Real quick, I want to say thank you (yeah I know it's a fanfic but If you couldn't tell by the chapter title, I'm feeling sentimental). Thank you to those of you who have stuck with me since the beginning. Thank you to the Discord fam, old and new. Most especially, thank you Pixail, JuiceBox, Kev Icarus (check him out), EchoGekkos (check em out), Constipated Genius(check em out. The MHA and RWBY fics are real), and ebonysumgestator (that name will never not be funny to me) as well as Apop and Audiophile. Y'all did a heck of a lot of editing and encouraging and it means a lot.
Aight, I'll shut up now.
The Champions raced toward the Sanctum, even as they heard the enraged roars of the Lynel drifting up the way from the gatehouse.
After he had caught up with them, Link had tossed Revali a stamina potion, which the Rito Champion had awkwardly tried to drain while maintaining flight. It was certainly not his most graceful moment, but Link barely noticed and didn't care in the slightest. Even if the others had seen his wobbling, Link had a feeling that not even Urbosa would have said anything. He had a feeling that none of them looked their best as they rounded the final bend and charged into the circular audience chamber. They came to a stop as they passed the threshold and were met with a sight they had not been expecting.
Large tapestries displaying the crest of the Hylian Royal Family hung on the walls, interspersed by long, rectangular windows that illuminated what was left of the room. From the entrance leading to the center, a deep blue carpet decorated with yellow triangles lay over the brick floor. Near the back of the room, two large, curved sets of stairs covered in a plush, royal red carpet led up to an empty throne. Below the throne stood a statue of the Goddess, which, had they been paying attention, shimmered ever so slightly. Pockets of pulsing malice covered the floors and walls while thick clouds of it hung suspended throughout the open air.
In the center of the room, in the source of all of the malice that extended across the room, stood Princess Zelda.
The Princess of Hyrule stood with folded hands and closed eyes. Around her, a golden light shone dimly; however, it did nothing to lessen the horrifying sight of the pulsating red and purple veins that marred every inch of her arms and face.
"…Link…"
The Hylian Champion suddenly felt his chest seize as his lungs rejected the air within the Sanctum. He was nearly brought to his knees as his vision began to darken. The sound of his companions coughing as violently as he rang in his ears. He found himself growing angry as he realized they were so close and yet now they were fighting off suffocation.
"… Link…"
Where was Ganon? Was the Calamity's plan to hide out of sight until they died.
"… Link… I'm sorry. My power isn't strong enough… I can't hold him." Around his arm and tunic, which he used in a vain attempt to filter the air, the Hylian Champion saw the Princess' face harden considerably as the malice around them thrummed. "… All I can do… is this." Golden light gathered around the princess before it extended outward quickly, blinding what was left of the Hylian Champion's vision.
Suddenly, the air around them cleared, allowing Link's lungs to greedily take their fill. Catching his breath, he straightened as he drew his weapons.
At the center of the room, Zelda's hands lowered stiffly, as though someone else had seized control of her body and was unsure of how to use it naturally. She opened her eyes and raised her head, gazing at them. The whites of her eyes had been replaced by midnight black, while her irises glowed with red and yellow rage. Taking a very audible breath, she stretched her back and shoulders, several joints popping.
"… You must be careful…" Zelda's voice was fading fast as her body took a step forward. "… I will sustain… any damage you do to my body." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "The Master Sword…"
Urbosa was the first to move, followed quickly by Daruk. Link wanted to dash forward as well; however, if what the Princess had said was true, then he needed to be careful, otherwise, he might inadvertently deal a fatal blow.
Daruk and Urbosa tried to close the distance quickly, but a single raised hand sent an explosive force rolling over them, knocking even Link, Mipha, and Revali off their feet. The Gerudo Champion was knocked back several yards, crumpling to the floor for a mere second before she stumbled back to her feet and dashed toward the Princess again.
Somehow, Daruk had managed to keep himself planted. Continuing his charge, the Goron Champion reached Zelda and wrapped his massive arms around her. He looked to be struggling to hold her steady, likely trying to keep himself from crushing her while also holding her still. Unfortunately, the Princess continued to twist and writhe in his massive grip. As she struggled, she managed to free an arm and hold it up toward Link. "C'mon, Little Sister, hold 'em off just a bit longer."
Link scrambled to his feet, gripping his blade tightly as he dashed to join Daruk and Urbosa. The Gerudo Champion had managed to reach Daruk and Zelda and, jumping onto the Goron's back, she grabbed the Princess's arm and wrenched it away just as another wave of force tore through the Sanctum. This one failed to knock anyone over, though it did cause them to stumble.
Regaining his balance, Link continued sprinting toward the three.
"Look out!" An arrow whizzed by the Hylian Champion's ear from behind just as he caught movement to his right. Planting his foot, he pivoted around, bringing his shield up as something lashed out at him. The weapon glanced off the shield, allowing him to see three familiar, wave-shaped prongs as his attacker's weapon passed by his head safely.
His stomach dropped as he lowered his shield and finally looked at his attacker head-on.
Mipha, or rather, something that was imitating Mipha, stood with a copy of the Lightscale Trident pointed directly at him. Even as he had to use his sword to deflect the shade's next blow, he noticed that whatever stood before him only bore a passing resemblance to his fiancee. It had mimicked her body, but the scales and fins lacked a Zora's natural luster. Instead, its body was a muted red and purple, just as its weapon was. Most surprising, however, was its eyes, or rather its lack of eyes or anything resembling a face.
Whether Ganon couldn't mimic his friends perfectly or had been forced to create hollow clones too quickly to make their appearances perfect didn't matter. What did matter was that the hollow's lack of a face, as disconcerting as it was, allowed the Hylian Champion to raise his blade against it without any qualms.
Link sidestepped as the false Mipha lunged again. As had become normal, his opponent slowed down, creating an opening: however, several arrows rained down, forcing him back before he could attack. Looking up, he found Revali's doppelganger floating above with a copy of the Great Eagle bow in hand.
Hearing a large crash behind him, the Hylian Champion chanced a glance toward his two younger allies. Mipha and Revali were now engaged with clones of Daruk and Urbosa. The hollowed Gerudo Champion used its considerable speed to dodge Revali's arrows while its shield blocked what it couldn't duck and weave around. The hollow form of the Goron Champion used its Boulder Breaker and formidable strength to keep Mipha constantly on the defensive. Even if her trident had the ability to damage Daruk's doppelganger, its reach and power forced her to consistently retreat lest she be crushed.
Link didn't have a chance to develop a strategy to help as he was once again under assault by two creatures mimicking his friends.
The golden Lynel roared in frustration as its weapon bounced off Yunobo's protective barrier once again. Though it had tried to pursue the Champions as soon as they had fled through the shattered gate, the four warriors and young chieftain had successfully managed to keep its attention. Of course, that meant that Teba was now the only one present who could conceivably flee. Despite the danger that the beast presented, fleeing was the last thing on the Rito warrior's mind. Though he had only known the four others engaged in the fight, he had come to find that he shared an odd sort of kinship with them. Something he hadn't shared with anyone else, not even his old master. He would never be able to look his friends or family in the eye if he left his newfound friends to die, even if Sidon and Yunobo were pure-hearted enough to understand and forgive him. The thought that they might be so merciful only made it worse.
Below, the Lynel leaped backward, using its powerful, horse-like legs to put some distance between itself and Yunobo. The young Goron, for his part, chased after it. Unlike Buliara and the Zora Prince, Yunobo appeared to be largely lacking in skill and technique. So, rather than even trying to use a weapon, he chased after the beast, doing everything he could to latch onto it and hinder its movements. Occasionally, when it left itself open, he would throw a quick punch to knock it off balance before grabbing back onto it.
Prince Sidon was another story. The tall Zora wielded his blade like a rapier, stabbing and slashing where he could. Despite his skill, the Lynel's speed and strength might have been enough to do some serious harm, especially to his fins and tail fins, which dangled around precariously as he danced around Yunobo and the monster. Thankfully, the Goron's efforts slowed the beast enough that Sidon was able to dash around, land a few blows, then retreat before any of their opponent's weapons could land. It was just a shame that the monster's hide was so thick as it rendered most of the Rito's and Prince's attacks all but useless.
Buliara and Riju had yet to enter the fray. The Gerudo warrior was more determined to protect her charge than she was to kill the Lynel. Granted, as Riju's personal guard, that was something Teba couldn't blame her for. He had personally never had much experience with such things as knights, guards, and retainers but, from what he understood, it was a matter of duty and honor for a retainer to protect their liege at all costs. Duty and honor were things he could understand, even if he couldn't help but believe that her help would have evened the odds a bit. He'd never seen a Gerudo's claymore at work but the way she handled the weapon, along with its size, made him think that it was one of the few weapons they had that would deal serious damage to the monster.
Looking over to the two Gerudo while Sidon and Yunobo did their best to keep the Lynel engaged, Teba became a bit frustrated as he noticed the two Gerudo having a heated discussion. His best guess was that Buliara was trying to convince Riju that they should leave, while the Chieftain insisted that they stay and help.
"Teba, can you aim for its back?!" Sidon called as he jumped back, just out of range of a wide sweep from a wicked-looking weapon. Somehow, the monster had broken free from Yunobo long enough to unleash an attack.
The Rito's response was cut off by an earth-shattering roar as the Lynel descended on Yunobo, beating its weapon against the barrier he had just raised in a series of attacks that left the Goron with no breathing room. After the third or fourth blow, Teba spotted cracks starting to form on the magic barrier. Knowing it couldn't take much more, he dove down, drawing a few bomb arrows and launching them into its back.
The beast emitted a cry of pain for the first time as it stumbled forward. Yunobo lunged forward, wrapping the monster in a tight embrace before it could recover as Sidon drew a long cut along its side.
"Do you have any -"
Buliara, likely having seen how dire the situation had become in the few seconds she had been speaking to her charge, appeared next to the Prince. "Sorry!" she shouted as she used the Zora to propel herself onto the horse-like creature. Struggling to maintain her balance, she hefted her mighty blade and drove it into the beast's back. Another cry of pain and the beast kicked out violently. Buliara lost what remained of her balance as the Lynel bucked around against Yunobo and was sent crashing into the ground.
Managing to break free from Yunobo's grasp, the Lynel retreated as far as the gatehouse would allow before dropping its blade and drawing a bow. Bright yellow lights crackled as it nocked five shock arrows simultaneously, taking aim as Yunobo tried to put himself between it and the injured Gerudo warrior.
Teba nocked another bomb arrow, hoping that he could at least throw off its aim. He loosed his explosive projectile; however, the beast had clearly learned, as it leaped away, turning in the air as it refocused its aim.
Yunobo's damaged barrier came to his aid once again as the Lynel released its arrows.
"Buliara!" A barely transparent dome appeared around the three land-born fighters. At the center of it stood Riju, with a hand stretched out toward her attendant.
Teba watched, amazed as the shock powered projectiles struck the barrier and fell harmlessly to the ground lifeless. From what he could see, the yellow glow that had signified their power was now gone entirely. What sort of power could accomplish that?
Perhaps it was the ill-fitting helm Riju had chosen to wear.
The Rito warrior chose to put the question off for later as he drew a few more bomb arrows. Maybe the beast could dodge one volley. He'd like to see it dodge several.
As he expected, the Lynel dodged the first but the second volley came a bit too quickly, striking it in the side. It wasn't where the beast was weakest, but it still caused the beast to falter yet again. His earlier hit, along with Buliara's blow, must have hurt the beast significantly.
The monster once again tried to move; however, Yunobo rushed it once again, pounding it with a fist before latching onto it once again. "C'mon guys! Finish it now!"
Sidon and Buliara raced forward it as Teba drew a few ice arrows. Bomb arrows were out of the question since they might harm Yunobo, not to mention he was running low on them anyway. Shock arrows would endanger Sidon if he were outside of Riju's protective field. As for fire arrows, they would have harmed the beast more, but setting it ablaze would likely have caused it to lash out wildly and break free from Yunobo again. The freezing temperatures from ice arrows might help to slow it down and further sap its strength and speed.
The Rito's arrows froze the parts of the Lynel they struck, hampering its movements further as ice encased those parts of its body.
"Buliara!" Sidon once again helped propel the Gerudo warrior onto the monster's back, where she began hacking away at the creature's back. Teba could see that one of her arms had been injured in her fall, but she continued wielding her weapon to great effect. The Zora Prince remained at the beast's side, using his rapier to attack the frozen portions of the Lynel, busting through the ice and piercing the beast's hide. As Teba adjusted his aim, focusing his arrows where Sidon would be able to reach, allowing the Prince to continue his onslaught.
Yunobo let go, allowing the beast to stumble backward as the Goron reared back and threw a punch.
The Lynel fell to its knees, giving one last shriek as Buliara drove her blade into it's back one last time. Having reached the limits of its endurance, it fell to the ground with a thud. Buliara, equally exhausted, fell off its back; however, Sidon was there to catch her before she hit the ground again.
Teba landed, breathing just as heavily as everyone else.
"See… I knew we… would be victorious!" Somehow, the Zora Prince managed to sound as enthusiastic as ever even though he was clearly exhausted.
"I can't… we did… wow." Yunobo fell back into a sitting position with a thud, unable to even string together a coherent thought. The Goron had earned a rest as, in Teba's opinion, he had put in more effort than any of them. Surely, without his protection and his determination to hold the beast in check, they would not have succeeded. He hadn't thought much of the young Goron upon first meeting him but Yunobo had certainly earned his respect
All that could be heard was the sound of their labored breathing. "You can put me down now," Buliara stated with a deadpan demeanor after everyone had caught their breath.
"Oh, I'm sorry!" Sidon replied as he set the woman down, for once looking mildly flustered.
"While you look to be quite the catch, I'm not currently interested in pursuing a voe."
"I'm sorry?"
"She means that she's not looking to court you," Riju clarified as she joined them.
"Oh… Oh!" The Prince became remarkably more flustered as he raised his hands defensively. "I'm afraid that I'm already… you see, this is a rather complicated matter… I'm sure that given enough time, I could help you understand."
"Are all Zora this easily embarrassed?"
"Buliara, that's enough," Riju interrupted. "He may be a fellow warrior but he is still a prince and should be addressed as such."
"As you say." The Chieftain's attendant turned to the Zora Prince. "My apologies. I meant no offense."
"It's quite all right," Sidon responded as he regained his posture. "I was simply unprepared for such a comment. Please do not feel the need to apologize for poking a bit of well-meaning fun. We are brothers and sisters in arms, after all," he finished as he held up a fist and flashed a toothy grin.
"They're… somethin'," Yunobo whispered to Teba as they watched the scene unfold.
The Rito warrior simply sighed as he folded his wings. Was this what Master Revali had been dealing with all this time?
"Should we follow the Champions?" Riju asked as they all fell silent.
"I would love to aid my family but in our state, I am sure we would only be in the way," Sidon lamented.
"I agree." Buliara rolled her shoulder, wincing slightly as it caught mid-roll. "Besides, the likes of the Calamity are far too dangerous for you, Lady Riju."
"So, we're all in agreement then?" Teba asked, eyeing Yunobo.
The Rito's displeasure at the thought of leaving their heroes to finish their battle was reflected in the Goron's expression, but he nodded. "Yeah."
"I think it may be wise to check on our allies," Riju stated. "Perhaps we can bolster morale if we were to rejoin them after a few minutes' rest.
All agreed, taking a few more minutes to collect themselves before starting back the way they had come. Though none of them said a word, all turned to send one last glance toward the Sanctum above. Each of them had a close friend or relative locked in a battle they couldn't even imagine. It was certainly frustrating to have to turn their backs but Teba knew that there was little he could do. He didn't have a weapon that could seal the darkness nor was he the pilot of a Divine Beast. All he could do right now was ensure that the Hyrulean army kept Hyrule Castle. The rest would have to be left to his master and the rest of the Champions.
The Rito Champion felt himself growing increasingly frustrated as he remained locked in a stalemate. Arrow after arrow was sent flying toward the hollow form of the Gerudo Champion, and nearly everyone was dodged or deflected. The few that did make it past the clone's defenses only managed to scratch it. Once, when he had attempted to aid Link, his opponent had closed in on Mipha, who was struggling to keep Daruk's clone at bay. He had been forced to return his attention to the false Gerudo Champion.
It was almost impossible for him to back Mipha up, as the hollowed Goron Champion stayed as close as it could to her. Bomb arrows, the only weapon that might have done any damage to it, would only endanger her. He had tried fire and ice arrows, but they had done little to slow it down.
Then again, he had been aiming for its shoulders. Maybe he needed to try aiming for the feet.
Thankfully, Urbosa's doppelganger was unable to command lightning as the true Gerudo Champion could. If he remained high enough, she wouldn't be able to interfere if he tried to assist Mipha once more.
Looking away from the fake Gerudo Champion, Revali turned his attention back to Daruk's clone, drawing several ice arrows and sending them flying into its feet. Its foot was encased in ice, rooting it to the floor. Mipha took the second to put distance between herself and the malice-born clone, finally giving Revali the opening he needed. Nocking as many bomb arrows as he could handle, he sent them all hurtling toward the clone. Knowing that he needed to take the opportunity to end it, he drew again, sending another volley as its boulder breaker appeared out of the smoke. The massive weapon raced toward him with alarming speed, forcing Revali to dodge to the side and lose altitude. The Rito Champion refused to let up though. He sent arrow after arrow into the smoking mass he had created.
He was so consumed with filling the hollowed Goron Champion with as many bombs as he could that he didn't notice as he quickly lost height. It wasn't until he noticed the flash of an approaching blade that he was forced to stop. With a quick flap, Revali managed to move to the side, pivoting mid-air as the blade passed him. Flapping again, he climbed up and out of range of Urbosa's hollowed form.
Taking the chance to look back at Daruk's clone, he saw it lying in a crater that his bombs had created. He could see a thin layer of purplish mist rising from the creature, allowing the Rito Champion to hope that it was dead. If that were the case, he and Mipha could handle Urbosa's doppelganger quickly, then move to aid Link.
"Look out!" Daruk's urgent cry was enough to draw the Rito's attention. Somehow, the possessed princess had managed to break free and raised her hand, sending another powerful shock wave toward them.
Revali gasped as the concussive force slammed into him, knocking him flying toward the entrance of the Sanctum. The wind was knocked out of him as he collided with the floor and was sent tumbling across it. The one saving grace was that the carpet served to lessen his impact just a bit, though it wasn't enough to keep him from seeing stars.
Shaking his head, he struggled to rise as he looked up, seeing Link and Mipha in a similar state as him, Daruk and Urbosa once again trying to grapple with Zelda, and the three remaining clones already rising and closing in.
"Little one," Hylia called softly as everything around him slowed to a near pause. "I have always heard the song of your heart. When you hatched, I heard your desire for love. When you were old enough to know your parents' true nature, I heard your desire for their happiness. When you were left in the forest, I heard your desire to have meaning. And when you saw the Blade of Evil's Bane, I heard your desire to be a hero…"
"… Do you still desire to be a hero?"
Revali, starting to grow frustrated with how the battle was progressing, watched as his fellow warriors worked to subdue the Princess of the land they had sworn to protect and said nothing. Maybe it wasn't the most appropriate time to feel insulted; however, he couldn't forgive the fact that he had been attacked with what should have been his element. What made it worse was that he couldn't use his bow, as any arrows used would hurt Zelda more than it would Ganon, and trying to leap in with Daruk and Urbosa would only make it harder for them to latch onto the possessed princess. Considering what it had taken to destroy Daruk's clone, he wasn't sure how he was supposed to effectively dispose of three more clones before Ganon used Zelda to do some serious harm.
Nothing that he had ever worked for had prepared him for this. His years of learning to fly, to shoot, to fight, to pilot Medoh, and learning to work with people he thought he hated. There was no way he could accept that it hadn't meant anything.
Otherwise, what had been the point of any of it?
"… What is it that truly lies in your heart?"
All he wanted right then was to protect his friends. He didn't have the words to express the strength of his desire, so he merely concentrated, hoping that the Goddess had been genuine when she spoke of what she heard.
"… Then so shall it be." Above him, a small sphere of light coalesced. Within its depths, the Rito Champion could see the outline of a familiar weapon. The golden light winked out of existence, leaving behind a gleaming bow that descended toward him. He couldn't tell if the rather ordinary-looking design was gilded, or if it simply shimmered on its own. Whatever the case, it appeared as a simple yet elegant piece.
"I shall entrust you with the Bow of Light. It is a powerful weapon in the face of darkness, with the strength to rival even the Blade of Evil's Bane. May you use its power to defend all that you have come to love."
The Rito Champion reached up, taking the holy weapon in hand. He could feel the warmth of the weapon, even through the plumage that normally insulated him. Running an eye over it, he wondered about the power it contained. If it really did rival the power of the Master Sword, then maybe…
Aiming hesitantly at the Princess of Hyrule, Revali reached for an arrow.
"Do not fear. The bow creates arrows of pure light and cannot harm those who are pure of heart."
"Revali!" Mipha lunged past him, intercepting Urbosa's clone as it descended on him. The Rito Champion wasn't sure that Mipha could possibly understand what had just happened, but the Zora Champion made use of her skill to push the clone back.
Taking heart from the Goddess' words, Revali drew back, seeing a golden arrow appearing between his fingers. Taking aim at Zelda, who Daruk and Urbosa had once again subdued for a moment, Revali released the arrow. The light-based projectile struck true, leading to a burst of light.
Zelda's body seized as she flung her head, a silent scream tearing through the air. Malice exploded out of the Princess, being driven off by the light that continued radiating out of her. After a few seconds, the torrent of malice ended, leaving the Hylian princess to fall limp in Daruk's and Urbosa's arms. Daruk let go of the Princess as Urbosa took Zelda in her arms and knelt, setting a hand on her head.
Off to his left, the hollowed Gerudo Champion stumbled back, holes appearing in its body as it dissolved into a cloud of malice. A glance toward Link showed that his and Mipha's clones were suffering the same fate. The Hylian Champion lowered his weapon as he watched the two hollows disappear, their malice born bodies disintegrating and floating upwards. Although his armor had been pierced in several of the weaker areas, he looked to be holding up rather well.
Unfortunately, there was no time to celebrate as Revali noticed that the malice all around was moving of one accord, gathering beneath the throne.
"Get her outta here!"
Urbosa wasted no time in picking up the still limp princess and sprinting toward the entrance of the Sanctum, with Mipha intercepting them both and following close behind. As they reached the doorway, a purple fire sprung to life, trapping them within the massive room. The Gerudo Champion simply lowered the girl to the floor, still holding onto Zelda as she allowed Mipha to crouch down and check the Hylian Princess over.
Knowing that Zelda would be relatively safe with Mipha and Urbosa, Revali returned his attention to Calamity Ganon. Beneath the throne, the malice that had collected was pulsing. Within its depths, Revali could see a large, bipedal body forming. Though the Calamity was bound to all-fours for the time being, it was clear to the Rito Champion that it would tower over the lot of them once it climbed to its feet.
Unwilling to give Ganon another chance to attack, Revali drew back and sent an arrow toward the Calamity. The arrow impacted the massive figure in its shoulder, eliciting a cry of pain and anger. Glowing red eyes locked onto him as Ganon raised a hand, a glowing red orb springing to life in his hand.
The orb shot toward the Rito Champion, forcing him to create a gale to carry him safely over the attack. The orb passed safely below him, impacting the wall but not damaging it in the slightest.
Link apparently had the same idea, knocking aside a magical attack that had been aimed at him with his shield as he charged.
Revali watched, hoping that the Hylian Champion would finish the battle before it had the chance to begin.
Just as Link drew close, the Calamity reached out, attacking with a large sweep of his arm that not even Link could have dodged. The Hylian Champion was knocked across the room, tumbling across the floor much as Revali had a few minutes prior.
"Link!"
Link struggled to climb to his feet as Ganon pushed himself up off all fours. The malice dissipated, finally giving them a good look at the Scourge of Hyrule. Much like the Blights, his skin was purple, with red veins spider-webbing across it. The only difference was the skeletal face that bore hatred for them and everything they were fighting to protect.
Daruk's battle cry was loud. Loud enough to cause Revali's vision to vibrate if he were too close; however, that was nothing compared to the Calamity's roar. The Rito Champion struggled to not be pushed back by the force of it. Not giving the Champions any reprieve, Ganon rushed forward, as eager to end the fight as they.
Urbosa breathed a sigh of relief as Zelda's eyes finally fluttered open. "Are you all right, Little Bird?" Despite the nature of the battle they were in, despite victory not being guaranteed, and despite the danger her friends were in, she somehow managed to sound calm and collected.
"Urbosa." An exhausted smile was her reward. "It's been so long."
"It has been." Even after all of her experiences, the Gerudo Champion did not consider herself pious but that was forgotten as she thanked the Goddess that the child she had come to see as a daughter was alive. How she had managed to hang on was a mystery to Urbosa but it was proof that Zelda was as unyielding as any Gerudo she had ever met.
Zelda grunted as she sat up. "I wish we had the time to sit and talk, but -" The princess' words faltered as struggled to climb to her feet.
"Princess, please." Mipha rose quickly, trying to prevent Zelda from trying to stand up. "You need to rest."
"Not yet." Knowing that she would be unable to stop the girl from doing what she thought best, Urbosa reached up, helping Zelda up. "Thank you, Urbosa. There will be time for rest later. We just need to keep fighting a bit longer…" Her words were punctuated by the sounds of battle.
Mipha sent the Gerudo Champion a conflicted frown, to which she responded with a nod.
"Very well," the Zora Champion responded as she reached down toward her belt. "Please drink this," she requested as she handed Zelda a green potion.
"Thank you, Mipha."
"Link!" Daruk's shout brought their attention back to the battle as they watched the Hylian Champion get flung across the Sanctum.
"Go!" Urbosa commanded as Mipha glanced back at them.
The Zora Champion nodded before running to aid Link, who appeared to be rather injured.
Thankfully, Daruk and Revali were somehow holding Ganon back. The Rito Champion was flying around, dodging whatever magical attacks Ganon sent his way while managing to loose a few more arrows from his new bow. She wasn't sure where the bow had come from, or when exactly he had gotten it but she was sure that Hylia had somehow been involved in his acquiring it. Whatever the case, the arrows loosed by the weapon seemed to do quite a lot of harm to the Calamity.
The Goron Champion, for his part, was holding the line as best he could. As the Calamity attempted to take ground, he summoned his protective barrier just as the Ganon's foot nearly crushed him. The magic, geometric forcefield reflected the energy back toward the Calamity, causing the scourge of Hyrule to stumble back. She knew, just as they all did, that Daruk's protection could only take so much abuse before it was shattered.
"Don't worry about me," Zelda murmured as she reached out toward the wall and used it for support. "They need you more than I do right now."
"Very well," Urbosa replied. She wanted nothing more than to stay at her Little Bird's side; however, she knew full-well that the girl was right. It was time for her to use every ounce of power to finish the fight that Zelda had fought alone for so long. "Don't push yourself too hard now," she stated with an austere glance over her shoulder.
"I won't."
Whether or not the Princess was being honest with her, Urbosa sprinted toward her fellow Champions.
Ganon drew back, lobbing several magical attacks at Revali before lunging toward Daruk with a massive punch. The Calamity's fist impacted Daruk's barrier; however, rather than reflecting the force as it should have, Daruk was pushed back as cracks began forming along the magic shield.
Daruk roared, straightening out his arms and forcing his protection to hold just as Urbosa drew near.
"Hold on!" she shouted as she devoted all of her focus to the one strike she could make that might sway the outcome of the battle. Unlike Link and Revali, who possessed weapons that could harm Ganon, or Daruk, whose immense strength hindered him somewhat, Urbosa's weapons and physical prowess would do little to help them. But she did have one thing that none of the other Champions did.
Checking to make sure that Mipha was a safe distance, Urbosa readied her attack.
Knowing she would only be able to make one major contribution, she snapped her fingers. A bright flash illuminated the room as a single bolt of lightning impacted the Calamity, causing it to fall to a knee as electricity arced along its body.
The Gerudo Champion, feeling most of her remaining energy drain away from the strike, nearly collapsed.
"Get her outta here!" Daruk shouted as he pushed back against Ganon again, forcing the Calamity back in its weakened state.
A familiar gust of wind tousled her hair as a blue figure appeared next to her. "Hold on," Revali instructed quietly as she wrapped her arms around his torso.
The Rito Champion crouched, summoning a massive gale that sent them soaring upwards. Below, the still-recovering Calamity raised a hand toward them, another sphere of magical energy springing to life in its hand.
"Look out!"
Daruk, whose Boulder Breaker could now reach the Calamity, swung his heavy weapon upwards, clipping Ganon's chin and knocking the scourge off balance again.
Roaring in frustration, the Calamity reared back to strike at the Goron Champion yet again; however, Link, who had been restored by Mipha's magic, rushed back in and seized his opening and slashed at Ganon's abdomen.
Link was forced to take shelter behind Daruk as Ganon still lashed out toward them, forcing the Champions to remain on the defensive.
Diving quickly back down, Revali dropped Urbosa off with Zelda. "Keep an eye on her!" he snapped before taking to the air again with bow in hand.
"Thank you, Urbosa," Zelda murmured.
"Heh… don't thank me Little Bird. I did very little." It was kind of humiliating. To have to be carried to relative safety after dealing only one blow. Granted, that blow had apparently done some damage to the enemy but it did not change how long she had spent outside the fight.
"If not for you, Link and Revali might not have had the chance to land a finishing blow."
"Perhaps you are right." How the tables had turned. Once, Urbosa would have been the one reminding her that her efforts mattered greatly, even if the results were hard to see at the moment.
Urbosa watched, feeling a grim satisfaction as a mist developed around the Calamity. She had noticed that the clones that the younger three had been fending off had died surrounded by a similar phenomenon.
They had to be close.
The Calamity roared again, forcing everyone in the room to brace themselves so as not to be knocked back. As they recovered, Ganon finally returned to his feet as an orange glow surrounded him.
"What is that?"
"Ganon is using all of his power to ward off attacks," Zelda murmured. "His current form is incomplete, meaning that he has been fighting without access to all of his power. Now, he is desperately trying to buy time so that he can fully form." The Princess looked conflicted as she raised a hand, a golden glow surrounding her. "My power is weakened but perhaps…"
"Hold on!" For the first time since leaving the Gerudo Desert, Vah Naboris called out to her. The Divine Beast sent a message of warning, filling her head with a series of images. The four beasts with energy flowing through them, a bright flash of light, and a burning sensation. "Get down!" she cried, finding the strength to pull the Princess down and draw her shield.
"Stay back, Little Guy!"
Somewhere above, Urbosa heard the aftermath of several explosions followed quickly by crumbling stone impacting the earth. "Take cover!" Revali shouted from somewhere.
A blinding light appeared through the windows, the only warning any of them had before the domed ceiling above them was blown into oblivion.
"Look away!" Urbosa shouted as she held her shield up in one hand and wrapped the other around Zelda, holding her close.
An unholy scream filled the air as a wave of heat and wind slammed into them. The Gerudo Champion grunted as she struggled to maintain her hold on her shield and Zelda as the Divine Beasts' attack continued raining down on the other side of the room. Even with her eyes shut and hidden behind a shield, the light from the single attack was like looking into the sun.
After what felt like an eternity, the light finally died away. Urbosa's arm fell to her side as her overwhelmed eyes tried to make sense of what she was seeing. The black spots that dominated her vision made it nearly impossible to see. After several seconds, her Daybreaker shield finally came into view, its once beautiful patterns nearly burned away, leaving little more than a husk of a shield in its wake.
"Are you… alright?"
"Y-yes," Zelda gasped as she climbed to her feet once again. "Ganon..." she stated as she took a step forward.
Link blinked several times, trying to force his vision to adjust as he stumbled out from behind the rubble he had taken shelter behind. It had taken him several seconds to understand why Daruk had flung him back, and why Revali was blasting holes into the ceiling. He wasn't entirely sure how they had known what was coming, but he was grateful that they had been thinking of him, with both Champions creating an opportunity for him to survive the strike largely unscathed. Revali's bomb arrows had destroyed portions of the walls, creating the pile that Link had used to protect himself.
Eyes finally adjusting, Link looked around the Sanctum.
Beneath the throne, Ganon's body lay motionless. Link watched, gripping the Master Sword as he waited for any signs of movement. He couldn't imagine anything could survive an attack like that head-on but he didn't want to celebrate too soon. After a few seconds, he felt comfortable enough to look for his friends.
Daruk stood near the center of the Sanctum, chest heaving as he lowered his arms. Link surmised that the Goron Champion's barrier had failed during the attack, as his stony forearms bore scorch marks, and his hair was singed. But, he was still standing. While Link was glad to see it, a part of him worried that meant that the Calamity had also survived.
Not far away, Revali nearly tripped as he stepped out from behind another pile of stone, blinking repeatedly as he shook his head. Much like Daruk, his feathers were singed in various places and walking looked to be a chore. The Hylian Champion didn't blame the archer in the slightest as he was amazed that his own legs supported his weight.
Thankfully, Mipha was unharmed as she peered out of her shelter. The Zora Champion must have used her healing powers to take care of whatever burns she had sustained. Her amber eyes gazed around until they centered on him.
Link made a sign to let her know he was all right before motioning to Daruk and Revali. Mipha rushed out, making her way toward Daruk as Link looked around for Zelda and Urbosa.
A rumble was the first sign that the battle wasn't over yet. Looking back toward the throne, Ganon was pushing himself up. The beast managed to get a knee beneath it before light arrows struck him, stunning him once again.
"Link!"
Behind him, the Princess of Hyrule walked as quickly as her exhausted body would allow. Stumbling along next to her, supporting both of them as best she could, was Urbosa. A golden glow surrounded Zelda as she continued her advance.
"You have to strike now!"
"Mipha, get ready to give him a boost!" Somehow, Daruk, though taking the brunt of Ganon's attacks, was still the steadiest. "Let's go, Little Guy!"
Taking a moment to hone his focus, Link dropped his shield and dashed toward Daruk as the Goron Champion curled up. He could feel his legs trying to fail him; however, he continued pushing forward. He had devoted years of his life to preparing for this moment, and though he couldn't remember them, he could remember his journey. All of the friends he had made, all of those that had helped him along the way, and his fellow warriors who'd had his back. He couldn't allow simple exhaustion to make all of that meaningless. So, he pumped his legs harder, forcing them to carry him faster.
Ahead, Ganon had managed to get a foot beneath him and was slowly rising. If he wasn't quick, Daruk wouldn't be able to boost him high enough.
Mipha had knelt in front of Daruk, holding her trident out perpendicularly to Link. Knowing what she meant to do, Link didn't slow as he drew close, instead setting a foot on the shaft. He transferred his momentum upward as Mipha boosted him upwards, sending him leaping onto Daruk's back.
Ganon had pushed himself up as Daruk finally sprang open, sending Link racing upward.
Unfortunately, it wasn't enough as Ganon climbed back to his feet. The Hylian Champion had hoped that an attack to the head would be enough, but now he could only hope that an attack to the Calamity's chest would suffice.
As his ascent slowed, Link felt an updraft building beneath him. Acting on pure instinct, he sheathed his weapon and pulled out his paraglider.
The updraft exploded, blasting the Hylian Champion higher. Revali soared past him, barely able to control his ascent. "Make this count!"
Dropping his paraglider, Link drew the Master Sword, gripping it in both hands as he fell toward Ganon.
The Calamity looked up at him, meeting his gaze. Ganon raised his hand, intending to block the final blow.
From behind Link, a few light arrows rained down, knocking the arm away.
Link drove the sword home in Ganon's head, putting his weight and speed of his descent into the strike. His downward momentum continued, causing the sword to deal a massive slash down the Calamity's face.
Ganon stumbled away from Link as the Hylian Champion, his strength spent, let go of his blade as he raced toward the ground. There was a red and white form below him, reaching out to him.
Somehow, his fall was stopped as his vision was dominated by red, white, and amber.
He felt something being pressed to his lips, followed by a surge of energy.
Gasping, he sat up quickly, his head almost crashing into Mipha's. Looking around wildly, he spotted the Master Sword at Ganon's feet. Moving on willpower alone, Link pushed himself up, preparing himself to recover the sword and finish the fight.
Mipha's clawed hand wrapped around his wrist. "Wait."
The Zora Champion pointed toward Zelda.
The Princess of Hyrule stood before the Calamity, the golden glow around her growing by the second.
Ganon roared, lunging toward her in one last-ditch effort to stop them.
Zelda raised her hand as the glow around her extended outward, causing everything in sight to be blanketed in its warm depths.
The gentle light faded away, leaving only empty space where the scourge of Hyrule had once been.
Zelda's hand fell as she stared, almost unable to comprehend that it was finally over. One hundred years of holding Ganon back. One hundred years of loneliness, only able to look out on the world she was trying to save. One hundred years of hoping, praying that her friends would awaken and come to her aid. One hundred years was such a long time.
"Little bird?"
Zelda's vision began to blur for some reason she couldn't identify. She was more exhausted than she had ever been in her life but she was still standing steady.
"Are you all right?" Urbosa asked quietly.
Zelda wiped at her eyes in a vain attempt to clear her vision. It took her a moment to understand that the moisture she felt was that of tears. Why was she crying now of all times?
Turning to the Gerudo Champion, she choked out only one word. "Urbosa…"
She collapsed into the woman's arms as sobs wracked her body. One hundred years.
One hundred long years, and it was finally over. She wasn't sure if she was grieving the loss of her people, her father, her innocence. If she was weeping for all those that had been lost or otherwise suffered at the Calamity's hand. So many scars, both on the physical world and its inhabitants and their hearts and minds. Many of those that now lived didn't remember the Great Calamity or the Age of Burning Fields but many still did. Many children had grown up without parents and had struggled to find their way in a broken world. Many had witnessed the loss of their personal heroes, walking through life with shattered faith.
"It's all right, Little Bird. It's all over now," Urbosa murmured as she wrapped her arms around the Princess.
Maybe that was why she cried. That her fight was finally over. It was finally a time for rest.
Or maybe she was overwhelmed by hope for a brighter future.
Zelda wasn't sure how much time was lost as she sobbed in the Gerudo Champion's arms. But, through it all, Urbosa continued to hold her close, murmuring to her gently. Eventually, the sobs died away, leaving her oddly at peace. She still couldn't understand, let alone explain the breadth of her emotions but she found herself breathing easier as a monstrous weight that had defined her childhood finally faded away.
"I'm so proud of you… and your father would be too."
A contented smile grew as she pondered Urbosa's words. She had long suspected that the Gerudo Champion had never truly cared for the late king yet she still knew that one of Zelda's deepest wishes was for him to be proud of her.
"Thank you."
Finally, Zelda pulled away to look at the rest of her Champions.
"Didja get it all out?"
Daruk, as strong and tall as ever, was eyeing her with quite a lot of concern.
"I'm not sure but I will be okay."
"I know ya will." The Goron Champion set a hand on her back and brought her in for a gentle hug. It was still uncomfortable, but she much preferred it to the slap on the back that Link typically got. "It's good ta see ya again, little sister."
"Thank you, Daruk, for everything." She stepped back, prompting the Goron Champion to let go. Turning to the younger three Champions, she smiled and graced them with a short bow. "And thank you all as well."
They looked at each other before Mipha finally stepped forward and wrapped her in a hug of her own. "I'm so… glad to see that you are well." Zelda felt herself getting choked up again as she heard the emotion in the Zora Champion's voice. After a few seconds, Mipha stepped back to allow the remaining two Champions to say what they would.
"Hmph." Zelda focused on Revali as he folded his wings, considering her for a second before approaching and awkwardly setting a wing on her shoulder. "I'm not sure I've met anyone who could have done what you did."
Zelda laughed at how awkwardly the Rito Champion was behaving. She had witnessed his journey, just as she had all of her Champions. Despite all of his growth, he still struggled to show affection or express praise. Still, she knew that what he said was intended to show respect for her and her resolve, and his attempt to convey she appreciated it greatly.
Revali retreated, leaving one last Champion to greet her. Link, stoic and professional as ever in her presence, stood before her. Through their months together, she had learned to tell when he was being purposefully quiet and when he didn't know what to say. Now, he maintained eye contact with her as he searched for a way to sum up everything he wished to say. As the silence wore on, a tired smile finally broke the stoic exterior. "Thank you."
"What?" They were the ones that had put their lives on the line not once but twice to fight the Calamity. And that was not to mention the multitude of smaller battles that could have claimed them. They were the ones that had chosen to go on purely on faith and the words of an old man. They were the ones that could have turned their backs and left her to her fate.
One of Urbosa's arms wrapped itself around her shoulder. "I think what he means to say is that, without you, none of this would have been possible. We all would be dead and Hyrule would have no future. You are the one that kept our hopes alive."
Zelda was forced to wipe at her eyes again. "I could only do it because I knew that, someday, you all would come back for me."
"Course we would!" Daruk's volume was increasing to its normal level. He slapped his chest, grunting as he aggravated his burns. "We're not bout ta leave family behind!"
"He's right." Urbosa straightened, looking back toward the entrance, which was no longer blocked by fire. "I think it's time for us to leave and find a place to rest."
"That sounds wonderful," Zelda agreed as her exhaustion finally started to catch up with her.
Taking the lead, Daruk guided them all toward the entrance. Urbosa held onto the Princess the entire time, something for which Zelda was grateful. Setting aside the fact that the extra support was helpful, it was nice to be able to be physically close to another person again. It was unbelievably comforting.
"Did I ever tell you why your mother called you her Little Bird?" Urbosa asked quietly as they stepped out into the open air, overlooking what remained of Hyrule Castle.
"It was because she hoped that I would one day be able to fly free, unshackled by fate, just like a bird."
"That's right."
Taking a moment, the Champions stood and surveyed the land before them. Though not much had visibly changed, they could still feel something different in the land as though it were filled with new energy. At various points along the castle's walkways, they could see members of the various races cheering, throwing arms around each other in celebration, regardless of race.
Again, Zelda felt a sense of peace wash over her as she witnessed it all. One hundred years of holding onto hope. Now, it was time to let go of that hope and rest.
And after they had rested, then, and only then, they could rebuild.
A/N: Yeah, there's an epilogue. what about it?
