Chapter 21: To Find Tranquillity     Chapter 23: The God of Evil

Chapter 22: The King of Evil

A pink crystal was forming around the princess. She cast several spells, some of which Link had never seen before, but the crystal’s surface hardened into an impenetrable shell. Link felt the shell, tapping it cautiously, and then slamming his fist into it with all his strength. He cast Nayru’s Love and drew the Master Sword, but even the legendary Evil’s Bane merely bounced off the caging spell.
A deep voice boomed through the Temple. “You foolish little bugs… you are no match for me! I commend you for eluding me for so long. At last, I have found the princess, and now Hyrule will truly be mine!” The cage began to rise and spin. Link tried one last futile time to shatter it, but failed.
“That was Ganondorf,” Navi said in a low voice. “The Triforce. Its strength gave him power to resist even the Master Sword.”
“I see,” Link said grimly, running out of the Temple.
“Rana! We need to go really fast! Ganondorf’s got Zelda!”
“What? How?”
“I have the Light Arrows!” Link hadn’t heard her startled shout.
The two Hylians tore up the hill to Ganondorf’s castle.
A giant, irregular block of stone supporting a huge tower built of black rock hovered over a lake of lava. Link skidded to a halt on the closest bit of solid ground, staring hopelessly at the distant, wide open gate. It was too far even for his hookshot.
“Don’t despair,” Saria’s voice sounded in his head. “We’re here.”
Light, unrolling like a carpet, many coloured, blossomed from the ground at Link’s feet and stretched in a wide arc to the gate.
He smiled at Rana and stretched out his hand. “Come on, kitten. We’re facing this one together, like we used to.”
Rana smiled broadly back at him and took his hand. Continue reading →

Chapter 20: The Broken Laugh     Chapter 22: The King of Evil

Chapter 21: To Find Tranquility

Rana’s brilliant green eyes slowly moved, shifting up near his face, then darting back to make sure his hands hadn’t moved.
Her gaze met his.
Abruptly, she fell over, clutching her stomach. Her face was crumpled up.
“Rana?”
She sat up slowly.
“Do you know what you are doing to me?” Her words were unsteady. “The memory… the pain… … your eyes… … your eyes… They are the same! I did know you… and I liked you, too! But the… remembering is the equivalent…”She mimed stabbing herself. “I… I…” She began to weep, tears pouring from her eyes now.
“Rana, I’m sorry… I will take you away from this. I’ll teach you yourself again.” He put his hand on her shoulder, and she did not flinch or slap it away; instead she took it with her own and held on with a tight grip.
“I must get you out of here,” Link said again after a while. Rana nodded and sat up, almost straight.
He picked her up and carried her to where Epona was waiting, with only a brief stop – Rana wanted her ocarina, and she knew where it was. Then he rode to Lon Lon Ranch. Continue reading →

Chapter 19: The Land of Sand     Chapter 21: To Find Tranquillity

Chapter 20: The Broken Laugh

“Nabooru?!?” Link cried in shock and disbelief. She didn’t seem to be hurt, although he had struck the hulking Ironknuckle in the torso more than once; perhaps the massive padding under the armour had protected her.
She raised herself to her knees. “Who… who are you…”
He knelt beside her, trying to help her stand. “My name’s Link. I met you seven years ago. Do you remember?”
Two swirls appeared in the corner of the room, condensing into witches; one with red and black robes, the other with blue and black.
“Oh, look, Koume, she’s woken up again.”
“Oh dear, Kotake, you’re right. What should we do with her?”
Nabooru sprang to her feet, keeping a wary eye on both of them, growling like a wolf.
“Let’s lock her up again,” said Koume. Both witches now held glowing balls of light in their colours.
“Run, Nabooru!” Link shouted, jumping in front of her. The Gerudo woman didn’t need telling twice. She was out the door before the old crones could fire their spells.
Instead, they fired them at Link, who blocked them both with the Mirror shield.
“We’ll wait for them in the big room, right, Kotake?” cackled Koume.
“We will, Koume,” screeched Kotake. With a swirl, they both disappeared. Continue reading →