The Legend of Zelda- Ocarina of Time

A Demon's Wrath

Chapter 58
A Demon's Wrath

The rain fell around Link as he tumbled over the balustrade. The Master Sword slipped from Ganondorf's body, and the demon king plummeted towards the balcony far below. Link's insides turned to water, and his body slammed into the tower's stone wall. He hung suspended in mid-air as something thwarted his fall. He gripped his blade, his hand somehow frozen to the pommel, as if the sword wouldn't allow him to let go. It wouldn't save him. Not this time.

"When I told you to stab Ganondorf, I didn't mean leap after him, you dolt," Courage said, sounding irritated.

Link didn't heed the spirit's words; vertigo gripped him in a sickening swirl of colors, and blood rushed to his head from hanging upside down. For a moment, Link was not aware that he was no longer falling. Only Courage's burning essence gave him enough lucidity to realize he was dangling in the air. Somebody was holding his leg, and their grip was slowly slipping.

Link heard a woman cry out while he struggled to look up. The effort intensified the pounding within his head, but he forced himself to stare upward at the balcony. Nabooru was gripping onto his leg, her face strained as she tried to pull him up over the railing. Link feared that her efforts would only send them both to their doom.

Ruto appeared alongside Nabooru and seized hold of Link's other leg. Her webbed hands faltered as well, and both women grunted as they tried hauling him up.

"Let go!" Link shouted. "I'll only pull you both over!"

"The hell I will," Nabooru shouted. She braced against the railing, pulling harder. Her hands slipped further as she hoisted Link up another inch.

"This would be much easier if you ate less!" Ruto yelled.

"I won't be eating anything soon!" Link retorted.

"Just pull!" Nabooru exclaimed, sounding less than amused by Link and Ruto's banter.

Staring downward at the sickening drop, Link knew that if they let go, he would not survive. But, if they didn't...

It was no good.

He could feel the two Sages struggling to hoist him upward. Blood pounded in his ears, and the land below became nothing more than a dizzying blur.

There's no choice, he thought. They have to let go.

Resigning to his fate, and hoping that neither they nor Navi blamed themselves for his death, Link gazed up at the two Sages just in time to see Darunia and Navi appear behind Ruto. Darunia reached easily over Ruto's shoulder and clutched Link's leg so tightly that he almost cried out in pain. Nabooru let go, bracing against the railing to catch her breath, and Darunia pulled Link to the safety of the balcony, sword and all.

"You are too light, brother. You need to eat more," Darunia said, helping Link to his feet with as much gentleness as he could manage. "I think lots of Dodongo stew for you."

"Thanks, Darunia," Link rasped. Only the Goron's firm hand on his shoulder kept him from falling over.

The rush of energy from his brush with death and channeling the Triforce of Courage was beginning to drain. As it did, injuries old and new seemed to reawaken, making Link painfully aware of their presence.

Before he could say anything else, Saria crashed into him, wrapping her small arms around his waist. Link got down on one knee, embracing her. For a moment, he forgot his pain existed, and all he could think of was the promise made earlier. She was safe. He'd stopped Ganondorf, and the Kokiri were home again. It was finally over.