Fan Fiction ❯ Professional Hero ❯ The Spirit Temple ( Chapter 22 )

Chapter 22 - The Flames of War part 3 - The Spirit Temple

Link and Kaepora appeared on the Tri-force symbol in front of the temple. Fighting noises came from inside the temple which made the two men hide for the moment to see what was to come out. Just as they were behind a large rock a boy came out, dragging a knight on his back. It was clear the knight was heavily wounded and the boy was headed for the fairy fountain. Just before he reached it (and Link wanted to come out of his hiding place) a huge dodongo came from inside the temple.

"It followed us!" the boy shouted in fear.

"Don't worry, I will beat it!" the knight yelled and tried to stand up straight with his sword drawn.

Link was just about to draw his sword and attack the monster when Kaepora stopped him. Link could do nothing as the dodongo belched out a fireball that hit the knight, sending him flying back right in the fairy fountain, making him drop his sword. Just as the young boy in a black armour picked up the sword, Link recognised the Master Sword. The boy stood firmly before the monster with the sword held up high. The dodongo belched another fireball, but the boy jumped over the monster and drove the sword deep in its tail, making it squirm in agony. He pulled out the sword and ran for shelter as the monster exploded. He stood up, holding the sword ready for more opponents, but the only one that stood before him was the knight, fully healed by the fairies. Al cleaned up, Link recognised Madakar as well. Madakar took his sword and ran back inside, leaving the boy outside by himself.

"Quite a hero, isn't he?" Kaepora asked.

The boy turned around and drew his dagger.

"Who are you?" he asked, waving it dangerously.

"Careful, young man…" Kaepora paused for a second, "how young are you exactly?"

"I'm fifteen," he responded, "and old enough to wield this." He added.

Link now had the opportunity to check the boy completely out. He had flaming red hair and his skin was darkbrown, but not redbrown like the Gerudo women, but more so much brown it was almost green, like…

"Ganondorf?" he asked.

"That is me," the boy answered, "but I still don't know who you are."

"I am Kaepora, Sage of Wisdom, and this is… my bodyguard," Kaepora grinned, "we are here to help the Hero of Time."

"I have already shown him a map to the temple and made sure my stepmothers won't bother him, so he can slay the vile wizard."

"I take it you don't like him." Link frowned.

"The Gerudo should stay on there own, and remain in the desert. Hyrule is no place for us."

Kaepora slowly nodded and looked at the temple entrance. Ganondorf moved towards a large stone and sat down on it. Kaepora turned back to Link.

"Something is troubling you."

"That jump, Ganondorf couldn't have made that, not the Ganondorf I know."

"Maybe this isn't the Ganondorf you know."

Kaepora walked towards Ganondorf and Link went to the fairy pond to catch some fairies. He shouldn't have said something about Ganondorf. Now Kaepora would start asking questions. But strangely enough, it was Ganondorf that asked.

"That sword, what was that? It was like nothing I ever felt before."

"The Sword of Time, wielded by the Hero of Time according to legend." Kaepora sat down next to the young boy.

"I was meaning to ask that," Link said, "how was Ganondorf able to use it?"

"The legend is a bit off," Kaepora grinned, "it can be wielded by anyone, but only taken from his standard by the Hero of Time. It is a sort of passage way to the Sacred Realm, a connection to the Tri-force. Whoever wields the sword, has the knowledge to defeat his foe, the power to do this, and the courage to fulfil his task. That is way you were able to jump so high."

"When I held it in my hand, I knew everything about that monster, every little thing it could do and every thing to destroy it. That power was awesome."

"So it seems." Kaepora nodded.

There seemed to be a sort of light in Ganondorf's eyes when he spoke of the sword, Link thought.

"So this is how the Tri-force feels like?" The light grew brighter.

"I have no idea. No mortal man can hold the Tri-force according to legend."

Ganondorf looked back at the temple entrance as he took out his dagger and started sharpening it against the rocks.

"Kaepora, a word?" Link asked, carefully looking at Ganondorf.

Kaepora followed Link towards the entrance and when Ganondorf was out of hearing distance, Link turned to the sage.

"Something isn't right with Ganondorf. I can see it in his eyes."

"I know," Kaepora nodded, "I think this is why only the Hero of Time may wield the Sword of Time. Other people may become corrupted by the power of the Tri-force and may do everything to obtain its power."

That's why Ganondorf tried time after time to conquer Hyrule although he knew he had no chance, Link thought, he was drawn to it like a moth to a flame. Link looked at the entrance of the temple.

"I'm going in." he said.

"Are you sure?" Kaepora asked.

"I still have a letter to give to him. I might as well fight a wizard at the mean time."

"Very well," Kaepora nodded, "guess I can count you as one of my Order, maybe even the last one, may the Goddesses be with you."

Link unsheathed his sword and grabbed his shield before going in.

"Oh Link, and one more thing," Kaepora shouted, "use his own attacks on him, that's all I can say."

"In other words, just beat him like you beat everyone else." Link grinned before he stepped into the darkness.

Link made his way through the dark corridors of the temple, stepping over dead corpses, Hylian Gerudo (and even some Lizalfos's) alike. When he heard a squealing sound he advanced closer to the wall and saw a large Lizalfos standing over the body of a Hylian soldier with a large spear in his shoulder. His sword stuck in a wall, pinning a sheikah female against it. He staggered a bit but then came closer to rip of her head with his mighty claws. Link took his bow and shot him in the other shoulder. The monster turned and looked not understanding at Link. Link just grinned and unsheathed his huge sword. He jumped the distance between him and the monster with a lot of ease and slashed it in half.

"Well… done," the woman against the wall said and coughed up some blood, "but why didn't you kill it with your arrow?"

"This way," Link took the Lizalfos's sword, "if felt like I killed it personally."

He pulled out the sword and the woman fell to the floor, clenching her belly in an attempt to stop the bleeding.

"I'm… going… to die… aren't I?" she asked.

Link shook his head as he took of her mask, revealing Impa.

"Don't… lie to me, I've… seen enough… dead people… hell… I've caused enough… dead people…" she tried to grin.

Link just took out a bottle and let out a fairy. Impa closed her eyes and let the fairy do her healing power.

"Thank you, that is much better." She smiled.

Impa stood up and took of her tunic. Link quickly looked the other way, which made Impa grin.

"Never seen a naked woman before?"

"In the remote case you should ever run into her, none other than my wife." Link grinned.

Impa laughed out loud as she removed the tunic of a beheaded soldier. She put it on and fastened her belt.

"Better a bit of blood around your neck then blood in your guts, right?"

"As long as it's not your blood." Link replied.

"True enough."

She grabbed her spear and looked at Link.

"So, you're one of Kaepora's boys. It is often said they're as good as us sheikah."

"Now's not the time to figure that out. You should go outside, Kaepora is waiting there…"

"No way, I'm going through. I told my sister I would protect her husband and bring him home safely to see his child being born."

"You're not talking about Madakar, are you?" Link asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I am, do you know him?" Impa narrowed her eyes.

"I've met your sister, Ellione. I have something for Madakar."

"Well, let's give it to him then." She smiled and patted Link on the shoulder.

"Let's." Link sighed, continuing his way.

Moving through the dark tunnels, they didn't meet much opposition anymore. Most of them were already killed by the Hylian forces before they fell or Madakar self. Only an occasional Gerudo or Lizalfos remained and once an Iron Knuckle which Link killed in one blow and one strike of his shield.

"Wow," Impa's eyes grew wide, "that was impressive. I don't think even Madakar could dispose of an Iron Knuckle as easily as that."

"I'm supposed to be that good, or I don't survive the life I lead." Link responded without a hint of emotion in his voice.

"What life that must be."

"Every time I try to live a normal life, something comes to remind me I'm just a killing machine." Link proceeded in the darkness.

Impa could only follow him as she thought of his words.

Loud booms warned them of the battle ahead and the sped up their pace. Soon they before the giant statue in the centre of the temple.

"This way!" Impa pointed and ran towards the foot of the statue.

She shifted some stones in the wall and a hidden door opened.

"Typical." Link snorted.

Impa looked puzzled at him but he just stormed in the door with his sword drawn. Again, Impa could only follow him and they emerged in the final room were the sorcerer, in the centre of the hall, shot flaming balls of energy towards Madakar, on one of the heights on the side, who reflected each one but were dispersed by Kaligan.

"Very impressive," the sorcerer cackled, "but can you stop this?"

The old sorcerer held his hands high above his head to gather energy. A wind came out of nowhere and made the sorcerers black cloak fly up as they were wings on a bat. A huge ball of white crackling energy appeared above the sorcerer.

"I think you can't stop it when I send it back to you," Madakar shouted as he let out a small grin and readied the Master sword.

"He's not charging his sword," Link whispered, "why isn't he charging his sword?"

"What? What are you talking about?" Impa asked.

"I know this trick. The huge ball will fall apart in small ones and attack him from all sides," Link explained, "he won't be able to send them all back. Except if he charges his sword. Why isn't the Master sword telling him that?"

"Charging? I don't know what you're talking about and I doubt that Madakar can do a thing like that."

"Then he's dead." Link stated.

Then it all appeared to happen at the same time. As Kailigan lowered his hands, Link jumped up to one of the heights in a single leap and Madakar's expression changed as if the Master sword had just told him "kid, you're on your own now". The energy ball lunged toward Madakar and just before it hit target it fell apart into hundreds of smaller energy balls. Madakar tried to jump away but was hit by most of them.

"Madakar!"

Kaligan turned around and saw Impa with a shocked look on her face. He simple raised his hand and shot of another energy ball. It hit Impa straight in the chest and she fell down.

"Impa!" Madakar shouted as he tried to get up.

"She's not dead yet," Kaligan grinned, "first I'll have the pleasure of killing you and then I will kill her."

"Wanna bet?"

Kaligan swirled around to see who this new intruder was and saw Link standing there, the Biggoron sword raised.

"I have no idea who you are, little fellow, but at the looks of your tunic you appear one of Kaepora's little boys."

He let out an energy ball but Link grabbed his shield and caught it in its shining surface. The shield dimly glowed.

"Nice trick, but not the way to beat me," Kaligan grinned, "maybe you missed it, but Madakar was on the right track."

He glanced over to Madakar who had gotten back on his feet and shot of an energy ball. Madakar was too slow to stop it and was thrown back.

"Maybe, but I have my own ways," Link smiled and nodded towards the fallen Hero of Time, "he couldn't come closer because he had to repel your sissy balls, and I just have to catch them with my shield and then slice you in half with my sword. And I don't think you can do another stunt like that huge energy ball."

Kaligan laughed out loud as he raised his hands.

"Hahaha, you fool! I have enough energy, and especially for the likes of you!"

Link just responded by placing the huge sword behind him and raising his shield, while a grin appeared on his face.

"He just walked right into that one." He muttered while his sword started to light up.

Kaligan drove the giant energy sphere down and suddenly saw the red glowing sword. When the sphere broke down Link let his slash go and a red fiery barricade send the hundreds of flaming energy balls back to Kaligan. The evil sorcerer was too astounded to even try to shield him from the barrage. Nobody had ever been able to stop his energy bombardment and now somebody was reflecting it to him! This was impossible! He cried out as every inch of his body burned when each of the energy spheres made contact. He fell down to his knees and heard somebody approaching. He looked up with great effort and saw Link's glowing shield.

"By the way," Link grinned, "if that didn't work, I could have done this as well."

He freed the energy trapped into the shield and send Kaligan flying back. The fallen sorcerer landed just before Madakar who had witnessed the battle half conscience and couldn't really grasp what had happened. He tried to get up and plunge his sword deep into the sorcerer but Link was quicker. He held the sorcerer up with one hand and grinned. He slowly put the tip of his sword on the chest of Kaligan and started to push. Kaligan cried out until the blade of sword had gone right through his chest. Link let him down and pulled the sword back.

"You… you'll pay… for this…" the sorcerer spat out blood.

"Probably," Link nodded, "but not today."

With a quick motion he decapitated the sorcerer and his head came down right before a waking Impa.

"You… you killed him," Madakar stammered, "but I was supposed to…"

"Madakar? I have something for you." Link said as he raised his sword.

"Who are you?"

Link reached to his pocket as a light appeared behind him.

"It concerns your wife…" he smiled as the light enveloped him and plucked him away.

"My wife? What…" Madakar fell back to his knees, "what did you do to her?"

As he drowned into the darkness that is known as unconsciencesness he was haunted by images of Link with his sword raised, ready to strike, grinning, saying he was gonna do something to his wife. With his last rational thought he swore he would make him pay if something happened to Ellione.