The Legend of Zelda: Spirit of Evil

When they neared the castle, Zelda directed him to her bedroom balcony. Dawn was just beginning to creep over the horizon, and birds were starting up a morning call.
Ganondorf landed gently on the balcony and walked into the room. Zelda inhaled the sweetness of her flowers and sighed. Ganondorf too, inhaled deeply. “It is beautiful.”
“Thank you.”
He let her stand and limp towards the door on their left. “Wait here.” She said. As soon as she had closed the bathroom door behind her, she stripped off her tattered dress and put on her black pants and shirt. ‘I am glad the side wound is below my breast band. It should be easier to heal, not to mention less embarrassing.’
Walking back into the room, she found Ganondorf examining one of the delicate blossoms on a tree. When he saw her, a faint flush touched his tanned cheeks but he said nothing. Wordlessly, he helped her over to her bed and eased her down.
“Shall I call for someone?” Asked Ganondorf.
Zelda shook her head. “You have forgotten, no one knows that you are in this world, much less know your story.”
He knelt beside her bed. “Do you believe me?”
“…Yes. Considering I have not checked your mind for the truth.”
He gently picked up her hand and kissed it. “Thank you. All I need is for you to believe me…Now hurry and summon a healer.”
Smiling slightly, she closed her eyes. She reached out her mind, calling a person she fully trusted. “Eclipse…”
***

The Phantom had just finished giving Enowa a private lesson. She had claimed to be half Gerudo and Eclipse was starting to believe her. Her way with weapons were astonishing! She had been able to knock the sword from his hands today, an incredible feat. Still, seven seconds of fighting him hand to hand, left her pinned to the ground.
Bowing and laughing, she had bid him goodnight. Standing alone in the empty practice arena, Eclipse wondered if she might possibly be his successor.
“Eclipse!…”
He was alert instantly. “Zelda? Where are you?”
“In my room. I have need of your healing magic.”
“I shall come at once!”
Running on the ceiling, Eclipse avoided bumping into anyone as he dashed to the Royal chambers.
Coming to her door, he flipped, landing on the floor. He knocked, hearing some movement inside. “Zelda?”
“Ah…Eclipse. Before you come in, you must close your eyes.”
“What has happened, Zelda? Have you been scarred? You should know there is no need to hide scarring from me…”
“No…no I have not, will not, be scarred. Have no fear. I just ask that you keep your eyes closed.”
“Very well.” he said, doing as he was bidden.
Hearing the doors open, he walked forward, resisting the urge to reach his hands in front of him.
The doors closed as he centered his mind on the room only. He tensed.
“Zelda. There is someone else in the room.”
“Yes.”
“Someone…With an aura that is as powerful, as yours.”
“…Yes.”
“May I open my eyes? I can feel you are weakened tremendously. I can guess you are the one in need of my skills.”
“…Only if you swear that you shall not attack this other person.”
Eclipse’s brow furrowed, but he nodded. “By your judgment, I shall not do harm to this person. I swear by the Eye.”
“You may open them then.” Said Zelda, still a little worried.
Opening his eyes, Eclipse’s gaze rested on Zelda. Immediately seeing the ghastly wound in her neck, he started towards her. Suddenly remembering that there was another person in the room, he rolled and, keeping his back toward her, looked about the room.
There was only the sound of running water. “Come out. You heard my oath, and a Sheikah never goes against the Eye.”
From behind a large plot of land near the balcony that contained some large ferns, emerged Ganondorf.
Eclipse’s eyes widened immensely. If not for his mask, Zelda would have seen his mouth hanging open. “…M…My Lady!…That’s…!”
“I know, Eclipse.” She said, laughing quietly. She winced as the injuries in her neck and side throbbed.
Seeing her pain, Eclipse ran over to her side. “Did he do this? I swear if he did…”
“He saved my life, Eclipse. More then once.”
“Are you sure he is not controlling your mind?
“Yes, Eclipse. I swear by the Triforce that I am in charge of my mind.”
Eclipse magically summoned some healing ointment and bandages. “He might be biding his time…waiting for us to trust him…”
“He has had many opportunities to kill me. He has even saved me multiple times, where he could have left me to die a painful death.”
“…Who helped this wound?…It was poisoned, but most of it is gone.”
Zelda kept her eyes expressionless as she watched him. “Ganondorf took a great risk, draining the poison into his own mouth before spitting it out.”
Eclipse placed his hands over the wound and Shadow energy crackled underneath them, slowly healing the gash. He kept his eyes averted from Zelda’s.
She groaned as the flesh pulled itself slowly together. Ganondorf started toward her, worry on his face.
“You shall not come one step further, Evil one.”
He stopped, looking rather confused and angry. “I am just as concerned for her as you, Phantom.”
“Let him come closer if he wishes. I have heard his story, I trust him.”
“Without seeing into his mind if he is telling the truth?! Zelda, that is not like you. This is the man that would have had my people massacred.”
She looked at him, eyes boring into his. “Release your anger and open your mind Eclipse. I shall show you everything that has happened since my departure.”
Eclipse knelt and bowed his head. Placing her hand on top of his head, Zelda sorted through her memories.
Eclipse felt her fear. He smelled the wet rock and heard the thunder. Images flew by in his mind. In a matter of moments, he had seen everything that Zelda had seen in the past few hours. Zelda stopped the flow.
He looked a bet dazed at first then looked back at her. “Link?”
“As you saw, the evil spirit has him under its control.”
“He saved you…”
“Many times.”
Eclipse turned and was shocked to find Ganondorf tending to her ankle with some of the ointment. Hissing, Eclipse sprung up from his knees. Catching one of the bottom bedposts, he swung around it, aiming a powerful kick at Ganondorf. His foot struck something hard before it reached Ganondorf. The faint outline of a red shield flickered.
Snarling, Eclipse raised his hand, purple Shadow magic beginning to form at his fingertips. He did not care that Ganondorf had possibly saved her. His personal hatred for him burned. He raised his hand, a clear warning for him to drop his shield. He was enraged when Ganondorf still held her foot.
“Eclipse, NO!” cried Zelda. But, her plea fell on deaf ears. He swung his fist down, fire burning in eyes.
Time seemed to slow as Ganondorf turned his head and looked at Eclipse. There was no anger in his eyes. No malice, or hatred. There was not a speck of challenge or smugness, Only…Nothing. An emotionless face.
As Phantom looked into his eyes in the few split seconds, he saw someone who had suffered. There was a begging look, deep in his eyes. Deep down, Ganondorf was pleading to be forgiven for the pain he had obviously caused Eclipse.
Thinking in a split second, Eclipse tried to pull back his fist, but the split second was too long. His fist hit the shield, and it quickly start cracking. The ball of Shadow energy from Eclipse’s hand stayed there, digging through, aiming for Ganondorf’s head. As the shield broke, Ganondorf reached up and caught the ball.
Eclipse gasped. “But, I use Shadow magic…”
Ganondorf stood, dark ball still floating in his hand. “Without the evil spirit, I control no evil. The King of Evil, is gone.”
“So, you can use Shadow magic?”
“And Spirit magic. I also know a fair amount of Chaotic magic.”
“…I will not ask what type of Chaotic.“ Chaotic magic was the categories outside of the sages. It was considered very dangerous and hard to control. “…I see you still posses the Triforce of Power.”
Ganondorf massaged his right wrist. “He tried to take it from me…He had almost succeeded when Zelda arrived.”
“Let me see the sword, Ganondorf.” Said Zelda.
He drew the Master Sword and carefully handed it to her, turning his attention to her ankle again.
Zelda held it firmly, examining the blade. It had indeed grown in size, especially in length. The hilt had doubled in size, allowing the welder to grasp with two hands if necessary. Although, Zelda had noticed that Ganondorf held it easily in one hand. It was no wonder. The sword, even thought it was larger, had only increased slightly in weight.
Zelda placed her left hand, the one with the Triforce, on the blade. “Blade of Evil’s Bane…Hear me…” She spoke aloud, yet the voice did not sound like hers. Ganondorf had finished bandaging her ankle and stood watching her. Eclipse too, watched.
“I am Zelda. Last of the royal bloodline, holder of the Triforce of Wisdom.” The sword, as if in response, glowed faintly.
“You have slept, building up your powers, holding them in, under my command.”
Again, it glowed.
“Release the hold I placed upon you…Your strength is needed again! Awaken, Master Sword!”
It glowed again, glowing brighter and brighter. Bright light almost blinded them, then stopped!
They all opened their eyes and looked at the sword, now at Zelda’s feet. It had changed, although not very noticeably. The metal of the blade burned a finer white, and the sword overall seemed to have a more powerful aura around it.
“Lift it, Ganondorf.”
He did, tentatively picking it up then griping it strongly. It glowed faintly once more, a gentle ringing sound coming from it, then fell silent.
Eclipse walked forward, checking the hand that Ganondorf held the sword in. The skin was hard from the use of weapons, but there was no trace of any burns.
“You have been accepted by the sword, Ganondorf.”
“Because I was able to hold it without getting hurt?” He replied, watching Eclipse poke his hand, with amusement.
“Not quite…It told me.”
He turned and stared at her. “What?”
She sighed. “The Master Sword knows that Link can no longer hold it. It has asked for you to wield it.”
“I? I thought the Master Sword could only be held by the Hero of Time.”
“…It has named you the only hope for this land. Ganondorf, Vanquisher of Evil.”
“He is a chosen one?” Gasped Eclipse.
“Yes, and not just because he holds the Triforce of Power. You are the last hope for this land, Ganondorf. I need your help to remove Evil from Link. And, if necessary, ….destroy him.”
He stared at her. “You would kill him?”
Tears filled her eyes. “He is like a brother to me. But, I know that he would truly give himself up for the survival of Hyrule.”
Ganondorf seemed to stop and think deeply.
“Come, Ganondorf. Lady Zelda is in need of rest.”
“Of course…Goodnight, Zelda.”
“Goodnight Ganondorf. Thank you…Eclipse.”
They left, Eclipse closing the door quietly behind them. “It is best that you take a room in this wing. The servants do not enter them is there is no one staying there.”
In the long hallway, there were five doors. One, at the far left end of the hall, led to the rest of the castle. There was a very large room next to Zelda’s built for the sages when they visited. On the other side of the hall there were two doors. One, close to the door that led to the rest of the castle, had been Link’s room. The other, almost across from Zelda’s was empty. It was this door that Eclipse entered, followed by Ganondorf.
“This is a pleasant room. Zelda would like to keep you near enough in case of a problem.”
The floor was made of a red-gold marble, the walls a smooth brown stone. Unlike Zelda’s, this room did not have plants, but it had a westerly view, a large amount of books, and a large comfortable bed.
“Thank you, Phantom…I just have one question.”
“Yes?”
“Do you trust me?”
Eclipse sighed. “From what I saw in the Queen’s mind, yes I trust you. But, I am afraid I can not fully trust you until Lady Zelda enters your mind.”
“…I understand. I thank you again. I…never expected to be trusted…It is a wonderful feeling…Is……Is Zelda in love with Link?”
Eclipse paused, caught by surprise. “…No…Sometimes, I think she wishes that she had been. But, she holds no love for Link other than a friend.”
Eclipse left then, leaving a man that had once been held by evil, deep in thought. ‘She does not know…’