Author's Note: I got a little distracted when writing the next chapter of Beyond (which is coming soon, I promise; I just have lots to plan out), and here we are. I really wanted to write an in-depth version of the fight against Calamity Ganon 100 years prior to Breath of the Wild which linked together all of the memories and everything in between. I really hope that you enjoy it; it took a lot of work to write this! :3
Also the title, "United we stand, divided we fall," is a quote from Aesop and also a wonderful song from Two Steps From Hell; the song I listened to whilst writing this so go and give it a listen!
*The image art is not my own, it's an unfinished work that belongs solely to nesskain on Tumblr*
United We Stand, Divided We Fall
~O~
Their time had finally come.
Clustered at the nadir of Mount Lanayru, the Champions of Hyrule prepared for the struggle against the newly awakened Calamity Ganon. After being unable to awaken her sealing power at the Spring of Wisdom, Princess Zelda had insisting on joining her companions in the potentially final battle instead of "cowering away from her duty."
Zelda desired to prepare their mount alone—the only horse that they were taking in order to save time and energy—to which the others believed was to still her nerves and collect her thoughts as much as possible. The Hylian Champion watched from afar, a frown etched onto his features. He himself was in such deep thought that he didn't notice the Gerudo Champion as she made her way towards him.
"Are you certain that you want to do this, Link?" she asked calmly, "We still have time to get her to safety."
He nodded firmly, "This is as much the Princess's fight as it is ours, Urbosa. I will protect her with my life."
Urbosa smiled, pride for the boy shining in her bright green eyes. As much as she was protective of the Princess like a mother, she had quickly grown fond of the boy at her side, sensing both his importance to the coming fight as well as his strong spirit and overwhelming sense of duty.
Yet she frowned and placed a hand on her hip as she added, "Well make sure you consider yourself too, kid. We need you to take care of Ganon and…" Urbosa smiled down at Link, catching his attention, "Well… we care about you too."
Link's eyes found the Rito Champion, who studied them from afar with beady eyes, "Not quite everyone, Urbosa…" She chuckled lightly as Revali left to help the Princess. Link sighed, averting his eyes from the Gerudo, "And I will, Urbosa, but the Princess comes first. She always comes first; especially now."
The Gerudo Champion nodded in agreement, casting her gaze towards the Princess of Hyrule. Not only was the feeling of failure flowing out from Zelda, but also a harsh determination to finish what they had started. Urbosa had often seen a sense of Gerudo spirit in the young woman—maybe that was why they had grown so fond of one another so quickly—and so she prayed fervently that the same spirit would bring them a swift victory.
Nonetheless, there was nothing that could alter the amount of pride that Urbosa felt towards the Princess and the Hero.
Link was rather surprised when the Gerudo drew him into a tight embrace, the former drawing from her strength as he prepared himself also. Leaning down, Urbosa whispered into his ear, "Please stay safe, kid."
Link nodded stiffly, a strange finality about what they were about to do settling into his gut. He was charged with protecting the Princess of Hyrule, yes, but he was also tasked with being on the front lines against Calamity Ganon. And with so much time spent protecting the Princess and training himself for that duty, he only truly thought about what he had to do when he went to sleep for the night.
Fear crept into his gut.
"Don't you worry, little guy," Daruk assured with a hearty clap on Link's shoulder, apparently noticing the Hero's weary complexion. Link stumbled slightly and rubbed his shoulder as the great Goron added, "You won't be alone in this, Link. You have all of us behind you."
For once, they stood behind him; not the other way around.
He wasn't quite used to it; though he supposed that he never would.
"Thank you, Daruk…"
"L-Link?" He turned to find Mipha standing a few feet away from everyone else, clearly distressed. The dying sun cast its rays upon her various bodily silver garments, sapphires positively gleaming in the light. However, despite her regal stature and lightly clasped hands, her amber eyes betrayed the fear that she truly felt—that they all felt.
Seeing his close friend in such a way, Link bundled her up into a tight hug, "It'll be alright, Mipha. It'll be alright…"
The Zora wrapped her thin arms around his shoulders, burying her face into his neck, "Please Link… please stay safe. You are ready for this—I can feel it in my heart—but you used to injure so easily as a child…"
He smiled as he held Mipha at arm's length, "I was a child then. You don't need to worry about me."
The female Champion sighed, a soft smile tugging at her lips, "Oh I believe that I do, Link." He glanced away with a hesitant chuckle before Mipha placed her hand onto his arm, "At least… at least remember what I promised you atop Vah Ruta: no matter what happens in this fight, no matter how far apart we are, then I will heal you. Link… I will always protect you."
The Hero hugged his friend one last time before releasing her, knowing that they were all about to separate.
Hopefully they next time they saw each other, they would have rid Calamity Ganon from Hyrule.
Each of the Champions, excluding Link and Zelda, could feel their respective Divine Beasts calling out to them. The ancient weapons used against Ganon 10,000 years ago by other Champions, and most likely one of the main reasons that battle was won, had most likely sensed the return of Calamity Ganon and were preparing to strike the foul creature from their corner of Hyrule.
Three of four Champions stepped back from the Hylians as Link made his way towards his charge, only to be halted by Revali clasping his arm suddenly. Careening towards the Hylian, the Rito Champion simply sneered, "Don't mess this up."
The Knight could say nothing before Revali made his way to the other Champions' sides, watching him sternly.
Swallowing thickly, Link stepped over to his Princess as she finished buckling up their mare for the journey, "Are you ready, Your Grace?"
"I am." She didn't even look at him, and her hands were shaking around the horse's reins.
Zelda accepted her Knight's hand in helping her mount the horse and gave him space to sit in front of her, only to become uneasy when she had no choice but to wrap her arms around his middle—it was necessary, but nonetheless uncomfortable.
She shifted her weight before addressing the rest of the Champions, "I have faith that you will succeed, Champions." Pausing, she then added in a less regal tone, "And thank you… for everything." As one, the four Champions of Hyrule teleported themselves to their respective Divine Beasts in a flurry of golden light. "I suppose this is it, Link… our final stand."
"Indeed, Your Grace."
"They are gone now, Link; you need not use my title."
He glanced over his shoulder at her, the sky's heavenly glow catching his eyes, "As you wish, Zelda." He leaned down for a moment to pat his mare's side; Zelda's horse left behind at Kakariko as it wasn't needed this time; soothing his companion before nudging her into a hearty gallop, sending them speeding down the Lanayru Promenade and towards their destinies without hesitation.
They spent no time in Kakariko Village. Impa; the Elder of the town; watched from her porch as the two Hylians rushed through—silently apologising to those who leaped out of the way from their path. All Sheikah, young and old, had something to do now that Calamity Ganon had finally returned. Whether they were gathering weapons for any creatures which threatened their land or simply rushing towards nearby bunkers to protect the vulnerable, Kakariko was the most chaotic it had ever been.
"Imps," a voice came from behind, causing Impa to turn and find her older sister and research partner, Purah, standing in the doorway; various weapons and tools strapped to her waist. "We need to go, Imps; the people need us."
"Indeed they do, sister," she murmured, making her way back into their abode to fit herself with armour, "Indeed they do…"
Calamity Ganon's attack on Hyrule could already be witnessed from the outskirts of Kakariko Village, or at least Zelda could as they made their way out of Kakariko Village and into Blatchery Plain; Lake Siela glittering far beneath them. The skies, once splashed with a wide array of orange and royal purple pigments, had been sliced clean through with a tyrian purple sky filled deep crimsons and dark charcoal; a far cry from Hyrule's natural beauty.
Ganon had truly returned.
While her Knight merely focused on the path ahead, the Princess delved deep inside of her in a desperate attempt to find her sealing power. After ten years of searching ardently for her power, after ten years of constant criticism for not being able to retrieve the power that was her duty to inherit. Through her sheer anger at not being able to awaken her sealing power, her constant fear of not being able to awaken that power in time shone through.
"Anything could finally spark the power to seal Ganon away," Urbosa's calming voice echoed around her mind, "We just need to keep looking for that… thing."
But until she found that "thing," Hyrule would never stand a chance against the Calamity.
The Princess's hair rippled out from behind like golden ribbons as they two sped between the Dueling Peaks and beside Squabble River, their reflections lapping over the water's surface. The moon had already begun to rise, its radiance a stark contrast to the chaotic horizon surrounding it.
However, before either the Hero or the Princess could be thankful for the moon's guiding light, it was swallowed up by the red sea of clouds. With little light to help them, Link was left to rely on his own instinct and trust of his mare as the clouds began to cluster together—a storm was coming, more so than the one currently raging through their homeland.
The heavens truly opened as they passed the Hills of Baumer, leaving them unprotected from the numerous sheets of icy rain that assaulted them. Removing one hand from the reins, Link fumbled through the saddlebag and pulled out a cloak, passing it to his charge silently. "Is there a cloak for you as well?"
He was silent; as he almost always seemed to be.
"Link," she said stoutly, "You need this cloak as much as I do."
He caught her eyes for a moment. Releasing the reins, she thought that she had won this battle, yet Zelda's heart sank when he merely pushed the clasp firmly into place and pulled the hood further over her head and murmured, "You need to stay warm."
And that was that.
Proxim Bridge came and went with ease, to which they then veered away from the main road and entered the open field, passing by the East Post as they rode close to the Hylia River. The outpost, like many across Hyrule, was so hectic that the Knights inside barely noticed a horse passing by—their minds focusing only on the swirling mass encasing their beloved Hyrule in evil and despair.
At first the Princess was confused as to why they were no longer taking the main route towards Castle Town, though as they neared Owlan Bridge, her companion explained, "We cannot face Ganon head-on. If we are spotted too early, then we will have little advantages when fighting him. From now on, we must scout ahead from afar."
Zelda internally cursed herself for not thinking the same thoughts as her Knight, even if she had not been trained to do so—all she seemed to do was criticise herself. Leaping over the undergrowth, the young mare cantered up towards the Whistling Hill so that Link and Zelda could observe the Calamity from afar.
However, once they laid eyes on Hyrule, the Princess had to cover her mouth to stop herself from screaming; instantly jumping off of their horse.
Hyrule Castle had been submerged in Calamity Ganon's power, swirling masses of Malice claiming the Princess's home for its own. But what caught Zelda's eyes were the five gigantic columns that had sprouted from the ground around the Castle—Purah's theory about them returning with Ganon turning out to be true after all.
Castle Town was ablaze, completely overrun by chaos and screams from within. Smoke billowed up in thick plumes, civilians fleeing from the fire with all of their remaining energy. All they could do was watch from the grassy knoll as their deepest fears came into fruition right before their very eyes.
As the Castle Town Watchtower crumbled beneath its own weight, Link was suddenly drawn to a large being clambering over its ruins.
"Zelda…" She couldn't speak, tears silently falling down her face as she tore her eyes away from the sight—her Knight was trying his hardest to remain calm, but his eyes betrayed him. The Princess of Hyrule followed his gaze back to the graveyard that used to be Castle Town, a race of large beings were crawling over the ruins that they had made, bright lights shooting through the town.
"Oh Goddesses," she whispered, her voice barely above a cracked whisper. Her Knight caught her as she tumbled onto her knees, supporting her as the Guardians—the autonomous weapons that she had helped to excavate, that she had helped to research, that she had observed so often inside the Castle walls—clambered over the decimated walls of Castle Town and into the open; killing anything that moved.
Their light was no longer orange but a deep magenta; the same hue as Ganon's Calamity form.
A raw cry was ripped free from the Princess's throat.
No, not the Princess's throat—for she was no longer a Princess. Her Castle had been destroyed, and there was no crown on her head.
"T-There is still hope," Zelda muttered hopelessly. She wrapped her hands tightly around her waist as she said, "We still have… the Divine Beasts… we may still obliterate Ganon yet…"
And yet, her last shred of hope was snuffed out completely when they raised their heads at a near deafening sound.
Divine Beast Vah Medoh was no longer in the sky; dust and fire rising high into the air where it originally stood atop the Rito Village.
Snapping their gazes towards the remaining three Divine Beasts, the horrid hue of the Calamity had replaced the brilliant blue light that once ran throughout each of the creatures.
Calamity Ganon had ripped the Divine Beasts from their side; and with it their last remaining hope of survival.
Zelda wailed in pure despair, her companion's face completely blank as the adrenaline momentarily left his body. After all that they had done to prepare for the fight against Ganon, everything had been torn away without hesitation. Now that Ganon had free reign over the Divine Beasts; their fellow Champions trapped inside; and the Guardians—they were well and truly doomed.
If only she had awoken her power, if only she had—
It all happened so fast.
The two Hylians had been shaken so much that the sight of a Guardian Stalker fixing its sights onto them hadn't reached their senses. It was only moments after the crimson reticle had been locked onto Zelda's body that Link reacted. Pulling her into his arms, the Hero whistled for his horse as he sped down the hill, skidding over the muddy terrain with his heart pounding against his chest.
Thankfully the first shot from the Guardian missed them, yet the creature refused to stop. Link managed to lift his charge onto the horse, mounting after so that he was seated behind her. She was slowly beginning to break free from her daze, the wind and rain whipping her hair into her face violently—the cries of her dying people echoing throughout her mind.
Riding past the Bottomless Swamp, Link prayed that they would be able to lose the Stalker amongst the overgrowth beside the swamp or even in the nearby forest, but both his mare and his mind were moving so fast that it was hard to think. The mere sight of his home completely destroyed by those who had protected the Hero 10,000 years ago and were now hunting him down was enough to make him scream internally; Zelda being the only thing keeping his mind in some sense of order in the chaos.
He could feel the presence of the Guardian behind him, tensing up further as the sound of the mechanical beast charging up its attack reached his pointed ears. The reticle's heat flowed across his back faster than the fires raging in Castle Town, and no matter how often he swerved in a feeble attempt to get away from the Guardian, the heat remained solely on them.
As the heat left him, Link knew what was about to come.
He prayed to each of the Goddesses individually—hoping that they would finally give them a miracle.
Then, without any warning whatsoever, both Link and Zelda were thrown from their mount, the explosion from the Guardian's attack catching them as they flew through the air. They landed hard in a mass of vegetation, miraculously hidden from view as the earth settled.
The two Hylians were silent as they tried to understand what had happened, desperately hoping that the Guardian would finally give up in its search for them. In the near distance, sounds of heavy metal puncturing the earth reached them, causing Link to part some of the branches around them to spot the Guardian Stalker finally leaving them; fooled into believing that its job was complete.
If Zelda wasn't beneath him, the Champion would have sagged against the ground in relief.
"Has… has it left?" Zelda whispered into his ear. In response, he lifted himself off of her and raced away; having spotted something that she couldn't see. She started after him with wide eyes, solace running through her veins once seeing no Stalker in sight.
Casting her gaze back to her Knight, she slowed into a stop a few feet away when she found him kneeling before his mount. Completely limp on the ground, his mare had taken the full brunt of the Guardian's attack to save her master and companion from having to, chocolate eyes wide and unseeing.
"Link…"
"I had her since I was 10," he murmured, running his fingers through her wet mane. "A friend owned a ranch not far from here and gave her to me for helping her out so much…" Zelda nodded solemnly. "We did everything together, and now she's gone because I put her into danger…"
The female Hylian knelt down before her companion, gut wrenching at the awful wounds the horse had taken, "You did nothing wrong, Link. You were both so loyal to one another; anyone with sense could see that. And I know in my heart that you would have done the same for her." Hesitantly, she wrapped her arms around her Knight's shoulders, "None of this was because of you, Link. It has all been because of Ganon… and now you have someone else to fight for."
Link nodded numbly, closing his eyes for a moment as he savoured the sweet scent of hay before rising, "We must go. I'll come back for her if I can…"
Zelda parted her lips to acknowledge him, only to stop when she felt an ominous presence behind her. Swallowing thickly, she turned towards the source, deep blue eyes widening as another Guardian made its way towards them; hundreds of them scattering across Hyrule.
She felt utterly sick.
Link immediately grabbed onto her wrist and ran, darting between trees as the creature stalked towards them. He refused to look back at the Stalker as they ran, his eyes solely on the small forest ahead of them. Zelda's vision was a blur of bright lights and rain, terror riddling her body with each step that she took.
They reached the forest at lightning speed, now completely soaked through. At some point, the cloak Zelda had been wearing had fallen from her shoulders, leaving her completely open to the elements. Wind pelted them from all angles, making it even harder to breathe normally. The Guardian must have lost its sight on them, however Zelda was still on full alert and glanced back in dread for a single moment—losing her balance in the process.
Her hand instantly slipped out from his grip, sending her tumbling down onto the muddy earth. Link skidded into a stop at the sudden change, raising the Master Sword in case anything or anyone had tailed them. Although he only saw Zelda on her knees and sheathed the legendary blade, shoulders slumping as he knelt before her.
Her eyes were downcast, fingers digging deep into the soil in distress. "How… how did it come to this?" she demanded to no one, knowing that there wasn't a sufficient answer. "The Divine Beasts… the Guardians… corrupted by Ganon. It's… it's impossible..."
Link silently watched her, unsure of what to say.
She raised her head, eyes warm and building up with tears, "And everyone… Mipha, Urbosa, Revali, and Daruk—Goddesses, they're trapped inside those things like prisoners. And I sent them there…"
"Zelda… they chose to—"
"Don't lie to me!" she cried, letting her face fall into her matted hands as she sobbed, "It's all my fault! Our only hope for defeating Ganon was by awakening this cursed power, but now we've lost the only way to stop him! Everything… everything I've done up until now—all out research, all our efforts—they were all for… for nothing."
'They weren't,' Link wanted to say, but couldn't find the courage.
"So I really am just a failure!" Zelda sobbed, finally meeting her companion's eyes, "My friends, my people, and—" Her eyes widened, "Oh Goddesses, my Father! T-They've all perished because of me! And what have I done? I've done nothing! I… I left them all to die, Link… I…"
She could no longer go on, using up the last of her energy to throw herself into her Knight's arms as she broke down before his eyes, releasing all of the pain that she still harboured after ten long years of searching for the sealing power that would defeat Calamity Ganon just like 10,000 years ago. Link could do nothing but embrace her lightly and rock her back and forth, murmuring soothing tones into her ear.
In that moment, it seemed as if the entire world fell away. There was no Ganon, no turncoat Guardians, no more deaths, only the the Hero and his Princess—a boy and a girl changed irreversibly by their destinies—as they mourned the land they had sworn by oath to protect.
The land that was now dying before their very eyes.
And as his Princess sobbed into his arms, the Hero came to a horrid conclusion.
Although he had fought against horribly uneven odds before, there was no chance that they could win; not today.
"Sometimes you may have to fight a battle more than once to win it," his Father's words cut through his thought process. He swallowed thickly and bowed his head.
But there was also something else with terrified him more.
He glanced down the the crown of his charge's head, a strange sensation coursing through his bones; a strong desire to protect her from anything.
It isn't right, he scolded himself. These feelings are nothing but a weakness; just like all feelings are. That's what his Father had told him, and that's all he had ever known. His heart ached. I could never deserve you, and you deserve anything better than me. Once this is over, I'll free you from the burden that I have become.
His heart steeled over; his fate accepted.
But I will always protect you.
His eyes found the Castle in the distance, and more so the amount of Guardians still festering around it. There was no way that they would be able to reach Calamity Ganon alive, let alone face face such a monstrosity with the amount of Guardians around it.
He sighed weakly, turning his attention towards his charge.
"Zelda," he whispered, repeating her name when she didn't reply. She raised her head forlornly. "We… with the Guardians, we won't make it to Castle Town. I'm sorry, Zelda… but we must retreat. If there was any other way I would choose it, but—"
Normally she would have yelled in his face about him giving up, but either her extreme pain or sheer hopelessness for the situation caused her to simply nod; cutting him off straight away. An icy dagger struck the Hero's heart as he helped her back onto her feet, never seeing a shine of defeat so strong in her eyes before.
They ran through the depths of the night, too full of adrenaline to shiver from the cold. Thankfully the rain had lightened, but not enough to make the journey any easier. They took the most concealed journey possible back towards Fort Hateno; the place Link thought would be the most protected part of Hyrule that was nearby; making sure that they wouldn't alert any of the Guardians as they assaulted Hyrule.
As much as they wished to stop the beasts from tearing apart their homeland, their weapons would do so little against the ancient technology that it would be futile.
Zelda's tears had stopped falling, for she was too exhausted and desperate to survive to shed any more tears, her hand interlocked with Link's as they broke out into Blatchery Plain. Guardian Stalkers had swarmed the terrain, destroying all shreds of man-made buildings that they could as they continued their claim of Hyrule. Her Knight immediately pulled her behind a broken structure, mentally assessing what they were to do.
Many of the Guardians were simply treading over the plain, others making their way towards the Fort in order to destroy its defences and carry on towards Hateno Village, meaning that there was no way that either of them could reach the Fort or even Kakariko without having to face numerous Guardians in the process.
Zelda raised a brow as he rested his head against the wall with a sigh, "What's wrong?"
The Hero turned on her and placed his hands onto her shoulders, a strong resolve in his weary eyes startling her, "Zelda, you need to run as fast as you possible can and don't stop until you've reached the Fort, do you understand?"
"I… what about you?"
"Do you promise, Zelda? You can't stop until you're safe, alright?"
Zelda narrowed her eyes, "I won't promise anything until I know that you'll be safe with me."
He didn't even look away in fear as he said, "I will be right behind you, Zelda." She didn't believe him, he knew that. Sighing, he relented, "I'm going to make sure that you won't be attacked as you run—I'll be protecting you, as I've always done."
Her lips parted as she realised what he meant, "No," she said sternly, "You are not throwing your life away because of—"
"Please Zelda," he pleaded, cutting her off for the first time since he had been appointed as her protector. "I'd take life over death as much as the next Knight, but there is no way that either of us can reach the Fort or Kakariko without the Guardians descending on us. We don't have a choice anymore, Zelda, and your power is much more necessary than mine."
"Don't you dare say that!" Zelda cried, wary of her tone with so many Guardians around them. "You are just as important as I am in this battle, for you actually have your power to use! I know that I was rather unkind to you in the beginning, Link, but… I care about you; I want you at my side as my Knight and my friend and nothing less."
He chewed at his lip, wishing that he hadn't been assigned to protect the most stubborn Princess. Then he sighed and relented, "Alright."
She nodded firmly, not realising that it was a false promise.
The two cast each other reassuring looks before readying themselves.
This was it.
Inhaling deeply, they ignored their pounding hearts and ran.
Instantly attacked by icy sheets of rain and the muddy, uneven earth at their feet, the two Hylians could do nothing but run as fast as they possibly could. Guardians clocked onto them not moments after they tore themselves from their hiding spot, racing after them without a moment of hesitation. Zelda's breath caught in her throat as reticles lit up the world around them, explosions tearing screams from her lungs as they destroyed the ground mere feet beside and behind them. Thankfully her Hero was at her side, hand firmly clasping her wrist as he guided her out of harm's way.
If only they had his horse.
If only she had her cursed power.
If only—
The Princess skidded into a stop as a weight left her arm. She immediately stopped and spun around to find her companion with his bow out—sending dazzling blue arrows into the eyes of their once allies; blinding them long enough to buy them time. Zelda raced forced and dragged him along by the crook of his elbow, yelling as she went, "Why did you do that?! Did you lie back there just to—?!"
Link jolted her into a stop as a Stalker cut off their path. He nocked his bow as quickly as possible, only for the fear that suddenly struck him to be his fatal mistake.
As he let the arrow fly, it missed by a fraction; but enough to count.
His heart stopped.
"I never taught you to miss," his Father's voice boomed in his mind, scolded him back from when he was a child and missed the target before him, "That was all your doing. The day that you repeat this failure shall be the day you die from your failure."
As his mind clouded over, he was sure that he had failed and that he was going to die; just like his Father promised.
Even if his Father was most likely dead within the Castle walls by now.
Zelda's voice calling his name was enough to bring him back, though she had already snatched his bow from his hand and nocked a bomb arrow, letting it loose straight into the Guardian's eye, causing it to tumble away in shock. Link snapped his gaze over to her as he hooked the bow back onto his belt, forcing out a smile as she said, "Let's go, Link."
Not "Hero."
He truly wasn't the Hero any longer, not now that he had failed so many times.
The Stalkers were already recovering as they ran off again, following them in hot pursuit as the walls of Fort Hateno rose up in the distance—their saving grace on the horizon.
Link dared to look back as the heat of numerous reticles sparked on his back. They were far too close to escape from. They had lost precious time by him missing the shot, and now they were going to pay for it. He glanced over to Zelda, eyes softening as he knew exactly what he had to do.
Betraying his mind, he spotted a crumbling wall and took in every part of her beautiful features before calling out, "Behind there!"
Like when his horse died—something he still hadn't entirely accepted—the Guardian stopped attacking because it saw what it had killed. And since there was two of them; it seemed rather logical what had to happen.
Zelda's eyes stayed on the wall, not catching her companion's sad smile as he began to slow down.
She jumped behind a broken wall moments before the Stalker attacked, falling into knee-deep water harshly, staggering for a moment before flashing Link a smile in their second of respite.
He wasn't there.
Trepidation crept into her gut about what could have happened, mentally cursing her Knight with all the words she knew; for being so stubborn, so loyal, so suicidal, so him. Steeling her courage, Zelda peered out from her hiding spot. Guardians had completely surrounded them, though seemed to have given up in attacking them at the moment—giving her the chance to find her companion and get him to the Fort before he could be stupid again.
She spotted Link numerous feet away from her, on the ground with his back to her; his weapon a few paces from his side; bow and scabbard completely destroyed from the blast. Zelda took a moment to catch her breath before checking that the coast was clear one last time—of course it would never be completely clear, but the more time she had to rescue Link before the Guardians spotted them again, the better.
Inhaling deeply, she rushed out into the fray.
Within seconds she was at his side, pulling him onto his back with renewed strength. Zelda tapped his cheek once, twice, three times whilst whispering his name, constantly looking out for Guardians. The attack got him good, it seemed; the explosion caught him in the chest, high degree burns clawing across the rest of his chest and abdomen. In all honesty, she wouldn't have been surprised if he hadn't gained some form of internal bleeding from how deep the wound looked as well as amount of debris that lay around him.
Zelda snapped her eyes up to Link's when she heard him stirring, gasping when he began coughing up blood; she was right. "Easy, easy!" she ordered when he tried to sit up, delicately placing her hands onto his shoulders to help him up. The Champion reached over to grab his ruined weapon, and Zelda only then saw the extent of the damage the Master Sword had taken.
In the face of evil, the legendary blade would glow a brilliant blue and increase itself strength massively. However in front of so many corrupted Guardian Stalkers, it didn't even sparkle; the metal dull and its edges cracked.
"We need to go, Link. Only a little longer, then I can take care of you…" Yet as she made to begin the gruelling journey towards the Fort, Link pushed her away—the act sending him to his knees as blood spattered beneath him. Zelda was instantly at his side, fighting against him to help him away from the fight. The Guardians were getting closer and becoming more aware of them—they didn't have much time left.
"R-Run," he commanded weakly.
"Never," she countered, then, "Not unless you're with me." He pushed her back again, making sure that she was at least behind him. Putting her hand on his back, she demanded, "Link, you must save yourself! I order you to flee; anything to stop you fighting! Don't worry about me and run! Please!"
The Hero said nothing in response, wiping his mouth free of blood as he forced himself back onto his feet, his eyes steeled over with pain and focus on one Guardian that had spotted them. Even though she had ordered him to leave, he couldn't simply run for his life whilst the Guardians were there; even if she was running with him.
Someone had to stay and fight; it would always be him.
One Guardian climbed over the ruins its kind had made, refusing to unlock its singular gaze from them. Zelda gasped from behind, unsure of what to do—she had no weapons, Link was in grave danger, and there was no chance at fleeing without being killed.
There was nothing she could do.
They were all going to die as a result of her inaction.
"So I really am just a failure!"
Her own words would spite her until her death.
She really was just a failure.
"You are the heir to a throne of nothing… nothing but failure."
The gossip mongers were right, her Father too—and now they were dead because of her failure.
"Anything could finally spark the power to seal Ganon away. We just need to keep looking for that… thing."
Zelda opened her eyes, not even realising that she had shut them, and found Link before her, breathing heavily but ready to fight. She could never forget how much he had been there for her throughout it all. Even when she despised his presence, she was still partially thankful for having someone there who wasn't constantly chastising her.
He was everything that she wasn't; he was strong, courageous, kind, and caring. She was weak, cowardly, harsh and angry.
But no matter what happened, she wasn't going to let him die; not today; not on her watch.
Suddenly, a warm glow enveloped her spirit, encasing her heart in a comforting embrace. Her eyes fluttered shut as she embraced the sudden surge of power, her care for Link and determination to save the both of them only fuelling the power within her.
All this time she had been wrong about her power—she always believed that the "thing" that would awaken her power was her own strength and prayer. What was going to awaken her power was the discipline she gained from constant training and prayers to the Goddesses, however the "thing" that would truly draw forth her power was someone who believed in her no matter what; someone who stood by her side no matter what.
Someone who she needed to show the same belief for; someone whose side she would stand by in the face of chaos.
Maybe the gossip mongers were right about her.
But she would prove them wrong.
"It is woven into your destiny that you prove them wrong. Do you understand?"
I understand Father… I finally understand…
As the Guardian Stalker towered high above the two Hylians and focused its reticle on Link, a power flourished deep within Zelda and only grew outward as her fear for her friend grew also. Her eyes flashed open as the Stalker prepared to fire, and time itself seemed to slow down as she shoved her Knight behind her and held her hand up with a hearty cry.
"No!"
The Mark of the complete Triforce shone like the sun on the back of her hand, creating a gigantic golden shield which pulsated out from around them, stretching far across Blatchery Plain; merging into a single beam of light before fading away entirely. The Guardian before them, much like the rest, jittered into a halt above them before falling limp—its light flickering out. Ganon's corruption was eradicated from the Guardian and flew into the dark skies above.
Tumbling down before them, the Stalkers around them fell hard against the dirt; dead.
Zelda lowered her arm, breathing hard as she tried to comprehend exactly what had happened. "Was that…?" she stammered, "I… I…"
A thud from behind cut her off, and a familiar sense of dread grabbed her gut once more as she spun around, the sight of Link having collapsed behind her sending her heart into her throat.
Not after all they had been through together.
Not after all that they had suffered together.
"No, no! You can't die!" Abandoning all thoughts of her finally awakened power, Zelda fell to her knees at her Knight's side, bundling him up into her arms and holding him close as he opened his eyes. Brushing some hair away from his face, she whispered, "You're going to be just fine, Link… Can you… can you get up for me?"
She gave him credit for trying, though as soon as beads of blood trailed from his mouth at the effort, they both knew that it wasn't going to work; they were stuck.
"You did it…" he murmured as she shifted his weight across her lap, reaching up to wipe away her tears—though he only succeeded in adding a trail of blood onto her stained cheeks. "I-I knew you'd do it…"
"Save your strength," she chastised as he began to cough, forcing his head to rest against her shoulder. Goddesses she couldn't distinguish the dirt from the blood any longer, there was just too much of it. They were halfway to Fort Hateno, and while Zelda knew that she wouldn't have the strength to carry him there, she could surely find help. "Please, somebody!" she screamed into the night, "We need help!"
"Zelda…" She hushed him immediately—hoping to keep him awake for as long as possible. He frowned a little, "Zelda please… look at me…" Zelda met his eyes with silent tears. "Y-You need to get… to the Fort… alone…"
Her eyes narrowed, "Link, I'm not—"
"I'm trained, Zelda…" He coughed harshly, which only causing the Hero more pain and Zelda more anger at her failure, "I know no one can bounce back… from this… You have to s-survive…"
"I will, but I can't leave you without t-trying," she soothed, starting to cry harder. "You will bounce back Link… I don't know how you couldn't with your stubbornness." He smiled ruefully, taking her hand into his; the other still holding his only weapon. "But you'll heal up, and then we'll take down Ganon together—just like we planned to. And then we'll grow old, Hyrule will be beautiful… and then this will all be like a dream."
"Zelda…"
"But you aren't leaving us tonight, Link. Not on this night, alright?"
He nodded, perhaps with a lack of sincerity, then, "Zelda…" He let go of her hand to brush some stray hair away from her face; his hand falling limply onto his stomach. "You're so strong… and beautiful… I'm so sorry…"
His eyes began to roll back, sending panic into her bloodstream as she shook his shoulder lightly, holding his face to keep him focused on her, "No, Link, you need to stay awake, remember? Help will be coming soon." After a moment, he seemed to come around more. She smiled down at him as he added, "You need not be sorry, Link… you can't be sorry for anything. You mean the world to me, more than you'll ever know…"
But he was just smiling at her with that lopsided smile that he rarely gave anyone; even when he wasn't on duty. His eyes had glazed over, only focusing on the woman holding him. He fumbled around for her hand in an attempt to pull her closer to his face, squeezing at tightly as he could muster. Once she was within inches of his face, he planted a soft kiss on her forehead and murmured, "Have courage, Zelda… do what I couldn't…"
Zelda pulled away with a sad smile, brushing away some rain from his face, "I think some of yours had rubbed off on me." He chuckled, unaware of the thicker stream of blood trailing from his lips, "And we'll do it together; just like always, won't we?"
He smiled.
Then his eyes fluttered shut, his entire body falling limp.
The world dropped out from beneath the young woman as she pressed shaky fingers against his throat, jerking back with a cry and sobbing into his chest, uncaring for the blood sticking onto her face.
He was gone.
Gone.
That was the only word to describe it.
It's not true! her heart shrieked. He's just… just…
She had gained her power but lost him in the process.
Her only friend.
The only person she ever truly trusted.
Oh how horrid she was to him at first. But once she realised what a fool she was, she saw more of him. She saw the demons dancing in his eyes, a sorrow hiding behind his forced smiles. His eyes forever watched those around her, desperate to fit in; desperate to please everyone. That was how they connected; a mutual fear of failure and powerlessness. That was how they had come together.
That was how they had been such an unstoppable force.
And that was how he ended up losing his life.
Unlike when her Mother passed on, when she had to keep a calm composure and quickly begin focusing on her training, she was allowed to grieve him. Grieve his presence, his strength, his perseverance, his stubbornness, all of him that she so dearly loved and now lost.
She screamed into the night until her vocal cords refused to work, tears mingling with the blood, sweat and marring grime her face.
It was all lost. There was nothing that she could do right.
And then, through her shattered heart, a tiny light somehow managed to catch her attention.
The Master Sword, still in the hand of its chosen, flickered over and over; its power quickly dwindling.
'All is not lost… he is not lost…' it seemed to tell her, 'One more hope still exists…'
But he couldn't—there was nothing that could save him.
Zelda raised her head towards the swirling skies above.
Nothing in this world could heal him, nothing could resurrect him.
Then it hit her; her own research notes, 'This Shrine is, in fact, a medical facility with the power to heal. It also has a long-term stasis function that can be activated and maintained until healing is complete,' she had written, 'I can only pray that even if Calamity Ganon returns, our battle will not require the Shrine of Resurrection's power…'
The tiniest of smiles graced her face, "All is not lost… He can still be saved…"
"Princess!"
Like a miracle from the Goddesses, Zelda sighed in relief as Impa and Purah raced towards her. She planted a kiss onto Link's forehead before whispering in his ear, "You're going to be just fine, Link… We're going to take care of you…" One final tear fell onto his cheek, though she was quick to wipe that and her own away as she cradled his head.
"Princess," Impa called as they reached her, falling into stiff kneels, "You are safe…"
Sighing deeply, Zelda immediately began to pry the Master Sword from Link's grip, "I have a mission to confide in you," she said, "You must take Link to the Shrine of Resurrection. If you don't take him now then we will lose him forever…"
"Yes, Princess."
"Now quickly!" she commanded, shakily rising to her feet and passing the young Hero into the older Sheikah's arms. "You must go before his flame dies out! His life is now in your hands!"
As soon as they Sheikah sisters came they had gone, rushing through Blatchery Plain at an inhuman speed as they made their way towards the Great Plateau.
She had done all she could; now she had to leave his life up to the Goddesses.
"Come Princess," another Sheikah said, though she wasn't sure how long she had stood there alone in the rain. "Let us get you into the warm. You have saved so many lives with your power…"
As the Sheikah guided her away, she couldn't help but think, Not enough lives… maybe even more if I wasn't too late for him…
Days passed.
Hyrule had fallen silent, the only activity being around the Castle as Calamity Ganon solidified his control over the previous monument of hope and justice. The few that survived the brutal attack now hid in their homes or whatever they could find, too terrified of the onslaught from the Guardians to even set food into the wilds of Hyrule. The bodies that hadn't been obliterated were still strewn across their homeland, pitchforks and Knights' Broadswords alike still clasped in their dead hands.
Deep in the remains of the Necluda Province stood Kakariko Village, damaged but still standing after the Great Calamity's attack. Impa, the Sheikah Elder, sat on the porch of her abode as her fellow brothers and sisters gathered what crops they could to help the nearest villages recover, others treated wounded or escorting those who were found on the outside fields to safety.
Upon hearing footsteps behind her, Impa said without turning back, "How is she?"
"Still silent, still grieving, still trying to clean the rust off of the Sword," Purah replied simply, an edge to her voice created by the horrors she had seen. "Doesn't she know that she can't clean off the rust now that the sword's dying?"
"Of course," Impa said instantly. Not that the Master Sword's wielder was "gone"—their journey to the Shrine of Resurrection a success—it was quickly beginning to deteriorate. "But that is her only way to accept what she saw. She is not a soldier like us; that was her first taste of the battlefield."
Purah sighed as she took a seat beside her, "You're right. I just hope she can cope with all of this. The Champions are gone, Ganon has taken over… all we have left is her power and she's only activated it once… poor girl."
The Elder hummed, "I concur. She has the strength, but I just hope she she didn't lose part of that with the boy."
There was a beat of silence before Purah's curiosity got the better of her, "I thought she couldn't care less about him. Why did she have a sudden change of heart?"
"She saw the side of him that very few do; his true side. After that, well I assume their struggles only deepened their bond."
Purah rested her chin on her hand with a pout, "The fate of the world was on their shoulders. And it all went wrong so fast… why does the future of Hyrule always rest on them? On such young people?"
The Elder shook her head, "I'm unsure, sister. But the Princess is alive and for that we have something."
Purah nodded, glad for her sister's wisdom in such a situation.
The two Sheikah sisters rose to their feet when they heard a set of footsteps behind them. The sliding doors were already open, revealing the figure of the Princess as she stepped over the threshold of the home. She instantly winced at the weak sunlight, clutching at the weapon in her hands tighter. Zelda still wore the same clothes that she did close to a week ago now, hands matted with her companion's blood, the rest of her skin dotted with dirt and streaked with tears. In her hands was the Master Sword, which seemed to have become worse over the past few days.
She looked utterly broken.
Clearing her throat, she spoke for the first time since she returned, "I... I know what I must do."
Within the hour she had explained to the two sisters exactly what she was going to do. Once she laid the Master Sword to rest, she would go and face Calamity Ganon. The Sheikah immediately protested, however Zelda was quick to clarify. As her Sealing Power couldn't completely destroy Ganon without the Master Sword, she couldn't possibly wait around for Link to heal whilst Ganon gained more power. It would easily be able to fully awaken within 100 years and completely annihilate Hyrule before Link could even partially heal.
So there was only thing that she could do; use her powers to keep Ganon at bay in order for Link to heal and be at her side to deal the ending blow.
"But Link could be in the Shrine for up to a century," Purah said, then, "Are you sure that Calamity Ganon won't break free? N-Not to discourage you!"
Zelda forced a breathless laugh and held up her hand, "You meant no harm, Purah. And I honestly do not know what the odds will be… but we no longer have anything else that we can do. And I refuse to leave my people vulnerable in a time of crisis."
They had very little to prepare. Zelda, finally beginning to accept what had happened in Blatchery Plain, relented Link's tunic to Impa that Purah had brought back from the Shrine. Impa could easily stitch it up long before Link returned, and Zelda partially gave it away so that he would have something back from this life when he awoke in a worn torn Kingdom.
"Tell him to free the Divine Beasts, Impa," Zelda said to the Elder as they stood on the porch, firmly clasping the Sheikah's hands. The sun was just beginning to set, yet the deep reds and charcoal pigments had not yet left the sky. It only proved how much evil now pervaded their Kingdom and how much was at stake; Zelda had to succeed.
"I will, Princess. You have my word."
She smiled softly, possibly for the first time in months as she murmured, "Please Impa… just Zelda will do."
"As you wish, Zelda."
Her breath stilled.
His voice echoed through her mind.
"I… I must go…"
It seemed that no matter what she did, he would always haunt her mind.
She sighed deeply as she made the final preparations to leave, her mind solely on the one she left behind—as well as all of the others.
Gripping the railing hard, she turned her face towards the sun; enveloping its fading warmth.
I'll make you all proud… I swear it.
The Princess left before sundown, travelling with a small fleet of towards the Korok Forest situated north of Hyrule Castle; which wasn't her decision to bring so many. She travelled through the most obscure parts of Hyrule possible, desperate to keep to narrow areas where neither Guardians or Yiga would attack her. They travelled through the night and reached their destination by early morning, her previous grief following her into the night as she slept; dreaming of blood and failure.
"I failed you!" she cried out into the blackness of her nightmares, not even spirits of her loved ones there to agree with her. "But I won't stop until Ganon feels the wrath of each and every one of you!"
One night, her Hero finally found her in her sleep, however his hand with just as cold and lifeless as she expected; falling away into a sea of glowing water before she could hold it properly.
Every morning she would wake up in a cold sweat and tears trailing down her cold cheeks, but on that morning her hand stung where she had brushed against his dead fingers.
And yet, after so many days of not speaking and grieving what she had lost, there was now no time to delay.
She lay the Master Sword to rest within the Korok Forest. Not only would it be under the safe protection of the Great Deku Tree until Link took it up once more, but it would also keep the Blade of Evil's Bane alive and able to heal itself from its Master's death. It had to survive, just as the Hero had to, and now they both would.
Zelda had also asked to pass a message on to her companion when he returned, however was quickly stopped short by the deity of the forest. "Now then," he had said to her, "Words intended for him would sound much better in the tones of your voice, don't you think?"
And he was right; for what she wanted to say.
She had to tell him how much she was thankful for with his presence. And how much he had helped her break through her constant fear of failure and ended up being the thing that awoke her power. She also wanted to tell him that he had grown more talkative and more open in her presence as well, which ended up healing the both of them in wondrous ways.
Anything else she wished to tell him… she would have to think on the consequences of what she would say to a man who may not even remember her name or who she was.
But that didn't matter for now. All that mattered was what she was about to do.
She was silent as she made her way towards her final destination; finally dismissing the Sheikah soldiers just as planned, for they could do nothing. She had no Champions, no appointed Knight, no Father or Mother, no Kingdom to rule or subjects to be scrutinised by. It seemed as if it was only her and Calamity Ganon left in this desolate land—or at least on her battlefield. It had wiped out the rest of those who had the skills to take Ganon on, so all that was left was the Princess of a ruined Kingdom.
She released her horse and sent him back towards Kakariko Village, making her way towards Castle Town on foot. It had been completely destroyed by Ganon and the fleet of Guardians under its command, leaving some defeated Guardians hanging over the decayed walls whilst the rest festered across the streets she used to skip through as a child before the burdens of the world were thrust upon her. If anything, the Princess could almost hear the voices of the dead around her; some shouting at her for failing them, others urging her on to avenge them, few even going about their daily business as if they hadn't accepted what had befallen them.
Neither had she, in all honesty.
She paid no mind to the remains of the Sacred Grounds as she passed through them, still grieving the loss of the five Champions that once stood there and knelt down before her on that night as the sun set behind them; their blue garbs and personalised weapons gleaming in the night as they symbolically lay down their lives to her.
In the end they did literally too.
And now she was the only one standing; the only one to fight for them.
She entered Castle Town without hesitation. Before she had sent herself into a frenzy as she over thought everything that could possibly go wrong as she walked straight into enemy territory with a power she could barely handle. And yet, a strange calm had come over her as her resolve was set. It was almost as if her Knight's spirit was with her, urging her to keep calm from the of Resurrection. He believed in her throughout it all—the one person who ever did—and now he was still keeping her alive despite all that she hadn't done for him.
Her heart no longer pounded in her chest, her thoughts no longer raced around her mind to doubt her every move, her Crest was no longer dormant.
He was with her.
She was ready.
Guardian Stalkers immediately set their sights on her, however she was quick to raise her hand. Zelda's power awoke straight away and a dazzling golden light instantly hitting the Guardians surrounding her and knocking them away. Wind from the collisions caused her hair to whip about her face, but she didn't react to it whatsoever. Her eyes were only on the Castle, her once home now usurped by Calamity Ganon, and she continued on without casting a second glance to the mechanical beings that were once her allies.
None of it mattered anymore; just her and that monster.
As she knocked aside the last Guardian in her way, she came face to face with her greatest fear.
Calamity Ganon.
It spiralled around Hyrule Castle with a renewed sense of control over the land it had fought to take 10,000 years ago. Her heart stopped for the first time since she lost her beloved companion. She finally met its eyes, and she knew that there was no turning back.
It locked its sights onto her and pulsated with recognition. It slithered towards her without hesitation, and Zelda steeled herself.
She would not fail.
"You have taken so much from me," she said aloud as her Sealing Power began to awaken within her as she thought of that "thing" Urbosa once told her about. "And you tried to take him away from me too. But you failed, Ganon. You failed to take him, just like you will fail to solidify your victory. As long as a single Hylian survives, you shall never win."
It said nothing, for it couldn't.
"You harbour so much hatred. It seems to have only grown with every time you set foot on this land," she continued, viridian eyes bright with a new strength she only found from her Hero. She would fight as he did, and therefore she could not fail. "But no matter how many times you rise, we will always be there. I may be alone this time, but in the end I will stand beside him to defeat you. No matter how strong your hatred becomes, you will never beat us."
She inhaled deeply, sensing the creature preparing to attack.
Raising her hand, she spoke into the night, "Link… You are our final hope. The fate of Hyrule rests with you!"
Moments later, the Princess was consumed by Malice—and her 100 year-long fight began.
United they stood.
Divided they fell.
But maybe they would be united again.
That was up to the fates to decide.
"Courage need not be remembered... for it is never forgotten."
~Princess Zelda, Breath of the Wild~
Author's Note: There we are! I originally never expected it to ever be this long and I kept wanting to cut bits out, but honestly I couldn't without it losing its flow. Either way please do let me know what you thought of it; I'd love to know if my hard work paid off! Beyond's next chapter is coming as soon as possible, but for now I'd like to know if any of you would like to see a oneshot based on the aftermath of Blades of the Yiga? It's partially in production but would any of you like to see it?
Have a lovely day! :3
*The quote from Link's Father, "You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it," was originally said by Margaret Thatcher.
~RandomButLoved~