1The Slavery Of Link

Chapter One

The comfortable blackness surrounding Link, the Hero of Time, was suddenly split asunder by a great flash of golden light. The blackness went through various shades of gray until it was the color of light shining through closed eyes lids. His head pounded to the steady beat of his heart and with each beat it sent waves of pain coursing through his head. It felt as though his blood was traveling along paths that had become overgrown from disuse. He felt all his energy was directed toward the beating of his heart.

His fog filled brain moved thoughts with dreadful slowness, 'Work! Why is it so blasted hard to think?!'

With the slowness of a sluggish animal, he became aware that he was lying on some cool hard surface. The coolness from it was diminishing as the heat of his body warmed it. He smelled the stomach churning sweet scent of incense that hung in the air and wrapped around his body. He tried to force his eyes open, but they felt as stiff as hard steel. The pain from them as he tried to get them open caused him to groan in agony. His ears picked up the sound of movement nearby as he at last forced the unyielding eyelids open. His vision was blurred and unfocused. It didn't aide him to tell him where he was and why

The sound of a cruel but familiar voice thundered in his ear drums, "Haul this worthless carcass to its feet."

Before he could place it where he'd heard the voice, a pair of strong rough hands grabbed him by the arms. As they hauled him to his feet, He felt all the muscles in his body scream in protest and sent pain thundering through him. He could not control the scream that escaped his lips as the owners of the vise-like hands forced him around. His body slumped between them as his legs were unable to support his weight. His head slumped to his chest as they steered him toward a tall black human shape.

He was jerked to a halt in front of the shape and this sent another wave of pain through his feeble body, but this time no scream came. Link shuddered as a calloused finger slipped itself beneath his chin and forced his head up. He looked up into the cold golden eyes of Ganondorf and felt his anger spring to life. His old foe had changed since the last time that Link had confronted this dark Warlock filled with terrifying power. His hair was still the shade of fresh blood and his skin the same dusky shade of olive. The Dark Lord had grown a beard in that time and no longer wore the patched leather armor of the Gerudo, the desert thieves. His new garb appeared to be a heavy long black robe that had flowing sleeves with symbols, that meant nothing to the Hero of Time, embroidered in gold thread upon it. Link tried to jerk his head back and struggled against the men who held onto him, but the effort left his exhausted and panting.

Ganondorf threw his head back in laughter, "And so awakens The mighty Hero of Hyrule."

The Hero of Time tried to turn his head away from the leering face of the Dark Lord, but did not have the strength. The Dark lord grinned at him, "Weakness. What a desirable trait in old foes."

Link jerked his head off of his foe's finger, but before it could sink back onto his chest. The dark Lord grabbed his chin with rough calloused fingers and forced his head up to meet that cold gaze. It chilled the Hero's blood and caused him to shudder. His old nemesis chuckled at the sight of his trembling body.

Ganondorf brought his face close to Link's and his foul breath wafted into his face, "Fear. It is twice as sweet when they've been brought back to life by you own hand."

The Hero's voice emerged as a hoarse whisper, "Impossible..."

The Dark Lord's grin stretched back to reveal all his teeth, "Impossible. Wasn't your first quest considered impossible?"

Link felt the blood drain from his face as this statement and tried to shake his head in protest.

Ganondorf sneered down at the weakened man, "Power is the key to all possibilities," The Dark Lord jerked the Hero's head closer to his face, "And Power has never been in short supply since the day I gained my piece of the Triforce."

The Hero's eyes flew open wide and he glared at his foe, "The Triforce of power was never meant to give life!"

"What about the Shadow?"

Link's eyes hardened, "That was a mere puppet! It only bore a semblance..."

"But you were able to kill it, weren't you?"

"I destroyed it, but that wasn't–"

"You ended it's semblance and hence ended it's life."

He glared at Ganondorf, "You're twisting the truth to your own madness."

The Dark Lord's hand struck out at him as suddenly as lighting in a storm. Link felt the blow land on his jaw and he felt his jaw creak as though it wanted to break. He whipped his head back to look the dark lord in the eye with his anger filled eyes. The Dark Lord frowned at him as though he were a disobedient subject and the Hero felt his skin begin to crawl as if tiny insects trod upon it, but he did not shrink away.

"The truth to a servant is what his master says it is," Ganondorf's smile reappeared. "This is more so for the slave..."

Link stared at him, "Slaves are not permitted in Hyrule!"

"Things have changed in this world, Hero of Hyrule."

"Not so much that I'll allow you to– "

The Dark Lord chuckled, "A slave doesn't have a choice. They are forced into slavery because they are useful to their masters."

"You have no need of me! I have nothing that would be of any worth to you!"

"Nothing?" his smile turned cruel as he leaned close so he could whisper in the Hero's ear. "I desire power, Slave, and you posses that in great abundance because of your piece of the Triforce that is under your control."

"The Triforce of Courage disappeared when I died!"

Link's head was forced down and his hand shoved into view so he could see the back of it. He felt a sinking sensation start in his throat and work its way downward. Three golden triangles adorned the back of his hand. The golden triangle that stood for courage, the section he controlled, glowed faintly in the dim torch light of the room. He felt his shoulders slump as despair crept over him, 'I shouldn't bear that mark!' he glared at the mark, "This is some illusion you've cast!"

Ganondorf chuckled, "Why use illusions when the truth causes more harm, Hero?"

The Hero of Time felt coldness spread outward from his stomach as he stared at the golden mark. He tried to swallow, but his raw throat made him wince in pain as His mind wrestled with the concept and tried to find an answer, "I can't bear... Have that piece again..."

The Dark Lord brought his thick lips down close to Link's ear "The ability to call upon the powers of the Ring return to the one who was originally given the power over it... if they are alive." He paused, "You do realize that I wouldn't be satisfied with just one of the masters of the Triforce, don't you?"

The Hero's heart stopped inside of his chest, "No..." He looked at Ganondorf out of the corners of his eyes, "Did you desire her as well?"

The dark Lord turned Link's head so that he could look him in the eye, "You mean the princess Zelda?"

Link found his head turned so that he could see the room that he was in. They were in a small room with walls made out of squared stones. Arched windows showed that they were in a room that was built at the top of a tower. Heavily embroidered tapestries hung from the ceiling almost obscuring the walls and a rich looking carpet was spread over the stone floor. He found his eyes drawn to the slender young woman held between two large soldiers. Her long golden hair fell in soft waves and framed a too pale face. Her violet colored eyes were unfocused and she seemed dazed. She wore a simple pink gown that looked like something a commoner would wear, but on her it looked like finery.

A strangled gasp escaped his lips, "Zelda...!"

The Dark Lord forced the Hero to turn his head back to face him, "Save your breath, Slave. Her own awakening has not yet been completed. She is only half alive."

Link's eyes narrowed, "Fiend! The dead should never be resurrected by the likes of you!"

"I simply use the tools that my master puts at my disposal."

"He allowed you to have the wrong tool this time! You will never gain control of Hyrule!"

"Won't I? The king is already under my control and the current princess cares little for her people."

"No king of Hyrule, let alone a princess, would ever allow you even near them!"

Then the chuckle that came from Ganondorf made Link draw his head back and the grip on his chin tightened, "Time can wipe away warnings in legends and change things, did you know that?"

"I was the Hero of time," the Hero's gaze darkened, "Or have you forgotten that I learned how time changes things drastically?"

The Dark Lord grinned, "Oh...I remember, but perhaps you need to learn that lesson over again," He let go of Link's chin and looked at the men that held the Hero up, "Show him the new Hyrule!"

Link's muscles protested as his guards dragged his body around and propelled him toward one of the arched windows. He was hauled up to stand upon trembling legs and one of the guards pushed his head toward the window. His head was stopped before it was bashed against the sparkling glass and he found himself peering through the crystal clear glass. Outside the window, a large unfamiliar town spread out for miles around the tower and at last gave way to an unknown landscape.

He blinked in astonishment as he eyes searched for any familiar landmark, "Where is Hyrule?!"

Ganondorf moved up beside him and gestured at the clear glass, "Beautiful. Isn't it?"

Link forced his still weak neck muscles around to stare at the dark lord, "Beautiful?! You would destroy a flower just because it displeased you!"

The grin that he received from his old enemy sent shivers down his back, "The beauty is that none in this land remember me," He threw his hands out wide with a deep throated chuckle, "This whole kingdom will fall easily to me because of it's naivety!"

"A hero will arise to stop– "

The cold golden eyes settled upon the Hero as their owner smirked, "But he already has."

The Hero of Time swallowed hard as he felt himself shrink back, "This isn't..."

"Nothing is impossible, especially for me."

As his old foe threw his head back and his deep throated laughter echoed through the room, Link felt his shoulders slump and what little strength he had drained away. Could the Dark Lord have already won? He turned his head and his gaze settled upon Zelda, The Princess of Hyrule, his Hyrule, 'Can this be happening?'

He felt calloused hands upon his face as his guards grabbed him by the chin and forced him into a headlock. He could see Ganondorf holding a small golden hoop ear ring up to the bright light that was pouring through the arched window. His old foe looked down at him with a sneer, "With this, your powers will be mine and will free you body to be my obedient slave."

Link gritted his teeth together as the Dark Lord walked toward him, "Never!"

"Slaves don't have a choice."

The Hero of Time tried to fight against the strong guards who held him firmly in place, but his body was too weak in it's present state. He felt the rough skin of his foe's hands upon his ear lobe and smelled the scent of incense that clung to his clothes. His old silver hoop ear ring, that had been given him by the elves, was slipped out of his left ear and he felt the iciness of the cool metal of the new one. It was quickly slipped into the old hole left by his old ear ring and as the clasp caught, fiery pain flooded his body. His senses reeled and sent him plunging down into a comforting painless darkness of unconsciousness.