Hero's Trail - Chapter 28

Chapter 28: Courage's Beloved

Farore had Din's head in her lap, slowly murmuring in Hylian with tears flowing down her eyes. Nayru was at her side, doing her best to comfort the former Goddess of Courage. Zelda had kept her eye on the dark sky, looking for a sign, a sound, something that told her that Link was alive.

So she was the first to notice the rift of light that flared in the sky, basking light over the ruins of Castle Town.

Nayru and Farore raised their gazes to see Iaruk Mandrag fall from the rift and hit the last of the ruins. As the rift began to close, an immortal figure in a far more worldly form tore from it. Link hit the ground next to Zelda, causing the Princess to yelp, and raised his pearl gaze as he swiftly pulled the Mask of Truth from his face.

Ganon's form slowly shifted, fading from twisted immortal figure to Dark Beast of Power to the Dark Lord, Ganondorf. Farore and Nayru glanced at each other, then turned towards the center of the impact point.

A dark sound emerged from the point, and Zelda gasped. Ganondorf was laughing. He slowly stumbled to his feet, unleashing a deranged, wild laugh upon the sky, soft and yet solid.

"It is futile."

The words tore across the empty space to strike the Oni Kami hard. He stumbled backwards, nearly dropping his blade as Ganondorf's laugh continued. He stumbled to his feet, revealing the immortal changes were still there.

"You may have courage, you may have immortality, but your equipment is insufficient."

Nayru glanced at the warrior between them with concern. Ganondorf shook his head and continued to laugh. His bloodred hair rippled with the force, his eyes swirled with otherworldly darkness.

"How will you slay me without the right weapon and the right arcana?"

Farore raised her tearful eyes to the one she loved. Link turned towards her, then back to Ganondorf... and then to a point halfway between.

A surge of magic flew from his blade as the Oni Kami swept it forward. It tore through the wreckage that had once been the Temple of Time, revealing a shining, undamaged sword that made Ganondorf's eyes widen and made the Kishin stance.

"I don't need to. I have both."

He shot forward, emerald wind tearing around him. He switched the dual helix blade to his other hand and drew the Master Sword from the Pedestal of Time; then he thrust towards Ganondorf, who could see his end approaching. He closed his eyes, spread his hands, and threw his head backwards.

And for the first time, Ganondorf Dragmire accepted his fate.

The Blade of Evil's Bane pierced Ganondorf's heart, causing him to erupt in an unheard scream. Wordless arcana wrapped around his body, and his darkness rippled away as the force of light pored through his body.

The Dark Lord faded into nothingness.

Link stepped backwards as a thousand particles of ruby red energy flowed from where Ganondorf had vanished. They shimmered through the air, flowing across the ruin of Castle Town and into Din's body. A flash of light emerged, and the holy shape of Power - five interlocking diamonds - appeared briefly over her body.

Farore's eyes widened as life flowed back into Din. First it came as a pulse. Then a breath. Then Din gasped for air, let it out in a shaky breath. She stumbled to her hands and knees, stumbling weakly. Zelda didn't dare step forward; it was far to momentous to intrude.

Nayru watched in shock as the Goddess of Power weakly fell back into a sitting position.

"What did I tell you?"

Din raised her gaze to see Link standing there. The Oni Kami had gone, the immortality parted from his body. Neither of the Agyru Cuffs was on his wrists. The Golden Scales had removed themselves from his body. The Shard of Agony and Lens of Truth were in his hands, not part of them, and the Mask of Truth was under his arm. The Mirror Shield was on the ground before him. Even his Kokiri Tunic was gone; Link was standing there with nothing but a bright white pair of shorts on his person.

Nayru looked at him as he stepped forward. "Nothing is impossible if you so much as speak the means of achieving it. For every darkness, there is a light to counter it. Learn from this. Give up again and you will find yourself pained. Am I understood, Goddess?"

"Yes," Nayru replied. "I understand... Hero. I apologize."

"Don't," Link replied. "The odds were against us. There was no way of knowing we would succeed. It was sheer coincidence that the girl I love would be the source of the power I need - I can see why you thought it futile."

Farore had tears in her eyes as Link approached her. "It was you, Farore," he said softly. "It was your immortality that gave me the form of the Kishin. It was your courage that gave me the strength to fight him. You know that, don't you?"

A weak smile appeared on Farore's face. "You're back..."

Link chuckled briefly. "Come here."

He pulled her close in a soft, tight hug. Farore returned it, letting tears of wind flow down her face. Link let her cry, let her wash away everything that was tearing around her.

When at last they parted, Farore weakly wiped her face on her dress. "I must look like a mess," she gasped.

"Farore," Link said slowly, "I'm in a pair of shorts. I just killed the greatest darkness this realm will ever know."

"And you caled me hotter than hell?"

Another soft laugh emerged from Link. He briefly pressed his lips against hers and turned towards Din and Nayru.

Din was the first to speak. "Farore, I... I apologize for my behavior, that evening on Hyrule Field. I can see now that your words were not empty. You truly do love him. And I was too naive to accept that." She closed her eyes and bowed her head softly.

"It's alright," Farore said weakly. "I understand the source for your actions. Your apology is accepted."

Nayru stepped forward. "Link... what has happened to..."

Link cut her off by holding out a hand. A blackened diamond fell into it, causing Nayru's eyes to widen. Link raised the diamond to what minimal light he could see, glancing through it.

"Imbued in this diamond is the spirit of the Oni Kami," he stated. "It holds Farore's immortality. It holds my Darkness. It is scarred by each of the Sacred Sages. This will only surely work once. Upon the time it is unleashed, I cannot say that it might ever be contained again."

He turned to Zelda, who softly stumbled forward. "Princess Zelda Cynthia Hyrule, I entrust the spirit of Kishin to your care. Do not use it hastefully, not even as a last resort."

Zelda accepted the diamond carefully. She kept it in her hand as Link turned to Din. "I shall be seeing you," he said softly.

Slowly, the gear he had once held appeared again. The Kokiri Tunic slowly materialized over his body. The Agyru Cuffs shimmered into place, both lying on one hand. The Golden Scales formed, resting on the other. He turned to Farore, who pulled herself from the ground and stepped forward.

Link handed her one of the Agyru Cuffs and one of the Golden Scales. She accepted both of them, then held her hand out to Link. Link hesitated only long enough to pick up the Mirror Shield and place it on his back before accepting it softly.

The two of them faded, leaving Zelda, Nayru, and Din standing where had once stood a dark tower fit for an immortal.