Darkness. Cold. Damp. Green could see nothing. The jagged rocks tore at his fingers as he felt his way through the cave.
"Zelda," shouted Green, "Zelda, where are you?"
Silence.
Please be ok, he thought as he stumbled forward. It was not the princess he was worried about. Images flashed through his mind of his brothers—left behind. Each stood with their sword locked in the ground as a key. Vio, being the brightest, had solved the puzzle to open the door. The power of their swords would unlock it—with a price. The quicker he saved the Princess, the quicker he could return to his brothers.
"Zelda!" he called again. Still no answer. Bile rose in the back of his throat as anxiety wrapped his stomach in knots. A faint prismatic glow caught his eye. As he neared, he saw the familiar face of the princess hovering in the air as though she were suspended by light itself.
"Zelda," breathed Green as he rushed to the center of the room. A set of sun-sick-yellow eyes stepped between him and the Princess. Green skidded to a halt. Ganondorf.
"Did you think you could just run in here and take her so easily?"
Green drew his sword and took on the warrior's stance.
The creature laughed and threw back his cape. "Not so strong without the others, are we? Three down; one to go. You'll never see them again. You are only 1/4 of what it takes to be a hero now. Ha, ha, ha!"
Green sprinted towards him. Ganondorf's staff knocked him sideways. As he fell, he heard a snap in his arm. Pain blurred his vision.
"Ha, ha, ha! Puny Hylian. It is a pleasure to watch you suffer. I only regret that I didn't witness the fate of your brothers."
Screaming with the rage of a violent ocean, Green pushed himself off the ground with his good arm. He swung his sword wildly, but he was no match for the monster. Again, he tasted the dust of the ground.
"Give up. And I'll kill you and your princess, quickly. Consider it a gift."
Blood ran down the hero's face. He furrowed his brows. Not today.
Charging the beast again, he dodged the blow. Ganondorf stumbled, losing his balance. With a quick kick to the back of the knee, the menace fell face forward. He groaned as he wielded his staff to create a portal. "You won't be so lucky next time," he said stumbling through it.
Green gasped for breath. We won. Princess? He hobbled toward the rainbow hue. Touching her hand, he watched her slowly descend. Once her feet touched the ground, she opened her eyes.
"Green." She smiled as her eyelashes fluttered softly. She kissed him. Her smile replaced itself with a frown. "You're hurt. Here. Let me take a look."
"Not now," said Green feeling his face pale from the pain in his arm. The adrenaline was wearing off. How much longer could he even stand up? They had to hurry, had to find a way out, had to—save the others. "Red. Blue. Vio. They're in trouble."
Stumbling, they made their way back down the dark path. To the young knight's surprise, the door was open. Ganondorf's magic no longer held it closed. Yet, three swords still stood as keys, locked in the ground. Blue's sword was broken in half as though he'd used too much force to hold it. He lay beside it unconscious with the hilt still gripped in his hand. Vio gave a half smile as the princess approached him. Blood ran from his palms where his hands had slipped on the blade to hold it in place.
"He found you. He did it. I knew he could," said Vio as he closed his eyes. His smirk faded.
Green rushed to Red's side and gently lifted his head. "Red, please, just hold on."
Red blinked back the tears. "Green, I'm scared. I don't want to—"
The three brothers faded into light and vanished along with the jewels in their swords.
"No. No. No!" shouted Green. "We won! We…won."
Tears streamed down Zelda's cheek, "Green? How did this happen to them?"
"They chose to save me…so I could save you."
Zelda gasped. "I'm so sorry!"
The young hero gripped his sword—his emerald still gripping the hilt, scratched yet secure. Flooded with anguish, he thrust it over and over onto the floor—screaming. Finally, the blade shattered.