Chapter Ten
Chaos and carnage reigned as darkness blotted out the light. As the advancing army lay siege to Hyrule, many unlucky souls caught up in the destruction had their lives snuffed out. Ranch stables and grass burned. Rocks exploded, buildings crumbled and trees fell.
The air was filled with smoke and the stench of corpses. Almost every region and settlement in Hyrule was being destroyed except for Kakariko and Tarrey Town, both of which were protected by ancient Sheikah Shields.
However, the technologically-advanced defenses didn't stop a group of attacking Yiga and Stalnoxes from trying to breach the barriers. Fresh off from conquering Akkala and ready for the final attack, Demise and Ghirahim led their forces towards Central Hyrule.
Ghirahim was cackling with glee as he cut down Hylian Soldiers attempting to stop the advance. Demise just squashed his enemies while calling down bolts of lightning from the sky above to fry a group of soldiers and poor citizens.
Resistance seemed futile. Demise had grown far stronger after his powerful Blood Moon resurrection. He'd evolved over the centuries and his powers had grown, regardless if he'd been out of commission for a very long time.
The ground shook, lightning flashed and the earth rumbled as the armies of darkness walked. Almost nothing could stand against them and no major obstacles were getting in their way of ultimate victory.
Demise couldn't help but smile coldly. This was his time, his hour of supremacy over the world. Within a day, once the last traces of opposition had been crushed, the Triforce would belong to Demise and nothing else would stop him.
As the Demon King's forces got closer, no miracles seemed to happen. Link could feel a sense of fear among himself and everyone else around him. The blood red sky had not changed, save for the lightning strikes and the crack of thunder.
Fires burned as Hyrule began to look like an apocalyptic landscape with the ruins and millions lost. Most of the forts had already been destroyed, either by lightning strikes or Demise's minions.
The only place left to strike back at Demise from was Central Hyrule Field near Castle Town, the last stronghold that the heroes had left. If that fell, it was over and there would be no trace of hope left.
Link was confident he could last long. He had the Triforce of Courage, a lovely princess at his side and so many friends he knew and had never known before. The hero knew that, if he fell in battle again, at least Zelda would be there for him just like last time.
Bright red lightning flashed over Castle Town as Zelda spoke in a loud, assuring voice, "Don't give into fear, the time has come to fight for Hyrule again. We are the world's final hope. Do what has to be done!"
"Zelda is right! The enemy is close, but we are strong!" Link shouted as he raised the Master Sword skyward and its blade gleamed in the moonlight, "We have friendship and a can-do attitude. We will not go down without a fight, ONWARDS TO VICTORY!"
As Link, Zelda and their allies charged forth to meet the incoming enemy forces in battle, Demise chuckled villainously, "Ah, look at those foolish ants who believe they can stop us. Let's give them the fight they deserve as we eradicate them all!"
Demise raised his sword and lightning struck the top of Hyrule Castle, setting it ablaze and setting off massive explosions that caused it to start crumbling. Flying Guardians began bombarding Castle Town and the castle itself, making it clear that Hyrule's doom was near.
The Hylian army and the Gorons, Rito archers and Gerudo warriors attacked Demise's minions head on and managed to wipe out several Yiga and five Guardian Stalkers, ten Moldugas, three Hinoxes and four Lynels as well as fifteen Lizalfos.
Ghirahim chuckled villainously as he teleported all over the battlefield and took great pleasure in teleporting about and striking down a few unlucky Hylians and several Rito, dodging bombs and fire arrows all at the same time.
As bodies fell, Ghirahim was laughing like mad with satisfaction all the way up until a pack of Gorons and Zoras got the drop on the Demon Lord and squashed him completely. Despite Ghirahim's demise and the Hylian Allied Forces' scores against Demise's forces, it still didn't prevent the Hylian side from suffering massive casualties.
Hyrule at this point was becoming nothing more than an apocalyptic wasteland filled with burning grass, fallen trees and rubble. And amidst the chaos, Link finally stood face to face with the Demon King Demise for the first time in generations.
"The Hero of Time!" Demise growled, "We meet again FOR THE LAST TIME! I've already conquered Hyrule. All I need is to destroy you, steal the Triforce and my ultimate victory will be complete. You don't stand a chance. I am inevitable."
"Demise." Link retorted, "Master of Darkness and precursor to the one known as Ganon. You'll never succeed, the world will never be yours. You're basically gonna lose again."
This was it; it was go-time. For both combatants, this was the endgame. Knowing that this could be his last battle, Link silently acknowledged his inevitable fate and the chance he might not see the light of day again.
In the years following that last battle and since his rebirth, Demise had grown stronger and had proved to be more dangerous and unbeatable. Now, the only course of action left for the two enemies was to fight!
Feeling confident that he had a chance, Link charged with his sword ready and struck at Demise with a horizontal slice only for Demise to block that with a black shield he conjured up in his own free non-sword using left hand.
The Master Sword's blade bounced off the shield and almost made Link lose balance only for him to quickly regain composure. That didn't last long, however, as Demise bashed Link in the face with his shield and knocked the hero to the ground.
"OH NO!" Joyata exclaimed. He had to do something fast. Joyata drew his Yiga Blades and charged up the battlefield towards Demise. The Demon King took quick notice of the charging ex-Yiga and pointed his sword at the boy. The jagged blade glowed red and… BAM!
Lightning struck the ground near Joyata and the force of the blast was so huge, he went flying and crashed into what remained of a Hylian Army fort, still alive but dazed. In the meantime, Princess Zelda was busy holding her own against a group of Yiga, ninja kicking and arrow-blasting them.
If Link noticed what she was doing, that would have distracted him long enough for Demise to strike him again. Once her business with the Yiga was done, she was about to set her sights on fighting a Lynel when she saw Link being wailed on by Demise.
"LINK!" Zelda shouted with horror. She drew her Royal Sword and charged in to help only for Demise to shove her away. Zelda screamed as she fell, dropped her sword somewhere in the process and cried in pain as she hit the ground.
"ZELDA!" Link screamed, horrified by what had happened. He turned his attention back to Demise, enraged by what this monster had done. Yelling with full fury, Link charged and attacked Demise, even going as far as to use Urbosa's Fury and Ravali's Gale all at once.
Link flew up into the air and began bombarding Demise with twelve fire arrows, nine light arrows and fifty bomb arrows. Link descended to the ground with his glider after bombarding Demise enough times.
Shortly after the hero landed, a stray shot from a corrupted Guardian lit the tarp ablaze and burned the paraglider to ashes. 'Aw man.' The Hylian thought. As the smoke cleared, Link's hopeful optimism became one of dread.
Despite his efforts, Demise was still standing and was glaring down at the hero with the ugliest smile he'd ever pulled off. The only damage Link had been able to do was melt the Dark Shield, leave burn marks on Demise's torso, scar his vocal cords and scorch his skirt.
When Demise spoke again, his voice sounded scarier than ever, "You pathetic ant. Is that the best you can do?" The Demon King chuckled, "Now, you will fall!" Demise charged forth and punched the hero wildly with his fists.
Link tried to block with the Master Sword and the Hylian Shield, only for those to get knocked out of his hand and the Blade of Evil's Bane landed in a pile of rubble right next to a recovering Joyata.
With every punch he felt, Link grew tired and lost his will to fight. Finally, he collapsed to the ground as he groaned and coughed. Demise laughed as he kicked his fallen foe, knowing this was it, and lifted him up with a cold smile upon his face...
