The Legend of Zelda

Chapter XVI

Ganon sat brooding in his throne room. All of his plans to subjugate the land had failed. His trusted generals had been slain by a whelp, and it seemed as though this same whelp would soon complete the Triforce of Wisdom. Fate was going to rule against him once again. The universe hated him too much to allow his plans to come to fruition. Ganon had absolutely nothing to be happy about.

But Ganon’s brooding was interrupted by the appearance of a lone Wizzrobe. The creature bowed humbly and stuttered, “M-my lord, we h-have found some very good news for you.”

“What is it, worm?” Ganon snapped.

“W-well, my liege, we have discovered that the whelp is—well, dead.”

Ganon’s eyes lit up and he leaned forward. “What did you say, worm?”

The Wizzrobe lifted up its head and spoke more normally, “The Gleeok, my liege, it slew the boy. He can trouble you no longer!”

Ganon stood up and put his arm on the Wizzrobe’s shoulder. “Well, my boy, this is good news indeed. That boy was nothing but a troublemaker to me and our armies. By the way—what was your name?”

“Farreech,” the Wizzrobe replied meekly.

“Yes, Farreech, how would you like a promotion? Carock my former Wizzrobe captain has failed me in combat, and a more loyal face could be needed in his place.”

“Well, my liege, this is certainly an honor—“

“Oh, don’t worry about making the decision now!” Ganon said reassuringly, “Sleep on it, tell me in the morning.”

Farreech left the throne room, bowing and thanking his liege in a most servile manner. Ganon chuckled as he left. This Farreech or whoever he was probably would be a horrible commander, but why would it matter? Without the whelp in the way, his forces would completely subjugate Hyrule. The queen’s return to power was impossible now.

* * *

Kaepora Gaebora held Link’s head in his wings, shouting at him to wake up.

“Come on, Link! What’s wrong with you? Get up, get up! The Gleeok is dead! The last Triforce shard is right here! Get up and take it!”

The owl slapped Link’s face with his wings and shook his body, but to no avail. Link was dead, and there was nothing he could do. Kaepora Gaebora wept silently as the knowledge that the quest had failed swept over him. Ganon had won even after all the progress he and Link had made. His valued friend was dead even after he had slain the most horrible monster in Hyrule.

Kaepora Gaebora remembered the entire quest, and how the two of them had braved the depths of the Mossy Caverns and fought such foes as Gohma and Gleeok. It was heartbreaking to see Link, a young boy in his prime, cut down so early. There seemed to be no justice in the world.

Suddenly, a brilliant green light shone around him. A calming female voice spoke from the void, “Kaepora Gaebora, do not be afraid. I am the goddess Farore. I am come because Link cannot die now. My sisters and I have not decreed it so. Find the flask on the Link’s belt that contains the Water of Life. This potion can restore life to Link’s dead husk, so that Ganon’s worst enemy can plague his nightmares once more. Link shall defeat Ganon! We have decreed it so!”

The light faded, as Kaepora Gaebora’s heart raced. The Water of Life! Of course! He had forgotten all about it! He excitedly took the flask from Link’s belt, and emptied the clear liquid into Link’s mouth. He shook Link and silently prayed that it work.

The pallor slowly left Link’s face and blood returned and restored the color to his face. Link struggled to lift his limbs, and finally hoisted himself to his feet. He glanced around like a newborn baby, and asked, “What happened to me?”

“You were dead,” Kaepora Gaebora said, relieved.

“You mean that the Gleeok—“

“Yes. Thank the goddesses that you had taken the Water of Life from the old woman, or else you wouldn’t be here now.”

“Wow. Thank you, Kaepora Gaebora. It’s a good thing that the Gleeok didn’t get you too.”

Link looked above him and saw the Triforce piece glimmering in the light. He grasped it, and saw the seven other shards join with it. In a glimmer of white and golden light, the whole of the Triforce of Wisdom shone once more.

“Yahoo!” Kaepora Gaebora cheered, “Ganon can’t stop us now!”

Beneath the Triforce, the figure of the ancient King of Red Lions appeared. “Thou hast done well, Link, and thou too, Kaepora Gaebora. With the entirety of the Triforce of Wisdom, no one, especially Ganon, can stop thee now. But be warned, Ganon cannot be slain by mortal weapons.”

“Well, Your Highness, exactly how can Ganon be slain?” Link asked.

“Thou canst only use the sacred Silver Arrow, the weapon forged by the Queen of Fairies Venus ages ago, when Ganon had Hyrule in his grip before. Forsooth, only it can pierce the magic aura he casts with the Triforce of Power.”

The King of Red Lions held an arrow in his hand, the shaft, feathers, and head all forged of pure silver. “Take thee this arrow and nock it in thy bow. Aim true, and Ganon shall perish at its tip. Fare thee well, Link. I can finally venture on into the afterlife, a ghost no longer.”

The King vanished; the Silver Arrow was on the ground where he once stood. Link grasped the sacred Arrow. He, as Hyrule’s Deliverer, could finally destroy evil forever. With this weapon, Ganon could not stand, nor could he even live. Link was back! He would be triumphant!

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