Linkguistics

Part 23: Link is Angry

There were many lingering spirits which haunted the halls of Hyrule Castle. Most people passed on after finding out their loved ones died too. There was old age and non-age related causes. It was a hundred years. A few particularly stubborn guys remained bound to this mortal coil by a sense of duty. A couple just really wanted to see Ganon get taken down a peg. Mostly they faded in and out of whatever passed for conscious for a ghost. It was difficult to properly haunt with the Malice choking the air. That stuff wreaked havoc on the ectoplasm. A talented medium might be able to get some communication going with these guys but Link wasn't able to see these fellows.

Most time was spent being lingering spirits awash in regret and boredom. It wasn't quite like the Twilight covered Hyrule: The Malice was nastier stuff and they all were rather dead. There had been intruders every now and then. People were invisibly cheered on sometimes as they retreated with their lives intact. Objects shifted to trip monsters every now and then or an arrow might change course ever so slightly. King Rhoam had much appreciated the backup poltergeists when getting the Book of Mudora out of there.

One particular spirit was lingering on the approach to the Sanctum and glaring at the even stronger dark aura which kept him outside and away from trying to maybe chat with Princess Zelda to impart words of encouragement on behalf of the dead Knights. In a different parallel universe where things were much more dignified and Link was Zelda's contemporary, he may have been a father. The Captain, despite incorporality, kicked a tendril of darkness for the three-hundred and eighty-seventh time. It always resulted in uncomfortable phantom limb dissolution but he couldn't help wanting to feel like he was doing something.

He heard some maniacal laughter that didn't sound like it was coming from the Sanctum. It wasn't a Wizzrobey laugh either. It sounded very human. It was accompanied by one of the turrets being hit with a streak of blue and going kablooey. At first, Captain thought a new type of Guardian was rounding the corner. It only took him a split second to realize it was a short guy in strange armor. The Captain, and some other ghost knights, watched Link look at the Sanctum doorway. Captain spotted another ghost knight who we can call Knight. They talked.

The Captain asked, "Isn't that the kid from a hundred years ago?"

"I, think so? It is the Master Sword, and the voice sounds like him. I was watching him fight a silver Lynel... He was constantly laughing right up until his wolf went down fighting Moblins." Knight gave that more consideration. He and a few other guys who were currently more connected to temporal events had started following this guy with a building sense of wonderment. "Actually, the wolf is a ghost too and, uh, not actually a wolf. That's him over there." Captain took a good long look at an indistinct silhouette which wasn't wearing a knight uniform. It was hard to tell since he was barely connected to the waking world, but he bore an eerie resemblance to the Link that was now launching Guardians into each other. "Don't ask me why he was a wolf."

The two knights watched as the living Link went really quiet. Link put away the bow and the massive Guardian Axe. He drew the Master Sword and activated a glowing blue shield.

He took two steps forward and stopped. He put away the shield. All the ghosts present watched Link tie the sword to his hand with leather cords before reactivating the shield and marching in. Ganon didn't have the capacity to be concerned earlier yet now, the sudden shift in behavior made Ganon hesitate just a moment before ripping himself off the ceiling.

The ghosts collectively gasped when the floor collapsed under Link and gathered around as close as they could to watch the moving lights below. The ghosts watched the blue laser descend from the sky and cheered.

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Zelda poured everything she had into sealing even as she apologized to Link for being unable to hold back the creature.

Link didn't come to a gentle landing on his feet to gape at the monstrosity. Link had experienced more than enough Calamity to literally last lifetimes. He dropped down right onto the back and systematically tore at unholy limbs.

"You-"

Stab.

"Will-"

Slice.

"Let-"

Cut.

"Her-"

Zelda spared a little of the power she'd been using to keep from being digested to warn him. "Link, what are you doing?! Get out of the way before the Divine Beasts assault him!"

Link leaped off the back and watched the wrath of the Champions stop Ganon mid-screech. Link didn't wait for Ganon to get back up to its feet before he was using the Blade of Evil's Bane to shred Ganon's face. Link was quietly growling words in the ancient language. Zelda watched in excitement and with a little bit of fear.

"Let her go."

Ganon roared and reared back away from the relentless Link. ("This isn't your Hyrule! They even tried to kill you")

"I don't care."

Urbosa's Fury ripped at Ganon.

"Nobody-"

Link was a blur of multiple light sources attacking Ganon's body as it pulled itself up.

"Deserves to be-"

Then the Master Sword was attacking every limb in reach.

"...Stuck listening to you whine for a single Hylia-forsaken minute."

Zelda had thought that Link and Ganon would maybe taunt each other. Ganon might have enjoyed insulting him like he had been insulting and trying to inspire despair in her. What Zelda hadn't considered was that Ganon and Link had more than enough time to chat, were sick of each other's company right from the start, and had nothing more to say to each other about the past. To Link right now, words were simply background scenery. Ganon was screaming insults in demontongue and getting no retorts. At one point, Link called on Daruk while replacing a broken shield. Revali's Gale came to land Link on the back of the creature again. Link continued on his experiment to see just how many stabs it took to reach the center of an immortal demon.*

It took less time to fight the first form than it would have taken Link to cook an egg pudding.

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Several commenters on various sites were kind enough to estimate that it takes approximately 67 stabs to reach the center of an immortal demon lord without adjusting for paraglider drops and attack booster foods. Thank you for making it so I don't have to use the proper search terms or calculate things myself!