Dusk crept over the Sacred Realm, the periwinkle sky melting into a mesh of reds and oranges. The Chosen had not moved from their camp, no longer sure of what to do. Shrike, Mattalla, Numaru, and Zakro sat with the air-bikes, just inside the edge of the forest. Malon had not moved from the spot where Link had died.
"What are we going to do now?" Zakro said quietly. It was the first thing any of them had said since morning.
"We have to move on," Shrike answered. His mask was lowered, revealing a dark scowl. "That wasn't all of Necron's army. He must have snuck around us during the battle. He's probably hours ahead of us now."
"But what are we going to do?" Zakro repeated, this time with more emotion. "We have no idea which way to go now. We could search until we die of old age and still never find the Triforce."
"Then what do you suggest we do?" Mattalla retorted angrily. "Just sit here and wait for Necron to grab hold of hit and empower Ganon even further?"
"Quiet, all of you," Numaru chastened. "Malon will hear you."
They all looked over in Malon's direction, though they couldn't get a clear view through the trees. Shrike looked at each one of them. "We have to go on. It's what…" he choked back the tears threatening to form. "It's what Link would have wanted."
That closed the debate, and the others followed Shrike as he headed out towards Malon. When they reached her, they saw that she was standing, tying something to her arm. "Malon," Shrike started, "We…" He stopped short when he saw what she had fastened around her bicep. It was a strand of green cloth.
"Malon, what are you doing?" Zakro asked.
"It's a piece of his hat," she replied, turning to face them. Her eyes were still red from crying, and her face was flushed, but her voice was steady. "There's four more for whoever's coming with me."
"Where, are you going?" Numaru asked, though they all knew the answer.
Malon's face hardened. "After the Triforce. That's why we're here, isn't it?" She strapped the Fairy Sword to her back and started in their direction, passing right through them.
"Malon," Shrike said, pained to see the once innocent farmer in this condition. "Of course we're going after it. But it can wait till morning. You're grieving…"
"Grieving?" she yelled, turning back to face them, fresh tears forming. "You haven't seen grieving yet!" She glared at each one of them, her eyes boring into their very souls. "Link is dead because of me! ME! A stupid little girl who thought she could handle the 'adventure' and hold her own with the rest of you. Now Hyrule's best hope is dead, and I'm still alive. Believe me, I haven't even begun to grieve." Her voice quaked as she went on. "But Link came here for a reason, just like all of you. He came because it needed to be done, because he felt it was his responsibility to set things right. Well, now that responsibility is mine." She stood tall, and in that moment even her father wouldn't have recognized her. "Now that Link's gone, we are Hyrule's best hope. I'm going to get the Triforce, no matter what. Even if I have to kill Necron all by myself, I'll do it. Because that's what Link would have done. Once that's done, then I'll begin to grieve" With that, she spun on her heel and stalked back into the woods, leaving the others behind.
When she reached the air-bikes, she stopped and leant against hers for support, teeth clenched and eyes shut as she fought back more tears. She stood there for a few minutes, composing herself. When she was ready, she began to mount her bike.
"Malon…"
Shrike's voice stopped her. She turned to face them, and also broke out crying at what she saw. Standing before her were four warriors, tall and proud, with green strips of cloth tied around their left biceps, or in Mattalla's case, his wrist. They looked just like the figures of the statue in that faraway castle. Shrike stepped forward and embraced her. "We're with you. Until the end."
Numaru came forward and wrapped her arms around both of them, followed by Zakro, and finally Mattalla, who managed to hold them all in his huge arms. "Besides," Zakro said, "Wherever he is, Link would kill us if he knew we let the woman he loves go after Necron alone."
Numaru smiled. "Let's just hope we're not doing Necron any favors."
* * *
Princess Zelda sat in vigil over the prone form of her father. Her eyes were swollen from crying, and her face was void of expression. She had not moved from her spot by his side since she had become aware of Link's death. She had finally found her brother, a brother she had never known existed, only to lose him again. What was worse was that that brother was also her best friend.
"Did you ever know, father?" she whispered. "Did you ever know that Link was our family?" She was only slightly disappointed when he did not respond.
She felt more than saw Saria, Darunia, and Ruto enter the room and stand beside her, joining her silent watch. Each was still grieving, Saria more so than the rest; she hadn't stopped crying all day. They stood in silence for several long minutes, until Ruto softly said, "Impa and Nabooru have left for the enemy camp. They're going to get a piece of Rolondrof for the king's cure."
"All will be well, Sister Zelda," Darunia assured her, his deep voice quaking. "We only have to wait a little longer."
"Wait," Zelda repeated to herself. Ever since this crisis had started she'd been waiting for either one thing or another. Her father to recover, Link's arrival, Ganon's first move, the success of the Chosen. All that waiting had ended in the greatest tragedy Hyrule had ever known.
In one smooth movement she was on her feet. "No," she said simply, to the surprise of the gathered Sages. "We've spent far too much time waiting. Since the beginning I've been waiting for my father to recover so he can resume control of this country, and while I waited I kept trying to guess what he would do. That won't be enough anymore. Link never waited; he did what he had to do. Now I must do what I have to do."
The others stared at her steely resolve in a mix of surprise and admiration. She turned and looked at all of them, then turned and started out of the room. "Darunia, Ruto. Gather your armies and as many men as you can find. Saria, you and I will go to the Gerudo and ask for their assistance. If Ganon wants a war, than by the goddesses we'll give him one."
* * *
As the sun set in the distance, five lone warriors flew through the air into unknown dangers and an unknown destination. There was a tall, proud Gerudo. A calm and collected Sheikah. A confident, fiery Zora. A fierce and noble Goron. And in the lead was a small, red-headed farmer, who had lost her innocence only several hours before. The Chosen did not know where there quest would take them, nor how it would end. But they were joined in their cause, fueled by the legacy of the man who had been their leader, the man remembered in the hearts of his friends and the green bands around their arms.
"I won't fail you, Link," Malon swore. "We'll find the Triforce. We'll make you proud."
As the warriors faded into the distance, peace returned to the forest they had departed. The only sign they had even been there was a shattered, blackened sword, and a scrap of metal with six small, simple words scratched onto it.
Until the End.
No Matter What.
END PART TWO TO BE CONCLUDED