Kari longed for the days of his youth when life was simple. Back then, his days consisted of training and studying, all in preparation for when he would one day lead the village in his father's place. Sharlo had been a harsh man and a strict father, but he was not without his good traits too. He was always willing to share his knowledge and often took time out of his busy schedule to spar with him. Of course, with the war, there were many times his father was away on missions and he was left to his own devices. Even then, Kari never had any shortage of books to study. In his own way, Sharlo had cared for him by pushing him both physically and mentally. That training had often proven useful.
Now all his training was about to be tested against the man who had taught him. During the war, the enemy had always been easily defined. This time, the line between friend and foe was so blurry that it seemed impossible to distinguish one from the other.
Why did it have to come to this? It didn't make any sense! Why would his own father be willing to kill him so easily? Wasn't this the same man who had given up everything in order to keep his only son alive?
His indecision was paralyzing! Kari glanced in Midna's direction. She suffered from no such doubt. Her red eyes watched Sharlo's movements carefully. Her hands sparked with magic, ready to strike the instant the villain came too close.
"Kari, snap out of it! He's heading towards us!" she yelled in his direction.
Sharlo withdrew his signature daggers and hastened his approach. The look of resolution on his face was one of a man who had committed to a decision with full knowledge of the consequences. He had no intent to alter that decision. Still, Kari had to find a way if they were both to remain alive.
"I see him," Kari replied.
"It's two against one," Midna said aggressively. "We should attack together so we can end this quickly. The real enemy still lingers up ahead."
Kari felt a lump catch in his throat. "I agree this should end quickly. But not with my father's death."
Midna scowled. "We'll see about that. There are many crimes he still has to atone for."
Sharlo rushed at them, his daggers scraping against the tile ground as he approached. Kari launched a gust of wind at the man. Sharlo deftly side-stepped it, losing little momentum in the process.
Suddenly, his leg caught on something that made him stumble forward. It felt like someone had fastened an iron chain around it. Sharlo looked down to discover Midna had ensnared him with a portion of her magic. He scoffed.
"Do you really think this will hold me?" the usurper king asked. "I'll show you what I'm capable of."
He called forth an orb of dark energy to launch at the Twilight Princess. Or rather he tried to, but the dark energy he sought never came.
He scowled. This wasn't supposed to happen. He had never had this trouble before. What made this fight any different?
He attempted to teleport out of her grasp but encountered the same difficulty. Did Midna figure out a way to disable his magic?
Kari rushed at him. Sharlo readied his blades to block his son's attack. Instead, a sharp gust of wind hit the man in the gut and blasted him into a nearby wall.
The impact forced the air out of Sharlo's lungs. He had precious little time to gain his bearings before his son was upon him. He barely managed to block Kari's kick aimed for his chest.
"Stop this foolishness, Kari! You're only making this harder on both of us!" Sharlo yelled as he went on the offensive. His dagger sliced towards Kari's shoulder but found only air.
"I never wanted this! This is your doing entirely!" Kari replied. The wind tamer dodged another slash and countered with a kick to Sharlo's side. The impact sent the villain staggering back a step. "I would gladly stop if you would listen instead of attacking me."
Sharlo gasped for breath. He attempted to teleport away again. Once again, his power failed him.
"I do this only because I must," he replied.
"And why's that, Father? Why do we have to fight each other like this?" Kari screamed as he followed up with another punch. Sharlo side-stepped it and readied his blade. "Why are you still helping Mudora?"
"I'm doing this for you!" the Twili yelled back as he thrust his dagger forward with all his might. The Sheikah effortlessly slipped by the attack.
"Doing this for me? Like everything else you've done? Look at how that turned out!"
"You foolish child! You wouldn't be alive right now if it weren't for my sacrifices!"
Sharlo held out his hand to summon another burst of dark energy, but nothing materialized. A shiver ran down his spine as sweat dripped down his brow. Something was definitely wrong. Realizing the battle was turning against him, he slashed wildly and erratically in Kari's direction at anything close enough to be cut.
The slashes came so quick and so randomly that Kari had to use small, dense currents of air to redirect his father's blades. There was something odd about the way his father's current fighting style. He rarely fought so wildly and erratically. He saw something in his father's expression he had never seen before.
Panic.
"Sacrifices?" Kari ducked as a blade whirled above his head. "Your sacrifices are what destroyed Kasuto! Your sacrifices are what put us here in the first place!" A side-step avoided a thrust aimed at his chest. "If you would just listen, maybe we could change all that."
Sharlo lunged for Kari but never reached him. A ring of shadow magic ensnared his body. Midna, with fury in her eyes, hurled the villain through the air and straight into a wall. He grunted as his body crashed into the hard structure without mercy. His head began to spin and his nose began to drip blood. His weapons dropped to the ground.
"Your sacrifices…Zant…are what destroyed my kingdom!" She whisked her hand through the air, slamming him helplessly into yet another wall. A sickening crack rang out the impact broke his nose. More blood drizzled down his mouth and cheeks. "I won't rest until you pay for every last Twili you killed!" She slammed him into a third wall.
"Midna! Stop!" Kari yelled, shooting her a menacing glare "You'll kill him if you keep this up!"
Midna brushed his remark aside. "That was my intent. This man deserves death." Sharlo struggled to free himself from her magic. He couldn't seem to break it. He was helpless as Midna slammed him into yet another wall.
Kari jumped across the room and landed in front of Midna. He shoved her back, breaking her hold on Sharlo's body. The usurper king fell bloody and exhausted to the floor.
The wind tamer glared at the Shadow Sage with venom in his eyes. "Midna, stand down."
Midna's eyes widened. "Are you threatening me? Whose side are you on?"
As Sharlo watched the two argue amongst with one another, he slowly got to his feet. His body was badly bruised and his face was bloody from the consecutive impacts. His breathing came in ragged spurts and his legs shook with the effort it took to lift his weight. His son's idealism was buying him precious time to rest. He desperately needed it so he could analyze the situation and come up with a plan.
It was clear that something was wrong with his powers. After several failed attempts to both teleport and launch projectiles, Sharlo realized it was no mere coincidence. It had to be Mudora's doing. The deity had given him a portion of his power in the first place to create the Fused Shadows and eventually serve him. Given Sharlo's disdain for the deity and the fact he was no longer useful, it was no surprise Mudora had taken back his power.
Without that power, Sharlo knew he had no chance against these two. But if he didn't kill Kari, then Mudora would have him. That was an outcome he could not live with. He would have to think of something to prevent that from happening.
Kari stepped towards Midna, puffing out his chest. "I know he's hurt you, Midna. Trust me… he's ruined my life too. But he was a good man before Mudora ensnared him. I know my father better than anyone, and I know there is still good inside him."
Midna scowled. "Kari, I don't know why you insist on this 'father' nonsense, but I really don't care either. We're in a war. This man is with the enemy and needs to die."
Kari held the Wind Waker before her eyes. "If you attempt to kill him without my consent, then you will have me to contend with. Are you willing to risk your life for that vendetta?"
Midna threw her arms in the air. "Of course, how could I forget? Why are we trying to kill him when I can just give him flowers and chocolate? Once he's had a good cry and a soothing back rub, he'll turn from his evil ways and do whatever we ask."
The Sheikah's eyes brightened. "Do you really think that'll work?" He read the anger in her eyes and quickly felt stupid for asking. His gaze narrowed. "Listen, Midna. I'm willing to risk my life for this. Are you willing to risk yours by opposing me? If we can get my father to help us, then we have a much better chance of beating Mudora." His gaze hardened. "This is the last time I'll ask. Stand down and let me handle this. Or else."
Midna leered at him. Kari returned the challenge. Her hands sizzled with magic. His hand was just a flick away from summoning a windstorm. Even Sharlo could feel the tension between them.
"You better know what you're doing." Midna said, looking away. Her arms slowly returned to her sides. "I guess I'll study the patterns on the walls while you and Zant have your father to son chat." She walked to a nearby wall and leaned against it, crossing her arms with a resigned huff. "Just don't do anything stupid."
Kari let out a sigh of relief and turned to face his father. Sharlo shook his head in disappointment.
"You won't let her kill me? How many times have I taught you to never show mercy to the enemy? Do you really think Mudora will allow such weakness? You'll be in his clutches before you even realize it." He looked around and spotted his weapons on the floor nearby. "That's why I must kill such weakness before he can use it."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Kari asked, following his father's gaze to both daggers.
Sharlo walked casually in the direction of his weapons. His path was unsteady as the room spun around him. "Mudora has been playing us all for fools this entire time. You'll be falling right into his hands if you go to him as you are." He shook his head. "I can't allow that to happen. I would rather kill you myself then let that monster have you."
Kari's eyes narrowed. "Trap or not, I have to stop Mudora." He walked to intercept his father's path to the daggers lying on the ground.
Sharlo sneered. "Then this conversation has gone nowhere. I won't let you pass and you refuse to back down. Only one of us will leave here alive."
"Is that how it has to be?" Kari asked.
"I'm afraid so."
Both father and son raced for the nearby weapons. Seeing that Sharlo would reach them first, Kari blew the daggers across the room with a strong gust of wind. Sharlo watched them slide across the floor and well out of reach, gently hitting the opposite wall before coming to a stop.
He turned to his son. He would have to use hand-to-hand combat instead.
Kari struck with a drop kick. Sharlo caught the kick and prepared to counter, but a gust of wind in his gut blew him back, breaking his grip. The Sheikah punched and jabbed, a gust of wind following every attack. The constantly changing wind threw Sharlo off rhythm, making it difficult to anticipate Kari's movements. Still, he was able to block most of the attacks. Eventually, the Sheikah finally scored an upper cut to Sharlo's jaw.
Kari's father staggered back, holding his jaw with his hand. "You've gotten better. I can't read your movements so easily."
Kari scowled. "You're the one who chastised me not to announce my attacks."
"It's about time you started heeding my instruction." He scowled. "It's a shame you're too weak to kill me."
"Killing you would accomplish nothing. This fight is pointless," Kari said. "You are clearly outmatched. If you won't join us, then at least let us pass. I beg of you."
Sharlo cursed inwardly. So Kari had come to the same conclusion. They both knew he couldn't win. But what other option did he have? Perhaps…
The Twili shook his head. "I already told you I can't surrender. If I do, then I've failed in my duty as the Wind Waker and as your father."
Kari scowled. "What does that mean?"
"I've already told you that Mudora intends to use you for some sort of ritual he's planning. What sort of father would I be if I let you walk unknowingly into that trap, allowing Mudora to realize his ambitions of destroying all that is good in life?" He looked down at the ground. "This is entirely my fault, Kari. I'm sorry…but the only way I can save you from that fate and redeem myself is to kill you. Once I succeed, then I will join you in the afterlife."
Kari shook his head. "Father, if you wish to redeem yourself and stop Mudora, then join us! There is still good inside of you! You can help us fight him!"
Sharlo laughed cynically. "Do you really think this world is so forgiving? I have walked in darkness far too long to have any chance of redeeming myself." He glared at Midna as she approached the two of them. "Besides, I doubt that whore would approve of working with me."
Kari lowered the Wind Waker, a sign he was no longer interested in fighting. He knew this was now a battle of the mind and heart. "Father, you once taught me that feeling sorry for myself would get me nowhere. That I had to look at the solution instead of the problem. Those words have helped me many times."
The wind tamer sighed. "Now I repeat those words for your sake. You are wallowing in self-pity when you could be a part of the solution. If you truly care for me as much as you claim, then stop fighting against me and work with me for a change. Stop trying to run my life and let me lead for a change. You claim to have taught me well. Now let me prove it."
Sharlo lowered his gaze. "I remember telling you that many times."
Kari stepped forward. "Then maybe it's time you listened to those words instead! I need you now more than ever!"
Sharlo looked down at the ground lost in thought. Kari could see the conflicting emotions raging inside him. His eyes were like a window to his soul, displaying the battle between light and dark raging within.
The Twili let out a forced smile. "Fine. If you think this old man can really redeem himself, I will join you." He looked towards the Twilight Princess. "I won't like working with her, but I'll do it for you."
Midna rose to her feet. "I don't believe this!"
Kari looked back triumphantly. "See? And you doubted me?"
She shot him a dirty glare. "I trust you. I don't trust him. I've seen what he's capable of."
Sharlo looked towards the two daggers in the corner. "Am I allowed to have my weapons?"
"Absolutely not!" Midna said, walking briskly to claim the weapons for herself. "I may be forced to trust you, but I'm certainly not going to stand by as you stab us in the back!"
The thought hadn't occurred to Kari until now. He nodded his agreement. "I think it is best to be cautious, Father. You did try and kill us. We will give you your weapons once we face Mudora."
Sharlo nodded absentmindedly. "I suppose I would do the same in your place." He pointed to the beam of light on the dais at the end of the room. "Mudora is just through that passageway. There's no telling what awaits us there, but we should hurry. There may not be much time left."
The three began walking towards it, knowing the final battle was nearly upon them. As they approached it, Sharlo was unusually quiet, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. Midna kept a close eye on the man every step of the way, making no effort to hide her displeasure. Kari paid heed to neither of them. He had to focus on the task at hand. Without Link's help, it fell to him to fight Mudora.
His mind raced with worries and uncertainty on what lay ahead. Once they passed through the gate to the top of the tower, there would be no turning back. They would finally face Mudora once and for all. Perhaps his father was right and he was walking into a trap. But what choice did he have? He had come too far and sacrificed too much to turn back now.
It pained him to know that no matter what happened, he wouldn't return. If they won this war, he would not be there to enjoy the fruits of their victory or celebrate their hard-earned freedom. He would be among the fallen, mourned by Link and the others, and probably forgotten by history.
But that was as it should be. The age he truly belonged to had passed away long ago. He longed to be reunited with his old friends: Akime, Impa, and the Midna of his own time. He smiled as he thought of them eagerly awaiting his return in the afterlife.
Kari saw his father move out of the corner of his eye. Midna jerked forward as well. Something was wrong. He snapped out of his thoughts.
There was no time to think. Only to react. He summoned the power of the Wind Waker and turned around, unleashing the power of the Command Melody on the shadow behind him. With all the power he could command, he shattered the mental barriers of his foe and assumed complete control.
Sharlo's knife hovered only inches from Kari's throat. If he had reacted any slower, death would've greeted him. His father must've had another weapon hidden for such a purpose. Now he was paralyzed, completely overwhelmed by Kari's spell. Midna had tried to stop him, but now she realized there was no need. Her mouth hung open as she took in the scene.
"What did you do?" she asked.
"I've taken over his mind. I control it and his body for the time being."
"I've seen too many things to ask how you're doing that." She looked at the paralyzed man. "But how did you react so quickly?"
The wind tamer shrugged his shoulders. "I grew up during a time of war. You survive by trusting and acting on your instincts."
She nodded absently. As the shock slowly wore off, an angry scowl jumped on her face. "He tried to kill you! Don't you think you should've listened to me from the start?"
Kari sighed. "Actually, Midna, I did listen to you. To be honest, I was so happy to see my father cooperate that I didn't think it could be a trick. Your suspicions helped plant the seed of doubt in my mind, even if I didn't know it until now. Without your council, my body wouldn't have been prepared for the worst."
Midna rolled her eyes. "Now you decide to listen to me." She folded her arms. "Well, what do we do with him now? At this point, I wouldn't even trust him to clean out the toilets in my palace."
"We do what you suggested from the start. We put him out of his misery."
The Twili arched a brow. "Are you sure? You were…"
"I know what I said earlier," Kari interrupted, "but my father has made his choice clear. I held out hope for him, but I can do so no longer. Not after what he just attempted." He looked at her intently. "As much as it pains me, justice must be done."
Midna looked at the daggers in her arms. "Are you suggesting I do it?"
The Sheikah nodded. "You need to do this more than I do. Besides, I don't think I can bring myself to perform the act. Simply watching will be hard enough."
The Twili nodded. "I understand." She looked at the paralyzed Twili. "My people and I have waited for this for so long. Thank you, Kari."
She took Zant's dagger in her hand and walked solemnly to the weapon's owner. She looked him in the eyes. There was no conscious recognition of her as he was still under Kari's spell. It was hard to believe this man had caused so much pain and devastation. Her people would never recover from his actions. All she could do was ensure that no one else would suffer by his hand.
She looked to the dagger and then to Zant. Her grip on the weapon tightened as she took a deep breath. Images of her slaughtered people filled her mind, strengthening her resolve. With that anger driving her hand, she plunged the blade into his chest.
"This is for my people," she whispered.
The man gasped as both his consciousness and the pain rushed through his body. Kari had released the spell. Midna withdrew the blade, causing him to keel over. She looked at the bloody weapon and cast it aside.
"What…what have you done?" Sharlo whispered.
Kari looked away. "Father, I'm sorry it had to end this way. But you gave me no other choice."
Sharlo coughed up blood as the pain took hold of his body. "You saw through my deception?"
Kari looked back at his father and nodded. "You taught me to never let my guard down, not even for a second."
"Then why did you still let me get close?"
The wind tamer sighed. "Because I've learned a far more valuable lesson, the lesson of hope and redemption. I was given a second chance when I didn't deserve it. I wanted to offer you that same chance, even though I knew you wouldn't take it."
"I see." Sharlo nodded, grabbing his chest as the blood poured from the open wound. "Then redeem my mistakes by stopping Mudora. I mistook your forgiveness for weakness. I was wrong. You are ready to face him after all."
"Then why did you try so hard to kill me?"
His words came slower as the shock set in. "I had…to test that you were ready. If…if you weren't, then I had to kill you. Mudora can't have you."
Midna looked towards the beam of light that led to the final confrontation. "Kari, we should go. For all we know, this bag of trash could be trying to stall us."
Kari knelt by Sharlo's side. "Father, you've done a lot of stupid things and caused me more pain than I can describe. But you also sacrificed everything to keep me alive when I should've died. For that I'm grateful. I've learned many things and met many wonderful people because of you."
Sharlo smiled to himself. "Then it was worth the pain after all."
Midna rested a hand on Kari's shoulder. "We need to go."
The Twili tried muttering something else, but his strength gave out on him and he was unable to mouth the words.
Kari smiled, wiping away a lone tear from his cheek. "Father, I know. Although your words never said it, I know your heart was in the right place. It grieves me that I will not be able to properly mourn your death. But maybe it's better that way since I have precious little time myself. I hope we meet again soon in the afterlife."
He got up and walked towards the light. "Goodbye, father."
Sharlo watched in silence as Midna and Kari disappeared into the light before his eyes. There were so many thoughts he wanted to convey and yet he couldn't find the words to express him. As it was throughout his life, so it would be near the end of it. As the cold curtain of death slowly crept over him, he gladly embraced it. After years of prolonged suffering in the Twilight from Mudora's curse, he could finally end the pain.
With his last breath, Sharlo uttered the words that he had wanted to tell Kari his whole life. Even if Kari would never hear them, he wanted to be sure they were spoken. Content at last, he fell into death's eternal embrace.
Link's head pounded like he had been hit with the Megaton hammer. His arms, his legs, his entire body felt filled with lead, keeping him firmly pressed to the ground. As he slowly woke from the realm of unconsciousness, a piercing scream sent terror through him.
Zelda!
His eyes shot open and his head lifted off the cold, tiled floor. Ganon and Agahnim stood over the monarch, indulging in her screams of agony like an audience at the theater. Anger flooded through Link's veins as he forced his body to move.
His joints were stiff as stone. His body fought him with every movement. The Master Sword, nearly within reach, never seemed so far away. Despite his conscious effort to move it, his arm remained locked into place like a stick caught beneath a boulder.
A jolt of pain brought the memory back to the hero's mind. Ganon had dislocated his shoulder.
The hero quickly assessed the rest of his injuries. His pants were soaked with blood. The sticky liquid was gathering in small pools on the floor. As he attempted to move his leg, it too stubbornly refused his command by retaliating with a surge of pain.
Link didn't like what he saw. With both an arm and leg unresponsive, how was he supposed to help Zelda? How was he supposed to even get up?
Zelda's screams brought his thoughts spiraling back to reality. His breathing quickened as his heart pounded against his chest. He was wasting valuable time. He looked to the sacred triangles on his hand and refocused on his inner courage. Ganon hadn't yet succeeded. There was still a chance to win this; he just had to focus and think of a plan.
A small ball of light flew around him, filling his body with a tingling sensation. As it flew around him, filling him with a portion of its power, he felt a little stronger, a little more aware of his surroundings. As he caught a better look, he realized it was the fairy he had caught in the Lost Woods. She had saved him; how much longer would he have been unconscious otherwise?
He looked again at his blood-soaked pant leg and realized he hadn't yet examined the wound itself. It would do him no good to bleed to death. He folded the fabric back with his good hand and evaluated the wound. Thanks to the fairy, it wasn't as bad as he thought. There were scars where the trident had punctured him, but the fairy's magic managed to heal the outer skin and stop the bleeding. His tendons and connective tissue were still badly damaged, but at least blood loss was no longer a concern. As the fairy continued to heal him, he steadied himself with his right arm and rose to one knee. He tried to stand but cried out when his leg collapsed from under him.
The noise from his struggle caught Ganon's attention. A sinister grin stretched the pig's snout as he turned away from Zelda and sneered at Link. His hand nursed the earlier wound on his gut that Link had inflicted. Agahnim hovered to his master's side.
"Awake already?" Ganon looked back to Zelda writhing in pain behind him. He looked back to Link. "She didn't wake you with her screaming, did she? I certainly hope so. I want to watch as the color drains from your face when you realize just how hopelessly defeated you really are."
"Only a monster takes pleasure in watching others suffer," Link replied. He did his best to remain calm, but the longer he watched, the more difficult his anger was to control. His face burned scarlet as her screams rang in his ears. He ground his teeth together as he watched her thrash in pain.
Ganon sneered. "You dare to judge me when your hands are stained with blood? From what my spies have told me, you're practically drowning in it." He scoffed. "Or does your heroic status blind others to the fact you murdered a Sheikah in cold blood?"
Link's knuckles turned white. "I've made my share of mistakes, but I've never enjoyed it."
Ganon scowled accusingly. "That's not what I heard. Atrayu told me otherwise."
Link had nearly forgotten that Atrayu had once posed as a mercenary hired by Scorpio. Although she was only faking, he wondered just how much information the shifter had leaked to the thief lord.
"At least I can say I learn from my mistakes. That's more than can be said of you."
Ganon's sneer turned into a scowl. "I've learned from my mistakes as well. That's why I intend to kill you both as soon as I've taken the Triforce for myself." He gestured behind him with the trident. "In the meantime, I'm only giving this whore what she deserves. She and her cursed ancestors have made my people suffer under their wicked regime for too long!"
The hero scowled. "You use what was done to the Gerudo as an excuse to justify your actions. Just like Ganondorf before you. But you both only care about your own selfish ambitions. He died because of it, and you'll soon join him."
"And how will you do that?" Ganon asked, his chest heaving with laughter. "How will you fight me when you can barely stand? How can you possibly hope to withstand my power?"
"I have my ways," Link retorted, reaching frantically through his gear for the gift given to him by the Hero of Time.
The effort of laughing proved too much for the Demon King, sending a wave of pain through his burly body. Although he had the upper hand, the wound on his chest could prove fatal if he wasn't careful. As his hand nursed it, he quickly lost interest in his conversation with the hero.
"I've wasted enough time with this meaningless chatter. I thought you might be a worthy opponent, but you proved to be just as incompetent as the rest." He turned around and limped back to Zelda. "Agahnim, make this fool suffer while I deal with this wench. Be sure to leave him within an inch of his life until I can take his power. I want to deal with him personally."
"Yes, Master," Agahnim replied, all too happy to oblige. His hands crackled with dark power as he slowly walked towards Link. The hero had no doubt Agahnim was mustering some sort of spell to torture him. The magician watched in anticipation as he released the spell and watched it fly straight towards Link.
Link's fingers ripped through his equipment until he finally found the box with the item he was looking for. As he pulled out the box and opened it, he felt the smooth surface of the object inside. Even from a brief touch, he could feel its power tingling through his hand. His ancestor had warned him of the danger such power presented; in his current state, it was doubtful his body would be able to withstand the strain from using it for very long.
But what choice did he have? Ganon had forced his hand. What he had hoped to save for Mudora had to be used now. As the rage flowed through him, he pulled the artifact from its container and placed it on his face. With Agahnim's spell racing towards him, any hesitation could prove fatal.
As soon as it touched his cheek, the mask latched onto his face like a leech. His hands instinctively struggled to rip it off but to no avail. The pain that ripped through his body felt like a lightning strike. He doubled over from the pain, blood-shot eyes widening as the mask consumed both his body and mind. Time itself seemed to freeze.
When the light surrounding him finally faded, Link was no longer in the Tower of the Gods. Soft grass cushioned his blood-covered boots. He appeared to be at the bottom of a large crater. The middle of the crater contained strange circular runes with some sort of black pillar in the middle. A path spiraled up the outer edge of the crater to what looked like a forest at the very top. A large shadow covered the ground, blotting out the moon and a portion of the stars overhead.
Link's jaw dropped as he looked up to the sky. Floating above the forest was what could only be described as a giant clump of land pulled from the earth. The land mass looked big enough to hold a small village; it was no wonder it's shadow consumed everything around him. Stranger yet, the mass seemed to be floating higher, rising at a slow pace as it approached the clouds.
How was such a thing even possible?
"There…it's finally finished," a woman said. Her words were like music against his ears. Yet, she seemed to be struggling for breath. Something wasn't right.
He turned to the woman and froze. She looked just like Zelda!
Her radiant skin was covered with blood and bruises. Her long, golden hair was tattered and uneven. The golden harp she carried beneath her arm was covered with mud. There was no mistaking the familiar gaze of her cerulean eyes. The goddess knelt on the dirty ground struggling for breath. It pained Link to see such beauty blemished by the scars of battle.
"Was that really necessary, Hylia?" Mudora asked. "You're already gravely wounded. Exerting additional stress on your body will only make things worse."
The leader of the sages knelt beside the divine woman. His hands glowed with magic as they hovered just over her shoulders. Worry clouded his features as he sought to assess her injuries.
Hylia looked resolutely at her friend. "I appreciate your concern, Mudora, but my well-being is secondary to the safety of my people. They wouldn't have been safe here, not as long as Demise still lives. We may have imprisoned him for now, but he will return. I fear when that happens, we'll be unable to stop him a second time."
Mudora listened to her wounds as his hands hovered over her back. Link could tell from the growing despondency in his eyes that something was horribly wrong. He soon discovered what it was.
"I…I can't heal you, Hylia. Whatever Demise did to you is beyond my ability. I…I'm sorry."
Although he knew this was a vision from the past, Link found himself speaking before he could think of what to say. "We knew that this was a possibility." Link felt his own weakness beginning to overcome him. He dropped to one knee. "I agree with Hylia. My concern is with the seal. If it breaks, we'll be powerless to stop him."
Mudora glared sharply at him. "How can you be so concerned about the future when you may not survive the night?"
Hylia looked to Link and gave him a slight nod. "I know I will not live to see another day. I suppose this is our last night together. It will certainly be my last night as a goddess."
"And you're okay with that, Hylia? You're okay to leave me, Link, and this world behind after all we've been through? We are the last of our kind!" Mudora protested.
Mudora attempted to try and heal her again, but Hylia gently touched his arm. "It will be okay, Mudora.I believe this is for the best."
His arm slowly dropped. His eyes refused to leave hers. "How can you believe that?"
Hylia looked down at the ground. "I believe if we are to win this war and truly destroy Demise, we must use the Triforce. But as you know, our kind is incapable of using it. In order to protect the people I care about and end this war once and for all, then I must give up my immortality and be reborn as a mortal. Only then can I use the true power of the Triforce to save us."
Link stared at Hylia. "Be reborn as a mortal? Is such a thing even possible?"
Hylia nodded. "I cannot say why, but I believe it is." She sighed. "I admit that the thought scares me though. I do not wish to be alone." She looked at the hero. "Link, I know this is a lot to ask, but I was hoping you would join me. I would greatly appreciate your strength and companionship in this effort."
"But I…" Link stuttered.
"We are both dying," Hylia said firmly. "This is the only way to end this war."
Mudora stood up. "You can't go through with this! How much have we already lost because of Demise and his kind? I won't lose the two of you as well! Besides, how can you possibly hope to stand against him as mortals? We barely survived this battle!"
Link nodded. "He has a fair point."
Hylia looked up the sky. "To be honest, I knew this day might come. Before I sent my people to the sky, I made preparations that will allow us to one day craft a weapon strong enough to defeat Demise." She looked at Link. "All that remains is finding someone worthy of wielding such a weapon." She paused. "Link, you're the only one I can see being up to the task."
Link was silent as he thought over Hylia's words. He realized these were not just the Ancient Hero's memories, but his memories as well. Her plea weighed on his heart as he looked over his wounds. Like her, he wouldn't survive much longer. What choice did he have?
"I'll follow you wherever you go. Even into the unknown."
Mudora clenched his fists until they turned white. "Is this really it? Will you really leave me as the last First Born? After all we've been through together?"
Hylia looked up at the sage with sadness in her eyes. "You are welcome to come with us, Mudora. You are no less important in this struggle."
Her words defused his anger instantly. His fist uncurled as he looked away. He didn't have a response.
Link looked to Hylia. "Before I follow you, I need to seal my power away. There's a chance we'll need it in the future. I'd like to have it available."
The goddess nodded. "A wise idea." She turned to the sage, still lost in thought. "Mudora, what is your decision? I'm afraid we don't have much time."
He looked at her, cool eyes silently evaluating his choices. "What would be the benefit of sacrificing my life? You are both dying, but I am still healthy. There's still a lot I can accomplish in my present form. After all, how long do you intend to remain as mortals?"
Hylia shook her head. "There is no way to know. Such a thing has never been done before."
Mudora looked up at the sky. "Regardless, someone must stay behind and watch over this world until you two are reborn. I will be here to ensure that you have a place to come back to."
"Mudora, are you sure about this?" Link asked.
The sage nodded. "I have mastered the art of patience. I will wait for the both of you." He turned to Link, a look of concern as he observed the severity of his friend's wounds. "If you wish to preserve your power, then we must hurry. I can ready the Song of Healing." He hesitated. "However, if we go through with this, your spirit may become separated from your body. You will likely leave this world sooner than if you succumbed to your wounds. It's possible you will not return to this world again until you are reborn."
Link nodded. "Then so be it. I'm ready." He looked towards Hylia. "I have no idea when we will see each other again, or even if we'll remember each other. But I will always be there for you. That's a promise."
A tear slipped down Hylia's cheek. "Thank you, Link. I'll see you on the other side. Wake me up if you get there first?"
The hero smiled. "Of course. As long as I don't sleep in."
The sage looked away. "I suppose I should get started."
Link looked to the sage. "Thank you, Mudora. Though our methods may differ and we don't always agree, we both really want the same thing: peace. I'm glad that we're friends." Link sighed. "I hope to see you again as well."
"Thank you, Link. I look forward to that day." He began conducting with the Wind Waker. "Now close your eyes…and allow the music to soothe your soul."
As the memory slowly faded, Link realized the power that had been sealed away now flowed through his body.
Agahnim smirked as his spell exploded into Link, covering the hero in smoke and debris. He could imagine the pain surging through Link's body right now. The spell was designed to shock the nerves into paralysis, rendering him helpless while simultaneously torturing him. It was a true masterpiece.
The wizard feared he might've even put a little too much into the spell. It wouldn't bode well to have the Evil King angry at him for killing the hero prematurely. He prepared another spell, slightly weaker in strength, as he waited for the dust to clear. He couldn't wait to see the hero's thrashing on the ground.
When the dust finally cleared, the smirk quickly disappeared from the sorcerer's face. His face turned pale.
The man standing there was not the man Agahnim had seen only a few seconds ago. Instead, the figure belonged to what he could only describe as a demon from the Underworld. Ghostly white hair, covered by a long, sky blue cap, parted at the forehead to reveal an imposing face. Blue and red war paint drew his attention to ghastly white eyes. Those eyes, seemingly incapable of mercy, had no pupils and yet still seemed able to penetrate his soul. This man looked similar to the hero and yet nothing like him. Who was he?
The warrior's celestial-looking chest armor blended perfectly with the tower's celestial architecture; a moon decorated one side while a triangle representing courage adorned the other. The warrior's lean, muscular arms held a long, helix-shaped blade. The way he handled the blade showed he was well versed in its use. As the warrior's ageless eyes glared right through Agahnim, the sorcerer's blood grew cold.
Link felt the power of the Fierce Deity flow through his entire body. His previous fatigue, the injuries even, seemed confined to a dream. All he felt was power and rage. The knowledge of the Ancient Hero's spirit flowed through his mind. All the experiences of his past lives, all their knowledge and skill, were at his fingertips.
All of that awakened power, all the anger coursing through him, was focused like the sharp blade of a knife on one target: Ganon. Anyone else foolish enough to stand in his way would be cut down.
Agahnim launched the spell in his hands at the hero. Link, wielding the double-helix blade with both hands, cleaved it in two. The sorcerer watched helplessly as his spell exploded to either side of the Fierce Deity.
Link, despite adjusting to his newfound power, was still able to close the gap to Agahnim in seconds. Before the sorcerer could muster another spell, Link was already upon him. Wishing to waste no time on this man, he plunged the blade effortlessly into the magician's heart and back out without a single excessive motion. The pain was so overwhelming and so quick that Agahnim was unable to even grunt as he fell lifelessly to the ground.
Link looked up. He had Ganon's full attention now. The pig's smug grin was now replaced by an angry scowl.
"What are you?" he growled.
The Fierce Deity took a step forward, causing Ganon to flinch. "Your executioner."
"We'll see about that. Do you really think you can stand against both the Triforce of Power and my trident? I am the Demon King reborn."
The Fierce Deity smirked. "I've killed one or two of those in my day. One more shouldn't be too difficult."
Ganon growled his rage as he threw the trident straight at Link. It spun viciously through the air, seemingly slicing it in two as it hurtled towards the hero. Link met the attack head on, clashing his divine weapon against Ganon's demonic one. Sparks flew through the air as he halted the attack. The trident faithfully returned to the villain's hand.
"Now it's my turn," Link said.
Link fed on the rage flooding through him. This man had killed his father, destroyed his village, attacked his homeland, and now stood in his way from saving those he cared about. He let that rage fill his power.
That power took the form of bursts of energy that flew from his blade every time it cut through the air. The beams of energy all flew straight at Ganon. The Evil King managed to block the first few bursts with his trident. Yet, for every one he blocked, others soon followed. Link released his righteous anger with wave after wave of the magic projectiles. One burst after another pounded Ganon in an endless barrage, overwhelming his defenses. One struck the wound on his chest, sending lightning through the Evil King's nerves.
By the time the barrage of magic finally ended, Ganon was down on one knee, his breath coming in short rasps. His chest felt like it was on fire, but pure rage clouded his face nonetheless.
"I…I will not be made a fool! I wield the Triforce of Power!"
"Do you ever shut up?" Link asked.
Ganon refused to answer, instead teleporting out of sight. Link looked around expectantly as he prepared for the villain's inevitable attack.
The villain materialized to his right. The hero, with the power of the Fierce Deity's mask, was more than ready when Ganon brought the full force of his trident against him. The two weapons, both fused by supernatural means, clashed like lightning against thunder.
Ganon angrily struggled against the hero but couldn't overpower him. Link, tiring of the battle and eager to fight against Mudora, pushed Ganon away long enough to sidestep the trident's attack. Without an opposing force, Ganon stumbled forward, leaving him vulnerable.
Link, driven by his anger, drove the blade once more through Ganon's stomach. This time, he refused to stop until the tip pierced all the way through the villain's back. The Evil King tried to attack with one last desperate effort, but the hero shoved the blade even further, paralyzing the pig with pain.
The trident dropped to the ground with a loud clank. The Triforce of Power began to fade from Ganon's wrist. The pig's eyes went wide as he spit out blood.
"It...It's impossible. How was I bested…by a mere boy?"
Link withdrew the blade and watched silently as Ganon crumbled to his knees the same way Agahnim had done only minutes before. Blood poured from the villain's many wounds, forming a small pool around his brutish body. The red liquid splattered when Ganon's face hit the floor. The Triforce of Power faded completely.
Geroshida would trouble them no more. This fight was finally over.
With his anger finally fading, Link suddenly became aware of the massive pain gripping his body. His arms, his legs, every muscle and every bone felt like it was on fire. The mask had given him great power, but it had come with a price. Only his anger had allowed him to ignore it.
His hands reached for his face and searched desperately for a way to pull the mask off. The pain brought him to his knees, sucking away at his breath. Only with great effort was he finally able to pull it off.
Link gasped desperately for air as the mask dropped to the floor. His insides felt like they might explode from the power his body was forced to contain. He looked at his hand; it trembled violently despite his best efforts to steady it. The Hero of Time had warned him that the Fierce Deity's power would consume him if he wasn't careful. He now clearly understood why.
It was simply too overwhelming. The power had belonged to him once long before Hyrule's founding, To try and funnel that power through his body's current limitations was simply too much to ask. If he wasn't careful, it might even kill him. His injuries only aggravated the issue.
At any rate, Link was grateful the battle was finally over. As he looked at the mask, he feared having to use its power again. Already, it felt like his body had been drained of all its energy. Would he be able to survive using the mask once more?
Link pushed the thoughts out of his mind, placed the mask back in its box, and limped over to Zelda. The fairy was long gone by now, but she had healed his leg enough that he could place small amounts of pressure on it. Unfortunately, it still couldn't support his full weight. He winced as he made the slow trek to the monarch. She looked to be in just as bad shape as he was.
"Zelda, can you hear me?" he asked softly, finally collapsing to his knees from the exhausting effort.
The monarch was shivering as she turned up to look at him. Her face was pale and her eyes were blood-shot. Link looked down at her hand and gagged at how deformed it looked.
"Link! You did it!" she said weakly, the relief evident in her voice. She grabbed her ribs in pain.
"Are you okay? What happened?" he asked, lifting himself to examine her wounds. He didn't see any blood where she placed her hand. That was a relief.
Zelda shook her head and wiped blood from her lip. "Just a few broken ribs. They'll get better eventually." She looked to her hand and grimaced. "This is another story though. I fear it will never be the same again."
Link kept his face as unreadable as possible. He could tell it was a sensitive topic for her. Instead, he looked down at his own limp arm. "I guess we're both in pretty bad shape. Only difference is you manage to still look beautiful. I'm just a mess."
The tip of Zelda's ears reddened. "Well, I appreciate the compliment. But I'm afraid looks aren't going to help us win this war." She noticed wincing in pain anytime he moved his arm or leg. "How are you holding up?"
Link grimaced and held his dislocated arm with his good hand. "Our power-hungry pig threw a tantrum. When I tried to stop him, he stabbed my leg and dislocated my arm. You could say I've seen better days."
Zelda couldn't help but laugh. "Well, I'm glad our angry pig has been put in his pen. He certainly deserves a time out." The smile disappeared from her face as she looked down at her deformed hand. "I hate to say it, but neither one of us are in any shape to fight Mudora." She looked up at the hero. "I still can't believe you beat Ganon in that condition. How did you do it?"
"Does the name 'Hylia' sound familiar?" he asked. He wanted to test if she shared the same memories he did.
Zelda grimaced once again as pain shot through her ribs. "Of course. Hyrule bears her namesake. But what does that have to do with the here and now?"
That was all the confirmation he needed. He decided to change the subject. "Would you believe me if I told you I spoke with the Hero of Time?"
Zelda's eyes shot open. "You what? But how?"
Link shook his head. "The details aren't important. What is important is that he gave me something that helped us defeat Ganon. Unfortunately, my body is still recovering from its power. I dare not use it again unless I have to."
Zelda looked at the debris that prevented them from going further. "Then how will we help Kari and Midna? We don't have the strength to get out of here."
Link sighed. "At this point, I feel like even Kieran could beat me."
Zelda looked at him. "Who?"
The hero shrugged his shoulder. "Sorry, I guess that was kind of random. For some reason, I was just thinking of my 'rival' when we were stuck in the past. He challenged me countless times but could never seem to get the upper hand." He chuckled. "Some of our contests were ridiculous. He even challenged me to an eating contest once and he still lost. If he were here now, he'd jump at the chance to finally defeat me."
Zelda nodded, not really absorbing what he had said. Her thoughts seemed to be elsewhere.
"Something on your mind?" Link asked.
Zelda nodded. "Link, do you think Ganon is still alive?"
The hero nodded. "He's more resilient than most. I believe he is, but he's certainly in no state to give us trouble."
The monarch's eyes lit up. "Then perhaps we don't have to fight Mudora after all. Perhaps we can end this war here and now."
Link scratched his head. "That sounds like wishful thinking to me."
Zelda smiled. "Exactly!"
"Now you've really lost me, Zelda. Do you know something that I don't?"
Zelda pointed to Ganon's body. "Link, think about it for a second. Why did Ganon attack the two of us in the first place?"
Link nodded. "That's easy. He wanted to use the…" Inspiration dawned on him, cutting his words short. He understood what Zelda was getting at now.
Zelda nodded. "Don't you see?" She looked to her wrist. "Courage, Wisdom, and Power have all come together. With Ganon out of the picture, we now have an option that wasn't available to us." She looked to her deformed hand. "Too many have suffered from this miserable war already. The casualties mount with every passing minute."
Her resolve shone in her eyes. Link knew she understood the magnitude of what had already been sacrificed. She wanted to end this war as much as anybody. "With the Triforce, we can defeat Mudora and end this madness once and for all."
I'm glad I was able to get this chapter out sooner than the last one. Not much else to say here. The final confrontation with Mudora takes place next chapter so you won't want to miss it! See you then!