A second battle was set in motion. The sun had set behind the mountains and it was night. Link and Ganondorf were standing face to face on a cliff overlooking the land of Hyrule. Ganondorf saw the determination in Link's eyes and Link saw the wickedness that Ganondorf sought to fulfil. One thing was for sure, Link could not, would not let this black-hearted man get away with his evil intents. He was weary and injured from previous battles with Ganondorf's minions. They had grown somewhat tougher since the last time he had fought them. Link couldn't force himself to fend off his enemy any longer. He could not understand how Ganondorf had suddenly grown stronger for every bolt of energy he threw at Link, it grew perceptibly larger and harder to block. Soon, one of evil wizard's attacks penetrated Link's defenses. It sent the hero flying with his back against the sharp bark of a tree. His sword and shield had been thrown several feet away. The black magic, Ganondorf had used, sent a chilling energy through the young lad's body and every one of his limbs ached and trembled. Link struggled to reach for his sword. When he found it to be inaccessible he tried to stand up. However, he could not. His strength was failing him. Ganondorf looked at the hero who was now desperately trying to regain his defensive stature. The evil man laughed at this. To kill the kid with his powerful magic would be too easy. He decided it would be more fun to kill him the old fashion way. Yes, tormenting the lad would indeed give the merciless villain great pleasure. To hear him scream and bleed in excruciating pain, would satisfy Ganondorf, much more than his silence in death with sorcery. He would certainly make this hero pay for his past battle with the old wizard. He walked towards Link exposing a large jeweled dagger.
Link saw this and attempted to get up but his knees trembled and would not lift him up. It was as if he was being pulled down by some immense weight. He couldn't just let Ganondorf have the satisfaction of killing him. If he died there would be no one to protect Hyrule&ldots;or his sweet princess. Plus, the fact that he had something very important to tell her.
She would never know if he died. For the past few weeks he had been meaning to tell her how he felt about her. But he was too nervous in saying that he loved her. He truly loved her for who she was and who she had become. But it would break his heart to find that she didn't feel the same for him. Yes, this is what prevented him from telling her how much he cared for her. They had been friends for years ever since they were ten years old. He went to the Hyrule castle one day after his showdown with Ganondorf seven years into the future. He had set the Master Sword to sleep and the Door of Time was closed never to be open again. The legend was done and forgotten leaving the world as peaceful as it was before Ganondorf had changed it. He had no more of his weapons except his Kokiri sword. The only thing changed was that the triforce no longer remained in the Temple of Light but in the hearts of those chosen by destiny(you know who the triforces are). Link had no fairy to leave through the Lost Woods otherwise he'd turn into a stalfo of some sort. But it was often said that only those pure in heart could pass through the woods without a fairy. Being restless as he was, he took the risk and to his amazement he didn't turn into a monster. One thing was on his mind when he left the forest: Destinationà Hyrule Castle. He had gone to the princess in hopes that she would at least remember what happened or for that fact remember who he was. It was fortunate for him that she remembered everything. It must have had something to do with the triforces of wisdom and courage lying within their spirits. It was funny, though. One would think the sages would remember all that Hyrule has been through in returning it to its normal peaceful state. But they did not even know of their importance in Link's great quest for justice.
On that day, he visited Zelda they became the best of friends and everyday they went on make-believe adventures and sometimes real ones, too. They grew up together forging on these new adventures in Hyrule field or Kokiri Village. The King seemed to like Link very much but, Link could never dream of actually marrying his beloved daughter. He didn't think the King could accept this&ldots;it was unknown to him that Link was the Hero of Time. He appeared as an unworthy peasant but he really wasn't. If the King knew of his troubles in saving the whole kingdom Link would certainly be worthy of his approval. But Zelda's father did not know that. He only knew that Link had been worthy of becoming one of the palace guards&ldots;not really a job to be enjoyed. He did not know that one time, before, Link almost died fighting against Hyrule's eternal enemy, Ganondorf. And, soon, if he could not get his feet moving his life would be taken from him. Link was amazed by Ganondorf's tremendous power. What puzzled him was how Ganondorf was able to break the sage's seal at the Temple of Light in seven years time. It was impossible but it happened. Ganondorf came closer and held the dagger to Link's heart. He was thinking that perhaps it would be better to torture him emotionally. To have his spirit dead was much better than having his body only dead. Beads of sweat began to form at Link's brows.
"Well, well&ldots;how's the handsome hero doing, now? I see that you've grown faster and skilled with the sword than the last time we fought. Unfortunately for you, that sword you used can't hurt me. I must compliment you on your fighting ability. You're much more swift. Without it, you would not have defeated my stronger and revised army. It's a shame they had weakened you. You underestimated my power, little boy. Oh&ldots;I'm sorry, I should say 'young man.' How old are you, again? Seventeen? Ah&ldots; that must be right. A feeling of de jah vu has swept through me. Only this time, I won't be defeated," Ganondorf said with a laugh and held out the back of his hand. A triangle glowed and he proceeded to stab Link but he had made a sudden turn and was stabbed in the left arm. The young man let out a cry of pain and with fire in his eyes looked at Ganondorf.
"Ganon, you coward!! You set me up against your stupid loyalties to weaken me. How pathetic!! You couldn't fight me if I were at my best! You're just a weak and cowardly freak who can't even fight fair," Link shouted at the old wizard. His left arm gushing with crimson blood, it was no use getting the sword now&ldots;his good arm incapacitated by the bone-piercing injury.
"All is fair in love and war, boy." Then something out of the ordinary happened. Ganon's face and body began to morph into another person's. The person he had become was leaner and was with a medium build. The face hadn't taken shape yet, but within minutes of the transition Link could clearly identify who Ganondorf had become. He had changed into Link!!
"What the&ldots;.??!" Link looked at his body. Everything was the same. Wait, what about his face? He looked into a nearby puddle in bewilderment. There was no refection of himself, only the tree behind him. He, then, felt his face. It felt the same and he looked at Ganondorf who was now a mirror image of himself. " T-that's impossible!"
"No it's not. Surprised? Well, I must say I look good," Ganondorf said as he looked at his new form. Even his voice was the same as Link but it was somewhat sinister. "Now, as for that comment on love and war, it's time I get a little personal with your precious princess. I understand she's very fond of you, boy." He winked at the true Link and turned his back.
"NOOOO----!" Link screamed in horror. He, again, attempted to stand on his feet. However, it was hopeless. He was being pulled by an unknown force. "Don't you dare touch her----!!"
"Or you'll do what? You aren't in any position to defend anyone&ldots;no even yourself. *Smirk* Ah, yes, I forgot" he said picking up the hero's sword, "Time to die!" With those words, he plunged the sword in to Link's chest. The hero's voice broke out in agony. Blood dripping at the corners of his mouth, his golden hair was soaked in sweat, and his deep blue eyes became dim. Link, whose mind was focused on the very thought of what Ganondorf intended to do to the princess faded into darkness. In a few moments the sky was overcast with black clouds and the rain poured coinciding with this very dreadful situation. Our great hero was dead.
**Prior to Link's Death** Zelda sat on her bed, unable to sleep. Something felt wrong and she couldn't help but wonder if Link was safe. She would have taken a ride on her horse to his home but the night sky showed signs of a threatening storm. "It must be this dreary weather," she thought, "Rain always makes me feel this way." She walked to her window. Her blue silk nightgown was lengthy and fell at her feet. A red velvet curtain with little designs of roses draped in front of the window. Zelda pushed it aside and tied it to the hook with a thin braided rope. The window revealed the dark sky. She couldn't find her star; the one Link had name in honor of her when they were twelve. He was such a sweet friend and sometimes she wished he was more. But, he never showed any real signs of loving her as a husband would love a wife. It was more like a brother loving his sister or best friend. Zelda sighed. It wouldn't matter anyway if he happened to love her the same way she loved him. Her father was king and she was the princess of Hyrule. Sure, the king loved Link, but he (the king) would never accept the idea of them being married. She was a princess and supposedly would only marry a nobleman&ldots;preferably a prince born to rule. If only she could tell her father what Link had done for her and the whole land of Hyrule. He would have been so proud to have them married. Even, if she did choose to tell, no one would believe her because no one knew of Ganon and the turmoil he caused. Not even the sages knew of Link's legendary quest. The legend was sealed&ldots;forgotten. She could never prove Link's worthiness of the crown. Zelda knew him well. He was noble, brave, and strong. Like her, his wisdom of the world was beyond his years. He would make a dauntless and sagacious king. If only people remembered how much he suffered and cared for the fate of Hyrule's children. But, no, that time would never come because he along with the legend was forgotten. His title "Hero of Time" seized to exist just as her title "Princess of Destiny" seized to exist. This deeply saddens her. Link deserved to be honored for his selflessness, righteousness, and valor. It was these three moral strengths which he possessed that saved Hyrule. Zelda walked back to her soft bed. She plotted herself at the center of an enormous bed and laid her head upon a feathered pillow. She pulled a blanket over her body. The blanket, made with the colors of the rainbow, had intricate designs of Hyrule's history stitched onto its thick fabric. It was one of her mother's splendid crafts. The princess missed her so much. She missed the lullabies that her mother sang to her before she went to bed and the stories...were always so wonderful with such an imaginative force. When the queen told these tales, little Zelda's blue eyes lit up. She remembered how she would sometimes pretend to be the characters in many of the stories. It was an escape from her overly pampered life. A tear streamed down her cheek. She could almost hear her mother's voice. Zelda squeezed her pillow and her eyes became heavy, closing down to thin slits. But they were opened once again revealing her ocean-colored eyes. A blue light illuminated the large room (**Parallel to the time of Link's Death**). She sat up startled by the sudden brightness and started looking for its source. She came near her dresser but the light faded as quickly as it appeared. She looked at her teak-wooden dresser. There was on top of the dresser a golden mirror and a crystal pendant. Strange! She touched her golden mirror and let her fingers slide through the thin crevices of its beautiful engraving. The engraving pictured an eagle centered in a sun to the upper right of the oval mirror and a skinny cat prancing amongst the grass at the lower left. It had a collar, which held a small snowy pear. Next to the cat laid a lily tainted with white paint. Impa had given it to her on her sixteenth birthday. That was a year ago. The pendant, however, was her most recent gift from Link. It was of an unusual shape, yet, very enchanting. She smiled. He said that it was one of his little treasures, which he kept as a small child. He did not know where it came from. It was just in his treasure box, buried amongst his old toys. It was beautiful indeed but he had no use for it so he gave it to Zelda. "Hmm&ldots;that was strange," Zelda muttered to herself, "A light appeared. What was that? Oh well, now I do not sense anything disturbing." She paused for a few seconds trying to think over her day if in fact there was anything strange that she missed. Nothing&ldots;there was nothing to explain her troublesome feelings. "Yes, it must be this weather. Oh no! Look at the time! I promised Impa I'd be early for breakfast." She skittered across the marble floor and curled up into her bed. In a minute or so, she was fast asleep. **After, at the tragic scene**
"Devar!! Hurry, now!" shouted a voice. "Help me take this good-for nothing scum to my castle under ground. No one must know of his death." In response to his command, a hideous creature came forth. Its face and body was scaly like a snakes and it had a notably, long tail. Just as soon as the creature saw who had call him, he slowly backed away amongst the bushes.
"M-master&ldots;Ganon? Is that you?" Devar asked in a fearful tone. Ganondorf was still in his false form and his ally was unsure to listen to him.
"Of course, it is I. Devar come assist me as we make our way to my castle. I'm giving you the honor of burying Link in a grave in my Death Garden," said Ganondorf who was awfully pleased with how things turned out.
"Oh, so it is you, Master Ganon&ldots;for a minute there I thought you were that pesky kid. Battling with that boy wasn't very pleasant, you know."
"Time has become rather better for us all due to this magnificent black season. Moon's Bane has certainly strengthened the evil in this world. I will use it to my utmost advantage. All is well, Devar&ldots;all is well." The demonic being nodded. "Those puny Hylians are as good as dead. They don't suspect anything I'm doing. In fact, they don't even know I've come back. *Laugh* Thirteen days is enough time to destroy all of this country and its people. It'll be no problem, now. I already took care of my worst one," said Ganondorf as he glanced in the direction of the hero's body.
"Yes master, that's true. Link is dead, and it will be easier for you to deceive that foolish princess. After you kill her, both their Triforces will be yours, right? Have you got the boy's&ldots;?"
"No, not yet. First, I must kill the princess. However, that will be after I find out where she's hidden the Ocarina of Time. Without it, I will be unable to open the Door of Time." Suddenly, greed and excitement filled the evil wizard. "When two holders of the Triforces are dead, the sacred triangles will gather at the Temple of Time. There, I will claim both once I open the door."
"Ahh&ldots;but aren't you forgetting something, Master?"
"Huh, what?"
"The three sacred stones. Don't you need them, Master?"
"Oh, yes, I forgot. That won't be any problem, though. I'll just simply ask to borrow them from their owners. I'm sure they'll grant my request. Being in this body does have its advantages."
With his power, Ganondorf created a portal near the tree where Link laid. *Whistle* From the portal, a horse's gallop could be heard. Through, opening a black stallion appeared. The horse whinnied, happy to see its master.
"Come, come, Coal!" Ganondorf motioned Devar towards the horse's saddlebag. Devar obeyed and grabbed a rope from within the bag. He then tied the length rope tightly around both Link's wrist and the horse's saddle. "This is good. Perhaps, I should have done this first before I killed him." Devar nodded in agreement. Ganondorf mounted upon Coal and made his way through the purple-blackish portal, dragging behind him the lost hero. Devar followed last keeping a close eye on the limp body.
By the time they reach Ganondorf's castle, Link's flesh had been severely cut and shredded from being drag on the rocks. Ridges as deep as an inch lined his back, leg, and arms. With a wave of hand, Ganondorf made Link's body deteriorated just as the process of decomposition occurs in dead beings. This, however, did not take weeks of transition. Instead, the change occurred only in a matter of seconds. It was a sight so sickening that one would throw up his previous meal and perhaps even his stomach. All that was left of Link were his bones. Satisfied with his work, Ganondorf left the bones for Devar to bury.
Devar gathered the hero's bones and crossed the drawbridge into Ganondorf's stronghold. He took the bones to the center of the castle where Death Garden was located. In the square garden, everything was dark. The walls surrounding was the color of dried blood. Skinless zombies roamed the vast yard. Their hoarse moans echoing in the castle with haunting music. Dead vines were attached onto the rough wall. Surrounding the grave mounds were thorny bushes of dry, brown roses. The garden was certainly true to its name. There was no life to bear here&ldots;no water, no sun for the garden to even nourish itself. All was dead with the exception of living dead.
Devar made his way to the southeast corner of the garden. He dumped the skeleton into a shallow hole. He shoveled dirt into the hole burying the hero's bones barely enough to cover them.
"Come, Devar. I'm going to seal this garden so that no one will be able to pass," Ganondorf said. Devar walked over to where Ganondorf was on the other side of the door opposite the garden.
"But, why, master?" questioned the demonic creature.
"Because I want no one near his body or what was his body, anyway. I don't want anybody finding out he's dead"
"How is that so? You've turned him into a bunch of bones. No one would know, would they?"
"I don't know but a seal would definitely block off any trespasser in search of the boy. If someone should find out, my plan might be ruined."
"Master, no one will be searching for Link. You are in a body that looks exactly like him." Ganondorf looked at himself, at the body he had become. Nobody could tell that the person inside this body was evil. Link has a clean slate and was everyone's friend. No one would figure the old wizard out.
A sinister smile crawled onto Ganondorf's lips. "I know." A grayish fireball formed in his hand. The triangle on the back of his right hand shining brightly as he performed his powerful spell. The ball grew larger with every blink and in a few minutes had become a barrier that surrounded the garden's walls and sealed its door. The walls could no longer be broken nor the door be opened. Only an object of equal strength as the Triforce of Power could break the barrier. And as one would know, only three people held such powers. One, the villain who created the barrier, two, the hero who was now dead, and three, the princess who suspected nothing.
"It's time I go visit Hyrule Castle." Ganon exclaimed. Then, he broke into an uncontrollable laughter. Victory would be his.
