A/N: Hi everybody! Today I return to Link's perspective, as promised and I will make a few of our beloved evil warlord's motives, and what he wants more clear, I even hint at how he came back, but that will be addressed a bit more later. Also, Link has a huge decision to make in this chapter. I hope you all enjoy! Thanks for reading, you guys are amazing!

xXx skytale xXx: Yes I am planning for some big crazy action to come, and I hope I do not disappoint.

Storm Dragon Wolf Princess: I like to think that too. It would stink if it was that piece of the triforce itself that corrupted people's souls XP I agree it is not a bad idea for a paring and it would undo a bit of the mess Ganon made. O.O

CupcakePride101: Yes Link will be back, you shall see… I am liking your thoughts on the question, It made me think and I like that. I hope it comes out well too.

Scarlet Curls: man, you made me think a whole bunch on the logistics morals and possible outcomes of that question XP It was awesome! You gave SS Link a bit of an attitude in your play through? That's funny XD I am grateful for your comments because I do like to know when I get it right as much as I like to know when I get it wrong, so you have my thanks. I wonder if you guessed correctly… :D

Kiridia: Awww not the pout face of death DX I do apologize for the shortness but I did not think I would or could find a better place to end it that time. That being said your pout-face it duly noted and I will try to write longer chapters. XD Oh, never fear, I promise that I had no intention of ending this one right after the final battle, that would have left far too many loose strings that would have annoyed me as much as the reader. I say be as selfish as you want when it comes to that, I agree with you 8P I am glad that you like what I have done so far, to hear that is very encouraging. Thank you so much for your review! I hope you have fun reading (or writing) whatever you decide :D I hate picking between the two.

Yami no Nokutan: I am glad you liked that XP It was fun to write. If I give Makoto some candy, will that pacify her rage for a little bit? O.O I like your thoughts on the question and I was definitely not bored reading it XP Happy Birthday! Thank you!

Silverheartlugia2000: Wolf-boy is here this week! Maybe you are right about that, thank you!

Naruto Sakura Uzumaki: I am very inclined to agree with you about that. Thanks for the review!

Kokokringles: I would like to see a drunk fairy, that would be hilarious XD I have wandered about a few times myself XP That's cool if you don't know because I don't know either, I like your reasoning though :D thank you!

The Offered Choice

As soon as the gate slammed shut, Link whirled to face his enemies. He knew his chance for escape was gone and he knew it would not be long before he was recaptured, but he fought on with the hopeless determination and purpose to take out as many of the enemy as he could before he went down.

He fought with the strength of desperation, but it was not long before he was overwhelmed by Ganondorf's darknut reinforcements. The chains he was using to fight with were seized and he was recaptured and dragged inexorably before the warlord.

"Take him to my throne room. You know what to do with him," Ganondorf said, his voice dripping with anger.

"Yes my lord," Xiphos replied with a shallow bow of deference and led Link away.

Link did not know what happened to people who were taken to the throne room but he guessed that it was nothing good. When the dreaded place was reached, he was dragged up a platform and behind Ganondorf's throne. About five feet behind this large garish edifice were two pillars, about eight feet apart. Link was chained between these, his arms outstretched between the poles, his feet chained to the ground. He was surprised when Xiphos and his darknuts turned and left him alone in the throne room without a word. He had expected to get some sort of retribution for his actions. 'Perhaps it was still yet to come,' he thought miserably.

Link found himself in complete silence. He gave the chains an experimental tug only to find that they were completely secure. Even if the chains had not been fused shut by magic, there was no way he could pick them, stretched out as he was. He saw nothing around that could be of any help to his predicament, and he finally gave up trying. The room in which he was imprisoned was nearly as dark and oppressive as a dungeon cell, despite its large size and vaulted ceilings. Everything about it felt ominous and eerie. He shuddered.

He found himself feeling utterly alone. He did not know what was going to happen to him and he began to experience the terror of the realization that he had no brilliant escape ideas or plans up his sleeve. His thoughts wandered from his village family and friends, Uli, Rusl, Ilia, Colin, Ashei, Shad, Aveil, princess Zelda, and finally to Midna. He felt a twinge of regretful sorrow every time he thought about Midna, especially because he knew that he probably never see her again. He could not help but wonder if things would have played out differently if he had done something instead of just standing there as she shattered the mirror, shutting herself in the land of twilight. He hoped that Rusl was alright, he hoped that Aveil had escaped. He wondered if he would ever see anything he loved or cared about ever again.

The large excessively carved double doors that led into the dark throne room, where he was imprisoned, gave a grating creek as they were pushed open. Ganondorf strode in and stopped about three feet away from him. Xiphos followed but stopped near the door to stand guard.

"Link, Link, Link, whatever am I going to do with you?" Ganon mused quietly, with a most disturbing smile. "You have caused me no end of trouble: practically killed me, destroyed all my footholds in Hyrule, wiped out nearly half my army, destroyed the power-source, and caused mass hysteria today by breaking free and harassing the people and bulblin clans that I wanted to feel empowered by your capture."

"Well I do try," Link smirked sarcastically. Inwardly his mind was whirling. Ganon was playing some sort of game, and Link knew he should be on guard.

The warlord looked annoyed for a moment before he smiled, "All that however, has brought something to my attention. I know good metal when I see it. You are a powerful warrior and could prove to be quite useful to me. So, I have decided to offer you a choice."

Ganondorf circled around behind him, and Link felt the hair on the nape of his neck prickle. He turned his head to try and catch a glimpse of the fiend behind him.

"Swear loyalty to me and become my second in command," The warlord said softly, leaning in close as if to whisper in his ear.

Link cringed as he felt Ganon's cold breath on his cheek and neck.

Xiphos jumped and looked pale and indignant when Ganondorf said this but held his silence and position.

"I could grant you so much power, and much more than power alone," Ganon continued as he stalked in his unrelenting circle to eventually stand directly in front of him. "What if I told you that there is a way to recreate the mirror of twilight?"

Link tried to keep a blank face but it was a losing battle for the unexpected words had so caught him off guard. The warlord's lips twisted fractionally upwards.

"If you were to lend me your power and combine it with my own, together we could remake it."

"The mirror was shattered by the true ruler of the Twili, it can never be whole again," Link said softly, in a small attempt to convince himself it was not possible, a small attempt to claim his enemy's words as false.

"It took the true ruler of the Twili to shatter it completely, true, but it only takes two pieces of the triforce to rebuild it. With my guidance and your added strength, you could open a connection between our two worlds, you could be with the person you lost again. Two pieces do not have the power that the whole triforce possesses, but it is enough."

Link would have been a liar if he had said that that offer didn't pull at his heart. It was almost akin to the promise of bringing a loved one back to life. Just the memory of the twilight princess tugged at his very soul. During the trials of a couple months ago, he had often dreamed of how things could have been different if she had been with him, if she had never left. Before she shattered the link between their worlds, she had begun to tell him something, only to stop herself before she left his life forever. Through the watches of many a dark night he had wondered if she had been about to tell him that she loved him and, following that thought through, he had often wondered how he would have responded if she had. He did love her, but towards the end of their time together he was ashamed to admit he was no longer completely certain of the type.

"It is not possible," Link slowly began, but his voice lacked conviction and the warlord knew it as well as he.

"You could have anything your heart desired, Link. All the power, the standing, people, and places you could ever want. The only thing I ask in return is that you give me your allegiance and swear your soul to me. Or," he sensed Link's hesitation as the condition made him recoil from the tantalizing offer and he quickly continued to compensate for it. His mouth curved upwards in a disturbing sneer, 'or was it a leer,' Link couldn't decide. "I could just use you like I planned. I have lost much, almost all of the triforce of power, but I can negate my weakness," he spat the word as if he reviled its presence on his lips, "by taking your strength. I get my power through you and you remain my prisoner forever, or as long as you live. I will take Hyrule and recreate the mirror of twilight with or without your willing help. So what will it be? You can serve me willingly or you can take the path of suffering. I do hope you pick the first option. I won't lie; resisting me will be rather painful because you lost the stone."

Link stared miserably at Ganon but remained silent.

"To think a little more than half a year ago you were nearly killed by your own precious princess," The warlord said mockingly, changing tact. He had pulled and Link's desires and now he was going after loyalty. It had nearly been shattered once and Ganondorf could tell that the bond was still weak, easy to splinter if he so wished, "and yet you still give her your allegiance?"

"That was not her fault," Link blurted, then stopped. 'How did Ganon know about this?' he wondered.

"True to a certain extent," Ganon admitted. "She was not the one framed you for treason, and she was not the one who led you into the jaws of a trap, but she was the one who ordered your banishment from Hyrule, and the one who left you to die alone on the flatlands outside the castle, even though she was fully aware of your innocence."

"I know that," Link said quietly, "but it was not as black and white as that. A powerful megalomaniac tried to trade my life for the life of many of her subjects. Zelda had no choice; she couldn't save one life in exchange for the loss of hundreds of others."

"So you serve one who does not even hold your life with the same esteem that that you hold hers? You were willing to die and sacrifice so much for her and she was more than willing to sacrifice all you were to satisfy her own ends."

"And if I was under your service, you wouldn't?" Link snapped, nearly scoffing.

"I can't afford to, this time," Ganondorf replied, "and that does nothing to change the fact that your princess did."

"It was not her desire…" Link began.

"Wasn't it? If she chose that path, does not that in itself mean that she desired that outcome as opposed to another?"

"It was the enemy's plan to play everyone against each other and then strike when the country was weakened by civil wars, and it nearly worked," Link admitted, his voice growing even quieter, "I was so consumed by hatred and bitterness that I did not see the truth until it was almost too late. It was a much my fault as hers."

"Ah, the Empress," Ganon said happily, naming the enemy Link had spoken of, "she was a woman after my own heart, it was brilliant how she brought both you and the princess to your knees. She was truly cleaver. In all actuality, I have the both of you to thank for my return," he divulged with a wicked smile.

"What?" Link asked confused by Ganon's comment, 'how did he and the Empress have anything to do with Ganondorf's return and how did Ganondorf even know the name of the Empress, and who she was?' he wondered.

"All that aside, my point is that this was not the first time that your princess has failed you," Ganon continued, ignoring his question. "I have spies placed all through Hyrule and I can assure you that she has never even tried to send anybody after you. I think that she has deemed your life not worthy enough to risk her people for this time as well. Look at what is before you and don't be a fool, accept it for what it is. Nothing has changed since the day she betrayed you. She sees you only for what you are, but I see you for what you could become. She offers you nothing and I can offer you all the power you could ever want, the power to be unstoppable. The chance to regain the friend you lost. Ask yourself this, how many times have you saved your stupid kingdom, have any of them ever given you the recognition you deserved? You have saved Hyrule's precious princess several times and she has not even knighted you has she? You deserve more than the life of a peasant."

What Ganon said was true, Link realized. He was right about many things concerning Hyrule's princess. She valued her people's lives over his and Zelda had never knighted him. The knowledge that he had long been trying to ignore and excuse pained him. Whether intentional or not, Zelda had left him alone. He had never gotten anything in return for everything he had given her. If anyone deserved it was he. He deserved so much more, he wanted so much more. He could easily rise above the foolish princess and her petty kingdom.

He paused for a moment, shuddering at what he was thinking. This was not right. He never wanted the power to dominate and he would never consider Zelda to be a fool. Besides that, she had once shielded his life with her own and she had nearly given her life for Midna, and in the process, him also. He remembered well the grace of her every move, the sparkle in her beautiful sky-teal eyes, the way she smiled at him, her physical beauty that was only belied by the beauty of her spirit, her courage, her loyalty to her kingdom and subjects, her willingness. True, it hurt to know, if Ganondorf were to be believed, that she had taken no action to help him this time, but he held her in high honor and for good reason.

He remembered the faces of all his closest friends and family. They flooded through his mind along with the memories of the various ways they touched his life and impressed themselves upon his heart. How could he ever think of betraying them, he loved them. He felt his hand thrum on his triforce mark as he shook himself free from the spell, for spell it had been.

Zelda had told him of this type of magic. It could easily persuade week minded people to do whatever the caster wanted, but it was not able to completely hypnotize. It could be broken if the subject had the will to resist. His mind whirled. 'Why did Ganon want him to switch sides so badly?' he began to guess at the reason and the despair of Ganondorf's promise and threat earlier came back to mind. He suddenly felt helpless ad vulnerable from his position of handing by his arms with no escape, but the dark oppression of the throne room was not shadowy enough to blot out all beacons of hope. He felt his body tremble inside as he knew that he would have to take a chance. His mind screamed at him not to, it went against all semblance of logic, but his heart and senses told him to take the chance and gamble, gamble in a game where the stakes were much higher than his own life should he be wrong.

Ganon watched as Link seemed to be deep in thought, perhaps his spell was working, or perhaps Link actually did desire power glory and honor, or perhaps what he had said had started to persuade him.

"Xiphos," he called to his right hand, "leave us please." Xiphos reluctantly obeyed.

"Time is up," he said to Link, "what is your decision?"

Ganon locked eyes with the chained teen in front of him waiting for a reply. The blue eyed stare that met his own was defiant and angry, yet strangely calm.

"No," was his firm yet quiet reply. "I will never willingly serve you. You offer power, power to control the world, but at what cost. What good is having all the power in the world if I must forfeit my soul? Without a soul power is worthless."

"But it was not just power I offered if you recall, I offered a chance to remake the mirror of twilight also. You cannot deceive yourself or me into thinking that your heart has not greatly desires this."

"I have no intention of lying, I want the chance to see her again badly, but do you think me that naïve and foolish? It's actually a bit insulting, really. The very reason that Midna severed the connection between our worlds was because she never wanted either her kingdom or ours to ever suffer a fate like that of your twilight invasion ever again. If I were help you recreate the mirror, I would destroy her precautions. It would render all the heartbreak that we went through in order to keep both our worlds safe, useless. I would be letting you in and betraying her, her people, and mine. I am afraid I must decline your offer."

"So you have chosen the way of pain? You would suffer for nothing but the vanity to say you did not aid me willingly? A stupid choice, I will get my ends either way. The only difference is how much pain it will cost you to let it happen. You have lost no matter how you look at it, and yet you choose the option that only leads you to suffer more losses in a battle you are guaranteed to lose?" Ganon growled.

"I don't believe in no-win scenarios," Link said aloud, his lips curving upwards in a defiant grin. Inwardly, he had already committed himself to take a chance.

Ganondorf glared murderously at the infernal unyielding boy. The idiot had lost and destroyed both of the power sources and, without them, it would be impossible for him to ever take full control over Link, which was why he had needed it. Unless Link swore his soul to him, he would never be a mindless slave like Ganon had planned. If he still had the stone in his position he would already have Link as nothing more than a powerful puppet of the dark, but now that option was lost. Ganon narrowed his yellow eyes as he looked at Link, wondering if the boy had guessed that, but it mattered not in the end. It was a pity; the boy had talent as a fighter, and he was clever too. If Link could have been turned, he would have made an excellent commander in his army, at least when, Ganondorf was not using him. It felt almost as if the stubborn youth had won a victory over him, and this was simply unacceptable. No one would ever get the better of him. He felt it necessary to even the score a bit. He stopped scowling and smiled wickedly.

"Since you are going to be lending me your power from now on, even if it is not willingly, I think it is only fair to show you what I plan to do with Hyrule once it is mine, and what I plan for the Twili people. How would you like to see what you will help me accomplish?"

Ganondorf reached out a hand towards Link who shuddered and tried his best to evade his foe's grasp. Unfortunately for him, being chained meant his ability to evade was severely diminished. It was not long until Ganondorf had his index and middle finger making contact with Link's forehead. The warlord concentrated his weakened broken magic to transfer a view of what he wanted for the future to Link, making sure that it would give him emotional transference as well as a view. Link, who obviously found being anywhere near his enemy to be revolting, recoiled at Ganondorf's touch and tried to break away but, as the magic took effect, he held completely still. Link's first expression was one of horror and disgust. Ganondorf felt a mad gleeful pleasure as Link's expression turned into misery and sorrow. He felt his prisoner tremble slightly under his touch and could not hide his smug smile of triumph as tears rolled his captive's pale cheeks, leaving streaks in the dust on his face.

"Stop…" The voice was halting and weak, hardly sounding like Link's.

Ganon took his hand away smugly, now the impudent churl would know who had the power, who was in control, who was the victor.

"Why?" Link finally gasped.

"For power, that is why," Ganon replied.

"All I see is pain death suffering destruction, and loss. How can any power be worth that?" he demanded his voice strangely tight.

"As long as I am supreme ruler of all, what does it matter what happens to everyone else? They are already servants and slaves, they just don't know it yet," Ganon replied coldly.

"You're sick," Link growled, his deep blue eyes radiating anger, "heartless and soulless and sick."

"All true Ganon smiled smugly, "but the best part of all is that without you, none of this would have been possible. I owe you my gratitude," he mocked. "Also, without your impending aid, I could never achieve my ends. So, I thank you again. I give you one last chance to serve me willingly."

"You know my answer," Link said his tone icy. He shot Ganondorf a glare so full of defiance, anger, and quiet resolution that it could only mean that he was determined to fight for as long as he still drew breath.

"Fine have it your way," the warlord growled. "Perhaps you will change your mind after a week or two, we will see."

~x~X~x~

Xiphos stood outside the heavy wooden doors to the throne room. He pressed his ear near the crack so he could hear what was going on. 'What would happen to him if Link chose to join Ganon?' He wondered, a cold sweat breaking out under his helmed forehead. All he could hear was garbled conversation, too far away to make out the words. He slouched miserably against the door frame. After a few more tense moments of waiting, an agonized cry emanated from the throne room. Xiphos sighed with relief, knowing that his position as second in command was safe.

A/N: I hope you all found this chapter an enjoyable diversion! Zelda will be back next week! So there was a bit in the middle of this chapter that alluded to my previous tale, I hope that no one, who has not yet read it, got confused in any way. If you have questions do not hesitate to PM me. So I was actually pleased to get a little bit more into Link's character, which I found pretty fun. If Zelda were presented with an impossible situation or forced to make a terrible choice, I interoperated her to be the type to have her natural inclination to be to pick the most logical or moral decision of the two, the one that would be the least devastating to those around her. I think her position has a lot to do with why she is like that, because she is responsible for so many. Whereas Link, I think, would be more inclined to believe that there is always another way or a way out. If he dislikes both paths he would forge his own. That could be completely devastating if he fails yet glorious if he succeeds. I am not sure which is better XP

Question: How do you think Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf would respond to a no-win situation?

Bonus Question: What did you guys think of the new game ALBW? Did you all get a chance to play it?