Suddenly the pain was gone. She could feel the energy flow from her heart, her arms, her hands, see the magic crackle around her fingertips, fizzling and popping in the air. It flew like white hot lightning, engulfing the Demon King. He roared as the energy crackled around him like chains.
Her arms fell and she dropped to her knees, exhausted. "Kill him, Link!" she screamed. "I can't hold him for long."
Link turned and looked at her for a moment. Blood matted his blond hair. His lip was swollen and bleeding. And his eyes… those soft, hopeful, innocent blue eyes… were cold and merciless. She knew in that moment that she had killed him.
He turned. She saw the Master Sword rise, glistening with blood, above his head. Saw it fall. Heard an unearthly shriek. The sword rose again and again until with a dull thud, Link embedded it between the monster's swollen orange eyes.
Her spell broke. Gannon surged upward, flailing his twin swords. With what strength she had, she raised her arms above her head and yelled, "Sages, help us!" Warmth filled her as she felt the medallion on its chain next to her heart begin to surge with energy.
She heard Rauru's voice as she felt the presence of the other sages. "Ancient creators of Hyrule!" he boomed. "Open the sealed door and send the evil incarnation of darkness into the void of the evil realm!"
Zelda felt the power of the sages swirling wildly through the air, her own essence caught up with theirs. The ground beneath them shimmered and a rift opened beneath the monster's feet. Light poured out of it, and as it touched him he writhed. She saw him shrink. His features bubbled and changed, and then he was Ganondorf, the King of Thieves, once more. The portal grew until he was falling. Zelda herd him curse her and the sages and Link. She heard him swear his vengeance, and then the portal swallowed him, and he was silenced.
When the blinding light of the portal faded, the Dark Tower was gone. She and Link were facing each other in Hyrule field. She could feel the burns on her legs, but ignored them.
Link smiled weakly at her, though with his bloodstained face and tunic, the smile seemed ironic. He took a step toward her, but fell forward with a groan.
Zelda ran to him and fell on her knees beside him. "Link, what's wrong?" she asked frantically, afraid to touch him for fear of making him worse.
"He got me… when he flailed that last time," Link whispered through gritted teeth. She moved his arm and Zelda could see the jagged tear in his tunic, and then its twin deep into his chest. Blood pooled around them, reddening the grass.
"Hyrule is safe," she murmured.
"You are safe," he said in response.
"Yes," she whispered softly, combing her fingers through his matted blond hair. "You saved me." A tear fell on his forehead and she leaned over to gently kiss the spot where it fell. "Thank you."
She felt his last ragged breath warm the exposed skin on her neck, and then he was gone. She cried out desperately, hugging his limp body to her chest, and she knew she had done this to him. She hadn't wielded the sword that took his life, but she had crushed the little boy from the woods who stared at her when he though she wasn't looking and blushed furiously when she took his hand. She had killed him.
