Noise, so much noise; the desperate screaming of the tormented wind blasted over once rich lands. The shouts and grunts of fighting soldiers echoed through the marrow of the weary. Death itself hung in the air wailing and clutching the cruel bloody scraps of war in which it clothed itself. Would such torment ever end? Would there ever be piece?
High in the towers of Hyrule Castle a woman stood gazing down upon the countless armies of the dark king. The souls of the dead dripped from her eyes and tugged on stray tresses of hair. Blood seeped from her pale lips where teeth had bit in angst. And a hand, white with cold, was held firmly at her throat a talisman clutched in the center.
"Princess Zelda, the King has been brought within the castle," The frayed voice of a hand maiden penetrated the dark haze that was the princess' mind. "he is failing!"
Zelda turned her tear streaked face toward the hand maiden, her eyes red and enflamed. "Take me to him." She sobbed, hardly audible over the rushing wind. The maiden nodded and rushed from the parapet, Zelda quickly within step behind.
The King lay on a blood soaked stretcher, breath in short control. On the side of his head bloomed a crimson rose of mutilated flesh, and wide eyes circled the room, seeing things that no other eyes could see.
Zelda fell to his side her hands trembling over his prostrate form as though she were a puppet master and, with one flick of her finger, could bring the sickly form of the King back up to his lordly pose.
A convulsion racked the body and blood oozed from the wound. The princess gasped and threw her head upon his chest sobbing.
"Leave us." She said after a moment, her voice a harsh command that did not match her form.
"My lady?" Those that stood close by shifted uncomfortably.
"Leave us!" Zelda screamed, and began to sob more profusely. The bodies departed with voices dragged down by grief. Once all were gone, Zelda's hand drifted again to the talisman at her chest and pulled it quickly. The golden chain snapped from about her neck and tumbled down to dangle above the fallen King.
"She who is fire, She who is wind," Zelda closed her eyes and began to chant softly, "She who is love aid me now. Break that which was given to me to make that which is broken whole." She offered the talisman to the great domes of the ceiling, her head falling upon her chest in reverence.
Electricity shot from her hands to her heart and she was pitched backward upon the stone floor.
That which is freely given, freely we shall take. Daughter, you know what it is thow shalt do.
Zelda stood and nodded upon the floor in front of her lay two triangles. Both halves of what was once whole. She picked up one and placed it on the chest of her father. White light pulsed from the shard and enveloped the man.
"I charge you to live, oh King, and jealously guard these halls, till he who was promised returns." The light grew blinding and chaotic music added to the tormented symphony that played behind the Castle walls. When the Light and the music faded, Zelda opened her eyes upon an empty stretcher, and sobbed again.
A Loud booming echoed through the hall and the princess knew it was only a matter of time before the enemy took the gates. She stood with purpose clutching the other half of her talisman and began to run.
"Princess the gates will be breached you must hide!" Tears gushed from puffy eyes and her breath caught, but Zelda continued to run, the terrified shouts falling back behind her. "Princess!"
Her feet pumped without rest, and her heart throbbed within her chest and throat, all but choking her. The ran with hardly a thought for crashing walls around her. Down halls, and stairs, and broken walls; passed death and carnage and destruction, until she found the great room of which she sought. Her ears drummed with rushing blood and she fell on her knees by The Sword.
Her hands shook as she placed he broken talisman upon the hilt, then lifted it from the decorated cushion where it had lay.
"Please, save my sweet nation." She whispered before brushing away the cushion and plunging the sword into the plinth that was beneath.
Light snuffed out all senses. Grief gave way to hope. The princess floated in a dream, her body laid out broken upon the floor. Before all time grew still, a last breath escaped her chapped lips which curled softly into a smile:
"I know you will come… I will be waiting…. Hero…"