Hi all, Joe Elf here with chapter 11.
So yeah, the final chapter. I'm commenting this from Greece so I will keep it short: Thanks to LoZfanbman and Chels for their reviews and to all those who favorited and alerted this story not just now, but all along the creative process. It really made me proud of what I had managed to create. Thank you all. That said, enjoy.

Chapter 11: Dark Destiny

"When he said "huge", I didn't think he meant this huge..." gulped Princess Zelda as she stood side by side with Link, Hero of time, in front of the area that would soon host the largest battle in recorded history.

"We can take them. We must take them. For all that is good and just in both the worlds," he responded.

Somewhere over enemy lines, a horn blared. The captain of the guard turned to his troops. "FOR JUSTICE, AND FOR THE PRINCESS!" And Armageddon began.

The time had come when fated men must needs fall there.

Fifteen minutes earlier...

"Whatever you do during the fight, just make sure it's not stupid, okay? Being the Hero doesn't mean being invincible."

"I know that, Midna. It not like I'm new to the whole idea. You just make sure you stay safe. If any of those assassins get inside the walls of the palace, come and find me or Kyo, preferably both, out on the battlefield. Odds are you'll actually be safer there."

"What about Zelda?"

"..."

"She seemed really sad when I saw her this morning. I think something must have happened between her and Kyo..."

"Is this really the time to be discussing her love life? We do have a war to win here..."

"I think it's important to remember that even in the darkest of times, there is always something normal to talk about."

"Normal being that the Princess of the realm of light being rejected by a godly swordsman who happens to be blessed with the power of a fourth Triforce?"

"Something like that."

Before Link could say something extremely sarcastic, they were interrupted by none other than the two objects of their conversation, one of whom was dragging the other along with him.

"Well, he's here," announced Kyo, letting go of Zelda and looking the other two in the eyes. "And even by my standards, his army is huge."

"Right," said Link, "It's showtime."

He turned around and began running to the front gates, but was stopped and nearly killed as two shadow beings smashed out of one of the doors leaving the area. Skills honed, he blocked the first strike and back-flipped out of range.

"Get behind me," Kyo murmured to the two monarchs, reaching down to his boots. "Link, distract them. I have a plan!"

Leaving the Hero to deal with the enemies on his own, he took out two small daggers from the insides of his footwear. "What are you going to do?" whispered Midna.

"Throw them," replied Kyo.

"Are you insane! You might hit Link! Your accuracy isn't boosted."

"I don't need the boost. Remember, I trained for eons," he smiled briefly, then brusquely threw the knife over Link's shoulder, directly into the beast's forehead. It let out a cry of shock, then dropped and dissolved like the others. The second, realizing it's companion had been defeated, used it's final resort and jumped onto Link, tackling him to the ground.

Now Kyo could not aim properly. And he wasn't ready to risk it either. On the other hand, the shadow would at any moment slide one of his blades along the Hero's skin, dooming him. What to do, what to do... "Well, the poison will kill me eventually anyway, so might as well go for it."

In a moment of sheer epicness, Kyo re-unsheathed his blade and jumped through the air, diving into the mass of flailing arms and legs. No one saw what happened during the brief, but intense battle, but at it's conclusion the enemy exploded and Kyo now had several other gleaming slashes on his already mutilated torso. Link was unharmed, though now very agitated.

"Well, that deals with that I guess," shrugged Kyo, brushing himself off.

"Deals with that?" exclaimed the Hero, "The enemies are at the gates and they've infiltrated the palace! We have to keep Midna safe!" he cried, reaching for her hand and gesturing frantically around.

"No. I'll protect her. You go with Zelda to the battlefield!" answered his friend, blocking his path .

"No! It's my duty to protect her! I... I love her! Move aside!" he yelled, attempting to force his way around and to his girlfriend. Kyo needed the man to see the light. Smacking him hard in the head, the Hero stumbled backwards, shocked.

"I know you do," affirmed the man who punched him, "But I will be able to protect her better than you thanks to my Triforce and you know it. Your skill with a sword and Zelda's with a bow will be needed on the front. I promise to you on my life that she will be safe with me. Now GO!"

The two hylians hesitated for a moment, then the light Princess nodded and they both fled towards where the battle would soon take place.

"Come on in here. We'll hide for now..."

Kyo and Midna ducked inside a small room off the eastern side of the palace. They had heard the blaring of the horn signaling the beginning of the battle and decided to lay low until either something happened or one side took advantage over the other. For some reason though, the man seemed uncharacteristically serious. And that was saying something. Could it have something to do with Zelda being depressed as well? She would find out here and now.

"I noticed Zelda seemed a little down today. Did you talk to her?"

"Naturally."

"And?"

"I told her the truth."

"Which was?"

Kyo looked out the window to the east. The truth was irrelevant. Unless he did what he had to, they would lose the war. No spell had ever failed him, not in the past, not yesterday, and it wouldn't that day.

"I'm sorry, Midna. I hope you'll forgive me. When you yourself become immortal in death, perhaps you will understand my actions." He closed his eyes. The Twilight Princess looked at him questioningly, but before she could ask he spun around and struck her hard in the head. Her last though before she fainted was "Traitor. Why did we trust you?"

Ghirahim followed up with his army. They had, though with slightly more casualties than predicted, smashed the gates and engaged in close-combat with the putrid race that was the Twili. His creations were doing well.

But wait! There was one portion that did not seem to be going as well as the others... He needed a better view. And what better view than atop the palace that would soon be his? Teleporting himself to the roof, he looked down upon the conflict with mild interest.

It was that damn Hero of Time messing up his plans again. This time, the peasant girl Zelda was helping him. Well, it probably didn't really matter considering the sheer force he had brought. It would be fun watching them squirm...

He settled down to observe the massacre, but before he could get comfortable there was a loud shattering noise on the roof. Looking around, he spotted the Princess of the land, Midna was her name, standing sword in hand at the edge of a hole she had evidently made herself.

"Ah, Princess," he welcomed, "Have you come to surrender?"

"Never."

"Yet your defense is falling, your men are dieing and your loved one is risking his life... Perhaps you ought to... Reconsider."

She ground her teeth in determination and readied her sword. "You shall not harm the Twili for the holy power still flows through my veins!"

And their swords clashed.

There was no doubt both were excellent swordsman/woman. Onwards they clashed. Midna slowly fell into a rhythmical trance; block high, block low, stab, duck, roll, swipe, block left, stab, duck, block right, swipe, stab...

But all good things must come to an end. Midna was a Princess after all, not a soldier. As she drew back, intending to impale her enemy, she did not foresee the stab directed at her. Her eyes widened in pain as Ghirahim's rapier slid past her skin, into her chest. Game over.

And yet somehow, she managed to say: "You lose, Ghirahim," before she collapsed, falling off the edge of the building and down to the ground.

Link slashed through yet another of what seemed like thousands of opponents. Already, his arms tired from the onslaught. They were losing too much ground, but there was nothing to be done. They were out-numbered 10 to 1 and in many cases out-classed. Only his division seemed to be making any progress. As a short period of respite came between two waves of enemies, something caught his eye.

High above the battlefield, on the roof of the noble palace of Twilight, his beloved Princess fought dearly with the evil leader. Link's eyes widened in fear as he searched frantically for any sign of Kyo's presence to reassure him that she had backup. Then it happened.

Like a nightmare, an oh so familiar dream, the vision which he had dreaded for long materialized itself before him. The weapon, the rapier, transpierced her torso as she jerked convulsively. Then she fell. Down, off the roof, out of sight.

"NOOOOO!" he yelled, flying into a bloodied frenzy. Slashing blindly in front of him, he ran to where her body would have fallen. It was as though the world had frozen around him. He could nay see over the mass of battling sentient beings bent on ending the life, that force so precious, of they who opposed their point of view. A useless slaughter. Yet it no longer mattered. Nothing mattered, as the Hero of Time breached the perimeter of the fight and viewed his beloved lying eagle-spread on the ground.

Tears streaming down his cheeks, he flung himself to her side, grabbing her hand. "No, Midna. No. Don't leave me!" he urged as Zelda joined him, her clothes torn and dirt smudged on her face.

Midna's eyes fluttered open weakly. "Save your pity for someone who will need it, my friend." she muttered.

"Friend?" asked Zelda, "But... That... Then you're not her. You're..."

Before his friends eyes, Kyo returned to his normal self for the last time. "The Triforce of Bonds is very special. Not only does it bind me to my friends, but it binds me in death as well," he choked out, struggling to point up.

The hylians looked up atop the roof and saw none other than Ghirahim himself. However, they were surprised to see that he was contorted in pain; clutching at himself at he stumbled to and fro.

"My story here ends. We would both die whether I liked it or not, so I decided to save as many others as I could. People with families, wives, children, futures. I pass this on to you. It is my will, to be read post mortem. Goodbye," he finished, looking up into his friends faces, "Goodbye." His eyes then closed forevermore.

As the two onlookers gave a short prayer, they were disrupted by a sound of pure agony. High above the battle still raging around, the evil overlord was dissolving, his power slowly leaving him. As he weakened, so did his magic. The shadow beasts exploded one after the other in a seemingly endless chain.

"NO!" he shouted, "YOU CAN'T DEFEAT ME!" I AM IMMORTAAAAAAAAAL!"

A blast of dark light enveloped the scene, wiping out of existence Ghirahim and his army for all eternity. When vision returned, there was left only a few scattered Zantist Twili, the Royal Army, the two Hylians and the corpse of a noble soldier who gave his life for the good of those he cared about.

The faces all turned to the palace as the doors burst open presenting a grimacing Twilight Princess. "Where is that son of a bitch so I can give him a piece of- oh..." She stopped short on her rant noticing the mourning two. Then realized something was terribly wrong. Mentally asking forgiveness for her lack of faith, she rushed over to comfort the two others.

My good friends,

Death is something even I could not escape perpetually. All I ask, is that you forget me. Though I never told you this, I was an abomination. No person alive should hold such power in a mortal world. I fulfilled the will of my Masters for they are my creators, not out of devotion, but out of respect for giving me life. I respected their wisdom, but the time I spent with you three has made me realize that they could never truly be in tune with you all for they have not spent time with you. They cannot understand emotion, love, sacrifice. Do no get me wrong, they are more wise than I could ever hope to be, but always judge your actions based on your own morality, for even gods can make errors.

I have no material possessions, for I have lived a life in exile, but I can offer the richest wealth in the world: information. I studied for centuries until I knew everything. Simply hold this parchment, mentally ask your question and the answer will appear on the back.

Ever your friend,

Kyo

-I cannot be defeated, for I am nothing. It is out of nothing that I came and it is into nothing that I shall go-

The engaged couple looked to their friend. She nodded and took the parchment. Taking a deep breath, she thought: "Did you love me?" And turned over the will. Only one word was inscribed:

Yes

The End

And thus ends the story. I will leave you to reflect upon whatever you feel like, and hope to see you next time when I upload the epilogue. And please, review your feeling on the ending. I want to know what you all think.

P.S. I don't know when the epilogue will be uploaded. Probably not next weekend.