Hi! So, this is my first time posting something I've written, so constructive criticism would be great. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy the chapter!
As Zelda trudged down from Mt. Lanayru, footsteps heavy, she couldn't help but ponder. The last spring had garnered no reaction at all. What was next? All her ancestors had been able to access their powers, so why couldn't she? And on top of that, the only lead to her power, the springs, hadn't worked! How was she to awaken her elusive birthright now?
Zelda sighed, her thoughts weighing down on her. Looking ahead, she could see the gate at the end of their path. Thinking of who awaited them there made Zelda drop her head in shame.
Link walked a little closer, dipping his head near hers.
"Are you okay, Princess?" he asked quietly.
Zelda glanced over, and meeting his cerulean eyes, and muttered back. "I'm alright, Link. There's no need to worry."
Link seemed a little hesitant to accept her reassurance, but let it go nonetheless. "Alright Princess…"
After a few minutes of silent walking, they finally reached the gate, where four figures awaited them, silent as the pair approached. Daruk was the first to ask the question that was surely on the rest of the Champions' minds.
"Well? Don't keep us in suspense. How'd everything go up there on the mountain?"
Zelda stopped, looking down in shame. She silently shook her head, and saw the Champions wilt. Revali spoke to Zelda next, disappointment in his tone.
"So you didn't feel anything? No power at all?"
Zelda looked up to him, then back down quickly, holding her arms together, a poor attempt at a shield from their disappointed eyes. Quickly, she mumbled, "I'm sorry, no."
After a short pause, Urbosa looked up, determined. "Then let's move on." Looking to Zelda, who cast her gaze away, she continued.
"You've done all you could. Feeling sorry for yourself won't be of any help." The Gerudo Chief turned to the gate, looking up the mountain. "After all, it's not like your last shot was up there on Mt. Lanayru. Anything could finally spark the power to seal Ganon away. We just have to keep looking for that… thing."
Link, along with the rest of the Champions looked to her, seeming to agree. Though she was grateful for her old friend's reassurance, all Zelda could muster was a small, "That's kind of you, thank you."
Staring at the ground, Zelda fought the urge to cry. Everyone around her was so disappointed, even if they tried to hide it, all because of her.
Mipha then spoke for the first time since Link and Zelda arrived.
"If I may," Mipha paused, and Zelda looked up. Stumbling over her words, Mipha continued.
"I thought you… Well, I'm not sure how to put this into words… I'm actually quite embarrassed to say it. But I was thinking about what I do when I'm healing. You know, what usually goes through my mind… It helps when I think-When I think about someone I lo-" Here Mipha paused, blushing. "When I think about someone I really care about."
Zelda paused to ponder this, then opened her mouth to respond, when suddenly the ground shook, knocking the group off balance. Revali immediately turned, soaring up, and pausing suddenly. Just then, Zelda heard a huge roar, as well as thunder crashing. Zelda looked up, knowing exactly what the Rito was going to say.
Revali landed, and told the group what they already knew. "It's here."
Daruk clenched his fists, and looked up. "So this is it then."
Mipha turned to Revali, fearful. "Are you sure?" Revali responded with conviction.
"Positive."
Zelda looked up in desperation, green eyes wide. "It's awake…" She spoke breathily. "Ganon!"
Clouds of Malice inched their way over the cliffs, and into view. Zelda stumbled back at the sight, gasping. She was too late! Next to her, Daruk turned to the group.
"Let's stop wasting time! We're going to need everything we got to take that thing down!" Shouting, Daruk flung his arm out, gesturing into the distance. "Now Champions! To your Divine Beasts! Show that swirling swine who's boss!" Daruk turned back, and looked to the Champions before laying out the plan. "Link will need to meet Ganon head on when we attack! This needs to be a unified assault!"
Zelda was relieved he took charge, because she wasn't sure she would be able to lead so suddenly.
Daruk turned to look at Link. "Little guy! You get to Hyrule Castle. You can count on us for support. But it's up to you to pound Ganon into oblivion!" Link nodded, and Zelda stood, worried and guilty.
Urbosa set her hands on Zelda's shoulders to guide her somewhere safe, but Zelda broke away, unwilling to leave them.
"I am not a child anymore! I may not be much use on the battlefield… But there must… There must be something I can do to help!" The warriors looked to each other, until Link spoke up hesitantly.
"I can take her with me to Hyrule Castle, and hope her power awakens on the way. Something in Castle Town might do it, or maybe even the Calamity could trigger it. If she stays hidden, she should be fine if we approach trouble. If all else fails, she can shoot a bow, and can use a dagger or rapier in an emergency. She can protect herself if I can't." The Champions shared a glance, surprised at the knight's suggestion, until Zelda nodded energetically.
"Yes! I think that might be our best chance at victory, especially if I awaken my power on the way!" Mipha looked to the pair of Hylians.
"What if the power doesn't awaken before you get to Ganon, if you don't mind my asking?"
Link and Zelda glanced at each other, before Revali interjected.
"Well, we're going to have to take that chance. We don't really have any other options to win, do we?" Zelda nodded to the Rito, turning to the rest of the group.
"I'm willing to take that chance. I refuse to let you do this alone." Each warrior looked hesitant, but agreed when they saw their princess' conviction. "Thank you. Now, we must hurry! Head to your Divine Beasts! Every second counts!"
With the Champions heading to their respective lands, Link turned to their horses, untying them from the nearest tree. Zelda walked over quickly, mounting her horse, Storm. Steering Storm to follow Link on Epona, they rode out of the canyon.
Link and Zelda raced past Hyrule Garrison, horses stumbling in the mud. Zelda caught glimpses of soldiers, fighting the hordes of monsters Link and Zelda had been doing their best to avoid. Zelda shuddered, hard rain and the memories of monsters slain on their journey weighing down on her.
In front of her, Link sat up on his horse to shoot a pair of moblins that had gotten a little too close. As Zelda looked ahead, she could see the castle, her home, suffocated by the Scourge of Hyrule. She was knocked out of her thoughts by Link's shout.
"LOOK OUT!"
Zelda heard the twang of a bow and felt her horse collapse under her. Before she could contemplate what had just happened, Link had dismounted and taken hold of her arm.
"Princess! Take your bow and Epona and get to those trees! Try to stay out of sight! There are too many enemies!" Zelda looked to Link with desperation.
"What about you?! I'm not leaving you here!" Link turned back to her, gesturing to the nearby forest. "Go! I'll be fine!"
Reluctantly, Zelda turned to the forest. With one last look at the hero, she mounted Epona and rode to the trees as fast as she could. Zelda quickly dismounted and led the horse to the center of the grove. Glancing to Hyrule Castle, she could see four lasers targeting Hyrule castle. Those must be the champions! Her spirits renewed, Zelda looked back at Link through the trees, fighting off a horde of bokoblins. Determined to help, Zelda drew her bow and lined up a shot.
TWANG!
A bokoblin fell, and Link glanced into the trees. Zelda nodded at him and continued to shoot. After a few more shots, Link gestured for Zelda to follow him. She put away the bow, but left the horse there when Link shook his head when she tried to mount.
After a few minutes of running to Hyrule Castle, avoiding the carnage around them the best they could, the duo reached the gates to Castle Town. When she saw the chaos all around, Zelda gasped.
Monsters crowded the entrance, with the Hyrule Knights fighting them off the best they could. In Castle Town, she could see a line of glowing blue Guardians aiming their lasers at the swarm of Ganon's minions, moving out to the battlefield slowly. Strewn all around were the corpses of monsters and Hylians alike.
Zelda couldn't tear her eyes away from the dead and dying soldiers, dread overtaking her. The subjects… Her subjects… they were all dying! And it was her fault! Oh, if she could have only awakened that dreaded power! The princess was knocked out of her thoughts by Link taking hold of her shoulders gently.
"Just look away Princess. There's nothing we can do for them."
Zelda stared at her knight,not taking in his words. Suddenly, a high beeping started, getting closer and closer to them. Looking over to the source, the duo stepped back. There, facing them, was a guardian. Zelda glanced at the body and saw, instead of a calming blue light, a menacing magenta.
Something was wrong.
The guardian swiveled it's head back and forth, landing on them again. The guardian's eye started blinking rapidly, and Zelda realized with horror, that they were the target. Link seemed to come to the same realization, as he shoved the royal out of the way.
When Zelda came to her bearings, Link was yelling at her to run. He grabbed her hand and ran with her through a grove near Hyrule Castle Town. Crunching leaves alerted the pair of someone behind her. Looking back, she met the eye of a magenta guardian.
Zelda was thrown behind a tree, and looking over, she could see Link standing in between her and the machine, sword and shield drawn. The corrupted tech fired a shot at Link, who barely managed to parry it. Zelda cried out his name in worry, and Link moved as the guardian set up another shot.
Zelda watched in horror as Link was thrown back onto the ground, his shield shattered.
"NO! LINK!"
She couldn't lose him! He was the bravest, kindest, most understanding person she had ever known, the only one who fully understood her, her best friend! He didn't deserve to die because of her failure!
As the guardian aimed at Link, who was slowly picking himself up off the burned grass, Zelda ran to him in desperation. The guardian noticed her then, moving it's target from Link to Zelda. Seeing this, Link used the last of his strength to push himself up in front of the princess, putting his weight on the Master Sword.
Zelda cried out to him as he stumbled back, gaining back some semblance of balance.
"Link, no! Run! Don't worry about me, save yourself!"
Before she knew it, the guardian was set to fire. Without a second thought, Zelda pushed in front of Link, facing the guardian, arm outstretched. Just as the machine was about to fire, three bright triangles formed on her hand, and a golden light filled the grove, bursting from her hand.
Momentarily blinded, Zelda blinked rapidly. What… just happened? A slow whirring filled the air as the guardian slowly lost its glow and collapsed. Suddenly, from behind her, she heard a thud on the charred grass. Turning around, she saw Link had collapsed.
"Oh… no! No! Link!"
As she knelt beside him, tears streaming down her face, she noticed him slowly stirring, blinking awake.
"Oh, Link, thank the goddesses! You're alright!"
Link slowly nodded, stumbling as she helped him up. Leading him to a tree, she ripped part of her dress into makeshift bandages, as they had left their medical kits with the horses.
Suddenly, the realization of what had just happened and what was going to happen washed over her. If she had awakened her power, they could fight Ganon, and maybe, just maybe, win!
As she finished tending her knight's wounds the best she could, she stared at the trees.
It was time to destroy the Scourge of Hyrule.