Seven Years part 25.66

Dont forget to read 25 before this one... I don't often update on back to back days so make sure you caught the last one!

It took a second for Zelda to orient herself when she was able to refocus. She was still in the purple crystal, suspended near the ceiling of a large room. She figured she was about two stories in the air, and looking down actually caused slight vertigo to play through her. The walls, ceiling, and floor of the room seemed to be made of a heavy grey stone that screamed impregnable. There were massive, bright blood-red, tapestries that hung on the walls and there seemed to be a large flowing red rug coving most of the floor. The wall directly behind her was covered with a mass of pipes, varying in size. They reached down to some strange looking desk-like table that was unlike anything she had ever seen. There seemed to be small white flat shingles covering it in two neat rows, and odd pedals sticking out of its bottom. Not long after she gained a sense of her surroundings, the object of her unmitigated hate stalked in.

Gannondorf was wearing a smile that clearly screamed “everything is going my way.” There was a bounce in his heavy step that could almost be called gleeful, and his powerful shoulders where held at a jaunty angle. Shaking back his long red hair, the Greudo smiled up at Zelda as he headed towards the odd desk.
“Young Princess Zelda, have you ever heard the instrument of the Greudo people?”
“Can’t say I’ve had the pleasure,” she nearly spat in response.
“Well, then, this is your lucky day,” Gannondorf paused to let the obvious irony of the comment sink in as he slipped into the low bench before the desk, “the organ is an instrument of grace and beauty… but its driving force is power!” his finger slammed onto the white shingles, and Zelda was instantly enveloped in a massive churning cord that seemed to shake the entire room. Notes, cords, tones all mixed into a surging melody that coursed around her. Despite herself and the awful gravity of the situation, Zelda had to note the beauty of the song. The throbbing sound of the organ lessened slightly as Gannondorf eased on his keys and pedals.

The magus was obviously enjoying his playing, but apparently wanted to add a healthy does of taunting into the mix.
“I am the best of all the Greudos at the organ, but then it is an instrument of power… and if someone knows power, it would be me, no?”
“If power means raping, killing, and butchery, then yeah, I gotta agree that you’re the man…”
“Oh, don’t be like that, princess…” Gannondorf laughed, “I go through all the trouble of playing this new song just for you, and you can’t even compliment me? Now, there’s the real atrocity…”
“I’ve heard better…”
“I thought you said this was your first time,” Gannondorf smirked. The volume soared up again as he reentered the opening stanza. Zelda waited until a second lull was reached before firing off another barb.
“You don’t get it do you Ganny? That organ of yours has power, but without the wisdom to write the song, or the courage to play it for someone, the power is useless. Just like you and your pathetic attempts to crush the other two part of the Triforce!”
“Just like your father!” Gannondorf spat, actually showing an emotion other the sardonic glee for the first time but not missing a beat in his haunting melody, “You arrogant Hylians think you know everything don’t you? It is true I did not anticipate the breaking of the Triforce, and none of our Greudo writing spoke of it, but unlike you I have not been idle these past seven years… tell me, oh Sage of Wisdom, is it a natural state for the Triforce to be divided?”

The question was obviously rhetorical, and Zelda had no intention of answering at any rate. However, she wondered where Gannondorf was going with this. Seeing her hesitate, the magus smiled back down at his keyboard.
“Of course it is not. They rebind easily enough, as my research into Greudo lore, as augmented by my acquired access to Hylian, Zora, Gordon and Shiekah myth and legend, shows. I do not intend to crust the other parts of the Triforce, I intend to take them!”
“YOU’RE INSANE!” Zelda knew there were many things about Gordon, Zora, and certainly Greudo lore that she was ignorant on, but this bordered on idiocy, “The two parts of the Triforce have bound themselves into mine and Link’s very essence. There is absolutely no way you can join with them!”
“You’re right princess, not while they are still in you…” another swell in the music stopped the conversation, but Zelda had already caught the general drift of Gannondorf’s point. Once her and Link were dead, he would cause the two remaining Triforce sections to rejoin his, giving him the ultimate power of the complete Triforce.
That’s why he hasn’t killed me yet, she realized, he needs Link and I to die within seconds of each other, otherwise my Triforce part would seek out a new host before he has a chance to bind the three together. When Link was able to fight through so many temples, Gannondorf must have realized that he held the last Triforce part, and he knew if Link walked over Hyrule long enough I would show up. This whole thing is a trap! Gannondorf never wanted anyone to kill Link, he was just waiting for me!
“You knew! How long have you been planning this!”
“Oh, I started suspecting our dear little friend held the Triforce of Courage about the time he creamed my Shadow Phantom. I must admit, that still vexes me… I figured he’d kill my poor mothers, but it was a necessary test, and Twinvolta had her day two centuries ago. Some legends just need to die, no?”
For once, Zelda had to agree with the vile warlord.
“For a few years I had thought that the lad Shiek might be the possessor of Naria’s Courage, but there was never a great deal of compelling evidence other then the stories the people told. And in the end, Shiek turned out to be a girl… albeit a rather boyish one.”

Zelda crossed her arms and fumed over this for a bit.
For someone who keeps staring up my dress he’s got little room to say THAT, she glowered, scowling down at Gannondorf, who seemed to be becoming increasingly absorbed with his organ.
“Tell me,” he finally said, glancing back up to her, “do you even regret killing that little lackey of yours?”
“You BASTARD! You absolute and total BASTARD!” Zelda screamed slamming her fists against her crystal cage. Rage was like a fuzzy feeling of love compared to the loathing that nearly suffocated her now.
“Oh, the first time necessity demanded killing someone so close, eh? The desert forced me to do it much sooner, but it was hard; just ask your new friend Naburoo. It smarts the first time, but you soon get used to it. But, you won’t ever have to, of course…”
Naburoo is the Spirit Sage? That’s seriously screwed up… Zelda thought as Gannondorf looked over to a large gold-framed mirror hanging near his organ.
“Well, well… the kid just dispelled the Forest Barrier from around the tower. Works fast, doesn’t he?”
Zelda decided Gannondorf wasn’t really looking for her agreement, so she felt compelled to give it.
“Sure does… and after he drops the remaining barriers he’ll be making short work of you too!”
The wizard chose to ignore the jab, continuing to stare into the mirror as he played. Realizing that discussion was going nowhere, Zelda crossed her arms again and tried to find a comfortable position.

The two remained like that as the hours dragged on; Zelda scowling out into space and Gannondorf playing deep haunting melodies on his organ. Every so often, Gannondorf would whistle, or chuckle, or even give a shout of excitement. Zelda figured he must be watching Link’s progress through his mirror, monitoring the hero’s approach with some twisted glee. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, Gannondorf threw back his head and released a vile guffaw of laughter.
“Light Barrier dispelled! Now he can enter this tower… and now the real fun begins…. Once in this tower, he will be close enough to grab his Triforce section. I have four Dark Knuckle knights waiting... even with Naria’s essence, it is unlikely the kid will ever see this room. Though I could find it in me to wish he does.”
“You’re gonna choke on those words, Ganny.”
“We shall see, princess, we shall see.”

By the time the large door to the room burst open, Zelda had chewed her fingers to the knuckle. But there he was, standing with the Master’s Sword drawn, and the faithful Navi floating above him. Gasping, Zelda pushed her hands against the prison and tried to yell a warning about what Gannondorf had planned, but she didn’t look as though he could hear her over the organ.

“I had rather hoped you would make it this far…”
“Oh, you got a death wish or something?” Link took a step into the room as he slung the jab.
“Do you feel it?” Gannondorf asked, something akin to awe in his voice, “the pieces are resonating, trying to reform!”
Rising from his organ for the first time, Gannondorf turned, holding up his massive right fist. A glowing Triforce shown out, and at the same time Zelda felt her own hand begin to burn. He was right; the Triforce was starting to bond.

Everything that followed seemed to take an eternity.

Zelda gasped as a large portion of the floor fell away, revealing a massive drop that would surly be fatal. Link jumped at Gannondorf, who was now floating several feet above the floor near the center of the room. The magus responded by reaching out with his right hand, sending a ball of energy straight at the charging hero. Link pulled his Greudo Mirror Shield to block the blast, but the energy ball cut through it like paper. Link was blown several feet backwards, and actually through the portion of the floor that had fallen away. The hero of Time reacted quickly though, and no sooner had he disappeared from view when the sound of the Hookshot rang out. Link came flying back into view, the grapple and chain tossing him back onto the ledge. Gannondorf was sending another energy ball at Link before his feet had even touched the ground. This time Link nimbly dodged the ball of energy.

“The arrows you idiot!” Zelda screamed, banging both fist against her prison, “I gave you those arrows for a Din damned reason!”
She was sure there was no way Link had heard her, and even if he had, she was force to admit Gannondorf wasn’t exactly giving him time to draw an arrow to shoot. The Magus was flinging magic blasts at Link with a speed Zelda would not have thought possible. Link was moving fast too though. Aside from Gannondorf’s initial hit, not a single blast had found its mark. However, at the current rate of things, Link would be much more like to start slowing down then the wizard, as Gannondorf was hardly moving from the spot he hovered over.

And the it happened.

Gannondorf shot out another ball of energy, and Link foot slipped on the smooth stone causing his leg to slide out from under him, bringing him to his knee.

Zelda nearly screamed. Link, however, kept his head. In a seemingly desperate, last-chance move, Link’s left arm swung out, striking at the ball with the Master’s Sword. To Zelda’s surprise, it batted the energy ball away like a club. Gannondorf was obviously shocked too. So shocked, he forgot to dodge the energy ball as it careened back into him. Howling with pain and surprise, Gannondorf clutched at his head, shaking it violently to clear it. He never saw the Light Arrow coming. The arrow imbedded itself in Gannondorf’s chest, resealing a blinding flash of light as it struck. As Zelda’s vision cleared, she saw Gannondorf sinking to the ground, screeching with almost animal agony. He had not even hit the ground before Link was flying through the air at him, Master’s Sword held with both hands over his head. Link brought down the sword with a terrible shout, right onto the arm Gannondorf vainly tried to shield himself with. There was brief struggle which was to close, hurried, and confused for Zelda to pick out the details, but a massive blast of light followed by a thunderous crack heralded its end. The blast sent Link flying back against the far wall with a crack, and totally busted her crystal prison. There was a long drop to the floor, but Zelda landed it lightly, thanking the goddesses for her Shiekah jumping training.

Gannondorf was back in the air, but something was different. His arms were flung out stiffly, and his whole body seemed bent back in pain. An unearthly scream was being torn from his lips, and it almost looked as though his skin were cracking. Eclectic streams of magical energy shot out of the magus, smashing into the walls, floor, and ceiling. Then with a final flash, Gannondorf, the Grate King of Evil, burst in a blast of magic energy and was no more.

“Link!” Zelda cried, darting to his crumpled form across the room, “oh Narue, please let him be alright.”
A muffled groan told her that the Hero of Time was at least alive, if not in an overly happy state. Groaning again, Link rose to his feet, taking the hand she offered to steady him.
“Ok Zel… Sage of Wisdom or not, revealing yourself like that was probably the second dumbest idea you’ve ever had, closely trailing the time you let Gannondorf enter the Sacred Realm and just ahead of the time you forgot to inform me the Master’s Sword would put me to sleep for seven years.”
“YUP, HE’S AS GOOD AS NEW…” Navi remarked with something of a sigh.
Laughing with relief, Zelda wrapped her arms around Link’s neck, ignoring his whimper of protest.
“Link, it’s better then we even hopped! Gannondorf is GONE! You did it!”
As if intentionally cutting any celebration short, the tower groaned and shook violently.
“Maybe he is, but those last couple of blasts totally killed this tower!” Link cried, grabbing her hand, “let’s get out of here before the place comes down on our heads!”
Link turned to lead her out the doors he had com in, but falling debris had totally blocked the exit, glancing around, Zelda spied a gapping hole in the wall, obviously caused by the tremors violently shaking the tower.
“Link, follow me,” she cried, darting for the opening.

Something inside her had told Zelda the hole was their best hope, and her uncanny intuition had done its work again. About a yard below the hole a balcony jutted out of the tower. After a quick drop, she and Link were darting down stone stairs that ran along the out side wall of the tower. After descending a ways the steps led to a small landing with a door to reenter the tower. Link kicked the door open and disappeared. Zelda heard a sharp war cry and the sound of a skeleton shattering as she ran in after him. Link stood in the wreckage of a Skultoid, eyes darting about for a method of further decent.
“Door to your left,” Zelda cried, pointing at a busted frame that revealed a descending staircase. Link ran towards the door, sword still drawn. As she darted after him, Zelda felt the tower shudder again, causing more debris to fall from the collapsing upper floors. The two reached a door at the end of the stairs, and Link reached for the handle. Grabbing his hand, Zelda pointed at the crack where the door met the floor and shook her head. There was a reddish orange glow coming under the crack, and she was willing to bet falling torches and tapestries had set some of the lower floors alight. Link looked around, mind obviously running in overdrive. Another violent shudder wracked the tower, and he shook his head at her.
“Nothing for it,” he said, turning back towards the door.
“Then let me,” Zelda insisted, extending a hand. She felt a strange burning sensation shoot down her arm, from the shoulder to the very tips of her fingers then blasting out in bolt of energy. It smashed into the door, blasting it into the room with a crack. She looked over to Link who was gaping in awe at her.
“What was that?”
“Um, not sure,” she replied, grinning sheepishly.

The next room was full of burning furniture, rugs, heat, and support beams that were groaning ominously.
“I saw that door on my way up,” Link cried, pointing at a door on the far side of the room, “it leads to a bridge to the courtyard. If we take it we can bypass the lower floors. It’ll be the quickest way out.”
Zelda nodded, and they both made a brake for the door, darting around the burning and falling wreckage. Zelda saw Link’s foot become entangled in a torn rug, but before she could call a warning the hero tripped, falling headlong onto the floor. She stepped closer to help him up when another Skultiod emerged from the burning wreckage. Link cursed, trying to push himself up, but the hulking skeleton was on them before he could take his feet. Heedless of the fact that she was now in a floor length dress, Zelda jumped forward between the Skultiod and the fallen Link, poised to fight. Her left hand shot out, connecting with the Skultoid’s collar bone and knocking it off balance. Taking advantage of the Skultiod’s wobbling stance, her right hand reached out and grabbed the hollow of its ribcage. Yanking it closer, she brought head forward with a cry, smacking the skeleton’s head with a vicious head-butt. It crumpled to the floor like a broken doll. Link retook his feet and grabbed Zelda’s hand, yanking her to his side and just out from falling debris that landed where she had been standing, crushing the Skultiod. Whistling at the close call, Link dragged her towards the door.
“Where’d those moves come form?”
Zelda felt her face flush, thinking how silly she must have looked fighting in her palace attire.
“Guess I forgot I wasn’t Shiek for a moment…”
“Well, forget it more often; I think the boyish part of you is fun… oh by the way, your crown is bent now…”
Zelda muttered a curse as they darted through the door. Reaching up, she felt where the gold was dented at her forehead, obviously an after effect of the head-butt.
Impa always told me I should avoid that attack, she thought, smiling dryly.

Zelda followed Link as they ran through the door and across the courtyard. As they stood on edge of the rocky yard, the tower began to collapse in earnest, floor falling on floor. Finally, in a massive cloud of dust and smoke the tower fell in on its basement floors, disappearing into a flat rockish mound. Zelda continued to look out over the rubble that cluttered courtyard, unable to take in everything that had just happened. It was finally all over; only the ruins of the tower sticking up like jagged teeth spoke of Gannondorf’s dark reign. A chilling wind cut across the courtyard, the howling sound it made as it wrapped around the ruins was ominous and rather creepy. Whistling Link stepped towards the fallen tower.
“Well, that was a rush, huh?”
“That’s one way of putting it,” Zelda replied, shivering. Her dress was sleeveless, and not overly thick; it wasn’t doing much to keep the wind at bay.

Suddenly there was another rumble that came from the ground near the center of the round courtyard, from where the tower had collapsed on itself. It wasn’t anything like the massive tremors that had been shaking the tower earlier, but it did make the hair prick on the back of Zelda’s neck.
“Did you feel that?” Link asked, stepping cautiously closer to the disturbance.
“Oh, Link, get back here!” Zelda called, raising a hand.
“The lower caverns must still be taking in debris… the whole yard must be slowly sinking into the caves beneath us,” Link mused as he walked closer to the sound, totally ignoring her.
“Princess!” it was Impa, agitation clear in her voice, “where are you? Where is Gannondorf?”
“He’s dead; Link and I are standing outside what’s left of his tower…”
“Impossible, if Gannondorf were dead we sages would have sensed the Triforce of Power entering a new host!”
“Well, if he IS alive he’s buried under a mountain of rubble and-”
Then it hit her.
“LINK RUN!” Zelda screamed, taking a step towards where he was standing near the center of the courtyard.

But it was too late.

Fire burst from the ground in a circle, flames cutting her off from Link almost creating an arena with the Hero of Time in the middle. At the same time the ground at Link’s feet exploded, sending him flying back. He hit the ground hard and the Master’s Sword flew from his hand, landing blade first into the ground next to her feet. And then out of the Debris and dust of the upheaval, Zelda saw it emerge.

It was like something out of a nightmare.

Throwing back its head, the huge monster brandished the two massive swords it held and bellowed at the sky.
“DIN’S POWER HAS FULLY AWAKENED IN ME! BEHOLD GANNON; EVIL’S INCARNATION!”
Gannon’s looked back down, and the monster stalked forward. Armed only with his shield, Link took a step back obviously unsure of how to proceed. Link was tall with broad shoulders, but he seemed small and pathetic before the giant Gannondorf had become. Gannon was a massive beast, fully fifteen feet tall and built as thick as a Moblin. He had an ugly piggish face, complete with boar-like tusks and a think stubby tail that just dragged the ground behind him. He was indeed the image of raw power.

Or more aptly, the raw power of evil.

Zelda quickly turned and grabbed the Master’s Sword out of the ground. Turning back to the horrific sight before her, the princess quickly realized that the flames encircling Gannon and Link were no ordinary fire. They burned in a perfect circle on the stone, never lessening in intensity. It had to be magic fire. Gannon was no doubt controlling the flames, which Zelda instantly realized meant two things. First, it prevented her from getting the Master’s Sword to Link, but it also meant if Link could distract Gannon long enough the monster might drop the fire to focus solely on killing him, letting her get the evil slaying blade back to him.

Link was obviously less focused on long-term strategy and more focused on staying alive. Gannon was huge, but apparently extremely fast as well, and each of his duel swords was fully as long as she. The hero had realized that his shield would be useless against powerful onslaught on Gannon brute strength, and re-shouldered to leave both arms free, maximizing his maneuverability. Dodging a massive sweep from Gannon’s left sword and flipping backwards over a right jab, Link wound up next to her.
“Ok Sage of Wisdom, idea, fast.”
“Cause him enough pain to make him drop this barrier,” Zelda called, as Link began to dash away, “use your arrows and the Biggeron Sword!”
She wasn’t sure if Link had heard her last suggestion, but hoped it had gotten through.

The battle seemed to take forever, and Zelda nearly died herself countless time as Gannon’s twin blades whipped inches from Link’s body. Gannon continued a relentless, dogged attack, with Link barely staying a step ahead. After a few minuets that lasted a life time, Link ducked under a scissor like cut from both swords and rolled between Gannon’s legs. As he came up from the roll, Zelda saw that he had drawn his bow, and even managed to pull a single arrow out of the magic Kohria bag. Twisting as he came up, Link drew the bow in a fluid motion and released the shaft right as Gannon whirled. The arrow thudded into Gannon’s massive chest and exploded in a burst of Light Magic. Rearing back, Gannon roared in pain, allowing Link to dart in while drawing the Biggeron Sword. Zelda saw him drive the massive blade into Gannon’s exposed belly, causing the vile creature to scream in agony. Link was blown backward, skidding several feet on his back when he landed on the hard stone ground. The Biggeron had shattered, leaving only the hilt and a few inches of broken blade in Link’s hand, but it had done its work. As Gannon screamed in rage, his fire barrier dropped for the slightest of moments, giving Zelda time to toss the Master’s Sword near where Link had fallen. An instant later the fire barrier was back up, Gannon was charging forward with renewed vigor, and Link was once again dodging for his life. Gannon continued on like a jugernaught, apparently fully healed from the wounds the Biggeron had dealt him. Link was appidly backing away, faltering to notch another arrow as he evaded Gannon’s constant offence. Finally he got a shot off, aimed perfectly at Gannon’s pig-like head, but a quick x-block with the twin swords deflected the arrow with a shower of light sparks. Then Gannon moved in for the kill. He gave a massive left sweep, which Link ducked, and followed immediately with a jab from the right blade, meant to turn the Hero of Time into a Hylian sishcabob. Link was quicker then Gannon had given him credit for though. Jumping lightly, Link notched an arrow and pulled it full length while in air. He landed on the upward flat of Gannon’s outstretched right blade and released the arrow. It caught the stupefied Gannon square in the face. Gannon’s head became wreathed in a blinding light and the creature’s entire body began twisting in bizarre spasms. Link had leapt from the blade the second his arrow had left the bow, drawing the Master’s Sword in midair. A split second after the arrow hit its target, the sword did; a slash that entered at an angle running from the right cheekbone, through the eye and scalp and out the back of the piggish head. Link landed behind Gannon, and whirled to see what the creature would do next. Gannon roared as nearly a quarter of its head fell to the ground in a stream of black blood. Suddenly, Zelda sensed the Triforce of Power surge with power, and she suddenly realized how Gannon could be trapped.

Gannon was about to on all the power of Din’s essence to regenerate from a fatal wound. Link would never be able to kill Gannon, but when Gannon channeled all its magic energy into regeneration it would be vulnerable to her and the sages. As if to confirm her theory, the fire barrier dropped again, and this time the faint dark shroud that surrounded Gannon dissipated.
“SAGES, NOW!” she screamed “Help me seal this evil fiend into the Dark World!”
She felt a massive surge of power shoot from her at Gannon’s howling form. Beams of colored light were shooting at him from everywhere, forming a swirling bubble. Pink, red, green, blue, purple, yellow and gold all whirling into a massive glowing light that nearly blinded her. She felt all her power surge out of her body. She heard Gannon scream with pain, shock, rage, and pure hatred. She saw the colors seem to explode in blinding flash. She heard a deafening crack.

Everything went black.

Then there was a swirling grey vortex, almost a whirlpool of storm clouds. And there sinking into it was the form of Gannondorf, Great King of Evil.
“Curse you Sages!” he screamed as his body sank into its new prison, “Curse you Zelda! Curse you Link! One day I will break this barrier that seals me in the Dark World, and I will return to Hyrule and devour your children! Do you hear me, Sages! I WILL RETURN!”

And just as suddenly Zelda found herself in the Temple of Light surrounded by the other Sages.
“Your highness!” Rauru began. Zelda noticed that living in the Sacred Realm had not altered the old sage’s impressive waistline. His owlish features wore a satisfied smile, and his arms were crossed over his large belly in his usual stance of contentment.
“Your highness, we have done it! Gannondorf is sealed in the Dark World. He will no longer trouble Hyrule.”

Zelda looked about the Temple of Light, marveling at it. She had never actually seen the chamber of the sages before this, and it was quite a sight. The sages stood on six pillars that surrounded the platform she now stood on. The platform and pillars seemed to be on a deep lake, replenished by waterfalls coming from somewhere well above her ability to see. Turning slowly she looked up to each sage.

Naburoo gave a smirk and a quick nod, hands resting defiantly on her perfectly formed hips. Sage or no, the Greudo and Hylian races seldom got along. Next was Saria, holding a hand over her mouth and obviously giggling. The forest girl waved her other hand and gave an excited little hop. Darundia, the Gordon King, gave a huge grin, and beat his large fuzzy chest in the traditional method of Gordon applause.
“Well done, princess! Worthy of your father!” he called.
Zelda nodded at him, and turned to see Ruto, openly scowling at her.
“How’s my fiancé?” the Zora princess asked flatly, arms crossed and hip tossed saucily to the side.
“Sleeping with a ranch whore,” Zelda smirked. As she turned she heard both Ruto stammering with anger and Naburoo roaring with laughter. Obviously the Greudo rebel liked Ruto about as much as she did.
Guess we’ve got more in common then we thought, Zelda chuckled as she turned to the last sage.

Impa was smiling down at her with a face that had lost all its former cloaks and emotional shields. Tears of joy were openly running down the scarred face, and love shone out of the violet Shiekah eyes. Zelda felt tears brimming in her own eyes as she held her arms open for an embrace. Impa leapt down from the short pillar onto Zelda’s platform and enveloped her in a hug.
“Oh princess,” Impa murmured into her soft yellow hair, “I am so very proud of you. I love you so very much.”
“Impa,” Zelda cried into her guardian’s chest, “I thought I’d never see you again…”
“You will not rid yourself of me that easily your highness. Some one has to look after you through your second childhood after all…”
“My second childhood?”
“Oh yes, that” Rauru coughed importantly, generally a sign that he was about to pontificate on a subject so long and complex that no one would understand it even after his explanation, “you see, highness, Gannondorf is sealed away permanently, in the Dark World, a place that transcends time. As such, when you next play the Song of Time on the Ocarina of Time, the seal to the Sacred Realm will be reestablished, and Gannondorf’s contributions to this world’s time flow will be eradicated. At least, from the point when he entered the Sacred Realm himself. Ergo, while you will still possess the essence of the Triforce of Wisdom, and Link will continue to hold the Triforce of Courage in his sway, you, and all reality, will be sent back to the very day Gannondorf touched the Triforce.”

Zelda looked at Impa, total loss on her face.
“Meaning the past seven years will be reset,” Impa clarified, still draping an arm over her shoulders, “you will be twelve again, you will be at Hyrule Palace, and your father will still be alive and on the throne. Probably wondering where Gannondorf his powerful and trusted ally has gone if I know Lord Fiate… Aside from Gannondorf’s mysterious and sudden absence, everything will be exactly as it was that day we fled the palace.”
“So no one will remember anything?” Zelda asked, still confused.
“Sans we sages, only the Hero of Time will have knowledge of this alternate future,” Rauru answered, “but honestly, who would really want to remember such dark days…”
“I guess I get it,” Zelda lied. The whole thing really seemed way out there to here.”
“Then go!” Rauru cried, triumph in his voice, “the Hero of Time is awakening from a healing sleep I put him into. Bring this chapter of the History of Hyrule of a close!”

The temple faded into an odd bluish swirl, and Zelda felt as though she were standing in the middle of the clouds. Link was in front of her, looking more then slightly disoriented.
“Zel?”
“Link, you did it! We sealed Gannondorf away!”
“For now…” Link said, shaking his head, “you heard what he said, he’s coming back for us… and our parts of the Triforce.”
“Maybe Link… but we can deal with that if it happens. I’m sorry about taking your childhood from you Link…” Zelda faltered somewhat, thinking of all she had coast everyone with her ignorance, “sorry about putting you through the torments of fighting through those temples… sorry for everything.”
“Hey, Zel,” he stepped closer, pulling her into a brotherly hug, “that wasn’t your fault, you know? It was all Ganny. You did what you thought was right; how could I get mad about that?”
“Thanks Link,” she sniffled, “but the time has come to give you back what I took…” straightening, Zelda held out a gloved hand, “give me the Ocarina of Time… I can’t take away the memories or pains, but I can give you your time back. Regain your childhood Link, and please, come and see me at the palace, ok?”
Link nodded and handed over the ocarina. Taking a deep breath, Zelda began to play the Song of Time, letting the haunting cords flow like water from the small flute.

The blue world grayed, and faded. Zelda lost herself in a swell of blackness.

The ocarina looked larger in her hands, which where now clad in fingerless gloves. Cold stone was beneath her bare feet, and a large, open, wood chest was before her. She looked at her arm, and was surprised at the thinness of it, white sleeves clinging tightly to the limb.

“Zelda? What are you doing down here? You know I don’t want you in the treasure room alone.”

The voice made her heart freeze. Turning slowly, she saw him as she had always remembered him. Strong arms, thick neck, and a powerful frame that seemed gigantic to her twelve-year-old body,

“Daddy!” she cried, running towards him.

The tall man laughed, kneeling down to scoop her into a hug.
“Where’s Impa? I thought she was watching you… hey, what have you got there?”
“The Ocarina of Time,” she declared, holding it out for him.
“Now, you lady, you should know better then to touch this! This is one of our family’s greatest treasures, it has more power then you realize.”
Zelda couldn’t help but smile at this.
“Of course it does daddy; I’m only a little girl!”

-End Final Chapter