"Stop this, please, you must stop," Zelda shouted, tears staining her cheeks. Her parents chased after her out the double doors of Hyrule Castle, and a wall of castle servant's blocked her from going any farther. She saw enough to know that she could not allow such devastation to continue. Nothing could prevent her from saving Hyrule, even if it meant giving her life.
The King and Queen of Evil marched up the lawn to confront Zelda and respond to her outcry. "Oh, I'm so sorry, has this upset you, princess?" Dora asked, feigning empathy. Her entire tone turned around and she nastily added, "Your ancestors should have considered the consequences of their actions when they interfered with the Demon King!"
Zelda was restrained by her mother and father by holding her shoulders firmly. They stood behind her, but did not dare release her. Zelda was reassured by their presence, and knew what she did was right.
"Princess, you must return to the room where you will be safe. Your wellbeing is of utmost importance," Fred pleaded urgently.
Zelda gasped when a crossbow bolt suddenly impaled the steward's forehead. Her face became an expression of pure horror, and she thrust out her arms to catch him as he crumbled to the ground. He was already unresponsive when she tried yelling his name. "Why? Why must all of these people have to die?"
Dora dropped her crossbow back at her side and went to speak, but Ganondorf firmly gripped her shoulder. This was always his discreet way of commanding her to hold her tongue, before she said something reckless. "What is your proposal?" he asked smugly.
"No, Zelda. You mustn't do this. There is another way," the Queen of Hyrule pleaded. The sorrowful way Zelda stared at the steward broke her heart. She knew, if she were in Zelda's place, her mind would contemplate the same sacrifice. Zelda was her daughter, and she refused to accept it. "Link will rise to the challenge."
Zelda slowly returned to her feet, her eyes closed in a silent prayer for the soul of the steward. She turned with pink, tear filled eyes to her parents and asked, "How many more people will die before that happens? We cannot wait around for the goddesses to test Link's courage. More people will die, and as Hyrule's princess, as its protector, I will not stand around and wait for that to happen," Zelda informed defiantly.
"I won't let you sacrifice yourself," her mother begged with a lump straining her voice.
Her father added, "Do you believe their greed will be sated simply by forfeiting your life? Their only goal is to conquer Hyrule, even if that means destroying it first."
Zelda felt strongly about her resolve to end the senseless violence. She turned her back to her parents, and faced her enemy with a confident glare. "My proposal is a compromise. I willingly sacrifice myself, Hylia, and in exchange you will leave Hyrule alone. You will take your victory and never return."
Ganondorf chuckled cruelly. "An excellent solution. You truly would have made a wise princess. I accept your offer," he stated, hiding a devious grin. He strengthened his hold on Dora's shoulder to prevent an outburst to reject the deal. She obeyed, and felt a surge of pressure flow through her shoulders to her dominant hand. Every muscle in her arm cramped as it collected his power, so she flexed her fingers and twisted her wrist to relieve the stiffness. It was obvious what his true intentions were. However, Zelda's family was not about to let her commit.
Zelda stepped boldly forward, one brave stride after the next. Dora waited with anticipation for the princess to be within range for her to strike. The Queen of Hyrule rushed forward and stood directly in Zelda's path to prevent her from moving further. "No."
Ganondorf glared, his patience wearing out.
"Mom, please. It's the only way," Zelda softly explained, staring at the intricate design in her mother's dress.
"Your father is right," she responded sternly. "You have forgotten the truth of the legend, that Demise does not want Hylia's death, nor to conquer Hyrule alone. This man reincarnated with the demon's spirit, his only goal is the power of the goddesses that created Hyrule. While your act is noble, it is foolish, and will not end the bloodshed. His promises are not to be trusted."
"Then, I must go to the Triforce. Time is short, and we can use it to save our kingdom."
Ganondorf snarled, "I tire of this!"
Dora was filled to the brim with Ganondorf's power. Her skin glowed with a dark purple aura, while her black veins pulsed with the beat of her heart. Her eyes shined menacingly. She never felt so exhilarated as she did in that moment, even when she posed as the sorcerer Agahnim. The power consumed her mind, and made her hunger for more. Ganondorf knew her limit and stopped just short of destroying her mind.
"Watch out," the King of Hyrule yelled, drawing his wife's attention to Ganondorf. He lunged forward, a massive sword in each hand, and slashed them across each other to slice off the Queen of Hyrule's head. His attack was guarded against by a shield of pure, white energy. A wave of dark magic burst from his dual swords and weakened the shield.
Dora rushed in directly behind Ganondorf. Their coordinated attack made it possible for her to penetrate Zelda's barrier. The shield shattered with the reverberating crash of a thousand glass windows breaking in unison. Zelda screamed as Ganondorf's sword slashed her mother's chest. Blood sprayed the air, and the strength behind his attack drove her to the ground where she lay motionless.
The murder of her mother left Zelda in shock. Dora's open hand contacted with Zelda's chest faster than she could blink. The barely restrained dark magic was expelled from Dora's palm directly into Zelda's heart. The effects on her body were immediately apparent.
Zelda collapsed to her knees. Her breath was stolen and her lungs ached to collect air. Her eyes rolled back into her head as her heart labored to continue beating. Every muscle seized violently, so her body shook uncontrollably. She lay on the ground, her arms punching, legs kicking, back arching, violently tossing as if a wild spirit possessed her suddenly. Her pale skin had a lavender glow. As the black veins under Dora's skin faded, Zelda's own blood became infested with black magic and her organs slowly ceased to function one by one.
The King of Hyrule darted forward with incredible determination. Despite lacking any magical abilities, he needed to protect his family. He reached inside of his open vest to pull a gun from its holsters. By the time he pointed the weapon and rested his finger on the trigger, he was abruptly stopped by two blades piercing his torso.
Ganondorf reacted on pure instinct. He twisted his sword from the queen's body on the ground, and lunged to stop the other king before he could shoot Dora. In the same moment, Dora spun fluidly forward, and, all at once, brandished her sword. She stepped out of the King of Hyrule's direct path to avoid being shot before she attacked, and thrust her sword into his torso. A twisted grin lit her face when she saw Ganondorf's great blade pierce him at the exact same time. Ganondorf glanced at her, and in unison they shoved their swords deeper, until the blades emerged from his back.
"Dad," Zelda cried weakly. She clenched her fists to fight off the seizures. "No."
The King of Hyrule gasped and groaned until he collapsed, dead from the shock of the brutal attack. The blades were torn through his torso in unison, ripping bone and flesh, and he fell to the ground in a mangled mess.
Dora kicked the crown that rolled from his head, and it stopped at Ganondorf's feet. "To the rightful King of Hyrule."
He lifted his leg and smashed his boot down on the crown, which crinkled and flattened under his strength. "The crown of a weak king is useless," he declared.
Zelda reached across her failing body to roll on to her side. She squinted to bring the woman with red hair into focus. "You. You visited me last night. That's how I know your voice. My blood was not for a ritual for Hylia, it was to resurrect that monster," she exclaimed, while she still possessed the will.
Dora turned and scowled at the princess. "Yes. Isn't it incredible? The blood of Hylia's human servant, the blood of the chosen hero, and the blood of his loyal servant," she laughed, and reached down to proudly touch the scabbed cut on her thigh. "The Goddess of the Sand has blessed me with a new chance at happiness, and no one will stop me from taking advantage of that."
Zelda cursed herself. She felt like such a fool. Her trusting nature allowed the evil that plagued Hyrule to be reborn. "Why do you harbor such hate for my family that you would desire to slay us all?" she questioned, tears choking her and burning her eyes. "What have we ever done to you?"
Dora moved closer to Zelda, one boot sliding in front of the other through the grass, until she was close enough to kneel, so that even the faintest whisper could be heard. "What have you done? You naive girl. Your family caused me misery beyond compare, forced me to be separated from my husband for generations, to endure loneliness and heartache while we lived worlds apart. When we finally reunited, albeit as pig and vixen beasts, your ancestors called in a hero that destroyed him! And when his minions failed to resurrect him, and instead returned him to life as a mindless beast, all they could do was send a hero to seal him away. They never considered helping him be a man, to find his sanity!" She lowered her voice, and added, "All I have ever dreamed is finding happiness, to live a fulfilled life with my husband, as any wife might want. And you took that away from me at every turn."
"The Triforce awaits, my love," Ganondorf reminded her. It was a shame because he enjoyed watching her while she was so full of hate.
Dora obeyed. "As much as I would love to gloat while you slowly die of corruption perverting your innocent soul, my duty is to my king. Good bye, Zelda. May your soul forever rot," she added in a poisonous tone. She retraced her steps back to Ganondorf's side and squeezed his hand. They disappeared.