Fear and adrenaline propelled them forward as Link and Zelda ran across the countryside of Hyrule towards Fort Hateno. To Link's dismay, however, the fort was just barely holding on in their own battle against the Guardians. The machines were scattered around Blatchery Plain and were moving quickly towards the fort in an attempt to overrun in. The soldiers stationed there stood their ground as the machines approached. Machine guns peppered the air with bullets, but their weapons proved to be useless against the outer skin of the Guardians.

There was no way they'd get to the fort without being seen by the Guardians, which left only one solution: a mad dash towards the fort. Link wasn't sure how much longer it would hold up to the blasts of the Guardians, but if he could get Zelda through and into Hateno, it would be enough. At the very least, it would offer her a chance to escape before the Guardians got through the fort. And if luck was on their side, she would be long gone before the Guardians reached the town. Impa would keep her safe, he could count on that.

Link pulled Zelda close to him as they stood on the edge of the field, neither of them noticed yet by the Guardians. "Head straight for the fort," Link said to her. "Don't stop, no matter what. Don't stop until you get to Hateno. If Impa isn't there, keep going. The fort should stand long enough for you to escape."

"I can't," Zelda sobbed.

"You have to," he hissed. "Don't let this all be for nothing."

Zelda swallowed and nodded and Link pulled her once more into a mad dash across the field. It wasn't long before the Guardians spotted them and turned their blasts onto them, chasing them madly through the field.

Before they knew it, the Guardians had them surrounded, and their blasts came one after another, nearer and nearer to them. They continued to dodge each attack, heading for the protection of some ruins amidst the field. Link pushed Zelda to the ground as another blast came their way and the ground exploded around them, sending debris flying. Link threw himself over her Zelda in an attempt to block the majority of the debris. When it seemed safe, he tried to pull her up with him, but his knees gave way under his own weight.

He pushed the sword into the ground as he struggled to get to his feet once more. His lungs burned with each gasping breath and his head ached and spun sickeningly. His body hurt more than it ever had before, in too many places to count. He winced as Zelda grabbed his shoulder, her voice pleading with him. He could just barely hear her over the roll of thunder. His vision started to darken at the corners and his heart raced. He couldn't let this be the end yet. Not until Zelda was safe.

"Link, save yourself," she begged him. His weak, bloodied body trembled with each forced breath he took. She tightened her grip on him desperately. "Go! I'll be fine! Don't worry about me! Run!"

Link ignored her and pushed himself onto his feet once more, pulling the sword up with him as he stumbled backwards. He looked up as another Guardian came into sight, its target locking onto them. It was too close to them now - too close for them to escape. But he could at least protect Zelda from its blast. Link straightened as best as he could in an attempt to shield Zelda.

"No!"

But Zelda pushed herself in front of Link in a desperate attempt to save him from death. She threw her arm in the air and at that moment, a blinding light emitted from her palm, shooting across the land. The light stunned the Guardians, freezing them in their assault. Their deadly glows faded and they dropped to the ground.

Zelda watched in shock as the light diminished and the Guardians fell, one by one, their wicked red glows fading once and for all. She lowered her arm and stared at her hand as a piece of the Triforce faded away. She recognized it as the Triforce of Wisdom. "Was... was that... the power…"

She froze, her thoughts cut short as something hit the ground behind her. She spun around to see Link lying on the muddied ground, motionless, and her heart dropped, settling sickeningly in her stomach.

"No… no…" She hurried to his side, falling to her knees in the mud. She put her hands on him, shaking him, her voice pleading with him. "Link! Get up!" She pulled him into her lap as he came to for a moment. She scrambled for her phone, digging it out of her pocket. She could barely see the numbers on the screen through her tears as she dialed. She sobbed into the phone as she ordered for back up and a med flight.

"You're going to be just fine," she said as she pocketed her phone. She forced her voice to remain steady, but she didn't believe her own words. Her heart raced, panicked, as Link met her gaze one last time before closing his eyes with a sigh. His body fell limp in her arms and she cried out to him, but it was useless.

Zelda buried her face against him as she sobbed. Her broken heart threatened to rip out of her chest, if only to find its way into Link to bring him back. She would have done anything to make that possible. She held his hand in her's, his skin still warm. The rain continued to fall as she pressed her face up against his, her tears falling against his cheeks. She whispered his name over and over and her fingers caressed his cheek. The word was still and quiet around them; as lifeless and defeated as she felt in that moment.

So much so that she almost didn't notice the soft, pulsing sound that had to have been a result of her grief-stricken imagination. But the sound grew, and it sounded sweet. It wasn't a pulse, but a voice, calling to her. A voice she did not recognize, but a voice that brought hope to her heart.

She looked up from Link's chest and noticed, then, the soft blue glow coming from the Master Sword. She stared at in in disbelief as the voice continued to call to her. With each call, the glow pulsed around the sword.

"The sword? So he can… he can still be saved?"

The familiar sound of approaching helicopters caught her attention and she turned her eyes to the sky. She watched as three helicopters closed in, then hovered above them for a moment. Her hair whipped around her face as one of them lowered just yards away from them. Men jumped out before the helicopter even touched the ground, working frantically to come to Link's aid.

Zelda watched helplessly as they pulled Link away from her. She felt a set of strong arms pull her to her feet. Voices shouted to her. A hard grip tightened around her shoulders. Her shattered heart pulled in her chest as she watched the team pull Link's body into the helicopter. It didn't waste a second taking to the air. Zelda forced her gaze off of the helicopter, meeting the concerned gaze of one of the Hylian soldiers. Before them, another helicopter landed.

"Are you alright?" the soldier repeated to her.

She knew in that moment what needed to be done. "Don't let him die," she said fiercely. "If he dies, Hyrule will fall."

"He's in good hands," the soldier assured her. "We need to get you to the hospital, too."

Zelda pulled away, out of his hard grip. "No," she said quickly. "I'm fine." She turned her gaze onto the helicopter. "Bring me to the palace."

The soldier stared blankly at her. "Princess… we're at war. The palace has been seized."

"Take me to the palace," she shouted at him. "I'm the only one who can hold Ganon back until he can be defeated. Without my power, he will completely take over Hyrule. I can hold him back until he is defeated."

The soldier hesitated. "I can see about getting our troops -"

Zelda shook her head. "No. Don't waste more lives in this fight. They won't be able to get through the Guardians, let alone get to Ganon. I can hold him back, but Ganon won't go down without the Master Sword, and only Link can draw the power from it." She picked up the sword carefully and held it out for the man to take. "Return the sword to the Great Forest," she instructed. "Only there will it be safe until Link can return."

The soldier took the sword, hesitant. It was clear he did not believe Link would survive and he was skeptical of her plan.

"That's an order," Zelda hissed.

The soldier nodded. "I don't know how close we can get you to the palace," he said to her. "It has been overrun with Guardians and they'll shoot down our helicopters."

"Just get me as close as you can," she said. "I can handle the rest."

Zelda followed the soldier into the helicopter. She watched the world fall away as they were lifted into the air. She let her gaze settle on Blatchery Plain, an ache in her chest as she watched it grow smaller and smaller until they were high in the air. She turned to the horizon, and in the distance, the darkness that belonged to Ganon continued to swirl about the palace. Her brows knit together fiercely as her eyes settled on the sight. She wouldn't let Ganon win. She would do everything in her power to stop him.

Her hair whipped about her face as the helicopter brought her towards the palace. She glanced one last time towards Blatchery Plain and Fort Hateno.

Don't forget to come for me, Link.