Previous Chapter Recap: Last time on Hyrule Warriors! Armed with the Triforce of Power, Ganondorf and his forces waged an all out assault on Hyrule Castle. Link, Zelda, and the troops put up a valiant struggle, but Ganondorf's forces were too much for them. The Demon King claimed both the Triforce of Wisdom and the Triforce of Courage. Thanks to Cia's quick thinking, the troops managed to retreat to the Temple of Souls. Now they must find a way to strike back at Ganondorf.
OOC: There's one chapter left. That means there's one last chance to vote for my upcoming story. Also, I really wanna thank you guys for being so patient with me and this story and I apologize for the delay in getting these chapters uploaded. The holidays are a bit draining. Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Despair. That seemed to be the feeling in Hyrule these days.
After the Battle of Hyrule Castle, Ganondorf managed to assemble all three pieces of the Triforce. With its unstoppable might at his disposal, the Demon King summoned countless creatures of evil to add to his growing army of demons. He then sent them out across Hyrule to wreak havoc across the land with Zant and Ghirahim taking the lead. He also ordered them to find Link and Zelda. Alive or dead was immaterial. As long as they were alive, they would continue to be a thorn in his side.
For the next six months, Zant and Ghirahim led the troops and scoured all of Hyrule searching for Link and Zelda. They killed and maimed and destroyed everything in their path in their relentless search. Rumors persisted that Link, Zelda, and Impa had perished in the Battle of Hyrule Castle. And as the rumors spread, so too did the feeling of despair and hopelessness which infected the hearts of the people like a plague. All hope seemed to die in Hyrule.
But this was not so. Link and Zelda were very much alive and they were determined to keep hope alive as well. For six months, Zelda had used the Temple of Souls to serve as their base of operations as they attempted to figure out a way to take back Hyrule from Ganondorf. She would send Impa and her Shiekah troops on recon missions, hoping to find someway to turn the tide of this war back in their favor.
Zelda's hopes and prayers were answered one day as Impa's reconnaissance came across an extraordinary discovery. Impa discovered that after the battle, Ganondorf mysteriously vanished, leaving Zant and Ghirahim to command the army. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! If they could defeat Zant and Ghirahim in their master's absence, they could gain a foothold back into Hyrule and strike a mighty blow against Ganondorf himself.
Of course, such a bold move would not be easy. Zelda's forces were severely outmanned and outgunned from the last battle with Ganondorf. And even without Ganondorf, Zant and Ghirahim were formidable opponents in their own right. Not to mention, they would be fighting on the enemy's home turf: The Gerudo Desert. A harsh desert environment with temperatures usually in the triple digits. The elements would certainly not be kind to them. It seemed that the odds were certainly against the Hyrulean Forces. But Zelda decided it was a risk worth taking.
Zelda ordered Impa and her Shiekah troops to search for Ganondorf. They needed to know what he was up to. She also gave them specific orders to not engage Ganondorf under any circumstances. They weren't ready for him yet. The rest of them set out for the Gerudo Desert. Zelda was determined to finish the war by day's end.
Upon arriving at the Gerudo Desert, the troops set up two oasises to serve as their base. Zelda, Cia, and her Phantoms were situated at the southern oasis while Link and the Goron and Hyrulean troops were at the northern oasis. As long as they remained near these locations, they would be safe from the desert heat. For three long hours, Zelda's troops waited for any sign of Ganondorf's troops, but nothing happened.
"You think they know we're here?" Link asked, communicating to Zelda through his Gossip Stone.
"We're in enemy territory." Zelda replied. "You can be sure they know we're here. Keep your eyes peeled."
"Well, if they know we're here, why don't they do anything?!" Proxi asked impatiently. "Seriously! Why don't they just show themselves already!"
"You should be careful what you wish for." Zant's voice echoed as the Usurper King teleported near Link with his army of Shadow Beasts in tow. Though there was something... off about him. The Twilight markings on his robe had faded, looking more monochrome. "It may come to pass."
In the southern oasis, Cia and Zelda were surrounded by Ghirahim and his Bokoblin forces. Like Zant, The coloring on his clothing had faded, giving him a rather monochrome look. "You know, dear, it's much too rude to drop into a person's home unannounced." He mockingly chided. "If you wanted to die, simple words would've sufficed."
"This is our chance!" Zelda shouted. "If we defeat Zant and Ghirahim here, we're one step closer to reclaiming Hyrule! For our precious kingdom, attack!" At her command, the soldiers charged at Ghirahim's troops. Ghirahim himself stood unfazed. "That's a big if." He said. "I make quite an enemy. Your wounds wouldn't heal if you had a thousand lifetimes! But I suppose children require some discipline before they learn their lesson. Troops! Show no mercy!"
The Bokoblin hordes charged at the Hyrulean Forces and the two sides were locked in combat once more. Zelda and Cia immediately attacked Ghirahim. "Two against one, eh? That's hardly sporting." he sneered. "But that's fine with me!" Ghirahim conjured several knives and tossed them at the two women. Zelda dodged the knives and fired a sword beam from her rapier.
Ghirahim teleported to avoid the knives, but was too slow to avoid a blast of magic from Cia. Ghirahim was sent flying by the blast, but managed to regain his footing. He then lunged at the sorceress with sword extended, hoping to run the sorceress through with his blade. Cia used her tome to summon three barriers in front of her, blocking the blade and pushing Ghirahim back.
Ghirahim shattered the barrier with his sword and fired a flaming disc at Cia. Zelda jumped in and deflected the disc with her rapier. She then summoned her bow and fired several Light Arrows at Ghirahim. The demon lord managed to deflect most of them, but a stray arrow hit Ghirahim directly in the shoulder. The demon cried out as the holy light burned through his body.
Cia took advantage of the distraction and conjured four Gates of Souls. The gates spun and formed a mighty tornado that swept the Demon Lord quite literally off his feet. Zelda saw an opening and pulled out her Wind Waker. Using its power, she conjured a powerful storm. A lightning bolt then struck Ghirahim. The demon screamed in pain as the lightning surged through his body and sent him crashing to the ground.
Ghirahim struggled to get to his feet, his breathing coming out in ragged pants. "You both have gotten stronger since last time." he said in between breaths. "It seems I underestimated you. Permit me to flee!" With that, Ghirahim sprang to his feet...and began to run? The demon headed towards the northern oasis and the Sacred Grounds. "Is Ghirahim... running away?" Cia asked, raising a confused eyebrow.
"That appears to be the case." Zelda replied. "Regardless, we musn't let him escape!"
"I'll get him!" Cia shouted as she started to chase after the demon, only for Zelda to stop her. "No." Zelda said. "I will pursue Ghirahim, you must remain with the troops. Your healing magic will be needed." Zelda chased after Ghirahim and managed to stop him just as he made it to the northern oasis. Before Ghirahim could take another step, Zelda threw her glowing rapier at him, impaling him straight through the heart. The demon collapsed to the ground.
"No...!" Ghirahim choked out hoarsely. "This can't be how it ends!" The demon's body turned completely black before dissolving into particles. Zelda retrieved her rapier, but found it odd that there was no blood left behind by the corpse.
"We beat Ghirahim." Cia said as she caught up with Zelda. "But that seemed almost...too easy."
"Indeed." Zelda replied. "Something feels off about this. Nevertheless, we must focus on the battle at hand. I'll see if Link needs help, you stay with the troops." Zelda ran off to the Northern Oasis.
Not too far from where Zelda was, Link was locked in battle witn Zant. Link attempted to slice Zant with the Master Sword only for the Usurper King to teleport behind Link and deliver a kick to his back. In one fluid motion, Link turned around and fired a Sword Beam at Zant. Zant brought up his scimitars and tried to block it, but was blown backwards.
Out of the corner of his eye, Zant saw Zelda and some of the Phantom troops heading towards them. "So, a portion of the enemy forces have been separated?" he asked. "Splendid! Close the gates and isolate the stragglers!"
"What?!" Link and Zelda asked in unison. Before they could react, the gate to the Southern Oasis closed behind them, reinforced by a Twilight Barrier. "No!" Link shouted as he pounded on the barrier with the Master Sword. Zelda frantically pulled out her Gossip Stone to contact Cia. "Cia, how are things on your end?!" she asked.
"Zelda! Link! I need your help!" Cia replied. "More monsters appeared out of nowhere! The troops and I are surrounded! We're holding our own, but we can't do it forever!"
"Oh, what a dilemma!" Zant mockingly chimed in. "The desert heat, I'm afraid, will hardly be kind to a delicate flower such as her, wouldn't you agree?" Zelda and Link glared at the false king. "But I'm a sporting man. Defeat me and I'll allow you to see your friend. Of course, that likely won't happen." Link roared and charged at Zant. Zant teleported at the last second to avoid the sword swing and reappeared behind Link, scimitars raised in the air and ready to behead the young hero.
Link sensed the evil presence behind him and immediately brought his shield to block the scimitars. Zelda saw an opening and quickly fired a Light Arrow at Zant. The villainous Twili screamed as the sacred light surged burned away at his being, threatening to eat away at the very substance he was made from. Link fired off another Sword Beam and knocked Zant to the ground. As Zant struggled to get to his feet, Link leapt into the air and impaled Zant with the Master Sword.
"This... Cannot be!" Zant choked out as his body faded into dark particles. "Just like Ghirahim." Zelda muttered. "Something is wrong."
"What do you mean?" Link asked.
"Ghirahim and Zant have been defeated yet the enemy refuses to relent." Zelda replied. "I fear are troubles may be just beginning. Quickly! We must regroup with Cia." The two ran to the gate. Now that Zant had been defeated, the Twilight Barrier was dispelled. Zelda used her magic to open the door and the two ran into the Southern Oasis. That's where they saw Cia and her Phantoms engaging in a losing battle with the Dark Forces.
Cia herself was surrounded by a horde of Shadow Beasts. Sweat dripped from her brow as the desert heat began to take its toll on her. Summoning her might into her scepter, she slammed it to the ground, creating a shockwave that blew them all away. Cia then fell to her knees, using her scepter to support her. She looked around and saw her Phantoms falling to the overwhelming strength of the Dark Forces. She also saw Link and Zelda surrounded by Shadow Beasts and Moblins.
"It's hopeless." Cia said to herself. "The Dark Forces are overwhelming us. We're outnumbered. We can't win."
"Come on, Cia, I thought you were stronger than that." Lana's voice echoed in Cia's mind.
"Lana?" Cia weakly asked. "What are you-?"
"You nearly waged a war with Hyrule for one man and now you're calling it quits?" Lana asked. "You're many things, Cia. Quitter isn't one of them."
"None of that matters!" Cia snapped, not wanting to be reminded of her past sins. "There's no way we can win! I'm not strong enough!"
"That's because you're still fighting like the old you." Lana said. "You forgot that we are one again. You don't have to rely on just your power anymore. Remember, we aren't alone anymore. We have friends who need us. The entire kingdom needs us! We helped cause this mess, we need to help set it right. You can't give up now! You must fight!"
Lana's voice faded, leaving Cia alone with her thoughts. Cia then rose to her feet, a look of determination on her face as she dismissed her scepter and summoned Lana's tome. "Only one shot at this." she said. With a wave of her arm, she created a Magic Circle on the ground around her. Opening her tome, she drew a symbol and created several portals around her. "Help, everyone!" she pleaded.
In the Era of the Sky...
Fi and Groose were busy rebuilding Skyloft after the battle with Ghirahim and his demon hordes. It was long and hard, but they managed to restore most of Skyloft back to its original glory. It certainly helped that there were robots helping out with the construction project. And Fi overseeing everything helped the project run at optimum efficiency. After working for a bit, Groose sat down and wiped his face with a towel. Fi floated down besides him.
"How's it looking, Fi?" Groose asked as he drank a bottle of water.
"Restoration of Skyloft is at 80% percent." Fi replied in her usual robotic monotone. "If my calculations are correct, we should be finished within two weeks."
"Glad to hear it." Pipit chimed in as he grabbed a bottle of water himself. "It'll be good to get some R & R for once." Pipit started drinking, but before the three could finish their conversation, a large golden portal appeared in front of them. Startled, Pipit spat his water. "What the hell is that?!" he frantically asked. Fi floated over to the portal, examining it closely.
"I am detecting a large amount of temporal energy emanating from this dimensional rift." she began. "I can only surmise that this is a portal through time." Fi looked closer and immediately, an image of Link and Zelda fighting in the Gerudo Desert came into view.
"Oh, hell! Link and Zelda are in trouble!" Groose exclaimed. "You gotta get back there, Fi!"
"Correction." Fi began. "We need to get back there. I will need your help."
"But what about Skyloft?" Pipit asked.
"That can wait!" Groose said. "We gotta help them now!"
"Groose is right." Fi said. "Hyrule is our future home. It must be defended. Rally the troops! To arms!"
In the Era of Time...
Young Link, Ruto, Darunia, and Tingle were all at Zelda's castle celebrating and catching up on old times. For everyone involved, it was a truly joyous occasion, especially for Zelda herself. Link had at long last returned home and had returned with Navi. Everything was back to normal. The party was truly spectacular. Everyone was currently cleaning up the room when suddenly, a portal opened up.
"What's that?" Ruto asked.
"It looks like the time portal Cia used to bring us home." Navi said as she looked closer. That's when she saw Link and Zelda fighting monsters in the Gerudo Desert. "Link and Zelda! They're in danger!"
"We gotta help them!" Darunia shouted. "Let's go Ruto!" Darunia said as he grabbed Ruto and Tingle and ran to the door. "Where are you guys going?!" Young Link asked.
"To get some reinforcements!" Ruto said. "We'll be back in a jiffy!" The three left the room, leaving Zelda and Young Link alone. "You have to leave again, don't you?" Zelda asked somberly.
"Yeah. A hero's work is never done." Young Link replied. "Sorry."
"It's okay." Zelda said with a small smile. "I've somewhat grown used to you leaving. I know you have to help them. I only ask that you come back safely. You'll do that, won't you?"
"Of course I will." Young Link said as he drew her in for a hug.
In the Era of Twilight...
Oh, did it feel good to be back in the Twilight Realm! Zant was gone for good and Cia's spell had finally worn off, restoring Midna back to her original, beautiful self again. Life was good. Midna was in her office doing paperwork as was her custom. Only this time, she had Agitha with her. At first, she was tempted to send her home, but admittedly, the Insect Princess had started to grow on her.
Midna had just finished the paperwork and both she and Agitha were about to turn in for the night. But just as they started to leave, Cia's portal appeared right in front of them. The two looked in the portal to see Link and Zelda fighting off the Dark Forces. Midna's trademark smirk crept across her face. "Seems they're having another crisis." Midna said as she turned to Agitha. "Looks like it's time to save the world again."
"But won't your servants notice if you go missing?" Agitha asked.
"No need to worry." Midna said as she conjured a clone of herself. The clone immediately went to her chambers. "Ready to go?" she asked.
"Ready!" Agitha said as the two walked through the portal.
Back at Gerudo Desert, in the present...
Cia stood her ground, protected by her Magic Circle and praying that her call was heard. Those prayers were quickly answered as Fi, Ruto, Darunia, Young Link, Tingle, Midna, and Agitha emerged from their respective portals. Cia gave a small, tired smile. "You all came just in time!" Zelda said as she and Link ran to the group.
"Yep!" Darunia replied. "Only this time, we've brought backup!" Darunia and Ruto stepped to the side as waves of Goron and Zora troops marched out of the portal side by side. "Tingle also brought some help!" The self-proclaimed fairy opened his bag and hundreds of fairies poured out of it.
"I have brought assistance as well." Fi said as hundreds of Skyloft knights riding on their Loftwings, led by Groose and Pipit, emerged from the portals, filling the sky. The knights stood idle, ready to strike at any moment.
"Don't forget about me!" Midna shouted as she snapped her fingers. Instantly, scores of Shadow Darknuts appeared around her. Agitha opened her insect jars and raised her basket to the sky, unleashing thousands of giant golden insects of all shapes and sizes. The combined numbers of all these individual armies far outnumbered the Dark Forces.
"Zoras!" Ruto began. "For too long, the Hero has always come to the aid of Hyrule when it was in its hour of need. Well I say it's past time we return the favor! For the future of Hyrule and the Zora Kingdom, attack!" At her command, the Zora soldiers charged at the Dark Forces. "You heard the princess, brothers!" Darunia bellowed. "Let's raise some hell!" The Goron troops joined the Zora soldiers in battling the Dark Forces.
"Don't forget about Tingle's new fairy friends!" the mapmaker said as the fairies flew into the fray.
"Knights of Skyloft!" Fi said. "Descend from the sky and defend your future home!" With a loud war cry, the knights dived into the battle.
"Shadow Knights! Teach these dogs the power of the Twili!" Midna commanded as her shadow Darknuts charged at the demonic hordes. Seeing this, Agitha joined in. "For the insect kingdom, charge!" The golden insects marched into the fight. It was a truly chaotic scene as the Dark Forces found themselves besieged by an overwhelming number of troops from all sides.
"Alright!" Darunia shouted exuberantly, relishing the sight of battle. "Time to rock!"
"Not yet!" Zelda said as she grabbed the Goron Chief's arm. "The troops can handle themselves for now, but we need to come up with a clearer strategy." She and Darunia walked towards the others. "Now here's what we know: We've defeated Zant and Ghirahim, yet the Dark Forces refuse to relent. If anything, their numbers have grown stronger."
"Come to think about it, they were acting weird." Cia said. "Well, weirder than normal anyway."
"They must've been using shadow clones!" Midna said. "It's and old trick we Twili can do. The real ones must be commanding the troops from a safe place."
"They cannot hide forever." Fi said. "Allow me." The sword spirit flew into the air and used her Dowsing ability to locate Ghirahim and Zant, specifically focusing on Ghirahim's evil energy. After a quick scan of the desert, she managed to find them. Fi floated back down. "They are in the Sacred Grounds." she said.
"Great." Link said. "Now let's get these guys."
"Not you, Link." Zelda said sternly. "You're still recovering from your battle with Ganondorf. You should save your strength."
"But Zelda-!" Link started to protest.
"She's right, Master Link." Fi began. "I sense that you still have wounds that have not healed. You should leave this to us. You will be needed for the final battle with Ganondorf. Midna and I will defeat Zant and Ghirahim."
"Yeah, Link." Midna chimed in. "Ghirahim and Zant are our responsibility. We've dealt with them before and we can do it again."
"You'll need me, too." Cia said. "I can send those two back through the Gate of Souls." Link, seeing that there was no choice, conceded. "Okay, you win. Just promise me you'll be careful."
"Link, it's us." Midna said. "We can handle ourselves."
"By the way, that's what you really look like?" Link asked.
"That's right!" Midna said. "Like what you see?"
"Um... yeah. It's... nice." Link said hesitantly, blushing profusely.
"What's wrong? Am I so beautiful that you have no words left?" Midna teased, eventually bursting into giggles. "That's the same look he gave me back home."
"Anyway... The rest of us shall stay and fight the Dark Forces!" Zelda said.
"Indeed. Best of luck to you all." Fi said as she and Midna stood near Cia, who teleported them all to the Sacred Grounds."
At the Sacred Grounds...
"Oh, this is most disappointing." Zant said as he observed the heroes' conversation through a magical screen he had conjured. From the safety of the Sacred Grounds, he and Ghirahim conducted the battle through shadow clones he created. The strategy of separating the Hyrulean Forces was an ingenious one! That stupid witch had to ruin it by calling her pathetic friends.
"It would appear that they have caught on to our little game." Zant said.
"Indeed." Ghirahim replied. "Naturally, I blame you."
"Yes, well-Wait, why is it my fault?!" Zant asked.
"Because otherwise it would be my fault, and that's not right." Ghirahim replied. "Disappointing, really. I was looking forward to watching them wander the desert aimlessly. But I guess we'll just skip to the sudden death round. Minions! Murder them all. I want their corpses littering the desert!"
"Odd. Midna, Fi, and Cia are not with the others." Zant mused. "Where could they be?"
"Right here!" Cia declared. Zant and Ghirahim turned around and found themselves face to face with Cia, Midna, and Fi. "You guys have long overstayed your welcome." Midna said. "Time for you to scram."
"Surrender is recommended." Fi said. "You are clearly outnumbered."
"I suppose we should be flattered." Ghirahim said. "You all signed your own death warrants just to take another beating from us."
"The only one taking a pounding are you two clowns." Midna replied. "I can handle Zant."
"And Cia and I shall defeat Ghirahim." Fi replied.
"Bold words from the Goddess' lapdog." Ghirahim said as black diamond particles enveloped him, transforming him into his full demonic form. "Let's see if they stand true!" Ghirahim fired a blast of dark energy from his hand. Fi and Cia leapt out of the way and Fi dove at Ghirahim, firing blasts of light from the diamond on her chest. Ghirahim deflected them with his metallic arms and was about to swing his sword only for Cia to grab his wrist with her whip.
She attempted to pull him down, but Ghirahim yanked her towards him with one hard pull. Before he could attack her, though, Cia teleported out of the way and reappeared to deliver a hard kick to his face. The blow staggers Ghirahim and he's unable to regain his balance in time to avoid Fi's next attack. The Goddess Sword flung herself at Ghirahim like a buzzsaw, cutting him across the chest. The demon shouted in pain and summoned his rapiers, ready to get serious.
Meanwhile, Zant and Midna had not moved from their spots. For the longest time, the two stood as statues, glaring at one another. There was much bad blood between the two and now that they stood face-to-face, it was all coming to the surface. They both waited for the other to make their move. Eventually, Midna spoke first. "Zant."
"Midna." The Usurper replied coldly.
"Traitor!" Midna snarled as she summoned her spear.
"Witch!" Zant shouted as he summoned his scimitars and charged at Midna, dragging his scimitars along the ground. Just as he got to Midna, Zant teleported into the air and tried to attack Midna from above. Midna sank into a portal beneath her and reappeared behind Zant to run him through with her spear. Zant spun like a top to avoid her and tried to attack from the side. Midna blocked Zant's spin attack and tossed a Sol at him.
The bright light created by the Sol blinded Zant momentarily, allowing Midna to seize the opportunity and take a hard swing at Zant with her spear, knocking his helmet off. Enraged, Zant fired a blast of dark energy at Midna. Midna deflected it with her spear, then summoned her giant stone hand to punch Zant, sending him flying backwards into the wall. Zant shouted in anger and summoned a longsword, charging at Midna. Zant furiously swung his sword with rapid strikes, each one deflected by Midna's spear. The two quickly found themselves locking blades in an attempt to throw the other off.
"Midna, you'll never win!" Zant declared. "Get on your knees and worship me!"
"Depends. Do I get a doggy biscuit?" Midna taunted. She teleported away, causing Zant to stumble over. She reappeared behind him to deliver another kick to his back. Zant fell over, but quickly got to his feet. Gathering dark energy in his hands, Zant fired a huge beam at Midna. Midna quickly summoned her Twilight Mirror and countered with a beam of light.
Cia and Fi continued their battle with Ghirahim. Both Fi and Ghirahim had turned into their sword forms and engaged in a high speed sword duel. The two seemed evenly matched at first, but Ghirahim gained the upper hand and swatted Fi to the ground. Having recovered from the last hit she took from Ghirahim, Cia rushed to Fi's aid.
"He's strong. I'll give him that." Cia said.
"I have a plan, but I will need time to pull it off." Fi said. "Can you stall him?"
"I'll try." Cia replied. Cia fired several magical orbs at Ghirahim, who deflected them with his swords. Ghirahim retaliated with a fire disc from his blade. Cia teleported behind Ghirahim to avoid the attack, but the Demon Lord quickly countered by breathing a stream of fire at Cia. Cia immediately called her Summoning Gates and formed a barrier to defend against his fire breath.
During Ghirahim and Cia's battle, Fi formed a magic circle beneath her feet. The Three Sacred Flames appeared around her as Fi offered a prayer to the Goddess Hylia. "Oh, Goddess Hylia, heed the call of your loyal servant. Grant me the power to slay this evil. Grant me the power to help save this world!" The Three Sacred Flames enveloped Fi and when they cleared, Fi's head and wings had turned white and the jewel on her chest had become gold. She had truly become the Master Sword.
Ghirahim turned to see Fi transformed, a look of pure shock on his face. "But... How?!" Fi transformed into her sword form and quickly impaled Ghirahim through the chest. The Demon Lord screamed in pain and attempted to pull Fi out, only to burn his metal hands when he touched her. "Cia, now!" Fi shouted. Seeing her chance, Cia gathered lightning in her scepter, she fired a bolt of lightning at Fi. Acting as a conductor, Fi channeled the lightning, electrocuting Ghirahim. Ghirahim screamed in agony before he crumpled to the ground, returning to his normal form.
"It can't be..." The demon said hoarsely, coughing up blood. "This world... belongs... to my master..."
"Don't worry." Cia said. "You'll have plenty of time to think it over... in Hell." With a wave of her scepter, she summoned the Gate of Souls underneath Ghirahim, sending him through it.
Meanwhile, Zant and Midna continued their struggle. It seemed to be an even match, but Zant's stamina quickly gave out, allowing Midna to quickly gain the upper hand and overpower Zant, knocking him to the ground. "Give up, Zant." Midna demanded. "You've lost yet again."
"Maybe so..." Zant replied. "But that does not make you the victor. Once Lord Ganondorf regains his full power, this world will be his, and you will all cower at his might!"
"Maybe." Cia said as she summoned the Gate of Souls behind Zant. "But you won't be around to see it." Zant could feel the Gate pulling him in and planted his svimitars on the ground to anchor himself. Midna coolly walked towards the struggling usurper. "You know, Zant." Midna began. "There's something I've been wanting to say to you for a while now: You're fired." She summoned her giant stone hand and... casually flicked the screaming Twili into the gate as it closed behind him.
"Well, Mission accomplished." Midna said.
"Indeed." Fi replied. "Good work, the both of you."
"Fi, how did you do that trick with the Master Sword?" Cia asked.
"Simple. I merely borrowed the power from Link's Master Sword to power myself up temporarily." Fi replied.
"Gotta say though, we make a pretty great team." Midna said.
"We do, don't we?" Cia asked.
"I agree. Now let us return to the others. With Zant and Ghirahim defeated, the monsters have most likely vanished."
At the Southern Oasis...
"Congratulations, everyone!" Zelda said. "Thanks to our combined efforts, Zant and Ghirahim have been defeated! We have dealt Ganondorf a great blow this day!"
"Yep, we're pretty awesome!" Groose said. "And... It's kinda nice to see you again, Zelda."
"You know me?" Zelda asked.
"Well, yeah, but In my era, you weren't a princess." Groose replied. "We went to school together."
"Well, it's an honor to meet you again, Groose." Zelda said.
"I don't want to spoil the celebration, but we still have to deal with the other problem: Ganondorf." Cia said. "Something Zant said has been bugging me. Something about Ganondorf regaining his full power."
"I can answer that." Impa's voice came through Zelda's Gossip Stone.
"Impa? What have you found?" Zelda asked.
"Old hag? Is that you?" Groose asked.
"It turns out that-Did you just call me old?!" Impa shouted, incensed.
"Impa, focus!" Zelda said sternly.
"Right. Anyway, we interrogated some of the Dark Forces we've captured and it turns out Ganondorf is preparing a ritual that will allow him to absorb the full might of the Triforce." Impa said. "Once that happens, there will be no stopping Ganondorf. He'll be invincible."
"But there's still a chance." Link said. "If we hit him now while he's vulnerable, we can still win."
"I'm with Link on this one." Darunia said. "Let's hit him hard and fast!"
"We're going up against the King of Evil himself." Ruto said. "It's gonna be one hell of an uphill battle." That's when Link turned to the troops. "I won't lie to you, troops." He began. "Ruto's right. We're in for the fight of our lives here. Many of us may not make it back. Anyone who wants to stay behind, this is your chance. None of us will think any less of you if you choose to sit this one out.."
For a while, it seemed that no one would say something, but soon one of the Hyrulean Forces stepped forward. "You don't remember me do you?" He asked Link. "I was the guy you sparred with when this whole war started. I remember it like it was yesterday. You beat me pretty good. And now look at you. You went from a soldier in training to the Hero of Hyrule." He then turned to the rest of the troops. "Now I can't hold a candle to Link, or Commander Impa, or Princess Zelda, I don't have powers like the rest of them, and maybe I'll end up dead in this fight, but if I'm gonna die, I'll go to the grave with a smile knowing I helped defend my kingdom! Now who's with me?!"
The other troops started cheering wildly, the sight making Link and Zelda smile. "Impa, prepare to rendezvous with us at Hyrule Castle. We'll be there soon."
"Understood." Impa replied.
"Well, now that that's taken care of, let's show Ganondorf what happens when you mess with our kingdom!" The crowd cheered in response. Everyone then mounted their rides and went to Hyrule Castle with Link leading the charge on his faithful steed Epona, ready to engage in the greatest battle of their lives.
At Ganondorf's Castle...
"So, Ghirahim and Zant have been defeated, eh?" Ganondorf mused as he sat on his throne. He knew something was amiss when they failed to report in. "So that explains why I can no longer sense their presence. Oh well. Their usefulness ended with the acquisition of the Triforce. Plus, it's a relief to not have to endure their constant bickering. Perhaps I'll build them a monument. So, the Hyrulean Forces are headed straight for me."
Ganondorf summoned the Triforce to his hand. "Let them come. Let them feel the might... of a TRUE god!" The chamber echoed with his evil laughter.
Final Chapter Preview: Liberation of the Triforce. Next time on Hyrule Warriors! Link, Zelda, and the Hyrulean Forces seize the momentum from their defeat of Ghirahim and Zant and launch an all out assault on Ganondorf himself. Everything is on the line in this all-or-nothing fight to the finish! Can our heroes rise to the challenge and retake Hyrule from Ganondorf's clutches, or will the world fall to Ganondorf's dark ambitions? Don't miss the epic conclusion of Hyrule Warriors!