"It sounds like there's..." Oren said, trailing off.
"Thousands of them." Cia finished.
"To who am I speaking?" Ganon asked curiously.
"The spirits..." Trystane began. "The spirits of those you used and tossed away for your own gain...we have many names...too many. But among us are some you may find familiar...Zant, The Blin Emperor, Lannis." Trystane said with a laugh.
Cia's breath hitched as she heard the last name. "...Lannis."
Ganon formed a crooked grin, staring at the man in front of him. "So, you've all forced yourselves into a single vessel just to see me again, is that it? Should I feel honored?"
"We are not here to honor you! We are here to see to it that you pay for your sins and transgressions against us! Now die!" the possessed Trystane called out, a blue aura forming around him as the same overtook his eyes.
"Kanthos, finish the Sheikah and the Princess!" Ganon yelled as he turned to face his forces. "Kill them all!" he shouted, his army charging forward.
"I don't think so!" Trystane roared, swiping and arm across the horizon, a towering wall of ice stopping Ganon's army in their tracks.
Ganondorf paid no mind as he rushed Trystane, his fist colliding with a shield of ice, Trystane forming a blade of ice and stabbing at him, Ganon easily avoiding it and fading to the left, sending a ball of energy at Trystane, the man batting it aside.
"Don't get confident, the power of your legion is fleeting." Ganon snarled.
"We'll see about that." Trystane answered.
Suddenly a blizzard picked up around them, Trystane rushing Ganon and pelting him with spears of ice and energy blasts. Ganon telekinetically shoved Trystane away, the ice sorcerer forming a large diamond of ice around himself, two enormous fists taking form at it's sides.
"Think you can survive this?!" the voices inside of Trystane called out in unison.
Ganon dodged to the side as an enormous fist come down at him, fading back out of the way of the other before leaping forward and shattering it. Trystane waved an arm, the shards shooting at the Demon King, Ganon answered with a wave of flame, easily melting the projectiles. Trystane phased out of the diamond, sending both it and the remaining fist of ice at Ganon. Both projectiles hurtled through the air, Ganondorf readied himself to shatter both, only for them to break into thousands of pieces and come to a halt in the air around him.
"No where to go." the Legion inside of Trystane called out.
The shards of ice all converged upon Ganon at once, the Demon King calling forth an aura of blue flame to melt them before they could even make contact, steam obscuring the spot on which he stood.
Trystane raised his arm, calling upon the magic inside each and every soul occupying his body. "It's time for you to pay!" he yelled as an enormous ball of energy, blue lightning crackling around it came into being above him.
Meanwhile
Cia blocked a blast from Kanthos before firing a wave of energy, the Sorcerer dodging to the left as he raised his blade, countering a slash from Impa.
Cia looked up, her eyes going wide as she witnessed the blast Trystane had prepared.
"Hold him off!" she called out, Oren running passed her as he nodded, bringing his sword down onto Kanthos, the Sorcerer easily countering him before forcing him away with a ball of fire, Impa leaping in with a downwards slash, Kanthos telekinetically catching it and tossing her away.
"Oh no you don't!" Kanthos yelled, his vision going black as his hearing faded. "What is this?!" he shouted.
"Shadow immersion." Impa stated as Oren closed in, blade at the ready.
Cia held her staff in both hands, holding it high as she channeled all of her remaining energy, a shield forming around Ganon and Trystane, the blast the spirits possessing Trystane had prepared being capable of destroying all five lands in an instant. Cia cried out as the shield took shape, putting everything she had into holding it.
Thousands of voices roared as Trystane threw the blast at Ganon, the Demon King gritting his teeth and bracing himself as it made contact.
Cia screamed as a bright white flash filled the sky, the explosion relentlessly battling the shield she erected around it.
"Mind if we help you?" a voice called out.
Cia suddenly felt the strain ease up as two individuals stepped up, lending their own power.
"Elgon..." Cia said, smiling as she looked to her left, going slack-jawed as she turned to her right. "Erris!" she cried out, resisted the urge to turn and embrace her son, quickly realizing he wouldn't be there to embrace if she cut off her support to the shield.
"Just a little more!" Elgon shouted as he pressed his arms forward, Erris doing the same.
The explosion died down, a smoldering crater being left in the Earth as the trio dropped the forcefield.
"Erris!" Cia cried out. "I thought you were dead." she explained, embracing him tightly.
"The Spirit Sage...is she...?" Elgon trailed off.
Cia lowered her gaze, a cold feeling emerging into her chest. "I can no longer sense her energy...her essence." Cia said.
"Damn him." Elgon said as he levitated Naora's body over to them. "I'll see to it she's laid to rest properly." the Light Sage said in a downcast tone.
"Did you know her?" Cia asked.
"No...but I felt her emergence as a Sage a long while ago, and I'd been looking forward to meeting her since then."
"Is it over?" Erris cut in, looking off towards the crater that now occupied the space where Ganondorf stood.
Ahead of them, both Sheikah had managed to exhaust Kanthos, the foreign Sorcerer backing away slowly.
"Well, well, look who it is." Erris said, withdrawing his blade as he took notice.
"Just in time for an execution." Elgon added.
"No...no...this can't be it! IT CAN'T BE OVER!" Kanthos cried out.
Behind him, the possessed Trystane hung in the air, smiling broadly as he looked upon the burning crater. "The Dark World once again serves as home to it's most heinous resident." the voices called.
Below, however, the ground shifted, a sudden eruption of ash and rock bursting forth as Ganon rose into the sky opposite Trystane, Kanthos grinning broadly below.
"But how?!" Cia yelled.
"A blast that powerful should have obliterated him." Elgon said with a grimace.
"What part of myself being a God do you misunderstand?" Ganondorf asked. Suddenly, he shot forward, grabbing Trystane by the neck. "Exhausted all of your energy have you? The Princess was far more powerful than all of you combined, and I defeated her, your arrogance is your undoing." he snarled.
Trystane screamed, thousands of voices crying out in pain and fear.
"Return from whence you came." Ganon growled.
Trystane suddenly went silent, his head jerking back as he mouth opened wide, what looked like a single beam of white light shooting out of his mouth, the beam separating into thousands of small fragments of many different shapes.
"He exorcised the spirits from his body." Elgon said.
Ganon jutted an arm out, quickly clenching his splayed fingers into a fist, the spirits vanishing a flash of light.
"You now and forever will be nothing." Ganon said as he looked upon the unconscious Trystane. "Now away with you." he said, dropping the Knight to the ground.
"Does anyone else wish to challenge me?! Maybe the recently arrived former Prince...or the Light Sage?" Ganon called out as he lowered himself to the ground, Kanthos walking to his side.
"What now, my Lord?" Kanthos asked.
"We kill them all." Ganondorf said, an almost gleeful tone to his voice.
Zelda suddenly cried out, her Triforce of Wisdom glowing brightly. "Link!" she cried.
"Impa!" the Sheikah woman heard, none other than Viscen racing towards her.
"Captain, you're alive!" she said.
"Ganon's general almost got me, but I had some red potion handy." he said.
"Quickly, you must get them out of here." Impa said, gesturing towards Zelda and Trystane.
"But what about you?" Viscen responded.
"I'll be fine, now go!" Impa called, Viscen bowing before calling over another soldier to help carry Trystane.
"What? No!" Ganon shouted.
The wall of ice Trystane had erected came crashing down, Ganon's forces finally breaking through as a force of thousands charged from the forest, the first wave of men on horseback easily plowing through the furthest back lines of Ganon's army while from the east a legion of Gorons rolled out of the trees, barreling through the enemy regiments.
Ganondorf levitated up, Kanthos following as the now emboldened Hyrulean force at the wall charged forward again, Ganon's army being pushed back from all sides.
oOo
Link tore down the hill on the back of his steed, Master Sword withdrawn and at the ready.
"You ready, Hero?!" Mayor Met called out from atop his horse.
"I've lived many lives and survived many wars, this will be no different." Link replied confidently.
The Hero leaned over to his right, extending his blade and taking the head off of a Bulblin.
Above him, Volga took to the skies in his dragon form, pouring fire down upon all of those below.
Ahead of them, Aren darted through the scattered enemy force, tossing his knives into his disoriented targets.
"Archers! Now!" Admiral Ginthorne commanded from behind the tree line, hundreds of arrows flying through the air and raining down upon Ganon's forces.
Link ran his steed through another line of enemy soldiers before dismounting and continuing on foot. A Moblin charged, Link stepping off to the side and stabbing it through the chest before performing a spin attack to dispatch a group of Stalfos. He dashed through the multitudes of enemies, allies of all nationalities and races behind him, crashes filling the air as Gorons resumed their rolling forms, crushing their assailants. The Hero thrust his sword passed a Zora soldier's head, killing the Labrynnian soldier sneaking up behind him, Link giving him a nod before moving on.
Up ahead a large Black Knight swept aside rows of Terminian soldiers that assaulted it, stomping on those that fell.
"Hold!" Mikau called out, the line of Zora readying themselves. "Loose!" he commanded.
The Black Knight raised it's arms, the harpoons bouncing off of it's arm as one managed to strike it's neck, the massive being falling to the side.
Aren put a knife through the back of Lizalfos before leaping over the sword of a White Armored soldier, delivering a kick to the man's head before turning around and tossing a knife through the eye of a Dinolfos.
Link performed a helm splitter on a Stalfos as it made to attack him, the hero rolling to the ground and coming up with the creatures sword, tossing it into the back of Bulblin.
"Hero!" Aren called as he caught up with Link. "We've found Ganon, he's being held off for now, but it doesn't look like the Princess' guardian is going to last much longer."
"I can take you to them immediately." Volga said as he blasted through a group of Holodrumite soldiers, once again in his human form.
"Can I trust you?" Link asked as he turned to the side, quickly slashing a Moblin across the stomach as it attacked.
"As long as it involves defeating Ganondorf, yes." Volga answered. The Dragon Knight quickly raised a wall of flame to protect the trio whilst he resumed his dragon form. "Grab on." Volga said, extending a talon.
"Are you going to be okay on your own here?" Link asked,
"I think I'll do just fine." Aren answered.
Link nodded in reply as he grabbed onto Volga's foot, the dragon gripping him in return and taking to the skies.
oOo
Erris, Elgon, Oren, Impa, and Cia stood shoulder to shoulder, Ganondorf and Kanthos standing opposite them, the battle raging on both sides.
"Shall we?" Ganon asked.
Both he and Kanthos charged.
Elgon shot a blast of light, momentarily blinding the two as Cia and Erris launched a barrage of energy blasts.
"No time to wait." Impa said as she and Oren charged into the dust.
Oren brought his Great Sword down through the particles floating in the air, Ganon bursting through and grabbing the blade, tossing Oren back before he was joined by Elgon, the Sage making to slash the Demon King across the back, Ganondorf turning around as he caught likewise Elgon's blade.
"Light Sage, you shall join the Spirit Sage in death." Ganon growled.
"I think not." Elgon said, channeling light energy into his blade, Ganon recoiling in pain as it burned his palm.
As the dust cleared Kanthos backed away from Erris, the young Sorcerer battering him with fireballs before diving in with a stab. Kanthos blocked the strike before charging in, slashing diagonally downwards at Erris, the Prince catching the blade with his crimson swords crossed, shoving the Foreign Sorcerer back.
"Take this!" Erris yelled, shooting a bolt of lightning at Kanthos, the sorcerer responding in kind, shooting a crimson bolt of electricity, the two forces meeting as their owners battled.
Erris pushed his blue stream gaining ground as Kanthos faded back. "You are poor substitute for me, Ganondorf must have been desperate." Erris shot.
"You have the luxury of facing me after hundreds of others have exhausted my energy." Kanthos said through gritted teeth.
Erris cried out, Kanthos diving to the side as the Prince's energy blast bested his.
Erris turned in time to telekinetically catch Impa, the Sheikah woman having been tossed by Ganondorf.
"My Lord...I can handle them." Kanthos said as Ganon approached.
Elgon sent a blast of light toward Ganon while Cia shot a bolt of lightning, Oren tossing a knife.
Ganon merely flexed his shoulders, all energy projectiles being extinguished, the knife being easily blown away. "You may rest, Kanthos, I can finish them all." Ganondorf growled, Kanthos nodding while backing away.
"Hundreds of lives have been lost today because of you, I won't let you get away!" Impa screamed, Oren joining her as both Sheikah darted in, bringing down their blades only for Ganon to extend an arm, knocking the two away with a flick of his wrist.
"We need to think of a strategy." Elgon said, desperately wracking his brain.
"No time, I have to protect Erris." Cia called out.
"Wait!" Elgon replied.
Cia teleported directly in front of Ganon, stopping the Gerudo man in his steps. With a battle cry Cia brought her staff down onto him, unleashing all of her remaining energy, the resulting blast shaking the battlefield around them.
"It's amazing how something as insignificant as you can be such an annoyance!" Ganon roared as his fingers tore through the dust, gripping the Sorceress tightly by the neck.
Elgon turned towards Erris, not knowing what to do.
Erris felt a chill travel up his spine as his mother gasped for air, clawing at the Demon King's hand, Ganon emitting his cruel laugh.
"No...no...NO!" Erris roared, a red aura exploding out from him, energy filling his veins as his eyes glowed crimson, flames growing over his body.
"What? Is Ganondorf doing that to him?" Oren asked as he staggered to his feet.
"No...he's..." Impa began.
"The Sage of Fire." Elgon finished.
"Huh?!" Ganon spat, dropping Cia as Erris' flaming fist caught him across the face, knocking him back.
"Are you okay?" Impa asked as she ran to Cia's aid.
"Erris..." Cia coughed.
The Prince delivered a punch to Ganon's chest, a kick to his abdomen, and a hook to his ribs before falling back and surrounding Ganon in a ball of fire, detonating it with a squeeze of his fist.
Ganon looked up, growling as Erris raced back at him, a blast of fire erupting from his palms, the Demon King raising his arms to guard himself as the jets of flame hit him, searing his armor. "I'm finished with letting you delay me!" Ganon yelled, flying through the flames and towards Erris, clenching his hands over The Prince's, extinguishing the flames. "Sage or not, you are still no match for me." Ganon said as he delivered a kick to Erris' stomach, the Prince falling to the ground. "Now to finish you!" he said, leveling an energy blast at Erris' head.
"No!" Cia called out.
Just then a cry filled the air, none other than the Hero of Legend falling to the ground between Ganon and Erris.
oOo
Thanks for the read, everyone! I hope you enjoyed it! This story's review count has finally made it into the triple digits! Thank you so much to everyone who had a part in that! I cannot express how grateful I am to everyone, especially reviewer number one-hundred herself, Gerudospirit!
Gerudospirit: Thank you so much for your continued support and the hundredth review! I'm so glad you liked the darker feel I tried to bring! Naora's death was something I didn't have planned at first, but I really felt it was something Ganondorf would do, especially after his transformation. Also, now you have your answer about what happened to Trystane, what did you think? Calling my dialogue cinematic is one of the highest compliments I've received! I'm glad you like Ghirahim's inclusion, while I also hope you like the way I've written him. Telling me that I've actually emotionally moved you is something I'm eternally grateful for, I've always wondered how much weight the dialogue I've written has, and to hear that really eases my worries that I may not have expressed the character's true feelings well enough! Thank you so much! I hope you enjoyed the chapter.
Thank you to all of those who checked follow and favorite on me and my story, you all make writing this as enjoyable as it is!
I hope you all enjoyed the holidays and have a good new year to come!
-Prometheus17