The stable was burnt to the ground now, Guardians had flooded the open plain. One of the autonomous beasts moved towards them both and began charging up its laser. Without missing a beat Link rushed forward and began to hit it with his blade. He climbed onto its body before thrusting his sword down into its eye. It was stunned by that and he continued to stab its eye with his blade, willing it to stop. Eventually it collapsed and began to shut down, Link wished he had something to parry with, but his shield had broken and from what he could see there was nothing around. "Link! Look out!" He quickly whipped around before a Guardian foot pushed him to the ground, pinning him down. He heard it begin to charge up, he realised it was aiming at Zelda. His eyes widened in fear as he felt his air supply being cut off. He quickly began to saw the machine's foot off with his sword, breaking it off. The machine was stunned by that. Link quickly got to his feet before beginning to cut the remaining legs off in an attempt to render it useless, he cut off each leg swiftly, but the last leg began to thrash around desperately. He went in to cut it off before it hit him, knocking him back into the air. He hit the ground and rolled for a few metres, the Guardian couldn't locate him now. Zelda rushed to his side, his head was pounding and he could feel open wounds all over his body from the fall. He placed his sword in the ground and began to stand up, it hurt tremendously, but he had to get up.. had to fight. He had to protect Zelda no matter the cost. He felt her hands on his shoulders as he struggled to gain his balance again. "Link, save yourself! Go!" He couldn't leave her, they both knew he wouldn't get far. This was it, he knew this was it. "I'll be fine! Don't worry about me!" In that moment, she was all he could worry about. "Run!" With one final push he got up onto his feet, pulling his blade out of the ground. He felt so weak. He watched as a Guardian turned its head, noticing them. He stared it down as it moved towards them. He wished he could do something, but the most he could do right now was take the blast and buy her some time. He closed his eyes as it began charging up, waiting. He opened his eyes again as Zelda stepped in front of him. He couldn't believe she was being so reckless. "NO!" She raised her hand up, and he watched as her body lit up, glowing brightly. A ball of light spread from her, consuming the land, illuminating it. He watched as it faded away, the Guardians fell at her feet, her power.. He knew she would unlock it. But he was so weak.. She was saying something, he couldn't tell what exactly. He fell down, his eyes closing. He saw his family in that moment, his father, his mother, his sister attempting to get on his nerves. "No, no.. Link! Get up!" He felt her hands under his head, lifting him up a little. He coughed roughly and looked up into her eyes, getting lost in them. Hylia only knew how much he loved those eyes. "You're going to be just fine.." He struggled to form words. "Zelda.. I- I lo-" He couldn't continue, he felt his body give up as he fell back, he was still aware, but he could feel himself fading from consciousness. In his final moment, he thought of her, of Zelda. He remembered their time together, he saw her bond him to the sword during the ceremony, saw her falling asleep at a book in Rito village, saw her mourn her mother at Lake Kolomo, saw her get frustrated at Daruk's incapability to control Vah Rudania, saw her yell at him at the ancient columns, saw her sleeping peacefully at Urbosa's side, saw her nearly die at the hands of the Yiga before kissing her for the first time, saw her tend to his arm after the attack, saw her become overwhelmed with fascination as she gazed upon the silent princess, saw her jump down into the reservoir with him at Zora's Domain, saw her bond with his family before they first confirmed that they loved each other, saw her laugh and smile at her own party, saw her agree to marry him, saw her gaze up at Mount Lanayru, saw her stress over the return of Ganon, saw them running through the forest, saw her finally achieve what she had been trying to achieve for so long. In Link's last few moments, he saw only her. Only the one he loved. He didn't want to leave her, but now he knew that she would be okay without him, and with that, everything faded away.
--
The sight that met them as they looked at Blatchery Plain was terrifying, there were Guardians everywhere, laying waste to the land. She could see multiple Guardians trying to enter fort Hateno, she hoped that their defences would last long enough. A Guardian noticed them and began focusing its sensors on Link, Zelda stood helplessly whilst he began attacking the machine, spewing out a flurry of attacks before repeatedly driving his sword down into its eye. She admired his skill to adapt to any situation to gain the upper hand to take down his foes. She could hear another Guardian and so she turned. "Link! Look out!" Her warning came too late, he was pushed down to the ground by the foot of the Guardian and pinned helplessly, she heard the robot charging up, she looked around for what it could be aiming at before noticing that she was the target. Her eyes fixated on the large glowing eye of the Guardian, she braced herself for its beam before hearing a loud crack as it looked down. She noticed Link stand up, the leg of the machine was now severed. She watched him go around to each leg, cutting every one off with ease, she saw him go in for the last one before he would inevitably go for the kill, he was about to cut the final leg off when it hit against him, sending him flying through the air. Her eyes widened as she ran over to him, he was already beginning to get up, but he looked exhausted, and he was pale. She stood behind him, placing her hands on his shoulders. He couldn't remain here, it was far too dangerous, and in his condition there was no way he could stand up against another one of these mindless killers. His head was bent low, and she could hear his laboured breathing, he wasn't in a good way. "Link, save yourself! Go!" She knew there was no point to her words, he wouldn't budge, goddess he was stubborn at times. "I'll be fine! Don't worry about me!" She was unsure if she would be okay, but she knew he had to live on, he was the only one of them who had fulfilled their destinies, he was the only candidate capable of vanquishing the evil from the land. "Run!" She pleaded, but to no avail, Link struggled as he got back onto his feet, stumbling backwards before finding his feet. She couldn't believe that he was just going to stand there and do nothing. One of the Guardians turned and looked at them before moving towards them, towering over them as it stood on two of its fallen brethren. It began aiming for Link, she feared for his life, she couldn't let him get hit. She stepped forth and raised her hand in desperation. "NO!" She willed the machine to stop, to die, to shut off. To do whatever it had to in order to stop bothering them. She felt an overwhelming warmth wash over her as her hand lit up, followed closely by her entire being. She saw the ancient symbol of the Tri-Force appear on the back of her hand before light erupted from her, filling the surrounding field with her light source. Once it died down she watched the Guardian in front of her shut down. She looked at her hand in disbelief, lowering it a little. "Was.. was that.. the power.." She heard a thud behind her, she turned around, seeing Link on the ground, his eyes closed. She ran to his side. "No, no.." She knelt down at his side, trying to help him up. "Link! Get up! You're going to be just fine." He opened her eyes, and she stared into them, she could already see it.. death was claiming him. "Zelda.. I- I lo-.." His words died on his lips as he fell unconscious. Zelda gasped in shock, leaning down and placing her head against his chest. He couldn't be gone.. how could she go on without him? She heard a noise, a soft resonating tone. She looked up and saw the sword pulsating, then she heard a voice in her head. 'Princess, my name is Fi, I am the ancient voice which rests in the sword. My master is weak, you must find some way to help him, or he will be lost forever. His purpose is not fulfilled, you must help him.' Zelda couldn't believe what she was hearing. "The sword..? So he can.. he can still be saved?" She felt the answer come to her almost immediately, and it killed her inside to know the only consequence saving him would bring. "Princess!" She looked up, two Sheikah warriors were running towards her, they must have seen the light that she emitted earlier as a beacon. "Princess! Are you all right?!" The two men knelt down metres away from her, she recognised one of them as a musician who used to play for them at the castle. She couldn't focus on herself right now, Link was the priority. "Take Link to the Shrine of Resurrection, if we don't get him there immediately we are going to lose him forever! Is that clear?!" They nodded in unison, she was relieved that they could help, she wouldn't be able to take him there in time. "So make haste and go! His life is now in your hands!" They stepped forward and picked him up, leaving his sword behind. Zelda sniffled softly, he wouldn't remember her after this, all their plans, their dreams for their shared future, were dashed in a moment. She shook her head as she looked up, they were far away now, disappearing into the distance. But as Zelda watched them carry Link away from her, something deep within her knew that someday, his and her fates would once again be as they should be.
Intertwined.