Huzzah! Chapter twenty! (We're in the twenties now O-o) Sorry for taking a million years. School was eating up my time, but it's finally over! So hopefully I can fall into a better routine and get these chapters out faster. Hope y'all enjoy!
"Mr. Hero! Miss Princess! Wake up!"
Link gasped and sat up sharply, finding the little Korok from before standing on his legs. Heart still racing, Link took a deep breath and wiped the sweat from his forehead. To say that his nap had been relaxing was a lie. It was filled with short, fast nightmares, from the sword sucking out his life, Zelda, the Deku Tree, and the little Koroks mocking him, the fog from the forest choking him to death, and countless others. They had been in a quick recession, so it was fair to say that Link wasn't really well-rested.
"Good! You're awake!" The Korok said cheerfully, jumping down from Link's bed and waddling towards Zelda's. He tried to jump up onto the bed, and even though it was only about two feet tall, he still had to awkwardly climb up it before he clambered onto Zelda's stomach. "Miss Princess! Wake up! Your food is ready!"
Zelda mumbled and turned over, the Korok tumbling off of her stomach and onto the bed. He quickly got back to his feet, undeterred. "Wake up! Wake up!" He exclaimed.
Finally, Zelda groaned and sat up, yawning and rubbing her eye with a fist. "Food?" She questioned drearily.
The Korok nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! We made a nice meal for you and Mr. Hero, just like you asked!"
Link scratched the back of his head. "I don't think we asked."
Making a little noise that sounded like a shrug, the Korok jumped down from Zelda's bed and waddled happily towards the open doorway that led to the forest outside. The bright, afternoon sun shone brightly from that opening, but the narrow passageway surprisingly blocked out most of the light. It almost reminded Link of the opening that had led them out of the Shrine of Resurrection. Almost.
A few minutes later, Link and Zelda managed to clamber out of their foresty beds and sleepily follow the Korok outside. That is, Zelda was still sleepy. Link was wide awake by now.
The little wooden creature led them back to the cooking pot where two more Korok's were each holding up a wooden platter filled with cooked mushrooms, steamed fruit, and decorative herbs and flowers only there for presentation. They presented the platters to Link and Zelda separately, which the Hylians took gratefully. Link looked at the food with surprise. He didn't know these small creatures could cook so elegantly.
"Oh wow!" Zelda exclaimed, looking over the food with a smile. However, it looked a little strained. Link inwardly chuckled, recalling how she didn't really… like mushrooms. "Thank you! It looks great."
Link nodded to show his appreciation as well, and the three Koroks before them all gasped and jumped excitedly. "They like it!" One of them crowed.
"This is the best day ever!" Another exclaimed.
"I'm so happy Mr. Hero and Miss Princess like our cooking!" The Korok that had been their guide giggled, "Now you guys can eat it all up and Mr. Hero can try pulling the sword again!"
Stiffening, Link's eyes shifted towards the legendary sword, the light glinting off of the weapon as if it were taunting him. Mocking him. He bit the inside of his cheek and stepped away from the Koroks. They were all paying attention mostly to Zelda, who was still thanking them for the food and the beds. Glancing one last time at the sword, Link turned and walked back inside the Deku Tree, sitting down on his bed and taking a bite from the steamed Swift Carrot.
The sounds of a wooden rattle caught his attention, and he looked up to see their friendly Korok standing in front of him. It didn't say anything, and Link immediately felt uncomfortable. Don't these things talk? Like a lot?
"What is it?" Link finally asked, breaking the silence.
The Korok hummed and waddled to Zelda's bed, pulling himself up. "Mr. Hero seemed sad, so I came to see what was wrong!" It proclaimed proudly.
Link let out a little puff of air and went back to his carrot, taking another bite. "I'm not sad." He said defensively.
"But you were sad when I found you under that tree."
"I was frustrated. Not sad."
The Korok tilted its head. "Why? Is it because of the Master Sword?"
Link stared at his carrot, subconsciously gripping it harder. "Yeah."
Humming again, the Korok dangled its stubby legs off of the bed. "I'm sorry you're frustrated, but you are going to try to get that sword again… right? You're Mr. Hero!"
Keeping his eyes trained on the carrot, Link mumbled his reply. "Yeah."
"Yay! That's good!" The Korok cheered, obviously oblivious to Link's behavior. "You know what makes me frustrated?"
Link finally tore his gaze away from the carrot, raising an eyebrow slightly. "You get frustrated?"
"Oh yeah! All the time! Well… kind of. I just really, really want to see a Blupee! You ever heard of a Blupee, Mr. Hero?"
"I… may have heard of them."
The Korok bounced excitedly on the bed. "I don't know where they live, but they're little blue glowing critters around Hyrule that are quick and hoppy! Oh I wonder how glowy they are! Aren't you curious? I really want to see one, and when I remember I haven't, it makes me frustrated."
Link took the last bite from his carrot, setting the leftover onto the blatter and picking up a bright green mushroom. The name Stamella Shroom popped into his head. "Yeah, that would make me frustrated too." Link agreed absentmindedly, looking up at the entrance. It was quiet again for a while, until Link asked, "Do you… guys have names?"
Giggling, the Korok nodded. "Of course, Mr. Hero! I'm Peeks!"
"Ah… well, thanks for the food and the beds then, Peeks. And my name's Link. You don't need to call me Mr. Hero."
Peeks practically vibrated with excitement. "You're welcome, Mr. Hero! You're very welcome!"
Link opened his mouth to correct the little Korok about his name, but he decided against it and chuckled instead. He turned his attention back to his food and took a rather large bite from the mushroom, feeling a quick, rush of adrenaline shoot through him. He blinked in surprise, taking another bite and gasping when another wave of energy flooded his body. "...Peeks? Where'd you get these?" He asked, showing him the Stamella Shroom.
Peeks hopped off of the bed and waddled closer, tapping his leaf mask in thought. "Oh! Those grow all over here, and I'm sure out in Hyrule too. They're supposed to give you energy! Are they working?"
"Yeah, they are." Link replied, biting at the shroom again. He stood, finishing the mushroom in two more bites. "You know, Peeks, I think I'm ready to try my luck with the Master Sword again." He said with a confident grin, holding up his arms in a battle-ready stance and clenching his fists.
"Yay!" Peeks cheered, jumping and waddling in front of Link as they both walked out of the Deku Tree.
In all honesty, Link didn't really know if he would be able to pull out the sword or not. Things hadn't gone so well the first time. But, the Stamella Shroom was giving him an extra boost in energy, and he had been able to sleep, even if it was only for a little bit. Besides… he needed the Master Sword if he ever wanted to amount to how he was before.
Zelda was still there with the two Koroks, sitting next to them. She seemed to have only touched the fruit on her platter. The mushrooms lay discarded to the side.
"Link!" She perked up when he came towards her. She quickly stood.
Link hastily spoke up before she could say anything. "I'm going to pull the sword again." He said, determined.
Blinking in surprise, Zelda glanced over her shoulder to the Master Sword before looking back at Link. "Really? Are you sure? You… didn't seem like you ever wanted to try again before."
The feeling of the sword draining his energy away weighed heavily on Link's mind, making his muscles tense, but he quickly shoved the memory aside. He needed this sword. He wouldn't fail. Not again.
"I'm sure." He said with a single nod, stepping past Zelda and towards the legendary sword. The light that glinted off of it now seemed to be beckoning him, tempting him to take hold of its hilt. He stared the weapon down as he steadily approached it, feeling his vision tunnel the same way it had when he had first laid eyes on it. He could already feel the perfect weight of it in his hand, his sword hand clenching and unclenching at his side.
How do you know the sword will accept you this time? The thought sprung into Link's head, making him hesitate for a second before he forced himself to keep walking. I can't think about that right now. I can do this. I need that sword. I need it. Without it I'm nothing.
Before he knew it, Link found himself directly in front of the Master Sword, Zelda standing off of the platform slightly behind him just like before, a bunch of Koroks, including Peeks, watching him from the bushes and trees. The Great Deku Tree hadn't said anything, but Link could feel his heavy gaze upon him. The forest grew deathly silent. No one moved for what seemed an eternity. Inhaling deeply, Link wiped the sweat from his hands onto his pants, exhaling slowly.
I can do this.
Without wasting another second, Link took a short step forward and clutched the Master Sword's hilt, his eyes squeezed shut.
Immediately he felt his energy slowly seep into the weapon, but he ignored the rapid thumping of his heart and sweat that trickled down his neck in fear. He tightened his grip on the hilt and began to pull, feeling the blade move just a tad like it had before.
I can do this.
His hands started to get slick with sweat. He crouched a bit to get a better grip on the sword, now gritting his teeth as he continued to pull. It wasn't moving.
I can't… it's not coming out… it's not accepting me.
Link opened his eyes in a panic, crouched down so low that he was practically pushing the sword upwards. He was breathing hard. His energy was slowly depleting. His thoughts were spiraling-
No. I won't fail. Not. Again.
Letting out a grunt, Link poured every ounce of strength he had into the sword, straightening and pulling upwards at the same time. Black was seeping into the corners of his vision, his head was pounding with a horrible headache, and his legs and arms were shaking, but he was completely and utterly determined.
I will not let go… I will not let go…
The blade shifted up again. He was getting lightheaded.
I can do this… I can do this…
It moved even further. His hearing was muffled now.
I can't give up now!
The sword shifted upwards once more until suddenly it sprung out with a flash of bright blue light. Link gasped and stumbled backward from the sudden loss of weight to the sword and the weight of the sword's sheath appearing out of thin air on his back. He kept his footing however, glancing over his shoulder at the sheath before staring at the sword, now in his hands, with disbelief.
"I did it…" He muttered under his breath, shifting the legendary weapon to his sword hand and holding it out in front of him. His body was trembling from his energy that had been depleted, but he almost felt as if the energy was slowly returning to him from the sword itself. His hearing had returned, and his vision was clear. A few seconds later his head stopped spinning, and the weight of what he had just accomplished came crashing down around him.
He finally had the Master Sword! The sword that seals the darkness was now in his hands. The legendary weapon was finally returned to him. And for the first time ever since waking up in the Shrine of Resurrection so long ago, Link felt just like the hero he had been 100 years prior.
Link's heart was thumping wildly, but he slowly brought the sword close to his face, closing his eyes and slightly bowing his head. "Thank you…" He whispered to the blade, reverently raising it high into the air into a position that was all too familiar.
Just then a flurry of images flashed in his mind. He saw Zelda, all beaten and battered, with her white ceremonial dress scorched and torn, kneeling in front of the Master Sword that lay across its pedestal. The legendary sword was beaten just as much as Zelda, looking rusted and dull. There were countless dents on it, and the malice that covered sections of it discolored the once shining blade. Zelda was speaking to it, whispering words of comfort and prayer. Then she was speaking to the Deku Tree. She wanted the great tree to relay a message to Link. Then she was picking up the legendary sword, preparing to set it into its pedestal. Then with one final breath, she stabbed the blade into its rightful place, stepping back as a blue, ethereal light emanated from the sword that seals the darkness.
The images faded and Link found himself back at the Korok Forest, still holding the mighty sword high into the air. He realized with a start that his energy was now fully returned to him as if he had just eaten a hearty meal. Smiling contentedly, Link brought the sword close to his face once more and touched his forehead to the cold steel of its blade. Let's see what this legendary sword can do. He thought to himself, opening his eyes suddenly and stepping forward, performing a series of complicated maneuvers.
It was remarkable. The sword was an extension of himself. He finally felt at home, at peace. He paused, his smile a full-on grin by now. The Korok's were all cheering in their high pitched voices. Twisting the sword in one last performance, Link slipped the blade into its decorated sheath, seeing Zelda watching him with the brightest smile he had ever seen on her face. He even thought he saw tears sparkling in the corners of her eyes.
"That blade has a name…" The Deku Tree then spoke up, apparently having watched the entire second, and successful attempt unfold before him. The forest grew quiet once again, allowing the guardian to speak.
Link turned his attention to the great tree, still grinning from ear to ear. "The Master Sword." He said reverently, restraining himself from grabbing the sword and hugging it to his chest. His body was absolutely buzzing with excitement.
The Deku Tree paused, obviously not pleased for being interrupted. Nonetheless, he simply hummed and continued. "Yes. The Master Sword. When used against Calamity Ganon or those tainted by his malice, it will become suffused with holy light. At such times, the true power of the sword will manifest…"
Link raised his eyebrows in surprise, glancing over his shoulder at the sword's hilt that stuck out from its sheath. He caught sight of Zelda as well, who wiped her eyes and walked towards him, standing at his side. By now Link's heart was thumping faster than a Lizalfos, and he felt ready to charge Hyrule Castle and take down the ugly fiend that is Calamity Ganon right away.
"But be warned." The Deku Tree cut into Link's excitement, and both him and Zelda's smiles faded from their faces. "Do not rely too much on its power. If you wield it without need, its power will be exhausted and it will no longer be of use to you."
Panic and dread instantly flooded Link and Zelda's faces, but the Deku Tree saw this and quickly began to speak again before they could even open their mouths.
"Should this happen, you must wait for the sword to recover." The Deku Tree paused, letting the Hylians breathe in relief. The great tree then added, "It would be rash to rely on this sword alone to defeat Ganon… I suggest you free the Divine Beasts before facing him."
Zelda immediately nodded and stepped forward, one hand clenched into a fist held to her chest. "That is our plan… We don't have any intentions to be rash." She glanced at Link, her hand falling to her side.
"Right. We won't be rash." He confirmed quickly, nodding along.
The Deku Tree regarded them both for a moment with a low hum. "Very well. I believe you both only have the Divine Beast Vah Medoh of the Rito and the Divine Beast Vah Naboris of the Gerudo to cleanse, correct?"
Again, Zelda and Link nodded. "We will head to Vah Medoh as soon as possible," Zelda said.
The great tree seemed proud. "The fate of Hyrule is in your capable hands, Princess Zelda. And yours too, Hylian Champion." He regarded both of them, "You are the light. The light that must shine upon Hyrule once again. Now go…"
The rest of the day had gone by quickly, with Link and Zelda making it to the Woodland Stable by evening and eating a well-made dinner before turning in for the night. The next morning they were already on the road. They planned on crossing in front of Hyrule Castle in order to get to the Rito as soon as possible and free the Divine Beast there, (and Revali, of course, but Link found it strange how a bitter taste always came to his mouth whenever he thought of the Rito champion). Link had spent the entire rest of the day before and the early morning holding the Master Sword in his hand, often practicing simple maneuvers and swings as they walked. He was downright ecstatic and energized, and even though they had told the Deku Tree that they wouldn't be rash, he still felt an incredible urge to storm Hyrule Castle that day.
"Looks like you've gotten pretty comfortable with that," Zelda mentioned, giggling when Link jumped ahead of her and sliced a tree branch off of an apple tree with the Master Sword, turning and smoothly catching the apple behind him as it fell.
"I don't know how I survived without it." He replied, giving Zelda a side smile that almost seemed flirtatious as he twirled the legendary sword around his wrist and took a bite from the apple.
Zelda rolled her eyes at his smile that looked too much like a smirk, gasping and stepping out of the away when he threw the sword and the apple into the air, catching them with opposite hands. "Well you did manage without it." She winced and stepped farther away from Link as he threw the sword again, even spinning underneath it and catching it behind his back while taking another bite from the apple. "Link, maybe you should be more careful." She added, her smile turning hesitant and small.
"Don't worry, Zelda. I won't accidentally stab myself." He said, offering the apple to her. She declined, so he shrugged and tossed the fruit in front of him, stepping forward and slicing the apple into two with a flourish.
Zelda was pretty sure that he was now just showing off, and when he turned to her and smirked, she definitely knew. "I'm not worried about you stabbing yourself. I'm more worried about… about this getting to your head. I don't want you being… you know… cocky."
Glancing sideways at her, Link slowly turned his gaze back at the sword. I'm not being cocky. He thought to himself with a frown. "You don't need to worry about that either." He told her, avoiding her concerned gaze.
"Well, you just cut off a branch from a tree and then sliced an apple in two." She pointed out, "The Deku Tree said we shouldn't rely on the sword too much, anyway. I just don't want you to get hurt."
Link knew Zelda was just looking out for him, but her words stung. Perhaps he was getting a bloated pride because of the Master Sword. His frown deepened. "I'm not going to get hurt." He said, a bit agitated.
Zelda seemed hesitant with what she was going to say next, but she continued anyway. "Then… maybe… you should put the sword away for now?"
It was then when they passed by two men on the pathway, who both eyed the Master Sword in Link's hand suspiciously. People knew of the legendary sword, and with the blade's incredible handiwork and decorated hilt, people were sure to be intrigued. Link stared the two men down, his hand tightening on the Master Sword's hilt.
The two men passed without any trouble, thankfully, but it had been a pretty clear reason as to why Link should just put the legendary sword away… for now. Link felt his face heat up in embarrassment, which slowly turned to anger and frustration. I finally have the Master Sword back, and she wants me to put it away? He thought to himself, looking at Zelda who caught his gaze.
"Link, please. Just put it away." She said again. "We're probably going to need it for battle anyway once we pass by Hyrule Castle."
"I don't…" Link started, quickly stopping himself. As much as he didn't want to accept it, Zelda had a point. Multiple, actually. He needed to get a hold of himself if he didn't want to do anything reckless, or rash as the Deku Tree had put it. He sighed. "Alright." He finally gave in, slowly slipping the legendary weapon into its sheath.
Zelda gave him a sympathetic smile. "Thanks Link. I know you're excited about the Master Sword. I'm excited too." She said honestly, "But I want to get to Vah Medoh without any of us getting hurt. And you tend to run straight into fights without thinking first." Her tone turned a bit teasing, and Link caught on immediately.
"Hey! I didn't even know there was going to be a Hinox there!" He said defensively, bringing up their little 'shortcut' they had taken to get to Inogo Bridge where they later met Prince Sidon.
"We could've gone around the giant, tree-wielding beast, but nooo. You just had to fight it." She said, finishing with a smirk.
Link let out an exasperated puff of air. "It had nice weapons around its neck." He retaliated, realizing how weak of an excuse that was just as he said it.
"And then there was that Lynel!" Zelda added, "You didn't even hesitate!"
Link folded his arms over his chest even as they walked. "There was someone in trouble!"
Laughing again, Zelda quickly quieted down and stopped. "Alright, alright I get it. All I'm saying is sometimes you don't think before fighting. Now that you have the legendary sword that seals the darkness, I just don't want that getting to your head." She explained, emphasizing on the Master Sword's grand title.
The corners of Link's mouth tipped down into a frown. "It won't."
The day continued on with the two Hylians walking in silence. Link hadn't touched the Master Sword ever since putting it away, and Zelda had busied herself by looking at the Sheikah Slate. They had passed by a place called the Rauru Settlement, which was, of course, completely in ruins. As they did the horrible gut feeling of guilt about the ruined place settled into the two Hylians, and Link brought out Daruk's diary from his bag to lighten the mood. He read the rest of it aloud, which did bring smiles to their faces. Afterward they had then passed over the Helmhead Bridge. They were now the closest they had ever been to the grand Hyrule Castle. There had been a few Guardians here and there, but they had managed to successfully sneak past them and enter into a collection of ruins that Zelda had told him was the Hyrule Forest Park. Now they were crouched beside a broken fountain, staring up at the castle before them as they took in every detail. Again, the strong urge to enter into the place and dispose of Calamity Ganon rose inside of Link, and he clenched his fists at his sides, his fingernails digging into his own flesh. He knew Zelda felt it too. The desire to take back their kingdom, to kill the horrid thing that destroyed their home. Their lives.
"Let's keep moving." Zelda finally said after minutes of silence.
Link simply nodded, and the two were back on their feet. They stayed to the cliffside closest to the castle, since there was a Hinox sleeping nearby and a Guardian that stalked closer to the trees where the giant slept.
They crossed another bridge without any trouble, finding themselves just on the outside of the crumbling wall that surrounded the devastated Hyrule Castle Town. The air was desolate and stale, brushing through the ruins and Link and Zelda as if it were the ghosts of all the people who had once lived here, each of them having been murdered by the cruel machines under Ganon's control all those years ago. It made both Link and Zelda sick to think about, so they trudged forward, eager to get away as soon as possible.
Both Hylians decided it would be best to cut through the ruins of Castle Town since there were many Guardians scurrying through the fields, but taking one look past the wall and seeing the patches of malice that covered the remains of the once-bustling town, they instantly decided against it. Instead, they would get back onto the path that stretched around the town and hopefully make it across and far away from the castle and the Guardians that surrounded it before sundown.
Managing to get onto the path without any trouble, they continued on their way, eying the many Guardians wearily. They both stayed deathly silent, even though the Guardian's couldn't hear. They were just machines, after all. Deadly machines.
Setting their sights on a rather large grove of trees ahead of them, Link and Zelda quickened their pace, hoping that if they could just get to those trees, they could avoid the Guardians' attention.
All hopes were dashed however as a sudden beeping emanated behind them, and a red tracking laser appeared on Link's back. A Guardian was coming towards them, glowing an angry pink with its blue eye piercing right at them.
"RUN!" Zelda shouted. Link was way ahead of her. The two Hylians sprinted forward, but the Guardian was quickly gaining on them. The beeping was getting faster as the machine charged its attack just when another Guardian to their right close to Castle Town spotted them as well. It's tracking laser appeared on Zelda, only making the two Hylians run harder. Link braced himself as the beeping ceased behind them. The Guardian was about to attack. Link quickly shoved Zelda to the side right as it fired, both of them just barely dodging the laser that surged ahead and exploded into the ground just a few feet in front of them. The beeping resumed, but the Guardian to the side of them was ready to attack.
"Look out!" Link yelled, both of them ducking as the beam flew over their heads from the side. They continued to run, both panting hard.
And just when Link thought things couldn't get any worse, a third Guardian spotted them, this time having been closer to the grove of trees and diagonally in front of them. They now had a cursed machine behind them, to their right, and now in front of them. Three tracking lasers were trained on the two Hylians, and Link knew with a sinking feeling that they couldn't outrun them. They had to fight at least one of the Guardians if they ever wanted to make it out alive.
After both Hylians ducked while another beam shot over their heads, Link skidded to a stop and brought out the Master Sword. He gasped when he saw that it was glowing a calm, blue-white color, the words of the Deku Tree sounding in his mind. "When used against Calamity Ganon or those tainted by his malice, it will become suffused with holy light. At such times, the true power of the sword will manifest…" Link's face turned determined, and he turned to face the Guardian behind him and the one to the side head-on. The two Guardians singled in on Link, while the one that was in front of them came directly at Zelda. She had stopped, of course, staring at Link.
"Link, what are you doing?!" She yelled, noticing the glow of the Master Sword and her eyes widening. She hastily brought out the guardian sword and shield Link had given to her since he now had the legendary weapon, and Link quickly shook his head as the Guardians closed in.
"No! Keep going! I'll take care of them!" He shouted, gasping and leaping to the side when one of the Guardians fired at him. He didn't wait for Zelda to respond since time was running out as he lunged forward at the Guardian closest to him. It scurried away just in time, the shining blade of the Master Sword missing its leg by inches.
Gritting his teeth, Link dodged yet another beam and tried for the other Guardian, but it scampered away just as fast as the other had done. Link chased after it, ignoring the piercing beeping both machines were making as they charged their attacks. The Guardian he was pursuing let loose its laser and he jumped to the side. The beam exploded into the ground behind him, throwing him forward but he kept his footing and managed to land a blow on the Guardian's leg.
What he hadn't expected, however, was for the Master Sword to slice clean through. The leg came cleanly off, now only a half as long stub that waved around frantically, sparks flying off of it as if it were bleeding. The Guardian stumbled to a halt, not registering what had just happened. The other Guardian didn't stop in its attack however, shooting a beam at Link while he was still shocked at what had happened.
The laser shot past him, just barely scorching his left arm. He gasped from the sharp pain, shocking him back into action. Not even wasting a second to glance at his new injury, he charged forward at the confused Guardian even while the other still pursued, lobbing off another leg. The Guardian didn't know what was happening, its robotic mind struggling to regain the upper hand. Link danced around almost gracefully, feeling completely at home with the Master Sword in his hands and glowing powerfully.
His mind was feeling strangely fuzzy and dimmed, and he recognized the feeling instantly. He felt himself start to tip into another memory, but he forced himself to stay grounded. The pain in his arm helped with that. He sliced off another leg, his mind now whirling in the action. I've done this before. Link realized with a start, leaping to the side perfectly as the still walking Guardian attacked once again. I've done this countless times before.
By now all of the legs were sliced cleanly off from the poor Guardian Link was assaulting, and its head was spinning around wildly, firing off laser after laser in every direction, but none at Link. The other Guardian was scurrying around, trying to lock a clear target on Link, but he was using the legless machine in front of him as a makeshift shield as he hacked and slashed at the machine before lunging forward and stabbing the thing in the eye. The Guardian whizzed and cackled with energy before giving out, collapsing and turning lifeless.
Victorious, Link smiled and climbed to the top of the dead machine, leaping at the still walking Guardian before him. He pointed the Master Sword downwards and plunged its blade directly into the top of the machine, ending it in seconds, later jumping off of it with the legendary sword in hand. He was victorious. Smiling, Link turned back towards the grove of trees. His smile was immediately wiped clean from his face.
Zelda was hurt. It was apparent. The Guardian was missing one leg, which she had managed to cut off with the guardian sword, but she was limping and panting with exhaustion. Link's blood ran cold before he sprinted towards her. Of course she wouldn't run! I shouldn't have left her alone with one of these things! She doesn't know how to face them! Link thought frantically, calling out her name as he charged forward.
The bright, red tracking laser was trained right at her chest, and she turned to Link with half-lidded eyes. A flash appeared from the Guardian's single eye before a beam shot out from it mercilessly.
Time slowed. Zelda was turning back towards the Guardian with panic in her eyes, bringing up her blue guardian shield right as the beam exploded into it. She flew almost ten feet before slamming into the ground, the Guardian wasting no time in approaching her and charging up another blast for the kill.
"No!" Link shouted, reaching the Guardian just in time and stepping onto its cone-like body, using it like a trampoline and leaping high into the air, plunging the Master Sword directly into it just as he had done previously. The machine sputtered for a few moments before finally giving way to defeat, crashing to the ground, its limbs sprawled out at sharp angles.
Breathing hard, Link clambered off of the machine and rushed towards Zelda, who was just opening her eyes and getting up with a groan. "Zelda!" Link cried, dropping the Master Sword and dropping to his knees, sliding into her and pulling her up into a hug. "Oh thank the Goddesses…" He muttered, hugging her tightly. His heart was thumping in panic before he felt her arms weakly wrap around him in return.
Only after a long moment did he pull back, looking over her for any injuries. There was a burn on her right shoulder, the clothing scorched to reveal her red and blistered skin underneath. The worst injury however was on her right leg. It was a deep gash that stretched across the side of her thigh, which obviously came from a beam that just barely missed hitting dead center on her leg. It almost looked like a blade had cut into her skin, although it was burnt just as bad as her shoulder. Link frowned and looked back up into her eyes, which clearly showed pain, but she only smiled.
"Why didn't you run?" He asked simply, his eyes filled with concern but the small smile on his face showed his relief.
She sucked in a breath, closing her eyes as she tried to ignore the pain she was clearly feeling. "I wanted to fight. Besides, I don't think I could've outrun that thing." Her eyes flicked to the dead Guardian behind Link before returning to his eyes. She sighed with relief of her own. "I'm just glad you're okay."
"But you're not." He said tenderly. Reaching behind him and grabbing his bag. He rummaged around inside of it, seeing if there was anything he could use as a bandage. There was nothing, only four silver rupees, Daruk's diary, and his flask of water. He sighed and slipped his bag back onto his back and reached for Zelda's, which had fallen while fighting the Guardian. There was nothing helpful in there either, and when Zelda tried to get to her feet, he hastily set the bag down and placed a hand on her shoulder, keeping her down.
"Don't try to walk yet." He said simply, his eyes landing on the guardian shield that was still attached to Zelda's arm.
It was no longer usable. Its blue material was melted and mangled, the result of taking the full attack from the Guardian. It was bent as well, making it look painful as it clung to Zelda's arm. Following Link's line of sight, Zelda laughed weakly as she shifted her arm which moved the shield just a tad.
"Oops." She said with an embarrassed smile, tugging it off of her arm and setting it aside. Her eyes drifted back to Link, her brow furrowing when she saw Link's burn on his arm. "Wait… you're hurt too." She said, leaning forward to examine it better.
Link shifted away, shaking his head. "It's only a small burn. Your leg needs more attention." He said without hesitation, picking up the Master Sword and bringing it to the edge of his Champion's Tunic, ready to slice off a part of it to use as a bandage. Zelda caught on and quickly pushed the sword away.
"Link, don't. I know how important that tunic is for you. My leg will be fine. It isn't bleeding really much at all." She said calmly, even smiling softly to emphasize her point. It was true; her thigh had been cut as well as burned, so it wasn't bleeding as Link thought it would've.
He was about to open his mouth to protest when a red tracking laser appeared on Zelda's chest, accompanied by that dreadful beeping. The two Hylians immediately clambered to their feet, Zelda pulling her bag onto her shoulder and stumbling when she tried to put some weight on her leg. Link quickly told her to stay put and slipped the Master Sword back into its sheath, turning to face the Guardian approaching them as he pulled out his bow, stringing their last ancient arrow.
Taking a deep breath, Link pulled his arm back, wincing from his burn but otherwise ignoring it. The Guardian stalked closer, only focusing on Zelda, not seeing the attack that was coming from Link. He closed one eye to aim better before releasing the ancient arrow with a loud twang! The projectile whizzed through the air before pegging the machine directly in the eye, killing it instantly. It dropped to the ground, the arrow sticking out of its now dark eye like it had been there all along.
Zelda gaped at the machine, turning to look at Link. "We need more of those arrows." She said seriously.
Link stared at the Guardian as well, not able to tear his eyes away from it and the powerful arrow that had one-shotted the thing. "Definitely."
The two Hylians had finally managed to get to the grove of trees by noon, having been slowed with Zelda's injured leg. They now found themselves on top of a ruined stone ground that was decorated quite intricately, surrounded by four pillars that were each in varying levels of ruin. Zelda pulled up the location on the Sheikah Slate, reading aloud that it was called the Sacred Ground. It was beautiful, the two Hylians agreed on that, but it, like everything else from the past kingdom, had a somber air to it that ruined the beauty and sacredness of it.
As both Link and Zelda sat down on the stone for a moment of respite and to drink from their flasks, seeing how they had no food, Zelda suddenly gasped. She hurriedly brought out the Sheikah Slate once again, bringing up one of the pictures Impa had said they could use to regain their memories. It was a picture of the exact Sacred Ground they now found themselves in, showing the stunning Hyrule Castle past the trees that they were gazing upon right now. Although, in the picture, it was bright and divine, whereas now it looked dark and grim.
Link gasped and closed his flask of water once he caught sight of the picture, looking up at Zelda, but she was staring up at the castle past the trees, her mouth slightly agape and her eyes glazed over. Another memory… Link thought to himself, turning away from her and looking up at the spires from the castle that towered over the trees in the distance as well.
He was just recalling how he had almost fallen into a memory while fighting the Guardians when he himself tipped into the past and was momentarily lost from the present.
He was kneeling on the hard stone, bowing his head before the Princess Zelda. His heart pounded inside his chest, but he kept his eyes closed and his face neutral and reverent. The Master Sword weighed heavily on his back as the humble ceremony commenced once the Princess began to speak.
"Hero of Hyrule, chosen by the sword that seals the darkness… You have shown unflinching bravery and skill in the face of darkness and adversity."
Link was listening intently to the Princess's words, but he couldn't help but feel the gazes of the Champions on his back. They were watching, as was expected of them, but it made him feel squeamish and uncomfortable. However, no matter what was going on inside of him, he would not dare to show it on the outside. He would not dare move a single muscle, and so he didn't, instead focusing on Princess Zelda alone.
"You have proven yourself worthy of the blessings of the Goddess Hylia. Whether skyward bound, adrift in time, or steeped in the glowing embers of twilight… The sacred blade is forever bound to the soul of the Hero. We pray for your protection… and we hope that-" The Princess cut herself off for a split second, continuing on as if she hadn't just broken her line of speech. "-that the two of you will grow stronger together, as one."
She paused again, making Link's head whirl with panicked thoughts. Why did she stop? Why did she just take such a deep breath? Was he kneeling wrong? What were the Champions thinking of him? What was the Princess thinking of him? Had she opened her eyes? Should he open his own eyes?
Stop it. Link internally slapped himself. He stayed still, keeping his ears from twitching when the Princess began to speak again. He would not budge until this was over, even when his legs began to ache from how tense he was. The kingdom of Hyrule was relying on him. Everyone was relying on him. They all had the moment he had pulled the Master Sword from its pedestal just a few years prior… He would stay valiant. He would be the perfect hero everyone expected him to be. He only hoped that the Princess and the Champions saw him in the image he desired to be…