Three down. One to go. And cell service was back in Gerudo Desert. Link had accomplished a lot in a week's time. Bit by bit, his memories were coming back to him, and he was feeling more confident in himself and his abilities. But one thing continued to naw at him; the mystery that was Zelda and their relationship. Even more, he felt unsettled in the desert, like there was some bigger mystery he needed to solve. The feeling weighed heavily in the back of his mind, but he wasn't sure the reasoning for the haunting feeling.

He left Riju outside of Gerudo City and was driving the straight, quiet road through the desert and back towards Central Hyrule. All that was left was heading north-east to Zora's Domain. Then, they would be able to launch their attack against Ganon and, hopefully, reclaim the palace and Hyrule, ending the war.

Link let his arm hang out the window as he drove. The evening was fast approaching, bringing with it a cool, night breeze that would plunge the desert to chilling temps. The breeze kicked up the dust ahead of him.

Out of the dust cloud, Zelda's car emerged, three others following suit and closing in quickly. Link slammed his foot down on the accelerator, driving himself between the cars. The three vehicles that chased Zelda swerved, just narrowly missing him. He brought the car back around, leaning out the window and firing at the vehicles. The third shot popped one of the tires and the car swerved until it skid to a stop.

The other two cars, however, had closed in on Zelda. One pulled ahead and inched closer until she lost control and the car spun against the sand before coming to a stop. As Link neared, two men jumped out of their vehicles, their weapons raised at Link. Link fired two more rounds and the first man dropped to the ground. He ducked into the cover of his car, reloading quickly, but when he leaned back out the window, the other man was dragging Zelda out of the car.

Link slammed his car to a stop just before them and jumped out, his gun raised and ready, but the man was not about to give up. He pressed the barrel of his gun against Zelda's head. Even behind his mask, Link could tell by the way his eyes pulled up at the corners that he was grinning at him.

"Let her go," Link growled.

"I can't do that," he said. "You know how this works. Drop the gun and I won't have to kill her."

He had a feeling he knew what would come next. "Fine." Link lowered himself slowly and let the gun drop on the ground. Just as he predicted, the man's grip loosened just slightly and he moved to point his weapon at Link. But Link was two steps ahead, quickly pulling another gun out from behind him and firing a shot before the man shot his. He dropped to the ground and Zelda didn't waste a second sprinting through the sand towards Link, practically falling into his arms and sobbing.

The engine of the car purred, waiting. Link hadn't even realized that he had stopped driving. He looked out into the desert where the memory had seemed to play out before his eyes, and in that moment, he was filled with an intense desire to save Zelda.

It all came together, forcefully, all at once, and it felt as if he had taken a blow to the chest. And not just memories, but emotions heavier than he could have imagined. The pains of loss and betrayal. Confusions and doubts. Anger and fear. And love. It all came at him. The Yiga Clan. Dorian. The Master Sword.

Zelda.

"You seem to have it all together." "Good. That's how it should seem. I don't get to have it anything but together." "For what it's worth, you don't have to around me, you know."

She always hated staying in those motels. But while they were there, even for a moment, it felt safe.

Link's hands were cupped around her's. Her trembling hands grew steady. She had leaned against him. "Would you have chosen a different path?" "It's not so bad if it means crossing with yours." "I guess we're just where we're meant to be, then."

He worried for her, every moment they were apart. And he worried what would come of her, if anything had happened to him. He wanted nothing more than to protect her and keep her safe, no matter what the cost.

"I've done everything I've been told to do to find this power. Everyone in my family has heard the voices from the spirit realm. But I don't hear or feel anything! Curse you! Please just tell me. What is it? What's wrong with me?"

He could do a lot of things. He was a trained fighter, a skilled shooter, a master at deception. Everything he was trained to do was in the name of protecting Zelda and saving Hyrule. Yet the only thing he really wanted to do was see her smile, keep her confident, and make her see she was so much more than a tool in this war, but he had failed her.

"You are worth protecting." Zelda moved closer to him, holding her gaze on his. His breath caught in his throat and his heart pulled for her. It was a feeling he had never felt before, but it was becoming more and more familiar when Zelda was close to him. In every smile, in every glance, in every touch, his body and heart begged for more. Her face was close to his at that moment and all he wanted to do was kiss her.

He wanted to hold her, feel her in the safety of his arms. He wanted to whisk her away like a medieval knight and bring her far away where she would never have to endure the pain of war. He wanted to take the hurt away from her and see that smile return to her lips and never fade away.

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. Link's lungs burned, struggling to take in oxygen. His vision blurred and the darkness crept in at the corners of his vision. He fought desperately against his failing body, but it overwhelmed him and his knees gave out, dropping to the ground. "No… no…" Zelda's voice was distant, pleading. Her hands were on him, pulling him against her. "Link! Get up!" She sobbed into the phone as she ordered for back up and a med flight. "You're going to be just fine." Link met her gaze one last time and the darkness swallowed him whole. "I'll always come back for you. I promise."

It all came flooding back to him and his breath caught in his throat. The pain of the memories ripped through his chest and he choked back an unexpected sob. He let his fist slam into the steering wheel and the car horn blared for a moment. He ran his hands through his hair and leaned back against the seat, staring at the ceiling of the car.

And then the rest of the pieces clicked into place. Impa was sending him out to regain power of the Divine Beasts, but he knew now that Ganon could not be stopped without the sword. Once all of the Divine Beasts were reclaimed, surely Impa would send him after the sword. How much of her plans were influenced by Dorian? Surely Dorian would want the Master Sword in his possession so that Link and Zelda would not be able to seal Ganon away. Dorian could not get his hands on the Master Sword, which meant that Link could not get it, either, or they would come after him and try to take it. But without it, they would lose the war with Ganon.

He had no choice. He had to get the sword. And he would have to protect it from Dorian's clutches with his life. The only problem: he had no idea where the Master Sword was. He had it when Ganon took over the palace, but what had happened to it after that? Was it possible that Dorian already had his dirty paws on it?

Link stepped out of the car, slamming the door angrily behind him and pulled out his phone. He dialed Impa's number, and she answered on the second ring.

"Link," her voice said. "It seems that cell service is -"

"Where's Dorian?" Link growled.

The line was quiet for a moment. Link strained to hear for any interference in the call, but it didn't really matter anymore. Dorian likely already suspected Link was onto him and was taking advantage of the fact that Link had no memory of what had happened. But maybe Link could twist that to his own advantage.

"Dorian's in the barracks," Impa said. She paused. "Have you regained your memory?"

Link hesitated, biting his lower lip. He wasn't sure if he could trust Impa, but he needed to find the Master Sword. "Where is the Master Sword?"

This time, Impa didn't falter. "It's back in the forest," she said. "Zelda had it brought there where it would be safe."

The forest. He remembered that strange place. It would be easy enough for him to find it and reclaim it.

"Have you activated all of the Divine Beasts?" Impa asked.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he growled.

"What are you-"

"Don't play dumb, Impa," Link hissed. "You left out some details in that hospital room. About Dorian."

"What are you planning, Link?"

He could hear the tension in her voice. She knew he was up to something. And he didn't really care any more if she was with the Yiga Clan or not. He wanted them to know his plan. He wanted them to know that he would come for them and he would destroy them.

"I'm going to destroy the Yiga Clan."

"You will not," Impa said fiercely.

Link's pulse quickened. "And why is that?"

"Because at this moment, Dorian is prepping the Sheikah for an assault on their base."

Link recalled the map Dorian had shown him, the X that marked the spot where the Yiga hideout was.

"Dorian has been working closely with Kohga," Impa continued, "and by this time tomorrow morning, Kohga and his army will be in our custody for interrogation."

"Interrogation?" Link's face heated with anger. "What the fuck do you think they're going to tell you that we don't already know?"

"The Yiga Clan were once Sheikah," Impa reminded him bitterly. "They were once my men who betrayed us. Do not interfere, Link. This is not your war."

"This was my war the moment you dragged me into it," Link barked at her. "This was my war the moment Ganon murdered my friends. I will not rest until Zelda is safe and I get my hands around Ganon's neck."

"Then go to the palace," Impa said. "Defeat Ganon."

"The Yiga Clan are working with him," Link argued. "They're as much my problem as Ganon is."

"Link." Impa's voice was sharp. "You are under my orders. Stop Ganon before he breaks through Zelda's seal. We cannot waste time. Leave the Yiga Clan to me."

"Or what?" Link hissed.

"You will be considered a traitor," Impa said, her voice steady. "If you interfere with our plans, I will have to assume that you are working with the Yiga, and you will be banished to the wastelands."

Link turned his gaze in the direction of the hideout as he remembered seeing it on the map. Impa was not one to make threats, and when she did, she did not take them lightly. If she was working with the Yiga Clan, it was only natural that she would try to lure him away from them. And now that she knew his plan, Link was certain she would warn them, and they would be expecting him. But, if she was innocent, her threat was empty. She wouldn't go through with such a punishment. But there was no doubt she would be furious with him either way. He couldn't tell if Impa was being truthful with him or not, but he no longer cared. As far as he was concerned, he was doing things his way, and he had been before he ended up in that hospital. He wasn't about to let the Yiga Clan live. If he could destroy them now, that would likely leave Ganon without any back up, making him more vulnerable. Without the Yiga Clan, there would be no threat to him, Zelda, or the Master Sword. It only made sense to get rid of them now. And if Impa thought taking them as prisoner would go off without a hitch, she would be sorely mistaken. She would never get her hands on all of them. They would slip through her fingers and only complicate their war further.

Link ended the call without another word to Impa. He had already made up his mind, and he was certain that Impa would realize that, too. She could do what she wanted to him, but he was bringing the Yiga Clan down once and for all, even if it meant being marked as a traitor. No one would get their hands on him until he ended the war once and for all.

He turned back to the car and his eyes moved over the equipment he still had in his back seat. The weapons, the ammunition, the C4. He slid into the car behind the wheel and threw the car into gear. He veered off the road and across the desert, towards the Yiga Clan's hideout. He was going to take them down, and he knew exactly how he was going to do it.