The next morning, Link and Zelda left the city boundaries once more, making the drive to the third and final spring, the Spring of Wisdom. With little conversation between them, they drove south-east towards Mount Lanayru, following the road as far as it went to the base of the mountain. Unlike some of the other mountains in Hyrule, Mount Lanayru was not vehicle accessible due to its high elevation and thus its severe and unpredictable weather. But Link and Zelda were prepared to make the trek. Equipped with the best snow gear, they were sure to come through any snowstorm the mountain could throw their way.
Zelda grew anxious as they stepped out of the car. She looked up the mountain at its high peak. She was unsure of what was in store for her at the Spring of Wisdom. It was her last option, but she feared she would only end up disappointing her father and all of Hyrule. Such a heavy burden to bear. If she was unsuccessful, she didn't know what more they could do. And she was sure the thought weighed heavily on Link's mind as well.
They threw on their heavy jackets, their gear on their backs, and Link spoke, but it was not of their mission ahead.
"I almost forgot to wish you a happy birthday," he said casually.
Zelda smiled at him as she zipped up her coat. "You still haven't."
Link fastened his gear on his back and returned her gaze with a genuine smile. "Happy birthday."
Zelda sighed. "Thanks. I just hope things go well up there."
"Everything will be fine," he said in his best attempt to reassure her.
Together, they faced Mount Lanayru and began the trek up the mountain.
It would have been far less tedious if it weren't for the snowstorm that was brewing as they scaled the mountain. And the higher they climbed, the worse it seemed to get. The wind whipped snow around their faces, and they did their best to bury themselves into their scarves. They huddled together as they stepped through the snow drifts and pushed their way through the freezing winds. Every time Zelda misstepped or slipped on ice, Link was there to catch her and pull her back to her feet. She found herself leaning on him more than she ever had before, but it felt good to have someone to lean on for once in her life.
Time didn't seem to move at all as they made their way up the mountain. Except for the violent wind and snow, the world around them was still. Nothing beyond the snowstorm seemed to exist. It was impossible to even tell how late in the day it was when all they could see was a sheet of white and grey. The sun was buried behind the clouds and snow and it was likely they would not see it again until they returned to the base of the mountain.
When they finally did reach the spring, the storm had seemed to lessened, perhaps because they were simply above the low hanging clouds. The sky was still grey, but the day was a little brighter without the covering of snow. And the spring, to their relief, was warm enough to let them shed their gear for a moment.
Like she had done at the other two springs, Zelda approached the goddess statue, her hands clasped together as she offered every ounce of energy she had into her prayers, desperately trying to awaken her sealing power. But just as they did at the Spring of Courage and the Spring of power, her efforts proved fruitless. Her prayers remained unanswered and her powers continued to slumber deep inside of her. With no hope left, Zelda fell to her knees and let the tears roll down her face.
She felt Link's arms around her and she let herself fall against him, burying her face against his chest as she sobbed softly. She hadn't wanted to break down like that, but in that moment, it was all she could do. She had tried for so long to keep it all together and now all she wanted to do was to give up.
"It's not over," Link's soft voice reminded her. He pressed his forehead against her and tightened his arms around her. "Don't give up."
"I don't know what else I can do," she sobbed. "Tell me what to do."
"We get off of this mountain," Link started. "There's still time. We can go back to the city. Or we can talk to Impa. Or where ever you want. We regroup, and we try something else."
"We're running out of time," Zelda said.
"We keep trying. We don't give up." He pushed her back and let his fingers wipe the tears off her cheeks. "Don't give up. I won't let you fail."
Zelda pinched her lips together and nodded. She let Link pull her to her feet and let him wrap her jacket around her. The snowstorm was still brewing just below, but that would not stop her from getting off that damned mountain.
The hike down the mountain seemed to go quickly and easier as the storm began to die down. When they reached the bottom, the clouds had parted and the sun was strong and warm against their chilled cheeks. They stood outside of the car and stripped out of their gear, tossing them carelessly into the trunk. Link closed the trunk, then sat atop of it.
"What do you want to do?" he asked Zelda.
The question seemed to resonate heavily in Zelda's mind, and it made her stomach churn sickeningly. What the hell were they supposed to do now?
One thing she was sure of: she didn't want to return to the palace. She couldn't. She couldn't face her father and tell him that she had failed. Not if she were out of options. But maybe Link was right; maybe Impa would be able to help her. She was the Sheikah leader, after all, and Zelda's most trusted advisor. After her mother died, Impa practically raised her and aided in her training. There had to be something more she could do, and Impa would be the one to ask.
"I guess we should go to Kakariko," Zelda said softly. "If there's any hope left for me, it would be there. Impa will know what to do. She has to."
Link nodded. He looked out over Hyrule. He could just barely see the palace from where they were. But something didn't seem quite right about it. The palace… the city… something was… off. He opened his mouth to speak, but at that moment, the ground started to tremble violently. He slid off the car, his gaze fixated on the palace as a dark sort of haze seemed to rise around it.
"What's going on?" Zelda asked anxiously. She followed Link's gaze, her heart sinking as she watched the darkness unfold around the city. "Link?" Her voice was desperate. "What's happening?" She couldn't take her eyes off of the darkness that continued to swirl about in the air, even as Link pulled her to his side.
Link fumbled for his phone and quickly dialed Daruk's number. Pick up, pick up, pick up…
As it rang, Link's mind ran wild. What if they were too late? What if Goron City was under attack? And the Ritos? The Zoras? The Gerudo? They could have been the first to be attacked, shutting down the Divine Beasts, leaving Hyrule defenseless. But they were each prepared for such a tactic, weren't they? Dammit!
And then Daruk answered. "Link? Are you alright? What's happening over there?"
Link breathed a sigh of relief. "Daruk. You're okay?"
"Yes, Link, what's going on?"
"Ganon," Link breathed. "I think this is it."
"What's the plan?"
"Zelda and I will go to the palace. On my signal, take him out. Tell the others."
"You can count on us," Daruk said triumphantly. "Be careful, brother."
Link ended the call and slipped the phone back into his pocket. Zelda stood close to him, trembling.
"We can't do this, Link," she said softly. "We're not ready."
"We don't have a choice," he said.
"We can't do it without my power."
"We need to stop him before he obliterates all of Hyrule. We'll figure out the rest later."
"How are we supposed to stop him?"
"We'll draw him out. Daruk and the others are ready. With the Divine Beasts and the Guardians on our side, we'll have no problem taking him out."
"Okay," Zelda said, her voice shaking. "Okay. Let's do it."
"I'll do it," Link said. He grabbed her arm and pushed her towards the car. "You're staying in Kakariko where it will be safe."
Zelda pulled her arm out of his grip. "Like hell," she hissed at him. "We're in this together. I'm going with you."
"You'll just get in the way," Link growled. "You're useless to me without that power."
"My power could awaken at any moment," she said. "If it does, you'll want me there."
"I can't possibly defend you and command an army," Link snapped.
"Fortunately for you," Zelda said, reaching down to pull a handgun out from the hidden holster inside her jeans, "I don't need to be defended."
"Where did you get that?" Link hissed.
Zelda grinned at him. "Stole it."
"You're not coming."
"You're wasting time arguing with me. I'm coming, and that's an order."
"I'm the boss."
"Not of me."
Link threw his hands in the air and turned away from her. He slid into the car, glaring at her as she slid in beside him. He turned the key in the ignition and gripped the wheel. "Promise me," he said. "If things get hairy, you get the hell out of there."
Zelda hesitated, looking him over. "Okay," she said softly. "I promise."
Link sped across Hyrule and towards the city. The war had already begun, and just outside the city, Hyrule's army fought alongside the Guardians in an attempt to break through Ganon's defenses and reclaim the city and the palace. But the enemy's defenses held strong as the strange, dark haze rampaged through the city, destroying everything in its path and turning the city walls to rubble.
But as they neared the battlefield, something else seemed to take shape. Something terribly wrong. As they crested the peak of Whistling Hill, the battle had taken a deadly turn. The Guardians were no longer moving forward in their plan to to infiltrate Ganon's defenses, but instead had turned against the soldiers who fought alongside the machines. Soldiers scrambled out of the cockpits, some seemingly being ejected violently by the machines themselves. The Guardians turned their deadly blasts onto Hyrule's army. The soldiers, not quick enough to escape the attacks, nor with any means to protect themselves from such deadly blasts, were quickly annihilated.
Link and Zelda watched in horror as the Guardians wiped out the soldiers en masse. Bodies were strewn across the battlefield as the Guardians marched through their defenses. Bullets ricocheted off of them, hardly making dents in their exteriors. Link turned his gaze to the sky as Ganon's power struck the land. The darkness swirled through the sky, then shot across in four directions, each attack heading straight for the Divine Beasts that were perched and ready for their assault. The attacks made contact with each of the Divine Beasts, and the familiar blue glow to the machines turned to a wicked red. The beasts, now under Ganon's control, turned their attacks onto Hyrule, obliterating the land, the towns, and the innocent people who were unfortunate enough to be in their paths.
Homes and towns erupted into flames that engulfed them immediately. The fire burned strong and fierce, even as the clouds rolled in and rain fell heavily around them. The Guardians turned their attacks to the collapsing villages around Hyrule, chasing people out of their homes and destroying them with sickening ease. Their mechanical legs crushed everything in their path as they fired mercilessly at everything in their way.
"No," Zelda muttered as she watched the events unfold before her eyes. Her gaze was fixed on the Divine Beasts. "What's happening? No!"
Link threw the car into gear. They, too, had been spotted by the Guardians as they made their way across the rolling countryside. Link slammed his foot against the gas and the tires spun against the wet ground for a moment before catching traction and lurching them forward. He sped towards the pavement and followed the empty road as fast as he could push the car. But the Guardians had closed in quickly and they were preparing their deadly blasts.
"Hang on," Link warned Zelda, and the car careened off the pavement and across the grass. Behind them, a blast hit the pavement, just missing them by inches.
Link swerved his way across the grass, in and out of trees and through burning towns as the Guardians continued their pursuit. The blasts continued to follow, and to his relief, the gap between them grew. But his momentary victory was soon lost as the ground dropped away to the canyon. He cursed loudly as he spun the car around, drive frantically along the edge, but the Guardians were closing in. Instead of letting them corner him, Link turned the car once more in hopes of flanking them, but they closed the gap quicker than he anticipated, their blasts now coming at them head on.
Link continued to swerve the car, narrowly dodging each blast and the mechanical legs as they neared. The gap between them started to grow once more until they neared a thin forest. He attempted to swerve around the trees, but the tires began to skid and lose traction, and Link lost control of the car. It spun around until they faced the approaching Guardians, and at that moment, one of their blasts landed just on the edge of the car, sending it flipping into the trees, and Link's vision went dark.