongly urge you not to enter battle yourself. You're only fourteen, and we don't know much about what to expect from the enemy here."
"Your concern is noted, General," Zelda replied. "But our people need to see that I am with them as my father was."
"You are not the warrior he was, Your Majesty," Kazakk somberly responded.
Zelda sighed. "I have a feeling that will change before we see this war's end."
A few hours later, their forces arrived at Lon Lon Ranch, the halfway point of their long march. "We'll rest here tonight," Zelda declared. "Surely the proprietors can accommodate us."
"I think they will," Link interjected as he rode up alongside on Epona. "I know the both of them personally. They're good people."
"As did my father," Zelda agreed. "We can let them tend to our horses, as well as commission more steeds for those of our knights that lost their horses in the last battle." She turned in her saddle to address her troops. "Make camp! We rest here for tonight!" She then turned to Link. "Tell the Sages to meet us inside the ranch if they so wish."
As the Hyrulean forces set up campfires and tents all around the hill below the stockade that surrounded the ranch, Link, Zelda, and the Sages all trudged up the steep path that led inside. Clearing her throat, Zelda strode up to the front door of the ranch house that faced the stables and rapped her knuckles smartly against it.
"Just a minute!" the sing-song voice of a young girl answered from somewhere inside.
Suddenly they heard the distressed clucking and wing-flapping of disturbed Cuccos before the door opened, revealing a girl with red hair that Link knew very well. Her eyes widened almost comically as she saw who was at the door, her mouth stuck in an "o" shape as the words she had been about to say died in her throat.
"A-are you P-Princess Zelda?" Malon managed to squeak out, not yet noticing Link and the Sages.
Zelda bowed her head respectfully as she asked, "Yes. Is your father here? I must speak with him immediately."
"U-um, hold on," Malon stammered, shooing away a Cucco that had gotten too close to the door. "He's upstairs right now, t-taking a nap."
Malon then shut the door, and they heard her shuffle past the chickens some more before stomping up the stairs with the distinctive thumps that could only be produced by an over-excited child. "DADDY! PRINCESS ZELDA IS HERE!"
As Talon's bedroom window was right above their entourage, they could clearly hear the ranch owner come to with a snort. "What in tarnation?!"
"Daddy, get up! Quick! Princess Zelda herself is here to see you!"
"Now Malon, I know you want me to work a little more around here, but if you're pullin' my leg again like you did last week…"
"Dad, just come down already! I don't wanna keep her waiting!"
Talon sighed quite loudly. "Alright, I'll be right down."
A ghost of a smile played out on Zelda's lips as she overheard the sweet innocence of family banter. Malon was lucky to still have her father. Zelda missed hers dearly.
Soon enough the heavy thump of someone fairly large descending a staircase from inside alerted them that Talon was about to arrive, and the door promptly opened again. Before he regarded his visitors, he turned his head and called out, "Malon, could you get those Super Cuccos back in their cages?" He then turned back, his eyes widening in surprise to find that his daughter had indeed been telling the truth. "Princess Zelda? To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"
"I wish I could say this visit was for pleasure," Zelda answered gravely. "The kingdom is under attack, and my forces are marching towards the Gerudo Desert to face them. We've traveled a long way, and we've still a ways to travel yet, so I ask that you let my troops rest on your property for the night. We also need more horses for our knights; we lost many when Hyrule Castle was attacked a number of days ago."
"My goodness, we're behind on the times," Talon muttered in shock, scratching his balding head. "We have about forty horses we can spare, but the rest we need for farmwork."
"It's better than nothing, thank you," Zelda gratefully replied. "We're willing to fully compensate you for your horses as well."
"I appreciate that, Princess," Talon said with a nod. "Where's your father anyway? Knowing how he is, it seems rather surprising that he's letting you lead the army rather than doing so himself."
Zelda's head lowered sadly. "My father's dead. He was killed in the battle at Hyrule Castle. I lead the Kingdom now."
"Oh…" Talon uttered in shock. "So much happened and we never knew…I'm sorry about the King, Your Highness."
Zelda took a deep breath and straightened, hiding her feelings behind the mask of leadership. "There is nothing that can be done about that. Thank you for your help."
Zelda turned to go, but Talon exclaimed, "Ah, uh, Princess? Do you have anywhere to stay tonight?"
"My soldiers brought tents," Zelda replied simply.
Talon opened the door wider. "Oh, nonsense! I can't let the Princess of Hyrule sleep out in a meager tent when I've got a spare bed! Would you like to stay? Malon always loves guests!"
Zelda managed an embarrassed smile. "Well…if you're fine with it…"
Talon beamed. "Of course! We're happy to accommodate you! And tell your soldiers we have some milk and cheese we can also spare for your supplies!"
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The next day…
Link sighed as he and the Hyrulean Army left Lon Lon behind, refreshed and resupplied. When Malon had realized he was going with them to what she knew would be a terrifying and brutal battle, she had begged him not to go. Though he knew he had to go, and why, the vehemence of Malon's pleading had rattled him nevertheless and allowed him to realize war for what it was.
For all he knew, he was riding to his death today.
He looked to his left to see Zelda's eyes similarly clouded over with unhappy thoughts, both of them almost mechanically guiding their horses along, the rest of the allied armies marching behind them.
Abruptly Zelda spoke, jarring Link from his thoughts.
"Perhaps I am speaking blasphemy against the Goddesses. But…I find myself wondering whether or not Hyrule would be better off without the Triforce."
Link blinked in surprise. "I-I'm sorry?"
Zelda looked directly at him, her eyes misted with tears not yet shed. "First it was the Demon Kings. Then Ganondorf. All of them came for the Power of Gold." She looked ahead towards the desert, a bitter gleam in her eyes. "The Triforce." She looked down and sighed. "And now comes Sauron. Even other realms beyond the reach of the Goddesses have begun to take notice of the power entrusted to us. Our land's holiest relic. And yet…why now do I find myself questioning its divinity?"
Link didn't know what he could say, and could only reply with an open-mouthed look not unlike a fish out of water. Zelda just shot him a pleading look. "Link, you don't have to say anything. I'm just…thinking out loud."
"But…" Link finally managed to say. "Why are you even thinking such things?"
Zelda sighed. "As sheltered as you were from the world in your youth, you might not understand. The first beings to pursue the Triforce were the Demon Kings of ages past. The Demon Wars ravaged Hyrule, and forever altered its shape and nature. Then Ganondorf came in a future that, thankfully, you thwarted, but I sometimes wonder whether or not that future is still playing out in another timeline, split off due to your actions. And now my father lies dead, and yet another villain seeks the Triforce for his own bloody ends." She slowly shook her head. "It will never end, will it?" Her eyes met Link's, and he saw such pain in them that he felt rooted to the spot. "Even if we do prevail here, there will be others. That much power is a temptation few can ignore." Her last words were spoken barely above a whisper as her gaze fell downward. "Perhaps that much power shouldn't be allowed to exist."
Link was silent for a few minutes, thinking of a response. "Maybe…the Goddesses see it as a test. A test of our character." Zelda looked up at Link, awaiting his explanation. "Driving off the tempted while at the same time driving away the temptation in our own hearts. Hyrule needs the Triforce, Zelda. It's our connection to the Goddesses."
Link sighed inwardly as Zelda refocused her attention ahead of her. It probably wasn't the strongest of arguments, but it was the best he could come up with. He just hoped that this negative thinking of hers didn't stick around, because he was scared that he might start thinking it too.
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It was approaching late afternoon when the Hyrulean forces reached the borders of the Gerudo Desert. Steeling themselves, the new Sages took their places beside Link and Zelda at the head as they marched across the bridge that led into the canyon into which the Gerudo Fortress was built.
"Where is everybody?" Darunia murmured suspiciously at the conspicuous lack of enemy soldiers.
"They're waiting for us," Zelda replied grimly. "Nabooru, Ruto, wash away the traps they have surely placed here. Darunia, lead your Gorons up and secure the clifftops. The rest of you, stay with me and Link. We will work our way to the Fortress where the Witch-king is sure to be lurking and strike him down. Once he is destroyed, his armies will be leaderless. We'll drive them into the desert as far as we can, hopefully far enough that we can also find the portal they used to get here and close it."
"Sounds like a plan!" Nabooru declared.
The new Amber Sage thrust her hand up, taking hold of the sands of her homeland and stirring up a mighty sandstorm, which revealed countless killing pits, man traps, and other hazards. Then Ruto called upon the waters of the river surging below the bridge, the Gerudo Desert's only consistent source of water, unleashing a tidal wave that filled in the pits with mud and neutralized the other traps.
A chorus of roars, shrieks, and shouting indicated that the enemy was aware that their plan had been thwarted, and then the chaos began as swarms of Goblin archers emerged from the clifftops, pelting their enemies with their crude arrows.
"Let's get 'em, boys!" Darunia bellowed as he and his fellow Gorons rolled up into balls and barreled up the cliff face.
The Goblins screeched and squealed as the far stronger Gorons easily began driving them off the cliff, their arrows bouncing harmlessly off their rock-hard skin. At this moment, hordes of enemy soldiers began to pour out from the canyon, and with a resounding chorus of yells, the two multinational armies smashed into each other. With both sides forced into a bottleneck, neither could gain a distinct advantage as they pushed against each other. The Gorons were close to securing the cliffs when the Goblins abruptly unleashed an unpleasant surprise; they began tossing satchel bombs, an Isengard innovation which was now standard issue amongst Sauron's soldiers, which had much more of an effect on the Gorons. The Gorons, however, were not without their own explosives, and both sides took care not to bring down the cliffs as they chucked bombs at each other.
Link's skill, combined with the raw magical prowess of the Sages, allowed them to slowly gain ground against the armies of Mordor, their soldiers cheering them on as they followed. The ground was thick with the bodies of the broken and dying, and many times soldiers tripped over the bloodied corpses as they struggled to maintain ranks. Hoping to instill panic, various Corsairs began to hurl firebombs, which were little more than bottles of alcohol and oil set alight with a strip of cloth. Hylians and Zoras screamed as they caught on fire, but Ruto was quick to put out any fires that emerged and heal the affected troops. Nabooru buffeted the enemy troops with another sandstorm, blinding and disorienting them. Saria and the Kokiri pelted the enemy with Deku Nuts and slingshots, stabbed with their short Deku Spears, and smacked guts and knees with Deku Sticks. Gerudo warriors slashed with their scimitars, focusing especially on their Easterling and Haradrim counterparts. Impa tossed various throwing daggers and shuriken at any officers and captains she could see, attempting to sow disarray, while swiftly cutting down any Orc or man stupid enough to close with her with her Sheikah knife.
With the armies of Mordor unable to take advantage of their superior numbers, the superior skill of the armies of Hyrule was beginning to pay dividends, and the servants of Sauron were slowly being driven further and further into the canyon towards the Fortress. The more ground they gained, the more their spirits lifted until some soldiers were singing various songs of glory and heroism as they pressed on.
And then, an Orc-horn blew, and the enemy forces broke and began to retreat. The Hyruleans couldn't believe their luck. "Cavalry to the front!" Zelda declared, raising her Orc-bloodstained sword high. "Pikemen behind, and then archers form up next!"
The Hyruleans scrambled to reform their lines, and couldn't have known that they had played right into their enemy's real trap.
A trap that they had now decided to spring.
Shouts of triumph suddenly became cries of pain and terror as a massive explosion, without warning, blasted a hundred soldiers into the air near the bridge. Link and Zelda reeled as they felt the massive surge of dark energy behind them and wheeled their horses around. At that moment, the roar of the explosion became the roar of something…else. Something surrounded by shadow and flame. Something huge.
All eyes widened in shock and horror as a massive winged demon wreathed in flames took shape right in the center of the Hyrulean army that had so far made it over the bridge. Its roar was like the wrath of Death Mountain itself, its beady eyes gleaming with malice. It stood well over four times the height of a man, with a skull-like head flanked by two massive horns that curved downward towards its chin. A great mane of flames trailed down from the back of its head down to between its shoulder blades. Its enormous wings forced it into a permanent hunched forward position, and a long, thin tail wriggled behind it.
Soldiers cried out in terror as the Balrog of Morgoth summoned a falchion of fire and sorcery from within the core of itself and unleashed its wrath upon them, sending flaming bodies flying with every swing. Arrows, bombs, and throwing spears were launched at the monster, all to no effect as it continued to lay waste. Suddenly, with a low screech, the Balrog lowered its head and unleashed waves of fire from its mouth, incinerating countless soldiers as other unfortunate survivors scattered, flailing and screaming as the flames licked at their bodies.
"Princess!" came the abrupt cry of General Kazakk. "Ahead of us!"
She and Link turned to see that the enemy had not retreated out of fear.
They had done so to make room for a horde of Attack Trolls and Fire Drakes, which were closing in fast.
Link immediately came to a horrifying conclusion. "They baited us…"
Knowing that they had no other choice, Zelda cried out desperately, "Retreat! Fall back! Quickly, before they trap us here!"
It was at that moment that the roar of the Balrog caught her attention, uncomfortably close.
Her horse bucked in terror as the fire demon loomed over her, and she was ultimately thrown off her steed and crashed to the ground with a grunt. Zelda's eyes widened in fear as the Balrog raised its sword high, prepared to smite her utterly.
She screamed as the sword came down…
…and then the Balrog stumbled back as an explosion of fire and darkness shattered the monster's weapon, and Zelda could only stare up in open-mouthed shock at the most unlikely savior of all.
"Ganondorf…?" she marveled.
Without turning to look back at the princess as he maintained his dark shield, Ganondorf bellowed, "Get out of here, Princess! This is not a battle you will win today! GO! While I have it distracted!"
Zelda could see that the Balrog's honor guard had entered the fray and were exacting terrible losses on her forces. They had to go.
"RETREAT!" Zelda cried out. "RETREAT! Return to Hyrule Castle! This battle is lost!"
"Zelda!" she heard Link cry out, and saw him racing towards her on his horse, his hand outstretched.
Zelda quickly took it and got on the horse behind Link. "FALL BACK!" she cried out again.
The Hyrulean forces began fleeing en masse across the bridge. Covering their retreat, Nabooru stirred the sands of the desert, creating a harsh sandstorm that buffeted Sauron's forces, driving them back. As they abandoned the battle, Ganondorf faced off with Durin's Bane, the massive fire demon screaming in the Gerudo King's face, sending a rush of sweltering hot air that easily surpassed the heat of the desert and whipped at his red hair.
But Ganondorf did not falter.
He stared the Balrog down, matching its glare with his own. "You will go no further, demon," Ganondorf growled.
Neither were bothered by the swirling sands around them, the sands intermingling with the fire and smoke emanating from the Balrog's flaming body and creating a truly hellish backdrop to the tense standoff. The Balrog took a threatening step forward, its two-toed foot shaking the ground.
Neither were aware that Link and Zelda both were looking on in awe.
"I am the servant of the Goddess Din," Ganondorf intoned, raising his sword. "Wielder of the legacy of the Demon King Demise! I embody the destiny of light and the rage of darkness! The Imperishable Flame is my power and my protection!"
The Balrog gave the briefest moment of pause, for it too knew of the Imperishable Flame, the light that existed in all beings both mortal and divine. But Durin's Bane collected itself, and from within the core of its own tainted flames, it summoned a great whip of fire, lashing threateningly at the air as it took another step forward.
"YOU WILL GO NO FURTHER!" Ganondorf roared.
The Balrog snarled before its whip cracked, striking at the much smaller being. But Ganondorf teleported out of harm's way before throwing a ball of electric energy at the fallen Maia's face, making the monster stumble. Through the dust and smoke, Ganondorf could see that the last of the Hyrulean forces had made it across the bridge, and an idea sprang to mind.
He turned his head back as the Balrog recovered, conjuring a great flaming mace and raising it high. Ganondorf raised his sword to block, simultaneously raising the strongest magic barrier he could to absorb as much of the coming blow as possible.
The attack was still strong enough to throw Ganondorf backward, where he landed on the bridge. Grunting, he looked up to see that the sandstorm had died down, and Sauron's warriors were hanging back, none of them wanting to get too close to the Balrog, which had now taken flight and landed at the very edge of the bridge, glaring menacingly.
Ganondorf got to his feet and took several steps back, and Durin's Bane stepped forward onto the bridge.
Just as Ganondorf had planned.
The Gerudo King grinned as the Balrog cracked its whip again ominously.
"For all your power, there is one lesson your kind would do well to learn," Ganondorf declared as magic surged in his clenched fist.
The Balrog snarled and drew back its whip. Ganondorf raised his magically-charged fist.
"The bigger they are…the harder they fall!"
And then Ganondorf pounded his fist into the bridge, shattering the heavy wood and ropes instantly while simultaneously using the knockback to propel himself high into the air, landing on the far side of the chasm.
The Balrog was not so fortunate. It had been taken by surprise, and thus could not achieve flight and save itself. With an enraged roar, the Balrog fell into the chasm, its whip flailing uselessly as its heavy body crashed into the waters of the Gerudo River.
Panting heavily, Ganondorf leaned on his sword, too tired to look over the edge and see if his enemy had been truly vanquished.
But the Gerudo King wasn't alone, and he knew it.
Slowly he turned and found himself face-to-face with the Princess of Hyrule and the strange, green-clad boy that had defeated him in a future that never was. Both had their weapons raised and their steely eyes were wary.
"No matter what has happened," Zelda spoke with conviction, "you will never again lay your hands on the Triforce."
Ganondorf forced down his dislike of them both, (which he was now certain of being a byproduct of his unpleasant connection to Demise) and replied calmly, "Not this time, Princess of Hyrule."
Ganondorf slowly sheathed his sword and folded his arms. "No…this time we talk."