You’re begging me to go, you’re making me stay
Why do you hurt me so bad?
It would help me to know
Do I stand in your way, or am I the best thing you’ve had?
Believe me, believe me, I can’t tell you why
But I’m trapped by your love, and I’m chained to your side

We are young, heartache to heartache we stand
No promises, no demands
Love is a battlefield
We are strong, no one can tell us we’re wrong
Searching our hearts for so long, both of us knowing
Love is a battlefield
~Pat Benetar “Love is a Battlefield”

Chapter 25
The Seal is Broken

“Marth!” Zelda fought her way through the crowds, trying to glimpse him through the chaos. “Marth!”

Now that the Sages had been subdued Marth’s army seemed to be congregating in one spot. All fighting had seemed to cease, but every soldier was pushing and vying to get to a particular location.

Zelda had seen the man in green, ‘Link’, attack Marth. This had to be where the soldiers were fleeing.

“Let me through!” Zelda cried, pushing her way into the throng. With great effort she made her way forward. Yes, the soldiers seemed to be creating a circle around something, watching intently. Moving closer Zelda could make out two figures fighting. A little closer and she was sure, it was Marth and Link.

Both men had murderous looks in their eyes, their faces cold and venomous. The man in green had the upper hand at the moment. He was swinging his sword madly. Marth was blocking successfully, calm and collected though Link was attacking him with deadly ferocity.

His eyes showed that he was thinking- concentrating hard. He seemed to be biding his time, feeling out his opponent. Link, on the other hand, was slashing madly, trying desperately to hit Marth, and he seemed to be getting closer to attaining his goal with every second.

“Marth!” Zelda called out, fighting her way forward. Their blades were flashing and the fight was becoming brutal. She had to make it to him, before it was too late.

Suddenly the look in Marth’s eye changed. Like a coiled spring he jumped into action. He no longer waited. He attacked with all of his fury.

Marth screamed in rage and tore into the fight, but Link could not be beaten easily. Link blocked effortlessly and countered Marth’s attacks again and again. Once, in the fray, Link forsook his sword completely and his fist flew out of nowhere, hitting Marth in the face and knocking him back.

In his stunned state Marth barely noticed Link’s sword driving towards him until it was too late.

With a gasp and a strangled cry Marth staggered forward, holding his arm. Link’s blade had cut him, long and deep. Blood was flowing out profusely from the wound that ran from his elbow halfway to his shoulder. Now struggling to keep a hold of his sword he lunged forward.

Link might have been stronger than Marth, but Marth was quicker. Link was slashing wildly, rushing forward without thought. Marth dodged Link’s next blow and took a moment to think out his next move. Link took a clumsy swing and Marth ducked, springing back up and taking a slash of his own. The blade grazed Link’s forehead, making a thin cut just over Link’s eyebrow.

Marth thought he had gained back the advantage, but Link turned like a bull ready to charge and plowed his way into Marth before he could even react. Link’s shoulder hit Marth in the stomach and he was hurtled backward into a pillar; his breath swept from him. With a sudden feeling of suffocation Marth lurched backward, the Master Sword falling from his hands and landing on the ground between them.

Frantically, Marth fought his sickening dizziness and the pain in his stomach and lunged to recover his sword. Link’s eyes flashed and he dove for it as well, but Marth was too fast. Marth’s hand landed on the hilt of the sword, and Link’s fist landed below Marth’s eye. Marth fell backward, stunned and light headed. Link picked up the Master Sword in his left hand, transferring his spare blade to the right.

For a moment Marth’s world went black. His head spun and pain shot through him. He could feel blood pulsing to his eye and a warm wetness running down his face. When he opened his eyes it was to see Link rushing at him once more- and Marth now had no weapon.

Hastily wiping the blood from his eye Marth struggled to unsheathe his own sword. His soldiers had grown restless now, and many of them started forward to protect their Prince.

“No!” Marth shouted. “He’s mine!”

Link leapt into the air, both swords blazing. Marth barely had time to block, and staggered backward, trying to keep his feet. Link was relentless, striking over and over, Marth practically fleeing backwards to keep from being caught by one of the two blades.

Struggling to compose himself, Marth’s sword, the Falchion Blade, came to life. With every swipe and every blow the sword began to glow brighter and brighter, waves of energy blasting from its tip. Link dodged a particularly deadly blow, but the blast hit a pillar behind him. The pillar shattered it into a cloud of rock and dust which began to rain down. Link dove out of the way of the fallout, loosing his focus momentarily and Marth struck.

Link barely had time to block, but his wrath could not be subdued. His swords locked with Marth’s, and Marth was forced to retreat once more.

No matter how quickly Marth blocked Link stayed one step ahead. Marth took one more step backward and felt his back hit hard rock. Link caught Marth’s blade and pushed him back even further, pinning him to the dilapidated and crumbling wall of stone. Link pressed down on Marth’s blade. The wound on Marth’s arm opened even more under the strain. He winced in pain, gritting his teeth, unable to move his throbbing arm. He was caught, nowhere to go.

Link stared down at him, loathing etched into every line of his face. He pressed on Marth’s blade with such force that Marth’s feet started to leave the ground.

“He’s mine!” Marth cried out as the soldiers grew restless again. Zelda broke through the crowd, eyes gaping at the scene of horror before her. Marth was in danger. Link was going to kill him!

“No!” Link growled. “You’re mine!” He let Marth go and the Master Sword swung high and wide.

“NO!” with a strangled scream Zelda vanished and rematerialized between Link and Marth. Her arms flew outward and a glowing shield of light shot out in front of her. Link’s sword hit the barrier before he could stop it.

There was a flash of light, but the barrier held. Link’s entire body shuddered from the force of the blow. It was like hitting solid rock. His eyes went dark for a moment, and he staggered to keep his feet.

At the sight of her Link’s eyes widened. He looked suddenly terrified and stumbled backwards.

Zelda held her blade high, poised to strike. “You will not touch him!” she cried. Behind her Marth’s body slid to the ground, holding his bleeding arm, looking stunned.

“Zelda!” Link stammered, stepping towards her.

“Stay away from him!” Zelda warned, striking at him. Link blocked just in time.

“Zelda, it’s me!” Link cried, walking forward again. Zelda attacked once more, and Link was forced to block. “It’s me, Link! Don’t you know who I am?”

“I know who you are!” sudden rage had filled her and she attacked relentlessly now. “Marth told me all about you! You’re the one who stole the Triforce of Courage! You took the Master Sword from Aritia! It is your fault we have been unable to protect our Kingdom! You have brought this doom upon us! And now you try to kill our Prince and steal the Master Sword once more!” She was attacking furiously, Link blocking every swipe, being pushed backwards.

“He’s a liar!” Link shouted. He was suddenly angry, fighting back with more vigor, not only blocking but attacking slightly as well. “He’s lied to you! The Triforce belongs in Hyrule! The Master Sword belongs in Hyrule! You belong in Hyrule!”

“Stop it! Marth is not a liar!” Zelda replied, her voice defensive, frightened. “He would never lie to me!”

“Zelda, please!” Link begged.

“Enough!” Zelda shouted. She couldn’t lose Marth now. Marth was all she had. “Enough!”

Behind her Marth was getting to his feet.

Growling, Link lunged around Zelda, trying to get to Marth, but Zelda jumped in his way, locking blades with him, pressing back on him. “NO!” she shrieked.

Zelda pressed against his sword harder and harder. Link held his ground, but would not use his full force. Then he glanced Marth again, and all at once he lost control and pushed back with all of his might. Zelda’s small body went flying, landing on the ground with a thump. Shaking her head, she sat up- her icy glare falling upon Link. Her hand raised slowly to her face, wiping blood from a cut on her lip.

Link’s sword clattered to the ground, his hands shaking.

“What have I done…” he whispered.

He had hurt her.

He had hurt her- the one person he had sworn to protect with his life. He looked into her eyes. They were full of fear and yet utterly determined. He knew those eyes. This was Zelda. He loved her more than life itself. He would die for her in an instant.

He would not hurt her ever again.

As she got to her feet she waved her arms and a wave of blue light shot from her hands, hitting him hard. He toppled to the ground and rolled over once or twice. Her power was unbelievable. As he tried to get to his feet he winced in pain.

“Pick up your weapon,” she said softly, her arms raised in attack mode, breathing sharply.

“No,” Link shook his head.

“I will not fight an unarmed man,” she replied with a shake of her head.

“I will not fight you,” Link replied firmly.

“You surrender, then?”

“I will not hurt you, Zelda,” Link said, his voice filled with desperation.

Without a word she sent another blast toward him. He hit the ground and couldn’t get back up. Though she had not hurt him, she had bound him. Both his ankles and his wrists were bound tightly together with shackles composed of the same light-like substance as the dome the Sages were contained in.

Holding his bleeding arm with care Marth marched over to Link’s fallen form and pulled him into a kneeling position. It was then that Roy and Elice appeared on the edge of the crowd, looking completely stunned at the scene before them.

“Marth, no!” Elice shrieked, rushing forward, but Roy caught her arm and held her back.

“It is over, Link,” Marth spoke in a low voice. “You have lost. I have Zelda, I have the Master Sword and now I have you. Give me your Triforce.”

“No,” Link replied, shaking with fury once more.

“I said, give me your Triforce!”

Link made no response and Marth punched him hard across the face. Zelda watched in horror and from the outside edge of the crowd Elice shrieked once more. Blood trickled out of Link’s nose as Marth pulled him back into a sitting position.

“Marth, stop it,” Zelda said softly, in almost a hollow voice. Marth’s brutality was a completely unexpected and she could not stand by it. “He’s unarmed and bound. You can’t do this!”

Marth ignored her. “Give it to me!” he shouted, grabbing Link by his hair and forcing his face to look upwards.

Link glared up at Math with complete and utter hatred. “You fool. I tried to tell you this before. I can’t give it you. You’ll have to kill me for it. It isn’t mine to give. I couldn’t give it to you if I wanted to, and believe me, you would have to kill me anyway. I would be dead before I would see the Triforce in the hands of a savage, treacherous demon like you!”

Shaking with rage, Marth screamed in Link’s face, “Give it to me!”

“I would rather die!” Link screamed back wildly.

Marth seemed momentarily stricken. Link looked utterly sincere. He had not anticipated this.

Marth backed a few steps away. More than anything his face showed fear.

“Kill me,” Link said, his eyes mocking Marth, sneering at him almost daringly, “but it won’t do you any good. Even if you get mine you will not have the power you want,” he continued.

“I want only the power to save my people!”

“How far will you go? Will you kill her too?”

At this Marth rushed forward once more, grabbing Link by the collar. “She will not be harmed!” Marth shouted, almost insanely.

“And what of the third piece? It is lost! You cannot have what you are seeking!”

“No, my plan will proceed. I know more of the Triforce than you could possibly know. After all, I learned from the best. Zelda!” he called.

Zelda was watching from a ways back, a frightened look on her face. At Marth’s beckoning she slowly approached.

“Open the seal,” Marth commanded.

Zelda stood shaking and silent, her eyes wide and terrified.

“Marth, no!” Elice cried, tears flowing now. She struggled frantically, but Roy held her tight, his face grim.

“Zelda, open the seal!” Marth said once more.

Zelda remained silent but nodded.

It took Link a moment to realize what was happening, but once he did madness seemed to overtake him.

“Zelda, no!” he screamed, writhing in his glowing shackles. “You can’t! He’ll be set free! Stop it! You can’t do this! Zelda!”

Marth turned to Link once more. “Shut up!” he shouted.

“I can’t do this,” Zelda felt herself whispering. She felt her arms rising as though pulled by invisible strings. She fought her body to stop, but against her will a ball of light began to glow between her raised hands.

“NO!” she shouted at herself. “NO!” But her body would not obey.

“Yes!” a voice screamed inside of her. “It is the only way!”

Tears blurred her eyes, but she could not stop herself.

“ZELDA, NO!!!!” Link bellowed, but it was too late.

The ball of light in her hands exploded, washing over the army and fading into the setting sun.

Silence fell.

For an instant Link hoped that maybe nothing would happen- but his hopes were soon dashed. The ground began to shake, ever so slightly- a faint rumble in the distance.

“This is it, Link,” Marth spoke. “Ganondorf will be released. It is hopeless. Now, give me your Triforce!”

“Are you insane?!” Link yelled back from his position of kneeling on the ground.

“Once he appears I will destroy him and the Triforce of Power will be mine!”

“Ganondorf cannot be defeated by you!” Link yelled incredulously. “He will kill you and your people! You have doomed us all!”

“We don’t have time for this!” Alan stepped suddenly out of the crowd, looking down on Link with disgust. “Hardin’s Army is coming. They are almost upon us!”

Marth looked shocked, as though he had forgotten they were on the brink of war. “Form ranks!” He shouted. “Line up, now!”

Immediately his men leapt into action, forming ranks behind them. As the crowds parted Zelda could see it: an army marching towards them just appearing over the horizon, extending so far on either side it was almost impossible to see it from end to end. Bathed in the red light of sunset the opposing army took on an imposing and threatening gleam, their rhythmic marching adding to the doom of the already rumbling ground and sky above.

With the army now lined up Impa and the Sages had a clear view of Link and the entire situation from their prison.

“Impa!” Saria gasped. “Look!” her trembling finger pointed at Link’s bound figure.

“Get it from him!” Alan shouted to Marth. “We are out of time!”

“I’m handling this!” Marth retorted. “GIVE ME THE TRIFORCE!” He pointed his sword at Link’s face, the blade inches away.

Zelda felt a cold shiver run down her spine. How had this happened? How had it come to this? Suddenly she felt a lurch from within. Looking over she saw that one of the women trapped in her dome of light was casting some sort of spell. She was trying to break free.

The dome flickered slightly. “Keep going, Impa!” Nabooru cheered desperately. “It’s working! Keep at it!”

Impa’s arms were raised, her face red with concentration. New determination had overtaken her. Power she did not know she possessed flowed freely from her. Though it drained her to the point of exhaustion, though she felt that at any moment she would collapse, though her body was shaking from the effort- the dome was weakening.

Zelda stretched out her arms to the dome, and the light grew brighter, her spell strengthening. Impa only doubled her efforts. It became a battle of wills. Impa fought to dispel the barrier and Zelda fought to keep it up.

“Kill him!” Alan shouted. “If he won’t give it up, kill him!”

Link began to struggle. Yelling and thrashing he fought his bonds. The symbol of the Triforce on the back of his hand began to glow brighter and his light-like bonds started to weaken.

Slowly Marth drew his sword.

“Marth, no!” Elice shrieked. This time Roy let her go. He couldn’t believe it. He couldn’t believe Marth would do this. “Stop this!” Elice cried, rushing to her brother’s side, Roy right behind her.

Link began struggling with new intensity, but Alan wouldn’t have it.

“Lay still, filth!” Alan commanded, and kicked Link in the stomach. He crumpled, gasping for breath.

Zelda looked at Link’s writhing figure and felt as though she had been kicked in the stomach as well. Though she continued to pour her efforts into containing the Sages, inside she was screaming.

Why, though? This was the man who had doomed Aritia. He was a thief, a liar.

So why did her heart break to see him in such pain?

“Zelda!” Link spoke, softly calling her, his voice no longer angry, but terribly, terribly sad.

At the sound of his voice Zelda’s felt a cold chill sweep over her, and she looked at him.

Who was he? His eyes bored into her, those eyes of deep blue. They seemed somehow familiar.

“Zelda!” the cry came from the tiny girl in green trapped in her dome. Zelda glanced at the girl only momentarily. Their eyes locked and Zelda felt suddenly ashamed. She couldn’t look her in the eye. She couldn’t face her sorrow.

Marth stepped towards Link, his sword rising, and the rumbling in the ground grew. The sky seemed to tremble. Overhead clouds had begun to gather.

“Kill him!” Alan shouted.

“Marth!” Elice was nearly there now. “Marth, don’t do this!”

“I have to!” Marth shouted. Elice stopped dead just feet from her brother. Roy stood beside her, his sword drawn, confusion in his eyes.

Zelda stood trembling, trying to uphold her magic when inside she simply wanted to give up. She wanted to let go, but her body wouldn’t let her.

And still the one called Link looked at her. A tear ran down her cheek- a tear for him.

“Marth, think about what you’re doing!” Roy said, his voice riddled with disbelief. “It doesn’t have to be this way!

“Don’t do this!” Elice sobbed.

“I have to!” Marth repeated desperately. “I don’t have a choice!” his voice cracked, becoming low and full of pain. “It doesn’t matter now, Elice. Don’t you see? It’s too late for me. It doesn’t matter what I do! I can never be clean again.” His face was torn in agony, but he took a step forward. “I can never be clean again!” he shouted manically, his heart seeming to break as he said it.

A muffled shriek echoed from the dome. Saria’s tear stained face was staring at the scene in horror. Darunia was pounding on the dome with all of his might. Nabooru was shouting and cursing and Ruto was trying to steady Impa who was still fighting to dispel the barrier.

Zelda hung on. Her mind screamed at her to let go. She couldn’t get those eyes from her mind. Link… he had called him Link. Her body ached and her head throbbed, tears streaming from her eyes. She wanted to open her mouth- to cry out, to stop this, but she could not. Her arms were frozen in position, outstretched and upholding the barrier. She tried to bring them down, but they would not budge. It was as though her body was made of stone, stuck in place, immovable.

She was a slave to the power she possessed. No longer was she wielding it. It was wielding her.

Above them the billowing gray clouds had begun to swirl in the gathering darkness of the firmament. Thunder rumbled. The ground shuttered. The sound of marching footsteps drew nearer, like an approaching storm. On the horizon a bolt of lighting struck- lightning as black as the night sky.

Marth raised his sword.

Link looked up at Marth’s towering figure. He didn’t struggle anymore. He kneeled before his former friend, beaten and shattered- prepared to die. His eyes fell once more on Zelda, his love. She was white as a ghost, trembling with horror struck eyes that seemed to look just as deeply back at him.

She was beautiful even now.

“There is always a choice!” Elice screamed to her brother in desperation. Afraid to come any closer she stood just feet away, her arms outstretched, her face pleading. “This isn’t you, Marth! You aren’t a murderer! YOU DO HAVE A CHOICE!” Her tremulous cry echoed through the silence.

Marth looked thunderstruck. His sister’s words rung in his ears, and suddenly he could heard another voice, echoing in his memory, clear and strong.

“Yes, sometimes sacrifices must be made, but you cannot choose who to sacrifice. Who are you to make such a decision?”

Marth was frozen in place, unable to move, barely able to breathe.

“You are not a coward, and you aren’t a heartless, selfish person,” Zelda’s words from seemingly so long ago had risen in volume and power. ”WHO ARE YOU TO MAKE SUCH A DECISION?”

Slowly, his face still dazed, Marth looked at Zelda. She was crying. He had never seen such an image of sorrow.

Marth looked away from her, back at Link. His heart was pounding. His arms were shaking. He gripped his sword tighter.

His arm lowered slightly, staring at his sister. She looked into his eyes, silently pleading. For a moment Elice thought she had stopped him, that she had gotten through.

Then Marth’s sword swung up once more, quickly and sharply.

Link closed his eyes and hung his head so low it nearly touched the ground, exposing the back of his neck, waiting for the blow. “I am the Hero of Time,” the words escaped his lips without thought, loudly and clearly. “You must know that I will fight for you, Princess Zelda, no matter where or when or how I must… I will fight for you.” His words hit Zelda with such force she thought she might collapse from the blow.

Her heart ceased to beat. Breath escaped her. Memories flooded her mind, and she pulled them closer, drinking them in.

She knew that voice. She knew him! Link… Link!

“I will die for you,” Link whispered, but Zelda could hear it as clearly as if he had shouted in her ear. “I love you.”

“Link,” she whispered, blinking tears from her eyes.

“LINK!” She could see him- her Link. He had believed her when no one else would. He had risked all to help her save the Triforce from Ganondorf, the King of Darkness. Link had risked his life for her. She could see the battle, see Link’s struggle to save her.

Once again her heart was torn as she watched herself, as if in a dream, sending him back home- not sure if she would ever see him again.

But she had. Link had come for her. He had stood beside her as they returned back home to ridicule and derision. He had endured so much. She could see his pain as he lived a life of aimless wandering: isolated and exiled.

How she had loved him… every feeling she had ever had for him flowed back into her as she relived her entire life in an instant.

It had nearly killed her when he had left her… but that didn’t matter now. He was back. He was here, now.

He was in danger, and she would save him.

A veil of darkness seemed to lift from her eyes. She could see for the first time.

“LINK, NO!” the cry escaped her lips, tearing through the twilight, echoing through the silence. It was a chilling scream, a scream of utter desperation. With a cry she fought against her body, taking back control. She would no longer be a statue. She forced her arms to move.

Marth’s sword came down in one swift stroke.

Time seemed to slow as every eye watched the blade falling closer and closer.

Instead of completing the swing the blade flew from his hand, fell and landed in the ground at his side at the very instant that Zelda’s arms flew inward, letting go of the seal.

“I can’t do it!” Marth panted, sinking to his knees, but his voice was silenced as the light barriers shattered like glass. The bonds that held Link seemed to burst, exploding outward with a wave of power that sent Marth, Roy, Elice and Alan flying. Link’s body lurched and then, as the light moved on, he fell back to the ground.

The dome exploded and the wave of magic spread out over them, knocking everyone to the ground. Soldiers toppled like rag dolls. The Sages were thrust to the ground with powerful force.

With a rush the power exited Zelda’s weary body and she faltered, her body crumpling.

Zelda felt as though her head had been smashed with a rock. She lay on the ground, feeling sick. Her body felt shattered, as though she would never move again.

She lifted her head with great effort. Link was there. Link! Her heart had never felt so light. He was here!

“Kill him!” Alan was getting to his feet, unsteady on the ever shaking ground.

“No!” Marth replied coldly, rising to his feet he pulled his sword’s blade from the earth.

“You are the Prince,” Alan retorted. “You must kill him.”

“I will not!” Marth replied fervently, then his voice dropped, but somehow sounded stronger. “I cannot.”

“Coward! If you will not save Aritia,” Alan bellowed madly, unsheathing his sword, “then I will!”

Link could feel Alan approaching. He had to defend himself. He rolled onto his back, and tried to stagger to his feet, but Alan was already upon him, sword raised. With a cry Alan’s blade swiped, heading straight for Link’s neck.

Marth rushed forward, but Alan was too close. Elice jumped to her feet and screamed. Roy tried to get there in time, but he had fallen too far from them.

There was no time. Alan’s blade flashed.

“NO!” Zelda screamed, this time filled with rage. Once more she shot a beam of magic from her hands. It caught Alan in the stomach and his body flew backward into the rock wall with such force that some of the bricks cracked. With a crash of metal armor on stone his body slipped to the ground, stone and dust and debris raining down upon him.

In an instant Zelda was on her feet. Link lay on the ground only feet away. His eyes were wide, his breathing heavy, still shaken and not certain of what was to come next.

“Zelda!” Marth jumped in front of her, placing himself between her and Link. “Zelda, please-“

“You!” Zelda burst, her eyes flaming. “You lied to me!” she spoke with quiet, trembling fury.

“No-“ Marth stammered helplessly. He grabbed her hand but she pulled it away.

“Do not touch me!” she shouted.

“Zelda-“

“Don’t you dare touch me! You used me to further your own ends! You made me think you cared! And like a fool I believed you! You took me in, you spun your web around me and left me to hang! I thought you- and the whole time- the entire time all you really cared about was- all you really wanted was-“ she cut off, unable to go on.

“I do care for you! Please, listen to me!” Zelda glared at him and tried to bypass him but he stepped in her way. “I can explain, please!” he cried. She once again tried to sidestep him, but he caught her wrist.

Zelda’s fist balled and her arm flew back and she turned on him with deadly fury. Her fist shot out and hit him in the face. Marth instantly released Zelda’s wrist, flew backward and hit the ground. He lay still, dazed upon the ground.

Breathing in short, infuriated gasps Zelda turned her back on him, her eyes falling on Link who was sitting on the ground before her, his back against a crumbling pillar, staring at her in disbelief.

She stepped forward slowly. Link gazed up at her as though she were something from a dream. Her golden hair danced on the breeze. Her blue eyes shimmered in the twilight.

She moved so gracefully. She was as beautiful as ever. He loved her, now more than ever before.

Instantly Zelda fell upon him, as though her legs could no longer hold her up. Her arms wrapped around his neck. She buried her face in his chest and sobbed.

“Link,” she whispered over and over. If felt so good to say his name. She held onto him, afraid to let go.

Link couldn’t move. He was so stunned- so overwhelmed at all that had just happened that he couldn’t move. All he could do was sit in silent shock, reveling in the feeling of Zelda’s head against his chest.

Slowly he raised his hand, convinced he was in a dream. This couldn’t be real- it simply couldn’t. Hesitantly he put his hand on her head, stroking her hair tentatively. After a moment his hand slowly began to fall towards her face, as though making sure she was real. At his touch her eyes opened, glistening with tears. His fingers caressed her cheek, entranced.

“You came,” she whispered in loving awe.

“I will always come for you,” Link replied in a hushed voice.

A smile mixed with joy and grief graced Zelda’s face. She wrapped her arms around his waist, wanting to stay close.

Link couldn’t speak. He had no words for this moment. He had dreamed of it for so long…. She was so close now: just inches away. Without a word he slowly closed his eyes, moving his face towards hers almost timidly.

Her eyes started to close, her heart beating against her chest. Their lips drew near- and then the earth gave a violent lurch.

Both Zelda and Link’s eyes flew open, released instantly from their trance. Zelda looked out onto the horizon and could see a strange shimmering, as though the earth was trembling. The wave seemed to be moving closer to them, like a great rushing wind it was sweeping in, closer and closer.

Not far off Hardin’s army seemed to shiver. The wind rushed over them, and soldiers toppled to the ground. The wave rolled on, and the ground beneath Zelda and Link began to thunder and pitch. Link wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.

“What’s happening?” Link called over the now deafening rumbling.

“The Gate of Time is closing!” she gasped suddenly.

Link had completely forgotten what day it was. The seven years had passed. It had been on this day, at this time when he had once fought and sealed Ganondorf into the void between dimensions. The paths of time had finally ceased to overlap. It was over. Time had been rewritten.

Zelda now began to tremble, not from the shaking of the earth around her, but from fear of what she had done: of what was going to happen. The Temple of Time was sealing this new path into place: a path where Ganondorf was no longer sealed away.

“Link- he’ll be free!” Zelda shouted in horror. “I opened the seal!”

“What?” Link shouted over the roaring of the wind.

Zelda did not reply. Another fear was gripping her: fear of what would become of Link and herself, now that time had been changed permanently. They now had truly never fought Ganondorf together. She was not willing to give up the memories she had only just regained.

She could feel the wave growing closer: beginning to wash over her. Once more her body and the world around her began to shake so violently she thought she might just be dashed to pieces. She shut her eyes tight and held onto Link even tighter.

“Please don’t let me forget him again,” she pleaded silently. “I don’t want to forget.”

Link’s grip around her strengthened in response to the great rushing and rumbling that had engulfed them. Once more Zelda relived her life in an instant. It was all there: every moment. Link was there- and she held onto him. No matter what thought rushed through her mind, no matter what memory billowed around her she held onto Link and she refused to let go.

As suddenly as it had come the great wave passed over them. The rumbling grew dimmer: and shaking began to subside. At last Zelda opened her eyes- and there was Link. He smiled at her, and she smiled back. She knew him- every line on his face, the clear blue light in his eyes, the strength in his arms. She knew him.

She would never forget him again.

She reached out her hand to touch his face, and at that moment an unearthly sound rent the sky. Terrible and bone chilling, it echoed from the gathering of black clouds that was billowing and swirling above their heads: the sound of maniac laughter. It boomed down upon them, low and menacing, causing the ground to shake even more violently.

Link leapt to his feet, holding Zelda’s hand and pulling her up as well. She stood beside him, but he pushed her back, standing in front of her protectively. He thrust his shield in front of him, drawing his sword, his eyes searching the sky warily.

All around them soldiers were getting to their feet, their eyes turned upward, apprehensively searching for the source of the oddly threatening laughter.

Roy stood uneasily, helping Elice up after him. She stood beside him, her expression frightened. Tentatively, Roy took her hand, expecting her to pull away, but she did not.

Marth staggered to his feet and retrieved his sword from the ground. His eyes spotted Zelda standing with Link and he suddenly felt that his legs might not hold him up after all.

The laughter was growing louder now- rising to such intensity that it was nearly deafening.

A bolt of black lighting shot out of the swelling, churning mass of clouds above. It hit the ground with a tremendous CRASH. Soldiers went flying. Electricity filled the air. Tension, thick and palpable, was now all around them.

In the distance Hardin’s approaching army seemed to have stopped. Even from afar it was clear that his soldiers were apprehensive about what they were marching into.

Another bolt of lighting: the ground lurched so fiercely that Zelda nearly lost her footing, but Link steadied her.

“He’s broken through,” Zelda whispered in a horrified undertone.

“What?” Link asked, still gazing upward tensely.

“Ganondorf…” Zelda breathed. “What have I done?”

Link turned to her suddenly, opened his mouth to speak- but was cut short. At that moment the black sky seemed to shatter. A bolt of lighting erupted from the depths of the clouds hitting the ground with such force that it looked as though a bomb had gone off. A massive crater opened in the ground. Dirt and dust and rocks flew into the air with incredible velocity.

The rumbling seemed to shake Zelda to her very core. She, Link and everyone else faltered and fell to the ground. Dust rained down on her like a heavy downpour from the heavens.

For a moment she could see nothing but Link’s vague form beside her in the dust cloud. The laughter was now so loud, so clear and so malicious that she felt rooted in place. She could remember that laughter now. She knew the cruelty that lay beneath it. She knew the evil that had just been reawakened.

Then the dust began to settle. Through the gloom Zelda could see it- a figure, massive and imposing, emerging from the crater. Clad in black from head to foot he took great pounding strides. Power and malice radiated from his every move.

The air was now clear, and every eye looked upon the towering man, standing amidst the chaos and wreckage: laughing. Ganondorf, the King of Darkness, had returned.