Prologue

The cool summer breeze played with his long brown hair, flapping it behind him. He stood at the end of the land, staring out at the warm blue sea, a lonely man, lost in his memories. His thoughts took him back to times long past, when Hyrule was alive, before the coming of Darkness; times when the legendary hero ruled these sacred lands. The memories hurt, the pain was unbelievable, but they also brought a bitter smile to his lips. He wandered these lands alone for years, death and sorrow all around him, but now he has a goal: the temple.

Finally, he turned his back on the ocean, and for the first time in years he would walk away from it. The ocean was the only thing which looked like it may contain life, but he knew that beneath that beautiful exterior, the undersea world was as dead as the land.

His legs carried him forward, and he never stopped. He saw the temple ahead of him, just a small dot on the horizon, but as the setting sun was replaced by the moons, it grew larger. The days turned into nights, and back again, but his feet did not stop. He walked and walked for days, until the temple was right in front of him.
It was not a temple really, just a small doorway which led to an underground chamber. The land surrounding it was barren, but this was not always so. He remembered that this was where Hyrule Castle stood, before the evil plague took over the land and destroyed it.

He entered the temple, and the stairway that presented itself to him took him to a small stuffy room. It reeked of atrophy and death even though the flesh of the Hylian buried in it decayed hundreds of years ago. The skeleton lay in one corner of the room, the sword that destroyed many an evil lay in its right hand. The blade was cut off, and only the hilt remained. He walked up to it and picked it up, the first time he saw the Master Sword in his hands. A small picture of the Triforce was embossed on it, and suddenly, the tears swelled up in his eyes. All those times were long gone, now nothing remained except sorrow and death, and him.

He returned the hilt to its place, and he found that parting it was difficult. Even though the sword was damaged, he could still here its song; a song of light, beauty and purity. All of which were destroyed from the land.
His attention was turned to the walls, which were covered with engraved writing. He assumed that these were carved with the small edge of the blade that remained of the Master Sword.

He began to read the words of courage.

* * *

I sit alone surrounded by four walls, my once trusted blade in my hand, as I slowly etch these words. I write this story in the hope that it will be read one day, but my hopes are in vain. Above the temple where I reside, no life exists on the sacred lands of Hyrule. I have destroyed the evil, and I try to smile, but the smile that comes out has no happiness in it. It is a smile of despair, for I am smiling at the waste of it all. All that I have ever loved or ever loved me; all down, all gone down. I put too much faith in the Triforce, that nothing could go wrong with it beside me, and as they say faith is stronger than stone. Unfortunately I learned too late that in time, all stones are worn away by water.It all began when I received a visit from an old friend. Ganondorf Dragmire came to see me; a visit that will change my life.

Forever.

 

Chapter 1: A Visitor

Alain fought with all his might, but his father was always too strong for him. He tried everything he was taught, he used every ounce of strength and speed that he had, but in the end, his teacher, as always, bested him. After yet another loss, he gave up, and collapsed on the floor.

" Zelda, come watch your son! He can't even beat an old man like me!" Link said.

Zelda was sitting against a tree, nibbling on an apple and watching her husband and son train. She was thinking about her dead father, but she still refused to weep. She simply waved at them.

" You're not that old father."

" I wot you're lying."

" You're too strong!"

" Ah! Now that's were you're wrong. Strength has nothing to do with it. If you and I were to see who could pick up the largest rock, you'd carry one double the weight of mine, and with your mother on top mayhap, but when you're fighting, it all lies in here." He said, and with that he tapped his head lightly.

" Son, do you remember what I taught you."

" Yes father, I do not fight with my sword; I fight with my mind."

" And remember that! Son, the Triforce is split into courage, power and wisdom. To be a great warrior, you must balance all those in you're heart. You cannot fight with courage alone, or power alone. Ganon has tried and always failed. Learn that, and you will mayhap become as good as me someday."

" I'll see you fade into nothing father."

" Ha! The day that'll happen is the day the sun rises from the west and sets in the east!"

Alain started to get up, but no sooner than he got to his feet a castle guard came running towards Link. The look on his face did not bode good news, and when he spoke, it was between ragged breaths.

" Your majesty! Ganondorf is here to see you!"

Alain noticed that Link was bewildered at first; he had never gotten used to being called your majesty. But then the guard's message sunk in, Link's hands dropped to his sword. He pulled it out, and now Alain could see the tall figure of Ganondorf Dragmire emerging from where the guard came.

* * *

Link was not really shocked by what the guard told him. Ganondorf had been quiet for a while now, ever since the days of the Ocarina of Time, but he was always expecting him to attack, and more so after he was crowned king. What he was shocked at was the guard calling him your majesty. He had been coronated less than 2 months ago, and now Hyrule was depending on him. That was what really shocked him.

He saw Ganondorf just as he did on that forsaken day, when the rain was pouring down and Zelda with her maid Impa rushed past him on their beautiful white stallion. He was wearing the same armour, his skin was still the colour of dead grass, and his hair was still that fiery red. This time his hair was tied back in a ponytail, but the site of him still brought a cold shiver down his spine.

He pulled the Master Sword from it sheath, but it was dead.

He looked at it in awe, the only weapon against true evil, but now it was just as any other. As much as he tried, he could not will it glow, as it usually did in the presence of darkness. Glow, he repeated in his head, Glow!
The Master Sword glimmered, but then died out again. It seemed to speak to him in his mind, the first time it ever did, and the last time. There is no evil here, warrior.

Link looked up and received the third shock of the day, and there were more waiting for him just around the corner.
Ganondorf was down on one knee, his head facing down, his arms lying limp by his side. He tried to compose himself, and without really thinking, he moved the Master Sword towards his right shoulder, then to his left. Finally he placed it back in its sheath.

" You may rise Ganondorf, " he said, and only hoped that the fake tone of authority that he used did not sound fake to the others.

" Thankee-sai," came the reply. He rose slowly, with a small smile on his lips. " Forgive me for barging in like this, but I have important matters to discuss."

" And what may those be?"
" The legacy of darkness is nigh."

Link choked on this. From the first sight of Ganondorf he was preparing for anything, but he never thought of preparing for this! He stood there, speechless, looking up at the hulk standing in front of him.

Chapter 2: The Coming of the Legacy

Link knew about the legacy of darkness, the years when humanity will fail and their souls taken away from them. The book of Mudora said that it will begin during the Year of the Comet, but as far as he knew no comet passed near their world.

" I saw the Comet pass last night," Ganondorf said, as if reading his last thought. Link still stood speechless, and out of the corner of his eyes he saw Zelda wake up from her daydreams. Alain stood behind him, his legs on the verge of giving up on him again.

" When I saw it, " he continued," I rode here as fast as I can, but I was already too late. It has already taken over the kingdom. Only the holder of the Triforce can withstand its power."

At this Link finally found his voice. He said "But-," and then gave a hopeless look towards Alain.
Ganondorf walked towards Alain and put his hands on his shoulders. He stared at him for what seemed like ages, and finally spoke two words to him. He whispered them, so his father could not here, but Link was pretty sure they were I'm sorry.

Zelda collapsed on the floor, her eyes swelling up with tears. Link ran towards her and put his arms around her, trying to comfort her, console her with words, but he found nothing that could help her. His own emotions were in ruins too.

Ganondorf put out his hand towards them. "Come, we must get going. The town folk are already headed this way."
Link took one hand, and Zelda took the other. He closed them around theirs and pulled them up. Turning to Alain, he said, " I want you to go, take my horse and ride to my temple. The Rusher knows the way, and you should be safe there. Whatever you do, do not go out unless we come to you, and for your father's sake, don't let yourself be seen by anyone!"

Ganondorf put two fingers to his mouth and whistled out loud. His horse Rusher came from nowhere, and appeared standing in front of him. " Go now, and may the gods be with you! We certainly need them on our sides."
Alain started to walk towards Rusher, but just before mounting he looked at his parents. " Goodbye father. Goodbye mother."

That was it. Those were the only words that could come out of his mouth. He turned around and mounted Rusher. The horse suddenly took off, and after galloping for a few metres, it disappeared, with him onboard. Throughout the way, he could hear his mother weeping softly behind.

* * *

They stood there for a few more seconds, just looking at each other. A voice suddenly broke the silence, and it was not theirs. It seemed to be coming from inside them.

" There are those fools. Get them!"
A huge mob of people began to appear from where the guard came. They were armed with sticks, torches, swords, knives; anything they could get their hands on. Link stared at them, the first time he was truly terrified in his life, but not because of the people coming towards him.

Leading the mob was a strange creature. It did not really have any features, it changed its shape and size with every step, and he could see through it. With every word it spoke it turned to solid: the pitchest black he has ever seen.
Ganondorf began to run, dragging Zelda and Link with him. Finally they awoke out of their trance and began to run with him.

" You'll never get away from me you fools, and you know it!", the creature said.
Link could see that the Master Sword began to glow again, a fierce white that was blinding to look at.

Chapter 3: The Encounter

The three of them stood before the gates of Hyrule castle silently. The only sounds coming out of them were those of their ragged breaths. They did not speak to each other, nor did they even glimpse at each other. There was great danger inside. Link walked forward, the Master Sword, clutched in his hands, still throbbing that fierce white. The gates opened with a loud creak, as if they were waiting for them.

Three days have past since Ganondorf came to him at this very place, but those three days seemed like three years. The plague started by that wretched creature spread quickly, and they were driven from every place of refuge they could find. Finally Link got fed up with everything, and decided to end it all.

What he saw inside did not surprise him at all. It, whatever it was, waited for them at the end of the Great Hall which marked the castle's entrance. On either side was its brainless army.

" Come in, my friends," It said. This time its voice did not come from inside him, but the source was straight ahead. "I've been waiting for you."

Link said nothing, unaware that he forgot to breathe. He walked forward, and with every step he took the Master Sword glowed more vigorously. The harder it glowed, the hotter it became, and pretty soon it will start to boil his hand. Ganondorf and Zelda followed him, both silent.

" You six, seize them!" it bellowed.

Three people from either side of the crowd began towards them. They were armed with swords, and had shields for defence. Link started to charge at them, but then a hand fell on his shoulder. He looked back, and saw Ganondorf's solemn face staring back at him. His eyes motioned towards the others surrounding them, as if to say "What of those?".

So the guards came and seized them. As he was dragged towards the amorphous creature, he recognized who grabbed him from the left: it was his son Alain. He went through a range of emotions in a few seconds. First his heart sank in despair for his lost son. Then, as he heard the creatures laughs, a horrible sound that would have given nightmares to stone statues, his sorrow turned to hatred. His hate turned to anger, and soon, his fear subsided and courage took over. He managed to pry himself loose from the guards around him and ran towards it, his sword held high, now glowing like the sun. That was his Courage.

" Link, go for his eyes!" Zelda shouted. That was her Wisdom.

Ganondorf pushed his guards aside as if they were mere puppets. He held his hands above his head, whispering spells under his breath. Soon a ball of blue light emerged from between his hands. He threw the ball at Link, and as it struck him, it surrounded him. Its power seeped into the Master Sword as soon as it founded its target. That was his Power.

Epilogue

It screeched. A loud unearthly sound that made the earth shiver in revolt, the walls crumple as if made of ash. We tried to run but there was nowhere to hide; the sky had fallen on our heads. Its followers were still alive, and angry about there master's death. They surrounded us, captured us and we were tortured. Then I was cast into this dungeon, and this is where my story ends. I do not know what happened to Zelda or Ganondorf afterwards, nor do I know what became of Hyrule. I do know that my stomach is screaming for food, my throat crying out for water. I will soon die, I know, but that thought does not sadden me now.

I will finally be at piece.

* * *

He finished reading the story, and before long tears began to roll down his cheeks. Finally, Ganondorf stood up and wiped those tears from his eyes. He remembered those times, and the memories kept playing in his head, each day becoming strangely stronger and clearer than the other. He remembered the brainless Hylians taking Zelda down to the Hylian Seas. He supposed they forced her to walk the plank. All he knew was that he never saw her again.
The Hylians decided to let him be. They were not brainless after all, and they left him lonely and alone, without a friend to turn to. He wandered the lands for years, long after the Hylians died out. Thoughts of suicide did cross his mind then, but he was too afraid of committing the act.

He turned to look at the body of Link. He knelt beside it, strokng the skull affectionately. "Goodbye, my friend," were the only words he could mutter. He drew the blade he brought with him from its sheath and held it out before him, pointed towards his heart. Finally he drew up the courage and stabbed himself.

Ganondorf's body fell lifeless to the floor.

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