Chapter 21
YOU IDIOT PRINCESS...you fell in love with the demon king again, after he already lied to you?!
"GO AWAY!" I lashed out at That Damn Voice that was once again haunting my dreams. You'd think mastering my magic would be enough to stop it from probing into my mind...but no, it's far more persistent than that.
He lied to you once...do you really think he won't do it again?! Do you REALLY think he's on your side?!
"I KNOW FOR SURE YOU'RE NOT ON MINE! SOD OFF ALREADY, GANON!" Suddenly The Voice ended and a massive, blue, humanoid boar with glowing red eyes appeared in my mind, dressed in clothes that looked a lot like Dorf's...GANON.
"HEHEHAHA! I DON'T CAREEEEEEEEE ABOUT YOUR PROTESTS, LITTLE GIRL, I WILL RULEEEEEEE HYRULE! ALL OF IT! ALL OF ITTTTTTTT! HEHEHEHAHA! BURN IT! BURNNNNNN ITTTTTT!"
"Ha! Ha! HA! You don't know what's coming for you, ya minging swine!"
"I AM INVINCIBLEEEEEEE! IIIIIIIIII CANNOT DIE! YOU WON'T EVEN GEEEEET PAST MY PUPPET, LIIIIITTLE GIRL! I WILL RULE HYRULE! I! ME! ALLLLLLLL MEEEEEEE! AND IIIIIII WILL MAKE IT PERFECT! PERFECTTTTTTTT! A PAAAAARADDDIIIISSSSEEEE!"
"My puppet"? Dreemer? With that the senile swine disappeared from my mind, but I was still too rattled to settle back to sleep. Moments later I received a visitor.
"The Voice disturbed by, Princess?" Ashkenaz...ever the excellent host, he had come to check on his disturbed guest even though it was around midnight.
"More than that, Ashkenaz...Ganon. Man that swine has lost the damn plot..."
"Speak to our dreams Ganon does. Some of our bokoblins listen...join the monsters they do. Lose sense of self they do. Lost son Kuja to Ganon I did...promised him paradise Ganon did; listen Kuja did; drove Kuja mad Ganon did...left Plateau Kuja did. Never saw him again did I..." Ashkenaz seemed really distraught. Before setting foot on the plateau I never thought a bokoblin could have tender feelings...much less that I would sympathize with one.
"My sister went to fight Ganon alone four years ago, Ashkenaz...spurred on by a barmy desire to keep me from having to lose my magic keeping the swine sleeping. She...she never came back...I still kick myself over losing her. It feels like all my bloody fault..." When I finished Ashkenaz paused for a moment before looking me straight in the eye.
"Can do so much better now, Princess...have Avenger you do. Together...end Ganon you can. If went with sister you did...not possible that would be. A dreadful loss for sure...but now? End such losses forever, you can. And confident I am that you will."
"Thanks, old bloke..."
"Now...sleep you should get. Little Lorule you must return to tomorrow." With that the old bokoblin let me be and I tucked back into bed. The next morning I woke unusually rested, and by the time Ashkenaz presented me breakfast - roasted mushrooms and bacon (seriously, what the hell?!) - I had managed to pack all my things for the road.
"Cheers, old bloke...you've been a ledge host since we got here..."
"Least can do I. For Hero and Princess especially." I quickly downed breakfast before joining Link and Ganondorf at the west side of the bokoblin's village, at the edge of the Great Plateau...Link was now in a green tunic with tan pants, brown boots, and a pointed green hat, all of which Medoh had given him. Link handed over his ocarina and I played Zelda's Lullaby on it to my heart's content, eventually prompting the massive stairwell Link and I had used to ascend the Plateau to once again manifest itself. The bokoblins and Link applauded my performance...Ganondorf looked dumbfounded.
"I feel real galah now...I climbed hand and foot up this plateau's walls; barely made it alive. To think there was a much, MUCH easier way to do that..." I felt rather bad.
Damn it...because I chased him away, poor Dorf risked his hide getting atop this plateau...I did not manage to apologize to Dorf before we were interrupted.
"Hero, hero! Hoot!" We turned to see Medoh running up to us, holding a deep blue shield with the Triforce on the top half and a red hyrulean royal crest on the bottom.
"I almost forgot to give you this...this is the Hylian Shield. It is practically indestructible...invaluable against Ganon. Please, take it! Hoot!" Link exchanged his prior shield for the Hylian Shield, after which Medoh returned to the Temple of Time. We then climbed off the plateau, at which point the stairs slowly retreated back within the steep plateau walls. Once off the plateau we veered north, reached the main road, and veered west until we reached the Digdogg Suspension Bridge, at which point we went due south and soon reached Little Lorule, where Ganondorf's forces - and Peggle, and Simon, and Diana, and so many other people - were waiting with nervous anticipation.
"Auntie...did you..."
"YES." Link and I showed off the Triforces in our hands, and Diana ran to embrace us both. Simon was not far behind but was hesitant to show any affection to either of us.
"Auntie...does this mean..."
"Yes, Diana...it's time. Link, Namib, and I must go and destroy - not seal, but DESTROY - Ganon. It's fraught with danger...but I PROMISE you we will all return alive." Diana looked VERY nervous...was shaking...was expecting the absolute worst...
"Auntie...when...when mum went to fight Ganon...she never came back. I'm scared...so scared...the same will happen to you..." I knelt in front of my troubled niece.
"Everything will be okay, Diana...it's the three of us, plus Namib's army, plus the armies of Hyrule's other races. Your mum went it alone...we have everything we need to stop Ganon for good."
"Your Highness," Simon butted in, "how do you expect to 'destroy' Ganon? No one has ever destroyed him before...the damn swine always manages to come back one way or another..."
"We have a secret weapon, Simon...you see Namib here? 'Namib' is but a surname...his real name...is GANONDORF." Everyone in Little Lorule within earshot gasped in astonishment...the gerudo waiting nearby did not react; they knew very well who their new king was.
"Butbutbutbut...that...that means he IS the demon king, auntie!"
"That's what he's SUPPOSED to be...but he doesn't want that rubbish destiny anymore. He wants to protect Hyrule...and, with his help, we WILL vanquish the previous Ganon. Then, with this new benevolent Ganondorf taking his place, Ganon will never again be able to rise to harm Hyrule! Then neither Ganondorf nor I will have to fulfill our birth cursed 'destinies' that we have dreaded for years..." Everyone paused for a few moments; then raucous applause broke out among both the gerudo and hylians within earshot. Link was quick to follow this up by urging everyone in Little Lorule to further fortify the town for any monster attacks while we were gone...as most of the grown men and women went to heed his advice I got a few moments to speak further to Diana and Simon.
"Auntie...is there anything I can to do help you? While you're gone?" I paused for a moment, then shook my head.
"Cannot immediately come up with anything, I'm afraid...just stay in town. Those minging Plague Witches are probably still looking for you and I would be heartbroken to come back to a Little Lorule where you had disappeared...speaking of..." I turned towards Simon and put one hand on his shoulder.
"Simon Kaiser...swear to me...SWEAR TO ME!...that you will protect my niece with your life! That is the best you can do for Link and I..."
"I...I swear!" he timidly barked back, quickly raising his hand in an oath. I smiled at him.
"Good. You're a champion in the making, Simon...I'm already so proud of you..." He broke down and sobbed.
"Th..th...thank you, Your Hhhhhighness!" Life had not taught Simon how to take a compliment...once Simon and Diana left I realized I had not talked to Link yet...about his plans after Ganon is dealt with...I approached Linky as he was cooking at a cooking pot.
"Link?" He turned towards me.
"How do you feel about defeating Ganon for good? Are you worried about what you will do after that? About whether you will still have purpose?" Link simply replied that after even after Ganon is gone, Hyrule will always need heroes...and that he has nowt to fear about losing his purpose.
"Alright...that was a much shorter conversation than I expected..." A few minutes later he made us, Dorf, Diana, Simon, and Horace some bread for dinner, we ate, and I retreated to my guest tent to sleep...
Chapter 22
The next day arrived far more quickly than it should have, and Link and I gave our goodbyes to Horace, Simon, and Diana before joining the Gerudo army on the long march to the Temple of Darkness. Just before we could leave I was approached by Commander Peggle.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!" he yelled out as he ran to us. I turned to speak to the man who had given me bread and water for the past four years.
"Yes, Peggle?"
"Do ya want some of my soldiers to come with ya to that there Temple?"
"That's galah, Commander!" Ganondorf butted in. "Your hylian men would be very vulnerable to The Voice so close to Ganon..."
"Agreed..." I continued, "daft idea to send them with us I think. Just keep them here and make sure they guard Diana with their lives. That's an order!" Peggle, surprised to be bossed around by his former lieutenant, paused for several seconds before answering me.
"Will do, Your Highness!" With that Peggle ran off to continue organizing Little Lorule's defenses as we marched north towards the Digdogg Suspension Bridge. As we crossed the bridge I sent out a telepathic message to the leaders of Hyrule's other major races;
Tanichthys! Maborou! Impa! This is Zelda Barclaya. Namib, Link, and I are leading a force of Gerudo towards Akkala...leg it with haste and meet us where it is most convenient.
After sending that message we veered to the east, passing the Gatepost Town (with much fanfare) and the Kolomo Garrison, before veering northeast to Owlan Bridge. We spent the night by Batrea Lake before crossing the Eagus Bridge to the north; we continued north past the Lanayru Wetlands and the Wetland Stable, spent the night on the Crenel hills, and then crossed the Thims Bridge early in the morning. On its north end, Impa was waiting with several dozen sheikah warriors...the tribe has never been very numerous.
"Ah, you have arrived, my child..."
"Aren't you old for leading your people into battle like this, Nanny Impa?" She laughed.
"Don't underestimate this old sack of flesh, Barclaya! I know a thing or two about battle...by the way, how did you convince the Gerudo to aid you? They've been very anti hylian as of late."
"Namib talked them into helping us," I replied.
"Indeed, Lady Impa," Ganondorf continued. "All I had to do was overthrow that mongrel chieftain Dreemer put in place and they simply joined us of their own accord." Impa then turned to me again.
"Shall we continue marching towards the Temple then, Your Highness?" I almost said yes...but then I remembered something.
"Nanny Impa, Namib and I have unfinished business in the Lost Woods...wait here. We will be back by tomorrow morning at latest." She seemed very confused.
"But why, Lady Barclaya? The Sword is not sleeping there anymore..."
"Just trust me, Nanny...it's important."
"All right...do not do anything reckless, Barclaya. Hyrule's future is riding on your shoulders." With that Namib and I began hustling northwest towards the Lost Woods. Link joined us the moment he noticed we were leaving...however, when we actually reached the Lost Woods, something was very, VERY wrong.
Monsters. LOTS of them. We were absolutely bollocks.
"Monsters?! HERE?!"
"Crikey! What happened?!" We were soon accosted by several hundred bokoblins, dozens of lizalfos and moblins, and even a pair of lynels. Link signaled for us to run...absolutely barmy in my eyes.
"But Link, what about you?!" I was having horrible flashbacks of losing my brother four years prior...Link just shoved me away and engaged the mongrel horde, with Ganondorf following close behind me. We hurried into the woods proper and discovered that the mist that formerly dragged unsuspecting travelers towards the entrance had turned blood red and no longer did bloody anything...
What happened to the Deku Tree?! Is he still alive?! When we reached the center of the woods we saw a horrific sight; the Great Deku Tree, burned, leafless, surrounded by ash, a mere shell of himself. He did not seem to react when we approached...however, as I ran closer to investigate, a familiar purple barrier suddenly cut me off from Ganondorf. I knew what this meant...
"For Ganon to bring us prosperity,
we must bring unto Hyrule CALAMITY!"
DREEEEMMMEEEERRRR! I had lost the plot before Dreemer ever appeared in front of me and immediately attacked the minuscule magician; he countered me with a surprisingly long, slightly curved sword and we went at it briefly before shoving each other back, Dreemer grinning ear to ear.
"We Plague Witches have already won! We burned that wretched tree and deprived you of the tools you require to defeat Ganon! That means...you have no choice but to join us, Princess! Join us and witness Ganon bring an age of prosperity to the Plague Witches like nothing they have ever dreamt!"
"YOUUUUUUU IDIOT! Ganon's paradise is a Hyrule ruined, everyone dead! Including you! I'm not about to let that pass! I don't care what it takes, Ganon will be stopped!"
"HA! That's what the old Ganon says! Our new Ganon will overthrow that swine and fulfill our wildest dreams!"
"Your 'New Ganon' is my Dorf! He'd NEVER side with you freaks! Now get lost!"
"Easy solution, Princess! Kill the traitor Ganon and reincarnate a new one in his place! Do you want to side with a traitor doomed to die?!"
"If he's betraying your ilk, yeah!"
"You've made your choice, Princess..." Dreemer answered quietly, unperturbed by my warnings. With that he snapped his fingers and the four acolytes - Crackle, Bluster, Ash, and Hydrilla - appeared around Ganondorf, ready for battle.
"KEEP THE TRAITOR AT BAY WHILE I OFF THE PRINCESS!" Ganondorf soon found himself fighting his former colleagues while I engaged Dreemer. Dreemer was incredibly fast as a duelist and I could barely keep up with the creep's swordplay...furthermore, he was an absolute MASTER of his acolyte's magic. At one point he created a pillar of fire under my feet, which I just barely evaded.
"Die!" He followed that up by throwing massive gusts of wind at me...I just squeezed through those as well.
"DIE!" He then floated into the air and created massive blocks of ice that he threw at me...this time I used my magic to hurl one back at him, sending him crashing to the ground and allowing me to score a few blows on him. He started to lose it.
"BAHHH! I AM THE DEATH WITCH! I AM SUPPOSED TO BE INVINCIBLE! JUST CROAK ALREADY! CROAK! CROOOAAAAKKKK!" With that he started using his magic with reckless abandon, throwing fireballs, ice blocks, and wind wildly, often allowing me to pelt him with his own magic. He eventually returned to engaging me in a duel, but he was so delusional that I was able to work through his swordplay and land more blows on him...he finally lost it.
"FRRRRYYYYY!" He suddenly floated into the air, began laughing incessantly, and started a thunderstorm...my sword - and his - started to draw the lightning. Thinking fast, I threw my sword at him just as the lightning was about to strike...
"ZZZZZZZZZZTTTTTTTTTTTTT!" Dreemer screamed in agony and crashed to the ground, causing the purple barrier to disappear and scattering his acolytes. It was obvious he was barely able to breathe...frankly I was winded myself, but he was "going to bloody die" short of breath.
"Barclaya...he he he...ha ha ha...HA HA HA!...this isn't over...from between your own loins my heir will come! Ha...Ha...HA! And...and she...will...DESTROY...HYRULE!" After laughing psychotically for a few more seconds Dreemer collapsed and expired.
"Barclaya...are ya alright?!" I turned to see Ganondorf, seemingly unscathed from fighting all four acolytes at once.
"Surprisingly? Yeah. And you?"
"Buggered but fine. I trained with most of those acolytes for years...I know how they fight."
"Princess...Namib...urgh..." We both turned in shock to see the Great Deku Tree, clearly alive...but only barely.
"What happened to you?!"
"Those...those witches, Barclaya...they...they burned me...I...I played dead...to stay alive...long enough to...to give you your gifts..." The tree coughed violently...I could sense he did not have much time left.
"Barclaya...concealed within...within my mouth are...the Bow of Light...given unto me by the prior Hero, and...and a dress the goddesses...the goddesses supplied for...for the Heroine. Please...take them..." With that the Deku Tree opened his huge mouth and I cautiously entered within...I found two golden chests. One contained the Bow of Light, a beautifully simple golden bow that lit up his mouth from the moment I opened the chest; the other contained a simple, beautiful white strapless dress with a golden breast band and leather sandals. I was quick to put on the new outfit before exiting the tree...Ganondorf's jaw dropped.
"Barclaya...ya look...ya look incredible..." Ganondorf did not get to fawn over me much more before the Deku Tree moaned in agony.
"Namib...I...I can sense...it. You...are the Avenger. You...and Barclaya...are destined to end Ganon. Do not...do not squander...this opportunity...please..." The Deku Tree then looked skyward and began to glow...
"Barclaya...your sister...your sister!" the tree uttered in a disturbed tone.
"What about my sister?!" I barked out. He did not get to answer me...he faded into light, leaving behind what looked like a giant acorn. With that Link finally arrived, bruised but otherwise okay, shocked to see the tree was gone.
"Link...the tree...the Plague Witches burned it. I defeated Dreemer...but it was too late to save the tree. When it is time to return the Sword here, Link...we should plant this seed. I have no doubt it will grow into a new Deku Tree..." Link agreed, and we started our trek out of the now very normal Lost Woods...I was feeling very distraught.
"Barclaya..."
"Yes, Dorf?"
"Ya look amazing...like a goddess...I cannot stop thinking about how beautiful ya look..." I did not feel like replying. Dorf eventually changed the subject.
"Thank ya...for ending Dreemer. Avenging the blood of my rellies, Devyn, and so many other people..."
"I was just defending my hide, Dorf. Nothing special."
"It means an awful lot to me...by the way, what's on your mind?" I looked towards Dorf, a very sorry expression on my face.
"Dorf...the tree knew what became of Anastasia. My sister...he...he seemed like he was trying to warn me of something...I am deathly afraid, Dorf...will I...will I have to fight my sister?! That...might be worse than her being dead!"
"But how would she still be alive four years later, Barclaya? Seems a buckley's chance she'd be alive and no one would have noticed."
"That doesn't make me feel any better, Dorf!" Now his mood crashed to match mine...Link assured me that he would fight for me regardless of who precisely we wind up fighting. I appreciated Link and Dorf's support...but as we returned to the camp and settled in for the night, my mind was racing with terrifying thoughts of me fighting my own sister, and nothing I did could settle them down...
Chapter 23
Early the next morning, the three of us woke up early, ate, and then summoned everyone else to continue our barmy march towards the Temple of Darkness. We marched southeast past Zelo Pond and soon reached the mouth of the Zora River...the Zora's finest warriors, several hundred of them, were waiting. Leading them was a green zora with an ornate silver helmet and shoulder pads and a royal red sash around her chest...she was quick to greet me.
"PRINCESS PRINCESS PRINCESS! I AM KORA, TANICHTHY'S DAUGHTER! SO EXCITED TO MEET YOU!" she said as she shook my hand violently...it was a bit much.
"Nnnnnice to meet you too..."
"WE ARE GOING TO ROCK THIS TEMPLE INVASION! ROCK IT ROCK IT ROCK IT! WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?! LET'S GOOOOOOO!" Needless to say we soon resumed our march towards the Temple of Darkness...
We marched north, leaving the Zora River behind us, and at the first intersection veered east towards some white rock cliffs near the border of the Akkala region. We reached a second intersection in the South Akkala Plains and continued due north, eventually passing old Akkala Citadel to our east before reaching the ruins of a stable. There several hundred gorons, including Maborou, were waiting...he was eager to see Dorf.
"Namib, me boy! You finally King of your people?!"
"At long last, my brother!" They roughly fist bumped several times before embracing, laughing all the while.
"Shall we keep moving, Namib?"
"Indeed! We can cover more ground before nightfall." We continued our trek, passing through the beautiful woodlands that line much of southern Akkala, before reaching the empty East Akkala Plain leading up to a cliff...with the Temple of Darkness at its peak. The vicinity of the Temple was enshrouded in dense cloud cover and was littered with dead grass and ugly heaps of Ganon's malice...it looked terrifying. Before we got much past the woodlands Ganondorf and Link approached to speak with me.
"Barclaya...I can sense that the Temple grounds are choc a bloc of monsters. If we get much closer they may attack us in our sleep...I believe we should set up camp here and launch the final attack in the morning. Too dangerous for our allies otherwise."
"Yeah, we need sleep...good call, Dorf. We'll stop here for tonight." We gave the order for everyone to halt, and we set up camp near the border of the woodlands, where I kissed Dorf before settling into bed under the stars...early the next morning...
Auntie...
Diana?!
It's me, Auntie...I'm scared...
About me? I'll be fine, Diana...I have Linky and Dorf with me! You have nothing to worry about!
No...about mom. I can sense her...she...she's in that Temple...alive...
WHAT?! You out of your mind, Diana?!
No...I can definitely sense her. I'm terrified why she's there...please, Auntie...save my mom! PLEASE! With that Diana's voice faded in my mind. I was terrified...I spent the rest of the night futilely trying to fall back asleep, praying...begging...BEGGING...she was just being mental...
The next morning we marched northeast towards the Temple of Darkness. As we got closer we began to be accosted by HORDES of bokoblins, lizalfos, moblins, and the occasional lynel...we were vastly outnumbered, we and our allies; but we kept fighting, fighting, fighting, Link and I working together to tackle the lynels while Dorf and the others fought the lesser beasts. I used my Bow of Light for the first time as we ascended that hill...it creates huge light explosions, especially when charged up, spectacular to watch.
Slowly but surely we fought our way uphill...eventually we hit a particularly massive horde of monsters and Voice maddened goons, and our allies had to hold them at bay while Link, Dorf, and myself legged it uphill towards the Temple. When we got to the top of the hill we turned back to see our allies being hopelessly overwhelmed by the horde of monsters...Dorf could not stand it.
"Yous two hurry on ahead! I'll catch up with ya!"
"You sure, Dorf?!"
"We'll be fine! Just wear Ganon down for me and I'll finish him when I rejoin ya!" Ganondorf hurried back downhill to rejoin our allies while Link and I rushed inside the igloo shaped Temple's entrance, which lay to the northeast facing the sea (this portion of Akkala is on the coast). The Temple's interior was bloody dark, lit only by Ganon's reddish malice, which grew steadily thicker and more suffocating until we reached the center. There we found HIM...Ganon...chained many meters above the ground, seemingly asleep, malice slowly emanating out of his person. Suddenly...
"Link, look out!" I shoved Link away from a claymore that appeared from the darkness before catching the claymore on my own sword, barely deflecting the violent blow. When I calmed down enough to look at our assailant...I gasped in abject horror.
There she was. My sister...my husk of a sister...in ragged royal guard attire, torn hair, red eyes, foaming at the mouth, her left hand shriveled up...looked like a living nightmare.
No...no no no! Diana was right and in the worst bloody way possible! Then Anastasia spoke...WITH GANON'S VOICE...
"HAHAHAHAHA! DIE, PRINCESS, HERO! DIE BY THE CRUELEST STROKE! CRUELEST STROKE! CRUEEEEELEST STROOOOOOKE! MY PARADIIIIIISE OF RUIIIIIN, COME TO FRUITIIIIIION!"
Puppet Anastasia attacked us ferociously, moving almost blindingly fast...Link was struggling to land any blows on my sister and I was too crippled by sentiment to do anything. Eventually Puppet Anastasia knocked Link to the ground and tried to skewer him...
"NOOOO!" I seized Puppet Anastasia with my magic and used every last ounce of my might and willpower to hold her in place, allowing Link to recover and score a few blows on her, every blow feeling like it struck my heart as violently as it struck her body. When she escaped she uttered a bloodcurdling scream and intensified her attacks...she began throwing her claymore like a boomerang, spewing malice from her shriveled left hand, and slamming the ground with such force to create shock waves that spanned the whole temple floor (forcing us to leap over them). Link was getting used to her attack pattern now and managed to land more blows on her; I attacked her with my Bow of Light, desperately hoping it would break Ganon's hold on her...for a moment it seemed we succeeded; Anastasia fell to her knees and her eyes turned blue. I ran to embrace her...
"SHE IS MINNNEEEEE! ALLLLLL MIIINNNNEEEEE!" Ganon blurted out from thin air, his mouth not moving an iota as he spoke. A massive amount of malice torturously poured into Anastasia's body, violently contorting both her and my heart. Seconds later her eyes twisted into a glowing red color as her back sprouted ethereal wings of blood red malice. My sister tore massive bleeding gashes into her face with her remaining hand before she screamed and flew off the floor...
No no no! If we don't hurry up and break that damn Ganon's hold on Anastasia we'll lose her forever! I'm NOT letting Diana down! I'm NOT losing my last bloody sibling!
Link and I continued to fight my puppet sister. She was even more difficult to strike in the air and could now lash at us with tendrils of Ganon's malice...at one point I tried to restrain her with my magic, but could not. Eventually she charged me...I knew what I had to do and quickly shot her with my Bow of Light, stunning her long enough for me to drag her to the ground for Link to attack her with the Master Sword. This happened several times...on the last time I had an idea...
"LINK! THE WINGS! CHOP THE BLOODY WINGS!" Linky complied and used the Sword to hack the malice wings off like butter, causing Anastasia to crash to her knees...her eyes began to flicker between the demonic glowing red and their normal blue...Ganon would try to force her to attack us, but she would trip and fall en route...
"MAKE IT STOP, MAKE IT STOP, MAKE IT STOPPPPPPP!" she screamed out in absolute agony, her mind beginning to clear from the grip of Ganon's twisted malice.
"DO AS I SAY, PRINCESS! DOOOO ASSSSSSSS IIIIIII SAYYYY!" Anastasia struggled under Ganon's influence for about another minute before she stumbled to her feet...pulled out her claymore...
...and...and...ran her...herself...through...with...it. . .
A massive cloud of malice left Anastasia and returned to Ganon as she delivered a lethal blow to her own person. My fatally wounded sister, freed from Ganon but about to be imprisoned by death, promptly let go of her claymore and fell to her knees; I barely caught her before her back hit the floor. It was my nightmares given flesh, Anastasia brutally dying before me...
"ANASTASIA!" I cried out to my dying sister...her eyes now their normal blue, but barely open. I was inconsolably sobbing...it felt like my entire bloody world was ending.
"Little Swallow...I'm...I'm so sorry...I let you down...Horace...Devyn...Diana...Father...everyone...please, I beg you...perpetuate the Ritual...PERPETUATE IT!" Anastasia...died in my arms...
"I TOLD YOUUUUUU! IIIII TTTOOOOLLLLDDDDD YYYOOOOUUUUU! YOOOUUUUU CAAANNNOOOTTTTT STTTOOOOPPPPP MMMMEEEEEE!" Ganon lashed out at us with malice...I struggled to hold it back...I thought I had no choice but to perpetuate The Ritual...
"Barclaya!" I turned to see Dorf behind me, looking deeply distraught.
"Dorf...the tree was right. My sister...was possessed by that damn Ganon! She fought us...and now she's dead! For real this time! I've failed to save her...father...Devyn...so many other innocent people! I'm a failure, Dorf!"
"Don't sell yourself short yet, Barclaya! If we defeat Ganon we will have the entire Triforce at our disposal...and with it, ya may yet be able to save your sister..." It took several seconds for me to process that...
Wait...wait, he's right! He's bloody right! Just like the old man said, there's almost NOTHING the Triforce cannot do! Let's do this! As Dorf moved Anastasia's body to the entrance of the Temple I intensified my magic, successfully holding Ganon's malice back...
"LINK! GANONDORF! SHATTER THE CHAINS THAT KEEP THIS SWINE DOZING!" Link and Ganondorf used their swords to shatter those four chains, bringing our nemesis crashing to the floor with a violent, echoing THUD and lifting up a huge cloud of dust. Ganon - wearing worn leather shoulder pads with bone spikes, a black cape with red markings, brown shirt and pants, and a black sash adorned with skull and crossbones - soon opened his eyes and clumsily rose to his feet...he towered over Link, myself, or even Dorf. He looked absolutely sloshed for a few seconds but then began to speak, his deranged voice echoed through the temple and shook its walls...
"HAHAHAHAHA! YOU DUMB ENOUGH TO DISTURBBBBB MY SLEEEEEP?! WELL THEN, BURN, BURN, BURN! BURN WITH HYRULE! MEET MY PARADIIISSEEEE OF RUIIIIIN!" Ganon threw Ganondorf to the entrance of the Temple, blocked off our escape (and Dorf's reentry) with a purple barrier, summoned a massive silver trident from thin air, and prepared to fight...
...as did we. Link drew the Master Sword, which lit up brilliantly with a blinding blue light in the presence of its mortal adversary, and I said a quick prayer to the goddesses...I felt like I could hear Hylia speaking with me. When I opened my eyes my body was glowing a brilliant yellow and wings had sprouted on my back...it was incredible; I still cannot describe how that felt, all that power coursing through my veins...
With our preparations complete, we engaged the demonic swine in battle. Ganon, in spite of his bulk, was even faster than my possessed sister and at first ran circles around us; we were only barely able to avoid being caught on the business end of his trident, Link's new Hylian Shield taking many blows from the glorified fork. Eventually he shot a HUGE orb of magic at Link, Link swatted it back with the Sword, and this went on for about a minute until Ganon got his timing wrong and was struck; before he could recover I shot him with the Bow of Light and then used my magic to restrain the beast, allowing Link to tear away at him. When he broke free he began summoning demonic fiery bats from his trident as he spun it like a baton, began throwing the massive trident like a boomerang, attempted to seize us with massive tendrils of malice he spawned from his hand, and continued absolutely running circles around us; however, his dwindling sanity ensured that he continued trying to engage Link with those huge energy orbs, which simply led to me being able to restrain him long enough for us to give him a beat down. Eventually Ganon changed his strategy.
"HEHEHEHAHA! YOOOOUUUUU WILLLLLL NEEVVVVERRR OVERRCCCOOOMMMEEEE MMMYYYY SSEEECCCRRREEETTTT TEEECCCHHHNNIIIQQQUUUEEE OFFFF DARKNESSSSSS!" Suddenly the room went completely pitch black, punctuated only by more of those demonic flaming bats Ganon was firing at us...after floundering in the dark for a few long minutes Link urged me to use my Bow of Light to light the Temple up, and I began charging it intensively, causing the whole room to light up brilliantly and exposing Ganon for all to see right next to Link. Link quickly stabbed Ganon several times, stunning him...I knew what to do next.
"BOOM!" I fired my charged beam from the Bow, knocking me onto my arse. It struck Ganon squarely in the face, causing him to crash to the ground...I hurried back onto my trotters and used my magic to restrain the weakened Demon King.
"LINK, NOW!" Link drove the Master Sword into the beast's forehead, causing him to begin laughing psychotically and bringing down the purple barrier the psychotic swine had set up.
"I INVINCIIIIIIBLLLEEEEE! I INVINCIIIBBBBLLLLEEEE! YOU CANNNOOOOTTTTT BEEEAAAATTTTT MEEEEE! IIIIII CAAANNNNNOOOOTTTTT DDDIIIIEEEEE! IIII WIIILLLLL HAAAUUUUNNNNTTTTT YYYOOOOUUUUU IIINNNNNN AAANNNNOOOTTTTHHHEEERRRR LIIIFFFFEEEE!"
"DORF! IT'S TIME! BREAK THESE CHAINS THAT BIND US TOGETHER!" With that Ganondorf roared and transformed before my eyes into a massive, inky black boar's head...he swirled up to the top of the temple, roared loud enough to shake the Temple, and hurried to devour his predecessor, Link leaping out of the way just before...
CRASH! CRUNCH! HIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSSS... ROOOOAAAAARRRRRR! RRUUUUUMMMMMBBBBLLLLLEEEEE!
For a while...everything was black. Then...as I woke up...I looked around me. Link was okay, Ganondorf was okay, the room was littered with stains from the regrets from which Ganondorf is now partially composed...and Ganon was nowhere to be found, or even felt. I hurried to my feet and shook my companions awake.
"LINK, DORF, WE DID IT! WE REALLY BLOODY DID IT!" They clumsily stumbled to their feet, still woozy from the chaos that had just transpired.
"UGH...that did NOT feel good, my cobbers...felt like the worst heartburn ya can imagine..." Suddenly Link and I's Triforces began to vibrate in Dorf's presence...
"Dorf...did you..." He showed he his right hand...the Triforce of Power, that most infamous piece, Ganon's piece, now dwelt within it. I was honestly nervous.
"For years the Plague Witches groomed me to relish this moment...the day I stole the Power of the Gods from Ganon and became the new Demon King...ya know what? Even just holding this artifact no longer appeals to me...yous cobbers of mine mean too much for me to do that." With that he removed the Triforce of Power from his hand. I felt really good...good about the fact that he valued me so much...
"Link...it's time..." We both relinquished our pieces to join the Triforce of Power. They promptly reformed into the complete Triforce, that omnipotent element that can grant any wish...
"You first, my sheila..." Link agreed with Dorf, and I touched the Triforce and silently made my wish...a few moments later...
"Little Swallow?" I gently turned behind me to see a beautiful blonde bird in her 30's in royal guard attire, standing at the entrance, where she had lain dead not long before...no longer scarred, no longer with a withered hand...
"Anastasia..."
"But...but I...I was dead?!"
"Almost nothing is impossible for the Triforce, sister." Her eyes and mouth flew wide open.
"But...but that means - !"
"Yep." She hurried to me and embraced me as tightly as she could...we both sobbed several minutes...then we talked a LONG while...I relished every second, every bloody second, of having my sister back...
THE END