Gunshots rang out. Link counted them; one… two… three-four…
Sidon was at his side. He pulled Link to his feet. Link leaned against him for a moment, watching as Dorian's body dropped. Kohga's spirit flew out of Dorian before his body landed on the ground and he swirled through the air frantically.
Link dashed over the ground, swiping the Master Sword up with him as Kohga changed direction, flying erratically towards it. Kohga headed straight for Link, and Link thrust the sword in the air as Kohga approached, slicing the apparition up the middle and it burst above him. Spectral-like dust scattered and rained down, disappearing in mid air, and the world fell silent.
From behind him, Link heard Dorian groan. He turned as Sidon hurried to Dorian's side to inspect the damages. Link let his eyes scan the scene. The Sheikah soldiers were returning to their feet, their hands rubbing at their heads. They looked around at each other, slightly disoriented as they came out of their trances. Zelda stood off to the side of the canyon, the gun still in her hand. Even from the distance where she stood, Link could see her arms were shaking, the gun loose in her hand like she were about to drop it. Link dropped the sword and hurried to her, taking the gun from her shaking hands.
"I tried not to kill him," she said, her voice shaking. "I thought… I thought I could just… just stop him..."
Link pulled her into his arms. "You're fine," he said. "Dorian is fine. You did perfectly." He pulled her tighter and glanced back over at Dorian. He was leaning against Sidon. Two of Zelda's shot must have missed, by the other two were hits. One looked to have grazed his right leg just on the outer thigh while the other hit his upper arm. Sidon said something to him and Dorian nodded. Dorian turned his sorrowful gaze to Link, then averted his eyes.
"That was insane!" Riju's voice said. She bounded up to Link and Zelda. "Did you see that spirit? It had Dorian possessed, alright!"
Link guided Zelda down the canyon where Teba and Yunobo waited. Riju trailed excitedly behind them, and Sidon and Dorian followed slowly as Dorian limped along.
"Take her to Kakariko," Link said to Teba.
"No," Zelda said quickly, her hands on Link's arm. "No, where are you going?"
"I'm putting that damn sword where it belongs," Link said. "Where no one can get it for another thousand years."
Teba let a gentle wing rest on Zelda's shoulder, but Zelda didn't move from Link's side.
"Go," Link said sternly. "I'll meet you there, okay?"
"But-"
"Nothing's going to happen. It's over." He tried his best to offer her a reassuring smile. It must have worked, because Zelda didn't continue arguing with him. She let Teba lead her down the road to the car, where Riju had already skipped ahead and waited with a grin on her face. Link watched as they piled into the car. Sidon and Dorian finally closed the gap between them and stood at Link's side.
"Take some of my men," Dorian instructed, still avoiding Link's gaze. He looked ahead across the canyon where three of the Sheikah helicopters waited. "Take one of the choppers to the forest."
Link folded his arms over his chest. "Last time I did that -"
"Get rid of that damn sword and get your ass back to Kakariko," Dorian interrupted in a low growl.
Link said nothing further as Dorian barked orders at his soldiers. The Sheikah army split themselves between the three helicopters, a small group of them standing aside to go with Link to the forest. Link watched as Sidon helped Dorian limp over to one of the helicopters. The Sheikah soldiers pulled him onboard where he disappeared, and Sidon returned to the waiting vehicles.
Link turned around and picked up the sword he carelessly dropped on the ground. He turned it over in hands for a moment before turning back around as one of the helicopters came to life and lifted off the ground. Once it was clear from the canyon, the second one followed suit. Link followed the Sheikah soldiers to the last helicopter, where they climbed on and quickly took to the sky. While the other two turned to the east for Kakariko, their helicopter moved north towards the forest.
It took them only an hour to reach the outskirts of the forest where the helicopter landed. Link jumped out before it even made contact with the ground, the Master Sword in hand. He didn't bother argue with the two Sheikah soldiers that entered the forest with him. In fact, he hardly spoke two words to any of them since they boarded the helicopter. He ignored them as they mumbled to themselves, intrigued by the confusing structure of the forest. He didn't answer their questions, convinced they were walking in circles. He didn't hear the same voice he had heard before, guiding him through the forest. But the sword did seem to glow brighter as he moved about the trees until they finally reached the center of the forest.
The two soldiers looked on in awe as Link stepped towards the pedestal before the Great Deku Tree. He positioned the blade above the stone, then thrust it back in where it would sit for who knew how long in the protection of the forest. The glow of the blade brightened momentarily before subsiding, and the forest fill still. Link held his gaze on it for a moment, feeling almost sad to part with it, as if he were leaving behind a part of him. But he let out a breath and turned away from the sword, grateful that it was finally over.
It was late in the evening when they finally returned to Kakariko. Zelda and Impa were just outside the barracks when the helicopter landed, and Zelda threw herself into Link's arms when he jumped out. They followed Impa inside where Dorian and the four newly appointed champions waited. Link and Zelda stood before Impa, Dorian standing just slightly behind her, his arm now in a sling. He had on fresh clothing, free of dirt and blood. He rested his weight on his left foot slightly, but otherwise, there was no sign that he had been shot in the leg. His eyes were cast down to the ground, his expression sullen. The strong, authoritative figure Link had grown to know seemed to have been completely repressed with shame.
"The sword," Impa said. Her hard gaze rested on Link's. "It's back in the protection of the forest?"
"Yes," Link said simply.
Impa nodded, her eyes closed for a moment. "We are in your debt. If it weren't for you and your and your newly appointed champions, Kohga would have gained control of the entire Sheikah army, and Hyrule would have surely been lost to Ganon."
"Banishing me was an appropriate way to show how grateful you are," he muttered.
Impa narrowed her eyes at him. "You know that was not my doing," she said. "Kohga had us all possessed to do his bidding. He worked closely with Ganon, and it was because of Ganon's power that Kohga's spirit remained after you killed him." She paused. "Dorian was an obvious target considering his position with the Sheikah and the SFU. He possessed Dorian and managed to brainwash all of us into this mess in an attempt to take you out once and for all. Without you as a threat, he would have had no problem breaking Zelda's seal and bringing Ganon back."
To Link's surprise, instead of bearing down on him with her typical annoyed, angry glare, she averted her gaze.
"I'm ashamed that something as simple as that ever got by my defenses," she said. "I should have seen it coming. I should have been able to stop Kohga myself."
Link shifted his weight on his feet. "Apology accepted," he said with a shrug.
Impa shook her head and sighed, but a small smile split her face. She turned her gaze to Zelda. "Are you prepared to return to the city?"
Zelda hesitated. "I don't think I have much of a choice," she muttered.
Impa smiled warmly at her. "You have a country to rule," she said. "Just as your father had done. They are waiting for your reassurance and guidance. You will not be alone, though, I promise you that."
Zelda sucked in a breath and straightened. "Thank you," she said softly. She checked Link at the corner of her eyes. His hands were shoved in his pockets and his eyes on the floor.
"Stay here tonight," Impa said. "We can worry about everything in the morning." She nodded to them and turned away, walking towards the door at the end of the room and disappearing around the corner. Dorian followed dutifully, leaving the six heroes alone in the central room.
Link turned around and smirked at Zelda. "Have fun with that," he said as he moved towards the double doors bringing him outside. He stood atop the steps as Zelda trotted after him. She narrowed her gaze at him.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You have responsibilities," he said, grinning at her. "But my job's done."
Zelda put her hands on her hips. "Your job is done?" she repeated. "I don't recall hearing you quit. You're still employed in the SFU, and now I'm your boss." She returned his grin, teasingly.
"That sucks," he said. "There's a strict no dating your boss policy, you know." He cocked a head at her and smiled crookedly.
Zelda blushed and averted her gaze. She looked out over the city. "Good thing we're not dating," she said.
Link made his way down the steps. "I think I'll ask out that red head I used to know," he said over his shoulder.
"For the love of Hylia," Riju's voice said from behind Zelda. She pushed her way through Sidon, Teba, and Yunobo with a grunt, then around Zelda and trotted down the steps. She stopped in front of Link, her hands on her hips. "You have such a way with words, you know that?"
Link grinned down at the short Gerudo leader. "Go home," he said simply, stepping around her and onto the road.
"I think we'll stay until tomorrow morning," she said as she looked over the city. "I've never been here before. Well." She paused and shrugged with one shoulder. "Last time I was here, we were busy with a rescue mission. Saving your ass."
Link barked a short laugh over his shoulder. "If that's what you want to call it."
Riju followed him onto the road, and Zelda, Teba, Sidon, and Yunobo followed suit. They stood for a moment on the hill, looking out over the city lights until Riju spoke again.
"Let's see what kind of trouble we can get into," she said with a grin. "There's drinks to be had and men to flirt with." She started to walk down the road, then shot a glare in the direction of the other champions. "Come on."
Teba muttered under his breath but followed her regardless. "Let's go," he said to Sidon and Yunobo.
"I don't want to flirt with men," Yunobo said, his brows furrowed together.
Sidon pulled at Yunobo's arm. "Don't worry," he said with a nod towards Teba. "We'll find you a cute girl."
Yunobo opened his mouth to argue, but Sidon pulled him forward, and they followed Riju down the long drive, out the front gates, and into the city.
Link folded his arms over his chest, certain that it was no accident that Riju left him and Zelda alone together.
"Does the red head have a name?" Zelda asked.
Link met her gaze and turned his gaze up thoughtfully. "I decided I'm not into red heads any more," he said with a shrug.
"Gorons, perhaps?"
Link rolled his eyes. He let his hands rest on Zelda's cheeks and pulled her towards him. He pressed his lips against hers and felt her body move in closer, pressing against him.
After a moment, Zelda pulled away slightly and looked up at Link. "So... Gorons?"
"Shut up," Link growled as a grin split her face. He pulled her in once more and pressed his lips hard against hers. Zelda's hands moved into his hair and she pulled him closer, deepening their kiss. But the sound of footsteps and voices pulled them away for a moment. Zelda met Link's gaze, their faces still close together, and a flirtatious smile pulled at the corner of her lips. She took Link's hand in hers, pulling him with her as she started back up the stairs. She held her gaze for a moment more before trotting up the steps, tugging Link along with her.