Legend of Zelda; The Hollow King

Legend of Zelda; The Hollow King



This fan-fiction is a piece of work that I'm currently writing over at LoZ.com. It's a direct sequel to the Legend of Zelda; Twilight Princess, and is separated from the actual game by one year. Read, enjoy, and please - tell me what you think.


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Chapter 1: Evil King Returned



The pair of cloaked men quietly strode through the empty, dark corridors. Their hoods were hiding their faces, even though they were entirely by themselves. The silence was almost complete, only stirred slightly by the faint sound of their quick, light footsteps. Darkness enshrouded them, as though trying to lure them into the shadows and forever remove them from existence. Beneath the hoods, their eyes flicked from right to left. Their minds could only vaguely produce the imaginations of what was awaiting them at their destination.

Weakness was a dangerous thing, had their King told them. What they walked to required all the bravery and valor that they had. They could not betray his very valuable trust. It was a very important mission they were undertaking, had the King said.

A sudden noise startled them. The taller of the two men grabbed the other immediately, and they threw themselves to the side. There was a deafening crash, followed by rubble flying by them. They protected their faces with their arms, and turned to see a giant hole in the wall. As suddenly as the wall had exploded, a gigantic, iron clad knight soared through it, pounding with a huge mace on what appeared to be a black, crawling creature. It was a fierce battle; the two combatants remained oblivious to the presence of the two cloaked men as they brawled in the slim corridor.

“Stay still,” the taller of the two men whispered. The hood of the other man had fallen back, revealing his young face. His pale face seemed to glow in the light of the moon that had found its way through the holes in the wall. His eyes jumped from the scene before him to his companion, who pulled back his own hood as well. He was much older than his friend, something his spiky grey hair and wrinkled face did not fail to show. He had a very sharp and experienced look in his eyes as he too observed the battle that ensued before them.

The knight bashed his shield at the monster’s face – a face that, in truth, bore more resemblance to a flat mask - knocking it into the ground with a crash. Without any delay he swung his large mace over his head and smashed it into the defenseless monster. It gave a terrifying shriek as the mace sunk into its dark body with a sickening sound. The next moment it dissolved into darkness, disappearing as if it had been a play of shadows all along.

The two cloaked men exchanged worried looks. They then realized that they were not to remain unnoticed for long, as the knight reared his head. He lifted his mace and pointed towards them with it.

“Go,” he said with a deep, cold voice. They dared not protest in the face of such brute force. The older man grabbed hold of his companion and hurried in the opposite direction. The younger man managed to get a glimpse of the knight turning to go back through the hole in the wall as they rounded a corner, and the knight disappeared out of sight.

What they were inside resembled a dungeon more than a prison. Thick dust hung over them like a persistent plague. The faint flames of the torches that hung on the wall could barely light up the many rooms they passed through. Sand half covered the cracked tiles that made up the floor. The walls were even more damaged inside than outside.

“Ra’Ghar, stay still,” the elder man suddenly grunted. The younger of the two stopped dead in his tracks, glancing back at his companion. They were passing over a range of stone platforms that were rising up from the sand pits.

“What is it, Harbaras?” he asked.

Harbaras knelt down, letting his hand lower into the sand slowly. Ra’Ghar frowned, looking from the old man to where his hand had disappeared.

“Harbaras, what - ?”

The man suddenly yanked his hand out of the sand. Ra’Ghar flinched a little; in his grasp the old man held a small, dark being. It crawled together, making whimpering screeches and seemingly attempting to get loose. Harbaras drew a knife from his sleeve, cutting it in half. The screeches became gurgling noises before dying out.

“What was that?” Ra’Ghar asked.

“It was spying on us,” Harbaras replied, throwing the upper half of the dead creature back into the sand where it slowly sunk out of view. “From since we entered the room.”

They both fell silent. Ra’Ghar stared at Harbaras, who looked back with a deep frown on his face. They were both thinking the same thing. Why was a spy necessary?

“… regardless, we must continue,” Ra’Ghar coughed. “We are already late.”

“Yes. Let’s go.”

They proceeded with more caution than before. Dark powers formed stairs for them to climb. In the large circular room they had entered, they could see that the magical stairs had replaced those made of stone, as ruin and erosion had reduced the stone steps to little more than small platforms. As they reached the top, the large doors opened before them and allowed them entry into the greatest chamber in the prison. They allowed themselves to glance up at the magnificent carvings that decorated the walls as they passed over the stone bridges leading to the main platform.

Finally arriving outside, with fresh cold air filling their lungs at last, they climbed the partly ruined stairs. The wind brushed over them, casting sand before them as they followed the illuminated stone walls. Ra’Ghar looked behind him nervously. They were now followed by two knights resembling the one from before. Harbaras nudged him with an elbow, making him face forward and halt in his tracks. The arena before them was covered in sand and resembled a coliseum of sorts, with seats placed on ledges surrounding the main area. Before them stood a massive statue of a woman, with a stone snake wrapped around her.

“You are late,” called a cold voice, sending shivers down their spines. They cast their eyes upwards.

The two men froze where they stood. The voice had come from the top of the statue. It was filled with suppressed and concentrated hatred. It resonated with power, as though he challenged anyone to face his might. It was full of pride and arrogance, suited for a tyrant king.

So it was true, then.

They dared not stare for too long, in fear of being killed for their recklessness. Instead, they got on their knees and knelt before the statue.

“The moon shines bright upon the Arbiter’s Grounds tonight,” the same voice continued, not sounding very amused at all, though not annoyed either. The men took this as an invite to stand and look up again, and the owner of the voice stood in clear view, the moon illuminating his entire being. He was dressed in dark plate armor with a long cape, with orange-red hair, green-black skin, and lastly his yellow eyes that both the men could see very well from where they stood. Yellow eyes that stared down at them.

With a simple move he disappeared from where he stood and reappeared before his new visitors. It then occurred to them how tall he was. He kept his head high, a condescending and arrogant look upon his face.

“Lord Ganondorf…” Ra’Ghar stammered a little, bowing deep. Harbaras was soon to follow, though with a displeased look on his face over having to show a stranger such respect. Ganondorf looked at them for a moment, before he turned towards the great statue of which he had stood.

“What business does the King of Tarvalla want from a mere man of blood and flesh?” he asked them, still with his back towards them. The older one cleared his throat:

“He… he wanted to know if it was true.”

“… true? What do you mean with that?”

“The Triforce – “

The words caused the man called Ganondorf to turn, and as though a magnetic force had suddenly interfered, Harbaras was flung from where he stood towards the dark lord. The old man was kept floating in mid-air by Ganondorf’s magic, right in front of the man. Ra’Ghar made a weird, choking noise in shock. He wanted to run. Leaving Harbaras behind did not seem to be such a horrible idea at all for the briefest of seconds, but his body did not obey him.

“What is your name?” Ganondorf whispered to his newly caught prey, with a voice that carried a small hint of anger.

“H – Harbaras,” came the choked reply.

“Do you know… how… your King knows about the Triforce…?”

“No - no, my lord, he did not say – “

Ganondorf’s mouth crooked into a twisted smile.

“Truly a shame… I would like to know more of it…”

He clenched his hand, and Harbaras, pale in his face and wide in his eyes, exploded into small, thin pieces of black substance.

Ganondorf turned towards the companion who was staring at him with wide, terrified eyes. He was completely white in his face; there was no trace of colour left in his cheeks. He felt a numbness spread through his body that paralyzed him completely. He was all alone now. Harbaras had been the stronger of the two. The wiser, the prouder, the bigger. How was Ra’Ghar going to survive this? How was he going to tell this to his king?

“Your name, then?” Ganondorf asked the boy, his eyes narrowing threateningly.

“R-Ra’Ghar…” the boy stuttered, knowing that he had to reply truthfully or otherwise suffer the same fate as his companion. Ganondorf scoffed in spite of the pathetic little human.

“Leave. And tell your King that I do not know what he is talking about.”

“But – but how?!”

Ganondorf, who had already begun walking back towards the statue, stopped and turned back towards Ra’Ghar. His eyes showed annoyance.

“How?” he spat. “How what?”

“How did you return? How could you survive the piercing of the sacred Master Sword?” The words flew out of Ra’Ghar before he could keep them back. He regretted ever uttering them as he saw Ganondorf’s face change from annoyance to simply blankness.

The dark lord hesitated. He looked from Ra’Ghar to the ground, frowning in deep thought.

“Well informed indeed,” he muttered just loud enough for the boy to hear him. Ra’Ghar’s heart jumped up to his throat. Ganondorf could kill him too for knowing too much, just like with Harbaras.

“… I guess I could tell you… yes, in fact… that is truly what I would wish for…”

Ganondorf waved with his hand, and Ra’Ghar, feeling a small disturbance in the ground below him, instinctively threw himself forward. In shock he spun around to see a chair made of stone rise up where he had been standing, as though created from the very sand itself. As the chair had fully risen out of the sand with a small crumble, Ra’Ghar decided that hesitation could wait in the face of the situation, and he took his seat. Ganondorf had already taken place in a bigger throne, which had just as mysteriously appeared out of the sand. His wide smirk was fully apparent on his face. Ganondorf liked to make sure that the boy would see just how mighty and powerful he was.

“How I returned? Well, tell me… Ra’Ghar, was it… do you know where you are?”

Ra’Ghar did not know if this was a trick question. Of course he knew where he was. He and Harbaras had traveled many days to reach this specific place. Their king had been very clear about it.

“The Arbiter’s Grounds…” he muttered. Ganondorf nodded.

“Do you know what purpose this place served a time ago?”

“It served as a prison for the kingdom of Hyrule,” the boy answered immediately.

“And who were the keepers?”

“The Sacred Sages – “

And then he realized it; where he sat, he could not spot any signs of the Six Sages that were said to reside in the prison. He did not know what they looked like either, but he was positive that they were not present. In fact, he began to suspect a reason why they were gone, and also how Ganondorf could return after his supposed death during the year prior.

“By using their life-force, my most loyal servant could resurrect me and give me my body back,” Ganondorf explained with a satisfied smile. “The Sages seem to have been powerful sources of energy, so the life of three were enough to make me complete. However, seeing as my power alone was not enough to help me one year ago, I acquired more power through the fourth.”

“… but the fifth? Did you not absorb that one too?”

“Look up,” Ganondorf said with a voice filled with amusement and anticipation. Ra’Ghar so did, expecting the worst, and he gasped at the sight; there was a white… thing… kept in mid-air high above them. The light that shone from the body had almost faded. It was suspended in the air by what seemed to be dark chains holding the arms and legs. Ra’Ghar guessed that this was a devise by Ganondorf to keep the Sage prisoner.

“There is much information within that one…” Ganondorf muttered, more to himself than to Ra’Ghar. “His knowledge seemed to be useful. Through him I have gotten to know just how I can bring Hyrule down under me. Of course, doing it is the true challenge.”

“But – but the Hero – he who defeated you…” Ra’Ghar chose his words carefully – he had almost said ‘killed’. “- will he not pose a threat?”

“The kid?” Ganondorf grunted. “… yes, I admit that I had not expected him to be so big an obstacle… however, I know now.” The dark lord put his fingers together, forming a pyramid with his hands. “His power was not his own… the Master Sword was what my downfall – yes, my downfall, I admit - became. I had not expected it to be so deadly. And through our friend here,” he looked at the Sage, “I have gotten to know exactly where it is. My loyal servant is already prepared to move to its location.”

“But – the Princess! You do not have the Twilight King beside you anymore!” Ra’Ghar pushed on, forgetting all about being careful and subtle. This was his best chance to get answers.

Ganondorf suddenly laughed so high that Ra’Ghar was startled. The dark lord threw his head backwards and laughed, his powerful voice echoed through the arena. The monsters and creatures that had taken place on the tribunes withdrew from their seats, retreating into the shadows in fear of Ganondorf’s maliciousness.

“Zant? No, it is true; I do not have him by my side any longer. But I do not need him. The Twilight Realm is already under my control.”

“But – “

“The Mirror?” said Ganondorf with a glint in his eye. “Aren’t you well informed?”

Ra’Ghar held his breath. There was a small pause as Ganondorf’s eyes scanned him calculatingly. He then continued:

“Indeed, it is gone. The ‘Queen’ destroyed it a year ago. However, I have learned that there is another way. Not created by the Goddesses, but by Hylians and Twili. Indeed, the Hylians and Twili themselves. The Hylians created it, the Twili enchanted it. Powerful magic, without a doubt, and now in my possession.”

Ra’Ghar said nothing. What could he say? He had never expected this, nor had Harbaras. What had they gotten themselves into? The King had heard rumors of a certain man familiar with the Triforce in the Gerudo Desert, but that it was a man searching for domination over Hyrule would never cross anyone’s mind. He had to find out more. He had to find out what Ganondorf planned. The King… Hyrule… depended on it.

“However… I need more power in order to truly conquer Hyrule…” Ganondorf suddenly said lowly. “There is no kingdom without a people after all. And the kid… he may be without the Master Sword, but I can guarantee that he has other powers that could turn out to be more than I can handle.”

“How can you counter that?” Ra’Ghar asked impatiently.

Ganondorf did not reply, but stared up at the Sage. It did not take long before his mouth turned into a smile, and he stood up. Ra’Ghar quickly followed. Ganondorf did nothing else at first, he just stood and looked up at the faint light above them. At last he lowered his gaze from the Sage and looked at his guest, who knew now that he had overstayed his welcome.

“You will go back to your King and inform him that if he interferes with my plans, I will personally kill him. Tell him that Hyrule is out of his concern, and do not require his aid. Tell him that he shall look forward to peaceful times.”

“Y – yes…” Ra’Ghar said, deeply relieved. For a brief second a sudden thought hit him, but he bit back asking where Harbaras had gone, or if he even was alive. It was time to leave now. He turned and walked quickly out of the arena, eager to get away from the accursed arena and the malevolent, twisted man.

Ganondorf, no longer about his guest at all, had already placed a ring on his finger. It was carved with black and red runes, runes that formed lines and circles making it look like an odd kind of map. He stood still for a second, a confident smirk on his face, before his body became like black paper strips that rose up into the air before they disappeared from sight.


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The Twilight Realm was nothing like the peaceful dimension it once had been. The floating buildings were destroyed and abandoned completely, and what was left of the once harmless population had been suppressed and brainwashed. Monsters wandered the dark soil of the former Palace of Twilight, constantly patrolling. As though there was even the slightest chance of an intruder to get into the realm in the first place.

Ganondorf strode down the dark corridors, ignoring the cries of pain that came from the tortured prisoners in the cells around him. He did not have enough time to revel in their anguish and suffering, but he could not suppress a wide, twisted smile as he approached the greatest door at the end of the hallway.

As he was approaching the door he put his hands together and focused. Once he had reached it, he put his hand forward onto the metallic substance. Ticking noises could be heard from the door in response, as if thousands of mechanisms came to life at once. The markings on the door lit up, and it swung open. Ganondorf entered the room.

It was entirely white, almost blinding. It was as if he was in an endless dimension that was nothing and everything at the same time, a true rendition of the rift between time and space. The illusion would be perfect had it not been for the other person in the room.

“Looking good as always, Midna…” Ganondorf mocked. He waved with a hand, and a throne of darkness materialized in thin air and allowed him to sit down. Midna, subdued and beaten into the ground, did not reply. Her eyes, however, showed exactly how she felt about her situation, and the man sitting before her in particular.

“Such anger…” Ganondorf taunted in a bored tone as he leaned closer towards the Twili ruler, a smug grin painted on his dark face. “Your stubbornness will sooner or later be your downfall, my dear ‘Queen’.” He put much weight on the last word. He enjoyed mocking her. It was like making a fire blaze up by just uttering a mere word.

Midna defiantly spat right in his face. A burst of rage ran through him as he wiped it away quickly. He growled and glared angrily at her, not amused anymore by her rebellious nature.

“You’re at my mercy here, Midna, so behave yourself. You would be dead already if I didn’t need the information you possess.”

“Never…” Midna whispered exhausted, but she managed to maintain a strong voice. “I will never…”

Ganondorf scoffed, giving off a bark of laughter. He stood up from his throne, and it disappeared the instant he left it. He walked over to the weakened Twili, crouching down by her. His fingers gripped her chin in an almost gentle way. She tried biting, but he simply held her chin in place by force.

“What you will and won’t, my dear Midna…” he muttered, “- is not significant at all.”

Powerless, she could do nothing but watch as he, with his other hand, pressed two fingers to her forehead. His eyes were closed. His mouth was moving barely, forming silent incantations. In the next instant, Midna gasped as a sudden pain gripped her body. Her hands tried to break free from their chains, her feet alike, and she felt the tears press on as the pain grew ever fiercer. Ganondorf’s grip on her chin tightened. She was on fire. Her head would explode. She was going to die now.

It was certain.

This was death.

She screamed. She screamed so loudly that she could hear herself. It was terrifying, deafening, burning. The pain was neverending. He could see everything. She could feel him, there, watching as she relived every moment of her life. Every person she had ever talked to, every feeling she had ever had. But she could only feel pain.

Death. This was it.

“KILL ME!” she heard herself cry out. Pleading for death. Why did she not die? “GODDESSES KILL ME!”

Why did she not die?

And then, it was over. Midna fell back. Her heart was pounding in her chest at an enormous rate. She struggled to breathe properly, like she had just been choked. Ganondorf stood up again, his breath a little heavier.

“So… that was quite… informing…”

“What… are you… doing…?” Midna panted, her voice so weak she could barely utter the words.

“The Fused Shadows…” Ganondorf muttered as his evil eyes pierced hers. “Remember them, Midna? I destroyed them when you and I fought a year ago. I need that power. And you just showed me how.”

“B… but…“

Ganondorf began walking to the door, clutching his hand a little as his fingers were still aching from reading Midna’s mind. He could sense her desperation, her sudden frustration, coupled with her grave and growing weakness. By the door he turned and looked at her a final time before he said, as though citing a book:

“’To bring a power of evil, seek pure good, and by its will, let it embrace you’. Those were the words I heard from you as I read your mind, Midna. I do not know what they mean…” he smirked confidently, “… but I will find out. And my triumph will be complete. Don’t worry, Midna… your Hylian friends will suffer quick deaths… I will make sure of it…”

And he walked out. Midna was left with her reduced state, and even though her mind was clouded from the torture that Ganondorf had put her through, her thoughts were only with Hyrule.

She hoped that Link and Zelda would be alright.


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“Link…” she called out.

“What?” he said while walking towards her.

“Link…”

“What is it?”

“Link…”

“I’m here.”

“Get up, you lazy git!”

Link’s eyes snapped open. He was no longer walking, but lying in a bed, and the sheets had been pulled off him. There was only window in the small room that allowed some sunshine light it up, and next to it stood a girl. Her short and thin figure was impossible to misplace, and Link was pretty sure that no-one else he knew had brown hair put up in a ponytail like that.

“Sheesh, it takes more effort to wake you up than to get Renado to drink lava juice!” she frowned, stepping a little closer to the bed. Looking into his brown eyes made him feel both guilty and annoyed at the same time.

“Sorry, sorry…” Link muttered. “I’m just… tired…”

“Well, you have spent several days out in the fields, so you would be tired… but still, you have to get up in the mornings!” She let her fist knock against Link’s head lightly. “Breakfast is ready downstairs.”

“Thanks Loreena…” Link said drowsily before giving her a reassuring smile.

Satisfied with what she got out of him, Loreena marched out the door, and Link fell back into his pillows with a sigh. For a moment he was back in his dream, seeing it over and over again within his own mind, gazing towards an unknown female figure. Was it Midna…? He could not remember much about her anymore. Maybe it was her.

Link rubbed his eyes. The previous day he had been busy slaying Lizalfosses that had crawled out of their caves and started to bother travelling merchants and steal their goods. The foes had been many, and Epona, Link’s trusted horse and his travelling companion, had gotten a small injury from the chase of the fleeing remainders. So he had to stay in Kakariko Village to rest and to let the horse recover. He had hoped for the sacred spring by the border southern end of the village to heal her in only a matter of hours, but Loreena would never let him leave so soon. They were approaching an important time for the villagers, after all.

He got out of bed lazily, almost dragging himself into standing. He almost fell as he stumbled over one of his boots. He cursed as he kicked it aside, turning to find his traditional garbs ready for him to wear, lain at the end of the bed. The green tunic was washed, and his otherwise dirty boots, gloves and shins were also cleaned to the point where they were shining. Link smiled to himself as he picked up his shirt, slipping it on. Sometimes Luda could be very effective. Most of the time. Always. Link was convinced that without Luda around, Renado and Barnes would have starved to death a year ago.

He put the ringmail aside. It could be heavy to wear it at times, and he rarely needed to wear mail anyways. It was not necessary to wear such protection in a day and age where monsters had fallen back into their natural habitats and usually kept to themselves.

“Hey! Coming or what?!” Loreena yelled from below, her light voice carrying surprisingly strong through the floor. Link sighed, retrieved his hat from the chair by the door, and went out of his room.

The Eldinn of Kakariko Village had been very much improved since he had stayed there a year before. They had built more rooms, hired more people to cook and clean, and overall made it bigger and better than ever before. Link had met the younger Loreena almost three months before. She had been new to the village, but had from the first day demanded respect from everyone around her, and had always been working hard. She helped out with whatever she could in the village, and though she could be rough or strict at times she was also quite popular with the village children. In a way she reminded him of himself, back when he had been a farmer. Without the chastising of course.

He sat down by one of the tables in the inn, and Loreena put a plate with eggs and bacon in front of him. He gave her a nod in silent gratitude that she did not respond to, and began eating while she disappeared into the kitchen, unable to hide her slight smile. He was all alone in the room. Judging by the sunlight outside, it was already past noon.

After the very brief breakfast, Link got his Ordon sword and Hylian shield from his room and went out of the inn. The familiar northern wind brushed his hair softly as he stepped out into fresh air, and the sun warmed him comfortingly as he walked out of the shade and over to the shaman of the village, Renado.

“We have been blessed by a cloudless sky,” he said to Link with his calm, dark voice as he placed a hand on his chest and lowered his head in respect.

“Indeed we have,” Link replied with a glance towards the heavens. “It’ll be a great Night of Eldin this year.” The Night of Eldin was the big event that kept Link stationed in the village. It was a yearly celebration that Link had never really gotten to understand fully.

“Gor Coron needed to clear the roads down from Death Mountain after the latest rock slides, but since you were asleep I sent Barnes to take care of it. He should be able to handle it with his bomblings.”

Link scratched his head apologetically, casting his gaze down a little.

“Oh. Sorry about that, I was really tired – “

Renado chuckled and placed a hand on Link’s shoulder, giving him a reassuring smile.

“No need for apologies, you have done much more than we could have ever asked of you.”

Link sighed as he took off his hat and brushed it, though it was completely free of dust. “Loreena is stressed… then again; she is the one managing the food for this arrangement. And getting rocks for Gorons like Darbus is no easy task.”

“I have confidence in her,” Renado replied calmly, but with a tone that underlined his decision.

“So do I, but it’s tiring work,” Link said with a glance at the shaman.

“She volunteered for this herself, Link,” Renado sighed. “Let her do what she wants to do.”

“Still saying…”

“In other recent happenings, Epona seems fully refreshed,” Renado said, directing the conversation elsewhere. “Will you be leaving us soon?” the shaman inquired curiously, glancing over at the horse that stood by the springs. She neighed happily, throwing her beautiful head back. The white mane fell back over her long neck graciously.

“I’ll stick around for the party.” Link gazed up at Death Mountain which stood tall and proud, raised towards the sky. “I owe it to Loreena… and Luda. They’ve both been really helpful – Loreena would kill me if I left now anyways. And besides, I promised the kids that I would demonstrate my new crossbow.”

Renado smiled and nodded. “They look up to you. Much like your friends back in Ordon. Have you spoken to them lately?”

“Not in about a month,” Link replied. “I planned on going there next.”

“I am certain that they miss you quite.” Renado smiled.

Link shrugged. “They’re getting used to it… the whole travelling thing I’ve got going on. One year is a long time. Ilia is fine with it too.”

Renado nodded again, and fell back to silence. They stood watching the villagers set up preparations and make ready for going to Death Mountain for the coming party, before Link yawned and stretched. “Well, I’m not leaving today but Epona needs her daily ride. I’ll be back in a few hours.”

“I see. May the spirits of light guide you safely home then,” Renado said as he made one last bow, before walking off to talk to the other villagers. Link looked after him a little, feeling a little sad for some reason, before shaking his head and whistling sharply. He glanced over at the horse, but it did not move.

“… oh come on!” he shouted. “Can’t you just get over here when I whistle for you, like a good horse?”

Epona just ignored him, trotting about on her own merrily. Link sighed and whistled again, but this time it sounded more like a melody put together by three different sounds. He whistled again. The horse immediately approached him from the village spring, and threw back her head once she had reached him. He mounted her and patted her neck.

“You’ll be the end of me,” he sighed with a smile before pulling the reigns, sending the horse on a gallop out of the village.


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Hyrule Field seemed dull. A year ago the fields would be filled with savage beasts that Link would have to fight his way through in order to reach his destinations. Now he could not see a living soul wherever he turned his eyes, except for the occasional merchant or traveler. There was little reason to go anywhere these days. Only nature remained as it had always been. Autumn was right behind the corner. The leaves on the trees were changing color, and the days were getting warmer.

“Don’t you miss it, Epona…?” Link muttered as he let the horse walk calmly down the road. “The adventure… the enemies… the excitement…”

As though she wanted to respond, the horse snorted and dug in the ground with her hoofs lazily. Link gazed over the landscape before him, letting his thoughts drift away. For a moment he was back in Hyrule Castle, battling an enormous monstrous boar-like beast. He was chasing a dark rider over a vast and dark plain. He was dueling a tall figure in a battle of life and death.

Soft, blue eyes sought his.

She was in front of him.

Link gasped as he opened his eyes, realizing he had drifted off for a moment. Epona had stopped walking, and now just stood firm.

“I wonder how Midna is doing…” Link said to himself, though she was not the one he had just thought about. She didn’t have blue eyes. “All busy managing the Twilight Realm… you’d hate it there, Epona. No room for you to test your speed.”

Smiling warmly, knowing what Midna would have said (“Hey! I bet Epona would have loved the Twilight Realm just fine!”), he continued riding on, still halfway lost in his mind. It was no problem for Epona though; she navigated on her own. She knew the route as well as he did.

A sudden noise made him raise his head, yanking him out of his daydreams abruptly. It was entirely quiet around him however - the only noises came from the river’s flow and the birds’ singing. He felt uneasy, but decided to let it go. He had no reason to be paranoid after all. Not every suspicious thing meant immediate danger.

But then another noise came. And the next he knew, an arrow flew by his head. Link reacted instinctively and drew his sword before jumping off the neighing Epona. He brought up his shield, feeling his heart pound in his chest. Monsters? Here?

He recognized the war cries immediately. The horse rose up onto its two back-feet.

Bulblins. The green, pesky foes he knew from his adventure the previous year. They had been gone for a good amount of time, and it seemed that they had decided to return.

Another arrow hit the iron surface of his shield and bounced away. He immediately spotted the attacker and dashed towards it, swift judgement whisking his surprise away. He had not come halfway towards his target before another arrow had him jump out of the way and lose his focus. There were more of them.

“Come out, come out, you beasts!” Link cried in frustration, scouting around for any clues on where his foes could be. But again they attacked before he could get his mind together, and he barely avoided three more arrows. His mind raced as his eyes scouted for clues on their whereabouts. Three arrows, all fired from different directions meant there were at least three archers lurking in the bushes.

He took cover behind a tree. Epona had already sprinted off, but he would have to worry about that later. He had not brought his crossbow, so he would have to face the enemies up close with his sword. But where were they?

Link slowly moved his head a little past the tree to look, and saw a fire arrow sail towards him from the bushes. He quickly ducked back into cover and quickly made a mental note of where the first bulblin was located. He could storm up and kill that one immediately, but chances were that the other two would get him if he was taken off-guard. He had to find out where the other two were positioned before he could do anything else.

He ran up towards his first target. Arrows came flying towards him from several angles. He was not able to note successfully where he had seen them coming from. He quickly got back up and threw himself at random into the bushes, right at the Bulblin hidden there.

They tumbled over and landed on the ground. Link was first to get up. He was almost dazed by his luck, but the bulblin was soon to follow. It raised its club and growled threateningly, with its evil red eyes fixed upon the Hylian swordsman. Link thrust his shield at the foe without hesitation and quickly followed up with a swift slash aimed at its stomach. The bulblin avoided the strike and swung its club with great strength. Link managed to block the strike with his shield, but was still sent backwards by the massive force the creature had mustered.

“Aieeeee!” it cried as it jumped at him, the club raised above its head. Link reacted instinctively and stabbed his sword upwards, straight through the chest of the assaulting bulblin. It gave a weak, painful croak before slowly sliding off and onto the ground. Link did not wait to see if it was completely dead, instead immediately sneaking into the bushes and had a look at the surroundings. He could see one of the other two bulblins, but it was much too far away for him to make a move.

“Dammit… where’s the other one…?” he muttered to himself. His eyes scoured the area, flicking from left to right. A sound behind him made him realize that he had the answer to his question already. As he turned, the bulblin’s club hit him straight over his face, sending him off his feet and out of the bushes. The creature roared in triumph over its successful strike and approached him through the bushes, smashing its club against the ground as it drew closer. The other bulblin came out of hiding too, aiming at Link with its bow.

He felt dizzy… and painful. Especially his head; it felt like it was going to crack open any minute, and he was most definitely certain that he was bleeding somewhere.

He then noticed the enemies approaching. He had dropped his sword as he was hit by the club, and all he had was his shield. He shook his head in an attempt to gain some composure, and staggered to his feet.

He blocked the first arrow and smashed the other Bulblin’s skull with his shield. It groaned in pain as it fell to the ground, and he took the club and sent it flying at the other one. It missed, so he followed up with dashing straight into the foe and trying to hit whatever he could reach.

The green creature under him cursed and tried kicking him off. It hit him hard in the stomach, but he would not back off. He pressed the Bulblin down into the ground and hammered at its skull with his shield.

Finally it gave a crack. The creature moved no more.

Link moaned as he rubbed his stomach. His entire body ached, but at least he was alive and without major injuries. He brought a hand to his head and felt a bruise, as well some blood.

“Oh great…” he sighed. “Loreena is going to kill me…”

That was all he managed to say before something clenched around his throat, making him gargle in surprise and yank his head back. He had forgotten; the second bulblin was still alive, and now fully conscious. It had jumped at his back and wrapped its arms around his neck, now trying to strangle him where he stood. He coughed and tried to knock it off, but it just held on tighter. He tried shaking it off, but it clung onto him with its claws digging into his skin. He winced in pain as he felt blood pour from his new cuts.

One last option seemed obvious to him, and he let himself fall backwards. He landed with the bulblin under his back on the ground, and it released its grip with a muffled groan. It did not give up though, but kept up its assault and punched him hard in the back. Coughing in pain, Link rolled off the body and got to his feet shakily, preparing to defend himself from the bloodthirsty monster.

“Gaaaaaah!” it shrieked, its red eyes flicking wildly, before it picked up a rock from the ground and chucked it at his head. Link, not predicting this sudden move at all, flew back as the rock hit him straight in the forehead, and he landed on his back painfully. The bulblin, instead of attacking further, made a turn and ran for it, its shrieks fading into the background as it fled deep into the woods nearby. Link silently swore to himself. His head was aching, as was his back. He could feel the stinging pain in his shoulders from the claws of the little beast. Chance had a way of treating Link, it seemed; only on the day when he chose to not wear ringmail did he get ambushed in the open fields.

Link gazed up at the sky above. He had to suppress a sudden urge to scream out in frustration. It didn’t make any sense. Why had the bulblins returned? Without their king? Link faintly remembered the big, green rider with its boar and battle axe. He also remembered how he had to duel this king of bulblins on the Bridge of Eldin to save Colin from their grasp. Was it he who had ordered them to attack? Ganondorf was gone, and from what Link could remember from their last encounter, the leader had already established that fighting Link was a bad idea and that it was something he did not wish for. Had there been a coup? A new leader had taken over, maybe?

Link, still dazed by the pain in his body, heard a familiar snort. He immediately knew that Epona, his trusty companion who he could always count on, had found him. The horse walked up to him slowly and gently pushed his head a little with her snout. He patted her weakly, trying a smile.

“Good to see you…” he muttered. “But next time, let’s just get the hell out of there, okay…?”

Chapter 2: Triforce Revealed



When Link returned to Kakariko Village, he was met by Loreena. She ran up to him and gave him a quick scolding about how careless he was and how he would get himself killed one day, before almost dragging him off Epona and to the hot spring at the top of the Eldinn.

“I don’t get it!” she said angrily as she treated his bruises. “You always have to find trouble! Always!”

“Actually, the trouble found me this time…” Link muttered.

“Shush and sit still!"

Link sighed and let her do what she wanted. Instead he thought about possible reasons for his ambush. Was it a coincidence?

Hardly anything was a coincidence with him.

“Oww! Watch it!” he yelped.

“Wuss,” Loreena teased. “Now be quiet.”

They both smiled to themselves, though their smiles soon disappeared when they realized that the other one was watching. They then fell back to silence as Loreena continued to treat Link’s injuries.

“Done soon?” Link asked annoyed after a while.

“Shh!”

“I’m just asking – “

“I said be quiet! I’m done soon!”

Link crossed his arms and grumbled. He was pretty sure that Loreena took delight in his pain, though she did seem far from delightful. When she finally let him go, he was patched up and felt better than before, though he would not admit it.

“And stay out of trouble. If you get killed before the Night of Eldin, I’ll bring you back to life just to kill you myself,” Loreena said and knocked him lightly over his head. He gave her a shrug, something she did not appreciate. “I’m serious! Don’t take so lightly on this, you’ll get seriously injured one day!”

“Loreena, I know what I’m doing,” Link sighed. “I’ve been doing this for a year now. It’s a little late to start worrying.”

“I’ve been worrying! Every time you go, I worry! And I wonder if you’re getting killed, or hurt, or if something happens to you at all! You’re careless! You don’t think it’s so important, but it is!”

“Hey, I know that it’s important – what do you think I am, stupid?”

“You sure act like you are!”

“Do you think you know me? Do you think I can just settle down and act like everything is good in the world? I’ve seen what is out there! You haven’t! You don’t know what dangers are lurking, and how many people are suffering!”

“Since when did you become a hero supposed to redeem this country of all dangers?”

“Since…“ Link bit the words back. “… forget it…”

“It’s not your duty to go and fight every monster that pops out of nowhere, so don’t act like it is!”

“But it’s what I want to do!”

“And that is why you’re stupid!”

Link glared at her, and she glared back. They had never really fought like that; it had mostly been small things like laundry and breakfast. But now it occurred to Link just how much impact his adventures had for people who cared about him. People like Ilia and Loreena. They had to be worried sick.

“Look, I’m sorry that you’re so upset, but – “

“I’m not upset!”

“You’re yelling at me!”

“Just shut up!”

Link let out a frustrated cry and stormed off, leaving Loreena by herself. He was certainly not in the mood to argue more with her.


-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-


The room was cold. The breeze swept across it like an invisible wave. He sat by the bed, staring at his weak, crippled grandfather. The old man was laying in a way that implied that he was sleeping, yet his eyes were open. They stared into the ceiling.

“… it… must not… be found… Darren…”

Darren did not reply, but clutched his grandfather’s hand tighter.

“He will come for it… he must not have it… Darren…”

“I will never let him, grandfather…”

The old man sighed and closed his eyes a little. “I must sleep… yes… sleep…”

Darren said nothing, but continued to look at him.

“… must not have it… must not…”

And with a last, weak breath, he departed from this world.

Darren closed his eyes and waited a little. Listened to his surroundings. When he was certain that he was alone, he carefully leaned over and released a red-colored pendant from his grandfather’s grip. It had the crest of the royal family on it, in form of three triangles.

“… heh… you can come out now.”

Darren smirked as a shadowy figure released itself from the darkness of the room. It strode over to him and took the pendant from his grasp, and started inspecting it.

“… this is it…?” it said lowly.

“It’s impossible to be mistaken. That is the Pendant of Power.”

“Hm. You have been helpful.”

Darren bowed deeply. “For my one true master, I would go to the end of the earth.”

“I do not welcome flattery as an attempt to get my approval. Only results will suffice. This must go without fail if we are to destroy the kid.”

“Of course…”

“Do not underestimate him. He may not have the Master Sword, but his strength is a thing not easily bested… not even I could defeat him back then.”

“I will make sure that the hero meets his end swiftly.”

“No… make him suffer. Have him pay for foiling my plans.”

“As you wish.”

The figure glanced at the old man lying dead in the bed. “Heh… old fool… he thought he could stop me… he trusted you… and you stabbed him in the back…”

“My duty to my lord comes first… everything else comes second,” Darren said, though there was a small hint of bitterness in his voice. It did not go unnoticed.

“Do you really mean that? Or are you planning to betray me later…?”

“I would never consider betraying you, my lord.”

“The words of the one who just went against his grandfather’s wishes and handed the Pendant of Power to the mighty Ganondorf?”

“… as I said… duty first, everything else after.”

“You are a strange one…” Ganondorf mocked, holding the pendant in front of him and looking at it. “But you have done well… and the Evil King knows how to repay his servants…”

Darren waited. Ganondorf did not do anything at first, but just studied the pendant he held in his hand. Then he turned his head and looked at him.

“Now… your reward.”

The Evil King raised his hand and summoned darkness to him. All around the room dark power was absorbed into him, making his body radiate with power. For a moment Darren feared that the power would be too great and he would be destroyed, but then Ganondorf focused the energy into a pendant, almost the exact copy of the other one he held in his hand, though the fake had the triangles upside-down.

Ganondorf did nothing, so Darren took a chance and extended his hand. Still no reaction. The boy grasped the pendant, and he could immediately feel the power flow through him. A warmth that extended from his hand and through his arm, to his feet and his head and all over his body. No matter how tired he had felt the second before, he was completely refreshed and energized now.

“This… this is unbelievable…” he whispered. “Master, tha – “

“The boy will probably try to destroy this pendant should he have to. You will convince him that the fake is the real one.”

“… of course, master.”

Darren happily complied with anything Ganondorf planned, but it disappointed him that the Evil King would never give him a real award that would not just act as another device for his own gain. He shook these rebellious thoughts out of his head and nodded again. “I will be successful.”

“That I believe. Otherwise I would not entrust it to you.”

“My lord.”


-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-

Link and Loreena were still on a cold front when Renado spoke to them about the coming evening. They would be going up the Death Mountain Trail and to the Gorons, where the party would be held. No matter what Renado made them do, they would not talk to each other.

“Link, go get the costumes from Gramis.”

“Sure.”

“Loreena, go with him.”

“Fine.”

Renado sighed as he saw them off. They walked as far away from each other as they could while going to Gramis’ house. He wondered what had made the two of them act like that. If they did not sort it out, it could be bad for the party. Their negative attitude would be troublesome to handle.

Link felt the same way too. He knew that he and Loreena could not continue acting as if the other one was made of some invisible material that made it possible to fully and completely ignore him or her. It was childish, inconsiderate and not to mention unfair to the children.

“… alright, Loreena – “

“We’re here,” Loreena said blankly and waved with a hand at Gramis’ small house. Link sighed and decided to try again later. They knocked on the door, and were welcomed by Gramis. He was an old man, short and bent over his walking stick, balancing a pair of glasses on a particularly long and crooked nose. He mused up at them and hummed for himself as he waved them in.

“Coming for the costumes, are you? Well, an old codger like me easily forgets this stuff, but I should think… yes, here they are.”

Gramis poked a chest with his stick, and Link opened it and found costumes of the finest material in it. It was his second Night of Eldin, but he had never seen the costumes before, as he had not seen the performance last time, as there had not been nearly enough people to do it back then.

“Wow…” he whispered, feeling it against his skin. Loreena suddenly snatched the costumes from his grasp and looked at him mockingly.

“We need to get going back.”

“… yeah… okay. Thanks Gramis.”

“Same time next year, lad.”

When they came out again, Link gave Loreena an annoyed look. “If you’re gonna be all – “

“Sorry, can’t hear you,” Loreena interrupted, speeding up and running away from him and back to Renado. Link could feel the blood boil in his veins as he felt every fiber and every inch of him yearn to just go and dip her water in the spring right away. But he figured that being the great example he was, he had to pull himself together and act professional.

So he turned on his heel and went somewhere else to let out some steam.

When Link needed to get some thoughts out of his head, he used to go to a special place of his, not accessible by anyone but him.

He went back to his room at the Eldinn and grabbed the Zora Armor before going outside again. He had received the armor from the late Queen Rutela of the Zora during his adventure a year earlier, and it had let him swim around at deep seas without having to go to the surface and draw his breath. He could stay underwater for as long as he wished with it.

He ignored Loreena’s smirk as she noticed him walk by, and just sent Renado a look that he hoped would explain where he was headed, though he doubted that was the case. He had never been good at facial expressions. The one thing he could do best was to have no expression on his face at all.

The pond, though a rather deep one, was hidden behind a few rocks that were placed by the village spring at the southern end. Link sat down by the edge of the water, starting to change into the Zora Armor.

What was he going to do with Loreena? Ask her nice and calmly to stop being a child? That would just make her angrier. Try and be friendlier to her? He would have a fit before that would happen. But yet he knew that they could not go on with this forever, though he had a feeling that it would not end within the day.

“What a mess…” he sighed to himself as he put the helmet on, and the extra clothing in front of his mouth that allowed him to breathe underwater. He put his other clothes away in a nice pile, walked up to the edge of the pond and dove in.

The water felt cold and refreshing. He enjoyed swimming there. It was all quiet and not too vast, and he would not be disturbed by anyone else. Only a few people knew about it, being Renado, Gor Coron and a handful others who had probably stumbled upon it by accident, though probably none of them had seen it like he had.

Link swam down to the bottom of the pond and looked around. There were no fish in there either, but there were a few lost items he figured belonged to previous visitors of the pond. So far he had found a wallet, a fishing rod and even a rusty old axe. He thought of how the owner of the weapon would either have had to be very foolish or very unlucky for dropping it. It seemed to be an axe of greater value, though now it probably was not even worth fifty rupees. He then remembered how Midna had used to scold him for spending so much money each time he went to Hyrule Castle. Though deep inside him, he knew that she knew that the poor of the city needed it more than he did.

He did miss her. Though he did not seem like it, he thought about her at least once each day. He wished that there had been a way to go see her. He wanted so badly to just talk to her again, see how she was doing, ask her about the Twilight Realm… and he knew that she had broken the one thing he could use to get to her. But it was better that way. The worlds were safe now.

At the cost of their friendship.

If they had stayed together, would he have grown feelings for her? He did not even know if he already had. He saw her as a friend first and foremost, but could she have been more than that?

Link could not imagine himself and her get married.

He shook his head. No, it was just thoughts. She was just a close friend. Just another thing he missed about his earlier adventures.

His mind wondered back to the person he had seen before his inner eye while riding Epona. Who had it been? Ilia? No, she did not have that long hair… maybe it was Rutela? But the skin was not blue-ish… who then?

Link sighed where he sat, though there came no sound, only bubbles. He was back to the problem with Loreena. He really did not enjoy fighting with her. Though they argued a lot, he thought of her as a closer friend than several of the children he knew, including Luda. He remembered the day he met her, too. It had been a sunny day as always, and the first settlers were coming to the village. He himself had been feeding Epona at the time, so he had only managed to take a glance at them before they went off with Renado to their new homes. The first one he noticed had been Loreena.

At first she had been a very shy, quiet girl. Every time Link entered the room she would hurry out, blushing profusely. Every time he spoke to her she would stutter a little before managing to speak anything.

He had to smile to himself. How she had changed her ways. It was almost ironic.

He picked up the rusty axe and weighed it in his hands. Not heavier than the Master Sword had been. He studied it, and could see a marking. It was three triangles. He had seen it before. In the Arbiter’s Grounds. In Hyrule Castle. On his own left hand.

It had to be a royal weapon. Judging from the metal, it would have to be several hundreds of years old. He would bring it with him. It would be a nice thing to have on his wall in his home in Ordon. Maybe Rusl could do something about the rust.

He began swimming up again. He had done all the thinking he needed to do. And it was more than enough for him.


-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-


The evening came. Everyone had taken their seats in the room, Gorons and humans alike. Renado stood in the center of the circle they had made, wearing an odd mask resembling a colorful bird. He stood entirely still as small masked children danced around him, chanting ancient words in Hylian tongue. Link stood in the background, watching it all with a smile.

“Hush!” Renado said, and the children around him immediately stopped singing and sat down. “The moon is nigh. The fields are crumbling. The world is falling into darkness.

A few musicians in the background added fitting music for the mood. Flutes and drums made it all seem even scarier than it already was.

“We have but one choice. The Princess of the Moon must sing her song, and free us of this evil!”

He then sat down as well, because the attention was to be drawn to the girl slowly stepping out of her hiding as she sang, beautifully, passionately. She was dressed in a white gown with a silver tiara on her head. She held something called an ocarina in her hand, an instrument similar to a flute.

She sang. Link was in awe. He had never heard her like that before. He had no idea that she was so talented in singing. Renado had not picked her for no reason.

When she finally stopped singing her song, Renado slowly stood up again.

“Look! The Moon is shining stronger!”

All the children around him gasped and pointed at the roof behind the audience. It was so believable that some people turned around to see if the moon really was there.

“Evil is fleeing our lands! But it is not over. The dark king must be vanquished now, or we will never be free of this chaos!”

A tall, robed figure entered. It wore something that resembled a demonic helmet. Barnes really seemed scarier now, Link thought to himself.

“Look! The Hollow King is upon us!” Renado said. “The Princess must destroy him with her song!”

Loreena brought the ocarina up to her mouth as Renado sat down again. She began playing. Link was for a moment reminded of Ordon while she played. The untouched beauty of nature. The calm winds. The pure water. The sun setting as he finished off his work at the ranch.

Loreena had closed her eyes. She was really playing with what she had. Link knew that she was scared to death of failing, but he also knew that she was one of the most talented persons he knew about.

When she was done, Barnes made a shriek. “The song! The song! It weakens me!”

Renado pointed at Barnes. “The Hollow King is falling, my friends! We must strike him now!”

And with that, the children around him got to their feet and leaped at Barnes, bringing him down. The audience began laughing.

“He is defeated!” Renado said, failing to hide the laughter in his voice. “Now an era of peace can begin!”

“PARTY TIME!” the children shouted, and the rest followed with laughing more. Loreena smiled brightly and turned around to go change out of her gown. Link walked over to her.

“You did really well.”

“Oh – it’s you.”

“I mean it.”

“… thanks, then.”

Link looked at her.

“… can’t we just put it all behind us?”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t act stupid… you know what I mean.”

“… heh… alright, alright… but just because it’s you.”

“That doesn’t make much sense, you know.”

They both laughed. Maybe it was the atmosphere, or maybe it was their good mood, but they seemed to be just okay with each other again. Link let her walk away to go change, and strolled over to Renado who had not bothered to do anything except lose the bird mask.

“Quite a performance.”

“Oh, thank you Link,” Renado smiled as he bowed.

“Hollow King… who is that? Just a person from a fairy tale?”

“You don’t know the story? Well, you were raised in Ordon so I guess not… come, let us sit and I shall fill you in on the details.”

They got each their drink of lava juice and sat down by one of the stone tables.

“So, this fairy tale starts a few hundred years back,” Renado said. “Or, historic event rather. The land of Hyrule was at peace, and the country prospered. It was a country without ruin and destruction, and was easily becoming the most powerful nation on the continent.”

He sipped his juice and paused, then continued. “This, however, was changed when a demonic power invaded from the north.”

“It was a power of great measure. It entered through Snowpeak, laying waste to the land as they went. All that is left of the land up there is an abandoned land of snow.”

“Wait – Snowpeak was populated?"

“It was once known as Mt. Hylia. There was no snow there before the evil power came. The people there fled the land, and eventually it became Snowpeak. I hear rumor that there is a single mansion left up there that served as an outpost in defending against the invaders.”

“Yes, I’ve seen it,” Link said. He remembered the Snowpeak mansion where he had met Yeto and Yeta, two creatures who lived in the mountains. He had ended up having to fight a corrupt version of Yeta for a shard of the Mirror of Twilight. Was there more to this mansion than what would meet the eye?

“So this evil force reached Hyrule. It advanced through the country and laid waste to villages and cities. The former castle town, which was positioned where the Faron Woods is right now, was completely annihilated, and the Gerudo were killed.”

“Gerudo?”

“They were a desert tribe, consisting purely of women. There was born a man in it every hundredth year who would become their leader. However, the evil forces vanquished them.”

“So what were these evil forces?”

“They were led by what was known as the Hollow King. He… or it… used unholy power to conquer whatever he came upon. No-one knows what he looked like. Or what happened to him. But one day, the forces were gone.”

“Gone?”

“Disappeared. Not there. They were simply gone.”

“But why did they invade?”

“Well, scripts of history tells that the king searched for something called the Trisword. Apparently it had a great power granted by the gods.”

“Trisword?”

“That’s what the scripts say.”

“So the Hollow King was gone… did he find the sword?”

“I would believe so, because nothing I can think of could be able to just remove such a mighty force.”

Link said nothing more. He just kept thinking. Was this really the reason why the Snowpeak mansion stood where it was? Had there really been a race called the Gerudo? Was this why the Temple of Time stood ruined and alone deep within the Faron Woods?

He was abruptly torn out of his mind as a large explosion sounded. He was blown off his seat as rubble and rock came flying at them. Link’s entire body ached. He tried getting up again, clear his head and figure what had happened, but he could not muster the strength. All over he could hear screams and shouts.

What was going on?

“Renado,” he croaked, trying to locate the shaman with his eyes. “Renado, what – “

And then he saw him. He was lying a little further away from him. His eyes were wide open. They were clouded. His chest was pierced by an arrow.

Renado was dead.

Chapter 3: The Hollow King



Link felt his heart plummet. A sickening feeling. The dead gaze of the shaman in front of him made him want to turn away, though he could not. He could never turn away from Renado. He could not be dead.

“Link!” a familiar voice screamed, and he felt someone grab a hold of him. “We have to go!”

“Renado – “ he gasped, reaching out for the shaman.

“He’s dead, now come on before you end up the same way!” Loreena cried out, her voice breaking. Renado’s death had affected her too. Of course it would. She was very close to him.

“We can’t – “

“We have to!”

She dragged him up to standing and started running. Link, his mind still clouded, could do nothing but follow as he watched Renado disappear behind falling rocks. Gorons and humans were making for the exit. Something made them all halt.

A man stood in their way. He was tall, dressed in black and wearing a horrid, intimidating crown. His face was hidden behind a mask, resembling a demon smiling a twisted smile.

Link’s eyes widened. For some reason he knew who it was.

Loreena clutched his hand, as afraid as him. It was just one person, but there was something about him that made them believe that he was behind the sudden turn of events. He was responsible for the death of Renado.

This sudden thought made Link furious. He reached for his sword on his back. Loreena noticed it.

“No Link!” she whispered. He did not listen. The murderer would pay.

He drew. The crowned man turned his head slightly, and Link knew that it was him who he was now watching. He hesitated not, but threw himself forward and at the man with his sword held high.

The enemy lifted a hand. Link felt as if he was grabbed by something invisible, and in a moment he was smashed into the rocky wall with great force, making the earth quake slightly.

“Link!” Loreena cried out. Link’s head felt as if it was going to crack any moment. He fell down on the ground, and rubbed his head with a moan. What had happened? What magic was this?

“Hylians…” a cold, dark voice said with a chuckle. “They are said to be intelligent… hardly…”

“Who are you?!” the Goron patriarch Darbus roared.

“I am who I am.”

“What is that supposed to mean?!”

The man laughed. It could freeze oceans. He took a step forward.

“I am your worst nightmare. Long ago I laid siege to your homeland. I was unsuccessful in finding the ultimate power I sought… before my time was up.”

“What do you…?”

“I am the one man you cannot defeat. The one being who can kill gods. The only person fit to rule the worlds. I am the Hollow King.”

…

Silence.

The man’s words echoed in their minds still. Darbus stood shocked. Loreena looked close to fainting. Link sat where he was, unable to move.

“Shocking, yes… it took me a long time to regain enough power to return… I decided to wait until the Night of Eldin, the exact day when I and my army was sent back to our own realm…”

“If you seek the Trisword, you will never get it!” Link exclaimed. The Hollow King turned towards him.

“Trisword? You speak foolish words, boy… no, I seek not the Trisword. I seek the Triforce. A power far greater than any other force ever… with it, I will have control.”

Triforce?

The Hollow King turned back towards the crowd.

“I suggest you flee. When I am done here, Hyrule will be a mere wasteland. There is no hope left for it.”

“Why did you kill Renado?!” Loreena shouted.

“The shaman? I felt I needed to send out a message… and, without a leader it is easy to fall into disorder.”

“You evil son of a – “

“Easy Darbus, lord of the Gorons. We do not want you to follow your friend into the grave, do we?”

Link got to his feet slowly.

“I’ve seen your type before… you think you’re almighty… a god… destined to rule the world… well guess what? I’ve stopped it before and I will stop it again!”[

The Hollow King did not even turn around, but sent a surge of dark power right into the Hylian. Link was sent out the destroyed entrance and barely managed to grip the edge. Loreena’s cry barely reached him as the wind brushed by him, trying to force him off. He tried climbing up, but did not have strength left to do so.

“I see that my message did not go through to everyone.”

The Hollow King stood before him, looking down at him. Link gazed up, feeling that he was slipping slowly. He would eventually fall. There was nothing that would stop him from falling into a certain death.

“Damn… you…” he managed to say.

“Die.”

Link fell. He was certain that this was the end. He did not have the Clawshot with him. He was still gripping the Ordon sword tightly. Even in death he would not give up. He would not let the Hollow King win.

The ground came closer and closer. It welcomed him.

A flash of light.

A splash.

Link did not open his eyes. Was this the afterlife? He felt wet… why?

He sniffed. It was a familiar scent. Flowers. Forest. The sound of water flowing.

He sat up.

He was no longer by Death Mountain. He was in the Faron woods, by the spring there. Before him was the great spirit of light, in its animal form. Faron spoke.

“O great hero… the spirit Eldin brought you to me. A great danger has entered the realm of Hyrule.”

“I know… the Hollow King,” Link muttered. “He’s too strong for me…”

“The last year you fought the Twili ruler Zant… he too was a powerful opponent.”

“This is different. I don’t have a chance. Not with the Master Sword, even.”

“… your efforts are not in vain. You have the power.”

And with that the spirit disappeared. Link was left with himself and his broken pride. He looked down at his hands. He had the power? What power? The power granted by the gods? Was that what the Hollow King was talking about? The Triforce?

Link looked up again. For a moment he had almost hoped that Faron had returned, with a detailed explanation of what Link would have to do and how to do it. But there was nothing. He was by himself now.

Suddenly the realization hit him. Loreena and the rest were still in danger! He had to get back!

He got to his feet.

But would he manage…?

He knew that he was no match for the enemy as he was now. The fact that he could do nothing to save his friends killed him inside. He could not bear being helpless. There had to be a way to fight the Hollow King.

Link turned on his heel and dashed towards the Ordona province. He had to get Rusl first.


-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-

Ordon was quiet. It was late at night, and people had gone to sleep. Link ran as fast as he could. Every second counted. He could not hesitate. He could not falter. His friends could be dying the very moment.

The moon illuminated the way before him. Over the bridge. Past the spring. Onwards he ran. He knew that he would tire himself out completely, but he could not care less at the moment. The only thing he really thought about was his friends at Death Mountain. Loreena.

“Rusl!”

Link felt his heart jump as he spotted a figure by the ladder of his own house. Indeed, it was the local swordsman and smithy, Rusl. He looked around confused before he saw Link.

“Link! By heavens, I thought I was hearing ghosts!”

“No time – Death Mountain – Renado – Loreena – “

“Wait Link, wait! Okay, calm down now and take it from the beginning. What is the matter?”

Link tried calming down enough to speak in full sentences. His heart pounded in his chest. He gasped for air.

“Renado is dead – Death Mountain was attacked – friends are in danger!”

Rusl blinked a few times.

“We have to hurry!” Link cried in frustration.

“Alright, alright! I will go get the necessary provisions, you call Epona!”

Rusl immediately dashed off to the village as Link turned and brought up his horse flute that he had received from Ilia. He hoped that the horse would be able to hear it all the way from Kakariko.

He blew hard into it. The sound pierced the silence of the night, echoing over the treetops. He was certain that it had awakened the village people, but he had had no choice, and he really did not care.

Rusl returned a moment later with his bag of provisions and his sword.

“I will use Harold,” he said. “You go ahead with Epona to Hyrule Castle. Confront the Princess with this matter.”

“I – I will,” Link replied. He had not spoken with Zelda in a long time. She made him feel awkward. Embarrassed. As if he was less than she was, though she probably did not know or mean to.

A sudden neigh made them both turn. Epona had approached them surprisingly silently from behind, and stood now by Link, trying to gnaw on his cap.

“Off you go! Hurry!” Rusl prompted. Link nodded and climbed upon Epona. With one last look on Rusl he pulled the reigns and sent the horse forward into gallop.

“And pray that you’re fast enough…”


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The road to Hyrule Castle seemed longer than ever. Even though there were no longer any monsters standing in his way, Link felt as if the world had slowed down just to keep him from reaching the Princess fast enough.

“Faster, Epona! Faster!” he shouted. The horse neighed again and began running faster. It clearly understood how serious the situation was.

The clouds were slowly creeping forth on the night sky. A peal of thunder warned him of what was coming. If there was something he did not need at the moment, it was getting hit by lightning.

Epona suddenly halted. Link understood why immediately. They were standing by the edge of a cliff that had not existed the other day. It separated them from the rest of the field, and the void was almost too large to jump over with horse.

Epona started walking backwards.

“We’ll find a way around…” Link said bitterly. It was obviously a device by the Hollow King. It would take longer time, but he had no choice.

But Epona thought differently. The horse suddenly dashed forwards and leapt off the edge of the cliff, making for the other side. Link opened his mouth in shock, but before he could shout anything Epona landed, and the two of them tumbled over.

Link took some time to recover from the hard landing. It was unbelievable that the horse had been able to jump that far.

She slowly got up on her feet again. Link waited a little longer, trying to calm his breathing. “What would I do without you, Epona…?” he muttered gratefully before slowly getting to his feet. The horse looked at him with piercing eyes. He knew that she was impatient.

“We better avoid stunts like that in the future…” he said as he climbed up on her. “I don’t think I’d manage that a second time.”

Epona dashed off, and they were again on their way. Though the jump had taken its toll on them both, they kept up the high pace. Neither was willing to rest. Neither was willing to give up. It was a race against time, and they were going to win.

Though Hyrule had more to offer, as they reached the southern end of the castle walls.

Link pulled the reigns, and Epona stopped in her tracks. He gave her an assuring pat before jumping off. It was quiet. Granted that it was just dawning, but Link felt uneasy. Midna had told him to trust his instincts rather than his eyes and ears.

He drew his sword.

As if he had just pushed a button, the ground before him suddenly exploded and dirt and mud rained down at him. He sprung to action and threw himself to the side. What he had not expected was the enemy to be following him there. The next he knew, he was kicked off his feet and landed painfully on the ground further away, while the new foe stomped towards him.

He recognized it as a Lizalfos, however the size of it was much bigger than with a normal. Its armor was torn and shattered, and blood was dripping from its claws and jaws. Something told Link that the blood did not belong to the Lizalfos itself. He felt a shiver go through his body. This seemed to be all but an easy fight.

The foe shrieked and threw itself at him. He had anticipated a swift attack and stood with his shield ready, and it slammed into him with great force sending him backwards. He managed with desperation to hold on to the shield as he stumbled forwards.

“Come on!” Link roared.

The beast sneered and charged with its axe raised. Link swung his sword at it, and the two weapons locked. The immense power from his enemy made the Ordonian flinch slightly and almost lose the grip of his sword, but he quickly recovered and pushed on.

Just a little longer… come on… a little longer… there! He managed to push the Lizalfos back and off its feet, and it tumbled backwards with a groan. Link immediately charged and pierced its neck with his blade, so the blood splattered over his tunic and face. He dragged the sword out of the corpse with a moan and wiped the blood off his face.

“Ugh… what a mess…”

What had happened to Hyrule? Where had all these new foes come from? And what were they doing so close to Hyrule Castle? He sheathed his sword and turned away from the corpse, only to find that Epona was gone. He blinked a few times and looked around. There were no signs of the horse anywhere.

“Epona?!” he shouted. Nothing happened. He then took up his horse flute and played her favorite song which he knew would make her come to him. Not a sign.

“That’s weird…” Link muttered.

Then he heard something behind him. He spun around, and gasped in horror.

The Lizalfos was not dead.

It raised its axe. The blood was still flowing out of its wound. Its eyes were glowing. Link could do nothing but stare in shock as the monster swung its axe and hit him in the head, knocking him out.

Chapter 4: Hyrule in Peril



Link felt as if his head was cracking up. The pain scorched him, pounded him like a hammer on a nail, mercilessly beat him. His mind flew over anything he could ever think of. Loreena, Midna, Ilia, Zelda, Ganondorf, Renado, Kakariko, Hollow King, Talo, Ralis, Darbus, Bo, Rusl –

Wait… Lizalfos.

His eyes flew open.

He had half expected to see a pair of drooling, bloodstained jaws, ready to take a bite off him. But there was nothing. He stared into a wooden roof, and felt that he was lying on something. A second later he confirmed that it was a wooden plate. He was still dressed in his dirty, bloody tunic, but his sword and shield had been removed. He moved a little on the head, painfully, and saw them placed by the wall to the right.

There was something about the room he was in. It seemed familiar. And that scent. The smell of… liquor… and perfume…

Link bit his teeth together and turned his head again, to face his left side. Yes, he had thought correct. He was at Telma’s bar, and Telma herself glanced at him from the bar.

“Geez, I wonder why people always use my bar as a hospital,” she chuckled, and walked over to him with a cup. “Here, this’ll help.”

Link looked at her and then at the cup. It would require a lot of effort to sit up and drink, and at the time being he really had no desire to inflict more damage on himself. Telma saw it different, though. She put the cup away impatiently and grabbed him, dragging him into sitting. He winced in pain.

“Thanks…” he croaked.

“You sure are a wuss when you think about all the things you’ve done,” Telma said. “What’s happened to you? Back in the day you could take on a couple of Lizalfosses with your bare hands!”

“… they’re… not the same…”

She raised an eyebrow.

“What – have they been through an upgrade or something?”

“I don’t know… stop asking and give me the cup…” Link said annoyed. Being pulled up in the first place he figured that drinking whatever was in that cup was better than lying down again. Telma gave him a small glare before handing him the cup. He immediately brought it to his lips, tilted his head a little back and drank.

And then he spat it out.

“WHAT THE HELL DID YOU GIVE ME, WOMAN?!” Link cried out as he coughed and harked.

“It’s Deku juice, it helps on injuries!” Telma said. “Come on, it’s really not that bad…!”

“NOT BAD?! WHY I OUGHTA…!”

They were interrupted by the door to the bar being opened. A tall, muscular man dressed in grey armor stepped inside. His face resembled that of a big Bulblin with facial hair.

“General,” Telma said shortly.

“Telma,” he replied with a dark and growling voice. “I see that he has awakened.”

“Who’re you?” Link said with a somewhat low voice; he was still recovering from the Deku juice.

“I am general Tarval, highest commander in the army of Hyrule. It was my unit that saved you from the Lizalfos outside the castle. Had we been any slower, you would be an arm less right now. Perhaps even dead.”

“… well… thank you for saving me, general,” Link muttered. He still found his defeat somewhat embarrassing, especially when the general sounded as if he thought the same.

“No need for gratitude. It’s our job to save helpless civilians from monsters.”

Link opened his mouth to reply angrily, but Telma cut him off.

“This is Link.”

Tarval raised an eyebrow.

“Ah, so it is you. I must say I am confused. One with your reputation should not have any trouble against a lonesome Lizalfos.”

“I’m telling you, it wasn’t a normal Lizalfos!” Link snapped. “I killed it, but then it stood up again as if nothing had happened!”

“Hm. Highly mysterious.”

Link could tell that the general did not believe him, but rather found his rambling funny. He was really starting to dislike the man.

“In any case, Link must see Princess Zelda immediately,” Telma continued.

Both Link and Tarval turned their heads towards her.

“He does?”

“I do?”

“Of course,” Telma said impatiently. “Why did you else come here in such a condition? Must have been urgent.”

“Oh!” Link exclaimed as he remembered. He jumped off the table he had been lying on and grabbed his sword and shield before darting towards the exit, but Tarval stopped him.

“Hold it, I demand an explanation!”

“Link can tell you on your way up there,” Telma said as she shoved both of them out of the bar. “Now get out, I’m closing.”


-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-

When Link had managed to tell everything to Tarval, they had almost reached the throne room.

“Hollow King?” the general spat out. “That’s ridiculous, he only exists in the fairy tales – “

“It isn’t a fairy tale!” Link yelled frustrated. “I saw him! He killed Renado! He may have killed everyone else!”

“Nonsense!”

“It’s not - !”

“What is this?”

The two of them came to a sudden halt that nearly threw Link off his feet. Princess Zelda stood before them in all her royal glory, carrying a book in her arms. She was exactly how Link had remembered her; elegant, noble and calm as a mountain.

“Your Highness!” Tarval made a deep bow, which Link copied to an extent. “This young man insisted to see you.”

“Link?” Zelda said with a raised eyebrow. “It has been some time… how can I help you?”

Link felt that he had lost his words in the sudden meeting of the two. It was as if seeing Zelda so soon had temporarily erased what he was going to say. She made him nervous.

“I – Renado – the Hollow King – “

“Calm down, calm down,” Zelda said with a small smile. “Take it easy and tell me what has happened.”

Link drew a deep breath and felt a little calmer.

“The Hollow King has attacked Death Mountain and killed Renado, and now he might have killed the rest of the people up there!”

There was a moment of silence. Link saw that Zelda froze where she stood, her smile wiped away from her face and her eyes staring blankly at him. Tarval made an uneasy cough beside him.

“Your Highness…?”

“Close the gates, general,” Zelda said in a mere whisper. “Put up an official. No man, woman, child or elder is to leave town before I say so. No merchant is allowed in. No merchant is allowed out. He gates will be closed and remain closed. Understood?”

If Link had expected Tarval to question Zelda’s sudden commandment, he was mistaken. The general merely made another bow and hurried back the way they had come, presumably to do as ordered. Link saw him disappear out of sight before turning to Zelda again.

“Link, this way.”

She turned on her heel and marched off. She moved with a dignity and firm decisiveness that made Link downright admire her.

They reached a tall wooden door that was decorated by gold and crimson patterns. Zelda told Link to stay back as she approached the door, reaching out with her right hand. Upon touching the wood, the triangle mark at the back of her hand began to glow, and the doors gave a complaining moan before opening up slowly. Link glanced at Zelda, wondering what was past the door.

“In here. Hurry!”

He scurried inside, and she immediately followed. The doors shut behind them with a silent noise. It was extremely dark in the room they had just entered. The only light came from the mark on Zelda’s hand, which was slowly fading away. She seemed to notice this, and immediately snapped her fingers. The room was bathed in light as the lamps on the walls flamed up.

A small gasp escaped Link’s mouth.

He had entered a sort of gallery combined with a library. There were bookshelves, paintings, artifacts, statues; wherever he turned he saw something.

“Where are we…?” he asked slowly while looking around.

“… well, I call it my secret room,” Zelda replied while walking over to one of the bookshelves. She searched through the collective with her finger, obviously looking for a specific book. She eventually found it, pulled it out from its place and carried it over to one of the long tables that stood lined up against the wall opposite to the entrance. She put it on the wooden surface and opened it. The yellow pages told Link that the book had to be several hundred years old.

“What’s - ?”

“Shhh!”

Zelda’s eyes scanned the pages at lightning speed. Every five seconds she turned the pages, frowning. Link wondered what she was looking for. He tried reading himself, but quickly realized that it was futile; not only did Zelda read so much faster than himself, but it was on a language that he had never seen before. Finally she stopped flapping the pages, and Link could see more clearly. The letters were oddly shaped, though he could make out some of them:





Link looked up as Zelda closed the book slowly. Obviously she was done reading the page.

“… and… what did it say…?” he asked slowly.

“Hm? Oh, I’m sorry Link, I forgot that you do not read Hylian.”

“Hylian?”

“The language of Hyrule. We do not use it anymore… we have gotten used to speaking all-tongue.”

“What did the text say?” Link asked. Zelda looked at him a little before carrying the book back to the shelf. She was quite strong if she managed to carry the big book without difficulties. He noticed how he downright stared at her, and he knocked himself in the head. When she turned around after putting the book back in its place, he resumed his confused yet interested look.

“The Hollow King. It was a text about him. Written about one of the ancient Hylian Knights from back when the dark lord first came.”

“So… you believe me?”

“Of course I do.” She frowned. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“I dunno, you’re a princess and I’m just a lowly farmer…” Link scratched the back of his head. For a minute he forgot how serious the situation was. Zelda blinked several times as she looked at him.

“We both know that you’re more than that. But we do not have time to talk, time is off the essence. We have to go get the Master Sword from the Temple of Time.”

“Master - ?”

“Yes, the Master Sword,” Zelda repeated. “Right now it’s our best hope. The Hollow King was unstoppable the last time he invaded.”

“For some reason I doubt that the Master Sword is gonna do any good against him…” Link muttered.

Zelda looked at him.

“Or perhaps we should just let the Hollow King invade the country and slay all who we care about? Because he will come for us. He will try to take the Triforce now as then.”

Link noticed how she appealed to his need to save his friends, and it worked. Anything that could help was better than nothing.

“Alright, let’s go.”

“Wait, we can’t go yet.”

“Why not?”

“I need to change.”

“… what?”

“Do you think I’m going to the deepest corners of the Faron Woods dressed like this? No way am I going to ruin my best dress!”

She gave him a small smile as she walked towards the door. “Come on, when I’m done we’re going straight to the Sacred Grove.”

They arrived at the grove half an hour later, with Zelda taking them there by using magic. Link cursed time for running away from him. The Hollow King had to have killed a bunch of people by then. Was Loreena okay? Luda? Barnes? Darbus?

“Why don’t we just use this Triforce thing to defeat the Hollow King, if it’s so powerful?” he asked.

“First of all,” Zelda replied annoyed, “we do not have the third piece that Ganondorf held. And second, we do not even know how to use it!”

Link scoffed as they walked over the grassy stone floor that had once been the Temple of Time. He remembered the first time he had stepped on the tiles beneath his feet. The situation was like then; all except the fact that this time Link had only two legs and no fur. And just like last time, the stone door was shut.

“Seems that we’ll have to make our way in,” Zelda remarked. “How did you manage first time?”

“Well, these two statues challenged me to a puzzle which I solved, and then the door opened,” Link replied. Zelda glanced at him before shaking her head.

“We don’t have time for puzzles now. I’ll try to open the door on my own.”

“Can you do that?” Link looked at her a little worried.

“I’m certainly going to try,” Zelda waved him off as she brushed hair away from her face elegantly. “You may want to step back, though.”

Link walked back a few steps and watched as Zelda pressed her gloved hands together and began muttering words he did not recognize. It was probably an ancient, magical language connected to the temple they were standing in.

For a moment Link thought he saw the stone statues that were firmly placed at each side of the stone door start glowing, but before he managed to blink they had gone as grey as they had been. He crossed his arms and continued to look as Zelda apparently did her best to open the door before them. There had to be some pretty powerful forces in motion if she, chosen by the gods and everything, could not manage to do a so simple task as to remove a simple obstacle.

He heard a small crack, and knew that it was not his imagination. The thick wall of stone slowly revealed an opening as the door disappeared into the ground. Zelda sighed in relief.

“For a moment I doubted that it would work,” she said. Link gave her a smile, and together they walked to the stairs leading to the Master Sword. As Link placed a foot on the lowest step, he suddenly had a feeling and spun around, facing the clearing they had just come from.

“Link?” Zelda asked.

“… I thought I… nevermind,” Link muttered and walked on. “Just my imagination.”

Zelda raised an eyebrow as she looked at him passing by her, and then glanced through the opening. It was as quiet as it had been when they first got there. The sun was shining brightly on the sky and the birds were singing. She could not help but feel uneasy. Link did not normally imagine things.

“Zelda! Come on!” he called from the top of the stairs, and she blinked and nodded before going after.

They stepped out into the circular clearing. The Master Sword stood firmly in its pedestal. Light shone from it, yet the large trees surrounding them made sure that it was dark there.

Link stepped up to the sword. It was as if an invisible hand guided him to it, and for a split second he could have swore that it shone brighter when he reached it. Zelda stood by the doorway to the stairs, watching with a small frown on her face. It was the first time she had ever been in the Temple of Time herself, even though there were just ruins left.

“Bravo, Chosen Hero,” a cold voice called. Link spun around with his bow aimed at the stranger in the doorway, who stood right behind Zelda. Before she knew it, a strong hand gripped her arm and pulled her before the owner, so that she became a shield.

“Link!” she cried. The person behind her laughed, and it sent chills down her spine.

“Let her go!” Link roared. He did not lower his bow.

“And let you shoot me? You insult my intelligence, Ordonian.”

He moved forwards, pushing Zelda ahead of him. She tried fighting back, but his grip was firm and his movements determined. All she could tell was that the person behind her was as young as she was, and a little taller. His voice was rather dark.

“I said let her go!” Link repeated, obviously pressured where he stood.

“Let’s make a trade,” the person said with a smirk. “Princess for sword. Okay?”

“What?” In his surprise, Link lowered the bow. The stranger did nothing, though. “Why would you want my sword?”

“The Master Sword,” the stranger said, lightly annoyed. “You’re not the brightest, are you?”

“Don’t, Link!” Zelda managed to scream before a hand covered her mouth. She tried biting, but his strength was too great for her.

“What’s it gonna be, boy?”

Link sneered where he stood. Without the Master Sword, the Hollow King was free to roam the lands. Without Zelda, Hyrule would be thrown into turmoil and become an easy target not only for neighboring nations, but monsters populating the land too. It was a lose-lose situation.

He had made his choice.

“Alright, alright!” he growled, and put away his bow. “But if you harm her…”

“It would never even cross my mind to do such a thing,” the man smirked. Link felt disgusted as he turned to the Master Sword. He gripped the handle with both hands, and pulled.

For a moment he thought that it would not work. That the sword knew what would happen in a moment, and would not submit to him. But then it released from its pedestal, and was free from its stone prison.

“Good. Now give it here.”

“Release Zelda!”

“We’ll swap simultaneously.”

There was a moment of silence as they stared at each other. Link with absolute hatred, the stranger with interest.

They walked towards each other. Zelda looked at Link with what she hoped was a plead to turn and refuse to give the sword away, but failed to get any connection with him. They met halfway.

Zelda was thrust into Link’s arms as Link reached with the sword. The trade had been made. The Master Sword was in the stranger’s hands.

“Heheh… my master will be pleased,” he smirked, examining the Master Sword, which had lost its glow completely. “He will be very pleased.”

“Who are you?” Link spat.

“Darren,” the man said and smiled. Zelda had, however, more interesting in the red pendant she could see hanging from his neck.

“That…” she said, but immediately realized her mistake and silenced. Darren had noticed her gaze, though, and quickly hid the object under his dark torso. Link did not seem to notice.

“Darren? Who’s your master?”

“I do not find you worthy of that information,” Darren replied with a sly grin. “Now excuse me.”

And then he turned on his heel. Zelda knew what was going to happen already then, but not before she cried “STOP!” had Link drawn his sword and jumped at Darren from behind. The attack came as a surprise, and the two warriors tumbled into the ground. Link got up first.

“Fool!” Darren spat as he stood up. His smile was gone, replaced by a devilish glare. “I’ll kill you slowly and painfully!”

“Bring it!” Link sneered.

Zelda backed away as the combatants raced towards each other, Ordon Sword against Master Sword. She knew that she could do nothing now.

(*MASSIVE BUMP*)


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Chapter 5: Tomb of the Hero



He strolled down the dark corridors. The walls on both his sides were slightly enlightened by torches, burning weakly where they were placed. He found it humoring how such a place could be so dark. He did not mind, though. After all, he did prefer the dark.

His steps echoed in the empty halls. His most loyal servants had volunteered to escort him, but he had declined their proposals immediately. He did not need bodyguards. Especially not for the mission he had set out on.

He stopped all of a sudden. Something on the wall to his right had caught his attention. He stepped up to it to get a better look. Yes, it was something, without a doubt. He had not seen the mark before, but he could imagine what it was:





“Interesting…” he muttered. “The kid has secrets…”

He continued his walk. While it was a riddle he had not yet figured out, he knew that the answer would come in time. At the moment he had an entirely different objective.

At last he reached the end of the hallway. He did not know for how long he had been walking, but he could tell that it was a long, long distance. Considering what was his destination, he figured that it was at least what he could have expected.

The hallway met its end in a large door. He put his hand on it, and to his amusement it swung open without any effort. He stepped into the next room.

It was almost entirely dark in there. There were no torches. No lamps. Not a single source of light. His eyes could easily make out the room, however. For he had walked in darkness for almost an eternity. He crossed the room, and reached what seemed to be an altar. Three marks showed that something was supposed to be placed there:





He could imagine why; behind the altar was a door, and something told him that this time it would not be as easy to pass. He scoffed. This would not stop him. Not at all. He raised his hand and sent a surge of magic that slammed into the stone and illuminated the room with sparking sounds. To his anger it had not worked at all.

“I see… hah, this will not stop me.”

He tried again. Again. Again. He tried until he was certain that it was to no avail; the door would not budge.

He decided to take a moment to think and meditate on the matter. He kneeled before the altar and closed his eyes, and immediately began pondering on just one thing;

What force could be so strong that not even the great Ganondorf could pass?


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Their swords met with a large metallic noise. Link noticed how the Master Sword lacked the power it had possessed when he himself had used it before, and the fact pleased him. Darren seemed to notice as well, though it did not stop him from trying to send Link to an early grave.

Link ducked as Darren swiped with the sword and bashed his shield into Darren’s gut. Darren winced in pain and kneed Link in the face in pure reflex, and the Hylian flew backwards. Zelda cried in fear.

Darren recovered first. Link was soon to follow, and blood was flowing out of his nose and mouth. He could not tell if anything was broken either, but it hurt a lot, and his head was swimming. Darren attacked again, and Link was easily floored once more.

“Pathetic!” Darren bellowed, and raised the Master Sword. Link, with all the strength he could muster, forced the Ordon Sword up and met the strike.

“Link!” Zelda cried again. The sudden reminder of her presence gave him new strength, and he forced Darren off him before getting to his feet. Darren quickly recovered again and got back on his guard. The two combatants circled each other suspiciously.

“I must say that I am somewhat… impressed, Ordonian,” Darren hissed. “Not many have survived for so long against me.”

“You’ll be surprised,” Link replied.

“Will I? I know more about you than you might realize.”

“You might not know that much about me after all.”

The next move came as a surprise on Darren. Link brought up one of his Clawshots and fired it at Darren, and in the next moment the claw was locked around his left wrist. Link held onto the Clawshot as tightly as he could, and began reeling the chain in. Darren had no choice but to run at Link, else he would be dragged by his arm. Link immediately twisted his entire upper body and pulled with the Clawshot, carrying Darren in a long swing and smashing him against the wall. The impact made echoes throughout the empty forest surrounding them.

Link pulled again. Darren was reeled in, and his face met the hilt of the Ordon Sword. Darren flew off his feet and landed painfully on the ground. The Clawshot had released its grip.

“Told you that you’d be surprised…!” Link exclaimed in his triumph.

“Link, look out!” Zelda shrieked in terror.

Link spun around, just in time to see the dark orb that Darren had created and then sent at him from behind. The force sent him flying backwards, and it felt as if electricity went through his body, shocking him over and over. He was shaking a lot. Darren had gotten to his feet again.

“You son of a – “ he growled, raising the Master Sword that he had been clutching in his hand. “I’ll be sure to kill you slowly and painfully…!”

“No!” Zelda cried. She tried helping by sending a small surge of light against Darren, but he just waved it away.

“Time to die,” he said coldly, and raised the sword. Link could do nothing. His body was paralyzed. It was ironic how the sword he had used to conquer evil would eventually conquer him. He had failed his friends.

The strike did not come.

Darren stood, frowning, with the sword raised over his head. It was as if someone had placed a tasty snack in front of him and then taken it away before he could eat it.

“… I see…” he whispered, and lowered the Master Sword. The pains in Link’s body disappeared, though he was still shaking lightly. Darren sheathed the Master Sword.

“You’re lucky, Ordonian. My master may still have use of you after all.” He turned his back on Link and began walking towards the exit. “Do not try to follow me!” he shouted towards Zelda. “You will be wasting your time!”

And then he was gone.

Zelda immediately ran over to Link. He had managed to sit up; the grief was written all over his face. She kneeled by him and placed a hand on his shoulder carefully.

“Don’t blame yourself… it wasn’t you f – “

“It was my fault, Zelda…” Link muttered, his voice shaking with both anger and frustration. “I gave it to him… I lost to him… I lowered my guard…”

“It was a cowardly trick from his side!” Zelda exclaimed angrily. “Cheap! If it was a real swordfight you would have won!”

“I used the Clawshot… he was in all his right to use magic, Zelda.”

Zelda had no reply to this, and she tried to find one desperately. The sight of Link, sunken together and broken, made her strangely frustrated.

“It’s not the same!”

“It is…”

“Stop it! Stop feeling sorry for yourself!”

Link turned his head slowly and looked at her. She bit her lip in shame and did not meet his gaze. She regretted having opened her mouth.

“Feeling sorry…?” Link whispered dangerously quiet. “Are you saying – do you think – ARE YOU SUGGESTING – “

“I didn’t mean it!” Zelda squealed frightened. “But we cannot sit here, Link! We don’t have time!”

“Then what are we going to do?!” Link bellowed and got to his feet. His heart pounded against his chest. “The Master Sword is gone! Epona is gone! Renado is gone! My friends may be gone! And the worst part is that I can’t do ANYTHING!”

He stood breathing heavily as Zelda slowly got up as well. She was almost shaking. Her calm and cool nature almost shattered by newfound fear and sorrow.

“Do not think that you are alone in your situation, Link…” she whispered. “I’ve been here before… this situation… helpless…”

Link lifted his gaze from the ground to her eyes for a slight second before looking away again. He felt his face redden with shame.

“I forgot…”

“Just don’t give up.”

“Give up? Give up on what?”

“There must be a way. Something other than the Master Sword.”

“What – did the goddesses leave some other powerful sword around the area?” Link said with a hollow and humorless laugh.

“There must be something else…”

Zelda stood pondering, her eyes closed and her arms crossed over her chest. Link could not stand still any longer, but began pacing in circles. What else could help them against the Hollow King? The Dominion Rod? For a moment Link imagined using a giant statue to smash faceless hordes of enemies, but he shook it off. The King would surely be powerful enough to blast it to pieces with ease. Nothing he had encountered so far could stand up against the evil, he just knew it.

Not even –

He stopped in his tracks, a realization hitting him. But the feeling of sudden excitement left him at once. It was no longer possible.

Yet –

He spun around, and Zelda stood looking at him.

“You’re thinking about the Fused Shadows,” she said quietly.

He nodded. “So are you.”

She did not reply immediately.

“Yes. I am.”

“Is there still a way to enter the Twilight Realm?”

“No. There was only the Mirror of Twilight.”

She seemed to notice the disappointment in his eyes.

“I’m sorry.”

Link felt a sudden rage towards Midna. Because of her, Hyrule might be destroyed! Because she felt that the connection had to be broken! She had been wrong! He felt that he was still holding the Clawshot in his right hand, and in his moment of fury he threw it against the wall before him with all his might.

“Link, calm down!” Zelda cried.

“No!” Link bellowed in anger. “It’s no use! Because of Midna! Because of me! Because of that damn Darren! Because of the Hollow King! It’s no use anymore!”

“That’s not true!”

“YES IT IS!” Link screamed. All the frustration he had built up, every little trace of anger and despair within him, everything welled up in him. He erupted in an explosion of fury. The feeling of being helpless – the unbearable knowledge of having left his friends behind – the shame of having lost the Master Sword because he had been so careless –

“Link, calm down!” Zelda repeated, looking terrified.

“Calming down won’t help! Calming down won’t save Loreena! Calming down won’t bring Renado back!”

He stood breathing heavily as his own words echoed in his head, and he painfully realized that he was just making the situation worse.

Zelda slowly stepped forward and carefully put her hand on his shoulder. He threw a glance at her and sighed.

“I’m sorry.”

Zelda smiled weakly.

“Think we can go back to planning?”


-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-

Darren hurried down the corridors. The Master Sword hung heavily on his back, as if it tried to slow him down. But he mastered it, just as he mastered the darkness that enveloped him. Just as he mastered fear. Just as he mastered pain.

Just as he mastered guilt.

The darkness was absolute. The only reason that he even knew that he was in a corridor was because his master had told him, and because he was tracing the wall with his right hand. He moved as quickly as he dared to. He felt excited about announcing his success to lord Ganondorf.

The Ordonian’s face was still swimming in the depths of his mind, his strength still lingering as a ghost at Darren’s arms. He could still feel the pain where the clawing device had grabbed him. He knew that the Master Sword had lost its power when it had been handed over, yet he could not help but feel angry with the sword. Somehow he blamed it for the lack of his superior skills. Surely he had to be better than this. Better than a lowly commoner. He, Darren of the noble northerners. He who had slain so many for his lord. He who had travelled as far as to the borders to Hell.

Ganondorf had said nothing about where he had gone, but the pendant around Darren’s neck allowed him to trace the dark lord. It had begun warming up, and Darren knew that he was getting closer. Every step brought him towards wherever his master had gone.

He was suddenly met by a door. It was great and made of thick steel, but he knew that it would open without any effort. He pushed it open.

The room he entered was big. The ceiling was high above him, and he could barely make out the environments inside.

“Darren.”

Ganondorf stood by what seemed to be an altar. He stood turned away from the door.

“My Lord. I return to you successful.”

“The Master Sword… good.”

Ganondorf remained turned towards what seemed to be a wall decorated with symbols. Darren had read about the place they were in. About the place where time itself was contained. The place that granted entrance to the Sacred Realm. The place where a boy had travelled to through his childhood to take up arms against evil…

The sword on Darren’s back had begun reacting. It was vibrating slightly, as if it recognized the place they were in. As if it had returned home.

“Give the sword here.”

Darren released the Master Sword from its scabbard and handed it to Ganondorf. The Dark Lord, who was a great man in both size and skill, made it seem smaller than it really was when he held it in his hands.

“Is this… what I need…?”

“My Lord…?”

Without replying, Ganondorf turned towards the stone wall again. Just now Darren realized that it was a door. A door that seemed to not want to budge. And before he knew it, the Master Sword sailed through the air, and plunged deep into the stone symbol above the door.

The sword was glowing. As was the triangle symbol. It glowed golden. Slightly, slightly, and then it flamed up as a fire having been fueled with oil.

A loud noise made Darren and Ganondorf look from the symbol to the door.

Without any further ado, it opened.

Ganondorf threw his head back and let out a barking laughter. His dark, powerful voice filled the room, his triumph echoing through the hall. He hurried past the altar, through the doorway and into the new room, with Darren following. What met them, made him gasp slightly.

The platform before them was illuminated by a light that seemed to come from a big window high up on the wall opposite to them. The room they had entered was circular, and stretched so far upwards that he could not see the ceiling. Then again, other than the dense light that had fallen upon the platform, the room was quite dark, as the room before had been.

“Look,” Ganondorf said shortly.

Darren turned his head – he had been glancing around – and saw what Ganondorf had seen. On the platform stood a coffin. It was no ordinary wooden coffin, however, but a stone one with symbols and patterns engraved into it. Darren recognized the triangle symbol he had grown so familiar with.

Ganondorf laughed mockingly. Then he stepped up to the coffin – and kicked it. Darren widened his eyes as the coffin tumbled over and was smashed to pieces. But instead of a corpse – which was what Darren had expected to fall out of the shattered stone coffin – there were several objects, some which seemed to be broken.

Ganondorf kneeled and picked up something. It seemed to be a face, but then Darren realized that it was a mask. It had red markings and long pointy ears, and white hair.

“The Fierce Deity mask,” Ganondorf muttered.

“Master?”

Ganondorf looked up.

“The Hero of Old… he used this to defeat a powerful enemy in a land far away. Some say it’s even in a different dimension. Nonetheless… while it was quite powerful back then, the brutal force seems to have died now.”

And with a simple clench with his fist he broke the mask in pieces.

“Besides… I do not need deities’ powers. I, who have risen beyond deities… beyond gods…”

Darren got down and began looking through the objects, as well. Through the rubble he could find a broken bow, a device that seemed to be used to hook onto things and drag them to it, a dirty shield with a glass surface that had got a long crack in it, a broken piece of what seemed to have been quite a long sword and finally a hammer he could not manage to pick up, but which slid down the stone steps and landed heavily on the floor below.

“You have no place here.”

The raspy, whispering voice made Darren freeze. His heart had jumped over several heartbeats. Ganondorf also seemed to have been startled, but he quickly turned and smiled.

“I wondered when you would show up… kid.”

Darren turned. By the entrance to the room stood a person. He was clad in a green tunic, and a long cap hung from his head. He had long, blonde hair and pointy ears. But the eyes were without irises. The skin seemed grayish and dead, and the body was abnormally thin, as if having been starved.

“This place is holy.”

“This place is gone.”

Silence. Darren thought that it was the Ordonian he saw, but then he realized that there were several differences. The Ordonian was taller and had darker hair and sharper eyes. But the tunic… the gloves… the shield and sword he held…

The sword.

Darren gasped.

The stranger was holding the Master Sword.

It was impossible to be mistaken. Darren knew that it was the very same sword he had left in the symbol above the door. Had he taken it from there?

“So you are the Hero of Time… how is it, not being able to rest? Always watching?” Ganondorf mocked.

The Hero of Time looked up. Suddenly his left eye flamed up in red, but his right eye remained dead and dark. For a moment Darren thought he could see the already dead face turn… skeletal… but then he was back to his plain, dead appearance.

“You helped the other one, didn’t you?” Ganondorf asked. There came no reply.

“Princess Zelda entrusted Hyrule to me… I must protect it… must… you can never win…”

“Zelda? That foolish girl? Or are you talking about some other princess?”

“Anything… for my… princess…”

Ganondorf fell silent.

“In his foolishness… he let love make him protect his princess and her secrets… to death and beyond… a tragedy, really.”

He sounded as if he was bored. Darren just felt dizzy. He understood nothing anymore. Who was this Hero of Time? What did Ganondorf mean with “to death and beyond?”

“Time for you to return to your princess, kid.” Ganondorf murmured.

“I defeated you once… I will do so again…”

“So we have fought before?” Ganondorf inquired. “I see… heheheh… that must make me quite old… but how did I lose my memory…?”

The Hero of Time said no more, but had in a quick dash reached them both. Ganondorf scoffed and drew his own blade, that which he had taken from the sages and used to absorb their power with. The blades clashed, such force flew with the sparks that Darren had to throw himself away.

Ganondorf felt the strength of the once alive Hero of Time being thrown at him, masterfully, skillfully… he swung the sword with such speed and accuracy, he dodged and blocked every strike that came at him – he was next to unbeatable. But Ganondorf was not scared. He was not impressed. He had mastered such petty things as feelings. Emotions. Senses.

“You will not have it… you will not take it…”

“The Triforce?!” Ganondorf bellowed and grabbed the tunic of the Hero. “Tell me! Tell me everything!”

“NEVER!”

In his moment of blind greed, Ganondorf had forgotten the strength of his opponent, and he was lifted off his feet and hurled into the wall. Rubble and stone flew. Among it all Ganondorf cursed himself. He had allowed himself to show weakness. Desire. He could not defeat the Hero of Time without a mastered mind.

“I will find it…” he sneered as he climbed back to his feet. “And you will tell me where… and how…”

“Leave this place.”

They crossed blades again, and this time Ganondorf got a hold of the enemy again. But he knew now what to do. He slammed the boy against the wall behind him and pressed a finger to his head. With a laugh as cold and powerful as he himself was, he could see the memories before him. They were there, beyond his grasp.

A white light.

A sound of raging winds.

He stood at a stone floor. He looked over a vast desert, where a sandstorm raged as it had ever done. A woman approached him from the side. She had dark skin and crimson hair… just like he had.

“My Lord Ganondorf…” she murmured as she kneeled. “We have news. According to our spies, the Royal Family hold the Ocarina of Time that is necessary to – “

“I know what it is needed for,” Ganondorf interrupted coldly. He stood clutching a book. It had the triangle symbol engraved into its cover.

The woman hesitated.

“If that was all…”

“Yes… my Lord…”

The scene changed. He was now standing before a throne, with what seemed to be several of Hyrule’s guards standing by the walls. He was looking up at the man who sat in the throne. With a determination and a sense of hatred, he went down on one knee to pledge his allegiance to the King.

He knew that it was necessary.

Then he saw something.

He turned his head. He thought he had seen… in the window… but no, he had to focus. He had to find the Ocarina of Time.

He was striding down an empty corridor. He finally knew. The kid had collected all the stones, and he had found the Ocarina of Time. Of course. How could he have missed it? It was so obvious!

With a powerful surge he blew the door open. Princess Zelda, in her small childish body, stood pressed against the wall opposite to him.

“Give it here, girl,” he said. She refused. He took a step forward.

A shadow. He felt something hit him from behind, and he tumbled forwards. The girl was gone. In furious rage, he pursued the Sheikah and the princess out of the room and through the empty hallways. The guards had been taken care of. In this very moment, his assassins were making their way towards the King… but they were only to capture him. He himself would claim the throne. By executing the former King of Hyrule.

He got a horse. His trusted stallion. Down towards the castle town he rode. Pursued the white horse he could see already reaching the gate. He cursed and kicked his horse, made it go faster.

He then saw something. The Princess Zelda threw… what was it? Something blue and small… and it landed somewhere he could not see. But what he could see was a small boy. The very same that he had used in his plans. He knew that the Kokiri had gathered the three stones. He had them right there. He could take them…

No.

There had to be something else than just the stones. Something about the Ocarina of Time…

Surely Zelda had left instructions for the boy. She was not stupid, after all.

The boy drew his weapon. Ganondorf merely chuckled and sent him off his feet with a weak spell, before continuing his pursuit. In due time… he would return. When the kid had finally opened the door… he would return.

He stood before the altar. There they were. The stones. He felt annoyance go through his body. How much trouble he had went through for these stones… and all the time he could have just let the boy do it for him.

He went past the altar and into the chamber. It was empty. No kid. No foolish Master Sword. Had he gone already? What a brat.

Ganondorf stepped up to the empty pedestal. He looked up. He saw something. A flash of gold… and it came closer. He held out his arms and let out a laugh of triumph. He laughed. He laughed as the gold enveloped him. It embraced him, and he could see it. He could see that which he had yearned for.

He extended his hand.

It touched the triangle.

And then it burst.

Ganondorf cried out as he saw two of the three pieces disappear. What had gone wrong? Had he not taken the Triforce? Had he not reached it?

But then he looked at the last piece. He could see a burning fire in it. Power. Strength. The very thing he valued the most of all.

He smiled.

The last piece, the Triforce of Power, was in his hands.