Chapter 15 - Dark Palace II

Only a split second passed before a platform shimmered into Link's view after entering the portal at Ganondorf's behest—and of all the things he expected to see, he wasn't certain what awaited was even on the list.

Now standing high above Hyrule's skyline with the turbulent clouds roiling overhead, the wind gusted by as he slowly scanned the horizon until his gaze was met by Zelda's visage.

Standing idly at the center of a triangle etched onto the surface of the platform, Link absently realized the shape formed a large Triforce symbol that, unlike most, had been colored in red, green, and blue. Still, he paid the marking no mind while rushing over to Zelda and calling her name.

But she didn't respond.

Slowing to a stop before her, Link took her upper arms in his hands with a mixture of concern and confusion on his face that redoubled in noticing her eyes. Without a trace of the violet blue color remaining, they were stark white, eliciting the fear that he'd reached her too late.

That fear was sharp enough to feel as if it'd stabbed into his heart, prompting him to vigorously shake her shoulders in an attempt to make her respond.

"Zelda? Please, speak to me … ."

Sadly, despite his best efforts, she remained entranced and unresponsive, standing idly with a blank expression upon her face. Yet, as Link scrambled for ideas on how to snap her out of it, he was distracted by a low whir of sound quickly growing in volume.

At the same time, an unseen force rose between them like a wave, building for only a brief moment before knocking Link backwards with a force of strength he couldn't deny—nor had he ever felt anything like it.

Flying through the air to land at the center of the platform, he slid to a stop near Ganondorf's boots. The impact of his landing caused him to grunt, and yet he didn't feel any worse for the wear. The blow had been enough to think it could've possibly ended his life, but strangely, there was no lingering pain from enduring the brunt of it.

He was only aching from the harsh landing.

"I suppose I should've warned you about that," Ganondorf drew out idly, and Link wasn't oblivious to the amusement in his voice as he went on, "so don't go near her, otherwise … well, you just found out what happens."

Endeavoring to catch his breath, Link pushed himself over and demanded angrily as he worked his way to his knees, "What have you done to her?"

"Nothing," he answered, and actually managed to sound sincere. Still, his terse response was nowhere near satisfactory, and as Link stood up, he pointed it out.

"What do you mean nothing?"

Ganondorf's vision was focused in Zelda's direction, and Link turned his head to regard the unresponsive Princess as well. Her only movement came in the form of her hair and skirts drifting in the breeze, and as he willed her to show some sign of life of her own volition, Ganondorf explained why she wouldn't until her tasks were complete.

"She did this for me, or for her parents anyway. Though Zelda can hear and see everything around her, she's presently under possession of the Triforce of Wisdom just as you're about to be under that of Courage, and I of Power. So, because you and I carry our own pieces of the relic, drawing too close to Zelda right now would be as two opposite magnets pushing each other away."

"What?" Link asked, unable to help his vast confusion. Parts of what Ganondorf said made sense in a roundabout way, but … possessed? How? And for what purpose?

As he struggled with the questions, he forgot his enmity long enough to inquire, "What are you talking about?"

As if he'd expected the query, Ganondorf took the time to explain how he'd crafted the platform they stood upon. Using the sage essences and the dark powers granted to him by Dragmire, he'd constructed it for a single purpose—to combine the pieces of the Triforce and free Myriad so that he might acquire her power.

It was the same explanation he'd given Zelda several hours before, but this time, he concluded by stating, "Now that I know Myriad is your mother, the matter is simplified as well. There's no doubting you've a strong desire to free her, just as I want her freed for the power she possesses. In turn, Myriad is needed to awaken the King and Queen, leaving Zelda with the desire to have the Sage released as well, though her gentle heart would likely prompt such a desire regardless."

With that said, Ganondorf turned to Link and concluded, "Despite having differing motivations, it's a common desire binding us together whether we like it or not."

Sneering, Link responded without hesitating, "Believe me, I don't like it."

"Nor do I," Ganondorf returned, waving a hand as if to wave it away in adding, "but it's the only way to rectify Dragmire's mistake. Since he used my third of the Triforce to seal the Sacred Realm, the only way to open it again and retrieve Myriad, or any part of her at all, is to have the three halves working together to undo what one has done."

Link sneered, finding himself as close to drawing his blade as he could get, and only two things stayed his hand, the first of them being Zelda's situation.

For as much as Link wanted to keep Ganondorf away from his mother by engaging him right then and there, the question of how to release Zelda from the possession of her Triforce piece remained. If he emerged victorious, would she then be trapped as she was, unable to break free until the task of opening the Sacred Realm to retrieve Myriad was accomplished?

Probably, meaning the distasteful truth was that he needed Ganondorf to have any hope of helping Zelda.

At the thought, he turned his head to regard her standing there, her eyes solid white and beautiful face lifeless. His fists balled at the sight, the prospect of leaving her in such a state unacceptable, even knowing what it meant.

In short, Link had no choice.

The second reason he refrained from attacking Ganondorf was his trust in his mother. Deep down, he knew she'd never allow the King of Evil to walk all over her, particularly not after the way she'd handled his father. She would also have her son and the Princess of Hyrule providing support, and together, they could stop Ganondorf from achieving his goals.

So, as the wind whipped through his golden blond hair, he returned his attention to Ganondorf with but a single question to ask.

"What do I need to do?"

The smirk his inquiry brought to Ganondorf's lips was filled with a kind of gleeful enthusiasm Link found detestable. But he said nothing of it, watching as the King of Evil took a step back toward the red triangle while directing, "Simply take your place upon your third of the relic."

At his instruction, Link looked back at the green triangle he needed to stand upon in order to save both his mother and the woman he loved more than his own life. Once he took his place within the empty space, he'd receive something he wanted since he was old enough to remember—a chance to finally meet his mother.

In doing so, he'd leave her vulnerable to the biggest threat Hyrule had ever faced.

And it was the only way.

The thoughts evoked emotions so intense Link was surprised it didn't sound like an explosion when his boot hit the platform after taking the first step. Instead, all was silent with only the gusting winds making any sound as his steady gait led him to the center of the green triangle.

Once there, he turned around to regard the two with him, Ganondorf now stationed at the center of the red triangle while Zelda remained upon the blue. The delighted look on his nemesis' face served as testament to his satisfaction of finally having all the Triforce pieces in his grasp as well, proving a single truth beyond doubt.

The time had come.

"Seventh Sage, you promised to assist once the time came to commence, and that time is now. The pieces are in place, so summon the power of the Sages to bind them together and grant our shared wish."

Gritting his teeth in the effort of remaining in one place, Link watched as Zelda's hands began glowing just as they had when she'd invoked the Light Guardians. It was insulting to witness her summoning the mystical powers of the Sages they'd fought so hard to release in order to serve the one who'd stolen them from the start, but there was nothing to be done about it.

Even if Link wanted to try, he quickly found himself unable to move.

All across Hyrule, from the waters and forests to the spirits and shadows, power culminated in the Seventh Sage's hands. As it grew stronger with each passing second, a strange weariness overtook him, as if he were losing possession of his body to something much more powerful than himself—or anyone else in this world.

Yet, unlike with his shadow's possession of his body, he didn't feel as if he were being pushed aside or losing control. Instead, it felt as if the presence was simply taking hold to give him the one thing he'd always wanted. There was no anger or hatred, no joy or love. He was simply consumed by the drive of motivation, to push through his fears and accomplish whatever task lay before him.

As the Triforce of Courage took him over, Link's eyes lost their sapphire color to turn white just as Zelda's had done with the Triforce of Wisdom.

Ganondorf's eyes were now white as well, his focus centered on the power brimming within his soul, the strength to forge his own path and take it without regard for anyone else. With the darkness tainting the heart of its possessor, the Triforce of Power emboldened him as it rose up, and in doing so, the stage was finally set.

Their possessions complete, the Sage powers Zelda had summoned flowed through her and into the platform they stood upon, lighting the three triangles beneath their feet. After a brief flash of red, blue, and green, golden pyramids encased their bodies like an aura of shimmering light. Simultaneously, the platform began trembling against the foundation of the tower it was built upon with a force reaching greater heights than any felt thus far.

That's when Ganondorf's eyes changed color, glowing a deep shade of red as the triangle beneath his boots turned golden. Instantly, he was followed by Zelda, whose eyes turned blue, and finally Link, the green of his own Triforce shining through.

And the golden pyramids encasing them solidified as the three pieces of the divine relic finally took shape.

In the fields surrounding the palace where the revolt's battle against darkness waged, a rumbling was felt in the earth. It was gentle at first, and hardly enough to stop both sides from fighting. Yet the powerful force now forming in Hyrule Palace soon caused a quake to shake the foundation of the world, prompting good and evil alike to cease hostilities at once.

Whatever advantage their distraction provided the opposing force didn't matter. The quake was strong enough to capture everyone's attention, and one by one, all eyes turned toward the palace, centering on the sky above it.

Over the highest tower, the clouds began swirling, opening up the very heavens above. Swiftly turning faster and growing wider, everyone watched and waited for what would come next with no idea over what to expect. That's when a bright flash of light abruptly struck down from the center of the vortex above, and a stark silence blanketed the field.

The lack of sound seemed unnatural, as if a mute had been placed upon the world itself, and the brief stillness ensuing it was merely the calm before the storm.

As everyone watched, the platform began breaking away from the palace itself, rising up into the sky with bits of granite debris tumbling to the ground far below. Two of the palace towers collapsed in the process, crumbling from the force of the platform's movements in a cacophony of crashing rubble.

And the quake it caused seemed to shake the entire kingdom.

Standing near to each other in the field, Impa and Lyonel watched the distant platform floating higher before slowly rotating upright for all to see. In the process, the granite slab turned fully golden, glowing brighter than anything they'd ever beheld.

Yet it caused no pain to gaze upon it as the platform assumed a familiar shape.

The Triforce.

Hovering like a beacon over the lands, none had the words to describe the sight of the sacred relic gleaming in the sky. Turning night into day, the massive emblem left all who watched in stunned, bewildered silence, the divine power exuded from those triangles keeping everyone enthralled.

And it wasn't content to hover idly.

Contained within its three halves, the possessors of each piece now bound together by their common desire waited as a light began to shine from within the inverted triangle between them. In turn, the clouds above widened with rays of light coming through as if to take the relic back into the very heavens—and that was precisely what was happening.

The energy building within the inverted triangle had but one purpose—to break the seal upon the Sacred Realm—and it took little time accomplishing the task.

Without warning, that energy abruptly exploded within the sky, a shock wave washing over the fields accompanied by a cacophonous explosion of sound the likes of which no one present had ever heard. Reverberating against the earth, it knocked soldiers off their feet and sent horses galloping. Furthermore, many of the monsters upon the field couldn't endure the blast of divine power and crumbled to ash.

At the same time, a second blare began, the sound lower in pitch than the first, but it quickly grew deafening in a manner suggesting the Triforce was about to unleash a second wave. In response, many took cover, though the burst proved to be much less turbulent than the first—and once it erupted, the Triforce abruptly shimmered out of sight.

Just like that, everything grew calm and quiet. The once turbulent vortex stopped turning, the clouds evening out as most of those remaining below found themselves plagued by uncertain questions and confusion.

But there were a few exceptions among them who had answers.

Having been knocked onto his back near a few of his allies, Lyonel slowly pushed himself up, the hood of his cloak hanging down around his shoulders. Working to catch his breath, he peered back up at the sky where the Triforce had once been, so consumed by this most recent development he only vaguely recognized the sound of Impa's voice as she groaned while sitting up a few feet away.

With a hand pressed to her temple as she tried to recover from how rattling the blast had been, she finally found enough focus to glance up at the sky along with him, her gaze filled with a mixture of awe and concern. But Lyonel soon drew her attention when she noticed the former royal guard looking down, turning her head to regard the thoughtfully somber look on his face.

And the only word he spoke proved he was just as aware of the truth behind what they'd witnessed as she was.

"Myriad."

Merciless tremors passed through the entire palace as the King and Queen stumbled within the throne room, the quakes accompanied by the sound of massive crashing leaving both wondering what in the names of the Goddesses was happening.

In a bid to find out, they adjourned to the closest window, though the darkness didn't make things easy to see. Still, the faint glimpses of a battle being waged in the fields came through thanks to several flashes of light from an unknown source above them. Whatever was causing it, a resonant glow was soon given off that all but turned night into day, allowing the monarchs to realize the battle had come to a stop.

Hadinaru and Nissandra both knew whatever was giving off the light had caused the fighting to stall, but they had no time to take guesses at what it might be when a deafening boom filled their ears.

Instinctively, Hadinaru pulled his wife away from the glass mere seconds before the windows shattered. The violent quake that accompanied the sound had him stumbling with her toward an archway that might provide protection.

Crouching on their knees, they huddled together as more glass clattered against the floor and a few granite columns tumbled onto their sides, one of them crushing the throne where Ganondorf had conducted his affairs. A chandelier fell from the ceiling mere seconds before a portion of the roof crumbled to the floor, leaving the sky visible above.

Thankfully, it wasn't close enough to cause the monarchs harm, yet the tremors persisted as a deafening blare filled the room.

Hearing it, they both risked a look upwards from their position crouched upon the floor, and it was then that they saw the cause of the chaos around them. As a result, their eyes widened with incredulity, the golden Triforce of the Goddesses looming in the sky above, so close they thought they could reach up to touch it.

"Ha-Hadinaru, that's the … ."

"I know, my love," he rasped in response, staring with Nissandra in awed wonder plagued by questions.

What unprecedented time in Hyrule had they woken to? Who, precisely, had been battling upon the fields? And why was the Triforce now hovering above the palace?

Whatever the answers were, the sacred relic didn't remain within their view for long, soon vanishing from sight in a bright flash of light. As a result, the throne room was left darkened while the tremors finally faded away, and the calm ensuing it seemed strange in the face of their roiling emotions.

With nothing but a cloudy sky above them now, the confused monarchs turned their worried gazes to each other in question.

Spending several long moments in silent contemplation, Nissandra finally observed, "That young man said he was going to save Zelda, and then this happened. So do you think … could she have been out there?"

Hadinaru wished he had an answer to give his wife, angered by how little he knew of the current events in his own kingdom. But instead of allowing it to bother him, he helped Nissandra to her feet and stated with the utmost confidence, "Let's go find out while things are still calm."

Nodding, Nissandra clutched his hand and started for the doors, hoping they encountered as little danger as possible on the way outside. But someone had to be available who knew precisely what was going on—and as luck would have it, that very person opened the doors when they were but a few steps away from exiting through them.

Uncertain who was arriving in the throne room at such a tumultuous hour, Hadinaru immediately grabbed a sword from one of the suits of armor nearby. Yet, as he pointed the blade at the individual emerging in readiness to defend himself and protect his wife, the flickering light of what few candelabras remained burning proved his preparation was unnecessary.

"Impa!" Standing straight, Hadinaru's weapon clattered against the floor as he tossed it aside, demanding despite his gratitude to see a familiar face, "What in the name of Nayru's love is going on?"

Eyes going wide, the Sheikah instantly looked up to regard her King and Queen with no lack of surprise. It was one of the few times her emotions were clearly visible as she typically hid her feelings under a mask of calm. Still, she didn't think there was a single person in the revolt who hadn't been at least marginally shaken by what they'd all just witnessed, and her own composure was further impacted by finding her King and Queen both alive and well.

After the Triforce disappeared from the sky, Ganondorf's army no longer posed a massive threat with most of his remaining Jackals injured thanks to the divine presence of the sacred relic. As for the rest, they wouldn't be difficult to overcome without their comrades to provide help. So Lyonel thought it would be wise to have someone go to the palace and assess the current situation inside, and Impa volunteered, hoping she might find Hadinaru and Nissandra safe within their slumber.

So the sight of them up and about came as a shock.

Still, she instantly dropped down to a knee and crossed one arm over her chest in a show of fealty, answering, "We're unsure of the specifics, Your Highness, but we do know that Ganondorf has somehow managed to combine the three pieces of the Triforce to reopen the Sacred Realm with the intentions of claiming Myriad's power. Your daughter and her close friend are in possession of two pieces themselves, so I know they're with him now as well."

Her news left the monarchs in stunned silence for several moments before Nissandra found enough clarity of thought to ask, "Zelda has a piece of the Triforce?"

"She does, Your Grace. Zelda possesses the Triforce of Wisdom, meaning your daughter is the Princess destined to aid the Hero of Legend in his quest to defeat the darkness that's washed over the lands in your absence. I also know Link is with her now, which puts me at ease. I realize you know little of Link, Your Majesties, but I've seen him fight, and I can promise you he'll stop at nothing to ensure your daughter's safety and that of the kingdom."

Taking a deep breath, Impa summarized by stating, "We've fought for years to dethrone Ganondorf after he took full control, and the final battle in that endeavor is about to commence."

"With Myriad in the Sacred Realm," Hadinaru concluded in a logical manner that only barely masked his anger and concern.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Looking down, the King exhaled a loud sigh of breath, his hands clenching into fists repeatedly before finally directing, "Please stand, Impa, and tell me more of this young man named Link. He somehow woke us and claims to be Myriad's son, a son she bore in secret and that you then took along with our daughter to Kakariko for safety. Is this true?"

"It is," Impa replied, standing once more in order to relate the full story—and she spared no detail. From Link and Zelda's upraising in Kakariko Village, to Myriad's entrapment in the Sacred Realm followed by her awakening once Link acquired the Master Sword, Impa ensured the King and Queen knew at last what was happening.

Each monarch listened intently as well, finding both joy and sorrow to hear of their daughter's numerous accomplishments and struggles during such a dark time in their kingdom's history.

Yet pride was their greatest emotion of all. Zelda had reformed a bond with the Gorons and the Zora, then united a revolt loyal to her parents and helped it prepare to fight one of the most powerful enemies they could imagine. She'd done all of this with the help of a true and loyal friend—Myriad's son. She had a son and we never even knew.

Hadinaru exhaled low. Indeed, the thought of what his long time friend had done in her fight against Dragmire caused him even more sorrow. Had he only known the truth behind the dark mage's deeds, he could've prevented her from giving up her only child followed by resigning herself to exile in the Sacred Realm.

Still, this wasn't the time for regrets, or even wishing. He and Nissandra had been brought out of their slumber when Hyrule needed them most, and the best thing they could do was honor their friend's sacrifices—and their daughter's—by keeping the kingdom strong.

During his thoughts, Nissandra looked up to regard his face in an attempt to glean what he was thinking, and it wasn't difficult. She knew her husband, and what he was about to say would likely define everything they were about to do in response to the events of the past eighteen years.

Surely enough, she was right.

As the story came to a close, Hadinaru looked on with the kind of determination in his eyes that Nissandra knew well, and Impa had sorely missed. The sight of it left them silent as he spoke plainly, "Thank you, old friend, both for telling us everything that's happened, and for your many years of loyal service. Without it, our daughter would not have survived, and without the devotion of our people, our rule would mean nothing. It seems to be a truth I never managed to teach Ganondorf during the seven years we thought him our son."

Taking a few steps away from them, Hadinaru thought it over for a moment and qualified, "Then again, perhaps it was a truth he decided to abandon. Whatever the case may be, he made his decisions, and while I regret being unable to help or put a stop to the things he's done, mourning will have to wait."

Turning to his wife, he stated with the utmost sincerity, "We need to make up for our failures by restoring Hyrule, and we'll start by making this palace a place our daughter can call home again. She deserves the grand reception you longed to give her as a babe, Nissandra, and she'll have it no matter what it takes."

His words put a heartfelt smile on his wife's face as she nodded in agreement. "Of course, my love. I can't think of a more fitting place to start."

Glad to have her approval, Hadinaru finally found a smile of his own, and wasted no time getting started by turning to Impa with the first royal command he'd given in ten years.

"Return to the field and ensure the enemy forces are decimated before gathering the brave men and women who accompanied you together. Have the injured cared for, and then bring any able bodied individuals to the palace grounds so we can instruct them on how to move forward."

Despite the seriousness of his tone, Impa couldn't help her smile, truly grateful to be doing the bidding of her true King once again. So, with a bow to her sires, she acknowledged, "I shall do so immediately, Your Majesty."

With another bow given to her Queen, Impa turned to depart, the door shutting on the recently awakened monarchs only a moment later. In turn, each remained silent, consumed by their own thoughts, at least until Hadinaru heard his wife sniffling.

Drawn from his considerations by the sound, his brows narrowed as he stepped over and reached to lift her chin so their gazes met.

Seeing the way her crystal blue eyes glistened with tears, he asked gently, "Are you afraid for our daughter?"

Exhaling a pent up breath, Nissandra took his hand and rasped, "Of course I am, but I'm also happy. She's done so well, especially considering the hardships she's faced, and though I want to meet her more than anything, knowing the kind of person she's become is … more fulfilling than words can describe, even if she never … ."

Nissandra choked on the words, unable to even fathom the possibility that their daughter would never return. The mere thought had her grabbing Hadinaru in a tight hug, pleading, "Please tell me I'm not simply desperate beyond measure for believing she'll return to us safely!"

Wrapping his arms around her, Hadinaru waited before responding to give his wife some time to get a reign on her emotions. He also needed a moment to gather his own, and finally managed a reply without losing his composure.

"Of course you're not. Consider what we've just learned, love. Consider how hard she's fought to return to us and you'll know she's as clever as you and as obstinate as I ever was. Also, I don't know her friend, but if Impa vouches for Link, and if he's even half as resourceful as his mother, that's enough for me. So rest assured, Zelda's in good hands—and so is our kingdom."

The hope his words evoked left Nissandra clutching him tight. It was one of the many reasons she loved him—he always knew what to say to make her feel better, not that his words didn't carry truth. Perhaps her only option in that moment was praying to the Goddesses they hadn't woken from one nightmare only to find themselves trapped in another, but after all Impa had told them, her faith was unshakable.

There was now a fleeting light at the end of the tunnel, and it was swiftly growing brighter. She hadn't known Myriad as long as Hadinaru, but had quickly learned how wily the Sage of Light was. So if Ganondorf wanted to free her in order to take her power, Nissandra could only hope he'd prepared himself to put up a fight.

Otherwise, even if he was victorious, he wouldn't claim her power without cost.

Hadinaru's thoughts had gone along the same lines, and despite his regrets over failing to protect the people of his kingdom, he felt fortunate to be woken in time to see the conclusion of their long, arduous fight. At least now, he could do everything within his power to help them recover and, as soon as their daughter and Link returned, he'd ensure their deeds did not go unnoticed.

Until then, it was only a matter of waiting to discover the final outcome.