Hero's Blood
Link dismounted Epona, his chestnut mare whinnied as Zelda shifted her weight to the front of the saddle. Twenty minutes earlier, Zelda and Link had been chasing Ganondorf, fruitlessly battling him with Zelda's light arrows, bestowed upon her by the light spirits throughout Hyrule. Now, Ganondorf had worn himself out, throwing energy balls at the Hero, chosen by the Goddesses. Link skilfully dodged each attack, using both his shield to knock them away, and his sword to parry them back to Ganondorf.
Link knew the final battle was about to begin and secured his shield to his forearm. He missed Midna, always telling him what to do and how to handle sticky situations, but she had a duty in the Twilight Realm. For now Link would have to handle this on his own. Ganondorf loomed above him, Link a mere sprite compared.
"So, it's come to this, boy. There's always time to hand Hyrule over to me, and who knows, I might even spare you and the Princess."
Links eyes glazed over with determination, he readied his weapons. Link wasn't much of a talker, especially when it came to a fight. More fighting less talking, Link liked to say to himself.
"If this is what you wish, then so be it!"
Ganondorf readied his sword, and Link took the first swing. His sword that could vanquish the most evil of souls, made only a slight indented slash into Ganondorf's chest plate.
In the distance, Zelda watched every perfectly timed sword swing and body attack. Epona moved restlessly under her, Zelda's golden bow drawn. Zelda could not comfort the distressed mare at this point. Link had told her to stay a distance away, and watch in case he needed back-up. Zelda drew her bow once again from her side, arrow in place. She knew she could not release the arrow just yet; she could injure Link in the process. She had her rapier by her waist, although Link had told her that it wouldn't be necessary. Zelda scoffed to herself.
"Goddesses, Link, I'll jump into battle if you need me, I'm not such the dainty flower that you think I am."
Zelda remembered the time she spent training as a Sheikah, knowing that hand to hand combat was her special skill, but unless Ganondorf lost his sword, it'd be useless. The battle was becoming more intense with every minute, and with every second, the battle was seemingly coming to an end.
Link was bruised and battered, each of Ganondorf's swings hitting home on every part of his body. By now, Link only had one red potion left in his belt pouch. The Gerudo King shot a bolt of energy at Link's head; the Hero blocked, but was pushed along the floor by its sheer force. While Ganondorf was powerful, Link was quick and nimble. As Link stood there panting and hissing at the occasionally from odd scratched and bruises, he made the decision to drop his shield. Without the heavy weight, Link could move faster and without struggle, but now he was more vulnerable and Ganondorf noted that. Link felt the strain in his shoulder and forearm lessen as the Hylian shield fell to the floor with a loud 'clunk,' unfamiliar with weight gone, Link rolled his shoulder round to adjust. Ganondorf swung his sword at Link once again and Link threw his body out of the way lashing back at Ganondorf's plated armour.
By now, the Gerudo King had only his large chest plate left, and his body was now covered in sword slashes and bruises. Ganondorf had become weary, but not tired enough to give up to the Hylian man who was stopping his plans of plunging Hyrule into eternal evil by his own hands.
"How long are we going to play this game, boy? When will you learn to give in?"
Ganondorf howled as Link took another strike at Ganondorf's chest plate, finally piercing through the stubborn silver metal and getting to his skin. Unfortunately, the force was not great enough to stab at Ganondorf's heart, and to Link's dismay the Gerudo King threw the Hero and the Master sword to the side, hitting the ground hard. Link groaned in pain, his final red potion was slowly leaking into the dirt and the glass vial had smashed in his pouch. A few shards of glass had cut into his side in deep gashes, two shade of red mixing together, the healing potion, and Link's blood. Link held his side and blood seeped through his fingertips, Ganondorf advanced and took chance of Link's vulnerability and forced his sword into Link's left shoulder. The Hero screamed in pain and his hand went to his shoulder automatically, Ganondorf withdrew his sword. Link's eyes grew heavy, he tried to fight it, he had to, for Zelda's sake.
"So boy, this is where it ends. At last I can finally take Hyr-"
Zelda didn't understand what was going through her mind. Link has just dropped his shield mid fight, and now he was lashing at Ganondorf with all the strength he could muster. Each swing brought Link closer to his victory and Zelda fely hope rise in her chest. Her face fell as sudden as it had risen, as she saw Link thrown across the battlefield and land in a tangle heap on the dirt. Link's side was bleeding and she knew his glass vial had broken, he was holding his waist helplessly and she knew what she saw next was enough to make even the most hardened Goron wimper. Epona let out a loud whinney as she saw her beloved owner bedraggled and beeding on the floor, sword through his shoulder and despratly trying to stay awake for the sake of Hyrule. Zelda understood her cry of anguish and spurred the mare forwards, she felt tears forming in her eyes, but blinked them away rapidly. If she couldn't see, then this would be pointless. Zelda brought her bow from her side once more and placed the final shining light arrow into place. She only had one chance, and she had to get it right or Hyrule would be doomed, and Link's viliant efforts would be pointless. She pulled the string back to her face, the serving resting on her lips, she breathed out, calming her nerves. She took aim, keeping away form Link's body, targeting onto Ganondorf chest. The hole Link made in the Gerudo King's armour had proven helpful after all, and Ganondorf's cockiness had all been for nothing. Bow in place and Epona moving underneath Zelda, she took steady aim and realeased the arrow. Ganondorf stopped dead in the middle of his victory speech and looked down at the soft glow of the light arrow. He looked Zelda in the eye, squinting and snarling.
"You win this time Princess, but do not think it ends here"
With that final sentence, Ganondorf disintergrated into the air. Zelda felt a moment of solace wash over her, but remembred the distressed Link that lay motionless on the ground. Link felt numbness in his left arm, the cold waves washed over his body. 'This is it' he thought, Ganondorf had gone, He didn't know how, or who had done it, but all he wished was that Hyrule was safe, as was his precious Zelda.
"Link! Link! Open your eyes!"
Link felt warmth wrap around his hand and opened his his delight, Zelda was kneeling over him, knowing she was alive was enough to make him feel peaceful once again. He met her eyes, tears streaming down her pale face now blotched with red and pink. His cornflower blue matching colbalt gems.
"Tears do not suit you Princess, Hyrule is safe, rejoice and be happy."
Zelda reached down to his cheek and caressed it softly, meeting her bloved hero's eyes and laying a velvet soft kiss on his lips.
"Link, don't leave me, Hyrule still needs you, I still need you. What will become of this land without it's hero?"
Link smiled at the woman he defended Hyrule for, he placed his hand atop hers and wispered his final words into her ears.
"I'm sure the princess will do a fine job of protecting Hyrule, but Zelda,"
She nodded tears once again flooding from her eyes, puffy and distressed.
"I will always love you, and I will be by your side for all eternity."
With that final sentence, Link's eyes dulled, the sweet cornflower blue disstiled into lavender grey, his heavy chest no longer rose and fell, she knew he had gone. Zelda lay there, on Link's chest as she weeped, gently pulling her hand through his sandy blonde hair matted with blood. He was gone from this world, but she didn't care, she wanted to be with him this while longer, before she had he people to see and inform her people of their Hero's valiant sacrifice.
The sun dipped behind the horizon, shining gold and orange onto the silhouettes of the last remaining people on Hyrule field, and left the fallen Hero and the weeping princess in the cold and darkness of the night. Stars twinkling above them, turing Zelda's sorrowful tears into watery gems that fell onto the Hero's dull green tunic.