It was well after midnight when they reached the outskirts of the northern forest. Zelda was able to settle down some and slept most of the drive, but Link was still running on pure adrenaline. He wasn't ready to rest until he knew the sword was in the right hands. They didn't seem to have anyone following him, so all he could do was keep his guard and pray that there would be no further incident, especially for Zelda. A lot had changed in her life over the last few weeks, and he was sure it was overwhelming for her. He didn't want her to have to suffer any pain or regrets.

When the trees thickened and the road became just a path, they left the car on the side of the dirt road, they walked the rest of the way into the forest. The forest grew more and more dense and seemed to get darker, even despite the flashlights they carried. Soon, the path disappeared completely and an eerie fog enveloped them. When it finally cleared, they had found the path again, and their car that waited on the side of the road.

"We've made a complete circle," Zelda said with growing frustration. "We're completely lost."

Link looked around them. He was certain he hadn't strayed from the direction they started. He checked his phone, hoping for some use of technology, but even that had failed him. There was no service, and his battery seemed to be draining rapidly. It didn't matter much; he was trained for situations like this. He didn't need to rely on anything other than himself. But it was discerning to say the least. Something was strange about this forest. It was no wonder no one dared to enter.

Determined, Link pushed forward once more, following the path until it again melted away into the overgrowth in the forest. Their flashlights seemed to dim as they got deeper, and before long, the fog returned, slowly thickening around them. He felt Zelda push up against him, her hands on his arms.

"This place isn't right," she muttered. "We shouldn't be here. It's telling us to get out. Let's get out."

"You're going crazy," Link said. "Nothing's telling us to get out."

But at that moment, he heard a sound. It was light and melodic. A song? No, a voice. It was definitely a voice, but he couldn't make out what it was saying.

"Do you hear that?" he whispered.

Zelda strained to listen but her nothing but her own breath. "Hear what?"

"That voice."

She listened again but still heard nothing. "I think you're the one going crazy now."

Link grabbed her wrist and pulled her forward. There was definitely a voice in the forest. He followed the voice, carefully picking his way over roots and logs, rocks and brush, and as they walked, the voice grew louder and the fog seemed to dissipate. Link could hear the voice more distinctly, now, but he still could not understand it. It seemed to speak a language he was not familiar with. It wasn't Hylian, that was for sure. It didn't sound like Gerudo, either.

Link.

His pace quickened and the voice grew. He started to recognize a few words. He was positive it was ancient Hylian. Hero… Chosen One… Hylia… Link strained to make out the other words, but still he could only pick out a few words. Courage…. Wisdom… Power…

Before long, the trees seemed to thin out. Their lights brightened. The fog disappeared completely, and a path returned to them. The path continued to wind through the forest, but through the trees, Link could see a soft glow.

"Have I gone crazy," Zelda started, "or do you see that light, too?"

They hurried forward until the trees disappeared around them, revealing a clearing in the forest, and the voice fell silent. A large Deku tree stood tall in the middle of the clearing, and just before it, stuck in a pedestal, was none other than the Master Sword.

Link and Zelda stood on the edge of the clearing, gawking at the sword that let off a strong, warm glow.

"It's real," Zelda muttered in awe. "The Master Sword."

They approached the sword carefully until Link stood before it.

"No one can pull it out," Zelda said. "At least, that's what the ancient Sheikah text says. No one but the Chosen Hero."

Link looked at Zelda over his shoulder, a grin on his face. "Let's put it to the test, then," he said. He put his hands on the hilt and tugged at it lightly at first. When it didn't budge, he pulled at it harder, but still, the sword remained stuck in the stone.

"Guess you're not the one," Zelda said, folding her arms across her chest.

Link stepped back and examined the sword. If he wasn't the one, then who was?

The one chosen by my creator. I have been waiting for you. Only he who holds the Triforce of Courage may wield the sword that seals the darkness. Step forward, Hero. Remember these words: A sword wields no strength unless the hand that holds it has courage."

Link watched as a strange light seemed to emit from his hand. A single piece of the Triforce illuminated on his hand. He stepped forward and once more, gripped the sword in both hands. The light strengthened and grew until the entire clearing was bright, and in one, swift motion, he pulled the Master Sword from its slumber. He held the blade out before him as the light subsided, and once more, they were shrouded in the darkness of night.

"This isn't happening," Zelda muttered. "This is some crazy ass dream right now."

Link turned to face Zelda, the sword in hand. He met her gaze but for once, he found himself speechless.

Zelda blinked at him for a moment, then stuttered out, "What the fuck."

And then he laughed. He laughed at the vulgarities that came out of the princess's mouth. And in such a sacred place, of all things. He laughed at the idea of him being some hero. He laughed because he had no idea what he was supposed to do with the damn sword. He laughed because their world would soon fall, and there wasn't a damn thing he could think to do about it.

"That's it," Zelda said. "He's gone crazy. This is it. We're doomed. Completely fucked."

"This is a sacred place, you know."

"You pulled out that fucking sword!"

"I don't know what to do with it!"

"Shit. We can't handle this. Who the hell left us in charge? We can't do this. We can't save Hyrule. We're screwed."

Link hopped down from the pedestal and made his way to Zelda's side. He didn't have any answers, but one thing was for sure: he didn't want to stay in that forest a minute longer than he needed to.

"Let's just get out of here," he said. He let the dull blade rest against his shoulder as he lead the way through the forest.

To their relief, it was much easier leaving the forest than it was entering. Dawn was breaking as they found the path out of the forest and they made their way towards the car on the side of the road, just where they left it. Link tossed the sword against the back seat, then climbed in behind the wheel, sitting there for a moment before turning the key in the ignition.

"Please tell me we're going home now," Zelda said as she settled into the seat and closed her eyes. "I've had enough crazy for one day."

"Me too," Link said as he pulled out into the road.

"Guess that means I'm next," she said. "You've got the sword, now I need to find my power."

"No pressure," Link said.

"Just promise I can sleep for like, three days before we go out again."

Link yawned. "Make it four."

He didn't look back until they made it back to the highway, and by then, the strange forest was long gone. His wandering mind went further back still to his interaction with Dorian and Impa. And then his heart sank when he saw that Zelda had been found.

Don't hurt him.

"You know," Link said. "About last night. You don't need to worry about me. I can take care of myself." He turned his gaze to Zelda, but she was fast asleep. He turned back to the road and sighed softly through his nose. "Just don't do anything stupid," he muttered.

Though Link promised to give Zelda some time off before they made the trip to the three springs, Link wasn't about to waste his time in the city sitting at a bar like he usually did. With so much at stake, he couldn't fail. For Hyrule. For Zelda. More than ever, he wanted to keep her safe, and not just because it was his job. He was too involved now for any of it to be just a job. Whether he liked it or not - whether he hated his father for dragging him into this or not - he was involved, and he wouldn't rest until the Yiga Clan and Ganon were defeated.

So Link spent most of his time at the range, doing his best to polish his skills. But his mind continued to wander, and it soon became less about bettering himself and more about simply wanting to take his frustrations out on a couple of targets. And in those few days, he blew through more ammunition than he ever had during his training.

Link was in the middle of switching out targets when Zelda entered the range. He was alone, doodling absentmindedly on his next target, drawing a face and a mustache on the silhouette.

"Is that supposed to be Dorian?" Zelda said over his shoulder.

Link had heard her come in, but he still jumped slightly. He shrugged as he hung up the target, then rolled it out to the far end of the range. "Could be," he said. He pushed more bullets into the magazine, then shoved it into the gun.

Zelda stepped back as he brought the gun up and she covered her ears with her muffs.

Link fired the gun until he wasted all the ammo, then slid the empty magazine out once more.

"Is twenty-six the number of people you've killed?" Zelda dared to ask.

Link shoved more bullets into the magazine. "Yes," he answered simply.

Zelda waited, watching as he proceeded to fire off another round at the target at the far end of the range.

"How do you do it?"

Link let the empty magazine fall into his hands and he loaded it up once more. "Do what?"

"Kill people. Isn't it… hard?"

"Not anymore." Link replaced the magazine. "They train us to be emotionless robots."

"I don't think that's funny."

"I never said it was." He fired off another round. "But it's the only way to be able to do the job." The magazine slid out. "When it becomes life and death, you figure out pretty quickly that you do what you have to do to survive, and nothing else matters." He slid another round back into the gun, then turned and offered it to Zelda. She stared blankly at the weapon.

"Try it."

"Why? So you can turn me into a killing machine?"

Link smiled crookedly. "Doesn't hurt to get a feel for it. You never know when you'll need it."

"Isn't that what I have you for?"

Link shrugged. "For now."

Zelda took the gun carefully and stepped forward.

"Like this." Link stood behind her and reached over her. He cupped his hands around hers, demonstrating how to hold it. "Look down here. See?" He pointed a finger towards the target. "Never hesitate," he said. "And don't look in their eyes."

Zelda bit her bottom lip as she tried to focus - admittedly more difficult than she would have admitted with Link standing so close to her - but when Link took his hands away, hers began to shake. She forced her hands to steady, and when they did, she took aim and pulled the trigger.

The power behind the weapon surprised her, and the thrill of the moment made her laugh. She squinted to see where she had hit. There was a small hole to the far left of the target in the white space.

"Well," Link said. "You wouldn't kill anyone with that shot, but it was close."

Zelda put the gun down carefully. "Doesn't matter," she said. "Because you're not going anywhere."

"You can't count on that."

"It's your job," Zelda said, meeting his gaze. "You have to finish it."

"Then I'll finish it." Link turned back to the weapon and loaded it up once more.

"I know you hear this a lot," Zelda started, "but you really do take after your father."

Link let loose another round. "I'm starting to think that's not a good thing," he muttered.

"Why would you say that?"

Link let the empty magazine fall to the table. He let the gun rest beside it. "He used his own son," he said through gritted teeth. He narrowed his gaze at the target down the range. "He knew everything. His only concern was grooming me to prepare me for this future. He knew exactly what he was doing. It was no accident that I just happen to follow his path and take his place when he died."

"I don't think that's what he intended," Zelda said softly.

"My whole life was meant for this and nothing more."

Zelda hesitated, her gaze on the ground. "Would you have chosen a different path? If no one had pushed you onto this one. If no one had told you that this was what you were meant to do. Would you have done something differently?"

Link watched her closely as she spoke. It was clear that she was struggling with her own role forced upon her just as it was him. With the Master Sword in his possession, all that remained was awakening her own power. Link could see now that she was worried. She doubted herself.

"Would you have?" he asked her.

Zelda met his gaze. "There's no other path for me," Zelda said. "If none of this were happening, then I'd simply be expected to take over the throne and carry on the royal bloodline. But you. You'd be free to live the life you wanted."

"I don't think I'd want my life to be any different," he said. "The path I was put on may have been forced upon me, but it's not so bad if it means crossing with yours."

"Well," Zelda said, averting his gaze. "I guess we're just where we're meant to be, then."