Chapter 28: Fierce Deity Mask.

Zak emerged from the fairy fountain in North Clock Town, his injuries mostly healed over. He fastened the top onto the bottle in his hand and slid it back into its rightful place. A loud clunk echoed from South Clock Town. Without hesitating, he took off running towards the Clock Tower. He arrived to see it finish opening. Zak started heading for the stairs, but stopped when he heard the sounds of Link shouting behind him. He turned around to see him carrying an unconscious Romani in his hands. Link approached him, wheezing from his injuries.

"She's fine," he gasped, "What's going on? Where have you been?"

Zak grasped Link on the shoulder and peered directly into his eyes, "I don't have time to explain, but you have to get her out of here."

"I can't leave you here all alone, Zak," Link responded.

Zak shook his head, "You already have. Go through the Clock Tower, back the way you came in. I'll finish up, here."

"Zak..." Link replied, disheartened.

Zak grabbed him and shoved him into the large wooden double doors, "I need you to trust me right now. I'm right behind you." Link reluctantly headed into the depths of the Clock Tower. Above the door, Daku tapped the tip of his sword onto the wood impatiently.

"You know, you could escape right now," Daku pointed out, "Nothing could stop you from running through that door. Not even me. Well, I might be able to kill you before you get out."

Zak fired his hookshot at Daku, who batted it away effortlessly with his forearm. "Damn you," Zak snarled, "You know that this doesn't work this way. I can't leave until I beat him."

Daku yawned, "Yeah, yeah. You always say that. How's that going for you, anyway?"

Zak growled, "Shut up. I only have to kill him once."

"You have to get past me, first," Daku said. He slapped Zak's hookshot attack away once more before turning around and heading upstairs. Frustrated, Zak followed him up to the top of the Clock Tower.

When he arrived at the top of the Clock Tower, Zak found himself standing on the huge wooden face of the clock. Daku stood at the far end, his large sword in hand. Zak pulled his spear out of its holster and pointed its tip at Daku. Several minutes passed. The two of them stared at one another, motionless. Poised to attack.

"Straight to the fight, I see," Daku sighed, "No final words for your old man?"

Zak shook his head, "I've been here five times before. What I wanted to say has already been said."

Daku narrowed his eyes, "Fine. Have it your way. I'm going to enjoy throwing your lifeless corpse off of this clock." Their weapons clanged against one another. Daku shoved the tip of Zak's spear into the clock face with his spear, burying it deep into the wood. Zak jumped back, growling in pain as Daku's sword sliced a thin cut into his hand. Daku advanced, slashing wildly at Zak. Zak barely managed to block his assaults with the shield on his back, of which Daku sliced the straps, sending it clattering to the floor. He rolled forward, narrowly avoiding Daku's sword slash aimed for the back of his neck. Zak popped to his feet, drawing his gilded sword. He and Daku unleashed a spin attack, in opposite directions as one another. Zak's sword struck against Daku's, which sent it flying out of his grip and into the side of the clock face. Zak shouted in frustration and unsheathed his Giant's Toothpick. Daku sheathed his sword and took aim with his bow. He fired several arrows at Zak, who only managed to dodge a few of them. Zak fell to a knee, yanking the arrows out of his legs.

"That's a pity, Zak," Daku shook his head, "I really thought you were better than that." He fired a few more arrows, but Zak successfully managed to bat them away with his sword. Smiling, Daku put away his bow and grabbed his sword and shield. "I was really rooting for you this time, you know. You showed some real promise back at the Pirates' Fortress. Zak, you've really let me down." In response, Zak fired his hookshot past Daku. It wrapped around the hilt of his gilded sword. With a hard pull, Zak dislodged it, sending the sword careening towards the back of Daku's head. Barely seeing the attack, he held his shield up. The gilded sword ripped through the shield, sticking into his side. Daku slowly pulled the sword tip out of his side and tossed the entangled scrap metal of sword and shield to the side. Zak struggled to his feet.

Daku held up his sword. Zak narrowed his eyes, trying to predict his opponent's move. As Daku leaped at him, Zak rolled to his side. Daku's sword crashed down, and Zak jumped up, slicing Daku repeatedly up the back with a corkscrew attack. Sparks flew from Daku, who stumbled forward but managed to stay on his feet. As Zak landed, Daku's sword spun around, slashing him across the chest. The force of the blow knocked Zak off of his feet. He landed flat on his back. Daku jumped up and drove his sword straight through Zak's chest. Zak yelled out, blood erupting from his mouth. Daku ripped his sword from Zak's chest and flung the blood off of it. "That's one."

A pink fairy drifted out of Zak's bottle, surrounding him. Zak slowly stood up, Daku watching him with his sword resting on his shoulder. Zak held up his sword feebly, blood still leaking out of his mouth. Daku popped his neck. He grew in size, roughly thirty centimeters. Tribal lines appeared on his face. His sword grew as well, and the blade split vertically in half. The two blades snaked around one another, meeting once in the middle and again at the blade's tip. Daku twirled the sword around in his hand absentmindedly, "That little sword is no match for me. Resign yourself to defeat." In response, Zak sheathed his Giant's Toothpick and held out his right hand. A green wind surrounded him, and a green sword handle appeared out of a bright green orb of magic. Zak tugged on it, pulling out the Great Fairy Sword. He gripped it in both hands. Daku blinked, unfazed. He slashed the air in front of him with his bizarre sword. Countless flat blue discs of energy rocketed towards Zak. Zak jumped to the side and ran diagonally in an attempt to outrun them. The discs chased him, ripping apart chunks of wood in their wake. Daku fired several blue discs from the sword straight at Zak, who jumped up high in the air. He brought the Great Fairy Sword down at Daku, but Daku easily blocked the attack. With a quick flick of his wrist, Daku sent Zak flying across the Clock Tower. Zak landed shakily on his feet. He looked up to see a wall of blue discs hurtling towards him. Zak summoned the magic blue diamond shield around him. After three hits of Daku's attack, however, the diamond shattered. Zak fell back, his back hitting the side of the clock face. Daku advanced slowly, his white eyes studying Zak intently.

Zak sheathed the Great Fairy Sword into the holster that typically held his spear. Daku fired a few more discs, which Zak dodged by hopping from side to side. He held his hand up near the hilt of his sword. Daku held his sword up high over his head, and blue light gathered around it. Zak inched closer, getting in range. As Daku brought it sword down, releasing a gigantic vertical blue disc from it. Zak spun to the side, avoiding it. The Great Fairy Sword rocketed out of its sheath and slashed Daku diagonally. Daku's eyes widened in shock. The upper half of his body slid off of the bottom half. Zak pulled out a piece of grass and blew into it. The Song of Healing rang out. Daku's body retreated into his face, leaving behind a humanoid face with white eyes and tribal lines. Zak stabbed the Great Fairy Sword through the center of the mask. A large ball of white light drifted out of it before dissipating. The Great Fairy sword cracked, and then exploded into shards.

A black hole opened up in the center of the clock face, glimmering with black-colored energy. Zak pulled his spear out of the floor of the clock face and headed towards the portal, wiping his cheeks with his hands.