Chapter Thirty-Three: A Confrontation Long Overdue

Link was surprised how easily he was able to initially strike Astralose. He thought the wicked man was as good as dead when his blade came within inches of cleaving his forehead. However, just before the strike fell, the sword hit an invisible barrier. The Master Sword ricocheted out of the Hero of Time's hands and he felt a surge of electricity coursing through his body. He began to convulse violently before he was finally thrown up against the wall behind him, pale and sweaty from the brief seizure.

Astralose cackled maliciously. "Did you think it would be that easy boy? Did you think I wouldn't have a spell ready to defend myself? I only let you get that close to killing me for my own personal enjoyment. The look in your eyes was priceless. You thought you had me defeated, but in an instant the light in your eyes changed. All it took was one brief discharge of but a hint of my power to bring you to your knees." He continued to laugh as Link stood up slowly, his limbs still shaking severely.

The Hero of Time bent down and plucked up the Master Sword from the corner of the room where it had fallen. Astralose did not waste another moment for scorn. He stretched his arms before him and unleashed a burst of red-hot flame. Link lifted up the shield that Zelda had given him only days before. It was fortunate that it was not a Deku Shield; otherwise, the flame would have incinerated it. Even with the strong steel of the Hero's Shield protecting him, Link could feel the heat of Astralose's attack. The little blonde hairs on the backs of his forearms curled up and disappeared. He had to fight the urge to jump back in pain. He knew that if he moved even in the slightest, his enemy's attack would consume him. Soon the inferno subsided and Astralose was panting in exhaustion. "It seems that with old age, endurance is the first thing to go," quipped Link.

Astralose did not miss a beat. "Maybe so. But I'll take pure power over endurance any day."

"And what has that gotten you? You have nothing to show for all of your years of thirsting for power. Your son has the Triforce of Power while you have nothing."

The wizard's smile turned into a livid scowl. With a roar that sounded more beastlike than human, he swiped his hands through the air wildly. A shimmering blue wave emanated from his body and expanded rapidly into a circle. Not knowing what to expect, Link pulled his shield in front of himself again. Not long after, the magic had flashed past him. Instantaneously, his shield and—even more devastatingly—the Master Sword disappeared from his grasp. Shocked by this development, he glanced around the room frantically. He saw for only a second his shield and blade floating outside of the window behind Astralose. A moment later they fell.

"Let's see how long you last without your precious defense," said Astralose, his smirk having returned. Before Link had any time to respond, another blast of flames was coming at him. He rolled out of the way, nearly knocking over a decorative marble statue with a massive battle axe in its hands. The fire attack incinerated the wall behind him as Link tried to wrest the axe from the statue's grasp. Unfortunately, its thick stone fingers were wrapped all of the way around the weapon's hilt and it was impossible to remove it. He did not have long to curse his misfortune though. Another one of Astralose's fireballs was rushing in his direction.

Backflipping out of the way, Link found himself only feet away from his nemesis. "That's enough!" cried Astralose. He thrust his hands forward and lifted them into the air. The Hero of Time felt himself being pulled away from the ground. He was now levitating helplessly only feet away from the evil mage. Astralose licked his lips hungrily as he prepared to unleash another strike, one that would surely be lethal. Suddenly he felt a sharp, piercing pain in his left ear. Whipping his head in pain, he saw a bright ball of light flanking the side of his face. "Curse you fairy!" he shrieked.

Link fell to the ground as Astralose was immediately distracted by Navi. "I'll kill you!" cursed Astralose as he threw his head around violently in an attempt to shake loose his attacker. Finally, he was able to get the fairy off of his ear. Losing sense completely because of his utter rage, he began waving his arms frantically. One by one, furniture in the room flew in the direction of Navi, but she dodged all of them effortlessly with her nimble wings. The King's former desk was the first to crash into the wall; it shattered into splinters from the force of the collision. Next came multiple chairs and a table, all of them crashing into the walls and ceiling, causing the entire room to shake violently.

Astralose flew into an even greater rage as the fairy that had maimed his ear evaded every one of his attacks. The old wizard soon lost it completely. The windows shattered behind him into a thousand shards of glass. Every piece of the broken window flew in Navi's direction. She dodged them easily, but Link barely had time to duck, narrowly avoiding being diced into a hundred bloody pieces. The door flew off of its hinges and crashed into the ceiling. The room looked as if a whirlwind had originated in its very center. The next piece of furniture to be born by Astralose's wrath was a massive bookcase, every space within it taken up by hardback books. This bookcase crashed into the wall behind Navi so powerfully that the entire room shook like an earthquake had hit.

Link watched in surprise as the statue that he had tried unsuccessfully to take the axe from began to teeter dangerously. A moment later it had fallen. It crashed into the distracted wizard with all of its weight, the axe that Link had hoped to use was now firmly planted in his enemy's back. Its razor-sharp edge had sliced all the way through his body and was sticking out of his chest dripping with gore. Astralose dropped to the ground with the statue on top of him and the axe still buried in his back. He let out one gasp of pain before life left his eyes. The Hero of Time stared on in disbelief. "After all of that, he ended up being his own demise." Turning to Navi—who was now hovering over the ruined bookcase—, Link said, "I can't tell you how grateful I am Navi. If not for you, it would be me that was dead and Astralose still alive."

"As if you need to thank me. I just wish that you were more careful sometimes."

"What else could I have done? He took away the Master Sword."

"I guess you're right. But it's a good thing I'm here to look after you."

"Indeed," replied Link with a smile. He trudged up to the nearest window and glanced down through the ring of broken glass that surrounded its now hollow frame. He saw his sword and shield a hundred feet below in a grassy courtyard. "Come on. We need to go and get those back."

He left the room with Astralose's lifeless body still trapped beneath the fallen sculpture. Five minutes later, Link had the Master Sword and the Hero's Shield back in his possession. "So now what do we do?" asked Navi.

"We face Ganondorf. We know where he is, thanks to his father. We'll weaken him just enough so that Zelda can-. Oh no, but Zelda's dead. How could I not realize what this means? How can we hope to defeat Ganondorf now?" He sat on a nearby dirt mound, near despair.

"Well, we have to do something Link."

He sat quietly for a moment before saying, "You're right. I'll have to face him regardless. If it isn't me, then who will? This could very well be my end, but what choice do I have?" He stood up defiantly. "Come on Navi. It's time."

As he turned to leave the courtyard, a familiar voice shouted, "Wait!"

The Hero of Time turned around and saw Kaepora Gaebora sitting on a nearby wall. "Is the battle over?" asked Link.

"Nearly. I sensed that I was needed more here."

"Well, unless you can help me defeat Ganondorf, then you're not needed here at all. Zelda's dead, so our former plan is ruined. It's now up to me alone to try and defeat him."

"I know she is dead, and the plan is not ruined."

"How do you know she is dead?"

"Did you not wonder about my errands Link?" asked the owl, ignoring the question.

"Yes. A little. I didn't think it was my business to ask though."

"I was called by Zelda. All of the Sages are connected Link. We needn't be able to see each other to speak. She called for me and I came to her. She had been napping only moments before and had had another dream. Somehow it gave her the impression that her end was near. She was not scared of death, only of not being able to help you transport Ganondorf into the future. We decided together that her dream could not be ignored and she passed her power onto me. Only moments after the transfer was complete, Astralose barged into her room. The Princess—not wanting us both to be slain—shut the window on me. She was dead before I even had the chance to protest. Because of her wisdom though, I now have the ability to do what she was to do. If you weaken Ganondorf, I will transport him thirty years into the future. Will you still help Hyrule?"

"Of course."

"You are still the most courageous Hylian I have ever known, even without the Triforce of Courage. Now it is time Link. Ganondorf is at the top of the central tower of the castle. I will create a portal around the midsection of the tower. If you can push Ganondorf off of the edge of the roof, he will fall into the portal and our plan will be complete. Do you understand?"

"Yes. And I am ready."

"Good Link. Hyrule will forever be in debt to you if you are successful. Good luck." Kaepora Gaebora took flight and made his way to the tallest tower of Hyrule Castle, so he could create the portal that would put an end to Ganondorf's attack.

"Let's go Navi. It's finally time to face Ganondorf."