This is a short one, but I'd like to think that it's pretty dramatic.

Love forever and always, enjoy :)


Chapter Forty-Nine: Awakening

"All right, hot shot, how are we doing this?"

"Head on. With archers on the hill."

"Ahem. Head on?"

"Yes. It's the only way."

"Why?"

"Because they know we're coming. No. They want us to come. So they'll be ready."

"Are you sure about this, boss?"

"Sheik."

Link stared up at him with fire in his eyes. Sheik sighed and pulled lightly on his hair.

"Fine, fine, fine. You are the boss, after all."

"If our sources are correct, and if we move out within the next few hours, we should run into them in front of the gates to Castle Town."

"And they will have destroyed half of Hyrule by then."

"Wrong," Link shook his head. "Civilians are fighting back—hard. Then, of course, there are the ones who have joined the Rebel cause. At this point, it's pure civil war. But they won't destroy Hyrule."

"Please enlighten me as to why."

"What is Ganondorf's goal, Sheik?"

He shrugged and stood up, suddenly restless and jumpy.

"Destroy the world as we know it?"

"No."

"Make your life miserable?"

"Yes, but that's not the answer I was looking for."

"Make Zelda's life miserable?"

"Take over Hyrule, Sheik. Not destroy it. Take it over. He wouldn't completely destroy something that he wants."

"Can't he just rebuild it?"

"Not without the support he needs. Are you following?"

"Do I ever?"

"Link, Sheik."

Princess Zelda walked over to where they were sitting, discussing battle strategies and preparing to head out. When Link looked up at her, she saw something fierce, almost dangerous in his eyes. As soon as he had heard the word 'war,' she had watched the gears begin turning in his head. His demeanor had completely changed from one of uncertainty and sorrow, to one of raw determination.

"I just sent messages to the Gorons and the Zoras," she said. "Whether or not they'll meet us in time is in the goddesses' hands."

"Everything is ready then. We should head out within the hour," Link nodded. "Get ready. Everything is on the line here."

"The goddesses will protect us."

Zelda turned her eyes to the sky and smiled.

"They won't forsake us."

Sheik sighed and followed her gaze.

"I hope this isn't the one time you're wrong, babe. I really, really hope not."


Thalassa rushed into the throne room, waving a small envelope in her webbed fingers and trying to catch her breath. Laruto sat up with an excited smile and cracked her knuckles.

"Don't even bother saying anything," she chuckled. "Just go prepare our troops."


Darunia rubbed his temples and stared at the piece of paper before him. The words of Sister Damita flitted around in his head, battling with the words of Princess Zelda.

Who do we fight for?

What do we fight for?

"Tell my soldiers to prepare themselves," Darunia ordered one of his guards. "We leave at sundown."


Link stood in the center of his makeshift tent, basking in the cool night air of Hyrule Field. In a couple of hours, the Loyalists were going to find themselves before the Rebels, in a battle that had spent years and years and years fomenting. Waiting to erupt, to drag in the people of Hyrule and shed their blood across the land. He was thinking of everything all at once, hoping both that he could die and that he could live. He craved death, to finally feel respite from the heavy burden that had crashed upon his shoulders, to finally forget Damita's face. But he craved life, so that he could see Hyrule flourish. So that he could watch everything that he had worked for become a reality, to see his friends and his loved ones and those who had been loyal get their reward. He wanted to live so that he could continue to protect Hyrule.

He wasn't sure which he wanted more.

Outside, where fires were being lit and troops were beginning to prepare themselves, he heard excited voices and frightened voices and weapons being sharpened and drinks being downed. He would never forgive himself if those voices were silenced.

Just fight as you always have, she said as she stroked his cheeks. You'll win.

"But then you—"

Shh. Just fight as you always have, Link. Just fight.

He ran his hands along his face and just relished in the darkness for a little bit, wondering what it would be like to perpetually be in that darkness. He might as well have already known, because everything had been so dark for so long. When he opened his eyes and forced himself back into the light, something caught his eye in the corner of the tent, peeking out from beneath his glimmering sword.

It was the tunic that Zelda had given him—the tunic that represented his true purpose.

"Is that even a purpose I want?" he asked himself. And then, as he continued to stare at the pile of green cloth, he began shaking his head. "Of course it is. It's the purpose I already had."

His footsteps made the entire ground shake as he walked to the corner. With fingers that were still and passionate, he lifted his white tunic and let it crumple to the floor. He stepped out of his boots, let his trousers fall to the floor, and ruffled his knotted blond hair. And then, with closed eyes, he pulled the tan leggings up to his waist and slipped into the white, long-sleeved shirt, lacing the collar. He let the heaviness of the chain mail overtake him, felt it liberate him. As an emotion that he could only describe as beautiful washed over him, he pulled the green tunic over his head and felt the power surge through him. Finally, with limbs as steady as the ocean and a strange sense of pure happiness, he tightened the brown belt, pulled the arm guards up to his elbows, stepped into his boots again, and put the shimmering green hat on his head.

"It fits you so perfectly."

He turned around to face Zelda. She was standing at the entrance of the tent, her hair pulled back and her hands clasped in front of her. She was wearing the same dress that she had been wearing when they had first rescued her.

It does fit you perfectly.

Silently, he picked up the Master Sword and let it fall into the scabbard on his back. He wouldn't let the expression on his face change, not even when he saw tears once again streaming down Zelda's face. But they weren't tears of sadness or tears of grief; they were tears of happiness, tears of pride.

"Am I fit to wear it...?" he murmured, more to himself than to her.

Instead of answering, Zelda walked up to him, grabbed his gloved hands, and held them. And they just stood in silence, his hands encased in hers, Damita lingering beside him. Their Triforces glowed more brightly than the stars.

"Zelda."

He pressed his forehead against hers because he felt the need to be close to her. As close as he could. She breathed out so deeply that he felt revived, as if her breath brought him life. He held onto her fingers more tightly and Damita's hands joined theirs.

"I'm so sorry," he said. The words had been sitting on his lips, pressing against his chest, for what seemed like years. And he felt like he couldn't say it enough. "I'm so, so sorry."

"What are you apologizing for, Hero?" she smiled. "What are you apologizing for?"

"Everything. Anything."

"Now is not the time for regrets."

Her grip on his fingers loosened, and that scared him more than he thought it would. It made him hold onto her more desperately.

"Now is the time for you to embrace the courage inside of you," she continued. "It is the time for you to do what you were born to do. To serve as Hyrule's protector. Its guardian."

Go ahead. You can kiss her, my love. I'm still right here.

With Damita's voice helping him forward, he brought his lips closer to Zelda's. But just as they brushed, just as he felt the promise of relief, she turned her face. His mouth brushed her cheek. She began slowly, painfully shaking her head. And the happy tears once again turned to sad tears.

"I'm sorry," he repeated. It was the only thing that kept him sane at that moment. "I'm sorry."

Her hands slid out of his grip, leaving him almost breathless. But before she turned her back and walked out, holding back her sobs, she bent down and handed him his shield. The shield that Rusl had given him. The shield of the hero.

And then she said, "I'll be by your side during battle."

He thought to himself, "I want you by my side right now," but he couldn't say it. So he just watched her walk out and took solace in Damita's ever-fading presence.


The two armies met just where Link had predicted they would.

It was a few kilometers from the gates to Castle Town, in a valley between two hills. The sun was just beginning to rise as the soldiers glimpsed each other rising over those hills, their breath crystallizing in the red air. The grass was whistling, calling out as the horses' hooves trampled forward. Two leaders: one with eyes and hair like fire who had a trail of blood behind him, and one clad in the hero's green garb who had a trail of blood in front of him. Link and Ganondorf lifted their swords at the same moment from the backs of their horses, to signal to their troops to halt. The King of Thieves' thick lips turned up into a gruesome smile, while the Ancient Hero's lips turned down in a determined grimace. A row of archers stood at the top of each hill, arrows nocked and bows raised. Soldiers on foot unsheathed their swords, their spears, their daggers, their hammers, their axes. Sheik and Ashei stood on either side of Link, while Zelda stood in the center of the archers awaiting the signal to fire. Damita and Nabooru stood on either side of Ganondorf, their swords crossed in front of them and their skin stained with blood.

Her presence, the kind and loving one that had been clinging to Link for days, for months, for years, suddenly evaporated. His eyes fell upon her and she disappeared, saying, Just fight as you always have, Link. Just fight as you always have.

He ran his fingers through Epona's mane and tightened his grip on his sword. Then he looked over his shoulder up at Zelda, and she was staring back down at him with eyes filled to the brim with anger.

And then, suddenly, the three of them felt indescribable pain.

Triforces shined up from the back of those three hands and they let out bloodcurdling screams as pangs of ancient, heavy pain coursed through their veins.

Power—the Rebel leader led his troops forward.

Courage—the Loyalist leader led his troops forward.

Wisdom—the Princess let her arrows fly and she watched from above.

The goddesses in the heavens wove their fingers together as the battle unfurled and the grass whistled more loudly, drowning in flurries of blood.