Disclaimer: This story is getting more reviews and favorites the closer it gets to the end. We're getting there, so keep the hits coming. I'm even pulling some double duty, working on the Epilogue and I will be putting a brand new poll on my profile. Check it out.

I want to send a shout out to ZeldaFreak6535 for her support thus far. Much love, sweetheart. Another shout out goes to The Supreme, who probably has yet to find someone to take their hand and swan dive into adventure or something like that.

I don't own the rights to The Legend of Zelda.

Chapter XXXV

Impa led Link to a small area of Kakariko Village that the young former thief had never ventured to before. It was obviously some sort of clearing beyond the village, quiet and a bit on the cool side despite the warm sunlight from overhead. Then Link learned to his surprised exactly what was causing the chill to run down his spine when he found a small, disheveled looking shack near the entrance from which he and Impa arrived. It was abandoned by the look of it, but that was a far cry from what Link noticed next. Ahead of the shack stood a gravestone; one of many in fact. It occurred to Link that Impa lead him into a cemetery and his first impulse, as childish as it seemed, was that Impa had dug a hole just for him.

There were rows of gravestones lining the area, all separated with wooden fencing. Most of the gravestones were simple and no larger than a foot and a half and twice that in their width. Others stood at around five feet or so in height. Those larger one were left standing near the rock wall that ran around the cemetery, thus making the entrance Link and Impa used the only way in or out. After his initial surprise, Link was oddly aloof. It seemed rather expected after everything he'd endured.

Impa walked by several of the larger gravestones with Link following until he paused for a brief moment. Something caught his attention that was almost familiar. A symbol of an eye was adorned on the slab, and Link recognized as the same symbol that Zelda wore on her uniform. Then next gravestone bore the same symbol as did the one after that, and Link began to see a pattern. He still couldn't put the pieces together as he tried to keep in step with Impa, who was headed for the center of the cemetery toward the largest gravestone so far. Two slightly smaller gravestones rested beside the larger one, both of which retaining the signature eye of the others.

"Recognize anything, Link?" Impa finally asked.

"Yeah," Link responded. "I've seen this symbol before; on Zelda's uniform."

"And mine," Impa pointed to the same symbol on her own person. Link kicked himself for not noticing before as Impa began to explain. "This cemetery is the final resting place for the Sheikah, who for hundreds of years were sworn to act as the protectors of the Royal Family. Since the time of Zelda's Great, Great Grandfather, the Sheikah acted as guardians and peacekeepers between the various races of Hyrule. I was one of the last descendents, swore into the tribe when I was but a young lass."

"That's nice and all, but what exactly does that have to do with me?" Link asked.

Impa stepped up to the two gravestones standing beside the larger one and traced her fins over top of one of them. "These particular gravestones are all that remain of Desmond and Eleanor, two of strongest, wisest and kindest members of the Sheikah. They were the ones that trained me in my youth, and they treated as if I were their own. Desmond was one of the most skilled swordsmen in Hyrule, able to outclass nearly anyone who challenge him, and Eleanor was a clairvoyant who could see the future."

"I still don't see how I fit into all this." Link said, growing impatient.

"The Sheikah eventually learned that was with child, and she gave birth to a boy," Impa continued. "However, Eleanor also saw a dark future approaching. She and Desmond took the baby to Kokiri Forest, where they placed the boy in the care of the Great Deku Tree. Soon after, they died in battle against a very dangerous man…"

"…in black armor." Link concluded, to which Impa nodded.

"Yes," Impa confirmed. "Link, your parents were members of the Sheikah and by virtue of your birth within the tribe, you are also a member of Sheikah."

Link approached the two gravestones and dropped down to his knees before them, and he thought were racing faster than he could process them. Looking at the gravestone, Link envisioned the day he was placed in the Great Deku Tree's care by two people who may or may not have been his mother and father. Flashes of the past flooded through his mind; his imagined his mother crying as she said her goodbyes and his father trying to be strong. Then, they were gone, and he was left alone. Link had hoped to one day reunite with them, to find out why they abandoned him.

Now, he'd learned that they were Sheikah and because of his birth within the tribe or clan or maybe even outright cult, he was also a Sheikah. It didn't seem right to him; he had so many questions he wanted to ask them. But now they were gone from the world and now, he'd never get the chance. But at the same time, he began to understand why they did what they did. Link looked at his hand at the Crest of Courage and he came to the understanding that his parents did it to protect him from the man in the black armor, just like the Great Deku Tree told him.

"Are you alright, Link?" Impa asked, and Link stood tall with his hands clenched into fists.

He chuckled with an air of realization and replied, "I've spent years trying to figure out who my parents were, what happened to them and why they abandoned me. As I grew up, I kind of got to thinking they were nothing but a couple of jerks, but now…"

"But now that you've learned the truth about your Sheikah heritage, has your opinion change at all?" Impa asked.

"Nope, I still think they're jerks," Link quipped and caused Impa to raise an eyebrow. "But now I understand that they did what they did to protect me from Ganondorf and because I'm really the only one who could challenge him," Link stopped to let the thought sink in before he asked Impa, "You mentioned that my mother was clairvoyant. Do you think she might have seen all this happening and what might come after?"

"It's hard to say, but I do know this; everything that's happened up until now, you being right here, was all for a reason. It's now just a question of what you intend to do," Impa stated. "So tell me, Link; what are you going to do?"

Link unsheathed the Master Sword and studied his reflection in the blade, and he finally knew what he had to do. "I'm going to rescue Zelda, and Malon and everyone else that's suffering. Then I'm going to confront Ganondorf and bring an end to all this madness. I can't do it alone, though."

Impa placed a hand on Link's shoulder and said to him, "You won't be alone."

From the start of the following morning, Impa and Link set out to gather allies from all across Hyrule. To better prepare, the village blacksmith made a lightweight armor for Link, as well as some armor for Epona and Ingo. Anju gave it a green color at Link's request, as he'd stated that the color had grown on him. Impa and Link ventured up to Death Mountain to speak with the Gorons. It took some convincing on Link's part as he laid down the situation with Darunia. Darunia understood the situation and, believing he owed Link and Zelda for their previous assistance, hoisted his Megaton Hammer and rallied the fiercest warriors of his tribe. The Gorons roared their approval and gathered the strongest weapons at their disposal. Darunia even promised that he'd be at the forefront of the force that would challenge Ganondorf. Link couldn't asked for anything more.

From there, Link and Impa travel to Lake Hylia and Zora's Domain. Rutela took a considerably larger effort for Link to convince her. But she remembered what Link and Zelda did for her and the risk they took in the caverns. Though this upcoming battle against Ganondorf was a far greater risk, Rutela ultimately rallied her people. Even she was eager to help and she donned her own set of armor and a large spear. Of course, Rutela again tried to convince Link to marry her, but Link wasn't having any of it. It was worth a try.

Impa determined that the next force to fight with her and Link would've been a wild card even after Link suggested it. His suggestion was to track down the Gerudo tribe. Thus, they traveled to the mountainous region of Gerudo Valley. There, they encountered Aveil and her sisters of the tribe from which, ironically, Ganondorf himself emerged. They were the hardest to convince, especially given Link's poor understanding of their native tongue. But Aveil considered it for a long period of time and eventually decided the Gerudo would help. The warrior women of the Gerudo gathered every weapon at their disposal, and Aveil swore to fight with Link and Impa.

As the sun was setting in the horizon, luck proved to be on the side of Link and Impa. A small but formidable company of Hylian soldiers, exiled by Ganondorf for attempting to stand against him, encountered the growing army of united species. The current commander of the company spoke of the loss of Krin, whom Impa knew to be a strong and capable soldier. Learning of his death compelled Impa to urge the company to fight with the growing army. The commander was more than willing to oblige.

By nightfall, with everything set, Link was alone by the same tree at which he played as a child. There, he laid a pair of modest flowers at the base in remembrance of his mother and father. He closed his eyes and tried to recall they're faces as best he could. While remembrance was vague Link at least smiled at the belief that wherever they were, they were proud of the young man he'd become. Link then heard the sound of hooves behind and turned to see a most unexpected visitor; Façade.

"Well, you're still alive. I'm actually impressed that you've lasted as long as you did." he said, and Link was looking around to see if he was alone.

"Where're your cronies?" Link asked.

Façade flicked an eyebrow and replied, "They're gone. They decided that it was better to save themselves from Ganondorf's wrath. Good riddance, I'd say."

Link drew the Master Sword and held it to the side. "If you're here for a rematch, you don't need to ask twice. Just so you know; I won't hold back this time."

"I don't doubt that, judging by the army you've gathered. So I figured it be in my best interest if I joined in your fight." Façade exclaimed.

A surprised Link cocked his eyebrow at the sudden request from Façade. "Why would you want to fight Ganondorf? I thought you were working for him."

"I'll work for whomever has the deepest pockets, but Ganondorf is as evil as anyone or anything I've ever encountered. Sadly, there's no profit to be made in the end of the world," Façade then took a few steps forward, and Link didn't budge. "Seeing as you've amassed an army all your own, I figure I'd might as well join in your fight."

Link suspected Façade was lying through his teeth and was even tempted to just run his through with the Master Sword, which he ultimately sheathed. "You do realize that I don't trust you, right? I don't even like you."

"That makes two of us." Impa said when she appeared directly behind Façade.

Façade turned to greet Impa was a wry grin. "It's been a long time, Impa. How's your little sister, I wonder?"

Impa landed a straight blow right into Façade's mouth and sent to the ground. "Anju is doing much better than your jaw, I think."

Façade recovered as his lip was bleeding from Impa's strike. "I've missed you, too," Façade looked over at Link, who had an amused expression on his face. "I tried courting her sister once."

"Big mistake!" Link quipped.

"Are you going to fight with us or not, Façade?" Impa asked plain and simple while Façade picked himself up.

"All you had to do was ask." Façade replied and strolled off.

Impa shook her head at Façade before she looked to Link. "It's time, Link. But I hope you understand that even with an army of our own, getting to Ganondorf and rescuing Zelda and the other captives will not be easy."

Link shrugged and replied, "Certainly of death? Small chance of success? What're we waiting for?"

Ganondorf was atop the balcony of the castle overlooking the Royal City and beyond the walls, looking out at Hyrule Field. Night had completely fallen and, anticipating something, Ganondorf dispatched his mightiest Moblin warriors to the field. Several Uber-Moblins stood at the front of a massive horde, acting as the first line of defense. Ganondorf wasn't a paranoid man; he simply anticipated something was about to happen. He looked down at his hand where his piece of the Triforce rested, and the Crest of Power glowed gold. The boy was coming, just as Ganondorf predicted.

Meanwhile inside the throne room and trapped in her nigh-unbreakable crystal, Zelda noticed the same glow emanating from the Crest of Wisdom on her hand. It quickly occurred that Link was coming for her, and Zelda dreaded what might happen when he arrived. A confrontation was fast approaching, and all Zelda could do right at that very moment was wait… and pray.

Outside of the city wall, just beyond the moat that separated the city from the field, the immense horde of Moblins growled and roared in anticipation for battle. An Uber-Moblin stopped in front of the horde, a huge mace in its burly hand. This was the same Uber-Moblin that injured that boy before, and it was eager to strike at whoever else was stupid enough to challenge it. Just then, a single figure appeared in the distance on horseback. Then an object shot up from the figure and exploded into a ray of bright light. The light was bright enough for the Uber-Moblin to make out the figure; it was Link riding atop Epona

The sight of a lone child made the Moblin horde laugh before Link drew the Master Sword and the Mirror Shield. Then Impa appeared on horseback atop of Ingo and drew her own weapon. Still, the Moblins laughed at them until Façade unexpectedly appeared beside Link and Impa, a rapier in his hand as well. Still, the horde was nonplussed by the sight of three lone challengers to the rule of their Sovereign Lord Ganondorf. Link, Façade and Impa then began a slow trout toward the horde where the Uber-Moblin prepared its weapon and its troupe did the same.

Watching from the castle balcony, Ganondorf smirked and muttered, "So doomed, you are, fools. March to your death so that I might stand over your broken bodies."

The Moblin horde was ready to fight and to kill as Link, Façade and Impa drew closer. The trout became a sprint across a short distance, and then from over the hill, a large rock-like form appeared. It was rolling at breakneck speed and was soon followed by more objects. The Moblins were confused at the sight until many more of these rolling stones appeared and seemed to speed passed the three riders. Then from over the hill once again, an entirely contingent of Hylian soldiers rode into view, followed by Gerudo riders. The Moblin weren't sure how to react to it and in their confusion, they failed to notices figure in the moat behind them.

The Zora jumped from the moat and surrounded the Moblin before they knew what was happening. The Gorons, Hylian and Gerudo closed in on them while Link, Façade and Impa leading the charge, and the Uber-Moblin bellowed for its follower to respond in kind. Both forces charged into the coming battle, while Ganondorf looked on from the balcony in astonishment. Then, there was the great collision.

Both forces slammed into each other with the force of a thousand tidal waves, and the Moblin took the brunt of it. Darunia led the charge for his Goron warriors, easily dispatching several Moblins at once. He used his Megaton Hammer to pound away at any unlucky Moblin in his way. Other times, he used his brute strength to wrestle five Moblins at once. Several of his comrades assisted, battering away any Moblins that were too close for comfort.

Aveil and her Gerudo sisters took the fight against another small horde of Moblins. The two sides fought tooth and nail while the Hylian soldiers battled another group of Moblins. The Uber-Moblin eventually rallied against the Hylians and put several of them down before they knew what happened. Aveil and several of her sisters entered the fray and attacked the hulking brute as more Moblins appeared from the city.

It was Rutela and her Zora warriors that routed the oncoming beasts, impaling several of them with their spears and dragging them down into the moat where they were killed by swarms of swimming Zora. Rutela then took down a pair of Moblins without difficultly, even driving her spear clean through the luckless beast. Another Moblin attempted to surprise Rutela before Aveil took it down without a problem. Rutela in turn, slew another Moblin as several Gerudo and Zora grouped together and fought on. Meanwhile, Darunia and his Goron led the Hylians against another oncoming horde of beast.

Impa and Façade set whatever differences aside to dispatch the Moblins that dared to face them. They went back to back and took down as many Moblins as they could manage while keeping others at bay. Impa cut down one Moblin while Façade stabbed another Moblin in the heart, assuming it had one. They quickly switched positions and took down another Moblin each. Façade quickly handed his rapier to Impa and she cut down two Moblins at once and with ease. Then she handed Façade's rapier and her own sword to him and he similarly killed two more Moblins, snapping the neck of one. Returning Impa's weapon, they continued to fight on.

This left Link alone the Uber-Moblin that wounded him prior to Zelda's capture. Link had a massive score to settle and he wasn't about to fall by the wayside. With the Master Sword and Mirror Shield in hand, Link charged against the Uber-Moblin as it charged him with reckless abandon. Link managed to roll below the beast's first swing on its mace and then dodged the next swing by hopping back. The next came and Link blocked it with the Mirror Shield. Link responded with a focused thrust to the beast's face which was deflected by its mace.

Link pressed his attack with quick swipes from the left and the right to keep the Uber-Moblin off balance. The Uber-Moblin attempted to just outright beat Link down, but Link was suddenly too quick for it and resourceful. Using the Mirror Shield to block most of the oncoming attacks, Link pushed back and struck with the Master Sword numerous times and in various points of the beast's hulking frame. Eventually, the Uber-Moblin took Link off his feet and attempted to crush with its mace before Darunia stepped in to defend the boy.

"I've got you covered, kid." he bellow and pushed against the Uber-Moblin with the Megaton Hammer.

Before Link could respond, the Uber-Moblin pushed against the Goron Patriarch. Link saw an opening and ran up Darunia's back and leapt into the air before driving the Master Sword into the beast's head. The Uber-Moblin was still for a split moment before Link removed the blade and it collapsed to the ground. Link and Darunia looked down at the beast's limp form before Link unexpectedly took down another Moblin before it attacked Darunia. Darunia spun around in time to see that Moblin slump dead to the ground.

"Now we're even." Link said.

The Moblins began to panic at their suddenly dwindling numbers and began to retreat back into the city, and Rutela shouted, "They're on the run."

"We need to get deeper into the city in order to reach the castle. Darunia and Rutela take point with your warriors; clear us a path to the castle." Impa requested, to which Darunia responded with a nod.

Aveil approached with most of her sisters and a large number of Hylian soldier. "My Gerudo sisters and I will take up the flank with the Hylians."

"I will accompany them," Façade declared, much to Impa's surprise. "Think of it as my chance to amends." Façade added.

Link and Impa exchanged glances before they led the charge into the heart of the Royal City. Another sizable horde of Moblins was waiting, but they weren't expecting to be overrun so quickly. Darunia and Rutela took their warriors forward and took the fight to the Moblins that occupied the city, most of whom were unprepared for such an assault. They quickly cleared a path for Link and Impa, who still had to fight their way up the road leading to the castle. They cut down numerous Moblin on their way to the close gate Darunia, having accompanied them, smashed it wide open with his hammer. With a confident nod to Link and Impa, Darunia returned to the battle that was taking place back in the Royal City.

Link stopped halfway up the winding road when he felt eyes looking down on him. He looked up at the balcony… at Ganondorf, the man in the black armor; the man who killed his parents. The warlord retained his stoic expression but still allowed an evil grin to creep onto his face. He then put his closed hand out with his index and middle fingers extended. With a gentle but malicious flick, Ganondorf gestured Link to him as if inviting him to a final confrontation. Link would be happy to oblige. First things first; Link was going to find and rescue Malon. Then he'd rescue Zelda… and then he'd meet Ganondorf face to face.

The battle was joined.

Author's Note: So begins the final battle and much has happened in this chapter.

First and foremost, Link has learned the identities and fate of his mom and dad (I just gave them the names of Desmond and Eleanor for story purposes) and both of them were Sheikah, meaning Link was born into the tribe and thus, he's a Sheikah as well. This reveal was always in the direction I intended to go, but I also had the idea of reveal that Link and Zelda were siblings. In light of recent events however, that won't be the case. (We all saw The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.) So, get you mind out of the gutter!

Link used a line from The Lord of the Rings: the Return of the King. Try to spot it.

The gathering of numerous species for the final battle was inspired by, you guessed it, Avatar. The lone exceptions are the kids from Kokiri Forest since, well, they're kids. The Hylian soldiers were a last-minute entry having been exiled from the city. Even Façade elected to fight with Link and Impa, but his goons are out of the picture.

For the start of the final battle before the BIG ONE, I went back and watched The Last Samurai for some inspiration. It's a pretty good movie in my humble opinion and I recommend checking it if you haven't yet.

Stayed tuned for more of the final battle to come and send a review… or else I'll find you. I WILL FIND YOU!