LOOK who's finally back! Yeah, this one took a while, mostly because I went on a two week long trek to Disney World (Which was AWESOME by the way! I danced with Goofy and got my Frozen shirt complimented by ELSA herself (who is my favorite Disney character BTW) but that's beside the point. I've also been working on some other time-consuming stuff, which I will talk about at the end of the chapter, so stay tuned! But for now, I think I'll go ahead and get back to brass tacks by answering guest reviews again! So here we go!
Conner: Oh I love me some Lana/Link too! In fact, if you like that, the next chapter after this one might be a pleasant surprise for you! But as far as writing side stories for HW, I was thinking the exact same thing! In fact, you might wanna stay tuned for the special announcement I have at the end of the chapter (wink wink) :D
Kamila: Oh you KNOW I'm bring Twili Midna in here! She's too awesome not too! And you're actually pretty much right on the money about how it happens, considering that's how I thought it should have gone down in the game! And how could I not include more scenes between Ghirahim and Fi (I am a closet GhiraFi shipper after all!)
Ok, so I know there's not many, but there were a LOT of reviews this time around and I cannot thank you ALL enough for finally helping this story reach 500 reviews! Seriously guys, I am simply overwhelmed with joy for having a story be this successful. I could have never dreamed that this would become so popular! Again, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! I LOVE YOU ALL! Ok ok... heheheh... ;D Now that my creepy moment is over, let's get started!
Chapter 19: The Sacred Sword
It had been almost a week since the Hylian forces had reunited from across the various eras, and since then, very little progress had been made in planning their next move. A large part of the reasoning behind this standstill was that no one was really sure where to go or what to do next. Cia's forces had, for the most part, been driven out of the other eras, as well as most of the villages and towns in the Hyrule of the present. However, that didn't mean that the threat wasn't there anymore; after all, the black witch was still out there somewhere, most likely planning her next strike, and the Hylian army had to be ready for it. The only problem was that no one, not even the tactful first general of the army or the knowledgeable white sorceress, knew how to prepare for the inevitable return to action.
And yet, the other large contributing factor to the momentary lax atmosphere was the fact that two of the army's most important leaders could scarcely be found when battle plans needed to be made or advances needed to be thought out. It frustrated Impa to no end that nearly every time she went to fetch the princess for a war meeting, she had wandered away from camp long beforehand. And of course, it didn't take much thinking for the Sheikah guardian to realize the reason behind Zelda's absence when she would go to search for Link and realize that he was gone as well.
Though Impa had never seen the princess and the hero leave or return together, she suspected that their frequent prolonged periods of absence were connected. After all, ever since they had reunited, the two of them had struck up a unique kind of comradery, one that both fascinated the Sheikah guardian, but at the same time, made her wary. Whenever Link and Zelda were merely in the vicinity of one another, anyone could clearly see their smiles grow larger and brighter, their laughter become warmer and easier to come by, and their eyes never leave each other unless they absolutely had to. Of course, some of the more forward members of the group, such as Midna or Darunia, had a penchant for lightheartedly teasing the two of them about what their budding friendship certainly looked like from a distance, but both the princess and the hero swore they were friends and nothing more. After all, how could they be anything else when they had only known each other for a few weeks?
And yet, unlike the other allies who thought the developing bond between Link and Zelda was adorable and sweet, Impa knew better. From years of knowing and being at the princess's side, the Sheikah guardian knew full well that Zelda, in her sheltered life within the castle walls, had been largely deprived of much casual interaction, especially with young men her age. And though Impa trusted Link enough with the princess's safety and knew that he certainly wouldn't try anything, she still couldn't help but feel a bit overprotective of her young charge, to the point that she had tried, on more than one occasion, to track the two down and make sure they were maintaining a proper relationship. However, with the weight of the war still largely on her shoulders, Impa found it hard to keep up with the two youths in the midst of her constant planning and formulating, leaving the two youths to largely do as they pleased, unsupervised.
And yet, even if Impa had been able to spy on them, she would have found that, in their precious moments of free time, Link and Zelda were doing nothing untoward, even though her assumptions of them being alone together were correct. On this particular day, the princess had managed to slip away from camp before the sun even slipped above the horizon, completely evading both the detection of Impa or her guards. And though Zelda knew she would have to spend the early hours of the morning alone, she still waited patiently for Link to awaken and join her, finding that her patience was wearing thin and her excitement was rising because of him. And, sure enough, he had come to meet her, just as she had known he would.
Their private meetings had started largely on accident. The day after the reunion, after a particularly taxing war meeting, the hero had found himself eventually slipping away from camp entirely, taking to the calm of nature to ease his nerves. But what Link hadn't been expecting was for the princess herself to suddenly join him in the cool of the evening, running into him without really meaning to after the war meeting had finally ended. And, without any provocation, the two had slowly, yet suddenly launched into hours of unending conversation, sharing stories and laughs that had lasted late into the night. Yet neither of them had noticed as time wore on, as they both found they immensely enjoyed each other's company. Though Cia's threat still often lingered at the back of Zelda's mind, she always found herself forgetting about it and relaxing whenever she was around Link, amazed that his mere presence alone was like the calm amidst the storm to her. In the same way, the hero was absolutely enchanted by the princess, bewildered that someone was beautiful and intelligent as her would even waste her time talking to someone as simple and common as him. But even so, there was no denying that the two of them enjoyed their time together, for when they were with each other, it seemed as though everything else seemed to fade away completely.
The mid-afternoon sun was warm and refreshing as the princess and the hero took a leisurely stroll along the shore of a small lake that was relatively close to camp. The waters of the lake were clear and crystal blue, but neither of them noticed it as they shared in an easygoing conversation, neither of them finding that they had to be as formal with each other as they were expected to be when they were before the army they led.
"Wait," Link said, unable to believe what Zelda had just told him. "You mean you've never had someone you own age to hang out with?"
"Well, I've always had Impa…" the princess said thoughtfully as she walked beside him. "She's always been there for me, and the two of us certainly are close… But she's still fifteen years my senior. The age difference between us doesn't seem so drastic now, but when I was little, she was more like a mother to me than a friend. So… no… I suppose I've never really had a companion who was the same age as me before…"
"But… you're the princess of Hyrule," the hero said with a frown as he looked over at her.
"Yes, Link," Zelda said with a small, lighthearted laugh, knowing he had pointed out an obvious fact. "And that's exactly why I never had any friends as a child. It's a lonely, isolated job, but it was one I was born into. Most people wouldn't want to try and strike up a friendship with the cold, untouchable princess of Hyrule…"
"I would," Link said boldly before he could even catch himself. Of course, the moment he said it, he instantly regretted it out of embarrassment, knowing that he was being far too forward with the princess by even saying that much. "I… I mean…" the hero began to stammer awkwardly, unable to hide the growing rush of red in his cheeks. "Princess… I'm sorry… I didn't mean-"
"No, please don't be sorry," Zelda said with a gentle frown as she looked at him with almost pleading eyes. "You said nothing wrong. In fact, I would highly value the gift of your friendship… That is, if you'd be willing to give it…"
"Zelda, I'd give you anything," the hero said without thinking, internally scolding himself once more on his compulsive honesty. "But… um… I don't really understand why someone like you would want to be friends with someone like me…"
"Someone like me?" the princess asked, raising a curious eyebrow at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"I mean… you're the princess," Link began, averting her lovely gaze. "You're easily the most important person in Hyrule, the leader of both the kingdom and its army. And me… I'm just a trainee who got lucky… a nobody…"
"Link, don't say that!" Zelda exclaimed, taking his hand without warning and startling him. The hero turned to the princess with surprise as he noticed her expression, which was a mix of both pity and firmness that somehow made her seem even more boldly beautiful than she already was. "You're not a nobody! You're the chosen Hero of Hyrule! And not just that, you're third in command over the entire army! Don't believe for a moment that luck was what brought you here; it was destiny, and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you will fulfill that great destiny. But… even if you weren't the hero or the second general… I would still be honored to be considered your friend, not just because of what you are, but because of who you are…"
"Wow…" the hero said in absolute bewilderment, completely unable to take his eyes off the princess after hearing her touching words. "Zelda… I… I don't know what to say… No one's… ever said anything like that to me before…"
"Well, it's something you deserved to hear…" Zelda said, a bit flustered herself as she blushed slightly. She wasn't sure why, but it was as though whenever she was around Link, she wasn't afraid to speak her mind as she used to be, almost as if he inspired an all new kind of courage in her, one that emboldened her and drove away fear. "Everyone knows and believes that you are our hero, Link. Its time you finally started believing that too…"
The hero couldn't help but smile warmly upon hearing this, her elegant words inspiring him and making him feel as though he was worth more than gold. It was as though she had blessed him with a strange new sense of confidence, and in this confidence he knew that he would gladly do anything to live up to the standards of greatness she held him within. After all, the last thing Link ever wanted to do was let someone as wise, kind and amazing as Zelda down.
However, before Link could even accept Zelda's kind statement, he felt a suddenly, strangely familiar burst of warmth brimming on the back of his hand, one that he hadn't felt in quite some time. The princess was quick to gasp in surprise as she felt the very same sensation upon her own hand, and simultaneously, the pair both lifted their hands up to see the source. The glowing mark of the Triforce was shimmering brightly on both of their hands, the Triforce of Wisdom on Zelda's, and the Triforce of Courage on Link's. Both of them exchanged a furtive glance, knowing full well that these marks had been absent for weeks now, ever since Cia had stolen them away.
"The Triforce?!" the princess exclaimed in disbelief at the crest of wisdom still glowing on her hand, resonating in response to the piece the hero held. "But… how is it possible? Cia took them from us…"
"Maybe it means Cia's finally gone," the hero suggested, even though he knew it was a lame guess. Certainly the black witch wouldn't have gone out without any fanfare, but nonetheless, Link wanted to be optimistic for Zelda's sake, especially since the princess had confided in him that she still harbored some fear over Cia after their horrific first encounter.
"I wish…" Zelda said wistfully, knowing that the war would finally be over if that were true. "But I highly doubt it. Still, this makes no sense. One of Cia's main goals was the Triforce, and certainly she still has Power…"
"You don't think she'd just… give them back to us, do you?" Link asked with a thoughtful frown, just as confused as the princess was.
"Again, I doubt it," the princess said, shaking her head with a sigh of frustration. "For now, I think it would be best if we return to camp. I have a bad feeling about this. Cia might be setting the stage for whatever her next move might be and I want us to be ready for it. Now, let's go."
The hero sighed in disappointment over the fact that their peaceful afternoon had been ruined, but nonetheless, he followed the princess, knowing that despite their blossoming friendship and the precious time they enjoyed spending together, they still had a war to fight.
The Hylian camp was bustling in the early hours of the afternoon as the soldiers practiced their drills and restocked their supplies. The troops had been stationed at their current position for several days now, as it was an ideal place to settle down for a while. It was a relatively remote location, only a few miles away from a gathering of old ruins that had been untouched for generations, and even better than that, the lake was mere minutes away, giving the troops an unlimited source of water, something that had pleased the Zora princess and the soldiers she had brought with her very much.
It didn't take Link and Zelda very long to find Impa amidst all of the buzz; the Sheikah guardian was gathered just outside the war planning tent, with all of their new allies from the other eras gathered around her. The only one who seemed to be absent was Lana, but both the princess and the hero assumed that she was somewhere nearby. Before they even arrived to the collective circle, the pair could already tell they were having a time at brainstorming strategies and ideas for their next more, and with each new suggestion, it was clear to tell who had brought them up.
"Well, I say we just go find that witch and her army and just smash 'em all!" Darunia said boldly, giving a heaty, daring laugh as he cracked his knuckles as a show of his strength. "They'll never see it coming!"
"Do not think me rude, Sir Darunia, but I estimate that there is only a 10% chance that a direct strike such as the one you are suggesting will work," Fi said eloquently, not noticing as the Goron patriarch's shoulders drooped in disappointment. "In its place, I recommend waiting for the enemy to approach us before attacking, so that we may battle them on a ground we are familiar with."
"Like that's gonna work," Midna scoffed, crossing her arms as she floated in midair. "What we need is a diversion, a way to trick the witch into thinking she's won before we sneak up on her and take her down! And once she's gone, this dumb curse will finally be lifted…" The Twilight Princess bitterly muttered the last sentence under her breath, but it was still loud enough that most of them were able to hear it.
"Please," Ruto cut in, rolling her eyes at this plan. "She'll never fall for something like that. What we really should do is lay siege to her base, wherever it is, and barricade her and her forces in until they finally crack. It may sound ruthless, but I know it's bound to work!"
"Oh, oh! I have an idea!" Agitha exclaimed, raising her hand excitedly. "We should invite the baddies to a picnic! My insect friends and I could bring cake!"
All of the other allies gave the insect princess curious looks, but none of them insulted her suggestion, as it was made in her innocence. And so, they all simply ignored it, moving on with their strategizing.
"I realize you all are eager to mobilize again," Impa said patiently. "But I don't want to make any final plans until Princess Zelda and Link return. We all need to be in one mind about what we're going to do moving forward, especially the two of them."
"Well then, it looks like we made it back just in time," Link suddenly interrupted with a clever smirk as him and Zelda joined the group.
"For Din's sake, it's about time you two got back," the Sheikah guardian said with a groan of aggravation, raising an eyebrow at the pair. "You've been gone for hours. What were you up to?"
"Oh, I think we all know what they were up to…" Midna said with a sly snicker as she gave Link a knowing look. The hero glanced down awkwardly, his cheeks reddening in flusterment as he tried to come up with some way to defend himself, but thankfully, the princess spoke up first.
"Um, yes… well…" Zelda stammered, maintaining her composure much better than Link had. "Link and I actually have just made a discovery that might give us a better idea about what to do next." The princess was quick to hold her hand out to show the mark of the Triforce glowing upon it, and likewise, the hero did the same so that everyone could see.
"Since when did the two of you get those back?" Impa asked in clear confusion. "I saw Cia steal them from both of you."
"They just showed up again a few minutes ago," Link explained. "And we have no idea why."
"Oh! You two bear the crest of the goddesses?!" Ruto exclaimed with genuine curiosity.
"Whoa!" Darunia cut in with a look of awe on his face. "What, are they like tattooed on the back of your hands?"
"Hey, the Link and Zelda of my time have those marks on their hands too!" Midna said, not even bothering that the hero, the princess, and the Sheikah guardian were all trying to get a word in edgewise. "I guess proves you guys really are related to them."
"I conjecture that those marks are more commonly referred to as the Triforce, a powerful relic created by the goddesses of old," Fi reported, informing all of their allies who were unaware of the golden relic. "And I can also confirm that the crest of Wisdom has indeed returned to you, Princess Zelda, just as the crest of Courage has been restored to you, Master Link."
"Ooo, they're so shiny!" Agitha remarked with an amazed grin, standing on her tip-toes so she could see the glowing triangles.
Link and Zelda were finally about to speak up again, before they were interrupted by the final member to join the group. "I see that your Triforce has returned…" Lana said to Zelda specifically, unable to hide the clear bewilderment in her voice as she joined the circle and glanced at the princess's hand, having not noticed that the hero's crest had reappeared as well.
"Y-yes," Zelda said a bit nervously, averting Lana's gaze. Ever hearing that the white sorceress and the black witch had once been the same entity, the princess had secretly been trying to avoid Lana as much as she could, out of a fear she knew was absolutely irrational, but one that still bothered her all the same. Zelda couldn't help but associate her negative feelings and lingering fear of Cia with Lana, even though she knew well that the two of them were nothing alike. But all the same, after everything that had happened, the princess wasn't sure if she was exactly ready to be on friendly terms with the white sorceress yet, especially considering her connection to the woman who had threatened her and nearly killed her. "Mine, and Link's too, actually…"
The princess's anxious sigh went unnoticed as the hero held up his hand to show off the mark of the Triforce of Courage, and nodded. "It's true," he said, even if he still didn't understand exactly how.
"Hm…" Lana mused with a thoughtful frown. "Well, that's odd…"
"Do you have any idea how this happened, Lana?" Link asked, still not noticing the fact that Zelda was intentionally looking away from both of them out of her remaining fear.
"I… have a theory," the white sorceress said with only half-certainty. "It's not exactly clear how, but I think that maybe Cia's power has been diminished enough for her to lose her hold on the pieces of Wisdom and Courage. Something must have happened to make her vulnerable, which means that if we're going to counterattack, we need to do it now!"
"But even if the crests of Courage and Wisdom are out of her hands, Cia still holds the Triforce of Power," Impa advised calmly. "With its might, she's still a great threat to Hyrule at large. She won't be overtaken so easily…"
"Plus, if we go face her again, won't she just take the other pieces of the Triforce again?" Link asked with a frown.
"No," Zelda said boldly, her expression resolved and firm as she stepped into the center of the group. "She won't. Things will be different this time. We can win. As long as we have the Master Sword…"
"Ah… the legendary Blade of Evil's bane…" Impa said, knowing of the sacred sword just as much as the princess did thanks to her vast knowledge on Hylian lore. "A sword such as that may be exactly what we need…"
"Of course!" Lana exclaimed excitedly. "Why didn't we think of using it before!? Cia's dark forces won't stand a chance against its purifying light!"
The princess simply nodded in response to the white sorceress's comment, still not making eye contact with her, something that Lana actually noticed this time and frowned about in curiosity. And yet, instead Zelda turned to Link, giving him a soft, hopeful smile. "I believe Link possesses the spirit necessary to wield its power," she said with absolute certainty, knowing from both his role as the hero as well as his courageous, yet kind personality, that no one would be better for this role.
"W-what?!" the hero exclaimed in surprise, his eyes widening upon hearing this. Like nearly everyone in Hyrule, Link had heard tell of the legendary Master Sword, and he knew that it had been wielded by countless heroes in Hyrule's past. However, even despite the fact that he now bore the title "Hero of Hyrule", he largely doubted that he was on the same caliber as the heroes of the ancient legends. Certainly he wouldn't be able to draw the Master Sword and use its great might. Would he? "Zelda…. I mean, p-princess… I don't think I…"
Zelda was quick to interrupt him, not with words, but with a simple raising of her hand so that she could make a gentle gesture that told him to relax and a smile that said she believed in him. However, before she could profess her belief in him, Impa spoke up first.
"But, princess… the Master Sword is more than just a weapon," the Sheikah guardian began, crossing her arms as she gave the hero a judgmental look. "It's a barrier. It's been said that it keeps a fragment of an ancient evil locked away. Once pulled, that spirit might be freed…"
"Oh, but the barriers surrounding the Temple of the Sacred Sword are made with a special kind of magic," Lana said with a reassuring smile. "Pulling the Master Sword alone won't undo the barrier. Not entirely anyway."
The princess took in an even breath upon hearing this, feeling a bit more confident in her plan knowing that the terrible evil foretold of in the legends would remain dormant, even if they drew the Master Sword. However, as she looked over at Link, she could still tell from his uneasy expression that he didn't quite share the same confidence that she did over all of this.
"Yes, but how can we be sure that Link is truly ready for this task…?" Impa said, still looking at the hero with a hardened expression. Link looked to the Sheikah guardian meekly, somewhat hurt over the fact that, after everything they had been through, she still doubted his ability to serve as Hyrule's hero, even though she had been the first one to hail him as such. He knew that she was often hard on him, but he was surprised that she wasn't willing to give so much as any encouragement whatsoever in this matter.
"Because," Zelda suddenly spoke up, a determined, affectionate smile on her face as her eyes met the hero's. "I believe in him."
Link was stunned speechless upon hearing this, awed that the princess would admit this in front of all of their allies. He had known that she seemed to think highly of him, but to trust him with her kingdom's salvation in such a way… the hero wasn't even sure what to make of it.
"I believe in him too!" Lana exclaimed with a bright smile, her enthusiasm brimming in her spirited tone. Link quickly turned to look to the white sorceress as well, somewhat returning her wide smile even though his was a bit weaker as he tried to take this all in.
"I can confirm that there is a 95% chance that Master Link is the one destined to wield the Master Sword in this era," Fi reported out of the blue. "I can verify this estimate by the fact that I myself am the spirit of the Master Sword, and therefore, I am able to recognize those with the Spirit of the Hero, regardless of the time period. And, by the results of my most thorough scans, there is an incredibly high chance that you wield this very spirit, Master," the sword spirit said, giving a firm, yet still ever-stoic nod to Link.
"I'm with twinkle toes," Midna said with a wide grin, using the nicknames she had come up with nearly everyone. "I think you can do it, scarf boy."
"Same here!" Darunia exclaimed encouragingly, giving the hero a firm pat on the back.
"Oh, yes, definitely!" Ruto said with a nod of certainty as she gave Link a slight flirtatious wink.
"Go, Mister Link!" Agitha cheered brightly, even if she wasn't entirely sure what her friends were discussing, but she wanted to share in on their enthusiasm nonetheless.
"Well, Impa?" Zelda said with a broad smile, turning to her guardian. "Looks like everyone else is giving Link their vote of confidence. What about you?"
Though the princess continued to grin as she waited for the Sheikah guardian to respond, the hero looked to the first general with an anxious expression, not even sure if he was entirely ready to take on such a responsibility himself. The truth was, Link wasn't even certain he'd be worthy of wielding such a powerful, sacred weapon, one that was so important to Hyrule's mythos and history. The last thing he wanted was for all of them to find it only for him to not be able to even draw it from its pedestal, leaving Hyrule without its great might on their side.
"Well…" Impa began, her tone musing and easy as she gave the hero an examining gaze. "If you were looking for a chance to prove yourself, Link, then this just may be it. But be aware that the Master Sword is no mere toy; wielding it means that you must fully devote every part of yourself to the role of the hero, even more than you already have. You must negate yourself and think only of the land and the people who depend on you. When you are the hero, it means they are everything, and you are nothing. Are you certain that you are ready for such a heavy burden?"
Zelda took in a short, uneasy breath upon hearing all of this as she quickly looked over at Link, a sudden fear filling her heart. She knew that Impa was only trying to inspire him, but the princess couldn't help but feel a bit worried. After all, she absolutely did not want the hero to believe that he was worth nothing when compared to herself or the people of Hyrule as a whole. She understood that he had to be dedicated to his task, but she didn't want him taking his selflessness to far, lest it be his downfall in the end. Already he had proven that he would risk everything, even his very life for the kingdom; what would happen if he actually followed through on giving himself up for that purpose once and for all?
However, before Zelda could even try to change Link's mind, he finally spoke up, having steeled himself into accepting everything Impa had just told him. He knew well that, even if he had not known about it until after the war had begun, he was still somewhat responsible for the anguish Hyrule was going through at Cia's hands thanks to the twisted affections and lust she had for him. And even if he couldn't have prevented it in any way, Link knew that he had to ultimately be the one to end this violent conflict, before any more innocent lives were lost in his name. The Sheikah guardian had been right; there were so many people he had to protect, and as long as he was called their hero, his own insignificant existence meant nothing when compared to all of them. For the sake of Hyrule, its princess, and its people, he would gladly give up every part of himself until there was nothing left.
"Yes," Link said with resolve and determination, knowing that he would never take this vow back. "I'm ready. And I promise, I won't let any of you down, no matter what I have to do."
Zelda couldn't help but frown as she noticed that the hero kept his gaze on her specifically as he said this, knowing that he intended this promise for her more than anyone else. And yet, as much as the princess had her own fears about what could possibly come, she nodded in acceptance of this nonetheless, praying that Link wouldn't have to sacrifice too much in the tremendous task he had just undertaken.
"Then… I suppose we make haste for the Temple of the Sacred Sword," the princess said, her tone only half firm as she turned away from the group to prepare. "Gather the troops and tell them we're moving out towards the ruins in an hour."
"Yes, princess," Impa said with a nod before she spoke to the rest of the group. "Let's go."
Everyone was quick to disperse to get ready to leave, and yet the white sorceress was the only one to notice that the princess and the hero had lingered behind. She paused for a moment as she walked away, a small part of her wanting to eavesdrop of their conversation, though she quickly thought better of it as she realized that the two of them most likely had much to talk about.
It didn't take too long for Zelda to realize that Link was still standing behind her, and when she turned to face him once more, she was bemused to find that he was not looking at her, but rather he was holding the end of his scarf in his hands, staring intently at the Hylian crest stitched upon it with a somewhat worried expression. "Is… something wrong, Link?" Zelda asked a bit hesitantly.
"Oh, uh… nothing's wrong, Zelda," the hero said, quickly letting go of his scarf as he averted her questioning gaze, even though the anxiety remained in his expression.
"Are you sure?" the princess pressed, knowing that she couldn't possibly understand what he was feeling right now, as she had been born into a role of great importance and had never known anything but. "Because… if something is bothering you, you know you can feel free to tell me about it… Anything at all…"
Link finally met Zelda's gaze upon hearing this, his calm exterior finally crumbling as he realized that she had openly told him about her own fears when it came to Cia; he only owed it to her to share his newfound doubts with her as well. "It's just… what if I'm not… worthy of drawing the Master Sword?" he asked, letting out the sigh he had been holding back. What if Impa was wrong about me? What if… what if I'm not really the hero after all?"
"Link, I know you are the hero," the princess said, taking his hand in hers as she ran her thumb over the mark of the Triforce of Courage. "The fact that you possess this alone proves that you are."
"But what if that's not enough?" the hero asked, drawing his hand away from her as he looked down. "I just… I really don't want to fail you or Hyrule… I know this might sound pathetic, but… ever since my family was… killed… I've always sort of blamed myself for not being strong enough to protect them… And now, all of the sudden, I have to protect the entire kingdom and its princess… I would never forgive myself if I was responsible for losing either of you… After all, you… you both mean a lot to me…"
"Oh, Link…" Zelda said, her voice but a pitied whisper as she fought back tears upon hearing him open up about his insecurities in such an honest way. "I… I don't… You… You're…" The princess took in a deep breath as she tried to find the words to say in response to what he had just told her, not even knowing where to begin. "Link, you've… you've already done so much for both of us… And that's exactly why I have so much faith in you. You are devoted, you are dedicated. You have the makings of a perfect hero. That's why I believe—no, I know you are worthy of wielding the Master Sword. You are worthy of saving Hyrule. You are worthy of being the hero, no matter what anyone else says. I already believe in you, and like I said before, now you need to believe in yourself."
Link was silent for a long moment as he took all of this in, knowing that once again, the princess's infallible wisdom was correct. All at once, her reassuring words helped to chase his doubts away, for he knew that he would never give up so long as it meant he could keep her safe. Her belief in him empowered him, her confidence in him propelled him forward. And the hero knew that so long as he was able, he would never stop fighting for the princess and the kingdom that he placed his own faith in as well. "I will," he said with no sign of insecurity in his tone, but rather courage and resolve. "Now let's go. We have a sword to get."
Fortunately for the Hylian troops, their princess had thought ahead when she had settled their camp close to the ancient ruins where the Temple of the Sacred Sword rested within. They only had to march about an hour or so to get there, which was why only a small force had gone, one that consisted of Link, Zelda, Impa, Lana, Midna, Agitha, Ruto, Darunia, and Fi, along with a few elite soldiers. According to the Sheikah guardian, they would most likely not meet much resistance in a place that had been untouched for years, especially since the enemy had no knowledge of their new plan; or so they hoped.
The ruins surrounding the Temple of the Sacred Sword had, at a time, most likely been a great city, quite possibly home to many people who lived near the Master Sword's resting place in order to protect it. However, in the centuries since the place had been mysteriously abandoned, it had fallen into disarray and disrepair. Quite a few of the sturdy stone buildings had crumbled completely, and the few that were still standing didn't look like they would for two much longer. Vines and plant life had claimed many of the fences and gates, and a thin coating of dust lay on nearly every artificial surface within the former city. However, even despite the echoing silence of the area, there was an overwhelming feeling of peace within the walled ruins, something that the Hylian forces gladly welcomed as they journeyed into them.
"This place is nothing but ruins!" Proxi commented to Link as they arrived with the small force they had brought along. "Can the Master Sword really be here?"
"It must be in there," the hero said, nodding to the large, elegant building on the other side of the ruins, a place that certainly looked like it lived up to the name Temple of the Sacred Sword with its castle-like architecture and the fact that it was still somehow pristine.
"Alright, listen everyone!" Zelda called everyone to attention as they arrived in a large, roofless building; the perfect place for them to establish their base. "The Master Sword is in the temple up ahead. While I don't think we will encounter too many obstacles, we must still work together and utilize all of your talents and abilities to retrieve it. Our first goal is to awaken the three sealed statues."
"Sealed statues?" Link asked in confusion. "Why can't we just go to the temple and get the sword right now?"
"The entrance to the Temple of the Sacred Sword has a strong magical seal upon it," the princess explained, knowing much about the temple from her research of Hylian lore and sacred places. "The only way to break that seal is to awaken the sealed statues, which are each hidden somewhere in these ruins."
"So… find the statues, wake them up, and get in the temple?" Midna asked as she casually glided by. "Sounds simple enough. Especially since there aren't any little pests running around here…"
"I can start looking for sealed statues!" Lana volunteered readily, holding her tome close to her chest as she prepared to dash out of the keep.
"You and Link both can," Impa said with authority, already formulating an action plan. "And I'll help too. From what I understand though, the rest of you need to be at the ready for when we find them, right princess?"
"Right," Zelda said with a nod. "Legend says that each statue only reacts to a certain type of energy. I'm not entirely sure what energies we'll specifically need, so we'll just have to wait until we find each one to see which of you will be able to awaken it. Until then, you can all wait here and help me maintain our base, just in case Cia's forces somehow attack us."
"What do you mean by 'energies'?" Darunia asked in clear confusion.
"I believe the term energies, in this usage, refers to abilities such as fire, water, light, and Twilight, amongst others," Fi informed.
"Each statue was built in a different era of Hyrule's history," Zelda went on after the sword spirit's explanation. "Which leads me to believe that you all specifically will be able to awaken them, as you all come from different eras yourselves. Of course, it's just a theory, but for now, it's our only lead we have to go on for getting into that temple. According to legend, the statues are located to the the south, east, and west."
"Then we might as well get started," Impa said, already leading the way out of the base with the hero and the white sorceress following close behind. "I'll start searching to the west. Lana, you go south, and Link, you take to the east. As soon as you find one of the statues, come back here and report to Zelda. Got it?"
Link and Lana both nodded in affirmation of this plan, and with no further instruction needed, the trio split off on their own to look for the sealed statues. The rest of their allies were content to patiently wait for them to return, seeing as how there wasn't much else they could do with no nearby enemies to fight.
There were three keeps to the west of the allied base, and to the Sheikah guardian's good fortune, she managed to locate one of the sealed statues upon entering the westernmost one of them first. The statue stood at the back end of the gated keep, and it took on the appearance of a beautiful, winged young woman clad in a long flowing gown. Her eyes were shut and her thick hair was long as it flowed down like a winding river. The emblem on the woman's chest immediately told Impa that this statue was supposed to represent the goddess of Wisdom, Nayru, and based on the two shining blades she held crossed above her palms, it would most likely take the power of a certain sword spirit to activate it.
Lana also made quick work of finding the next sealed statue, having gone directly south from the allied base to the southernmost keep within the entire ruined city. The white sorceress dashed into the empty keep to see another statue, this one bearing an elegant figure quite similar to the first statue's save for her hair tied into a high, long ponytail, her form-fitting dress and the mark of the goddess of Power, Din, upon her chest. Above her hands rested two medallions: a red one with a flame upon it, and a blue one with the design of a snowflake on it. Lana grinned to herself, recognizing what those symbols meant and exactly who they were related to, knowing that two of their allies in particular would be needed in awakening this statue.
Meanwhile, to the east, Link had happened upon the final statue rather quickly, but unlike Lana and Impa, he didn't immediately race back to the base to tell everyone. Instead, he stood before the statue for a moment or two, staring at the woman it depicted intently. Above one of her hands, she held a figurine of a pink butterfly, and above the other was a smaller version the very same headdress Midna always wore, the Fused Shadow, as she had called it, but the hero had hardly paid much attention to them. Instead, what he had noticed was the woman herself, who wore a simple, yet lovely gown, and hand long, straight hair, though some of it was tied into two buns that rested atop her head. Though her eyes were closed, her lips bore a benevolent smile and as the hero looked upon her, he could feel the Triforce of Courage glow warmer and brighter upon the back of his hand.
"Is something wrong, Link?" Proxi asked as she came to rest upon his shoulder, noticing just how mesmerized he was with the statue.
"Who is that?" Link asked, his voice soft and almost reverent as he continued to stare at the statue.
"Hm… I think that's the goddess of Courage, Farore," the fairy said, basing her knowledge off of the mark on the woman's chest. "Why do you ask?"
"I know this may sound crazy but… I feel like I've seen her before… Like… like I know her from somewhere…" the hero said, his brow furrowed in concentration. "I just don't know where."
"Uh… are you sure, Link?" Proxi asked in clear confusion, not entirely believing him. "I mean… she's one of the golden goddesses. No one in recent history has ever even seen them before! I don't know how you could possibly-"
"Halt!" a sudden, unfamiliar shout sounded out from behind the hero and he was quick to spin around with a hand already on the hilt of his sword to discover its source. A large group of soldiers had gathered behind him, however, they bore no semblance to any soldiers Link had ever seen before. Aside from the armor they wore, which was archaic and antique compared to the armor most Hylian soldiers wore, they all bore a strange, almost ghost-like pallor. They hardly seemed tangible considering the ethereal white glow surrounding all of them, which gave both the hero and the fairy the idea that they were no longer part of the living any longer.
"Who are-" Link began to ask, but he was abruptly cut off before he could finish.
"Be gone, evil-doer!" one of the ghost soldiers commanded unflinchingly as he raised his blade. "Those who would threaten the temple will be punished!"
"But we're not here to threaten anything!" the hero protested, drawing his own sword for self-defense. "We only want the sword, and we-"
"Silence! The sacred sword is only to be wielded by the hands of the hero! All those who try to defile it must be eliminated!"
Link was quick to block the first strike from one of the soldiers with his shield as he continued to try and reason with them. "But I am the hero!" he exclaimed, even though a bit of his doubt was starting to return to him. After all, if these ghosts were meant to protect the temple, wouldn't they simply let him in willingly if he truly was the chosen hero?
"They won't listen!" Proxi said, flittering anxiously above the hero's head. "We might as well just fight through them so we can get back to the princess! After all, they're already dead, so it's not like we're really hurting any of them."
Link let out a disappointed sigh, knowing that this undead resistance would certainly outnumber the small, largely unprepared force they had brought with them, but he knew what had to be done. And so, the hero began to plow his way through the ghostly forces, swinging his blade skillfully and deftly at any one of them who tried to hit him. Considering the fact that their weapons managed to bounce off his own blade as though they were real, the hero theorized that they were at least somewhat tangible, though he wasn't sure if they were truly capable of hurting him and he didn't really want to find out.
Upon arriving back to the allied base, Link wasn't all too surprised to see that Lana and Impa had beat him there, and judging from how out of breath the two of them were, it was a safe bet that they had encountered some of the enemy specters as well.
"What?!" Zelda exclaimed upon hearing the report that Impa had just given her. "Ghost soldiers? Are you absolutely certain?"
"I saw them with my own eyes, princess," Impa said with a nod as she sheathed her giant blade. "While they go down easily, there's plenty of them out there. I advise that we all take caution in fighting them. They're not what they seem."
"This is certainly troublesome news…" the princess said with concern, before she turned and noticed that the hero had returned. "Oh, Link! I'm so glad you're back," she said with a smile of relief. "You haven't encountered any of these… ghost soldiers, have you?"
"Yeah," Link said with a frown as he took a glance out of the keep, glad to see that no ghost soldiers had gathered outside of it yet. "But they said that they won't let anyone into the temple but the hero."
"Well that's good!" Lana exclaimed with a smile. "Then they'll just let you go right on in, right?"
"That's just it, though," the hero said with a sigh. "I don't think they're willing to recognize me as the hero."
"It's not their place to," Impa said firmly. "Only the Master Sword itself can do that. These ghosts are most likely the spirits of the soldiers who once protected these grounds centuries ago. They might not recognize you as the hero because you are not of the era they lived in. For now, I say we simply overlook them and worry about those statues. Once they're activated, we can finally get in the temple."
"Yes," Zelda said, agreeing with this plan. "Now, about those statues. What did each of them look like?"
"The statue I found had fire and water medallions in its hands," the white sorceress reported.
"Fire?" Darunia asked with an enticed grin, glancing at the megaton hammer slung over his shoulder.
"Water?" Ruto also echoed in equal excitement, thinking the same thing the Goron patriarch was.
"That must be the Statue of Time, otherwise known as the Statue of Wave and Flame," Zelda said with a thoughtful nod. "As its name implies, it was built in the era of the Hero of Time and takes water and fire energy to be activated."
"Well that sounds like the perfect job for me and Sister Ruto!" Darunia exclaimed with a broad grin, placing a firm hand on the Zora princess's shoulder.
"Y-yes!" Ruto said, somewhat startled at the Goron patriarch's sudden show of affection. "We can definitely get that statue activated. Just lead the way and we will have it done in no time at all!"
"Ok, then!" Lana said with a smile, already pointing the pair in the right direction. "I'll take you right to it! Let's go!"
With the white sorceress, the Goron patriarch and the Zora princess already on their way, the Sheikah guardian was quick to tell the princess about the next statue. "The statue I located was wielding two sacred blades in each hand," Impa said, nodding to the west where it was positioned.
"It sounds like that's the Statue of the Sky, or the Statue of Servitude," Zelda said, already looking in the direction of the sword spirit. "Fi, I do believe that you are the one who can awaken it, especially if it was built in the same era that you were made in."
"I concur, princess," Fi said with a nod and a small, respectful bow to the young royal. "I believe that there is a very large chance that my abilities will be necessary in this task. I shall direct myself to the Statue of Servitude immediately."
"Thank you," the princess said with a nod. "Impa, can you go with her and make sure she gets there all right?"
"Yes, princess," Impa said loyally, following behind the sword spirit, who already knew the way.
"And that means the statue you found, Link, must be the Statue of Twilight," Zelda said, turning to the hero.
"Twilight, eh?" Midna said, holding her hands behind her back as she floated between the two of them. "I think I got this one covered, princess. Just lead me to it and I'll get it working, no problem."
"Oh! Oh! Can I help, Miss Kitty?" Agitha asked, jumping up and down in excitement.
"Ugh…" the Twilight Princess groaned in aggravation. "I guess you can… Just don't get in my way, kid. Ok?"
"Ok!" the insect princess said with a bright grin, spinning her parasol in her hands.
"Good," Midna said with an authoritative nod. "Now, come on, scarf boy. Lead the way!"
"Wait!" Link called out after the Twilight Princess and the insect princess, neither of which listened to him as they already left the keep. However, that didn't stop the slightly annoyed hero from turning to the princess one last time before he left. "Zelda… are you sure you're going to be ok here all by yourself?" he asked with concern.
"I'll be fine, Link," Zelda said with a smile, appreciating the fact that he worried for her. "I can handle myself, as you've already seen. Now, get going! Like you said before: you have a sword you need to get."
The hero couldn't help but smile upon hearing this, hearing the clear confidence for him in the princess's tone as it inspired him to action yet again. And so, without any further doubts or questions, Link was off, leaving Zelda behind to watch with a proud smile as he went to fulfill his destiny.
Accounting for their shared stoicism and tact, Fi and Impa made a pretty formidable team as they worked their way through the crowd of ghost soldiers that was impeding their path. The Sheikah guardian's giant blade was more than enough to handle the weaker weapons of the specters, and as she defeated each one, they would merely disappear into nonexistence, leaving not so much as a trace behind. Likewise, the sword spirit cleaved through any obstacle she faced undaunted, using her sword form and her own sacred light to send the ghost soldiers back to their graves. Thankfully, the Statue of Servitude was the closest one to the allied base, so it took the pair no time at all to reach it. Without question, the keep it rested within was lined with ghost soldiers as well, but both Impa and Fi knew it was nothing they couldn't handle.
Through an unspoken agreement, the Sheikah guardian covered the sword spirit as she approached the statue, making sure that she could perform her task without being hindered. For a long moment, Fi simply stood before the statue as if to examine it, before she suddenly darted high into the air. As she plummeted back down, the sword spirit transformed into the form of the Goddess Sword and spun in fast swipes, before finally landing tip-first as the blade dug into the ground, emitting a bright golden light. In response to this, a golden projection of the Triforce appeared over the statue's hands, signifying that it had been activated.
"I can report that the Statue of Servitude has been successfully activated," Fi said as she resumed her spirit form. "However, it will take time for it to fully awaken. I suggest that we remain here until it has properly done so."
"It seems we have no choice but to," Impa said as she ripped her blade into the chest of another ghost soldier, instantly dissipating him in the process. "It looks like we're completely surrounded."
"Allow me to be of some assistance then," the sword spirit said as she leapt into action, gracefully spinning her cloak out as its sharp ends tore into the circle of specters surrounding her. The Sheikah guardian nodded with satisfaction as she fought alongside her ally, hoping that it wouldn't take too terribly long for the statue to completely awaken.
"What's the matter, Link?" Midna asked tauntingly as she raced ahead of the hero on her Twilit wolf, laughing as she watched him try to keep pace with her. "Can't keep up?"
"Why do you even need a wolf to carry you around anyway?" Link asked in annoyance, trying his best to catch his breath after running as fast as he could in order to show her the way. "You can float!"
"Well, yeah I can float," the Twilight Princess said with a shrug. "But this little wolf reminds me of another little wolf that I used to pal around with, and in turn, you remind me of him. Don't think about it too much though. You might hurt that little head of yours."
The hero groaned in aggravation as he rolled his eyes at her antics while she simply laughed at his expense. "Were you this hard on him?" he asked, calling up ahead to her since she was still a ways in front of him.
"Oh no," Midna said with a casual grin as she thought of her own hero. "I was much harder on him. I'm only going easy on you because we just met. Just you wait; the best is yet to come!"
"Great…" Link said sarcastically, glancing back behind him to see that Agitha was not even concerned with keeping up with them as she tried to catch some nearby dragonflies. However, as the hero looked ahead towards the Twilight Princess, who in turn was still grinning back at him, he quickly noticed the newfound obstacle in her path and was quick to warn her about it. "Midna! Look out!"
"Wha-" Midna didn't even have time to finish before her wolf plowed headfirst into the ghost soldier that had suddenly appeared right before her. The Twilight Princess let out a cry of surprise as she landed roughly on the ground, her wolf dissipating into flecks of Twilight.
"Well, aren't you a rather large annoyance…" Midna muttered in disdain as she glared up at the ghost soldier, quickly rising to float once more. "Hey!" she shouted to Link, who had already began to race to her side. "Get over here and lend me a hand, will you?!"
"I'm on it!" the hero shouted as he finally reached the ghost soldier and thrust his blade forward, only narrowly missing the specter. The Twilight Princess was the next to launch an attack as she curled her hand into a fist, sending it hurling towards the enemy's head. While the ghost soldier was distracted with repelling Link, it failed to see Midna's strike and was abruptly barreled down by the sheer force of it, giving the hero the perfect opening to defeat the specter and clear their path.
"Well, that was pretty smooth, if I do say so myself," the Twilight Princess said with a snicker as she winked at the hero.
"I'd say it was," Link said with a nod and smile of agreement.
"Hey!" Agitha suddenly interrupted their rapport as she hurried towards the two with a frown of disappointment on her face. "Were you two playing with that spooky ghostie without me?!"
"Don't worry, Agitha," the hero said, giving the girl a good-natured smile while Midna merely rolled her eyes. "We'll let you take on the next one."
"Yay!" the insect princess cheered in jubilation, already racing forward in anticipation of their next encounter. Link and Midna exchanged a glance upon seeing her enthusiasm, the hero smiling in amusement over it as the Twilight Princess simply crossed her arms and shook her head. Nonetheless, the trio continued onward towards the Statue of Twilight, ready to take down any ghost soldier that got in their way.
The closest statue to the allied base by far was the Statue of Wave and Flame, however, the path to get there was anything but clear. Ruto, Darunia and Lana had to deal with quite a few obstacles in their path, specifically the regiment of ghost soldiers lining nearly every inch of the pathway. Of course, all three of them were strong in their own rights, especially against an army that was already dead, but they found that the more specters they defeated, the more would materialize in their place. What the ghostly hordes lacked in strength, they certainly made up for in numbers, something that the three allies were learning the hard way.
"Yeesh! We're really being blocked here, huh?!" Darunia called out as he swung his hammer into one of the ghost soldiers roughly.
"I know, right?" Ruto huffed in annoyance as she pelted a line of ghosts with a heavy wave. "It feels like we've barely moved an inch since we started!"
"Come on, guys!" Lana encouraged as she blocked a strike using one of her barriers. "We just gotta outlast them! I know it's just us three against all of them, but we have to push them back! In fact… That gives me an idea… Both of you, get behind me!"
Ruto and Darunia were quick to listen to the white sorceress as she held her tome out in front of her, closing her eyes as it began to glow with a blue aura. Lana let out a deep breath as she held her arms out wide while the book continued to levitate, and as she lifted her hands up into the air, three thick, wide magical barriers rose out of the ground. The white sorceress opened her eyes and smiled as she saw how they were protecting them, not even noticing the fact that the Goron patriarch and the Zora princess were looking at her with complete awe as she pushed her hands forward, commanding the barriers to move forward as well. Moving slowly, the trio inched their way forward as the barriers continued to protect them on all sides, keeping the attacking ghost soldiers at bay as they slowly but surely made their way to the statue without incident.
"Ok, we're here," Lana said with a satisfied, yet tired smile, finally dissipating the barriers as they arrived at the Statue of Wave and Flame. "Time for you guys to activate that statue."
"That was amazing!" Ruto exclaimed, still staring at the white sorceress in disbelief. "How did you do that?"
"Oh, that?" Lana asked with a bashful laugh. "It was nothing. Just some simple lightning barrier magic…"
"I've never seen anything like that before!" Darunia said, equally as amazed as the Zora princess. "Can everyone in this time period use magic like that?"
The white sorceress giggled cheerfully, shaking her head as she held her book against her chest. "Oh, no, just me," she said, appreciating their awe, even if her magic wasn't that amazing in her own eyes. "But hey, you guys have some pretty incredible abilities too! After all, you're the only ones who are able to activate this statue!"
"Oh right!" the Goron patriarch exclaimed, having briefly forgotten about the task at hand. "Well, we might as well get to it! What should we do?"
"Hm…" Lana mused, examining the statue from afar. "I'm not really sure… Darunia, why don't you try hitting the fire medallion with your hammer, and Ruto, try dousing the water medallion at the same time. That might do something…"
"Well, I suppose it's worth a try…" the Zora princess mused as her and the Goron patriarch approached the statue, each in different ways. While Ruto moved gracefully and elegantly, holding her Zora scale up as an orb of water surrounded her hand, Darunia heaved his hammer above his head as flames converged around it with gusto and impressive strength. And, with a synchronized nod, both of them let their attacks go at the same time, striking the two medallions in perfect harmony.
As the trio had hoped, the mark of the Triforce appeared above the statue's hands immediately after the water and fire was unleashed upon it, showing that it was now active. "Great!" the white sorceress said with a congratulatory smile. "Now… I don't think its fully awakened yet, but it's on its way. I say we stay here and wait for it, just in case it needs a little more fire and water. What do you guys think?"
"Very well," Ruto said with a nod. "I suppose we can stand to wait around a bit longer."
"Yeah!" Darunia said, giving a daring grin to the ghost soldiers that had begun flooding into the keep. "And beside, that will give us a chance to knock some heads in until it's done!"
"Which of course," the Zora princess said, sharing a laugh with the white sorceress as they watched the Goron patriarch get to work. "Is always a grand time…"
"And, there!" Midna proclaimed as she watched the mark of the Triforce shine in front of the Statue of Twilight after she pelted a ball of Twilit magic upon it. "Looks like it worked, but it will probably take a while for it to fully wake up. Why don't we stay here until it's ready?"
"How long is that going to take?" Link asked, still a bit anxious about the ghost soldiers refusing him entrance to the temple earlier. Though he had no reason to doubt what Impa had told him earlier about their false judgement, he couldn't be certain until he made into the temple himself.
"I don't know," the Twilight Princess said with a shrug. "But my, aren't we hasty. Calm down. Take a moment to relax before we have to go back out there and fight more of those pesky ghosts. Not being able to sit still must be a running theme in you heroes."
"It's not that," the hero said with a frown. "I just… I need to get in that temple."
"Yeah, yeah, to get the sword, I know," Midna said, already well aware of the situation.
"Not just for that," Link said with a sigh. "If I can't even get into the temple, then how am I supposed to prove that I'm really the hero?"
"Oh…" the Twilight Princess said in realization, her sarcastic manner slightly diminished upon hearing this. "You don't wanna disappoint your girlfriend, do you?"
"Zelda's not my girlfriend!" the hero exclaimed in embarrassment.
"Wow, I didn't even have to mention Zelda and I got you to blush!" Midna said with a rowdy laugh at his expense. "But listen, Link… Just for the record, I really do think you're the hero, even if you haven't exactly proved yourself yet. And do you know why?" The hero shook his head in response to this question, prompting the Twilight Princess to continue. "Because my Link had the exact same doubts that you're having. When he first found out he was the hero, he went on and on about how he didn't think he was special enough, or that he wasn't sure he could do live up to his predecessors. Now, I have to admit that, at first, I wasn't exactly the… nicest to him, so I just told him to suck it up and do what he had to do. And you know what? Over time, he grew into his role perfectly, almost as if he was born for it, which he probably was. That's why I can tell you're meant to be a hero too. You both have that same spark in your eyes, a spark that says that you're not going to give up, no matter who or what you're up against. It says that you're strong enough to take down an army, but that you care enough to risk your life to do so. And drawing some stupid sword isn't going to prove that as much as you fighting for what you believe in will."
Link was silent for a long moment upon hearing all of this, realizing that Midna's explanation of what she believed a hero to be was more natural and beautiful than how Impa had explained it to him earlier. Perhaps a part of being a hero lied in sacrifice and selflessness, but another large part of it also had a lot to do with determination and willpower. And yet, perhaps there were so many parts to being a hero that Link had scarcely begun to understand everything that it entailed yet and maybe he never would. But for whatever the role of the hero would require of him, then he knew he would do his best to rise to the occasion, regardless of whether or not it was his destiny.
"Thanks, Midna," the hero said with a sincere smile. "I didn't know you could be so… encouraging."
"Yeah, well don't expect it too often," the Twilight Princess said aloofly, not particularly liking such sentiments too much. "I just figured you needed a little confidence boost. And it looks like I was right; not surprising, considering I always am…"
The pair shared a short laugh, one that even Agitha shared in on, even though she hadn't been listening too much of their conversation amidst admiring a nearby anthill. However, as they enjoyed it, a soft green glow began to surround the Statue of Twilight, catching their attention immediately.
"Oh, hey! Look at that," Midna said with a pleased nod. "Looks like she finally woke up."
Link took a step forward as he noticed that the statue's eyes had opened to reveal that they were an absolutely beautiful shade of green, and the moment he saw them, he knew there was no denying it any longer. Even though Proxi had told him that the statue bore the visage of the Goddess of Courage herself, he knew he had seen her somewhere before, or that he at least bore some sort of connection to her based on the innate closeness he felt to her upon merely looking at her.
"Hooray!" Agitha exclaimed in excitement, neither her nor Midna noticing that the hero was still staring at the statue. "Let's go back and tell Miss Zelda!"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming," the Twilight Princess said with a slight grin, though it faded as she looked over her shoulder at the hero. "Hey, you coming, scarf boy?"
Link took in a sudden breath as he blinked and ripped his gaze away from the statue, knowing that there was no time to dwell on this strange connection now. "Uh, yeah…" he said, heading off after the two princess to go back to the base. However, before he left the keep entirely, he couldn't help but glance back at the Statue of Twilight one last time, wondering just how a mere mortal such as himself could feel such a bond with the illustrious Goddess of Courage, one of the very creators of the world and mother of all courage herself, who was still smiling down upon him as if she were truly there.
Ok, so it took a while for the action to get kicked off in this chapter, but I can promise that there's more to come in the next one, in which we carry on this stage and up the DRAMA! :D But for now, I have quite a few things I'd like to discuss/promote, so listen up!
First of all, I recieved all of your varied responses about adding Tetra and Daphnes into this story, and while many of you were for it, I've thought a lot about it and I realized that I just couldn't think of a way to put them in here without ruining my plans completely. Now believe me when I say that I LOVE both of them, but as far as them being put in here... I just couldn't think of any way for it to happen smoothly... I'm sorry...
BUT I do have some news that will cheer you up if you're disappointed by this news. Once Hyrule Warriors is over, I do plan on releasing a series of side stories/oneshots related to my rendition of it, featuring several what-if stories, character studies, and additions of characters that didn't make it in here (Such as a certain pirate captain and king). Now, I won't say much about it now as its still a work in progress in my mind, but I do have several ideas, so here's hoping I can make them come to life (I'll also be accepting requests for this one, so anything you want (within reason) I'll try to make happen!)
Finally, in one final bout of self promotion... For any of your Steven Universe fans out there, I'd like to announce my new SU story entitled "We Are the Crystal Gems", which will basically tell the story of Rose Quartz and the Crystal Gems. At the moment, only the prologue is posted, but I plan on working on it in intervals with this and Light and Shadow. So, if you'd like to check it out, hop on over to my profile and find it there! You won't be sorry!
Ok, ok. Promotion time over. Now its time for the chapter question, which, this time around is this: If you had to fight in a battle yourself, what one HW character would you like to be your lone ally? For me, I'd say... Impa. She's a master tactition, incredibly strong, and her sword alone can cut nearly anything down. So, feel free to let me know your answer in the REVIEWS! Until next time!