(Pre-Show) The Lobby

[Illidan Stormrage]

Link rushed through the portal, heart beating frantically. All he could think about was Syla. After all he had been through, seeing Malu die and then trekking through the blizzard drenched verse, climbing a mountain and fending off a dragon, it had all been for naught. The Master Sword brimmed with its full power once again, but the Triforce of Courage was gone. It was only one of three keys to a monumental door; the wish of its owner. Even if Ganondorf didn't possess the Triforce of Power right now, it didn't mean he never would again. How would Link combat him without it? Worse, it may fall into another's hands. If Syla's goal was to collect the Triforce and sell it ...

No! Link wouldn't let it happen. He needed it. Nothing would stop him from his goal.

Without the godly relic, Link was certain he wouldn't have survived his confrontation with Ganondorf. While it didn't imbue him with limitless power like Ganondorf or crafty magic like Zelda, his Triforce piece protected him. Dark magic was far less effective against him when it pulsed in his hand, and it gave him a clarity of mind and purpose he never had before. Indeed, even the Master Sword seemed to react to its presence, shimmering with a new heat. Its boons were more subtle than its sister pieces, but in Link's opinion, far more potent.

His mind snapped back to reality. The howling winds of the Frozen Fields continued on without him through the dimensional tear. Link was surrounded by people. Everywhere, all manner of shapes and sizes, mostly human. Some held strange batons with foam spheres on one end, pointing them at one person as they spoke and returning it to their own mouths when they replied. Large archways lead off into different areas, but Link didn't care.

Where was Syla?

Link dove into the masses, weaving and pushing through in search of his prey. She couldn't have gone far, but there were so many places to hide it would take Link longer than he would like to find her.

As the Hylian finally broke free of the throng, a voice boomed through the lobby that set his spine to ice.

"Forgive me!"

The words didn't penetrate, but the sound did. That voice belonged to only one man. Link turned slowly, eyes wide, hoping against hope that he was wrong.

His vision soared over the heads of the crowd and landed on a vision that haunted his dreams. His flame red hair cascaded down his back, an elaborate crown like headwear adorned his head and he wore new, regal armour, but there was no doubt about who it was.

Ganondorf. Ganondorf had followed him.

Link bared his teeth, itchy fingers snapping around the hilt of the Master Sword, but then he stopped. The crowd had grown bored of the Gerudo king after the silence that followed his outburst, and drawing his blade in this would divert all attention to Link. He remembered the opposition he received, especially from that Hairy guy, when they faced off against the Rathalos. What would happen here when there was no other threat? Would the others mob him? As much as Link knew Ganondorf deserved a goddess forged blade in the abdomen, this wasn't the place. But what else could he do?

A sickening thought clenched Link's gut. Syla. What if she invited Ganondorf here to sell him the Triforce of Courage? What if he was here to add it to his collection?

Too much was at stake here. Link's hand stayed clenched around the Master Sword's hilt, but he didn't unsheathe it. Not yet.

He pushed his way back through the crowd, eyes hungrily scanning for Syla, as he approached Ganondorf. He wouldn't start a fight, but if one broke out, he knew he would have to finish it.