Link's Arc

Chapter 5 of 5

Epona's legs gave out at the edge of a stony field. She had run too hard. Link slid off and turned to face the road. Gannon came out of the dark, red eyes burning, iron spikes on his wrist. He was too close now. Link could not outrun him. He had to fight. Gannon swung his armored fist. Link ducked and rolled. The blow cracked a rock behind him. He drew his sword and slashed Gannon's leg. Green blood spilled, but Gannon only laughed. He grabbed Link by the tunic and threw him across the field. Link hit the ground hard and lost his grip on the sword. "You are done, boy," Gannon growled. Then purple lightning struck Gannon's chest. He staggered. Link looked up. Evilin stood on the rocks, holding a new crooked staff. Her old one had burned white in the fight before. Skeletor climbed up beside her, orange flame gathering at the tip of his black rod. "You struck me first, Gannon," Skeletor hissed. "The master will find a new champion." Gannon roared and charged them both. Skeletor's flame blasted his shoulder. Evilin's lightning locked his feet. For one moment the three monsters tore at each other and forgot Link. Link crawled to Epona. On her saddle hung a wooden bow, its grain smooth and warm. He grabbed it and pulled an arrow from the quiver. Gannon had thrown Skeletor down and turned back toward Link. His broad green chest was open. Link drew the string to his cheek. He breathed. He let the arrow fly. The shaft drove deep into Gannon's heart. Gannon stopped. His red eyes went dark. He fell to his knees, then face-down in the dirt. He did not move again. Skeletor scrambled up, robe torn, flame gone from his rod. "This is not finished," he spat. He grabbed Evilin's arm and dragged her back into the trees. Their footsteps faded into the cold night. Behind a stone wall, Link heard a small voice. "Link?" He ran to the wall. A girl crouched there in a white and pink dress, blond hair loose, hands bound with rope. Princess Zelda. Gannon had chained her near the road as bait to draw him in. Link cut the rope with his knife. Zelda rubbed her wrists and stood. "He was going to trade me to the master," she said. "You came." "I always would," Link said. He helped her onto Epona. The city lights still glowed ahead, closer now. The grimoire waited there, and the master waited far behind them. But Gannon was dead, and Zelda was free. Link swung up behind her and turned Epona toward the lights.