The Legend of Zelda: The Missing Link

Chapter 25: Hyrule Castle

"Oh, my dear castle..." Zelda pushed through the gap in the gate, leading her into the expansive courtyard surrounding the castle. Midna followed suit, looking over the field before her and taking it all in. The soft rainfall in Hyrule Field had escalated into harsh, icy knives falling from the grey clouds above, and the sun had since sunk below the horizon; the daylight had all but left from the sky, and the pair used the last of the orange twilight to find their was as the continued through the courtyard.

"So, you mentioned a sort of prison underneath the castle." Midna spoke quietly as they sidled along the side of the castle. "Do you know how to get there?"

Zelda peered around a corner to survey the area. "I know of the general area. I believe I could locate it with some trial and error."

Midna accepted this response as she followed Zelda around the corner.

"No! Lemme go!" The voice of a young boy echoed through the courtyard. The two girls tore off, sprinting towards the voice.

"Ralis!" Zelda cried out.

Ganondorf was standing at the far end, behind the back entrance of the castle. He held the Zora up off the ground by his wrist; Ralis wiggled and squirmed, but it was futile against the Gerudo king's strength. Zelda and Midna came to a stop about ten feet away from the king and the prince.

"Ah, what a nice collection of royalty." Ganondorf chuckled. His deep voice was so impossibly loud, echoing in the courtyard and contrasting with the sound of the rain. "I feel so honored to attend."

"Cut the bullshit, Ganondorf. You've had your monologue, now hand over Link and Ralis and maybe we won't beat your ass to a pulp. Maybe." Minda stepped forward, curling her hands into fists. Anger boiled beneath her skin; it seemed that her typical levity had been traded for this seething rage that tainted her blue blood and weaved its way into her heart. It was now up to her to save Link and Zelda and... Well, Hyrule. The land she once swore she carried no sympathy for, the country she had been ready to watch drown.

"I like your attitude, princess. You got guts. But those guts aren't going to help you when they're on the ground before you." The venom in his words poisoned the wet air around them. Midna slowly shifted back to Zelda's side, the gears turning in her head oiled by her rage.

"It was so enjoyable, watching you two squirm. Running all over Hyrule, trying to save everyone but instead just helping them die." Ganondorf continued his speech as Midna inched towards the Master Sword that Zelda carried; when she was close enough to lay a hand on the hilt, Zelda looked up at the Twili and nodded once.

"...And now, here we stand. The final battle, as they might say. The fate of Hyrule rests in your hands, but I can see from here that they're too shaky to hold it."

"Think again, shithead!" Midna cried out, ripping the Master Sword from it sheath. Before Ganondorf could react, she was pulled upward into a warp portal, along with Ralis.

The two dropped onto the throne of Zora's Domain. "Stay strong, kid. You make a great king." Midna, afraid to waste any time, warped back to the castle, leaving the small Zoran king speechless. He smiled softly.

Back in the courtyard, Midna appeared from seemingly thin air, directly above Ganondorf. With the element of surprise on her side, she flipped her sword around so that the tip was facing straight downwards and allowed herself to fall on top of him. Her aim wasn't the best, though, and instead of piercing him in the head, the tip slid down his shoulders and into his lower back. Ganondorf screamed as they both fell to the ground.

"You insolent maggot!!" Ganondorf exclaimed, reaching to pull his own sword from it's scabbard. Midna grabbed onto the hilt of the Master Sword and attempted to pull it from his back. But she was too weak, and the blade remained deeply embedded in flesh and muscle. Ganondorf quickly pivoted, bringing his sword around to where Midna knelt behind him; his sword was perfectly level with her neck.

"Spirits of the Light!" Zelda cried out, gripping her cloak with white fingers. "In my hour of need, grant me the light to banish evil!" And instantly, the field was flooded with a brilliant white light. Just as Midna's scream rang out in the courtyard, her and Zelda were ripped from it, and they found themselves standing in a shallow spring, the four Light Spirits surrounding them. Zelda held out her hands, and the light from the guardians combined into a single spirit resting in her palms, molding itself to the shape a bow with arrows.

"Midna..." Zelda said softly, peering over at the princess with anguished cerulean eyes. "I'm so sorry."

Midna laughed. It was a dry, hollow sound, but there was a hint of amusement in it. "Zelda, it's not your fault. You did your best with what you had." She took in a deep breath. "Now. We have some bad guy butt to kick."

The pair were then transported to where they had been on the field, but now, Midna was prepared for the strike and ducked beneath Ganondorf's sword. The blade sliced the air mere inches above her head. Midna used this opportunity to rip the Master Sword from Ganondorf's back, and he howled again.

"Zelda! Use your bow thing!"

Zelda was one step ahead of her though, and already had her Light Arrow drawn. She released it, watching as it whistled through the air and pierced Ganondorf in the arm. White tendrils of electric light enveloped him, paralyzing him. Midna dashed around to the front of him, wielding her sword with less than grace but with passion and rage to more than make up for it. Just as she reared back, ready to plunge it into the glowing white scar on his chest, she could feel a shot of heat ignite the back of her right hand, as if she had plunged it into a fire. She yanked it back, almost dropping the Master Sword.

A brilliant light burst from the back of her hand, and she watched with a mix of fear and intrigue as the shape of a triangle manifested.

"No way..." She muttered.

"What are you doing?!" Ganondorf screamed. "How could you have the Triforce of Power?!"

Zelda gasped. "Midna! The goddesses have gifted you the Triforce! Use it to deal the final blow to Ganondorf!"

"No! That's my Triforce!" Ganondorf shot up to his feet, towering over even the the 6'3" Twili, and tried to bring his sword on her again. Midna barely dodged his blow, lunging to her right. The two circled each other, locked in a deadly dance; they both moved with such a speed that Zelda couldn't risk shooting another arrow, lest she hit Midna. With the newly-granted power of the Goddesses, Midna was almost an even match for the colossal king before him. Almost.

Ganondorf aimed his sword for Midna's leg, and when she tried to avoid it, she ended up tripping over her own feet and crashed hard into the wet earth. The king stomped his foot on top of her right hand. Midna shrieked in pain. Ganondorf chuckled.

"It's been a fun ride, princess. Now time to meet those precious goddesses you love so much."

And he plunged his sword into her skull.