It only took the quintet a few moments to start feeling ill as they properly entered Castle Town. The darkness was so thick, it was practically something they could feel rolling off of them as they moved forward. Around them was a collection of ruined buildings; walls crumbling, windows shattered, doors ripped right off the hinges. It was as if a hurricane tore through the town and brought a veil of darkness along with it.
Only a few feet from the drawbridge, a swarm of Shadows appeared, at least twenty of them! Even with their numbers, though, they were still terribly weak, with the fighters of the group taking them all down with ease. Yet even after their defeat, there was the sound of scuttling in the dark spaces between homes, not helped by the clouds hanging overhead that managed to block any and all sunlight. Sora swore he saw the flicker of yellow eyes moving in these shadowy alleyways, but nothing emerged to attack them.
Without warning, Link stopped in his tracks. Being in front, his stopping caused the others to do the same. "I have to warn you. The marketplace is filled with strange monsters. They're not Heartless…they're like people, but they bite and scratch at you…"
"But they aren't actually people, right?" Sora asked, having conflicted feelings on battling people that might be warped by darkness, not mentally capable of telling right from wrong anymore.
"Doubtful." Navi answered for Link. "They reek of being some kind of monster, but I have no idea what they are."
That didn't really make Sora feel much better, but at least it wasn't people fighting against their will. And his stomach dropped once the quintet reached the marketplace and saw these creatures firsthand. At first, Sora, Donald, and Goofy didn't even notice the monsters until one shifted. They were indeed humanoid, and had brown, almost coal black, skin that blended into the dark environment and the dreary background. Speaking of their skin, it was taught around their tendons and bones, their rib cages entirely visible. Their faces were even more unusual, hidden behind masks of what seemed to be red clays, empty black holes instead of eyes, and rotting flat teeth that were grit.
All of them stood in place, still as statues, save for one that was a dozen feet away or so, who turned its head to look at the intruders of the dark, miserable domain. The creature, the ReDead, was disturbing enough that the group stopped in place, seeing what it would do, hoping it'd ignore their presence. Unfortunately, that's not what happened, the monster opening its maw and letting out an unearthly screech that reverberated across the otherwise silent marketplace.
The group found themselves frozen in place, actually held in place by something unseen. It was like something wormed into their hearts and grabbed hold, preventing the five from moving an inch. Taking advantage of this, the ReDead started to move closer at a slow pace, as if it knew it didn't need to rush. The other ReDead looked from their positions, but didn't intrude. Perhaps the quintet was simply out of their range.
Unfortunately, Sora was the closest to the ReDead, so it honed in on him. Every fiber of the brunette's body was screaming at him to move, but aside from moving his eyes around, he couldn't do anything! As if timing things perfectly, Sora's body was able to move the very second the monster leapt at him, tackling him to the ground. Hitting his head on the stone ground, the teen was momentarily stunned, allowing the ReDead to sink its rotten teeth into Sora's neck. Thankfully, the magical barrier around his body prevented the teeth from penetrating his flesh too much. Still, Sora felt like the ReDead was draining the life from his body, and he was unable to even lift his Keyblade to fight back!
"Hey! That's enough!" Donald screamed, rushing the ReDead and throwing his entire body into the monster, which knocked it off of Sora and onto its back. Goofy charged after the creature, slamming its head into the ground with his shield. This didn't finish it off, though, prompting Link to jump in and stab it in the neck with his blade, getting the ReDead to stop moving. Disturbingly, it didn't bleed at all, not a single drop.
Sora, still woozy, got to his feet as he winced and rubbed at his sore neck. "Thanks, guys. I just couldn't move…I think we need to take these things out from a distance." Perhaps stirred by the violence, or the fact that the first ReDead was gone, the other creatures started to slowly approach the group. "Donald, let's do it!"
Still with enough energy to use magic, Sora started to cast Fire, Blizzard, and Thunder spells at the ReDeads, with Donald doing the same thing. It didn't seem the creatures felt pain or had any sort of self-preservation instincts, merely marching towards the onslaught of magic with no attempts to dodge, retreat, or do anything to actually stop their demise. While each spell didn't seem to do anything individually, ReDeads set aflame still walking, ones stuck to the ground via Blizzard still trying to move forward, Thunder spells seeming to not do anything…it all added up. Within a few minutes, the two mages had worn down the oncoming mob of ReDeads, leaving charred remains behind.
"They really are awful, aren't they?" Navi said with a light shudder. "Those Heartless things are preferable, honestly. Now come on, the Temple of Time's not too far, we should go in case more of these things show up."
With no argument from the other four, the group rushed to the other side of the marketplace towards a large church-like building. It really looked more like a Temple than the three that the outsiders had encountered to be sure. The building was also the most intact one they had seen so far, seeming mostly unphased by the destruction around it. Unlike the other Temples that gave off an aura of darkness, the Temple of Time seemed to have an almost soothing effect, a pocket of light in a mass bubble of darkness.
The inside of the Temple of Time was beyond what the three outsiders imagined in that it actually looked good! Most of it was made up of one room with clean marble flooring going from one grey stone wall to the other. There were pews for worship, and a long, clean, red carpet went from the entrance to a stone altar with a green, red, and blue stone. Beyond that was a large, open doorway, but it was too dark to see what was beyond it.
"Gawrsh, looks like someone was takin' care of this place…" Goofy murmured as the group walked further in. "Looks downright purty in here."
"Who'd be taking care of a Temple in the middle of this place?" Donald asked, looking around for any potential danger, but naturally there wasn't any.
"This is merely a safe haven from the darkness." A familiar voice called. The quintet turned to see Sheik standing behind them, having snuck into the Temple without a word. That, or he was already there, but was somehow hiding. His red eye bored intensely into the group, focusing more on Link as usual. "And you five helped create other pockets of safety from that wicked man's darkness. For that, I commend you."
"It wasn't easy. Why did you tell us to come here?" Link asked, gulping and suddenly seeming upset. "I couldn't save Nabooru. I couldn't save any of the Sages."
Sheik shook his head. "As unfortunate as that is, it doesn't make your accomplishments diminished in any way. And it doesn't change that you only have to face that cursed man, Ganondorf Dragmire, and your quest will be complete."
"Is that all you called us here to say? We knew that!" Donald snipped, wanting to fight the guy responsible for all the trouble in this world!
"Of course not." The mysterious youth replied, his tone still rather monotone, but a bit sharp in response to Donald's sass. "There is an important tale I must tell you. I had only planned to tell Link and his fairy companion, but you three have more than earned the right to hear it."
Sora was surprised that's all Sheik wanted out of them, but he figured it really had to be that important if the youth really wanted to talk about it that badly. "Is it something about Ganondorf? A weakness of his?"
"It's about him…to an extent." Sheik answered vaguely. "I doubt those not from Hyrule know this story, so I feel the need to briefly explain its background. Long ago, at the beginning of time, Hyrule was created by the Golden Goddesses, Nayru, Din, and Farore. They created the laws of the world, the earth we walk on, and breathed life into their creation. When their job was finished, they went back to their realm, and where they departed, a golden relic called the Triforce was made. It was sealed within the Sacred Realm, and it had the power to grant any wish. Unfortunately, it was Ganondorf that managed to reach it."
"Right…Link and I know that much…" Navi said, mostly talking to Sora, Donald, and Goofy. "So, what else did you need to tell us, Sheik?"
The strange man's red eye gave off an intense gaze, as if Sheik was holding back anger, yet his voice remained neutral. "While Ganondorf crept into the Sacred Realm and touched the Triforce, the relic had one last safeguard. It could only be used by one whose heart was in perfect balance, and as you can imagine, that man only had darkness in his. Thus, the Triforce split into three pieces representing Power, Wisdom, and Courage. The Triforce of Power went to Ganondorf while the Triforce of Courage went to you, Link." As he spoke to the swordsman, Sheik pointed to the blonde's left hand.
Confused, the quintet looked to Link's hand as he raised it up, and a glowing symbol appeared on its back. It was three connected golden triangles, the lower right one brighter than the other two. "Wait, that can't be right…" The blonde murmured, staring at the Triforce. "I'm not Courageous. I always felt so scared throughout the journey, there has to be a mistake!"
"It doesn't matter how you feel." Sheik replied, a bit coldly. "The Goddesses deemed you worthy of that mark and so you earned it."
"You were plenty brave!" Sora said, feeling Sheik was being a bit harsh. "That's what Courage is all about, doing stuff you're afraid to do!"
Navi glanced from Link's hand over to Sheik. "Wait...so, that's Power and Courage. Who has the Triforce of Wisdom?"
Sheik took a step back from the group. "Isn't it obvious? It's me." With that, he raised his left hand, showing a Triforce embedded there as well, the lower left portion glowing brightly. Within moments, there was a flash of brilliant golden light that caused the quintet to cover their eyes. It quickly faded, and the group looked to see that Sheik was no longer there. In his place, there was a beautiful young woman with golden hair and blue eyes, wearing a long dress that could only belong to someone of royalty. Most notably, there was a Triforce on the lower half of her dress.
Link's eyes widened, taking a single step forward as his jaw dropped open for a moment. "You…It's…"
The woman gave a small, almost sad smile. "Yes. I am Princess Zelda. I'm sorry I had to deceive you, but there was no other way to move about unnoticed. If Ganondorf knew who and where I was, he'd get his hands on a second piece of the Triforce…"
Needless to say, the other five were shocked, Link especially seeming almost frozen in place. Sora had a strange sensation as well, feeling something radiating off from the woman in front of him. A sort of light, but one that was especially powerful.
"Ya know, Link was real worried about ya! Couldn't ya have told him who you were before?" Goofy asked, his words more confused than accusatory.
"I'm afraid not. Ganondorf could have been listening in, or he may have had one of his servants nearby, spying on Link and I. For the sake of keeping the Triforce out of his hands, I had to lie. Link, I'm sorry, I wish there had been another way."
Link didn't seem upset at all, still just shocked. Then he let out a long breath, like a huge weight was lifted off his shoulder. "It's okay. I'm just glad you're okay."
"This is nice and all, but was this the only reason you called us here? We gotta stop Ganondorf!" Donald exclaimed, feeling increasingly impatient.
Zelda didn't seem bothered, and shook her head. "There was one more thing I needed to say. Then I had gifts to bestow that will aid you. Link, I apologize for all of this. It was my own plan that got us into this. And you were forced into this as a Child of Destiny, chosen by the Golden Goddesses…"
"Did he really have no other choice? Did it really have to be him?" Navi asked, opposite of Goofy as she was more accusatory than curious.
"I'm afraid so. You were there as I spoke about my visions. But there's more than that. Throughout the ages of Hyrule, there has been the tale of the Spirit of the Hero, starting from the first hero of our kingdom that was said to have descended from the skies." Zelda explained, vaguely gesturing up above. "That spirit, the heart of that hero, has been said to be carried on through various other heroes. And surely, you also hold that spirit, Link. As I said, the Golden Goddesses chose you specifically."
Link blinked in confusion several times. "What? Me? But…" He didn't seem to want to accept what Zelda said was fact. "That's not right at all. I'm not a hero. Please, you said there was something you wanted to give us that would help. We need them and we need to go stop Ganondorf."
Sora felt bad for Link, having his own conflicted feelings about being chosen by the Keyblade. It allowed him to help people and was the main reason he could go to other worlds…but it was a burden forced on him, and sometimes he felt weighed down by it. These Golden Goddesses decided that Link was going to have to be a hero, without any input from him, and he was still a kid, at least mentally! The brunette couldn't help but feel a bit of disdain towards the deities…
"Believe it or not, you are a hero, Link." The Princess lightly pushed, but soon moved on. "I do have a gift for both you and Sora here. Link, you first. Hand me your bow."
"Wait, you had something for me?" Sora asked as he snapped out of his thoughts, wondering what she could even give to him. He already had his Keyblade, after all. What more did he need?
As Link handed the bow over to Zelda, she glanced over to Sora. "It isn't something I fully understand, I can only hope it will aid you. As for you, Link…" She closed her eyes, and the bow began to lightly glow in a yellow aura! After a moment, it was transformed to a brilliant yellow golden form, even down to the string. "This is the Bow of Light. Any arrow you use with it will be enchanted with light magic as Light Arrows. Use it to penetrate Ganondorf's darkness and weaken him!"
The swordsman took the bow back, looking over its new form in slight awe. "Thank you, Zelda. I'll try to make the best of it."
Zelda nodded before turning to look at Sora. "For you, I believe I have-" Yet, whatever Zelda was about to say was interrupted as a pink crystal suddenly surrounded her! She was trapped, hands against the crystal wall as she let out a gasp. "What?! Is this…?!"
A cruel, deep laughter filled the Temple, the soothing atmosphere vanishing in an instant, an unnatural chill filling the air. "To think, the biggest thorns in my side would help me this much! You may as well have delivered the Princess right to my chambers! I knew if I kept biding my time, she'd appear, but I didn't think it'd be right here in my domain!"
"Ganondorf! Stop it! Let her go!" Link screamed out, swinging his sword into the crystal, only to have it bounce off, leaving no marks behind. He tried slashing the pink prison again, only to have the same result.
As Ganondorf harshly laughed, Zelda started to get lifted into the air. In an act of desperation, Donald tried to use Gravity on the crystal, but it didn't help! Sora leapt up, just as the prism was about out of his reach, and slammed the Keyblade into it…but sadly, he had the same result as Link, the brunette looking helplessly up at the Princess as he landed on his feet. Before anyone else could do anything, there was a flash of pink light and Zelda disappeared!
Navi was quick to react to this, fluttering towards the door outside. "Come on, we can't hesitate! If he's going to extract the piece of the Triforce from Zelda, it may kill her!"
Sora had the feeling Navi was theorizing, but it made enough sense to be true! "Right behind you! You and Link lead us to Ganondorf's castle!"
Link sprinted out of the Temple before anyone else had a chance to move, Navi flying right after him. Sora, Donald, and Goofy ran after the duo, following them back into the oppressing darkness and into the marketplace. Disturbingly, more ReDeads had appeared since the group entered the Temple of Time, but the monsters were too far away to be much of a threat. Link and Navi turned and headed north, and as the outsider trio followed, it was only then they saw Ganondorf's lair.
The darkness and the fog had hidden it before, but as the group grew closer to it, they saw a massive castle in the distance! It had to be at least a dozen stories high, made of black stone and was fitted with spiked towers. This castle was in the middle of a dead region, with no buildings or any sign of life in the immediate area. As the group got even closer, the true nature of the dark structure became apparent. It was sitting upon a slab of earth that floated above a pool of lava! There was no bridge connecting to this chunk of ground and it was too far to jump…
"What are we supposed to do? We can't make that leap!" Goofy inquired, looking around as if another option might present itself.
"Sheik…well, Zelda…she never told us how to actually get inside the castle…" Navi murmured. "I can get across, and Link might be able to Hookshot his way over, but for the rest of you…I just don't know…" As if on cue, a voice called inside the minds of the group. To Link and Navi, it was familiar. It was strong, but gentle.
Link, it is I, Rauru. You have done well to reach this far. And to those from outside of Hyrule, I am forever grateful for your aid in this endeavor. Along with the other five Sages, I will open a path for you!
Five more voices spoke to the group. A girl's voice that seemed to belong to a child, a boisterous voice, and then Ruto, Impa, and Nabooru.
Link, Navi, Sora, Donald, Goofy! Our hearts are all with you!
You've got this, Brother! You and the others give Ganondorf a black eye from me!
The man I chose to be my husband can't lose here! All of you, fight hard!
The Princess is relying on you all, as is the rest of Hyrule!
You better take Ganondorf down after he bent his own people to his whim!
In the gap between the castle and the mainland, a glow began to appear. It became increasingly brighter and extended, forming a bridge! Its sides glowed yellow, green, red, blue, purple, and orange, shimmering even in the darkness of the area. Link was the first to test the bridge out, placing a foot on it and showing just how solid it was. Without a word, he charged into the maw of the castle, the others right on his heels.
As soon as the five entered the structure, they stopped in place. It became clear that the castle was the nexus of all the darkness in Hyrule, and the pressure they all felt made this apparent. They instantly felt heavier, and the darkness was practically visible as a faint miasma. Ahead of them was a simple hallway, barely lit by torches that led into a larger chamber. This chamber was also fairly barren, there only being one opening on the other side leading to a large, winding staircase upward.
"We just have to get to the top, and we'll find Ganondorf for sure! Just one more push, guys!" Sora declared, taking the lead this time as he charged the staircase, everyone following his lead. What followed was a gauntlet of battle as they slowly made their way upward, frequently entering chambers full of Heartless, Stalfos, and even a few Iron Knuckles. The four fighters gave it their all, not willing to let the mere underlings impede their progress!
As the quintet made their ascent, at the castle's top, Ganondorf was standing within a large chamber, the walls covered in stained glass, with little more than a large organ as furniture. He was staring up above him as Princess Zelda, still encased within her crystal prison. She remained silent, aware that nothing she could say would change the mind of the horrid man below her.
In an instant, two people became three as Dio once more entered the world, glancing up at Zelda and smirking. "You were a man of your word, Ganondorf. The second the Princess revealed yourself, you snatched her. I can feel the pure light in her heart from here, another to the collection!"
Ganondorf turned to his guest, his eyes intense. "Her role here isn't finished yet. You'll have to wait to take her."
Dio locked eyes with the Gerudo, seeming more amused than anything. "Oh, really? Last I recall, I informed you that getting that golden trinket from this world wasn't worth the effort. The prize we're chasing is far grander!"
"We only have your word on that." Ganondorf pointed out. "Maybe I simply don't believe it. Or maybe I want it and the Triforce. What could you do to stop me?!"
For a moment, the vampire simply stared at Ganondorf, that amused expression affixed to his face. "I see. So that's truly how you wish to proceed." Without warning, he closed the gap between the two in a mere second, a roundhouse kick aimed towards the Gerudo's head!
As fast as Dio was, it wasn't enough. The Gerudo raised his arm and blocked the attack, a grunt of effort escaping his lips as he stopped the kick in its tracks. Any normal person's arm and skull would have been destroyed by just that kick. Even Ganondorf had no chance of blocking it before he acquired the Triforce of Power. With another grunt, he pushed Dio's leg away and leaped backwards to get some distance. "You underestimated me, whelp!" The Gerudo sneered. "I have the power of the Goddesses on my side, your vampiric powers mean nothing!"
This time, it was Ganondorf that closed the gap, his right arm bathed in a dark, purple magic as he threw a mighty warlock's punch. Dio mirrored his actions, throwing a punch of his own, the fists colliding! A shockwave was generated, the windows of the chamber rattling and threatening to shatter. Even Zelda's crystal prison strained from the force but managed to stay intact as the two men glared at each other.
At just that moment, the room's sole door opened. Sora, Donald, Goofy, Link, and Navi emerged, tired from battle but still able to keep going. They stopped in place, confused at the scene in front of them. "Who the heck is that blonde man…? I never saw him before!" The fairy asked.
The quarreling men jumped back from each other, the vampire turning to stare intently at Sora. Eyes widening, the brunette stepped forward, noticing the man had rounded ears, so he wasn't from Hyrule. "Hey…! Are you…Dio?!" Alas, he didn't get an answer, the blonde man vanishing in a wisps of darkness and leaving the world behind.
"You arrived sooner than I expected." Ganondorf mused, staring down the five. "Though it'd have been disappointing if the ones that caused me so much trouble were stopped by mere pawns of the darkness."
"Ganondorf, why are you doing this?!" Link demanded, taking a step towards the King of Evil. "Why did you ruin so many lives and corrupt Hyrule?!" He glanced up, noticing Zelda hanging from above, then put his gaze back on the Gerudo.
The man in the black armored belted out laughing, like Link had told a joke. "It's not obvious? I crave Power and I crave Hyrule! If it means crushing the insects underneath me, then so be it. Maybe I'll even open the door that Dio had mentioned, but we'll see how far my ambitions go…"
Sora's eyes widened at that last sentence. So that man was Dio! He had no idea what door Ganondorf was talking about, but maybe he could get some answers once the Gerudo was defeated. For the moment, the brunette was just so sickened by the man's total disregard for others! "If you keep surrounding yourself by all its darkness, it'll pick away at your heart!" The brunette exclaimed. "Your heart will be swallowed up entirely, is that really worth it?!"
"The darkness can't touch my heart. Especially not with the Triforce of Power in my hand. Once I have all three pieces, I'll become invincible!" As he said this, he raised his left fist in the air, showing its back had a Triforce mark on it, the top portion glowing brightly.
"Like we'll just let you get your hands on it!" Donald yelled, pointing his wand at Ganondorf. He was tempted to fire a spell, but he doubted it'd be of any use from such a distance.
Goofy stepped forward as well, shield at the ready. "That's right, and Hyrule will go back to the way it was!" Whether that was actually possible, he had no idea, but he wanted to believe it was true!
Once more, Ganondorf laughed. "This isn't something that can be stopped. Link. Zelda. Do you both feel it? The Triforce parts are resonating…" As he spoke, Link and Zelda's hands began to glow, the mark on Ganondorf's hand increasing in luminescence. "You have no use for your pieces, so surrender them to me!"
The Gerudo let out a harsh yell, a vortex of darkness erupting from his hand and enveloping the quintet. It took all their might to stay upright, except poor Navi who was overwhelmed by the dark power. With a pained gasp, she fell right onto Link's shoulder, her entire body quaking from Ganondorf's magic. The other four held strong, though, the vortex not actually harming them, but Sora, Donald, and Goofy figured it was solely meant to try and wretch the Triforce of Courage from Link.
However, the swordsman held strong, the piece of the golden relic staying within him as the dark vortex vanished. The fighters remained on their feet as Navi remained weakened on Link's shoulder. "Tricks like that aren't going to work!" Donald exclaimed, looking for a good opening to unleash his magic.
This didn't deter Ganondorf much, flourishing his cape as he took to the air. "Fine then. I'll have to simply beat the Triforce of Courage out of you, boy! And the rest can join you!" With these words, he floated up to the ceiling before swiftly shooting down to the floor, punching it and causing a shockwave to encompass the room. The four fighters felt their legs shake, unable to move from their positions. Taking advantage of this, Ganondorf shot forward, fist glowing purple as he readied a punch against Link!
Thankfully, the swordsman was able to raise his shield in time, the Gerudo's fist slamming into the piece of metal. This impact sent Link flying backwards, slamming into the wall behind him as Navi weakly took to the air to avoid being harmed.
Without stopping his momentum, Ganondorf turned his attention to Donald, who blasted the Gerudo with a Fire spell. Though the flames hit the man square in the chest, the flames didn't do any actual damage, and a swift kick sent the mage tumbling backwards. In the same motion, he lifted that leg high into an axe kick and brought it down towards Goofy. While the knight blocked the attack with his shield, the force of the impact rattled him and left him in a mild stun.
As this second kick occurred, Sora slashed at the King of Evil with his Keyblade, an attack that Ganondorf blocked using his arm with startling ease. Before Sora could back off, the Gerudo lifted his leg and kicked the brunette square in the chest, sending him slamming into the nearby wall, right next to Link.
Wincing, Sora got up with Link, Ganondorf busying himself with Goofy, who had recovered from his attack. The brunette looked over to Link, or more specifically his bow. "I'll distract Ganondorf, and you hit him with one of those Light Arrows. I don't think we'll get far without them…"
Panting a bit, Link nodded as he put his sword away and readied the Bow of Light. "Right. Just be careful."
Navi, who still seemed out of sorts, landed back onto Link's shoulder. "You be careful too, Link. Not a lot of spots to hit him. If you miss, he'll know what we're up to and focus on you!"
With the plan set, Sora shook off his soreness and rushed at Ganondorf. By this time, the Gerudo had knocked Goofy away, but Donald had gotten back into the fight. The magician had cast Gravity on Ganondorf, and while it seemed to slow him down a bit, it wasn't enough to stop his movements. The armored man threw a powerful punch at Donald, who managed to leap out of the way.
Sora grit his teeth and mirrored Donald's movements, pointing the Keyblade above Ganondorf's head and focusing his magic. He imagined a powerful force slamming down onto the Gerudo, something to slow him down and allow Link to get in a clear shot! As Sora put more effort in, he summoned a Gravity spell that fell upon Ganondorf! It wasn't as strong as Donald's, but the two spells stacked on top of each other, slowing the Gerudo down further!
As Ganondorf turned to face Sora, the brunette charged at him, Keyblade ready to swing! The King of Evil's movements were slowed, raising a fist to attack Sora as the teen closed the distance, slamming his weapon into the Gerudo's side…but it wasn't effective! The man grunted in pain, but it didn't seem to do any real harm! Yet, as Ganondorf fully raised his fist to attack Sora, a golden arrow shot forth, hitting the Gerudo in a gap in his armor!
There was an explosion of light as golden lightning scattered across Ganondorf's body, the Gerudo outright yelling out in pain as his darkness was pierced through and some true damage was finally done to him! Ganondorf sent a withering glare at Link, seeing the swordsman lower his bow and draw his Master Sword. "You…brat…!" He hissed through clenched teeth.
Snarling, the Gerudo ripped the arrow from his body, then crying out as he dropped it, the light magic embedded in it stinging his hand. Notably, the arrow was gold in color, its entire form changed from the Bow of Light! With Ganondorf temporarily weakened, the four fighters took advantage.
Sora actually moved away from the Gerudo, feeling the need to add one more to the fight. As he focused his magic, the other three moved in. Goofy sprinted at Ganondorf, slamming his shield into the man's head. While the man in black armor was weakened, he wasn't powerless, allowing him to punch Goofy away. At the same time, Donald hit him with a Thunder spell, paralyzing Ganondorf for a moment as Link swing his sword at his neck! The Gerudo was able to dodge at the last second, but received a cut along his cheek which oozed blood.
After the cheek cutting, Sora had his magic ready and slammed the Keyblade point-first into the floor, a pool of orange ink spewing from the spot. Out of the ink came Woomy, going from squid to kid as she launched herself at Ganondorf, delivering a harsh kick to his face, hitting the wound Link just gave. It seemed she had some form of observance when in her gem, able to know exactly what was going on as soon as she was summoned. In her hands was her ink gun, blasting Ganondorf with it which seemed to do some form of damage.
Letting out a yell of rage, Ganondorf began to levitate into the air, starting to recover a bit from the Light Arrow. This prompted Link to quickly fire off another, but the King of Evil hovered out of the way, going even higher up. Sora and Donald launched a Fira and Thunder spell at Ganondorf, the flames blocked by one of the Gerudo's hands, turning the skin a raw red but doing little else. The Thunder coursed across the wicked man's body, but only halted his ascent for a moment.
Raising his uninjured hand into the air, Ganondorf summoned an orb of darkness and launched it at Link, who rolled out of the way. This prompted the Gerudo to begin an onslaught of magical attacks, summoning more dark spheres and hurling them at everyone in the group. Woomy was hit by one such orb and was knocked backwards, Goofy rushing to block a second projectile with his shield. Sora and Donald got struck, both being flung backwards from the impact and landing harshly on their backs.
Another orb was flung at Link, who took a chance and swiped it with his Master Sword, the mystical blade deflecting the dark magic right back at Ganondorf! The Gerudo wasn't expecting the counterattack and was hit with his own power, causing him to temporarily freeze in place. Taking this chance, the swordsman fired off a Light Arrow, this one aimed at his neck. The armored man recovered in time to dodge, but not entirely as the light-imbued projectile scraped his skin, the magic encompassing it once more entering his body.
Ganondorf let out a cry, dropping to the floor as light magic coursed over his entire body. Taking advantage of this, the other four fighters attacked at once. Sora and Woomy charged in first, the former slamming his Keyblade on the back of Ganondorf's head as the Inkling launched herself into the air as a squad, falling harshly onto the Gerudo's back. Once this happened, Goofy followed Woomy's plan, leaping up and turning his shield upside down, standing on top of it and holding onto the rim with one hand as he too slammed down onto Ganondorf's back. Keeping his distance, Donald launched a Blizzard spell at Ganondorf, aiming for his legs, which froze onto the floor in a hope to keep him in place.
In a rage, Ganondorf stood up straight, instantly breaking free from the ice. His arms were shrouded in a purple energy as he gave a swift counterattack. The Gerudo backhanded Donald across the face, sending the magician sprawling. Woomy leapt at the man and performed a flying axe kick right onto his face, but Ganondorf barely flinched, grabbing the Inkling by the ankle and flinging her against a nearby wall. With a cry, he gave a devastating punch to Goofy's stomach, knocking the wind out of the knight and also sending him into a wall.
Ganondorf tried to elbow Sora in the face, but the brunette ducked just in time, stabbing the Gerudo in the side, anger at seeing his friends harmed fueling the teen's strength. This was enough to stun Ganondorf long enough for Link to leap in, slashing him down the front. Working in harmony, the two swordsmen then slashed the King of Evil across his torso in an X formation, causing the Gerudo to stop in place for a moment before falling to one knee.
It seemed the Master Sword's nature as a bane to evil was more effective against Ganondorf than initially thought as the man started to wheeze, his breath labored by his injuries. "Cursed…brats…!" He snarled, glaring daggers at Link. "All my work…undone by some…fools of light!" Startlingly, he coughed up some blood, it almost being a shock it was red like a normal human's. With an intense cry of rage, he shot to his feet, body glowing with power as energy radiated from him, coming in the form of a blinding light as everyone's vision went totally white.
While they were blinded, everyone was cast to the floor, the energy itself an attack, Navi hanging onto Link in her weakened state. As everyone's vision came to, they saw the walls and ceiling were destroyed, Ganondorf's own cape and armor heavily damaged, as if his own attack damaged him as well. Without a word, he collapsed onto his knees, then fell flat on his face, unmoving.
Groaning out in pain, everyone got to their feet. Donald rubbing his jaw while Goofy and Woomy winced at their aching backs. Down from above, Zelda's crystal descended, miraculously in one piece with the Princess unharmed.
Ignoring his injuries, Link rushed to Zelda as the crystal reached the ground and faded away. "Zelda, are you okay?!" The boy in a man's body asked, looking the Princess over for injuries.
Zelda took a deep breath before giving a nod. "I'm fine, thanks to all of you." She said with a small, almost side smile. This turned into a frown as she gazed upon Ganondorf's broken form. "It seemed his last effort to take us all out drained whatever power he had left. His heart was entirely consumed by darkness, and it was his own downfall…"
"We should get out of here. There's so much darkness here, the Heartless could come after us at any time." Sora suggested, confident that more would spawn as they made their descent.
Just as Sora said this, the entire castle started to shake, startling everyone. "He must have used that last attack to bring the place down!" Donald yelled out, pointing to a ramp leading downward. "Come on, we've got to hurry!"
Everyone, Woomy still staying summoned, started to rush down the ramp, Navi riding along on Link's shoulder and remaining frightfully still. The ramp went down only part of the way down the castle, the group having to duck into rooms every so often before continuing their flight downward. Many Heartless sprang up as they made their way down, but notably they were only Shadows. Sora and Link dealt with them for the most part as Donald, Goofy, and Woomy were focusing on keeping Zelda safe. Every so often, chunks of the ceiling fell down, but everyone managed to avoid the rubble.
Just as the septet ran out of the front door of the castle, the structure collapsed behind them in a roar of crashing stone and shattering glass. The entire area seemed to rumble from the chaos, not just the floating island the group was on. They stood there, panting as Ganondorf's lair fell along with him, the air quiet and heavy. Zelda let out a sigh of relief, looking at everyone else. "We just made it! All of you, I don't know how to thank you for what you've done. And I don't believe we met, have we?" She said to Woomy, who gave the Princess a toothy grin.
"That there's Woomy. Uh, she doesn't really talk like we do." Goofy informed with a light chuckle.
"So, it's over? Is it really, actually over?" Link asked, not seeming able to believe it. It was like he expected something else terrible to happen. Considering all he had to go through, it was little surprise he was baffled that it was potentially finished.
Yet, something didn't seem right. Sora's brows furrowed and he held his Keyblade tight. "Guys…you feel it too, right? The dark, heavy atmosphere…? It's not going away." Ganondorf's defeat surely meant the dark feeling should be gone…but it lingered.
As if responding to the teen's words, something in the rubble shifted, causing everyone to freeze and stare, looking for its source. Things were still for a few lingering moments before Link took a few steps forward, Master Sword at the ready.
Without warning, a shape burst out of the rubble, floating a few feet off the ground! It was Ganondorf, his eyes glowing orange and his body beaten and bruised. His breathing was heavy, raspy, and full of a dark fury. Without a word, he raised his fist to show off his piece of the Triforce as darkness encompassed him as he began to change. His form grew larger and larger, his size tripling, then quadrupling! He became less human, and into something horrid, its true form hard to see in the darkness, but it was something bipedal, something that wielded two swords.
He had become Ganon.
The monstrosity roared as the fighters got in front of Zelda, who backed away from the danger. Navi managed to stand up, glaring at Ganon. "Link…I wasn't able to help you before, but this time is different…!" She said, voice exhausted, but still full of determination as she took to the air. Ganon let out a ferocious bellow, stomping towards the group as it brandished its swords. The way the darkness hid its features and its yellow, glowing eyes, it nearly resembled a Heartless!
Sora and Link acted first, charging at Ganon with their weapons drawn. The beast swiped at them, prompting them to duck as they kept moving forward, slashing across Ganon's front with their blades. While it let out a roar of pain, the attack didn't seem to do much else but annoy it. Woomy ran along to Ganon's side, tossing prisms full of orange ink, Splat Bombs, at it. While the bombs hit and exploded into ink, this too didn't seem to do very much. Finally, Donald started to shoot off several balls of fire at Ganon while Goofy charged at it with his shield at the ready. The fireballs all hit and Goofy rammed into the monster's stomach with his shield, but the magic seemed ineffective, and the knight just bounced off of Ganon.
Snarling, Ganon waved its hands around, orbs of darkness forming in the sky and raining down on the fighters. They came down so fast that none of the fighters were able to dodge them entirely. Sora and Donald were struck and sent sprawling from the impact while Goofy and Link had to use their shield. Woomy was struck by one and collapsed, and as she tried to get up, she faded into light as she was taken back to her orange stone.
Navi flew to Link's ear, whispering to him. "I'll distract it. Remember that the Light Arrows can pierce through the darkness!" With all her strength, she flew up to Ganon, starting to flutter about in its face, startling it a bit. While it swung its blades at the fairy, she was too fast and weaved around the weapons. Taking this chance, Link readied an arrow and fired it, the projectile transforming into a Light Arrow as it struck Ganon directly in the forehead! It didn't seem to penetrate its flesh much, but it still had the desired effect as light magic spread all across Ganon's body as it became weakened.
"Go! Attack it now!" Donald cried as he got back to his feet, casting a Thunder spell on Ganon, the electricity striking it dead in the face. Roaring out, Ganon swiped its swords around, slices of darkness firing off at the group. Sora and Link parried them with their blades while Donald leapt over one coming at him. Goofy ran in front of Zelda, blocking a projectile coming right towards her!
Moving shocking fast, Ganon went on a rampage! It sprinted at Sora, lifting a massive leg and kicking him square in the chest! Even with Dr. Orpheus' protection, the impact was severe, and an intense pain shot through his entire body as one of his ribs outright cracked! Goofy rushed to Sora's aid, blocking one of Ganon's sword swings as it tried to finish Sora off. The blow was too strong, though, and knocked the shield away, backhanding Goofy and him sprawling, nearly knocking him off the ledge of the floating platform! Donald distracted Ganon with some Fire spells, drawing its attention to him as it sprinted at the mage, giving him a good kick as well and making him lose consciousness for a split second as he struck the ground. Ganon wasn't messing around, stunning the three outsiders in a single blow each! However, as the beast focused on Donald, Sora cast a Cure on himself, healing his rib, but ensuring it'd be his only heal until Ganon was defeated…
Link prepared another Light Arrow, Ganon's attention drawn to him in response. It raised up an arm to slice at Link, but Sora sprinted in the way. He felt that Woomy was okay, back in her stone, but he couldn't help feeling furious at what seemed like a death caused by this monster! Without even thinking, the brunette held his Keyblade out, copying Link's stance he had taken before. As the sword approached, Sora unleashed a Spin Attack, able to knock the attack away in Ganon's weakened state combined with his rage. Navi rammed right into the beast's eye, distracting it further so when Link fired a second Light Arrow, it managed to strike Ganon right in the neck! Again, it didn't quite pierce its flesh, but it weakened the monster even more.
Donald and Goofy managed to recover, Donald also having to use a Cure on himself, and they rushed to Sora, having a combination attack in mind. "Sora! Jump on, we've got an idea!" The knight yelled, squatting down and holding his shield facing up. Sora did as told, jumping onto the shield. Goofy then thrust it upwards, sending Sora high into the air, even up above Ganon's head! He prepared to slam the Keyblade down on the monster, but Donald had a way of helping. The mage cast a Gravity spell, not towards Ganon, but to Sora! This naturally caused him to become heavier, making the Keyblade hitting Ganon's head far more powerful than it normally would've been!
This attack struck Ganon directly in the head, throwing the creature off a bit from the impact. It was stunned long enough for Link to rush Ganon, stabbing it in the stomach with the Master Sword, this attack actually allowing the blade to pierce through the monster's flesh up to the blade's hilt! With a cry, he pulled the sword out in one motion, starting to ferociously slash at Ganon's stomach area as Sora joined in.
Donald cast more Fire spells at Ganon, aiming for its face to distract and blind it while Goofy parried incoming attacks from its swords. Navi even kept helping, ramming into Ganon's eyes between spells from Donald. As the onslaught went on, Ganon's movements became weaker and slower, but it still managed to knock Goofy away in a lucky hit, with Donald being too far for it to hit. At one point, it even knocked Link off of his feet with a backhand, but the swordsman was too determined to let that stop him. Then, it all finished with Sora and Link stabbing Ganon at the same time, bringing the monster to its knees. In an act of desperation, it roared out, a shockwave of darkness pushing everyone away, Navi crumpling on the ground next to Link! Not only that, but it was very damaging to them, nearly knocking them unconscious as the wave kept pulsing out over and over! Before the fighters could be knocked out entirely, a massive beam of light struck it in the chest, stopping the attack and saving them from an assured defeat!
Everyone turned to see that Zelda was the one firing the beam, having been out of the dark shockwave's range, but her attack was already fading. "Hurry! Finish it off while it's stunned!" She cried out. It was Link that acted as he struggled to his feet, wasting no time sprinting at Ganon. With a cry of fury and anguish, he leapt in the air and stabbed the monster right in the heart, once more plunging the Master Sword into Ganon down to the hilt! As he pulled the blade out, Ganon let out a cry of pain as it writhed and thrashed. "Sages! Hear me! Banish this creature from this world for all time!"
At the Princess' cry, a white vortex opened in the sky. It lifted Ganon into the air, the shadow peeling off of it like a miasma, revealing Ganondorf underneath it. He let out a cry, somehow still alive from his ordeal. "No…! Even with the power of the Triforce…?!" The man cried out as he was lifted into the vortex. "Curse you, Link…Curse you outsiders! Curse you Zelda and the Sages! I swear…I swear I'll return! This banishment won't last forever!"
With those words, he entered the light, the portal closing in an instant and taking Ganondorf out of Hyrule once and for all. Wincing in pain, the rest of the fighters not to their feet, Navi barely managing to land on Link's shoulder. Sora, Donald, and Goofy felt like they were one hit away from passing out entirely, and Sora was sure another bone somewhere was cracked. If it wasn't Zelda…well…it would've ended right there for sure.
"It's really over this time…right? No way he can come back from that…" Sora murmured, wincing in pain. He almost regretted using his Cure, knowing the healing magic wouldn't recharge for a while. Even as he spoke, he felt that it truly was over, the dark atmosphere slowly starting to lift away. It was gradual, not all at once, and the dark clouds remained, but surely those would also fade eventually.
Donald and Goofy got to their feet as well, Donald also regretting using his Cure so willy-nilly. He was still a tad rusty with his magic, so it'd be some time before he could use more advanced healing spells. Goofy rubbed his head, a nasty headache starting to form. "Gawrsh, thanks, Princess…! Without your help, I dunno what would've happened…"
Zelda nodded, a look of relief on her face. "It should be me thanking all of you. Without you all, Hyrule would have fallen to that horrible man. Here, let me aid you…" She raised her hands as Sora, Donald, and Goofy were bathed in a white light, their wounds healing! "I'm sorry I couldn't help more, it was just too dangerous for me to approach…and I must be close for my healing to work."
Link approached, still with his sword and shield out. "It's really over? Really, this time? It's not like last time, is it?" He asked, in clear disbelief.
"It's really over, Link. I know It seemed all done with after you gathered the Spiritual Stones, but Ganondorf is truly sealed this time." The Princess assured.
"Aha!" A voice suddenly chirped. It was GLaDOS! She had been so silent since the group met up with Link, her voice startled Sora, Donald, and Goofy and especially Link, Navi, and Zelda. Donald pulled the A.I. out of his pocket. "The darkness is gone! I can sense the Keyhole nearby!"
"Wait, what is that?" Link asked, observing GLaDOS with curiosity. He still seemed a bit out of it, but the sudden appearance of the A.I. was a good distraction.
"You haven't spoken up in ages!" Donald noted, almost sort of forgetting that GLaDOS had been in his pocket the whole time.
"I don't exactly fit in here, so I kept quiet." GLaDOS explained. "But the Keyhole is right nearby, I couldn't let us leave without sealing it!"
Sora looked around, but he saw nothing. Walking around, he stopped. From the rubble that Ganondorf burst out of, he saw a Keyhole in the ground! It was there the whole time! "I see it! Thanks, GLaDOS!" He pointed his Keyblade at the Keyhole, his weapon's tip glowing along with the hole, a loud locking sound brought forth as the Keyhole vanished entirely.
"Wait…what happened…?" Navi asked, still sounding weak as she stood up and rested against Link's face.
"It's something that will keep the world safe from the Heartless, don't worry!" Donald piped up, keeping things vague as he put GLaDOS back in his pocket. "We do have to leave, though."
Link put his sword and shield away, frowning. "Back out of Hyrule? You have to leave already?" He seemed a bit curious about GLaDOS, but the news of his new friends leaving apparently took precedence.
"They're not the only ones who must go." Zelda informed, seeming less surprised about the Keyhole than Link and Navi. "Link, you need to make a decision. You can stay here, in this ragged future, or you can go back in time and become a child once more. A one way trip."
"…What? How? If I went back, wouldn't all of this be undone?" Link asked with a shake of the head. "I couldn't do that!"
Zelda shook her head as well. "No, it wouldn't be like that. Think of a river splitting into two. If I sent you back, that's what would happen. One branch would be everything here, but if I send you back, a second branch is created. One where you can warn me that our initial plan will fail, and Ganondorf can be stopped before gaining access to the Sacred Realm. The choice is yours. I want to give you your childhood back, but it's ultimately in your hands."
Link stood there, mouth agape, clearly processing this massive choice dropped onto him. He looked around to everyone else, feeling helpless. "What do I do…?"
Navi patted Link's cheek. "You should do it. You deserve a normal childhood…You deserve to be happy…" She still seemed exhausted…
"It's not really my business, but I agree." Sora said, having noticed how out of sorts Link was. He kept forgetting that the supposed adult was really only ten, at least mentally. "You deserve a chance to grow up without all of this."
"I think so too. I know Malon would understand." Goofy added on. "She'd probably want ya to do the same thing."
This sort of thing wasn't one of Donald's strong suits, but he piped up as well. "Everything's safe here now, you don't need to feel like you have to stay!"
Link nodded, a bit numbly. "…I'll miss you. All of you. I won't forget you." He turned back to Zelda. "What do I have to do?"
"Give me the Ocarina of Time." Zelda responded, holding out her hand. "You'll be sent back before you pulled out the Master Sword. You'll remember everything. The only thing you must do is find me again and warn me of what will come if we go through our initial plan."
As Link put the blue instrument in the Princess' hand, Sora put a hand on his shoulder. "We'll miss you too, Link and you too, Navi. You both have strong hearts, so we know you can prevent all this and create a better world!"
"That's right! We won't be forgettin' ya both either, alright?" Goofy said, feeling a bit teary-eyed at this goodbye.
"Ganondorf won't see it coming!" Donald added on, giving the boy and fairy a thumbs-up.
"You all…thank you…" Navi whispered, sitting down on Link's shoulder. "I think we're ready, Zelda."
The Princess put the Ocarina of Time to her lips, prompting the outsiders to step away from Link. She played a beautiful, slow song, and as she did so, a blue beam formed around Link and Navi. The two were gently lifted into the air. Higher and higher…and soon, they were simply gone. "…I believe this was the right thing. I have faith in them." Zelda remarked, her tone solemn. "As for you three…you have to leave this world, don't you?"
"World? Wait…how did you…?!" Sora exclaimed, taken off-guard. "You knew we weren't from this world?!" He was still a bit shaken after Link's departure. Even if they came back to this world, they'd never see him again. Their hearts would stay connected, but…it didn't feel like enough at that moment.
"Only that detail, yes. Since I was a child, I have had prophecies. Ones that come to me without any warning. In one such dream, I saw three figures come from the sky to aid our kingdom along with Link…one of them held a large key." The Princess explained, gesturing to the Keyblade. "My Father spoke of a sacred treasure underneath the castle, a rumor older than Hyrule itself…I can only imagine it was the Keyhole you sealed."
Seeing no reason to deny things, Sora nodded. "You're right. We came from another world to help with the Heartless. Sealing the Keyhole keep the heart of the world safe from the Heartless. They won't be able to get to it."
"That's a relief. I wish you three could stay a bit longer, but something tells me you have to leave right away." The Princess said. "You don't need to worry about us, we'll be okay. We can rebuild!"
"Of course! The kingdom has you to lead it!" Sora declared. "By the way…you never saw anyone named Kairi here, have you? She's a friend I'm looking for…" He had to ask, and he gave Zelda a description of his childhood friend.
"I'm afraid the name isn't familiar, and I haven't seen anyone like that. While not a prophecy mind you…I feel like you'll find her." Zelda responded, digging into her pocket. "By the way, I meant to give this to you before Ganondorf captured me. I found it shortly before we first encountered each other, and I feel in my heart it will aid you." Out of her pocket, she pulled a bright yellow stone, one that was remarkably like Woomy's.
Sora reached for the stone, but as he touched it, it gave him a painful shock! "Ow! What the…?" Cautiously, he tried again, and managed to pick the stone up. "We'll have to take this to Dr. Orpheus, I can feel this is another summoning gem…"
"I'm not sure what that means, but I'm hoping it will aid you. Once more, I have to declare how much this kingdom owes you, and I hope we can meet again one day." The Princess declared.
Pocketing the new stone, Sora nodded. "I hope so too. Even if we don't, our hearts will remain connected, right?" The Princess nodded in response with a smile.
"I'm sure we'll see each other again somehow, I just know we will!" Goofy remarked, preferring to remain optimistic.
"Just wish we could stay a bit longer…" Donald remarked, not feeling the need to ask about King Mickey. If he had been here, he would've taken down Ganondorf by himself. "Come on, guys…" Hating these sort of goodbyes, he took the returning device out of his pocket. With the push of a button, the outsiders left Hyrule behind in a flash of light.
Zelda looked at where the trio had stood with a sad gaze. Sighing a bit, she turned back to the bridge that led to the mainland. Then she heard a noise behind her. Turning around, her eyes widened as a figure darted at her…
In a dark room, in a far away world, Dio and his remaining allies were in their usual meeting place. However, there was a new person amongst them…Riku. The witch and the purple-suited man were off to the side as the man with the hook, Dio, and Riku were around the table.
"You know he didn't even like you, right? You've gotta get a grip!" The purple-suited man declared to a somber witch.
"You don't know what you say, it was only a matter of time before our wedding day!" She screeched back. "If those twerps come up to me, I'll tear them apart, that you'll see!"
Ignoring the bickering, the hook handed man spoke to Dio. "You know, I think Ganondorf could've had them with just a bit of extra help." He said this as he open glanced at Riku. "Could've solved our problems in one blow."
Riku shrugged off the man's comments. "He was a traitor; did you forget that? Besides, I got the Princess of Heart and brought her here. I did my part."
"Ganondorf was a fool." Dio declared, not seeming too bothered by his traitorous ways. "He let his desires cloud his heart, and it was his downfall. Letting one's emotions burn too fiercely can be very dangerous…"
"You're not trying to imply anything there, are you? I've got my emotions in check just fine." The hook handed man replied. "You won't have to worry about that!"
Dio ignored the other man's words and turned his attention to Riku. "That aside, we had a deal, didn't we? You helped us, and you get your wish…" He waved his hand, and above the table a vision of Kairi appeared, lying comatose.
"Kairi?!" Riku exclaimed, dropping his guarded visage as he uselessly reached for the hologram.
"Our associate here will take you to her. Using the darkness to travel too much at your level is dangerous, after all." Dio declared, gesturing to the hook handed man.
"…Why are you doing this for me? What's the catch?" Riku asked, eyeing Dio with open suspicion.
Dio chuckled at this, not seeming upset at all. "What catch? You're far too suspicious. You remind me of myself when I was younger. The determination in your heart and your willingness to do anything to get your way is admirable, to say the least. Besides, I promised you aid in exchange for cooperation, and I hold up my promises…"
Riku didn't reply, staring intently at Dio for a moment before walking off with the hook handed man…
A massive core of energy lay beyond the door sought by the Heartless. It may be the ultimate goal of the Heartless. But what is that energy? I have devised a hypothesis, based upon my observations of the Heartless.
The Heartless feed on other's hearts, and they yearn for that energy core. That thing beyond the door must be a heart, too-the heart of this world. There is no proof, but, having felt that immense energy, I am certain. That was the heart of the world.
The Heartless are trying to take hearts not only from all living creatures, but from the planet itself. But what do they mean to do with the heart of the world?
A/N: At long last, Hyrule is done and the next world is waiting to be visited. I can guarantee it won't be as long, maybe just two chapters. I know I mentioned this before, but I like the idea of Sora mimicking the moves he sees others do, especially his friends, so Link's Spin Attack will be part of his moveset now. I felt like Ganondorf was too prideful, evil, and ambitious to truly work for someone or even as someone's equal, so his betrayal seemed very in-character. As for the new summon Sora got...I wonder if anyone can guess who it is. I will say it's not the most obvious electrical option of Pikachu.