THE LEGEND OF ZELDA

The War of Time






Chapter one: Return


A sixteen year old boy clad in a green tunic and a hat rode from the deep woods of Hyrule, his blue sword slung on his back, along with his numerous other weapons, riding on a brown horse. This boy’s name was Link. And he had finally returned home.

Link had not returned to Hyrule for a long time. He had been away on his other adventures, trying to save the entire world, (or in his case, other worlds,) from certain destruction. He had not had time to return here, but now that his adventures were over for a time, he could come back. This place was where all his greatest friends resided, most importantly of all, Princess Zelda.

Link rode on Epona into Hyrule Field, where there were no visible borders to it in any direction. Link knew his home well, however. To his right, (the north,) resided Kakariko Village, and Zora River, as well as Zora’s Domain. Death Mountain towered above Kakariko Village. That was where the Goron race resided. Behind that, the mountains, that signified the “borders” of Hyrule. Nobody had ever ventured beyond those mountains, (except Link,) so nobody knew exactly where Hyrule ended. To the west, (in front of Link, though he could not see it quite yet,) was Hylia City, where Hyrule Castle was located, the Royal Families home. Hylia City was enormous. To the far south on Link’s left, were two places. First was Hylia Lake, and Gerudo Valley, then, beyond that further, was the Haunted Wasteland, and yet still further from that, was the Desert Colossus. And finally, to the East, from behind Link, was Kokiri Forest, the place where he had lived for 10 whole years of his life before realizing that he was not a Kokiri, but a Hylian. The forest had played a very important role in Link’s life. And it still did even now, after he had become a legend.

Link looked forward to seeing Zelda again very very much. After all, she was his age, (slightly younger,) and she was intensely beautiful. Link did love her. But he kept it to himself.

He did not know however, that she felt the same way toward him.

Zelda missed Link dearly, and, only a few days earlier, she had received a letter from Link saying that he would be back in 2 days. She had gotten prepared, and at the moment that Link was riding through the vast field of Hyrule, Zelda stood on the grounds of Hyrule Castle, anxiously awaiting his arrival, very excited for his return.

Epona whinnied, looking around at the familiar sights.

“Ah,” said Link laughing, as he patted her on the head, “I see you are happy to return home to?”

Epona snorted her agreement.

After about a half hour, Link found himself staring up at the white walls that surrounded Hylia City. The sun was just rising, casting a flickering glow over the distant treetops, making the walls sparkle. It was a wondrous sight, and Link was happy to look upon it once more.


And Zelda waited, even more anxious and excited now, sensing his presence outside the city. She was not going to contact him with her mind. She wanted to meet him full.

Link rode into the marketplace. This was Hylia City’s center, and was mostly a place for food, trade, and fun. There was everything here, food markets, Inn’s, Mask Shops, (Link kept looking back at the mask shop, remembering vividly the trouble one had caused in Termina,) shops that sold shields and bows and swords, and nearly every day, the people of Hylia City would gather in here and just relax and have fun.

It was a wonderful place. Yet Link rode on, not stopping.

People were just waking up and coming outside to enjoy the sunrise. When people saw him ride by, they hailed him jovially, and jubilantly. They all cheered as he passed. He was sure that he made them feel safer. He tried to wave at everyone in turn, but did not stop his relentless pace.

He eventually rode out of the Marketplace, and arrived on the grounds of Hyrule Castle. His heart leapt with joy. He saw the guards grin enthusiastically, seeing him, and opened the gate to him, also cheering his arrival. He smiled at them, and kept going.

He rode into the large grass area of Hyrule Castle, and, seeing Zelda standing there with a huge charming smile on her face, he stopped, leapt off Epona, and ran to her.

Zelda ran too.

They reached each other, and embraced tightly.

“I’m so glad your back,” she said, slightly muffled, since she was pressed against his chest.

He laid his head on her shoulder and kissed her cheek.

“I am too.”

They let go, smiling.

“Where on earth have you been all this time? All I know is that you were off in other worlds, trying to save them.”

“It’s a very long story,” said Link, and I’m sure I’ll tell you once we go somewhere else. I don’t relish having the guards listening in on all the things I’ve been doing.”

“Yeah...”

She led him off the grounds, and to the open gate that led over the moat surrounding the castle.

They went inside the castle, and into the main room.

Link was always very taken with this place. It was so fancy and perfect, and...well, flawless.

Zelda saw him staring around, and smiled.

“You never used to stare like that,” she pointed out.

“Well, these past years, I haven’t been staying in what you could call–er–fancy lodgings like this.” he said with disdain.

“Let’s go up to my room. Then you can tell me everything there, and I will tell you everything that happened here.”

They went up the huge red carpeted stairs, and turned left. They walked along a long corridor, until they reached a large door. She opened it up.

They were inside her quarters. The windows were very high, and the domed ceiling sparkled with jewels. The walls were lined with very expensive furniture, and it was brightly lit.

She led him into her room on the right, and they sat down on her bed.

Link began to tell her everything that had happened to him since he left for Termina. It took him nearly 2 hours to tell the entire tale.

Once he was done talking, Zelda breathed softly.

“Wow,” she said, “that is incredible. And you survived it all?”

“Yes,” said Link, with a slight frown.

“Well, I’d like to tell you that everything has been going great here, but it is not so,” Zelda said sadly. “You see, a couple months ago, our barracks on the other side of Hylia Lake was attacked by an army of Lizalfos, Stalfos, and to make it even worse, 10 Iron Knuckles.”

Link gasped. “Where did they come from?”

“The Iron Knuckles had silver signs on their plate mail,” continued Zelda, “bearing the hand of Ganon.”

Link froze, his breathing oddly constricted. He shifted his sword uneasily. He looked down at the bed sheets, and spoke hoarsely.

“But, I killed him,” he said.

“We don’t know how it happened,” Zelda said sympathetically, watching Link struggling with her words. “Many of our soldiers died in the battle. We managed to beat them in the end. But, unfortunately, it was just a small army. We have certain information that we gathered from the dying minions, that Ganon is once again active, and is gathering an enormous army to launch an assault on Hyrule with.”

Link stared.

“He wants to seize Hyrule?!” he said incredulously.

“And he will, unless we stop it. The trouble is, we don’t know when or where he is going to start. And, we aren’t exactly sure how he is going to do it.”

“You mean, h-he might attack in a different time?” Link said shakily.

“Yes,” Zelda replied, “he knows that you were gone for a long time, so he might attack in one of the years that you were gone.”

Link stared at the wall, thinking hard.

“So,” Link said, “this means...”

“That you are going to have to travel back in time, once again.” finished Zelda. “But,” she added, “this time, you will NOT be going alone.”

“You’re coming?” Link said. “But...”

“Remember before you say it Link,” Zelda said, “I can easily turn into Sheik.”

“That’s right,” smiled Link, “you are an excellent fighter as Sheik. Can you use your telekenetic powers yet?”

“Are you kidding?” Zelda said, and Link felt his hat lift from his head, revealing his spiked, slightly long blonde hair. He looked at Zelda’s hand, and saw her finger twitch in the direction of the door. He looked up, and saw his hat fly very fast indeed to the door, then hang itself on the doorknob.

She then moved it back on.

“You’ve been practicing,” noted Link.

“We want to leave soon, but we want to get you settled in,” said Zelda, “so we leave tomorrow morning.”

Link was dismayed by how soon they were going to leave, but knew that it was necessary.

“Is the Triforice still safe?”

Zelda frowned, looking away for a second.

“Yes,” she said quietly, “but we don’t know how much longer we can hold it. Ganon has the three spiritual stones, and he might just storm Hylia City and take the Temple of Time before he attempts to seize Hyrule altogether. Come to think of it, if he got the Triforice again, then he could just summon an army so big that it would be child’s play to just take Hyrule without a fuss.”

“But we can’t leave this time then! It would be like leaving the gate to the Temple of Time wide open to him!”

“We don’t have a choice,” said Zelda, “which is worse, Link, staying here and letting him seize Hyrule in a different year, or leaving and leaving the fate of Hyrule in the hands of the King for a few days? My father is not a fool, Link.”

“I never said he was,” Link replied quickly, “its just....I’m not going to like the fact that Hylia City will be unprotected by us.”

“Neither do I,” Zelda said, “but it is necessary.”

Link nodded.

And with that, Link went to his reserved room, and settled down for the day, mentally preparing for what they were about to do tomorrow, and trying to relax, when he knew that Hyrule was facing the single greatest threat it had ever witnessed.

Ganon was loose once more.

Chapter two: Through Time


Link woke up the next morning, refreshed and happy, having not gotten much sleep in a long time. He smiled to himself, as he stared up at the far ceiling, where diamonds were twinkling gently in the early morning light filtering through the high windows. He eased himself out of bed, dressed in his now washed and cleaned green tunic, and slung his full pack onto his back, sword at his side, a comforting weight.

He quietly exited his quarters, and entered Zelda’s, but he did not go into her room. But there was no need, as soon as he entered the large room, Zelda walked out of her room, her hair, though it didn’t have its usual smooth, shiny, silky look, was still very tidy for just waking up. She saw he was in there, and asked, “Why are you in here?”

“Just to check on you,” Link replied, and sat down on one of the squashy red armchairs.

“I’m fine,” assured Zelda, as she walked into her bathroom and began to comb her hair and get her usual clothes on. “I don’t need to bring my Sheik clothes though, because when I transform, it puts them on automatically. I’ll just wear my normal dress.”

She came out about ten minutes later, looking as beautiful as though she hadn’t just waken up at all, but had been awake for several hours.

She waved her hand, and a copy of Hyrule Weekly flew from a lamp beside Link’s chair, and into Zelda’s outstretched hand, now covered in her white, elbow-long gloves. She caught it, and looked at it.

“Are we overdoing it a bit?” Link said with a smile. Zelda ignored him.

She snorted, as she saw the front page, and threw it into the trash.

“Rubbish,” she muttered, checking how tight the gloves were on.

“What does it say?” asked Link.

“Says here that the Gerudo’s are allying themselves with Ganon’s troops. Complete rubbish. We’ve been at peace with them since you rescued Nabooru from the temple.”

“I’m not surprised that they are printing that trash, though,” she continued, “all they can print right now is the fact that they have no freaking clue where Ganon and his troops are. They’ve been desperate for a story for months.”

“Is there anything in there about my arrival?”

“Yes,” she said, “it said ‘valiant heros return: the legend of Hyrule, Link returned to Hylia City last night in a flurry of hoof paddles and clinking as he rode through the Marketplace yesterday morning. We now shall feel safer with our hero back once more as he...’

“Ok,” interrupted Link, embarrased by the words written in the paper. “I get it.”

Zelda gave him a you-knew-you-would-get-this look, before sitting down opposite Link and sharpening her curved dagger.

“This is what I will normally use as Sheik,” she told Link, “but I might use my needles as well.”

Link remembered vividly while they were practicing against each other, she drew four wicked needles each about a foot long, and threw them with wicked speed. Link barely had had time to get his shield up before they reached him. They each had made a hole in his shield, but Zelda had fixed it.

“Or your fists,” pointed out Link, as he drew the Master Sword and examined it’s shining blade. He admired it for a bit, then sheathed it and got up.

“We should eat,” Zelda said, “where should we go?”

“Let’s go to the Sword-bow resteraunt,” suggested Link.

“Ok,” Zelda replied, sheathing her dagger and getting up.

They proceeded out of the castle and into Hylia City. They then went to the Sword-bow resteraunt, and ordered their breakfast.

Once they were done eating, they went back up to the castle, to meet the King.

“Link! I’m so glad to see you!” the King said, smiling at him as they walked in through the main entrance. “Where have you been?”

“Everywhere but here,” said Link. The King laughed.

“I know what you are going to attempt to do, Link,” the King said, “and I wish you the best of luck on your new quest. Failure will mean the end of Hyrule as we know it. I will guard Hylia City as best as I can without you two. You must hurry with your mission, and then return here as soon as possible.”

“And we will,” Zelda said, “but we must go now, before Ganon tears Hyrule apart.”

“I understand,” said the King, “good luck.”

We turned, and left the castle. We walked across the castle grounds, not speaking as much as we might have under normal circumstances. We made our way through the gate, the guards saluting us as we passed. We walked down the path, and into the Marketplace.

“This place is so beautiful,” said Link, watching the people milling around the stores, talking cheerfully and enjoying the bright sunlight, “I can’t understand why Ganon wants to distroy this place.”

“Because he is evil,” said Zelda.

“So I gathered,” Link replied dryly.

“But you defeated him once, and you can defeat him again,” she said to him, as they exited the Marketplace to the left, and made our way toward the Temple of Time, which towered before us. “Do not lose faith in yourself, for that is the worst thing that could happen to you at this point.”

Link listened silently.

“What will we do when we go back?” asked Link.

“I...don’t know,” Zelda said uneasily, “the best thing we can do while we are there is search for Ganon and hope for the best.”

“That’s not a very good plan,” pointed out Link quietly.

“Do you think?” Zelda said sarcastically. “What else do you suggest?”

Link fell silent, embarrassed.

“Don’t be embarrassed,” Zelda said. Link was not surprised. She had went through his mind before, and when he knew she was going to, he made sure he hid his feelings for her very well. “It’s just, in these hard times, I become stressed, like all sensible people would.”

They entered the Temple of Time. It was a magnificent place, with walls that reached extremely high heights, and windows in which you could see the dust from the aging building floating. The Altar of Time stood about 30 feet from them, and beyond that, the Door of Time stood. On the Altar, there were three empty spaces, where, Link remembered from 6 years ago, he had placed all three Spiritual Stones there, and opened the Door of Time. He then proceeded to draw the Master Sword from the pedestal. He looked around at the familiar temple, admiring it’s age and beauty.

“Zelda...” Link said slowly, turning to her, “how are we going to do this? The last time I traveled back in time, it was by putting the Master Sword back in the pedestal, but that took me back a whole ten years! And I don’t think it’s possible anymore, now that this is my real age!”

“Be comforted,” she said, “give me the Ocarina.”

Link reached into his belt, and pulled out the sparkling blue Ocarina of Time. He handed it to Zelda.

“I learned a song while you were gone,” she explained, “my father taught it to me. It will take us back any number of years that we want, or any number of years we want into the future. All I have to do is think of the years that I want to go back while I’m playing it, and It’ll happen. Come,” she gestured to the Altar, and they walked through the Temple, and stood upon the Altar.

“Hold my hand,” she said. Link did not need any second bidding.

She lifted the Ocarina to her lips with one hand, and played a soft melody, that sounded oddly familiar to Link. He determinedly memorized it, as she finished.


“Hold on tight,” she said, putting the Ocarina into her dress pocket and putting her arms around Link.

Wind suddenly whirled around them both, whipping Link’s hat about. White mist formed around their ankles, and rose up their bodies very quickly. Link looked at it apprehensively, as the wind began to blow even harder. The mist reached his chest, and looked down at Zelda, who had her eyes closed and was putting her face against his chest. He back at the mist, and was alarmed to see the mist was at his chin. The wind howled loudly, and he felt himself being lifted off his feet. He tried to yell something, but no sound came out over the howling wind. The pair twirled around and around in the white mist that now obscured all of their surroundings, holding tight to each other. They spun gradually faster and faster, the wind howling so loudly now that Link could no longer hear himself think, and he was spinning so fast, that everything was a whirled blur. He was just wishing it would stop, and had closed his eyes, when suddenly, the howling and wind and mist and spinning stopped very abruptly. He felt his feet touch solid ground.

He opened his eyes.

They were in the Temple of Time again, standing on the Altar. Link sighed with relief, glad to not be spinning again. Oddly, however, he was not dizzy. He reflected upon this for a minute as Zelda let go of him, and looked around, and then, they both realized the same thing at once, and let out yells of surprise and anger.

The Temple of Time ceiling was destroyed. It was nothing more than a cracked, scraggly hole, with bits of rubble raining down on their heads softly. Link stared at the open space between the Altar and the entrance of the Temple, and saw littered on the ground were enormous slabs of white marble, surely fallen from the destroyed ceiling. They were piled in great mounds, rising above their heads.


“What the bloody hell in the name of Din happened here?!” Link said loudly into the silence.

Zelda was staring at the dark sky above them.

“We are too late,” she said.

“No,” said Link, “if we were too late, Moblins or Stalfos or Lizalfos or Knuckles of any kind would be walking around here.”

“No, we aren’t to late,” Zelda said, “but this place has definitely been attacked. And I have no doubt in my mind that Ganon sieged Hylia City.”

Link and Zelda ran from the Temple of Time together, and at the same time, he saw Zelda transform into Sheik.

They both sprinted outside.

It was nighttime, and a lot of the surrounding buildings were smashed or broken, but everything seemed calm and OK.

“They failed, I see,” Sheik said with a smile.

“Yes,” said Link, “but we must find where they are.”

They walked out into the Marketplace, and through it, to the castle.

Link and Sheik were very pleased to see that it was unharmed.

They saw the guards, and ran up to them. They quickly explained what had happened, and where they were from. The guards understood.

“We need to know,” Link said, “do you guys know where Ganon’s forces are right now?”

The guards suddenly stopped smiling, and looked at their feet. Sheik waited impatiently for them to speak.

Link looked at the space between their curved plate armor where he could see the guards’ eyes.

“Yes, we do know, unfortunately,” said one guard. “About 2 weeks ago, Ganon’s army showed themselves, and seized the entire east woods, without much resistance.”

Fear shot through Link. His old friends, Saria, Mido, the Twins! The Deku Tree!

“They now own the woods, patrolling it every day and night, never sleeping or resting,” the guard who had said this, suddenly broke into a sob, “they killed them all.”

Link went numb. Sheik did not speak.

Link reached down near Sheik’s belt and pulled out the Ocarina. He played Saria’s song as fast as he could, and waited.

There was no answer.

He played it again, chills leaping from him as he tried to hear Saria’s voice, anybody’s voice.

No answer.

Tears welled in his eyes as he stopped playing it, and stared at the ground. He fell to his knees, and began to silently cry to himself.

Sheik turned back into Zelda, and dropped down beside him.

Link turned his red eyes to her, hot tears streaming down his face.

She hugged him tightly, and put her head on his shoulder, lending him her warmth. He held her there, and the guards turned away, giving them privacy.

When Link was done weeping, he let go of Zelda and stood, anger contorting his face now.

“I do not care if I don’t have the strength to fight him,” Link yelled. “I WILL SLAY HIM, BURN HIS CORPSE, AND BURY THE ASHES IN COW SHIT!”

“You will,” the princess told him assuringly, “but we must wait until we can muster an army big enough to destroy Ganon’s army.”

Zelda then looked at her knees, and said in a regretful voice, “I...I am afraid that the War of Time has begun.”

Chapter Three: Battle at Zora River


They stayed in the castle that night. Link was so sad and angry that he could not sleep the entire night. When the sun finally rose, he had not gotten an ounce of sleep. Yet we was not tired in the least.
He walked out of his quarters and in to Zelda’s as usual, and found her laying on a sofa, her eyes staring at the ceiling. She looked around when Link entered.
“Good morning,” she said softly, so as not to make him angrier than he was. But his grief had washed away, and only one word was burnt red hot into his mind, and he could not get rid of it if he wanted to: ‘REVENGE’.
“Good morning,” Link said back, and sat down on the chair beside her.
“Have you gotten any sleep?” she asked.
“No,” Link replied bluntly.
Zelda looked at him with concern showing in her deep blue eyes. He looked back at her. They watched each other for a while, when finally, Link said “what are we going to do today?”
“We are going to try to contact the Zora’s, unless Ganon drove them into hiding, which I sincerely hope he hasn’t, and try to make them join us and increase our army size. And after that, the Goron’s,” the princess replied tiredly.
Link stroked her hair slowly.
“Are you okay?” he asked her tenderly.
“I don’t know,” she said back, “I want this to all be over, but every time I think trouble is ended, it always comes back!”
“I know,” Link said, “you should’ve been there on some of the adventures that I was on. You wouldn’t believe how frustrated I got!”
“Yes,” Zelda said, looking up at him as he continued to stroke her hair, “I wish I could have accompanied you many times.”
“Oh, I don’t think you would have liked to see the many things that I saw.”
She was silent.
They left the castle at noon. They trudged over toward Lon-Lon Ranch, where Malon was currently watching Epona.
As they walked, Link looked over at the distant forest. It looked normal from where he was, but he knew once he crossed into it, he would meet Ganon’s minions infesting the place. Zelda noticed him looking, but said nothing.
They entered Lon-Lon Ranch, and Link immediately saw Epona gallop very fast toward him, between the two houses that surrounded them. She reached him, and allowed him to pat her.
Malon came up behind Epona and greeted Link.
“Hello, Malon,” said Link.
“Where in Din’s Fire have you been, Link?”
Link quickly explained that they were from the future, and what they were here to do.
“Well,” Malon said, “I will be happy to assist you in any way that I can.”
“Come again?” Link said.
Malon drew out a thin long-sword, and twirled it expertly.
“I’ve been practicing,” she replied, sheathing it.
“I can see that,” Link said.
“Well,” Zelda said impatiently, “we will call upon you when we need you. Thank you for your willingness to help the Royal Family.”
Link leapt upon Epona and helped Zelda onto the back of her.
“I will see you soon,” Link said to Malon, who smiled at him, her red hair shining from the sun overhead.
Zelda wrapped her arms around Link’s waist, and they galloped out of the ranch. They then made their way toward Zora river.
Once they got there, Epona leapt the river, and continued through the dense passages and twisted paths that led to the entrance to Zora’s Domain.
Once Epona had leapt the final gap, they were on a ledge directly across from a massive waterfall. Link knew what to do though. He dismounted Epona, followed closely by Zelda. He walked to the center of the grass ledge, and took out the Ocarina of Time.
He played Zelda’s Lullabye as quickly as possible, Zelda listening to it, an odd faraway look in her eyes. When he was done, the look vanished.
A hole in the waterfall opened up, and the water slid around it. Link jumped the gap, followed closely by Zelda. They both proceeded inside Zora’s Domain.
They made their way up the long stairs, past the other Zora’s who were just minding their own business. Once they were at the top, they arrived in King Zora’s Chamber. The fat king sat upon his water throne, staring down at the warrior and the princess that stood before him.
“Yes,” he said gruffly, “what is it that you need?”
Link, now growing slightly annoyed by having to tell everyone the story, told the king the story. Once he was done, the king sat back.
“Yes, we know that Ganon has already taken the east woods,” the King said slowly, “and we know that a war is brewing. It will soon be upon us.”
“Tell us what we want to know,” Zelda said quickly.
“WE ARE NOT CREATURES TO RUN AND HIDE WHEN OUR LAND IS BEING THREATENED BY EVIL!” bellowed the Zora King.
“Then you will help us,” Link said, grinning.
“We do what we must,” the King replied. “But I must remain here, because, alas, I am embarrassed to say, time has spent a great deal of my strength, and added to my girth. I will not leave my Domain, for I will surely die if I do. I do however, order my soldiers to take up lodgings in Hylia City until this war subsides.”
All of the Zora’s got this news relatively quickly, and though they did not like the fact that they had to leave their Domain, they knew they had to. So they got their armor and weapons together, and waited for Link and Zelda’s orders to have them proceed to Hylia City. Link and Zelda told them to go ahead. They would be behind them, on Epona. But as they watched the army move towards the entrance to leave, they heard a growl, unlike anything they had ever heard before.
All the Zora’s froze. The growl had been very loud. It echoed around the Domain.

“What in Forore’s–?” Link said, but at that moment, the entrance to Zora’s Domain roared with angry voices, and hundreds of creatures suddenly ran inside, swinging their swords and spears at the Zora army.
Link and Zelda gasped.
The army looked like disfigured Zora’s. They had 5 fins on the back of their heads instead of 1, like the normal Zora’s did, and they had 4 arms and legs, with faces that had many vampire-like fangs protruding from their top lips. Their eyes were scarlet, and had slits for pupils, uncannily like Ganon’s.
“In the name of the Triforice,” gasped Zelda.
The Zora’s, though unprepared for this, leapt into action immediately, and the two armies collided on the ledge overlooking the water raging below them in the many caverns.
“WE MUST JOIN THEM!” yelled Link over the noise. “COME ON!”
Zelda turned into Sheik, and drew her dagger. Link brandished the Master Sword, which gleamed in the dim light of Zora’s Domain. They rushed into the battle, and were engulfed in pandemonium.
Link whirled the sparkling blade above his head, and brought it down on one of the creatures heads, cutting it’s skull into two pieces. Black blood spurted down the swords length, drenching Link’s hands and sleeves. He dashed toward another one, and cut it’s left arm off, in a shower of blood which drenched his tunic. He stabbed the same one through the heart, then, pulling the scarlet blade from the demon, rushed toward 4 at once and battled through them, leaving a trail of blood in his wake. He fought past Sheik, who was twirling around almost as fast as Link was, her dagger flashing venimously as she cut through many of them at once. When one fell, she dove to another, and seemed to be as good at fighting as Link was.
Sheik dodged a sword swing, stuck her dagger through it’s heart, and lunged for another, but Link saw one that she had not seen, sneaking up behind her. He desperately threw the Master Sword with superior strength and speed. It flew into the back of the monsters neck, splattering the ground, and Link, with blood. He ran forward, pulled the blade out again, and dove into others, continuing the reckless onslaught.
And so it went on, for another twenty minutes, Link soaked with demon blood, his tired limbs aching as he again and again impaled his enemies and battered around the army. The Zora’s lost a few men, but eventually, the demon tide ended, and, with one final blow of his sword, Link knocked the last one to the floor of the ledge, and stabbed it through the neck. Blood pooled on the ground benieth him, but he gave a fierce victory cry, and the Zora’s around him erupted too.
The mess was quickly cleaned up. They piled the bodies of the demons outside on the banks of Zora river, and burnt them. After a couple hours, all that was left was a pile of ashes. The Zora’s left the Domain completely, heading toward Hylia City, to find lodgings to await further orders.
Sheik turned back into Zelda, and her and Link stood by the pile of ashes on the banks of Zora river, watching the smoke rise into the setting sun.
“You did fantastic,” said Link to Zelda.
“So did you,” she replied back, with a smile.
“But where did those beasts come from? I am sure that Ganon sent them, but who created them? Surely not Ganon. His beasts are nothing like that.”
Zelda had no answer.
“We will soon know,” she assured him.
They stood there, looking at the blood red sunset. Link turned his head to Zelda. She looked up at him too.
“Thank you for everything that you have done for me, Zelda,” Link said.
“I should thank you,” she said, “you are my hero.”
The two leaned in slowly, and before Link knew it, he was kissing Zelda. He wrapped his arms around her, and they stood there, kissing until night fell.

Chapter Four: Death storm


Link woke up the next morning, in his bed, warm and comfy.
He grinned to himself as he remembered last night. He was so happy that it had finally happened, after six years of waiting.
He got up, dressed quickly, and hurried over to Zelda’s Quarters.
She was once again awake when he came in, doing her hair in her bathroom.
“Good morning,” he said to her with a smile, as he walked in. She stopped combing her hair to look at him.
“Good morning,” she said happily.
Link hesitated for a second, then said “Zelda, I don’t know how to say this, but...I loved you since the moment we met ten years ago.”
“I did too,” Zelda said, and walked right over to Link, and kissed him. “And we will be together for the rest of our lives. There will be time for us after this war is over. But we must not get distracted from the important matters at hand.”
“I know,” Link said seriously, “today we go up Death Mountain to talk with Darunia.”
Zelda remained silent, still smoothing out her hair to it’s normal, silky look. She didn’t even need to put anything in it to make it shine like it did, Link thought admiringly.
“Also,” she continued, as she finished with her hair and reached toward her white gloves, “we need to figure out how Ganon made those...er...crossbreeds.”
“Yes,” Link agreed, “I have no idea how he could have done it. It doesn’t seem possible! He doesn’t have any Zora’s working for him. The Zora’s are on our side.”
“Well, we will get to the bottom of this,” Zelda said, “one way or another.”
He felt something shoot past his face, and looked around quickly to see a copy of Hyrule Weekly once again zoom into Zelda’s outstretched hand. She snorted at it, and threw it into the trash, once again.
“I am sick of all that trash being printed where people can read it,” she said icily. “It says here that the crossbreeds that were spotted marching toward Zora’s River were aliens that were trying to steal the “sacred holy diamond” that the Zora’s are hiding from Hyrule. I have no freaking clue where they got that idea, but it is again complete utter rubbish.”
“The paper is going down the crap hole,” said Link scathingly, as he watched Zelda pull her white gloves experimentally.
“Okay, they’re all adjusted...lets go!” she said, and walked past Link with a quick peck on the cheek.
Link walked after her, and they made their way down the huge steps into the Great Hall. The King stopped them at the bottom of the steps.
“Hello Link! And hello, Zelda.”
Link and Zelda did not want to tell him that they were from the future. They were sick of telling everyone. They pretended that they were in the normal time.
“Father, we have something to tell you...” Zelda said. She looked over at Link.
“Uh...” Link nervously shifted his weight from foot to foot, then said, “we’re–uh–in love with each other.” he put his arm on Zelda’s shoulder.
The King stared for a second, then smiled and hugged them both.
“And I couldn’t think of a better pair! Go on, then! I don’t want to bother you two! Go on.”
He walked away, smiling.
“He, er, took that rather well!” Link said. Zelda seemed surprised at how he didn’t seem to mind.
“Well,” she said, “we do make a good pair.”
Link laughed, and they proceeded outside of the castle, where Epona was standing, though she was sleeping still.
“Oy!” Link yelled, poking her in the side. She blinked, and looked at him tiredly with one eye.
“It’s time to go. We’re going to Death Mountain today, instead of all that water. I’m sure you’ll like this place better. Not as much jumping gaps!” Link said to her. Epona blinked again, then reluctantly opened both her eyes and allowed Link and Zelda to clamber onto her. They rode from the castle, and past the guards, through the marketplace, and out of Hylia City.
As they went over the bridge and sharply pulled left toward Kakarikoo Village, Zelda asked, “so–what is Darunia like?”
Link could hear a bit of anxiousness in her voice.
“Do not be afraid, Zelda,” he said soothingly, “he is a gentle being. He is only rough when he must. But I am his sworn brother, so he should treat you royally as well. Although, even if we weren’t together, he would treat you royally anyways, because you are royal.”
He grinned at her as they galloped up the steps and into Kakarikoo Village. They proceeded up to the gate that led up Death Mountain, past the guards, (Zelda showed them her pass,) and were soon riding up the steep rocky ledges of Death Mountain.
It took them nearly a half hour to get up the entire mountain, but once they reached the entrance to Goron City, they were very proud of themselves, especially Epona.
They dismounted quickly. Link patted Epona on the head. “I’m proud of you. I couldn’t have asked for a better horse.”
Epona heard this, and stuck her huge snout affectionately into Link’s ear. He laughed, and they hugged for a second, then he hurried off after Zelda, into the City.
Link grinned enthusiastically as he laid his eyes on this wonderfully familiar sight. Goron’s rolled everywhere, some past Link and Zelda. Many Goron’s lay curled in little balls, snoring loudly, others, sitting on the floor chewing on pieces of the finest rock. The Goron drums were banging from somewhere in the place, but Link was overjoyed by this great place. How he had missed Hyrule so!
Zelda liked the Goron’s. She thought they were cute.
Since the entrance to Goron City was at the top, they slowly had to walk around the spiral staircase until they reached the bottom floor. Once they did, they hurried through the many Goron’s, some whom recognized Link, and got up to hug him. They went to Darunia’s great stone door that blocked his chamber from the rest of the city.
Link banged on it loudly.
The door swung open.
They stepped inside the darkness, and walked forward a short distance until they emerged in the small throne room of Darunia, the Fire Sage.
When he saw Link, he yelled with happiness, and sprung up from his rock throne chair. He beat his chest tremendously, and stamped his feet, rocking the room. Zelda smiled at him. Link grinned, and rushed forward.
“LINK! HOW HAVE YOU BEEN, BROTHER?!” they reached each other and embraced tightly, Darunia making sure not to hug too tightly, or else he would break Link’s spine.
“I’ve been busy,” Link replied truthfully, as Darunia let him go. Link felt his feet touch the ground again. “Saving different worlds than this.”
“Haha! I believe you. You saved our people twice, and I am quite sure that you can do it for others.”
Zelda instantly developed a liking for the Goron King. He was large, friendly, but not overly so.
“So, brother, what can I do for you today?” he said with a huge grin.
Zelda decided to answer this time.
“I am sure you have heard about Ganon’s return and him taking over the east woods?” she said to him.
The Goron King suddenly looked downward, his grin vanishing.
“Aaah, yes, I have. I am sorry for your losses Link. If there was anything I could do to help I would d–“
The Goron King stopped, and looked from Zelda to Link.
“Ah,” he said, figuring it out rather quickly, “yes, of course I will join your army! It’s the least I can do for Hyrule, brother!”
“Thank you, Darunia,” Zelda said sincerely.
“Listen, we need you to take all available soldiers you have to Hylia City and take up lodgings there until the time comes to fight,” Link explained to Darunia.
“All the Goron’s will fight.”
Within the hour, all of the Goron’s in the city were leaving, and hiking down Death Mountain toward Hylia City.
“We have been successful so far,” Link noted to Zelda quietly, as the Goron’s trooped past them, Darunia leading them.
“Yes,” Zelda said, “you have made some good friends, Link, for which we are all grateful for,” she said softly back.
He smiled to himself, as he watched the third part of his army march past.
They were soon galloping out onto Hyrule Field, after the Goron’s had gone to Hylia City.
Link, out of habit now, glanced at the east woods yet again.
“Where to now?” the princess asked the elf.
“The Gerudo’s,” Link said. “They are the only one’s left to recruit.”
They galloped all the way across Hyrule field, which took them over an hour to do, until finally, they reached Gerudo Valley, which they passed up. They rode across the bridge over the dark water’s that led all the way to Hylia Lake below, and on to Gerudo Fortress.
Once they got there, they rode up the steps, and out into the open dryness of the grounds.
Zelda’s grip around Link tightened. Link knew that even though she knew he had developed a truce with them, she did not trust them.
Link rode up to one, and asked politely, “where is Nabooru?”
“She is on the stand overlooking the desert,” replied the woman, pointing past them.
Link and Zelda rode over to the gate of the Haunted Wasteland, and
dismounted Epona. Link and Zelda both climbed up the ladder of the watch tower, and sure enough, they found Nabooru standing there, watching the dust storms of the desert.
She turned, and saw Link and Zelda come up.
“Link!” she cried, giving him a small hug. When they were done, she said, “I haven’t seen you for years! Where in Nayru’s Love have you been?!”
“To other worlds,” said Link truthfully, “saving other people.”
Nabooru smiled. “That sounds like you. Anyway, what brings you to the Gerudo’s F–“
BOOM.
The ground shook beneath them, and Zelda grabbed Link around the middle, trying not to fall. Link hurried to the other side of the tower, and peered down at the grounds of the fortress.
The sky, which was just blue, had turned black, and purple mist floated around a crater in the middle of the grounds. Several Gerudo’s lay on their backs, blood pooling beneath them. Nabooru yelled in grief at this, but Link held her from going down.
For Link remembered that purple fog all too well.
“Stay here,” he ordered Zelda and Nabooru both, without a hint of untruth in his eyes. Zelda wanted to obey, but she didn’t want to leave Link by himself.
Link climbed down the ladder quickly, then rushed up the stairs and onto the grounds, brandishing the Master Sword, and holding his shield steady.
The purple fog cleared, and a huge muscular, dark figure rose from it. Fear shot through Link, and everybody who saw who it was that was standing there on the grounds in front of Link.
Flaming red hair, and dark skin, with ugly long sideburns that rippled in the wind caught Link’s eye. A jewel rested on the man’s forehead, and he was garbed in black, with strange symbols all the way down the strange clothes.
The tall, 8 foot man stared down at Link, his long nose all too familiar to Link. As well as the scarlet eyes, and long cracked fingernails.
Ganon stood there, looking more dangerous than ever.
Link, who, though he had beaten him before, was trembling. He stopped himself from trembling. He was a warrior elf! He would not let this man destroy him! He stood tall, and stared back at Ganon without a hint of fear.
“Remember me?” Link said scathingly, holding up the Master Sword, “more importantly, do you remember this?”
Ganon quivered at the sight of the blade that had impaled his forehead before.
“I will be repaid in blood for that,” his deep evil voice growled. Link, suddenly overcome by rage at what he had done to the Deku’s, swung the Master Sword at Ganon. Ganon pulled out his own sword, and they clashed together.
They began one of the most fiercest sword fights Link had ever been in. Oddly, Link felt the Master Sword was lighter than before. He could control it better now. It felt like just an extension of his arm! He went into an even fiercer array of attacks, but every time, Ganon managed to block it with ease and strike out and Link with even more ferocity.
They moved back and forth across the grounds for at least 20 minutes, fighting, neither one of them getting in the least bit tired.
Ganon finally swung his blade so hard, that Link was knocked off his feet. Zelda screamed “NOOOO!!” and slid down the ladder. She ran to Link, and tried to pull him back up.
Ganon stood, looking at the pair with disdain.
“You two have irked me for far too long,” he said. He raised his hand. Zelda and Link were lifted from the ground, struggling. He moved his hand slightly, and they were both thrown over the gate, and went sailing very very far indeed into the Haunted Wasteland.
When they landed, the force released them, and they were once again all alone.
“NO!” yelled Link, the dust going into his eyes as he said this. “NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!”
He pounded the ground in frustration and fearfullness.
Zelda, who had never been here, suddenly fell to her knees, and coughed. Link drew her in close, protecting her from the sand that swirled around the pair. He hugged her tightly, and she did for him.
They had been cornered, and Ganon was going to take Hyrule in both this time, and the real time.
Link wept, as did Zelda.
They were trapped.

Chapter five: Capture in the Woods


Link and Zelda clung to each other. They weren’t going to move from where they were. It would only make them even more lost.
“It will be okay,” Link shouted over the howling wind.
“We need to get out of here!” yelled Zelda, “or Ganon will easily take Hylia City!”
“But how can we–!?” Link suddenly stopped talking.
“What is it?” Zelda yelled.
Link didn’t answer. The elf was sure he had heard something that he heard a long time ago from a different world, but, he was sure it was not possible...he couldn’t be here...it wasn’t possible...
He then heard it again. Somebody had shouted “DUDE!”
Link whirled around, and saw, to his amazement, Maikau, the ghost of the dead zora from Termina. He was floating about 3 feet off the ground, and he was grinning.
“MAIKAU?!” Link yelled in disbelief.
“Yeah, dude!” Maikau said, “I may be dead but I’m still having the time of my life! Looks like you two need some help!”
“How...how in the name of the Triforice did you get here?”
“The same way you got back!” Maikau said, stretching out in midair, and laying on his back, “the doorway in the Clock Tower!”
“Didn’t you want to stay with Lulu?” Link asked. Zelda was staring, not having a clue about what was going on.
“I did,” Maikau said, “and I was with her for a while, but then I decided to visit you!”
“And you tracked us here,” Zelda finished.
“Right,” Maikau said, “I can see the way out of here from where I am, do you guys need a ride? I can carry you.”
“Yes, please do,” Link said gratefully. Maikau zoomed over, grabbed them both, and suddenly, he sped off so fast, that everything was a blur. Link could see nothing but sand and hear the howling of wind for five seconds until...
They stopped at the gates of the Haunted Wasteland. Maikau flew over them, and dropped them off gently at Gerudo Valley.
“I believe I have been of some help,” Maikau said, “if you ever need me Link, just call for me. I can hear you wherever I am.”
He flew away.
“I take it that was one of the souls that you saved in Termina,” Zelda said.
“Right you are,” Link said, “he gave me the Zora Mask. But all the masks are currently in my house. I don’t think I’m ever going to use them.”
“Alright, now we have to figure out how to get out of here,” Zelda said. “We can’t leave out of the front. Ganon is sure to have knuckles watching the front already.”
“Well, there’s only one other alternate route,” Link said, “but Epona can’t come. I’m sorry Epona, but you have to go out the front.”
“But the Knuckles will kill her!” protested Zelda.
“No,” Link disagreed, “he knows the laws of the land. He will not kill an animal.”
And he was right. They did not attack Epona when Link told her to go out the front. He assured Epona that they would meet again very soon.
He watched uneasily as she galloped off.
“I do hope I see her again,” Link said.
“Don’t worry,” Zelda said soothingly, putting a hand on his shoulder, “you will. And you will ride with her into battle.”
“Yeah,” Link said. “I suppose...now. Zelda, the only other way out of here is the river below the bridge. We have to jump down into it. It will lead us to Lake Hylia, where we can go out from there and get back into Hyrule Field, and from there, we can get back to the castle to warn the King about Ganon imprisoning the Gerudo’s.”
“How do you know he imprisoned them?”
“Because it’s Ganon-style,” Link said, “and because the fortress is deserted. Look.”
Indeed it was. An eerie silence had taken over the abandoned building.
“Let’s get out of here,” she said, “I don’t like the feel of this.”
“Righto,” Link replied, and he led her out of the fortress to Gerudo Valley, past the worker tent, and onto the bridge.
Link climbed up onto the ledge, and picked Zelda up. She grabbed on tight to him.
“Now, whatever happens, do not let go of me,” Link ordered Zelda. She nodded, and closed her eyes.
Link looked down at the raging waters, remembering the last time he had jumped. It had been for fun last time. This time it was because they had to. Link closed his eyes, hoping he could still make a fresh landing, and jumped.
They pelted downward, wind rushing past them in great howling, the walls of the canyon a blur as they sped downward. Zelda was screaming, and she held tighter still to Link, pressing her face into his chest, so as not to see what happened when they hit the water.
Link managed to get his mouth around the wind before they hit the water, he yelled to Zelda, “deep breath!”
And they hit the water.
It did not hurt for him or Zelda, because they had not been horizontal in the dive. They rushed downward, to the very bottom, where the current swept them up. Link violently jerked as the water made him lose control. They sped downstream, toward Lake Hylia. Desperately, he pulled and yanked and kicked his legs as hard as he could to the surface. It was slow work, but he was rewarded. Link and Zelda crashed up from the water, gasping for air. Link spat water from his mouth. Zelda, who’s hair was draped over her face, brushed it aside to reveal her water drenched face. She stared at where they were, still holding onto Link, but adding to the kicking so they would not sink underwater again. Link looked around too. The current was much faster than he remembered...
They soon flew out into Hylia Lake, and the water calmed. The clear water beneath them was very clean and fresh. Link had always loved this lake.
They swam toward the shore, and got out. Link was sopping wet, along with Zelda, who, since she was wearing a dress, was having trouble walking.
Link looked over at her, and saw that Zelda had been wearing a thin layer of clothing, and her shirt was now see-through.
“Let’s go get you some new clothes,” Link said, “I’m sure you won’t want to go back up to the castle in a wet dress.”
Zelda had become aware that he could see this. She was embarrassed, but said nothing. They walked up toward the fishing lake that stood beside the lake. Link supported Zelda as they walked.
Once they reached the door, Link took a piece of cloth from his pocket, and wrapped it around Zelda. He did not want prying eyes to stare at her.
Zelda smiled, and thanked him.
They walked inside.
Link and Zelda both gasped in amazement.
The pond was no longer a pond. It was filled with the disfigured Zora’s that had attacked Zora’s domain the day previously. Link and Zelda backed against the door. The Zora’s had not seen them yet. He turned his head at where the person who ran the fishing lake used to stand, and, horrified, saw his mangled white and bloody body hanging from the wall. His eye socket’s were bare, the eyes still hanging from them attached still by the nerve, many teeth were missing, one arm was gone, and he was covered in black and blue bruises. He had blood caked all over his body. Link stared at the once friendly man who had talked to Link when he had caught the biggest fish ever in the pond.
Where he used to stand, was a short, shriveled man, with a weird blue hat on, and he had many eggs beside him.
Link’s eyes widened with shock.
“YOU!” he yelled, pointing at him.
It was the old man from the laboratory at Great Bay back in Termina. He was the one who had helped Link recover Lulu’s eggs. Link instantly figured it out. He had cloned the eggs beforehand, and was creating deformed Zora’s for Ganon’s bidding. Zelda quickly read Link’s mind, and realized this too.
“Yes,” the man said with an evil smile, “me. And now, since you are outnumbered, you shall be taken and imprisoned in the forest like all the others.”
“You mean the Gerudo’s,” Link said, shaking with fury.
“And the others,” the man repeated.
“What oth–“
Two strong mail-wrapped hands seized Link and Zelda, and pulled them to the ground. Iron Knuckles stood over them. Zelda screamed, and Link yelled in surprise, but the Knuckles brought their fists down heavily on their skulls, and they were both knocked unconscious.

* * *

Link awoke in a dark cell, his head aching and throbbing. He tried to sit up, but the aching in his head instantly brought him back down. He groaned, and forced his head up, making him lightheaded.
The blank brick walls of his cell gleamed in the moonlight shining through the bars on the high window. Link could just make out trees. So they had brought them to the east woods.
Link dully moved from the rotting bed he was sitting on, and got up. He moved to the bars of his cell, and looked at the opposite one. Zelda sat there, watching him.
“Zelda!” Link said, relieved that she had not been hurt.
“It is good to see you awake, Link,” she said warmly, “we can attempt our escape plan now. But before we do,” she stopped.
“What is it?”
“My cell is different than yours, Link. It’s wider. I can see more cells. You can’t. Even though we are imprisoned, this should make you very happy,” she said. She paused for a second, then, smiling, said, “the Kokiri are alive.”
“What?!”
A small voice in the cell beside his spoke up, rasping.
“It’s true, Link.”
“S-S-SARIA?!”
“Yes,” the little voice said, pleased.
“How come I couldn’t contact you before?!”
“They have my ocarina in the other room, with your weapons. I have to have the ocarina with me to hear you.”
“Hey, is Mido here?!”
“Here,” said a small male voice to his left. He smiled.
“Good to hear you Mido!”
“You also, Link. Look, I’m sorry for being so mean to you all those years.”
“That’s fine,” Link said reassuringly. “Are the know-it-all twins here?”
“Here,” said two voices at once. Link grinned enthusiastically.
“We are going to free every one of you,” Link said. “Zelda! How do we escape?”
“I could feel the Master sword and your shield, and my dagger in the other room, unguarded,” she explained. “With my powers, I am going to give you your two weapons, and give me my dagger. The dagger isn’t powerful enough to cut through these bars, but the Master Sword is. Here we go!”
Zelda closed her eyes, and Link waited. A couple seconds passed, and then, the Master Sword went flying into his cell. Zelda’s Dagger flew into hers. She still kept her eyes closed, and, after a couple seconds, Link’s shield flew into his cell too. He caught it, not wanting it to clang loudly and wake up the guards that were sure to be nearby.
As if to drive the point home, a banging on the door to the cell room averted his attention, and a gruff voice that Link remembered as a Dinalfos yelled “QUIET IN THERE! NO TALKING!”
Link picked up the Master Sword carefully, and as quietly as he could, slit 3 bars in half. He caught the pieces, and lightly set them down on the floor. He climbed out of his cell, setting his shield on his back, and did the same for Zelda.
He was making his way toward Saria’s cell, when she help up a hand and said “wait! You can’t free us yet.”
“Why not?” said Link impatiently.
“Because,” she said, “we can’t leave the forest. We’ll die. Remember, we are Kokiri’s. We would not be safe wandering around the forest while Ganon patrols it. Look, bring me my ocarina, and I can talk to you whenever you want, Link. But for now, we must remain in this hell hole.”
Link was surprised at hearing sweet little Saria saying that, but shrugged it off, nodded, and Zelda brought the ocarina into the room with her magic. She slipped it into Saria’s cell, and she pocketed it happily.
Link was still not comfortable with leaving them.
“Do not worry, Link,” Saria said, “we shall be free soon. Escape now, and do not greave for us.”
Zelda touched Link’s shoulder lightly, and Link nodded. They waved goodbye, and walked to the door. They opened it up, and walked...right into a pair of Dinolfos.
“Shit!” Link said, and drove the Master Sword into one’s back. Zelda swiftly drew her dagger and slashed it viciously in the neck, cutting it’s head off before they could make a sound. Zelda sighed in disgust. Her and Link were now splattered in blood.
“Come on,” she said, turning into Sheik, “we have to get out of here by stealth.”
2 Iron Knuckles slammed their way into the room at this moment, and yelled in surprise and anger seeing Zelda and Link standing over the dead lizards.
“God dammit!” yelled Sheik, as the Knuckles gave the warcry, and charged. Link dodged under one’s leg, and stabbed it in the back where it was unprotected by armor. Blood spurted from the wound, and the knuckle screamed in rage and pain. Link yanked the blade out, again noticing how swiftly he could bring the blade around now.
Sheik turned to him, reading his mind, as the slaughtered Knuckle that she had just impaled in the forehead slid against the wall and onto the floor, leaving a bloody line on the wall.
“It is a trick that I gave to you after the battle at Zora River,” she explained, “I made you stronger. But that is all I can do. It is a useful trick, and cannot be undone. Now quick, let us escape before more monsters close in on our position.”
They rushed out of the room, and through the many trees that suddenly engulfed them. It was nighttime, and hard to see where they were going. They rushed as fast as they could through the forest, Link knowing where the exit was.
Torch lights and spears glinted in the forest, and Link suddenly forced Sheik down, and they hid behind a tree. Many minions rushed past, yelling angrily. Once they had passed, they got up and dashed off, Link leading the way.
Their legs pumped as fast as they could, trying to reach the exit before they were discovered. Torches gleamed yet again to their right and left, then shouts and a warhorn. Link cursed, and pushed Sheik’s head down as an arrow zoomed past them, a hairbreadth away from Link’s nose.
“They saw us! Hurry and follow me. It is not in their nature to let prey escape.”
They ran as hard as they could, arrows raining down on them all the while. Link felt a hot pain in his left shoulder, and grabbed it by instinct. An arrow had pierced the muscle, and was lodged firmly in him. He broke off the head, and swiftly pulled the shaft out, screaming in pain. Sheik showed signs of sympathy, but Link yelled “DO NOT STOP!”
They dashed through the underbrush. Link ran backwards, his shield up, blocking the arrows.
Link suddenly crashed out into the Kokiri Clearing. He grinned, but it faltered as he saw it was filled with Knuckles, Dinolfos, Lizolfos, Stalfos, Keese, and Deku Baba’s that were springing up from the ground lethally.
Link froze for a second, then dove through them, dragging Sheik with him. The element of surprise was in, and they slammed through all of them, easily bursting out on the other side, a good 10 feet from the exit, which was all clear.
Suddenly, Ganon dropped down in front of them, blocking the exit.
Link roared, and swung the Master Sword at him. He blocked it with his sword, but Link did not choose to fight. He side kicked Ganon so hard that he sent him at least 10 feet into the air. He dashed with Sheik out of the forest, arrows once again raining. They dashed after the pair, but they had gotten too good of a head start. As they crossed the bridge, they heard Ganon’s scream of rage.
The monsters continued to follow them. They burst out into Hyrule Field, and as they ran from the advancing army, Link pulled out the Ocarina of Time and played Epona’s Song.
She came running immediately, not hesitating once when she saw the army. Link seized the saddle and swung on, and Sheik jumped on after him. She turned back into Zelda, and they rode away from the army, which quickly shrank into the distance.
“We made it,” Link said weakly, putting a hand over the bleeding hole where the arrow had impaled him.
“Are you okay?” Zelda asked sympathetically. “We have to get that treated when we get up to the castle. You are so tough, just pulling an arrow back out of you and still going. I’m proud of you.”
“Yes,” Link said with a small laugh, “I’m proud of me too. We can worry about the wound later. For now, let’s concentrate on getting back up to the castle.”

Chapter six: the Advancing Shadow


It was around midnight when they reached Hylia City, which opened the gates for them. They galloped up through the Marketplace and to the castle, eager to get back to warm lodgings, and Link was really starting to feel the pain where the arrow had hit him. He clutched it yet again, his teeth gritted against the pain that was now swelling within him.
They dismounted Epona at the moat, and she galloped into the meadow, eager to rest from all of the running she had done that day.
Zelda hurried inside, supporting Link. He was having trouble focusing on objects.
“We need healers here NOW!” yelled Zelda, and almost at once, five or six, (Link was not counting,) healers rushed over to Link, seeing his bloody wound that had soaked the surrounding cloth in hot blood. They helped him to the healing room, and laid him down gently, Zelda watching him apprehensively.
“He will be okay,” said one of the healers, “we just need to patch it up a bit.”
Zelda sighed with relief, and laid a hand on Link’s forehead. It was hot and sweaty. But he was okay. He looked up at her, and smiled.
She smiled back, relieved that they had made it.

* * *

A few hours later, Link was walking around the castle, with a bandage on his shoulder. It still stung, but the healers had magic, and they had mostly healed it. He could still fight if he needed to.
Zelda was asleep in her quarters. She had fallen asleep rather quickly. Link was not surprised. The days events had left him exhausted too. Yet he was not going to sleep. He could not sleep.
He moved to the top tower of the castle, and onto the lookout. The cool evening wind blew across his face. It felt nice. From this point, he could see all of Hyrule Field.
It was very peaceful up on the tower. Link rested his head on the side, exhausted from the entire day. It was hard to believe they had left the castle that morning. It seemed like that day had been an eternity.
He stood up quickly, going rigid, fear firing through him like lightning bolts flashing angrily in a dark sky.
An army of Ganon’s minions was marching out of the forest, undoubtably bound for Hylia City. He ground his teeth together apprehensively. He stared at the army for a second, then bolted from the tower, down the steep spiraling staircase. He actually jumped onto the rail and slid down most of the way. He dashed through the castle, knocking on the doors of the soldiers and telling them to assemble outside of Hylia City. They immediately did as he said. He was as high ranking as Zelda or the King in the Hyrule political system.
He reached the King’s quarters and burst in. The king, laying on a couch reading a book with glasses on, jumped up from the couch, staring at Link, wide eyed.
“What is it, Link?”
“Ganon’s army is marching toward Hylia City as we speak. We must hurry and assemble! I gathered the soldiers down this hall, but you must gather the remaining ones while I rouse Zelda and go wake the Goron’s and Zora’s. And we’ll have to go get Malon,” Link added.
“Right,” the King said, throwing off his glasses and tossing the book aside. He rushed out into the hall, and went to get the remaining soldiers.
Within 10 minutes, the castle was alive, and people were rushing everywhere, getting ready for the battle. Link rushed to Zelda’s Quarters, and banged the door open. He rushed into her room, and she woke up with a start.
“Link!” she said, “what is it?”
Link quickly explained the situation. Zelda’s face hardened, and she got out of bed quickly. She had slept in her dress. She seized the dagger from her bedside table, and said “let’s go.”
They rushed from the castle, to Epona, who was roused like all the other’s from sleep, and they rode with her into Hylia City, where they woke the Zora’s and Goron’s. They assembled in front of the Hylia Gate. Link and Zelda rode out onto Hyrule Field, toward Lon Lon Ranch.
Though Link did not like the idea of Malon fighting in a war, she wanted to help, and now was her chance. Within 20 minutes, Malon was riding one of her horses out of the Ranch, beside Link and Zelda. They assembled with the army, just as they started seeing lights on the horizon, and glinting weapons from the slowly advancing army.
The sheer size of the army dismayed Link. The armies were almost as big as one another. Their force was slightly bigger. But Link was confident, with Zelda and Malon. They stood in front of their vast army, as they shifted restlessly. Link saw fear in their eyes. He turned around, his face turning stony.
“You are fighters of Hyrule! No matter what the force, you will stand your ground, and fight! No matter what the challenge, you shall face it without fear! Everything that you hold dear is at stake here, and if you do not fight, all of it will be destroyed. Every last one of you we need, and every last one of you will fight for your country. The battle of our time is upon us. Some of you have spent your entire lives preparing for this moment, and you will NOT back down! I bid you all, stand and fight, for your country! For your King! For your families! And for yourselves!”
The men were heartened now, and stood firm, all fear gone. Pleased, but not smiling, Link turned back toward the approaching army.
“It is a good idea to draw them away from the City,” Malon said, “just in case they break through our defenses.”
“That’s a good idea,” Link said, “I thank you. DRAW SWORDS!”
The men drew their weapons, weilding pikes, swords, maces, shields, rapiers, and other weapons. Link drew the Master Sword, Zelda her dagger, and Malon her sword. Link looked back at the firm army, then pointed his sword at the army, and yelled at the top of his voice “CHARGE!”
Epona leapt forth, Malon’s horse as well. The armies horses did as well, and they began begun to move toward the other army. Link saw the other army rushing as well.
Fear started within him as he saw the enormous force they were attempting to take out. It was true, Zelda had been right. The War of Time was upon them, and the battle was about to begin.
It only took about a minute for the forces to reach each other, and when they collided, it got so loud that Link was almost knocked backward. The monsters thrashed about, slashing viciously, snarling and stabbing out. Link’s army fought just as viciously. Link swung his sparkling blade above his head with unnatural precision, and began the most complex array of attacks he had ever done. He felt speedier than ever. Once he slashed a minion through the head, blood mist burst from the body, and the hot sticky liquid blinded the next monster, which Link fought with too. He moved in and out, dodging, stabbing, slashing, each time killing the next enemy and moving on to the next one, always upon Epona’s back. He was now, like the battle at Zora’s Domain, soaked in blood. But he did not stop his relentless attack. He slashed one enemy deeply through the stomach, and to his disgust, all his insides poured out onto the ground, staining it red. Link shoved the enemy away and was about to cleave a Dinalfos skull into two pieces, when he heard a roar. A very loud roar.
Link turned around slowly, and saw a humongous 20 foot tall ogre with heavy plate armor smash through several hylian warriors at once, holding its oversized sword. Link jumped off of Epona, mentally told her to run to Zora River and wait for him to call her back, then ran to meet the oversized monster head on. Sheik saw Link run toward it. She screamed “NO!” and ran after him.
Link swung the Master Sword as hard as he could, and the ogre caught it on it’s blade. They began to fight, weaving in and out of the tangled bodies around them. Sheik was trying as hard as she could to fight her way over to Link.
Link pushed the ogre’s blade aside with his own, then jumped up onto it’s chest. He quickly climbed onto it’s head, where it started slapping at him to get him off. Link jumped, avoiding the hand, and, without a moment to lose, drove his scarlet blade into the monster’s skull, impaling it’s brain. The monster howled, blood splashing from the wound, running down it’s face and into it’s eyes. It screamed so loudly that Link yelled too, covering his ears. It fell to the ground, and lay there, dead as can be. Link jumped off of the ogre, and saw Sheik dashing toward him. She cut a Moblin in two pieces and reached him.
“Oh–my–god!” she said, seeing the slain ogre laying behind Link. “You killed it?!”
“Yes,” Link said quickly, “but there’s no time! Hurry, back into battle!”
He called Epona back to him, and soon saw her smash her way through a stalfos, turning it to bone. He jumped back onto her, hugged her, then galloped off to fight again.
After a long time, Link started noticing that their force was winning the battle. He fought harder and harder, blood spurting along the Master Sword’s length as he did, a pile of dead bodies from his work beginning to rise. After nearly 2 hours of fighting, it was over. Link stabbed the last one through the neck, and watched it fall to the ground, gasping, then die.
Their army was still considerably big. He turned to the east forest, then, raising his sword, every eye on him, he pointed to the forest, and shouted “NOW WE TAKE BACK WHAT IS RIGHTFULLY OURS! FORTH!”
They galloped toward the woods. Savage pride and anger flowed through Link at the aftermath of the battle. The slaughter had not ended. Now, to complete the war, they were going to take back the forest, and Link was once again going to slay Ganon with a bloody sword.
The final battle for Hyrule had begun.

Chapter seven: The Final Battle


Link held his sword up high, as though it were a signal. He stared straight ahead, galloping. Sheik had once again gotten onto Epona behind Link, and was holding her dagger ready. She didn’t even try to talk to Link. The elf was staring at the woods that were drawing closer, his mind was set on one thing: Kill Ganon.
Malon rode beside them, her bloody sword held high, like Link’s. She looked at him, proud that she knew somebody so honorable.
They reached the forest, and went in, yet they were forced to get into a big line because the entrance was so narrow. They crossed the bridge, and burst into the Kokiri Clearing, where Link and Zelda had just been a couple hours before. The monsters howled in fear as the army charged inside and began chopping. Link swung his blade down and cut off a Lizalos head. They stabbed and sliced, and bashed and lunged, the monster force in the Kokiri Clearing vanishing rapidly.
Once all the monsters were gone, Link pointed to the surrounding forest and shouted “FORTH! FORTH AND TAKE BACK THE REST! FREE THE PRISONERS! FREE THE KOKIRI! FREE THE GERUDOS! FREE THEM ALL!”
The army galloped into the forest. Malon followed, but as she did, she looked back at Link and Sheik, who had remained behind. Malon’s eyes shone with sympathy, before she rode into the forest, disappearing from sight.
Link worried for her, hoping he would see her again.
Then he turned back.
“He is here,” Link said quietly, “I sense him. He is nearby.”
He jumped off of Epona, and she galloped over to the fenced area where Link used to practice with his little wooden sword.
Link’s grip on the Master Sword tightened. He held his shield up high, and looked around.
Suddenly, with a shattering BOOM! That made Zelda and Link jump, the Know-it-all brother’s house blew sky high, and a terrible blood curdling bellow followed.
Ganon, his face twisted in rage and fury, rose from the smoking wreckage. Terrible hatred flowed from his firey red eyes. His teeth were gritted in a snarl, and he had his sword out and ready.
Link looked at him, ready for anything.
Ganon flew at Link so fast, that he didn’t have time to get his shield up. Ganon slammed him into the side of Saria’s house, which shattered, and sent the two sprawling onto the floor. Link swung the Master Sword, and it cut Ganon’s hand so deep, it nearly cut it in half. He bellowed angrily, and seized Link, then threw him back out of the hole he had just made. He landed by Sheik, who dashed to him, and put her hand under him.
“Are you okay?!” she said worriedly.
“Fine,” Link lied, getting up. “He is so dead.”
Ganon flew out of the hole, and flew once again at Link. This time, he was ready. He rolled to the side, and Ganon slammed into the ground, sending dirt up everywhere.
“SHEIK! FIND COVER!”
Sheik dashed away. Ganon started after her, but Link dove in front of him, and swung the Master Sword at him. Ganon blocked it, and once again, they began the fiercest sword duel that Link had ever expirienced. He slashed out viciously at Ganon’s head. He blocked it, and stabbed lethally at Link’s heart. Link dodged it, then swung at Ganon’s side. Ganon blocked easily, then swung his blade so hard vertically at Link’s head, that when Link blocked it, his sword flew from his hands. Ganon swung again, and Link dove away just in time. He dashed for his blade, and Ganon flew after him, seething with evil rage. Link seized his blade, and flung himself face down. Ganon flew over him, and once again hit the ground very hard indeed. Link jumped for him, and stabbed out. Ganon rolled to the side, and took advantage of Link’s temporary open defenses. He drew upon his black magic and threw a purple ball of energy into Link’s stomach, which knocked Link into the air, and winded him. He landed heavily on the ground, gasping in pain. He spat blood from his mouth.
Ganon was on his feet, and charged. Link got up, blood dripping from his lips, and dashed too.
The two archenemies collided, and engaged in a firey dance, their sword fight now reaching such a high level of ferocity, that the air around them turned hot when they passed. They fought from one end of the Clearing to the other, until finally, Ganon slammed a hand into Link’s stomach, which sent the elf sprawling to the ground 20 feet away. Ganon sheathed his sword, and flew out of the Kokiri Clearing.
Link got slowly to his feet, hocking up blood all the while. Sheik ran from behind Link’s house, turning into Zelda. She dashed to him, and hugged him tightly. He wiped his mouth clean, and they kissed.
“We need to return to the present,” Link said, “he has been defeated in this time, and now we must finish it.”
“We have to make sure that everybody is freed,” Zelda said.
At that moment, a crowd of kids garbed in green dashed from the surroundings. The Kokiri. They had been freed. They were closely followed by Link’s army, and they were bloody, their armor was scratched, and they were dirtier than belief, but they were all alive and well, including, to Link’s delight, and Zelda’s, Malon. Link dashed to her and hugged her tightly.
“Where are the Gerudo’s?” he asked her once they were done.
“They took their own way back to the Gerudo Fortress,” Malon said, “apparently they know an alternate route from the woods.”
Saria ran to Link, and Link got to his knees. They hugged each other.
“It is good to see you well,” Link said with a smile.
She saw the hole in her house after this, and yelled in protest, then mumbled something about going to get wood to fix it, and walked off.
“We did it, Link,” Zelda said, “we freed them. We beat him.”
“Not yet,” Link said, “we need to defeat him in the present. He now has no army in the present. We must return to the present and kill him there.”
Link bid Malon farewell. The two hugged yet again. When they broke, Link stepped back, and all the Kokiri fell silent. Link hummed an ancient tune quietly, then took out the Ocarina. He played the Perlude of Light, and they warped away, to the Temple of Time.
When they arrived, Zelda took the Ocarina from Link, and played the tune that would take them back to the future.
When she was done, she handed it to Link, who pocketed it, and they wrapped their arms against each other again.
The wind howled around them again, and after about a minute, they found themselves back in the Temple of Time, but this time, it was not broken. It was fully made.
But after Link and Zelda noticed this, Link looked down, past the altar, and his blood froze.
Ganon stood there, but he was different. His blood red hair reached down to his waist now, his eyes were so red that they flashed in the light. He was broader and stronger and bigger, and had two swords now.
“Stay here,” Link said to Zelda, and walked from the Altar. She anxiously watched as Link drew the Master Sword, and walked into the middle of the Temple.
A deadly silence fell between the two.
“I have become more powerful than any living human,” Ganon said slowly, his voice deeper than usual, “even you.”
“Is that so?” Link said, “yet you do not deny that it is still possible for this blade to go through your eyes again.”
Ganon’s eyes flashed angrily. He growled, then roared, very loudly. Link did not move. He was not daunted.
“Fight me,” Link said quietly.
Ganon stared at him for a second.
“Come on.”
Ganon lunged, swinging his two swords extremely fast. Link was only just managing to block them. He caught many blows on his shield, but then fought back. They fought so hard, that the ground beneath them began to crack. This was the ultimate battle, and it was going to end the war that had started. Link battled hard, sweat running down his face, his grip on his sword tightening. They seemed to fight for hours, or maybe it was just minutes. Link did not know. He just kept at it, wanting to kill Ganon. Ganon smashed Link hard in the stomach, and he went flying back to the Altar. He got back up, breathing hard. He ran back at Ganon, trying to get the upper hand, but it did not work.
Ganon suddenly seized Link’s wrist in mid-swing, and threw him into the wall, smashing it. He seized Link’s throat, and began to squeeze. Link saw stars, and felt his air leave him.
This was it, he thought dully, as everything went fuzzy, and he dropped his sword, I lost.
Ganon’s face twisted with triumph, and he was about to chop Link’s skull in two, when suddenly, a soft whoooosh! And a thud echoed throughout the temple. Ganon screamed in pain, and released Link. Link gasped, and fell to the floor of the temple, catching his breath.
Ganon was doubled over, Zelda’s dagger sticking out of his back. He snatched at it, but could not reach it. He howled angrily.
Link stood, holding the Master Sword once more. The Temple of Time radiated with power, and then, all seemed to go silent, Link said, “for Hyrule,” and drove the Master Sword through Ganon’s head.
Silence.
Blood spurted from the wound. Ganon yelled, bellowed, screamed, writhed and twisted, slammed against the walls, and his eyes turned black with fear and anger.
Wind howled, suddenly, and Ganon opened his mouth in a soundless yell, then, finally, he was rent into pieces, blood splattering the floor. His insides hit the floor, and disintegrated. The black blood however, did not.
Link, breathing heavily, dropped the Master Sword, and fell to the floor, gasping.
Zelda ran to him, and helped him to his feet.
“It’s over, Link,” she said, half crying and half laughing with happiness, “you did it! It is over.”
Link, though winded, dirty, and aching all over, dully smiled. He stood with Zelda, his torn tunic from the battle now so dirty it no longer looked green, it looked black.
“Come, you must get rest,” Zelda said, and they slowly walked out of the Temple of Time, into the glorious sunrise.
* * *

Link lay in a soft bed, voices echoing in his ears, like annoying flies.
“Is he gonna be okay?”
“What in Nayru’s Love happened?”
“Zelda, is it all over?”
“Ganon has been defeated! Rejoice!”
Link’s eyes snapped open.
He was laying in the Healing room, surrounded by many people. Malon, Zelda, the King, Nabooru, Darunia, Impa, and, to his slight surprise, Princess Ruto.
Zelda bent down, and hugged Link.
“Good morning,” she said, “you slept through the day, and the night.”
Link sat up.
“Yes,” he said, “well, I was tired, you know...”
The King grinned happily, seeing he was okay. So did the others.
“Everything has returned to normal,” Malon said, “I am happy to say.”
“That’s good,” Link said, “what about the Kokiri?”
“They’re fine,” Zelda said, “Saria wanted to see you, but, she can’t leave the forest...”
Link lay back, smiling.
Things were back to normal, and his adventures were over for a time. He had once again saved Hyrule.
Zelda bent down again, and kissed him. He kissed her right back, until they broke apart.
“So it is done, then,” Darunia said, smiling, “our hero may finally rest!”
“For a time,” Link said, “but I know I will be called back to duty eventually. It may never end for me.”
Zelda smiled, as did the others.
“But for now, you will stay?” asked Ruto.
“Yes,” Link said, “I will stay with my friends. I love all of you.”
They all smiled, content, that finally, their hero could finally rest.