The Wind Waker

XXXVIII

LINK CLIMBED another step, walking a stairway that had gone outside the main tower structure, and wrapped around it. The air rushed past him with violent force. Each step brought him closer to the twisted monster he had to face.

After the cold, darkness of the tower, Link squinted at the sun. The magical ceiling of old Hyrule churned slowly, like inside-out waves.

Link's thoughts did not run wildly as he climbed like they had done times in the past. He was not going to run. He was not going to back down. He had saved Aryll.

And now he was going to save Tetra, and the great sea, from the evils this man had caused.
And it was his choice to fight. It was his choice to be the goddesses' hero.

The wind seemed to sing a quiet melody, fading as he crested the top of the stairs.

Ganondorf stood at the other edge of the tower, gazing out at Hyrule castle. His gaze did not shift when Link's footsteps clapped against the stone. Tetra lay sprawled out on the ground, unconscious.

Link clenched the master sword tight, and also took his shield from his satchel. He readied for battle.

"My country lay within a vast desert," Ganondorf said.

Link cautiously lowered his shield.

"When the sun rose into the sky," Ganondorf continued, "a burning wind punished my lands, searing the world. And when the moon climbed into the dark of night, a frigid gale pierced our homes."

Ganondorf remained still, as if he were merely a monument to that far-away time.

"No matter when it came," he said, "the wind carried the same thing. Death."

This wasn't like his first encounter with Ganondorf. Link felt that he was being misled in some way.

"But the winds that blew across the green fields of Hyrule brought something other than suffering and ruin."

He was silent for a moment.

"I... I coveted that wind, I suppose."

He made a slight glance towards Link, then down at Tetra, the descended Hylian princess.

"It can only be called fate," he said, "that here, overlooking that land, I would again gather the three with the crests. That I should lay my hand on that which grants the desire of the beholder... that when power, wisdom, and courage come together, the goddesses would have no choice but to come down..."

Ganondorf directed his gaze towards the surface, holding his open palms before him.

"the power of the goddesses... the Triforce. Whoever touches it, will have their desire made manifest. Already, the crest of wisdom is mine. All that remains..."

Ganondorf's large hulking figure turned towards Link, his shrouding black cloak flowing in the breeze.

Link connected his vision with Ganondorf's. The hero of winds furrowed his brow. The emblem of Farore cast golden light from the back of his hand.

Ganondorf travelled rapidly across the tower with inhuman movement, sliding across as though it was ice. Link endured a fierce strike from Ganondorf's fist across his shield. While he staggered back, Ganondorf struck the master sword, causing it to fly from Link's hand and clatter along the stones.

Then Ganondorf struck again in Link's chest. Link's face scraped painfully against the ground, reeling from the strength of the Gerudo king's blows.

Link made hoarse, ragged breaths. He barely managed to roll onto his side, seeing Ganondorf looking down at him.

"You fear death," Ganondorf said. "A youthful fear. Though all mortal men seem youthful to me. I will not kill you. Whatever Farore saw in you is of no use to me. I simply desire the strength that she gave to you."

"By fletching Gerudo you will," Link retorted.

Ganondorf clamped his fingers around Link's wrist, and lifted him into the air like he was merely a plaything.

"You forget who you speak to boy," Ganondorf said. "And I'd advise you to be less foolish, unless you would like to exhale blood."