Ghirahim led Link and Zelda into a massive circular room made of white stone and supported by columns circling the inner perimeter. The ceiling contained panes of glass and mirrors, which illuminated the room with sunlight in ever-changing patterns. There was a small shallow moat of water surrounding the outer columns, and it was constantly circulating due to the presence of small fountains that were continuously spewing crystal clear water. It was the most beautiful room Link had ever seen, certainly rivaling anything in Hyrule Castle. The most striking feature of the room by far was the large half-wall near the back. It contained a cutout in the shape of the Triforce. Link realized that the entire room was designed specifically to house the Triforce.
"It looks like you intended this to be a permanent home for the Triforce" said Link. "That's not quite what I was led to believe."
"Oh?" Ghirahim raised an eyebrow.
"So when you said that I would be the one to wield the Triforce, you were lying?"
Ghirahim grinned wickedly. "Of course I lied. A sensible person would have figured that out, but not you. Oh no, you were too blinded by your concern for your Queen. You would have done anything to save her, even if it meant walking right into a trap and bringing me the complete Triforce."
Link felt his hand with the Triforce go numb. He held it up to look at it. The golden triangle on the back of his hand suddenly escaped from his skin. The light flew toward the wall with the Triforce-shaped cutout on the wall. The small golden triangle grew massively in size until it reached its true size and inserted itself into one of the triangle cutouts in the mold. Link looked over at Zelda just in time to see her piece of the Triforce stolen from her as well. Ghirahim laughed maniacally as he held up his hand to show Link and Zelda his Triforce of Power.
"I think I will hold onto my piece for now" said Ghirahim. "It saddens me to say that I cannot wield the full Triforce. I don't know what attributes I lack, but I don't have the balance required to use it. But that's fine. My master does. That's right, you fools! My master lives! The Demon King Demise will claim the Triforce and use it to dominate the world. But I will still keep my promise to allow you safe passage back to Hyrule."
Ghirahim flung his hand out and a large golden-brown disc appeared. "Enter this portal and you will be safely back in Hyrule Castle. So long as you don't interfere with my master's plans, you will be left in peace."
Link took Zelda's hand and looked into her eyes. "He has the Triforce, my Queen" said Link. "We have no choice. We will have to live with whatever comes next, but at least we will be together." A tear streamed down Zelda's cheek. She nodded her understanding. Link led her to the portal and then stepped back to allow her to enter first. Once Zelda was safely through, Link threw a punch as hard as he could. His fist connected with Ghirahim's face and knocked him off his feet. The portal instantly closed. "Goodbye, my Zelda" whispered Link. "I have to stay behind for this."
Ghirahim slowly stood up. His eyes were brimming with rage. "You stupid kid!" screamed Ghirahim. "I gave you your chance. Now I'm going to enjoy carving you up!" Ghirahim snapped his fingers and a long black curved sword appeared in his hand. Link responded by drawing the Master Sword. Ghirahim lunged towards Link and slashed at him with the black sword. Link narrowly parried the attack. Seeing an opening, Link pressed the counterattack, but Ghirahim was too fast for Link to make contact with his sword.
Ghirahim grinned as he easily dodged Link's sword slashes. Link was barely able to block Ghirahim's slashes. He eventually started to tire, but Ghirahim seemed to have unlimited energy. Suddenly Ghirahim pressed his palm against Link's chest and shoved him back.
"I admit you are the greatest opponent I have ever fought" said Ghirahim. "But now I must put an end to this and deal with more important matters. Goodbye, Link."
Ghirahim leaped backwards several times until he was a good distance from Link. He sneered as he crouched low, like a wolf preparing to pounce. Thoughts of a wolf pouncing gave Link an idea. He frantically searched his mind for the mortal draw technique. He knew what he had to do. He stood up straight and sheathed his sword. "Facing your death with dignity then?" remarked Ghirahim. "Well, you die either way."
Ghirahim charged forward. He ran faster than any man Link had ever seen. He was nothing more than a blur as he practically flew across the massive room. Link waited for the just the proper instant. When Ghirahim was almost upon him, Link quickly drew his sword and plunged in through Ghirahim's chest. Ghirahim's eyes widened. He was still alive.
Link summoned strength he didn't know he had as he threw Ghirahim through the air. As Ghirahim's back hit the heavy wooden door and started to bounce off of it, Link threw the Master Sword. This time, it pierced Ghirahim's neck and pinned him to the door. As Ghirahim struggled to unpin himself, Link grabbed the bow he had slung over his back. He quickly nocked an arrow and let it fly. The arrow unexpectedly began glowing with a golden light as it flew through the air. Link recognized this as a light arrow, the same kind used by Zelda in their fight against Ganondorf. He immediately fired another light arrow, and then another. Ghirahim's dying gasps escaped his lips before Link filled his body with light arrows.
Link walked over to Ghirahim and grabbed the hilt of his Master Sword. Suddenly, Ghirahim's eyes snapped open. "My master comes!" wailed the seemingly dead Ghirahim. Link pulled the Master Sword free. Ghirahim's body hit the floor and immediately began dissolving into a black mist. The mist soon recompiled itself in the shape of a gigantic black sword. Link stabbed the pommel of the sword with his Master Sword. It dissolved once again into mist, but this time the mist was absorbed into the Master Sword, as it had once been done many centuries before.
Link watched as the Triforce of Power began to rise from where Ghirahim had once been. Link stretched out his hand to touch the Triforce of Power, but it suddenly flew away from him. It turned into a ball of light and flew right through the stone walls of the room. Link knew it was being returned to Ghirahim's master, the true owner of the Triforce of Power.
Link realized what he had to do. "I need the strength for one final fight" he said. "Come to me now!" He heard heavy breathing behind him. He turned around and saw a golden wolf sitting on its hind legs. The wolf stood up and adopted an aggressive posture. Link held up his sword as the wolf pounced.
His vision momentarily went white and when he was able to see again, he was standing in a snowy land. The Hero's Shade was standing in front on him. The Hero's Shade was an animated skeleton. He was all that remained of Link's distant ancestor, whose soul had remained attached to the mortal realms in order to pass on his knowledge to one worthy of it. He was wearing a metal helmet and carrying a sword and a large circular shield.
"I understand you have need of me once more" said the Hero's Shade. "Tell me then, what is it exactly that you wish to gain from me?"
"Your courage" replied Link. "I will soon face the most powerful being the world has seen in centuries. I need your courage."
"I see" replied the shade. "It is only proper. Courage is defined by action. It comes from facing one's fears. I have long feared the day when my scant existence would be no more. I have held on to the mortal realms long past my time because I was filled with regret, filled with resentment, and filled with fear. I can pass along my courage to you only by first demonstrating it myself. Strike me down, Link! End my existence so that I may fulfill a greater purpose!"
Link nodded. He felt a sharp pang of regret as he lifted the Master Sword up high. "Farewell my friend" he said softly. With a mighty force, Link brought the Master Sword down on top of the shade's helmet. His sword cut through the helmet and cleaved the shade's skull in two. Its skeletal body exploded into dust. The shade's ancient sword levitated off the ground. Link shoved the tip of the Master Sword against this sword just as he had done with the large black sword that Ghirahim had turned into. The essence of this sword was absorbed into the Master Sword as well.
Link found himself back in the room in Ghirahim's palace with the incomplete Triforce. He raised the Master Sword to his eyes. It contained the essences of Ghirahim, Fi, and now the Hero's Shade. Power, wisdom, and courage resided in his blade. He was ready for whatever challenge was prepared for him next.
"There you are" said a familiar voice from behind him. Link spun around and came face-to-face with Zelda. Link gasped in shock. "How did you get here?" he asked.
"It was the strangest thing" replied Zelda. "A golden wolf appeared. It didn't speak but I heard its voice in my mind. It asked if I would like to return to you. I agreed. It suddenly pounced on me, and the next thing I knew, I was here. You appeared moments later."
"But why did you come back?" asked Link.
"I know what you are going to do" she said. "You plan to face Demise, but I refuse to let you do that alone. You are the love of my life and I will not abandon you. Even if it means that we both die today, I will stay by your side to the very end."