Bring me to Light

Moved by Light

Black clouds knotted and tightened above Hyrule, roiling in a haze that resembled smoke.

In Kakariko village, a cry of alarm from a watchman sounded and people ran towards him, listening to his panicked words and heading out onto the plains to stare at the former capital of the land.

Red lined clouds stretched over the fortress of the Dark Lord, fire seething within them as a former soldier of the realm turned, barking orders to the villagers.

Whether the Hero of Time was around or not, the people of Hyrule were about engage in their own battle for survival.

Link tore up the steep slope to Ganondorf’s castle, stumbling over churned, rocky ground, noting with anxiety the skeletons of creatures lining the ‘pathway’.

Some were animals; others were Hylian…even a crumbled Zora skeleton lay among mass piles of rubble, chunks of white marble from the former castle surrounding the slender white bones.

Blue eyes flicked up to a sky of armageddon hue, squinting through dim light to make out the shape of the imposing black fortress, its walls constructed of twisted black metal and thick chunks of black stone. Sulphuric yellow flames flickered in arrow slit windows, forming the image of a face that could be seen from miles away.

Link continued stumbling up the torn path towards the castle, eyes caching briefly on the crest of the Royal Family, the only reminder of what had stood here before the monstrosity of a building that towered above him now.

The Hylian slowed as he neared the castle, eyes scanning for danger as a sudden gust of wind slammed into him, flinging hot ash into his face from the blistering pit below the castle.

It was just typical of an evil over-powered sorcerer to place his head quarters in thin air above a pool of lava, wasn’t it?

Although admittedly, having an overly large water feature wouldn’t have created quite the same effect but still…it was just so…pretentious.

Pretentious nature of evil sorcerers and their obsession with aesthetics however, the rather large gap between the ground he was standing on and the ground that the fortress was set upon did pose a rather large problem. Especially since Link wasn’t considering dying young.

“Link.”

The hero started at the abrupt calling of his name, looking up at the sky as white light flashed.

“Can you hear me? It’s Rauru the sage.”

“Loud and clear.”

“Good. We six sages shall will gather our power to create a bridge to the castle where Ganondorf dwells…”

The Hylian nodded.

“The castle’s keep, known as Ganon’s Tower is protected by six evil barriers. You will have to bring down the barriers in order to save princess Zelda.”

“What about Sheik? Is he with her?...”

There was a pause.

“..I don’t know. But Link, Zelda is you priority and do not let anything cloud your judgement.”

“But…”

Light fell from the sky like snow, imbued with the six colours of the Sages, growing to an intensity which blinded him. Once again.

Link was starting to wonder why the sages, whom were presumably on the same side as him, insisted on damaging his eyesight.

When he finally managed to crack an eye open, he found himself standing at the foot of a long bridge composed of light, a rainbow of colours shimmering along its translucent, pearlescent surface.

Cautiously, he lifted a foot onto it, testing its strength by gradually pushing his weight down upon it. When he found it to be sturdy enough to bear him he stepped onto it fully, staring through the mists of colour before kneeling down half-way across to run his fingers across the surface, wondering it light had a texture.

It was warm as his fingers pressed against it, but trying to describe the exact feeling was somewhat like trying to hold water in your bare hands.

Rising slowly he looked up at the castle again and over to the gaping black doorway.

Link gulped, trepidation flooding through him. For all his bravery and courage, he was still frightened at the thought of what was to come.

Though whether it was the thought of fighting Ganondorf, or finding Sheik dead, he didn’t know. What he did know was which he would choose out of those two options.

Taking a steadying breath, he stepped forwards again, heading for the castle and trying to steady his pounding heart as the darkness of its halls engulfed him.

Sheik lifted his head groggily, blinking slowly as he tried to see through heavy lidded eyes, red gaze rolling upwards to take in his surroundings.

Through thick iron bars he could see a circular room was laid out before him, its dull floors and walls coloured with yellow light from nearby flickering torches, a red carpet set in the middle of the floor as it to offer comfort to whatever visitors the room would receive.

What a sick joke.

Grunting, the Sheikah shifted, realising at a sudden sharp tug that his arms were locked into shackles. A nearby white knuckle started to attention at its prisoner’s movement, thudding across to bang on the bars as if it were guarding him.

Sheik grunted at the loud, sharp noises in pain as they sliced through his fogged mind, hoping that Link would manage to make his way up to him soon and release him.

Metal shackles sliced into Sheik’s arms as he shifted.

If the Hylian didn’t arrive soon…well, there might not be much of him left to rescue

Link released the arrow, watching as it penetrated the pulsating bronze ball, shearing through slender webs of orange light to shatter the orb in a shower of sparks.

He shielded his eyes for what had to be the hundredth time that night, learning it as a reflex after being temporarily blinded when he had broken the forest barrier.

A shadowy figure appeared in the air above him, looking down at him and he tilted his head upwards to meet the yellow eyes of Nabooru as she contacted him from the Chamber of the Sages.

“The Spirit barrier is dispelled. Hurry, kid.”

He gave her a sarcastic salute as the sage faded out of sight once again before bracing himself to the trip back to the main room of the keep.

It seemed darker now that all the barriers were gone, the orange light of the spirit barrier thinning and disappearing as he landed back in the room.

Torches flickered on the level below, flanking the entrance to the dungeons. Link had already given them a through search in an attempt to find Sheik, almost throwing up at the sites of mangled corpses piled up in one of the cells.

They had clearly been tortured before they had passed away, but aside from them, the dungeon was completely empty.

Link had spared them a moment of thought before moving on, wanting to do more for them but knowing that he was running out of time.

Time was for the living.

The odd, black light that wormed itself around the central tower that lead up to Ganon seemed to solidify and shatter as Link approached it, with no barriers left to power it and the Hylian stared up at the yawning doorway.

He was tempted to roll his eyes at Ganondorf’s attempt to creep him out with the clichéd idea of a fanged mouth as a doorway, and he would have…were he not actually mildly intimidated by the architecture.

Much to his chagrin.

Taking a steadying breath, he stepped through the archway, instantly being enveloped by darkness.

In the pitch black, he could hear the faint fluttering and squeaks of keese in the rafters and he felt one swoop past his ear, membraned wing brushing the tip.

He drew the Master Sword, taking comfort in its solid weight and the soft blue glow the blade cast about the chamber he had stepped into.

It was small and circular, barely bigger in diameter than his house in the Kokiri forest had been, but composed entirely of black stone, red orbs set into it at specific intervals.

Fumbling along the wall with his right hand and squinting in the dim light, he found a torch in its bracket on the wall.

He cast Din’s fire, lighting it and killing the keese in the rafters, watching the dark wood sizzle and scorch as flames licked along them.

Grabbing the torch without looking at it he dashed up the curved, shallow stairs, following the path around, frowning at the feeling of the torch in his hand.

The handle seemed to be composed of two bowed lengths of slender wood, a gap in the middle. The end, as Link ran his hand down to the base, was rounded off and slightly softer than the rest of the wood, a dip in it as if something was supposed to slot onto it.

He ran his hand back up to the top, realisation growing on him in the form of a tightening throat as fingers touched a mass of thick bumpy ‘wood’ that separated into five slender slivers, joined by smaller knots of ‘wood’ at regular intervals.

It felt slightly slimy…it felt wrong.

Blue eyes slowly slid down to his right hand, noting with a sick sense of realisation that his suspicions were confirmed.

He was holding the arm of a skeleton.

He dropped it instantly, choosing to dash up the stairs blindly with only the light from the Master Sword to guide him, preferring potential danger to holding that thing one second longer.

In the dim blue light emanating from his blade, Link could just about make out the floor above as he dashed up the stairs, turning ninety degrees to face an ornately decorated door.

Wondering why one would need such a fancy design in what was essentially the bowels of hell, Link slid the door open, stepping into the new room.

It was lit by warm, yellow light, a blatant contrast to the dark grey blocks of the walls and floors, the iron bars blocking access to some other room that Link hoped he didn’t need to get into.

Two green creatures sat on steps opposite the door that the Hylian had just entered through, and as he stepped towards them, they jerked to attention, hissing and flicking tongues. A collar of skin rose on one of the dinosaur like creatures and it rasped at him, raising a long sword in a clawed hand as it ran for him, its partner in tow.

Sheik rolled his eyes and shook his head, trying to rid his mind of the faint monotonous organ music that was filtering in from upstairs.

If Ganon wanted to torture him without causing any physical harm, he was succeeding.

The song was dreary at best, an undercurrent of danger running under skilfully played notes and the term ‘funereal dirge’ didn’t even begin to describe it.

Right now, Sheik would’ve given anything to listen to the song of storms in the damn windmill in Kakariko. At least that was mildly cheerful at times.

The sound of footsteps approaching, light and hurried, made his head snap to the left and he stared at the door hopefully, wondering if it was…

“Link!”

The shout escaped him before he had time to hold it in.

His partner looked at him, relief writing itself over his face before his eyes flicked back to the Iron knuckles standing near the door to the next level of the tower.

They didn’t seem to have noticed his presence and Link crept over to the bars Sheik was trapped behind.

“So…you come here often?” he grinned.

“Only when being kidnapped by madmen.”

“No kidding…seems we have an affinity for being separated by higher forces.”

“It does…perhaps that’s a reflection on what people think about our relationship.”

Link snorted.

“Screw them. Even the Goddesses won’t separate us if I can help it.”

Sheik smiled beneath the mask.

“I’m sure they’re quaking at the idea already.”

“Heh.”

“But..”

“Yeah, yeah. Now’s not the time, I know…So…any idea how I’m gonna get you out?”

“I believe that behind the black Knight there’s a lever that will free me…but I’m not sure you’ll be able to operate it.”

“Why not?”

“Even their strength is barely enough to lift the gates.”

“Yeah, but they don’t have these.”

Link held up his arms, displaying the golden gauntlets he had found in the dungeon.

“…Wh…”

“No time…I guess I have to beat them both?”

“In order to get to the next flight of steps, yes. They’ll only awaken if you strike them, so you can at the very least take them down one at a time.”

“Well there’s a relief.” Link muttered, and Sheik wasn’t sure whether the hero was being sarcastic or not.

Deciding that it didn’t matter, he watched as Link drew the Master Sword, taking a hard swipe at the white knight.

Dread filled him as he watched the Hylian fight a creature more than twice his size, the axe itself almost as big as Link and he winced as he slammed into the floor having taken a hard dive to avoid the swing of the axe.

Despite Sheik’s initial concern though, it seemed that Link had become rather adept at fighting the enchanted suits of armour, for he made short work of the creature and moved onto the black knight immediately, barely pausing for breath between fights.

Red eyes roamed Link’s form as he thrust his sword at the creature, the blade lodging under its breast plate and Link wrenched the sword upwards, neatly removing the plate.

The form underneath…if indeed there even was one, was withered, clad now in only a thin shirt of chain mail that sagged over an emaciated waist.

It went down quickly without its armour and Link sprinted over to the lever, wrenching it upwards, lifting the iron gates of the alcove.

He dashed back across to Sheik, unscrewing the outer side of the shackles to free his arms.

The younger blonde sagged forwards, losing his balance and falling against his partner, who caught him, gently, holding him against him.

Sheik’s arms slid around Link’s back as he regained his balance and Link placed a kiss at his forehead.

“You ok?”

Sheik straightened and looked at his bleeding wrists as he withdrew his arms from around Link.

He rearranged and tightened the bandages quickly.

“I am now… but you…”

He gestured to a wound across Link’s abdomen that he hadn’t noticed before.

“A scratch from a stalfos, and I know you won’t believe me so here,” he parted the slit in the tunic and undershirt, allowing Sheik to study it.

“You’re right but…you look…”

“Tired? I am, but there’s no time for me to rest.”

“That’s true…Zelda is in danger.”

“Hyrule is in danger.” Sheik nodded as Link grabbed his hand.

“Let’s go save the damsel, huh?”

“And the world.”

They ran faster than either of them knew they could, the weight of the situation crashing down on them in a titanic wave.

Booted feet pounded on plush red carpet as the couple dashed up a warmly lit corridor, eyes scanning briefly over stained-glass windows.

They would have been beautiful pieces of art had they not portrayed scenes of death, pain and horror.

Link’s eyes scanned the world outside, seeing fires lit in the village of Kakariko, spilling out onto Hyrule field. The villagers were engaged in their own war.

He suddenly felt a million miles away, the situation so surreal that Link could not make sense of it as he continued running up an endless flight of stairs.

Here he was, his male lover of the rarest, most endangered race on the face of the earth, running beside him as they dashed up an extravagantly decorated corridor hundreds of feet in the air. Two boys from obscure backgrounds about to take on the greatest King of Evil the world had ever seen to save a world that would ultimately reject them because of their love.

Being a hero wouldn’t save you from that.

Saving the world wouldn’t save you from that fate.

The elder blonde panted, blurring past an especially horrific scene.

“Ganondorf…needs…new decorators.” he gasped jokingly at Sheik, struggling up the stairs now as they completed another circle of the tower.

“You really…want to discuss that…at this crucial time?”

“…Not really.” He stumbled suddenly, foot slipping from beneath him and he hit the stairs hard.

Sheik stopped, in his tracks, returning to his partner’s side to help him to his feet, noting the skin on his fingers that had been scraped away by the fall.

“It’s… nothing.”

“I know.”

Link panted heavily, head falling momentarily, weariness catching up with him.

“You’re exhausted.”

“We…covered this…downstairs.”

“Yes but…”

“There’s...nothing I can do about it now. We…have to get…to Zelda.” Wrapping an arm firmly about Link’s waist, Sheik pulled his lover closer to him, supporting him as they began to walk up the stairs again.

“..When this is…over,” the Hylian wheezed “You…better reward me…”

Sheik chuckled. “I will, I promise.”

“Good.”

“But I’m letting you sleep for three days first.”

“..Sounds almost as good…as the alternative reward.”

“I’d be offended by that if I was not aware of your condition.”

Link said nothing as Sheik continued half-supporting, half-dragging him up the stairs, groaning loudly when he noted a pair of large double doors.

“Not another fight…”

“Well it is but…I think it’s just one more.”

“Huh?”

“Listen.”

Organ music was pouring from the room behind the door, the notes loud and clear.

“This is…”

“Ganondorf’s chamber.” The Hylian straightened slowly, shrugging Sheik off him and standing in front of the door, drawing out the key that he had found, fitting it into the lock.

It released with a hollow click.

Link felt his throat tighten, his heart pounding almost frantically in his chest. But this wasn’t from physical exertion…it was anxiety.

Sheik’s hand dropped onto Link’s shoulder, the other holding out a bottle to him.

“Here.”

He took the glass bottle.

“A forest fairy?”

“Release it…it will prepare you for the fight ahead.”

Dubiously, Link pulled the cork from the bottle, watching the pink creature work its way loose from the bottle and fly over to him, circling him at dizzying speeds.

It healed all; wounds and weariness as warmth engulfed...everything save for the anxiety welling in his chest. There was only one being who could help with that.

“You can do this.” Sheik whispered, knowing instinctively what his partner needed, seeing uncertainty flutter across his face, teeth chewing at lower lip in worry.

Tanned lips skimmed across a long ear as bandaged fingers brushed tangled blonde locks back from a face that suddenly seemed incredibly young and innocent. Even more so than when Sheik had first met the damaged young man.

“I believe in you.”

Blue eyes strayed from the door to Sheik’s red gaze.

“I know…and I can…do this...”his hand clasped Sheik’s almost desperately.

The Sheikah nodded, forehead resting against Link’s, free hand pressing against a chest. Heart raced furiously beneath palm, slowing slightly at the comforting touch.

“Be my hero, Link.”
The white mask was tugged down a second later, lips crushed against lips as this were the last time they would be able to do this…such a worryingly familiar feeling as of late.

Link pulled away slowly, nodding once as Sheik pulled the mask back up.

He turned, taking a final steadying breath before pushing the double doors open, stepping forwards to stand between the gaping hole in the wall, staring at his enemy across the room.

Ganondorf heard the door swing open, felt the cool draught from the corridor outside whisk into the room.

Felt the Triforce resonate, wanting to join together again, as it was supposed to be.

And by the Gods, he was going to be the one those three pieces united within.

He kept playing, watching his own long fingers dance over the finely crafted ivory keys of the organ, yellow eyes straying to the back of his right hand.

Above him Zelda gasped, hands pressing against the crystal that encased her but … she’d never escape from that prison as long as he was alive.

Power rushed through him as he felt the Triforce of Power stir within him again, and he brought the song to a slow end.

“The Triforce parts are resonating. They are combining into one again..” he drawled, letting the strength of his voice carry across the room to the Hylian boy.

Link took a few steps towards him at the words. The other one, the Sheikah, remained near the door, considering methods of escape, no doubt.

“The two Triforce parts that I could not capture…I did not expect that they would be hidden by you two!” his voice grew into a snarl, fingers tensing against ivory keys, cracking them.

Gritting his teeth, he laughed in his familiar, self-assured manner, the noise that hid all other emotion that his pathetic excuse for a soul could manage and he stood slowly.

“And now finally, all the Triforce parts have gathered here…”

He smirked and turned, flinging his cape out behind him in emphasis of his size.

The boy was under average size for even a Hylian, and though he may not have been fully grown, he was unlikely to grow much further. He had best hope those toned little muscles of his were up to the challenge.

“These toys…” he glanced up at the Sheikah boyfriend standing stiffly at the back of the room before returning his gaze to the supposed hero “…are too much for you.”

Link snorted contemptuously.

“I command you to return them to me!”

How dare the boy that he had kidnapped just seven years ago challenge him!? He was barely a man, innocent of the world and its dangers.

And scared.

He didn’t show it but Ganon was sure that if he listened hard enough, he could hear the frantic beating of his tender heart.

His hand snapped up in anger, the Triforce of Power solidifying on the back of his hand, reclaiming its rightful place.

With a roar of anger he threw a wave of dark energy at the Hylian, watching with satisfaction as the boy struggled under its power.

The Sheikah seemed to collapse at the sudden rush of darkness, though his boyfriend didn’t notice.

He threw the waves aside, casting them into the air as he leapt, letting them reform and catch him, transporting him and the boy to the highest level of his tower.

Here, the real struggle for power would begin.

Link watched the room where Zelda and Sheik stood fade away, panic forming in his chest as he was wrenched from their presence.

Here, he was alone. With Ganondorf…

“So here is where the fate of the world shall be decided…” Ganondorf grinned, tilting his head up to stare down the length of his nose at Link.

“How odd that the Hylians put such faith in so small a person. Such a damaged person.”

Link snorted in response.

“You think something that’s broken can never be fixed?”

“Ah yes, but of course, you have your Sheikah…shadow has been moved by light it seems…”

The hero scowled.

“How amusing.”

“I’m not here to chit-chat about my personal life!”

“Of course not,” the king cooed “You’re here to beat the big, bad, evil bogey man…and then ran away to live happily ever after in a fairytale world…but tell me…Link”

He folded his arms across his chest.

“Is there any room for someone so wrong in a fairytale land?”

“There is as long as it’s my fairytale.”
“…So sweet,” the Gerudo laughed “So Link…in your heart of hearts…can you kill a man?”
The Hylian faltered.

“I am what you would deem evil, certainly,” he spread his arms “But I am still a man, still a life…not one of the soulless monsters you have fought in every battle of your life.”

“I can and will do what it takes to complete my goal.” Link growled, drawing the Master Sword and clutching it tightly.

He was itching for a fight, anger building and wiping out fear.

Ganondorf was a person? So what? He would kill him if he had to…for the greater good.

“So be it, boy.”

Link clutched the sword still tighter as Ganon floated higher into the air, invisible magic pulling him higher as he lifted a giant, tanned hand, a pinprick of light sparking into life at his palm, swelling, drawing light from the room.

He hurled it a moment later, and as the orb shot towards him, Link couldn’t understand the sheer stupidity of the move Ganondorf had just made.

Yellow light danced along the blue blade of the Master Sword as the orb approached and Link swiped the sword up in a wide arc, slicing at the light, sending it hurtling back towards Ganondorf.

The phantom in the forest temple had been practice.

Link couldn’t count the amount of times he struck at the light before it hit Ganon, paralysing him in mid-air as electricity coursed through his body.

The Light arrows and bow were in the Hylian’s hands without a second thought. He didn’t know if this was the way to beat the Gerudo…but he was willing to give anything a try so long as it resulted in his death.

The arrow struck, embedding itself in the thick flesh of the King’s arm, sending him crashing to the floor as more light crippled him.

Link dashed over unstable floor, the Master Sword in hand, swirling in a series of slashes that slid through Ganondorf’s flesh.

The red-head reared back, roaring as he pulled away from the bite of the Master Sword and Link leapt back, running to the sides of the room, distancing himself from the dark lord as he rose and soared into the air again.

Blood trickled down the blade of Link’s sword dripping to the floor to collect into a red pool and Ganondorf swept a hand over a wound experimentally, staring at his fingers as he brought his hand up to his face finding his fingers to be covered in his own blood.

Taking a chance, Link pulled out the bow and a light arrow again, firing at the hovering villain and replacing the bow on his back, grabbing the sword in readiness to run at the crippled form of Ganondorf….except that the Dark Lord was still hovering, smirking at Link and holding the arrow into the air. He snapped the shaft with a twitch of his fingers, a sickening reminder of what he had done to Navi…a promise of what would happen to Link himself, should he lose.

Dropping the broken arrow, he lifted his bloodied hand again, curiosity passing over harsh features and, making sure Link was watching him, placed one of the digits in his mouth, sucking his blood away slowly in a macabre parody of fellatio.

The Hylian grimaced, knowing exactly what the Gerudo was referring to. Though, how Ganondorf knew about his and Sheik’s relationship, he wasn’t sure.

Pulling back, he readied the Master Sword in his hand, holding it in a manner that he hoped would provoke an attack from Ganondorf.

It did.

A shimmering sphere of energy was thrown at him a second later, and once again, he countered the attack, reflecting the ball back to Ganon, shooting him, dashing in to attack with the sword before turning and heading for the side of the room.

Link stood on the unsteady tiles, watching as Ganondorf shook off the electricity coursing through him, leaping back into the air and he grinned.

This was too easy.

The thought struck him a second later. If it was too easy…then the Gerudo King probably had a few tricks up his sleeve…and from the way he was lifting his arm into the air, purple clouds gathering around his clenched fist, he was guessing the larger man was about to employ one of them.

Not knowing what the attack was going to do, Link sank to the floor, yanking the shield onto his arm and crouching behind it. Surely it would protect him from the attack?

He heard Ganondorf’s laugh, felt the ground tremble as what sounded like an explosion echoed around the room, felt shockwaves loosen the tiles he was crouched on…realised too late what was going to happen.

He fell, hard and fast and heavy, slamming into a cold metal floor that he had run across earlier, feeling its ridged surface cutting into his cheek. Blood welled at the back of his throat and the Hylian curled his arms around his head protectively as stone pounded into the floor around him, coming dangerously close to crushing him as he tasted the blood pouring into his mouth.

The world shook around him as he remained on the floor, until the barrage suddenly ceased. Cautiously, Link unfurled, blue eyes scanning the fragmented floor above for any signs of falling.

With none apparent, he picked the mirror shield up from the floor, frowning at the scuffed surface before flinging it onto his back, taking hold a conveniently placed grip in the wall of the pillar Ganondorf stood on. Screw going all the way around.

Checking for any signs of danger he spat out the blood collected in his mouth and took a steadying breath against the aching pains emanating from his ribs before climbing, eyes fixed on the gaps in the floor above that he hoped to climb through.

As his eyes fixed on the gap he noticed the shadow of Ganondorf playing over the walls and ceiling, black on patterned crimson and sulphur glass. That all-too-familiar laugh echoed around the room again as Link heaved himself onto the top of the pillar.

Ganondorf was already ready, tossing a yellow orb of light up and down playfully, eyes fixed onto Link’s small frame, waiting until he had just pulled himself over the threshold to cast the orb at him.

The sphere hit the Hylian in the small of the back, wrenching a strangled scream out of him as searing heat and crackling electricity shot through his body.

He gasped, body twitching and eyes widening at the shock, leaving him panting when the initial attack had passed.

Ganondorf swept in low, intending to grab the boy and finish the battle…except he was met instead by a sword blade slicing upwards, slashing deep into his palm, sliding easily through the joint of his wrist to lodge between the bones of his forearm, scorching as holy metal met sinful flesh.

Link twisted the Master Sword as Ganondorf bellowed, wisps of smoke streaming from the flesh that the silver blade was in contact with, wrenching the blade loose and leaping away as the Dark Lord clutched his wounded arm.

He could’ve sworn he heard a crack when he twisted the sword and as he looked over his shoulder at Ganon, he could see a glimpse of white, blood slicked bone poking out between the lips of the deep wound.

“You…”

It was a growl that resembled thunder that Ganondorf gave, an anger so black that the goddesses themselves would be wary to approach the enraged sorcerer and Link took a step back as he spun to face him.

It wouldn’t do a thing to help him though.

The Dark lord was charging another of those balls of energy but…this was bigger…much bigger and as he widened the space between his hands, it grew, light gathering in visible streams to add to it.

The room was suddenly pitch black, and Link could only hear the sounds of his and Ganon’s laboured breathing, the faint smell of blood and male sweat hanging in stale air.

The light of the ball appeared again, huge, golden and shimmering between the illuminated bloody hands, as intense as the sun as it was hurled towards him.

It fractured, splitting into five streams of light that buried into Link, burning him from the inside as he let out an agonised scream, sure that Ganon was about to take the opportunity to kill him.

Except…he was on his knees on the pillar, panting with exertion, eyes widening as he looked up to meet Link’s blue gaze.

The bow and arrow were already in his hands, a light arrow nocked to it and the Hylian released it without further thought, leaping the gap in the floor the second he has loosed the arrow, dropping the bow as he hurried to yank the sword free of its scabbard.

He thrust it forwards the instant it was free, feeling it plunge through the thick leather of Ganondorf’s armour, penetrating into the shuddering body beneath.

Another one of those roars, but this…this was pain as well as anger and Ganondorf grabbed the hilt of the Master Sword wrenching it loose from his stomach and throwing it, the back of his hand slamming into Link, sending him flying into the window.

It cracked beneath the blow.

Link’s eyes widened. That kind of wound and the King was still able to fight? He would never win.

But as he crawled to his feet, he felt the room go cold as it darkened.

The dark lord was clutching at his throat, panting heavily as he rose into a crouch, a thick thigh supporting his wavering body.

“The Great…Evil King Ganondorf…beaten by this kid?!”

With a sudden jerk he retched, blood splattering the floor as Link slowly rose to his feet, Master Sword in hand as a precaution.

“Link!...”

His breaths were ragged, his entire massive frame shuddering with the effort of drawing breath…but he was drawing strength from anger as he staggered to his feet, electricity crackling over his body.

The room rumbled violently, glass panes vibrating to such a degree that they shattered.

Link fell to his knees, folding his arms around himself protectively as the panes disintegrated and fell over him in a hail of sharp fire, something slicing along his ear even as he did so.

And suddenly the air was frigid, wind buffeted him from every side, howling past his ears as he looked around at what remained of the room he and Ganon had just fought in…three or four iron pillars…the rest of it lay in ruins at his feet.

Ganondorf, arms raised to the sky still, fell from his position, slumping to the floor lifelessly, a pool of blood forming beneath his abdomen, bloodied saliva soaking into long red hair as it fell about his face, obscuring it.

The deep red cape he wore snapped in the sharp wind, but there was no other movement about the form.

Ganondorf, King of Evil, had fallen.

Sighing deeply, Link craned his head back to look at the black sky, hoping to see it lighten…and his eyes locked onto a speck of deep pink that grew steadily, its shape becoming clearer.

“Princess!”

But…if Zelda was there…and Sheik had been in the room with her…where was he now?
A hand fell on Link’s shoulder suddenly and he cried out in alarm, drawing the Master Sword and turning to see…

“I appreciate you’re on edge given the fight you’ve just participated in but….” Sheik raised an eyebrow “The high, girly scream? Really?”

Link breathed out slowly, sheathing the Master Sword, dusting his tunic off, choosing to ignore the comment. He pointed up at Zelda a moment later.

“How long is she going to take?”
“I don’t think she’s controlling it.” Sheik replied, glancing at the prone form of Ganondorf.

As the crystal settled onto the ground however, Zelda banished it, leaving herself free once more…and Link glanced at Sheik, subtly raising an eyebrow.

The Sheikah stepped towards his partner, flicking shards of glass from his dishevelled hair, running a finger along the wound across Link’s ear and temple where the falling glass had cut him.

“You’ve done well. I’m…” he stepped closer, red eyes raking over Link, taking in his injuries before meeting his eyes again as he reached for his hand. “...proud of you.” He finished.

Link gave him a satisfied grin. “I know.”

Zelda didn’t seem to notice the two men as she turned to look at Ganon.

“Ganondorf…pitiful man,” she breathed “Without a strong, righteous mind he could not control the power of the gods…and…”

There was a sudden groan, a squeal of metal ripping and the tower the three were standing on lurched.

“He’s bringing down the tower!” Sheik exclaimed.

“We’ll be crushed!”

“No offence, princess,” Link started, looking for an escape “but, well…you think?!”

She gave a nod of agreement as if realising how obvious her statement was. “Follow me.”

“You know a way down?”

She nodded, hitching her dress up and sprinting for a side of the platform.

Link turned to Sheik “For a woman in heels and a dress, she can run pretty fast.”

“Link. Run. Now.”

The order was followed with a shove to the shoulder. Taking the hint, Link darted for where Zelda had disappeared, Sheik at his side once again.

“See this…” Link gestured to the two of them “This is good.”

“Yes, I know but…”

“Not the time?”

“Got it in one.”

Link grinned, watching Zelda carefully as she turned and headed down a metal ramp that he hadn’t noticed earlier, leading the two men down the winding path until they reached a gate.

Lifting her hands into the air, she opened the gate, leading them into a dark corridor as the path behind them was destroyed by falling debris, the fortress crumbling around them.

Sheik leapt, arms around Link’s waist, pulling him with him as something exploded inside the fortress, blasting them out of the main gate to land on hard ground.

Link looked up, coughing, Sheik’s weight pressing down on his back.

“There’s a time and a place, Sheik.”

The younger blonde rolled off, righting himself and brushing off his clothing as he turned to face Zelda. The princess was standing near where the sages bridge had been, staring up at the collapsing castle with wide eyes.

“Princess?”

Link rolled over onto his back and glanced over to Sheik at the questioning tone in his voice before looking back to the castle.

Black marbled pillars shook precariously as something erupted inside the building, shaking its foundations as the tower leaned, metal and rock groaning as its base crumbled, chunks of rock the size of a Goron being spat from the base.

Red veins of light skittered up black walls as the tower began to sink, being crushed into large chunks of rock as it bore down into the lower compounds, collapsing them with its weight.

“Is it me?” Link asked, climbing to his feet, eyes locked onto one of the runways they had just sprinted down as it was mashed into what resembled tin foil “Or does this collapse look a bit…”

“Orchestrated?”

The hero nodded. “It’s like in the event of Ganon’s defeat it was supposed to do this.”

“I sense that too…but, still, I feel that this is all, finally, over.” Zelda sighed.
“Given that you’ve just said that, it’s not.” Link quipped, watching as the whole structure hunkered down neatly to the floor, forming a smooth, curved plain littered with the debris of the castle.

In a large mass of rubble at the very centre of the plain, something groaned and stirred causing Zelda to step back, a hand clasped over her heart.

Link turned to Sheik, lifting an eyebrow, an expression of ‘I told you so’ settling over dirt covered features.

“Seconds, anyone?”
--

And that's it for a few weeks. It'll prolly be another month before I update again, since that's when I'm back from uni next.
Incidentally, there're two chapters left:)