A/N: I apologize for not updating in such a long time, but I recently lost my muse, my own fault. Luckily, I have friends who refuse to give up on me or let me give up, so once again I'm back. This story shall be finished, and then I can move on to my next epic story. Enjoy.
The tunnel was dark. No torches, lit or otherwise, lined its perfectly smooth, rounded walls. Even the pale light from outside could barely pierce the darkness, poorly illuminating no more than a few feet from the cave entrance. Link peered into the darkness beyond, but to no avail. He instead took out a Deku Stick, snapped it in half, and lit the tip of one of the halves.
With his makeshift torch held out before him, Link proceeded down the tunnel. Not far from the cave entrance the path curved to the right. As he walked, Link noted how perfect the tunnel actually was. There was no possible way it had been created by nature or human hands. There also had to be some enchantment upon it, for there was no way the tunnel's condition could have remained so after all these centuries. Link kept his awe in check, however, as he was prepared for any last minute traps protecting the Queen Fairy's lair as he followed the path.
The curve in the tunnel made a u-turn and then curved off to the right again, making an S-shaped path. Link followed it, wondering why the tunnel was designed this way instead of just a direct path. Was it just another trap, maybe a psychological one designed to intimidate and make you second guess yourself? The complete lack of light in the tunnel certainly lent itself to that idea. Whatever the reason though, Link noticed that above all else it prevented any kind of hasty retreat, and in his eyes that was not a good sign.
The tunnel opened up into a large, circular, domed chamber at the end of the S-shaped path. As soon as Link reached it though, the torch slipped from his hand as his body went limp and his eyes grew wide. Beyond was indeed the Queen Fairy's Fountain, but it was in a state of complete destruction.
The walls of the chamber, which should have been full of magic and glowing brightly, were nothing more than the dull, smooth, curved rock walls of the cave he was in. Before him were two rows of Romanesque, marble columns leading up to the fountain. Most of the columns had collapsed, now lying in many cracked and broken pieces. Those that still stood had long, deep cracks running through them and looked as if they would crumble to dust at just the slightest touch.
At the far end of the chamber was the fountain. It was roughly twice the size of any of the Great Fairy Fountains Link had visited, but it still retained the basic design. It was carved entirely out of white marble, but the centuries of dust that covered it gave it a dull appearance. On the back rim of the fountain stood marble statues of a Kokiri, a Goron, a Zora, a Hylian, a Sheikah, and a Gerudo, and in all of their hands was a jug pointed down toward the fountain. At one time the magical waters of the fountain must have poured forth from those six statues into the basin of the fountain, but no longer. The entire fountain was dried up, several long, deep cracks running through it. Even the magical torches on either side of the fountain were silent.
Hanging above the fountain, seemingly carved out of solid gold, was the Triforce, although the years of accumulated dust made it's golden color look more like a mustard yellow. On each side of the Triforce were carved the three goddesses, each in a different color marble: red for Din, green for Farore, and blue for Naryu.
Unlike the Triforce, which was still in good condition despite the dust, the statues were falling apart. Farore's head had completely fallen off, having smashed into the basin below causing a large crack across her face. A chunk of Din's left cheek was missing, and Naryu had lost both her arms. The rest of their bodies were chipped and cracked in various places.
Link was at a complete loss for words. He had come all this way, gone through all those obstacles, all for the last hope they had of defeating Lord Arcana, and there was nothing here. It was all gone. Whether by time or by attack, the Queen Fairy's Fountain was completely destroyed, and the Queen Fairy herself was either long gone or had passed on.
As if pulled by an invisible string, Link began to stumble forward. He did this unconsciously, his mind still in total shock. No words escaped his mouth as he approached the fountain, only short guttural moans of disbelief. When he finally reached the fountain, he stared into the empty and cracked basin. His attention turned to Farore's head, and as he peered into her lifeless eyes what little hope remained in him began to fade.
"It's over," Link said as he collapsed down onto his knees and lowered his head into his hands. "It's all over. I've failed, and now Hyrule will fall."
Link opened his eyes and noticed that his knee had swept away some of the dust, revealing a golden line. Curious, Link slid back and dusted off the area revealing a golden, square outline with the Triforce within it. It was the same golden engraving Link had seen at all the fairy fountains. As he stared at it, he suddenly remembered Zelda giving him the Ocarina of Time. He quickly reached into his pocket and pulled it out.
Link just knelt there a minute, staring down at the blue ocarina in his hands. With all the other fairy fountains Link had to play Zelda's Lullaby, a symbol of the Royal Family, in order for the Great Fairy to appear. If the same symbol that was in those fountains was here as well, then that should mean he would have to do the same thing. After all, it wasn't just any ocarina he was using but the Ocarina of Time, and if that didn't prove his worth then nothing would. It was a long shot, there was no denying that, but at this point Link was willing to try anything.
Link got to his feet and stood within the golden square. He placed the ocarina up to his lips, and praying that this would work, began to play Zelda's Lullaby. He played without pause, his fingers hitting every note instinctively despite the long time it had been since he played that song. When he was finished, Link lowered the ocarina from his lips, breathed out a sigh, and opened his eyes.
Nothing had changed. It was all exactly the way it had been before he played the song. Link was about to turn away, his last hope extinguished, when he saw a small yet bright light appear in the center of the fountain. It floated up becoming eye level with Link, and then exploded in a bright flash momentarily blinding Link. In the second that flash occurred a large, serpentine form made entirely out of light emerged from the fountain.
"Who dares enter my domain?" declared the Light Serpent as it rose out of the fountain, it's voice echoing in the expansive chamber.
Link dropped the Ocarina of Time and immediately drew his sword and shield. He took a couple steps back from the fountain and got into a defensive position. Link watched apprehensively as the Light Serpent lowered its head to look upon Link. Link tried to stare into its eyes, but all he saw were hollow depressions. The Light Serpent opened its maw, and Link saw what appeared to be several sharp, pointed teeth all of the same golden light as the rest of it. Before Link could decide what to do, the Light Serpent suddenly charged forth at a remarkable speed.
Malon walked down the castle corridor, a silver tray filled with a couple glasses of juice and a plate of sandwiches held firmly in her hands. The castle was unnaturally quiet. It had been that way ever since King Hyrule's untimely passing. The kingdom was still in mourning, yet there was little they could do given the current circumstances. A proper funeral couldn't even be prepared cause of the need to stay on constant alert.
What made matters even worse, however, was the reappearance of Epona without Link. For those in the castle that knew Link had gone out on a mission, it was a foreboding sight indeed when Epona was found early that morning out on the castle grounds. Hope was beginning to fade in the hearts of those who once believed that no matter what Hyrule would survive this latest storm.
Unaware of her own surroundings, Malon somehow still managed to find her way to Zelda's bedroom. She was deeply worried about Link as well. She knew that Epona would never leave Link's side unless he ordered her to, or something terrible had happened. This was hardly comforting to her, for she knew Link would never tell Epona to leave him unless he absolutely had to, and it wouldn't comfort Zelda in the slightest. Still, she hoped that Zelda would at least eat the snack she was bringing her, if nothing else than to keep her strength up.
"Hey, Malon," came a voice from behind just as Malon was about to knock on the ornate bedroom doors.
Malon turned around to find Captain Huntley walking up to her. His golden helm was held in his arms allowing Malon a clear look at the sour expression even he was wearing.
"Oh, hello captain," she replied.
"Those for the princess," he said nodding toward the tray in her hands. "How's she doing?"
"Well how would you be if your father was dead and your lover was currently MIA?" Malon responded a little sarcastically, but she knew that the captain had Zelda's best interests at heart. "She's completely distraught. I'm worried about her."
"Princess Zelda is strong. She'll be alright."
"That's what I'm afraid of. In her condition she's liable to do something crazy."
"Well I was about to ask her if she would like me to send out a search party for Link. If something did happen, there's a chance he may still be alive."
"No! Don't ask her. She'll more than likely demand to lead the search party. She cannot lead in this state, and since both the king and Link are gone, you'll have to start making decisions around here."
"Me?!" Captain Huntley replied with surprise. "I'm just a soldier though. I know about war, not how to lead a kingdom."
"Well we're in a state of war now, aren't we captain? You're the best we've got right now."
Before Captain Huntley could respond, the doors to Zelda's bedroom were thrust open and out stepped Zelda. Her hair was a frizzled mess and her dress was severely wrinkled, yet no tears were present in her eyes, only a fierce look of determination. She nearly plowed right into Malon and Captain Huntley, but quickly stopped short with a look of surprise as if she wasn't expecting either of them to be there.
"Ah, Captain Huntley," Zelda said, her voice still weak yet confident. "I was just going to get you. I need you to ready my horse."
"Your horse?" Captain Huntley said in a voice that matched the perplexed look on his face.
"Yes, I'm going after Link," she responded determinately, although her voice quivered slightly as she said Link's name.
"But Zelda," came Malon's pleading voice, "you're needed here. I'm sure that wherever Link is he's perfectly fine."
"Malon, I know you're just trying to help, but stow it. Wherever Link is, he's in danger. I can feel it."
"Captain Huntley!" cried a new voice from down the hall. "Captain, sir."
Captain Huntley, Malon, and Zelda all turned to look at the newcomer. It was one of the castle guards. He was running up to them as fast as he could. By the way he was breathing it was clear he had been putting his all into finding them, and the look on his face revealed that something important was up.
"What?!" exclaimed Captain Huntley, easily recognizing that something was up. "What is it?"
"It's . . . it's Link sir," replied the soldier as he reached them. "We just got word from the outer wall. They've spotted Link out in Hyrule Field, but they're confused sir. They have no idea how he got there since they weren't informed he was out on a mission. They say he's pretty beat up, maybe even on death's doorstep. They're not sure what to do."
"Oh no, Link!" exclaimed Zelda, before she turned and vanished on the spot, teleporting herself to the outer wall before anyone could say anything.
"No wait, Zelda!" cried Malon, but it was too late. She turned to Captain Huntley, whose own face revealed he was just as worried as she was. "This can't be good."
Zelda reappeared on the outer wall, right above the drawbridge, to the surprise of many of the soldiers on duty. She completely ignored them, however, as her eyes quickly scanned the full length of Hyrule Field. She soon spotted him, a lone figure wearing a green tunic that she would've recognized anywhere.
He was on his knees, his head held low, halfway between Zora's River and Lon Lon Ranch. His right arm was being grasped tightly in his left hand, and he didn't appear to be moving. From this distance Zelda couldn't see the true extent of his injuries, but it was apparent that he was hurt, and badly. The soldiers awaited the princess's orders, but none came.
Instead, Zelda turned and vanished once again, this time teleporting right onto Hyrule Field. As soon as she materialized she ran as fast as she could to where Link was. As she got closer, Zelda could begin to see the sea of red, blood-soaked grass beneath Link. His green tunic was similarly covered in many blood splotches, tears covering the rest of it. Her worry for him mounted the closer she got, especially when she noticed that he wasn't moving at all.
When she was roughly thirty feet away from him, however, Zelda stopped dead in her tracks. Her face instantly grew hard as she stared at the injured Link, her feet firmly planted in the ground.
"You're not Link!" Zelda declared in a voice seething with poison. "Who are you?!"
"Heh heh heh, how very astute of you my dear princess," the imposter Link laughed in a voice Zelda knew only all too well.
The imposter stood up with ease, his injuries as big a facade as his appearance. A wide malicious grin was plastered on his face as he did so. Once fully erect, he stared right into Zelda's fierce, blue eyes with his own red ones. Still smiling, he snapped his fingers and in a bright flash the image of Link was gone, and standing in its place was Gerik. Zelda didn't move an inch, nor did her expression change. She just stood there, staring at Gerik with a deadly gaze.
"Gerik," Zelda spat his name out as if it were venom.
"What's the matter, no hug for your dear old friend?" Gerik said feigning compassion. "You know, for someone who once wielded the Triforce of Wisdom, you're not to bright to have fallen into such an obvious trap."
With another snap of his fingers a large, transparent yet with a blackish hue force field surrounded both Zelda and Gerik. It encompassed an area roughly the size of Lon Lon Ranch and extended upwards to a point twice the height of the outer wall. Zelda didn't move an inch, her gaze fixed upon the smirking Sheikah.
"Where is Link?!" Zelda demanded, her body stiff as a board. "What have you done with him?!"
"I was actually hoping you could answer that for me," Gerik simply replied in his old, good-humored voice. "See I know the green one has left the castle; your security really isn't that good, but then again for a Sheikah no security can keep them out. What I don't know, however, is where our dear friend has run off to."
Zelda just stood there, her lips pressed into a thin line. This was not the Gerik she once knew, the one she had grown up with, yet she knew he was not lying. She could see it in his eyes, always could. Even if he had nothing to do with Link though, this was still the man who threw a poisoned dagger into her father; the man who killed him.
"What is it you want?" Zelda said coldly. "You've already proven you can enter the castle with no problem, so if you wanted me dead we wouldn't be having this conversation right now."
"You're absolutely right," Gerik replied, his smugness irritating Zelda to no end. "Lord Arcana doesn't want you dead, at least not yet. Of course, if you joined us you wouldn't have to die at all. We are going to win you know. It would be in your best interest to come over to our side."
"I'll never join you!"
"Then I guess I'll just have to capture you then."
"Capture this!"
As soon as those words were spoken the area became aglow with the fiery red-orange light of a fireball speeding its way toward Gerik. Gerik quickly ducked his body backwards as the fireball passed harmlessly mere centimeters over him and collided into the force field behind. Once it had passed Gerik quickly snapped back to attention and drew his sword.
"Apparently we'll be doing this the hard way," Gerik said, his voice as if he was relishing the battle to come.
"We're not children anymore," Zelda said as she stood defiantly before him. "You will not find me such an easy target."
Zelda immediately assumed a battle stance, her right arm stretched out before her and her left tucked back toward her. Her body began to glow, and in one bright flash it ended. Gerik looked at Zelda and smirked. Her dress was gone. In it's place Zelda wore a blue, skin tight one piece suit complete with a silver chest plate, spaulders, and vambraces. Her hair was tied back, and with a calm, cold movement she beckoned Gerik to attack.
"Well, this certainly promises to be interesting," Gerik said as he assumed a battle stance, both hands gripping his sword out before him and a gleam in his eye.
Zelda just stood there, waiting for him to make his first move. She didn't have to wait long as Gerik charged at her full speed, his sword ready to strike. It was obvious he was going to hold nothing back. Zelda quickly launched several fireballs from her hands, but Gerik sidestepped them easily. He jumped over the last fireball and then came down upon Zelda who quickly back flipped out of danger timing it just right so that Gerik's sword missed her, yet her feet caught him under the chin as she flipped.
Zelda came out of her flip and immediately assumed a defensive stance. As she watched Gerik sail backwards through the air, she saw him reach behind and pull out what appeared to be several small, black capsules. Gerik tossed the capsules scattering them across the battlefield, and as soon as they hit the ground each capsule began to release a steady stream of thick smoke. The entire area within the force field became filled in seconds, clouding all vision. The smoke was so dense that Zelda couldn't even see her own outstretched hand before her.
Link sailed through the air, his body slamming with a bone-crunching force into the wall on the opposite side of the Queen Fairy's Fountain before falling into a heap on the floor. His sword and shield landed beside him, his grip on them having been lost with the hit. Pain like never before ripped through Link's body. It took all that Link could muster just to keep himself conscious.
As Link tried to get his wind back, he could hear the Light Serpent sailing through the air toward him. He didn't have time to wait, the serpent was too fast. His body protesting him the entire way, Link struggled to his knees and looked up. The serpent was nearly on top of him. Quickly, Link managed to grab the Mirror Shield and raise it just in time.
The Light Serpent slammed right into the shield, the force of the hit slamming Link into the wall behind. The serpent continued to push, pinning Link between it and the wall, which to Link's surprise he could swear was beginning to buckle slightly behind him. Link screamed in pain, but he didn't have the strength to push the serpent off of him.
Link had to think of something fast, otherwise he would be crushed to death. His sword was out of reach, and he was pinned so tightly that he was unable to grab any of his other items. He needed to push this creature off of him somehow, but more importantly he needed time to breath, to think. There was only one thing he could think of, the power of Naryu's Love. Unfortunately, Link could barely stay conscious let alone concentrate long enough to pull off that spell. Still, he was left with little option.
Link closed his eyes and tried his best to forget about the immense pain wracking his entire body. A sudden warmness began to creep through his body, extending from the inside out. Link embraced that warmness, urging it to spread farther. As Link felt the warmness tingling along his skin, he gathered what strength he had left and pushed.
Instantly, a blue, diamond-shaped shield formed around Link, pushing the Light Serpent back. With the pressure released, Link slumped forward to the ground. The shield remained, but Link knew it wouldn't be for long. He hadn't had that much strength when he cast it, so it wouldn't be long before it failed. Still, it bought what Link most desperately needed, time.
Zelda didn't dare move a muscle. She couldn't risk making even the slightest sound, lest give away her position to Gerik. Still, Gerik had the advantage. He was trained to strike from the shadows; this was his environment. Not all was lost, however. Zelda was vulnerable, yes, but not defenseless. She may have been visually blind, but not completely blind. Gerik wasn't the only one with tricks up his sleeve.
Without hesitation, Zelda began to pool her magic which she then sent out invisibly along the ground from her feet and in a large arc around herself from the rest of her body. Gerik would neither be able to feel nor sense this magical aura, but any disruption within it would instantly be noticed by Zelda. She would still need fast reflexes to avoid harm, but this was far less exhaustive and required much less energy than a full blown shield.
She soon felt it, a humanoid disruption, but it wasn't coming from the ground. Somehow, Gerik's movements and reflexes were so swift that he didn't disturb the ground a bit. That certainly answered how it was impossible to track Sheikah. But Gerik couldn't hide his movements from the aura surrounding Zelda. She could feel his movements from the disruptions as he came at her raising his sword to bring down upon her.
Zelda had little time as she spun around blocking Gerik's strike with her vambrace. The blow cracked through the vambrace, but luckily only the very edge of the sword came into contact with Zelda's arm, causing a small trickle of blood to seep out. Gerik smiled when he saw the thin, red line flow down his blade. He had drawn first blood, and he was enjoying it.
Zelda just stared in disgust before pushing back his blade and somersaulting backwards to put distance between her and Gerik. By now most of the smoke had cleared, only a thin veil remaining. Zelda raised her wounded arm up to examine it, but never did she take her eyes of Gerik. The cut was smaller than she thought and had already ceased bleeding.
"Just give up already Zelda," Gerik said. "You can't beat me. In hand-to-hand combat I'd destroy you, as far as I still know you really have no skill with any sort of weapon, and none of your magic attacks can hit me. Just surrender already."
Zelda's reply came in the form of a concentrated beam of pure energy from the palm of Zelda's hand aimed directly for Gerik's heart. Gerik just shook his head as he nimbly jumped into the air avoiding the attack. Gerik's eyes widened, however, when he noticed Zelda's other hand glowing in a blue light. As Gerik reached the peak of his jump, Zelda flung her glowing hand out sending dozens of small ice daggers speeding toward Gerik.
Unable to dodge them, Gerik raised his arms to protect his face and took the full brunt of the attack. The icy daggers tore their way through his body, causing many scrapes along his arms and legs and several holes in his chest. Gerik collapsed down to the ground where he writhed in pain for a couple seconds as he ripped the daggers that had stuck in his body out.
Zelda didn't wait for him to recover; she couldn't afford to. Before Gerik could get up, Zelda sped toward him with her hands held out to her sides. As she ran, her hands became engulfed in fire. Once she was close enough Zelda leapt into the air and brought her flaming hand down, but Gerik saw it at the last moment and rolled out of the way. Zelda came again, but Gerik quickly hopped to his feet. Zelda threw punch after punch, not stopping till Gerik raised his sword to defend at which point Zelda backed off and her hands returned to normal.
"I may not be able to beat you," Zelda said, smoke rising off her hands as she stood there breathing heavily, "but I can outsmart you."
As soon as those words left her lips, Zelda raised both arms in the air and a bright light engulfed the area. Now that Gerik was blinded Zelda moved in to strike. Gathering energy up in her hands, she prepared for a point-blank shot. Just as she was about to deliver it, Gerik jumped up and over Zelda, drop kicking her from behind and sending her sprawling to the ground as he did so. He had seen the attack coming and protected his eyes from the blinding light.
Zelda quickly got to her hands and knees, but Gerik was already over her. He dealt a swift kick to her mid section sending to back to the ground several feet away. Before Zelda could even move he was upon her again, picking her up by the neck of her suit. Bringing her to eye level, Gerik then proceeded to slap Zelda repeatedly.
"Why . . . won't . . . you . . .give . . . up?" Gerik screamed at her, each word interrupted with another slap to the face.
"Cause I'd rather die a hero than as a disgrace," Zelda managed weakly as her mouth began to fill with blood.
As she said this, Zelda raised her hand up to Gerik's chest, and before he could respond she blasted him. Zelda couldn't summon the strength required to kill him, but she managed to put enough into the blast that it sent him flying to the other side of the force field. Freed from his grasp, Zelda fell to the ground, but she quickly gathered herself and stood up. As she struggled to remain standing, she heard Gerik laughing.
"Now is that really the best you can do Zel?" Gerik asked.
Zel. Zelda's legs nearly collapsed beneath her at the mere mention of the name. She hadn't been called that since she was a little girl, and even then by only one person; the same person she was now fighting against. Tears came to Zelda's eyes, but with them also came a rage, one that Zelda wasn't even aware she had.
"Only one person is allowed to call me that!" Zelda said, her voice filled with same venomous tone as earlier. "You are not that person."
"But I am Gerik," he replied smugly. "I'm the one who used to called that when we were younger. Don't you remember Zel?"
"The Gerik I knew, the Gerik I grew up with, the Gerik I treated as if my own brother, died a year ago. I don't know what you are, but you are not him. You're just an illusion, a trick by Lord Arcana designed to hurt us. The Gerik I knew would never turn his back on Hyrule, on me."
"The Gerik you knew. What did you know about me? You knew me as a child, that's all. I went away to the Lost Woods, remember. You don't know what I saw, what I did, who I became. What if I were to tell you that I've been with Lord Arcana since the beginning? Don't you find it odd, how I happened to return when Lord Arcana launched his invasion a year ago. He and I both supposedly died, but yet here we are alive and well."
All color drained from Zelda's face. "No . . . no . . . it can't be true. It's . . . it's a lie!"
"Not so confident, are we? Well I'm not saying it is true, but I'm not saying it's not either. But it does make you think. A lot of what I said makes sense."
Instead of weakening her resolve as Gerik had hoped, his words had he opposite effect. Zelda just looked up, and stared straight at Gerik with her deathly gaze.
"If that is so," Zelda said, her voice calm, "than no longer are you the man I once called friend. This ends here and now. You shall pay for your treasons, and for the murder of my father."
With her words still hanging in the air, Zelda closed her eyes and, as she began to focus all her energy, slammed her hands together in front of her. Gerik didn't recognize the hand movement, but as soon as he saw Zelda beginning to glow in a golden light, his eyes widened and fear spread through his body like wildfire.
"Oh crap!" he shouted to himself. "That's the Heaven's Light!"
Gerik was too far away to reach Zelda in time before she finished casting the spell, but she was still vulnerable and he still had an opportunity. Quickly he pulled out several daggers and wasted neither time nor effort in tossing them at Zelda. The daggers sped through the air, but before they could hit her they collided with some invisible force and fell to the ground at Zelda's feet. Gerik just stood in shock. Zelda had apparently learned to put a shield up around herself when performing the Heaven's Light.
The spell ready, Zelda thrust out her arms and an aura of golden light spread forth from her at remarkable speed. Gerik just smiled and laughed though. He wasn't subject to the same rules as Zelda, and since he was one of Lord Arcana's minions he could pass through the force field at any time. Wasting no effort, Gerik teleported himself directly outside the force field as the golden aura passed over the spot he had just been standing in.
The golden aura continued to expand, consuming the entire area within the force field and then coming into contact with it. Sparks of great power began to surge across where the two forces met. The pure light of the Heaven's Light and the pure darkness of the force field battled against one another. The energy between the two polar spells soon became too great, and it exploded blinding all of Hyrule in an intense light.
When it was over, the force field had been destroyed, and Zelda lay unconscious upon the ground. Gerik sheathed his sword and then walked casually over to Zelda's still form. Had the spell hit, Gerik would've been vaporized. Instead it left Zelda completely drained and ripe for the picking.
As Gerik bent down and scooped Zelda up into his arms, the drawbridge to Hyrule Market slammed down and dozens of soldiers rushed out. To Gerik's delight he saw Navi leading them. He waited till they were close enough that he could see Navi's face, and the look of complete horror upon it. He waited until he was positive she was staring right at him, and then flashed her a grin before tossing a Deku Nut and he and Zelda vanished from sight.
Link struggled to his feet and stumbled over to where his sword was. It was a time like this he wished Navi or Zelda was there to give him a quick healing spell. The Light Serpent remained sailing through the air, not once attempting to attack Link while Naryu's Love was still surrounding him. With sword back in hand Link wiped the blood coming from his mouth and then sheathed his sword. He took out his bow instead, and readied an arrow for when his shield failed.
He didn't have to wait long as the shield was already beginning to waver. Once it had collapsed Link quickly drew his bow and fired. The arrow passed right through the Light Serpent as if it were air. Link cursed, but didn't falter. He knew he couldn't afford to. He quickly readied another arrow, but now the Light Serpent was coming straight at him, it's giant maw wide open and teeth bared.
Since a regular arrow didn't work, Link transformed this one into a Fire Arrow and fired. This one sailed up and straight through the Light Serpent's mouth, but it had as much success as the first. With the Light Serpent quickly closing the gap between the two, Link readied another arrow and transformed it into an Ice Arrow. He released, but one again the arrow did nothing. Since this was a creature of pure Light, Link didn't try a Light Arrow. He just dove out of the way as the Light Serpent crashed into the ground where Link had been standing mere seconds before.
Not wasting the opportunity, Link drew his sword and lunged at the Light Serpent. He made a long vertical slash along the serpent's body, but his sword passed harmlessly through the light. Not willing to believe what he just saw, Link slashed again and again, each time getting the same result. As Link was doing this, the Light Serpent brought it's tail up behind Link, and while he was distracted it quickly wrapped it's tail around Link, lifted him off the ground, and flung him into one the still standing columns, which immediately toppled upon impact.
As Link freed himself from the rubble, he was at a loss. No weapon he had could harm this thing, and its power was immense. Link couldn't even understand why it was here in the first place, or why it was trying to kill him. The sound of rushing air caused Link to look up and he saw the Light Serpent flying around the ceiling of the cave, readying itself for another strike.
As Link stood there at a complete loss of what to do, he remembered exactly what happened when the Light Serpent had appeared. Thinking back, it had showed no aggressive act, just simply asked who he was. It had been Link who had drawn his sword and shield in assumption of the worst, an act which could have been interpreted as an act of aggression.
Link looked up again. The Light Serpent had finished its revolution and was now on another crash-dive attack aimed straight at him. Link had an idea though. It was crazy, and if it failed he would most assuredly die, but if he didn't try he was dead anyway. As the Light Serpent quickly closed the gap, Link stepped out of the rubble and stood firmly. Link then tossed the Biggoron Sword and Mirror Shield to the ground and flung his arms out to his sides, leaving himself completely vulnerable.
"My name is Link," he shouted to the creature, "and I am the Hero of Time!"
The Light Serpent came to a complete stop mere inches away from Link's face. It turned its head slightly, as if studying Link. Then, the Light Serpent simply turned away from Link and flew over toward the fountain, nose-diving right into it. As the last of its tail entered the fountain, a wave of myriad colors came out of the fountain and washed over the entire area. To Link's bewilderment, the Queen Fairy's Fountain began to repair itself.
As if time were reversing itself, Link watched as the crumbled columns pieced themselves back together and stand fully erect once more. Not one single crack could be found in any of them. The fountain itself began to seal its own cracks as the remains of the goddess's statues floated up and took their rightful places around the golden Triforce, whose bright, shining color had returned. Water now began to flow from the six statues standing behind the fountain, and as the magical waters entered the basin Link watched in wonderment as the cave walls once again became full of magic and color.
Link now walked hesitantly up to the fountain, and as he did so the torches on either side burst into flame, completing the restoration of the fountain. Link then heard a sound in the water, and looking up he saw a young woman rising from the fountain, and he just stood in awe of her beauty. Appearance wise, she didn't look much older than Link, in fact she looked even younger. She had a small, round face with eyes a deep sea of blue. Long, soft, forest green hair flowed from her head covering her bare breasts, of which she was amply endowed. In fact, only a small cloth along her waist was the only clothing covering her silky skin.
"Welcome Hero of Time," the young woman said in a melodious voice while smiling with childlike glee. "I am Minerva, the Queen of the Fairies."