The Wind Waker

XXXIX

KING DAPHNES immediately sprang forward to intervene as Link dodged and attempted to parry Ganondorf's blows. Ganondorf momentarily turned in the King's direction.

"You'll wither into dust before you're of any help to these thorns!"

The Gerudo raised his hand, and a shimmering prison of purple light began to entrap the King. Just before he was trapped, the King reached his hand inside his robe.

"Princess!"

He flung a gilded bow into the air, and Tetra caught it. The triforce now gone from her, she'd returned to her normal appearance.

Link tried to get in a strike at Ganondorf's back, but was only able to gouge a large tear in his outer cloak. Tetra drew back the golden bow, and a shaft of radiant light appeared on the bowstring.

The bow of light.

It was something that had slipped his mind. Wielded by the ancient princess, it had weakened Ganondorf enough to allow for lethal blows. Link couldn't believe he'd forgotten something so critical. Growing up, he, Joel, and other boys on the island had always played games where they wielded the master sword.

But without the cleansing fire of the bow of light, the strikes of the master sword were fruitless. Tetra loosed the arrow with a smirk, seeing Ganondorf's anger.

The arrow streaked past Ganondorf, but despite the miss, Link no longer felt faint as he once did.

Ganondorf could be stopped.

The fight was more intense than any Link had ever fought. Ganondorf was a very accomplished warrior, spinning his blades as though they were as light as pieces of straw. For the most part, Link stayed far away from his enemy's blades.

The Gerudo king had fought a hero before, and was probably drawing upon his past knowledge to fight this new one. Link knew that Ganondorf was fighting harder than Link would. The man had gone insane, and now had no other thing to look forward to than their deaths.

But as much energy as Ganondorf was putting into the fight, Link was himself increasing the friction between him and his foe.

Link had saved Aryll. He had seen the fear and torment Ganondorf had brought to his world. Link now realized everything that could be lost if no one stood against this ancient evil.

This was not like his battle with Tetra.

Link did not hold back in the fight.

And neither did Farore.

He seemed to get suggestions in his mind of where to place his sword. He felt that his step was quickened, and his agility improved.

Despite his youth and inexperience, Link, an uninteresting boy from Outset Island, was somehow matching the skills of the literal embodiment of evil.

He took advantage of his smaller size compared to the giant of a man Ganondorf was.
He slid beneath the flailing swords, striking at his opponent's legs.

Tetra's arrows only angered the Gerudo further.

Despite his size, Ganondorf began taking flying leaps across the tower at the both of them.
Like a starving, dying helmaroc, Ganondorf relentlessly sought his prey.

The fight did not slow. Link watched uneasily as the ocean roared harder. The whole tower was surrounded by massive sheets of water, and spraying mist was constant.

This fight could not go on forever. They would all drown.

Farore, he thought, I promise that I will not fear being a hero any longer. I will not fear what the future may hold. Just please, give us the aid we need.

It is not lost hero.

That voice was different.

Nayru? he thought.