Author's Note: Welcome back everyone! So before we get started today, a lot of the time I forget that I'm posting this story across two different sites and don't take the time to differentiate those postings where I should. While Ao3 lets me respond to any and every comment I receive (something I do consistently and regularly), that isn't always true of the reviews here on FF so I'd like to take a few moments to respond to some of the people I've been unable to send a PM to the way I usually do. I get quite a few Guest reviews as well that are very supportive and I feel bad leaving so many responses untouched and without interaction, so I figured why not make up for lost time and do that here? Apologies for taking so long to acknowledge the reviews I couldn't interact with directly and individually until now!

Unsurprisingly, I do tend to avoid interacting with direct antagonism and hostility, especially on this site since the whole Mipha/Link disaster in my original posting of "If Things Had Been Different;" life's too short to waste on 'feeding the trolls,' so to speak. But, perhaps inadvisably, I'm even going to address that rude "reality check, dude" review that rubbed me the wrong way. Feel free to skip that if you don't care, it got a little long and my response doesn't matter to anyone else anyway.

However, positivity first because the people who've taken the time to support this work of mine absolutely deserve it and I appreciate you so very much!

...

To "Jose Lupez": First of all, thank you very much for your constant support and your flattering compliments across several of my stories, not just this one! I appreciate seeing your thoughts and I'm very glad you're enjoying the story as much as you are! I will absolutely be updating and continuing this tale each and every Friday evening for many months more as we make our way to the eventual ending; I can't wait to keep sharing this work with you and everyone else who chooses to read it! And don't worry, we will definitely be spending more time inside Hilda's head as Book III gets underway - there's a lot there that I'm excited to explore and keep sharing. You've left quite a few reviews and I've always wanted to interact with them here but it took me a while to realize I should just write it in the body of a posting so you would see it. Thank you again for all your consistent kindness and encouragement, I really appreciate it!

To my anonymous "Guests": thank you all for reading and taking the time to review this work! It's difficult to differentiate which Guest review I'm directly responding to, so I'll just give a blanket statement instead, which I hope doesn't feel lazy or cheapen my attempt to acknowledge you all – I really appreciate every kind word you've taken the time to leave for me and I hope I can keep you entertained and having fun with each new chapter! Thank you for coming back for more every week! Whether I can respond directly to you or not, know that I read each and every review you leave for me and I'm very thankful for your encouragement and support! You're all awesome!

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(You'll probably want to just skip this next one, I got a bit too wordy with it)

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To "Me": If you just don't like Aryll's personality, that's fine - everyone has their preferences and I don't fault you for yours. But it's exceptionally rude to just blindly insult a character an author has expressed a lot of love for without any kind of genuine criticism as to why you find them annoying. It's also disingenuous and a bad-faith argument to compare Aryll (who does not exist in BotW) to the rules or story of the game itself, especially when the rest of this work hardly follows BotW's rules or story either. This has always been an entirely *alternate* world and timeline - the existence of Zelda's wicked twin sister who fought alongside Link during the Calamity should make that abundantly obvious. Not once did I ever claim it to be an extension of the game or anything remotely close to it. The rules are bent and sometimes wholesale changed to fit a very different idea that happens to be set in a similar world, so arguing how Aryll (who still does not exist in BotW) would stack up against the in-game abilities and strengths of the Champions or even Link for that matter is rather pointless.

To your other point, though, I never once established or insinuated that Link is weak so I have no idea why you'd think Ganon had to be weak to match him. Link picked apart Sooga and the rest of the Yiga like wet paper in Chapter 7 and obliterated Ganon (at his full power) alongside Hilda long before the story began. His sister being able to match him isn't to the detriment of his abilities but rather to the credit of her own. And I don't think it's a stretch at all that Link's blood-related sister could be every bit as talented a warrior as he is. Aryll won't be changing and I stand by every single word I've written about her and her abilities - she has her own weaknesses just like Link and the Champions do but she can absolutely go toe-to-toe with anyone in Hyrule and hold her own. And I will *confidently* say she can because, aside from her name and relationship to Link, I invented everything else about her and she can be whatever I want her to be as long as it services the story I'm telling in a way that I feel is beneficial and fun. "Fact" and "reality" are whatever I decide they are in this project, regardless of whether you like it or not.

The good news here is that you, dude, can take a reality check of your own and accept that some media just isn't meant for you and that's okay. You don't have to force yourself to keep reading this story of mine when there are so many works on this site to choose from. In the future, I'd encourage you to offer your thoughts and criticisms to other authors using a more constructive tone rather than a hostile and offensive one. Being rude to strangers on the Internet doesn't make your opinion law - it only makes you seem small and petty, especially when it comes off as you demanding that an author tailor *their* work to *your* desires, which is absolutely the way your "review" reads. If you're somehow still on the fence about whether to continue reading or not, Aryll is not going anywhere and will have an even greater spotlight in Books III and IV - you won't enjoy it. With all that said, though, I do appreciate you giving this story a chance and I wish it had appealed to you more. Hopefully you'll find something else that does.

...

Apologies, everybody, for getting carried away on that last one. I promise I don't consider fair and measured criticism a personal affront. In fact, it's something I very much welcome in my efforts to improve as a writer. But that wasn't fair or measured criticism – just thoughtless bashing of a character, concept, and story I'm immensely proud of and passionate about. I've said many times that I just love Aryll to pieces and I'll definitely admit to letting myself get a little too defensive of her just then when I probably shouldn't have wasted my time or yours in responding at all. Sorry about that. That will be the last time I interact with "reviews" that are just nonsense masquerading as "facts" and, honestly, I hope most of you skipped my probably-pointless diatribe anyway.

That mess aside, I'm glad I finally got to acknowledge all of the positivity and support I've received from reviews I haven't been able to directly respond to - thank you all again so very much! And thank you *everybody* for reading and supporting this story, whether you ever leave a review or not! I appreciate every single person who clicks on this story and takes the time to read these chapters of mine. Now! Let's get on with the show, shall we?

I've already written far more than enough to start things out this week and this is a pretty long chapter by our usual standards for this story. You'll see why soon so I'm going to stop talking now and let you get to it! Thanks so much for coming back for more and I hope you enjoy the climax of Book II!


Book II – Family

Chapter 8 – Invasion

'Focus. Assess the situation calmly. You won't be able to protect Zelda otherwise.'

Link's sharp, blue eyes darted around the kitchen area of their home. It was a space he'd become intimately familiar with for the last two years. To see it filled with monsters was especially jarring.

There were six Stalizalfos slinking through the room. Their glowing yellow eyes were fixated on Link and they gripped their forked boomerangs tightly. He and Zelda had been slowly pushed back against the west wall, but the monsters didn't yet move aggressively towards them. Perhaps they were wary of him - he hadn't cowered in their presence at all. Perhaps they were merely being cautious. It didn't make much sense considering they had broken into the house in the first place, but whatever kept them away from Zelda was something he would gladly accept.

He glanced towards the front wall. The Master Sword, Hylian Shield, and his Lynel Bow were all resting on their usual weapon stands near the doorway. It was always such a convenient place to store them, but not when a small horde of monsters now stood between him and that wall. How could he get there? He couldn't just run for it and leave Zelda alone. He might be nimble enough to dodge around them, but if they got to her they might just kill her immediately.

'Zelda isn't a fighter. She's not as quick on her feet as I am. She has no combat experience and no familiarity with what these things are going to do. They're fast. Erratic. It's hard to predict them. Whatever I do, I have to keep myself between her and them.'

"L-Link," Zelda whispered, her voice so soft he could barely hear her over the rattling and hissing of the creatures before them.

He didn't dare break his focus for even an instant, instead nodding sharply to indicate he'd heard her.

"The…box…by your foot."

'The box?'

"K…kick the box…at them. We can…get out of this corner and you can get…to the Master Sword."

Link never pulled his eyes away from their assailants but stuck his foot out, feeling an empty wooden crate on the floor beside him. She had noticed that? He hadn't even been aware of it. A small grin spread across his face despite the tense situation.

"Told you you could be a great tactician. Take my hand."

Zelda didn't hesitate, gripping his hand firmly. She was trembling…but she was fighting her fear with everything she had to help him. She really was amazing.

"Ready? When I do it, we run, okay?"

"Okay."

Link took a breath to center himself. This little box wasn't much, but it would likely startle the cautious monsters enough to get Zelda away from them. It might even break one of them apart if he launched it with enough force. Drawing his foot back as subtly as he could, Link let fly a sudden, violent kick, the wooden crate rocketing forward and smashing into the closest Stalizalfos.

The undead creature flew backwards, crashing into the dining table and falling apart, its head continuing to sail across the room. The other Stalizalfos, who had followed the attack with their eyes, shrieked and turned their attention back to Link, but he was already moving, Zelda right by his side. He made sure to keep her between his body and the wall so she wouldn't be hurt. Truth be told, he was in just as much danger of being wounded as she was at the moment – he wasn't wearing any of his enchanted armor, just a green sweater for lazing around the house. It was hardly the proper attire to do battle in.

But he would rather take a thousand hits himself than to see Zelda be hurt.

"Under the stairs, hide!" Link called loudly.

Zelda let go of his hand and ran beneath the steps that led to the loft, wiggling her way behind several leftover storage crates and crouching down in the corner. She could still see him through the openings between the wooden slats and she followed him with her green eyes. In theory, the monsters could attack her through those openings as well, but now they'd never get the chance.

Link reached the front wall seconds later, seizing the Master Sword and Hylian Shield before rounding on the creatures. They seemed much more agitated now and charged towards him, weapons raised. It was too late for them. Link unsheathed his blade in one fluid motion and moved forward carefully, trying to avoid taking a hit without his armor. But even though the Stalizalfos moved strangely and unpredictably, he'd fought these beasts plenty of times. He spun around their strikes and parried several more, rending them into pieces.

Their heads bounced around hissing as their bodies tried to reform, but Link moved quickly, stabbing each head with the point of the Master Sword. The creatures were slowly enveloped by a black shadow that spread across their white bones before they faded from existence.

When the chaos settled for a moment, he finally noticed that the Master Sword's blade was glowing blue, energized in a way it hadn't been for years. Link was immediately concerned.

'Why would the Master Sword respond in such a way now? It hasn't shone with this light since we sealed away Ganon and his Malice magic six years ago. The only time it ever glows is in the presence of the Malice-'

Link's thoughts were interrupted as a third earth-shattering explosion rocked the very foundation of the house. Zelda screamed, covering her head and cowering deeper into the corner as Link's eyes snapped to the front wall again. Whatever it was that was attacking the house was doing it from that direction. It was something big…

"Zelda-"

But he was interrupted as a fresh horde of Stalizalfos began leaping through the windows. There were even a few Stalbokoblins trying fruitlessly to clamber through the shattered openings. Link cast aside every other thought except what was happening at that very moment. There would be time to ponder questions like 'why' later.

He assessed the situation quickly.

If they stayed inside, the monsters would keep entering and attacking. Eventually, one might sneak by him and get to Zelda. There wasn't a defensible position in here unless he stayed in the corner with her. But without his own armor to protect him, he couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't slowly be whittled down by minor injuries, especially if he had to use his own body to defend her.

Boom.

And then there was that. Whatever was attacking the outside of the house, seemingly trying to force its way in, was likely in charge of the whole assault. The waves of Stalfos seemed to coincide with its offensive against the north wall. And if he and Zelda tried to escape the house, it would intercept them. He wasn't yet sure what it was, but it was certainly much more dangerous than the Stalfos. He couldn't bring Zelda near that kind of monster. It was too dangerous. But how did they get away then…?

'I need to know what I'm dealing with here.'

"Stay there, Zelda!" he called suddenly, unleashing a powerful spin attack and sending three Stalizalfos sailing across the house. "I have to see what's blocking our escape! I'm not leaving you, I swear!"

"I trust you!" she called back, still trying to make herself as small as possible in the corner.

Link used the brief pause in approaching Stalfos to rush towards the main entrance, seizing his bow and arrows as he went. He'd probably need to pull out all the stops to get Zelda out of here safely. Another explosive crash rattled the walls and a chunk of stone and brick crumbled away from the corner by the fireplace.

Whatever was outside had a weapon that could smash through thick stone and clearly had enough strength to attack with it again and again. That left very few possibilities…and none of them were good news.

Using the crash as his signal, Link threw open the door. He might not be able to see clearly through the windows and they were teeming with Stalfos anyway. This was his best option. His eyes widened as he finally saw the creature that was attacking the house, but he didn't have time to really process the beast as he dove quickly back inside, throwing himself to the floor. A second later, an enormous weapon smashed into the entrance he had just stood in.

The wooden door flew from its hinges, slamming into several more Stalfos as Zelda screamed again, her panicked eyes watching him in terror. He jumped to his feet and leapt away from the opening just in case, but there was no way a weapon of that size nor the beast itself could fit through the main entrance. It would have to break down the wall, just like it had been trying to do since the first Stalizalfos had arrived.

'Why is that here?'

Link rushed back to Zelda, hoping to take the lull in enemies as an opportunity to come up with some kind of plan with her. He quickly shoved his arm between the steps and seized her hand; she was probably scared out of her mind. The door had taken care of enough Stalfos that they weren't in immediate danger, but he kept his eyes on the main room all the same, scanning every corner.

"L-Link, w-what was that?" she managed, her voice trembling.

It had been the worst thing that could have confronted them right now given the current situation…

"A Lynel. A gold one. It's got an enormous club and it's trying to beat down the walls with it."

Another crash rocked the foundation and the small hole in the far corner of the room grew larger, rain beginning to fall into the house from outside.

"A…a Lynel…? W…why…?" Zelda sounded petrified.

"I don't know. But if we just stay here until it gets inside, we're as good as dead. I can't fight that thing at my full strength in such close quarters. And without my armor, it could kill me in a second if I'm not careful."

"W…what do we do?"

"I have a plan but…I don't love it…"

"What is it?"

He gestured to the bow now slung on his back.

"Lynels have sensitive faces and eyes. In the past, I've stunned them by shooting them there with arrows. If I can do the same to this one, we might be able to slip past it and at least get out of the house. I don't know what that really accomplishes for us though…it'll be right on our heels before we even cross the bridge and there's still not much room to fight over here…"

Zelda bit her lip nervously as another swing of the Lynel's mighty crusher sent more stone exploding into the living area. Link could make out its blue eyes as it glared down into the house.

"Link…I'm…just holding you back…if you didn't have to defend me…"

"Don't say that," he told her, squeezing her hand. "No matter what, I'm not leaving you. There could be five gold Lynels outside and I'd still fight them all at the same time before I'd ever abandon you. So don't even think for a second that me running away and you staying under these stairs is a plan. It's not."

"Link…thank you…"

"Always. Help me think of a way to get out of here? The best I can come up with is we let that Lynel beat down that wall to a point that I can shoot it in the face and we make a run for it…I still don't think that's good enough though. It doesn't give us enough time…"

"Um…i-if you shoot it, how long will it be stunned for?"

"About ten seconds probably. Not long."

Zelda paused for a long moment as Link scanned the room. A few of the Stalfos were attempting to pull themselves together again at last. Their numbers had decreased since the first wave. Before Link could begin to wonder if he had defeated the majority of them, Zelda's small voice drew his attention once more.

"Um…Link…I…have a d-dangerous…suggestion…"

"Anything's better than just making a desperate run for it. What are you thinking?"

"What if…what if you crushed it?"

"Crushed it? How?"

"S-shoot the roof with your bomb arrows once it's inside. Even if the ceiling falling down on it doesn't kill it…t-the weight of the debris ought to trap it and maybe even hurt it enough that it can't break out again."

Link gazed at the roof and assessed his quiver. He had five bomb arrows in this particular bunch…that was probably enough. A small grin stole his face as he nodded at her.

"You sure you've never done things like this before? I like it."

"Y-you do?"

"It's the best shot we have to deal with that thing quickly and keep both of us safe. I'll hold off the Stalfos while it breaks through the rest of the wall. When it does, you make a run for the village and I'll draw its attention. Once you're clear, I'll drop the roof on it and get out before I get crushed too."

Zelda squeezed his hand instinctively.

"W…will you be okay?"

"Of course I will be; I have to make sure I'm right there with you so I can protect you, after all."

Zelda hesitated for a moment before nodding at last.

"T-then…let's do it."

"Come out from under the stairs, okay? I'll keep you safe but I don't want you trapped back there in case the wall comes down on the next swing."

Link surged forward and cut down two more Stalizalfos before they even knew what was happening. Zelda, meanwhile, clambered out from behind the boxes, accidentally knocking one over. As Link returned to her side again, he noticed old hunting supplies had fallen out of the crate. An idea occurred to him. Zelda wouldn't like it…but it was better than nothing. He reached down and plucked a large hunting knife, still in its leather sheath, from the ground.

"Take this, Zelda."

Her eyes were wide with concern.

"W-what is it?"

"It's a knife. I know you hate weapons, but just think of it as a last resort. If something comes at you while I'm trying to deal with the Lynel, run as fast as you can. But if you can't get away, swing this at them and try to find someplace safe to hide until I can get to you."

"Link…I…"

"I'll be right behind you as fast as I possibly can be. But take this just in case. Please. I'll feel a little better."

At last, she reached out and grabbed the large knife from him, giving him a timid nod.

"O-okay. I'll take it."

"Thank you. More Stalfos are coming. I'll deal with them. You stay here by the door and get ready to make a break for it when I say so, okay?"

Zelda still trembled in fear but she mustered all the confidence she could and nodded at him.

"Okay."

"It's going to be alright, Zelda. I promise."

"I…I know. Be…careful, Link. Please."

"I will be."

With that, Link charged towards the destroyed kitchen, swinging the Master Sword carefully and precisely. There wasn't much room to maneuver indoors but he was more than familiar with the length and weight of the blade. Several Stalfos exploded into heaps of bones while their heads bounced angrily and hissed. A few quick slices and they began to disintegrate. The blue glow of his blade drew his attention once more.

'Why is the Master Sword reacting to these Stalfos? It doesn't make any sense – the Malice has been gone for years. Is there some other reason for it or-'

Another violent crash rattled the house and the stone wall came collapsing down at last, an enormous hole opening by the fireplace. The gold Lynel, powerful and proud, stared into the house with glowing blue eyes, its white mane contrasting sharply with the dark night behind it. It glanced at Zelda by the stairs before turning its full attention to Link.

'They really do seem focused on me. I wonder if it's because of the Master Sword…'

Link drew his bow quickly and fired on the Lynel, earning an angry roar for his troubles. All he really needed was its undivided attention to make sure Zelda got away in one piece.

"Run, Zelda! Now!"

She didn't hesitate. As she charged through the empty doorway, Link fired another volley of arrows at the Lynel but it appeared he didn't need to – the great golden beast hadn't reacted to Zelda's movement at all. It didn't seem to care about her in the slightest; it was singularly focused on Link.

'Good. At least it's not after her. Now, let's deal with this thing and make sure Zelda's safe.'

The Lynel finally went on the offensive, charging into the house and swinging its enormous crusher with both hands, launching the couch he and Zelda had spent so many nights on across the room at him. Link dove out of the way, rolling as he went and landing back on his feet in a crouch. The monster was winding up another vicious swing…but it was also far enough inside now that he could put Zelda's plan into action.

Link ran forward before the Lynel could react and vaulted off the remains of the dining table, raising his bow and training on his enemy. Time slowed down around him as he took aim and fired several arrows into its sensitive visage. The beast howled in pain and covered its face with one hand, slamming its weapon angrily into the floor beneath it.

Landing again, Link quickly changed targets. Knocking three bomb arrows against the silver bow, he let fly the projectiles directly into the ceiling above the beast's head. He followed it with the last two he possessed and finally the construction began to give. Chunks of wood and stone fell towards the Lynel, slowly at first. He was worried it hadn't been enough after all. Perhaps he had underestimated the quality of the construction.

But a moment later, the entire ceiling groaned and large heaps of brick and support beam began cascading down towards the ground.

As heavy slabs of rock slammed into the Lynel's back, it howled in pain and anger once more, finally recovering from the initial arrow attack. It was too large to maneuver well in the room, though, and would have to turn completely around to escape the falling roof. It was too late for the monster to avoid its fate.

Link wasn't sure how much of the roof was going to cave in but he wasn't just about to stay there and find out. As he charged towards the doorway, however, a violent motion caught his eye. The Lynel lifted its crusher and swung it towards him with every bit of strength it could muster. It wasn't trying to avoid the ceiling at all; it was perfectly willing to take the brunt of it if it could still kill him.

Several years of life-or-death battle experience kicked in and Link drew the Hylian Shield from his back in a second, barely getting the tempered steel between himself and the strike in time. He didn't have a chance to brace for the impact though and the massive force of the Lynel's strike threw him from his feet. He wasn't sure which way was up or down but he was distinctly aware that icy rain was pelting his face as he sailed through the air. The Lynel had launched him through the doorway.

Link collided with the ground a lot sooner than he'd been prepared for, landing hard on his left arm. A sharp pain shot down the length of it and he hissed as he skidded across the wet grass. An enormous crashing sound erupted from the house a moment later and Link forced himself into a sitting position.

The roof had caved in. It wasn't the entire thing, but the section that had once covered the living area and some of the kitchen was gone. The Lynel had been buried beneath it just as Zelda had planned. As the air stilled and the intensity of the moment began to calm, he almost laughed to himself.

'What a plan for someone as sweet and innocent as her to come up with. I wish she had been the one to lead us during the Calamity.'

"Link!"

He snapped from his brief reverie and glanced behind him. Zelda was running across the bridge that led to their house, drawing closer by the second. There were no Stalfos after her nor any other enemy for that matter. She was safe. That thought brought a sigh of relief to his lips.

She collapsed on the ground at his side and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him and burying her face in his shoulder. The warmth of her embrace was enough to drive the freezing rain from his focus entirely.

"Zelda, are you okay?"

She nodded quickly.

"I'm fine. T-there was nothing waiting out here at all. What about you? You…landed really hard on your arm…"

He flexed it for a moment and winced as a searing pain shot down its length again.

"I might've messed up my shield arm, yeah, but I'm okay otherwise. I think a banged-up arm is a fair trade for crushing a Lynel, though. I've fought plenty of those things in my life, but even I don't want to duel one without my Champion's Tunic for protection."

Zelda gently placed her small hands on his left arm.

"C-can…Mipha fix this…?"

He nodded, smiling at her.

"Of course she can, don't you worry. I'll be as good as new before-"

A deafening roar erupted from the ruined house. It wasn't over. The ceiling hadn't killed the Lynel after all…

"I-it's still alive?" Zelda stammered.

As if in answer to her question, the Lynel erupted from the wreckage, hurling large chunks of stone from its body. The attack had clearly done some damage – it was bleeding from multiple places along its back and torso – but it was still healthy enough to break free from the stone tomb it had been buried beneath. That…wasn't natural.

'Even a gold Lynel shouldn't be able to just shrug off something like that. If the Master Sword really is reacting to Malice magic…then is this Lynel more powerful and resilient than usual? The same way the monsters were just before Ganon's revival? But…how can that be…?'

Link leapt to his feet and pulled Zelda to her own, pushing her behind him. The Lynel was still trying to free its legs but it was only a matter of time. He had no more bomb arrows and no more roof to crush the beast with. The only option left was a direct confrontation, whether he was properly equipped or not.

"Run, Zelda. Go into town. Find Glenne or Ira. Find anyone and get someplace safe."

"Link…"

"There might still be Stalfos in the main village, so stay out of sight and be very careful."

"W-what about you?"

"I can't let this thing reach you or the others. It could kill everyone we care about if I don't stop it here. I have a lot more room to fight outside though – I'll lead it across the bridge and take it down this time."

"B-but you're hurt…"

He gave her a reassuring smile.

"I've been through worse. I promise I'll come back in one piece. For now, I just need you to trust me, okay?"

Zelda nodded at last, brushing her soaked golden hair from her face and giving him a worried look, seizing his hand tightly in hers.

"Please…come back to me safely, Link. Please."

Even now, he felt his heart flood with warmth as she said such wonderful words to him. It filled him with strength and determination.

"I will, Zelda. But please, get out of here. I can't fight this thing if I'm worried about it attacking you."

She nodded again and finally let go of him.

"Okay. Um…I'll be waiting for you…somewhere safe."

"Thank you. I'll be at your side again just as soon as I can be."

"Please be careful."

With that, Zelda ran across the bridge and disappeared down the hill that led to the base of town. A small smile spread across his face as he watched her golden hair disappear from sight.

'Good. I can't have her near this thing while I fight it. There might be more Stalfos in the village…but she's still safer there. And hopefully Glenne and the others are dealing with them; they're strong enough now to take those things down. But I'm the only one who can deal with this Lynel.'

Link crossed the bridge and waited, staring towards the house as the Lynel continued to smash chunks of stone in an effort to free itself. He drew the Master Sword from its sheath once more; it was still glowing blue. There was something different about this Lynel after all. Frowning, he assessed his shield arm, opening and closing his fist a few times.

'It's not broken but I'm not going to be able to use my shield the way I normally do. I should only block attacks if I absolutely can't avoid them. I don't have my Champion's Tunic or any of my other enchanted armor either. No matter how familiar I am with the way Lynels move and fight, I have to be more careful tonight than ever; one direct hit from that crusher and I'll be lucky to survive. No taking chances, no trading blows, no overreliance on shielding.'

At last, the Lynel succeeded in extricating itself from the massive pile of rubble, its face filled with rage. Its glowing eyes flashed and it roared angrily, bearing its fangs at Link and stepping slowly from the ruins of what was once his and Zelda's favorite place to relax together. The fact that the beast could still move so well was a testament to its abnormal strength and resilience.

But he could dwell on why that was the case after it was dead.

"It's just you and me now," Link murmured to himself. "No more house for you to trap me in, no more Stalfos to get in the way. I won't let you get to the village."

The Lynel began to charge forward and Link raised the Master Sword, ready to defend his home.


Zelda ran as hard and as fast as she could through the storm. She wasn't very quick or athletic, though, even if she had developed decent endurance throughout her years working as Hilda's servant. But tonight was different. The halls of the Castle had been paradise by comparison to slipping across wet grass as icy rain poured down atop her, causing her to slide and stumble a few times. Her clothes were sticking to her to her uncomfortably and she still held Link's hunting knife in her trembling hands.

But none of that distracted her from the guilty thoughts that ran through her head.

'Link…I…I wish I could help him. He's hurt…and he's going to face that monster all alone…with no one at his side. I…wish I could support him. I know I can't use a weapon the way he does. And I have no magic like Hilda. But…just this one time, I wish I could be strong enough. Why have I never been strong enough to help anybody I care about…?'

Tears had sprung to her eyes the second she'd turned tail and run away from the man who was so deeply important to her. He had asked her to do it, but Zelda hated herself for abandoning him, even if there was nothing she could hope to do. That Lynel could smash her in an instant…not that Link would ever let that happen. He would throw himself in front of that attack and likely be gravely injured himself. The only thing that would make Zelda resent herself any more than running away and leaving Link to duel that terrible beast on his own was being the reason he was injured…or worse, killed.

Zelda stuck close to the buildings, keeping an eye out for more monsters. There were Stalizalfos and Stalbokoblins running through the town, hissing and rattling as they went. But so far she hadn't heard them come into contact with any of the villagers nor had they noticed her. She gripped the sheathed hunting knife a little tighter. The one thing she could do right now was keep her promise and make sure she was safe when he came back for her.

Because he would come back.

'Link is the man who felled Calamity Ganon. There's no way a single Lynel can overcome him. Even if…his shield arm is hurt. Even if he doesn't have his proper armor…he'll still win…won't he? C…could I somehow get back inside the house and find his Champion's Tunic for him? What if…the Master Sword alone isn't enough to keep him safe? He's a warrior without peer but even Link couldn't take a direct strike from that massive weapon wearing only that sweater…'

Zelda chewed her lip as she made her way through town. Link had said to find Ira or Glenne. But she had no idea where Glenne or the rest of Link's students might have ended up; it was entirely possible they had taken up their arms against the Stalfos to defend their friends and families. So her best bet was Ira and the general store. If no one was there, she could just hide by herself and wait for Link. Or she could try searching someplace else if it wasn't too dangerous to keep moving.

Maybe everyone was already safe somewhere.

Maybe she would find them easily.

'Maybe…somebody can help Link…'

She shook the thought from her head. No matter how brave and selfless Glenne, Toren, and the others were, they weren't prepared to fight a Lynel. Those creatures were among the most dangerous in the world, forces of nature even Link was wary of engaging without his armor. As much as she wanted to be able to help Link, to be able to find someone to assist him, there was nobody in Hateno capable of such a feat.

Zelda gasped as a pair of Stalbokoblin rounded a corner, searching for anyone they could find. She was out in the open, halfway between two buildings. A flood of adrenaline and panic surged through her body. Perhaps they wouldn't see her or maybe the pouring rain would mask her presence. They might even just keep walking in the other direction.

But a fork of lightning illuminated the dark village and one of the undead monsters noticed her in a second later. It let out an otherworldly screech, alerting the second. The pair of Stalfos began to approach her slowly, their glowing eyes trained on her. Zelda's heart was racing and thundering in her ears as she gripped the handle of the hunting knife in her wet hands. How did she even use something like this? Did she just swing it at them? Try to scare them? Would they ever feel fear some something as simple as a knife?

'How stupid…to think I could ever support Link. I can't even protect myself…'

The best option she had was to run for her life. Maybe she could get away from them before they caught her. If worse came to worst, maybe she could strike their eyes with the weapon in her hands if they pinned her. Could she even bring herself to do that much, though…?

How had she been able to come up with plans back at the house but now she was frozen in fear and could barely think straight at all?

"Zelda, get down!"

She didn't question the instruction and dove to the ground, covering her head with her arms. Three figures charged the two Stalbokoblins and the sound of metal smashing against bone rang out. It took longer than when Link had fought the Stalfos, but within fifteen seconds, the two creatures were dissolving into that eerie black mist.

"Are you okay?"

Zelda raised her head and saw Toren, Tye, and Fin, three of Link's students, circling her with concerned looks on their faces. They really had been defending the other villagers. They were such wonderful young men, every bit as brave and strong as they had proven themselves to be the day the Yiga had appeared to kidnap her.

"I'm…okay," she managed, taking the hand Toren extended to her and letting him help her back to her feet.

"Why are you alone out here? What happened to Link?" came Fin's nervous voice. His eyes were scanning every dark corner, his hands trembling as he held his spear.

"He's…fighting a Lynel. It came and attacked our home with a horde of Stalfos."

"A Lynel?" Tye repeated, his mouth agape.

"Y-yes. A gold Lynel. Link is…he's hurt. And I…I abandoned him. He told me to let him handle it…so I ran away and left him to face down that monster…without any armor…without anyone at his side…"

She couldn't hold back her tears this time. Toren gave her a sympathetic look and even patted her shoulder gently.

"Hey, it's not your fault. Link is stronger than anyone in this Kingdom. He's the man who felled Ganon six years ago. If anyone can handle a Lynel, it's him. Don't worry."

"But…"

"We're taking everyone to Ira's shop. Everyone's hiding out in the storeroom in the basement. Nobo and Agus stayed behind to protect them just in case and the three of us went looking for you, Link, and Glenne. You're the last ones unaccounted for."

"G…Glenne? Where's…Glenne?"

"We're not sure," Tye conceded. "We haven't seen him all night, not since this mess started. I figure if he was able to, he'd be the first one out here swinging his spear against those monsters and helping people to safety…but…"

Zelda felt her heart sink with dread. Glenne was missing? Was he…

"I'm sure he's fine," Toren interjected, his face set. "Glenne's always been the most determined and resilient out of all of us. You really think a few of these skeletons could take him out after everything we've been through?"

"…no. No, I don't," Tye managed, a small grin appearing on his face.

"Me neither. I'm sure he's just fine. But for now, we have our own duty. We need to get Zelda safely to Ira's store and then we can keep looking for him. There are Stalfos all over the place out here. The longer we stay still, the more likely it is that we'll be targeted. Let's move."

The three made a small circle around Zelda before leading her through the dark village in the direction of the general store. Hateno looked so foreign tonight. Usually, it was warm and welcoming…but now it was pitch black and ominous. The fierce storm beat down upon the small community without remorse. Skeletal beings back from the dead ran rampant across the farms and fields. And Glenne…was nowhere to be found…

The tremulous silence that had descended over the group shattered in a heartbeat as a hideous roar erupted from far behind them. The three young warriors wheeled around in shock, eyes darting left and right as they searched for the source. Zelda, however, knew exactly what had made that sound.

"That…was the Lynel. I wonder if…if Link managed to kill it…"

She could certainly hope. Her heart could finally stop pounding if she knew Link had been victorious.

A second later, though, her hopes for victory all but vanished as no less than twenty Stalfos, a combination of Lizalfos and Bokoblin, charged through the village towards the source of the noise. Three of the Stalizalfos passed directly by the four of them, almost brushing against Toren's spear arm, but didn't so much as look at them. It was as if…

"They're being summoned," Zelda murmured.

"What?"

"The Lynel…is summoning them…"

Toren gazed at her in confusion.

"What do you mean 'summoning?' Lynels don't do that…do they?"

"This Lynel was…commanding the Stalfos that attacked Link and I at home earlier. At least that's the way it felt. I think…it's in charge of them."

"Maybe Link was proving to be too much for it then."

Zelda was overcome with panic in an instant.

"But that means…he has to fight all those Stalfos and the Lynel at the same time? Without his Champion's Tunic for protection? With an injured left arm…?"

Toren chewed his lip anxiously as Fin scanned the corners nearby. It was silent for several seconds before Tye offered some words of encouragement. His voice wasn't very steady, though…

"E-even against world-ending odds, Link has always come out on top. He…he won't lose to such a sorry group of monsters."

But Zelda couldn't shake the image of her fiancé being attacked by twenty enemies at once without a reliable way to defend himself.

"I…have to help him…"

Toren grabbed her arm instinctively.

"I know how you feel, Zelda, but you can't fight like he does. If you go back there, you'll only be in danger."

"T-then…will you help me? Please? Will you help me save him…?"

She had convinced herself before that she couldn't Link's students to put themselves in danger like that…but Zelda was beyond reasoning at this point. All she could imagine was Link, fighting for his life, slowly being overwhelmed by sheer numbers.

When she thought of losing him forever…

"Um…I don't…think we're really a match for a Lynel…" Fin murmured.

Zelda seized Toren's arm, desperate to do something to make a difference. If she couldn't fight by herself, she had to beg the people who could for help. She would do anything to help him.

"Please! I know you're not ready to fight a Lynel…but maybe we can draw off some of the Stalfos and thin their numbers! Link is the strongest warrior in all of Hyrule…but he's fighting at such a disadvantage tonight! I'm begging you…please help me…please help me save him!"

Zelda fell to her knees and gazed up at the three young men. They were trembling with fear just the way she had been before they'd arrived. They were every bit as scared of the situation unfolding before them as she was.

But…she couldn't fight. And she couldn't help Link alone. All she could do was selfishly put them in danger…

"Hey, you don't have to do that," Toren assured her, lifting her back to her feet. His hand wasn't nearly as steady as it had been the first time. "Of course I'll help – I don't want anything to happen to Link either. Besides, if I don't, you'll just go by yourself, right?"

Zelda gave him a timid nod. She had been ready to sprint across the village all alone if she'd had to, even if she could do nothing in the end.

"Count me in too," Tye added, though his hands had begun shaking badly. "Link has…always been there for us. And he's taught us a lot more than I ever realized until tonight. We're…strong enough to help this time. We can't…abandon our teacher."

Fin seemed to be so scared he could no longer force words out of his mouth…but he nodded all the same and drew his spear closer to his body.

Zelda felt a wave of intense gratitude surge through her.

"Thank you…thank you all so much."

Toren took a steadying breath before lifting his spear.

"Don't thank us yet; we've got a small army of monsters to kill first. Promise you'll stay away from the fight, Zelda?"

"I promise."

"Alright. Let's go then!"

The four hurried in the same direction the Stalfos had run in just minutes before. For the first time that night, Zelda's hesitation and fear had vanished. The only thing that mattered to her was helping Link. Maybe he was perfectly fine…but she had to be sure. She had to see him alive and okay.

It wasn't long before the battlefield to come into view and Zelda gasped in astonishment as she witnessed the duel playing out before her eyes.

Link was dodging around the horde of Stalfos as nimbly as he could, the blue flash of the Master Sword occasionally rending one into pieces. He seemed to be moving a little slower than usual, though, and before he could execute it, though, two more took its place, giving the first time to recover. The Lynel looked as if it were recovering some of its stamina nearby. It wasn't fighting but it wasn't incapacitated either. Fresh cuts and wounds had appeared all across its body and it was breathing heavily as it stared down at Link, it's blue eyes burning with hatred.

"Link's really favoring his right arm," Tye noted in a shaky voice.

He was right. Link was dodging every attack he could and all but refusing to raise his left arm that held the Hylian Shield. Had he really been hurt that badly at the house? Or had he been forced to block too many attacks and really injured his arm since she'd left him?

Zelda also noticed that he had several small cuts across his upper body, likely from the Stalfos swarm. If the Lynel had landed a blow with its enormous club, the effects of it would be much more drastic. But still, those wounds would stack up before long and affect his ability to fight…

He was slowly being worn down and overwhelmed by sheer numbers. Greatest warrior in Hyrule or not, without his armor and the use of one of his arms, even Link was in danger right now.

"Alright gang," Toren called out, "let's help our teacher out a jam." His hands were shaking badly at the sight of the Lynel but he still put on a brave face.

"Y-yeah," Tye managed.

Fin, again, only managed a shaky nod.

The three young warriors ran forward, shouting loudly in an effort to draw some of the Stalfos towards them. At the sign of movement, the Lynel snapped back to attention, its sharp eyes locking onto them. It growled and threw an arm out, several of the Stalfos charging away from the main battle to intercept Link's students. Zelda let out a small sigh of relief. The Lynel wasn't attacking them and she had seen them dispatch the Stalbokoblin earlier. They would be okay. They were stronger now than ever before. And this way, Link had less numbers to deal with by himself.

Link glanced over his shoulder and quickly came to understand the situation. He doubled his efforts after that, slicing through Stalfos like wet paper, likely hoping to overwhelm them now that their numbers had shrunk. The Lynel, however, was ready to fight again. It charged forward, swinging its enormous club with meteoric force. Link dove out of the way and the resulting collision with the earth sent a spray of water and mud soaring into the air. Before he could even get to his feet again, six Stalizalfos descended upon him.

Their weapons had long since been knocked away by Link's onslaught but they didn't seem to care. They reached towards him in an effort to…grab him? Zelda gasped as she suddenly realized what was happening. They were trying to restrain him so the Lynel could hit him.

What if Link hadn't realized their true goal in all the chaos? There was something she could do. She could analyze the fight for him, just the way he'd said she was capable of.

"Link! Watch out! They're trying to hold you in place!" she screamed over the sound of the ensuing battles.

Links own eyes widened as he heard her voice. He was probably upset that she was so close to the battlefield…but it was worth it if she could help him now.

As the Lynel approached, she felt her heart hammer in her chest. Her warning had come just in time though. Twisting his injured arm free of his captors, Link managed to raise his shield and guard against the Lynel's club. He let slip a short cry of pain and his arm fell to his side again.

'He's much more hurt than he was before…'

Another group of Stalfos, having freshly recovered, descended upon him, seizing him in their grips as best they could. The Lynel, angered by its previous failure, raised its club again and roared. Zelda felt panic overwhelm her…couldn't she do anything more to help him?

Somehow, Link managed to wrench that injured left arm of his free again and block the strike once more, this time deflecting the weapon and unbalancing the Lynel, who stumbled backwards. But that action seemed to have cost him. Link let slip a much more pained shout and his arm fell limply at his side. It didn't look like he was just giving it a rest either. It looked…broken.

"Link!" she cried out. She reached out towards him but was too far away to touch him.

Zelda knew if she ran to his side that it would only make things harder for him. She knew she couldn't really do anything more to help. She glanced towards Toren, Tye, and Fin, but found them all preoccupied with the five Stalizalfos that had surrounded them. They weren't badly injured or incapacitated but there was no way they could possibly aid Link any more than they already were.

Even now, with Zelda as close as she was, Link was on his own.

The Lynel recovered again, livid this time. It let out a chilling roar and slammed its club into the ground before glancing around the vicinity. Link was still being swarmed by Stalfos and even though he was able to shatter two or three, the rest kept grabbing him and trying to drag him to the ground.

Zelda watched as the Lynel's eyes locked onto something nearby and her blood ran cold in an instant. The beast was looking at the large, rectangular tower that served as the chimney for a nearby house. It roared again and the Stalfos doubled their efforts to hold Link in place, throwing themselves at him as if they were trying to force him down with their weight alone.

The Lynel lifted its club and began to hammer away at the base of the tower.

'It's…going to break it. It's…going to do to Link exactly what we did to it…drop something so enormous on him that he can't possibly deflect it…'

Zelda's heart felt like it had stopped in her chest. The longer Link fought, the more damage he took. He was worn out and he had no left arm to use against the Stalfos anymore, much less the Lynel. The undead creatures were slowly starting to succeed in their efforts to pin him in place. And now the golden beast was trying to drop a tower on him and crush him…crush her Link…

Zelda didn't know what to do. All she had was a useless hunting knife that she wouldn't have been confident wielding anyway. She had no experience in battle, she had no abilities of her own, she had nothing.

But she couldn't just stand there and let Link die.

Zelda threw herself forward and began sprinting as hard as she could towards her fiancé. If she could pull even one of those foul creatures away from him, perhaps he could fight back. Maybe she could tackle one of them loose or break the bones of its arm with a kick so it couldn't restrain him any longer. Just one might be enough to make a difference. Even if she was badly hurt as a result, she didn't care. Anything had to be better than watching as the most precious person in her life was taken away.

The Lynel noticed her approach and made a short, barking sound as it slammed the titanic club into the base of the chimney again. There were already cracks in the stonework. It wouldn't be long now. She didn't have much time. But she had a plan. It wasn't a good plan, but she refused to back down.

Likely in response to the sound the Lynel had made, though, a Stalizalfos leapt from the crowd restraining Link and rushed towards her.

Was she even worth stopping? Could she actually do anything? It didn't matter. She wasn't going to quit now. There was only one enemy between her and her goal. And for the first time in her life, Zelda drew a weapon into her hands. She yanked the large hunting knife from its sheathe, fully intending to use it, and readied herself as best she could. Her teeth were chattering. Her hands were trembling. Her legs shook and her knees were weak.

But if she didn't have the courage to fight here, to fight for him, she would lose him forever.

"Y-you won't s-stop me!"

As the creature drew near, she swung the knife as hard as she could…but it skittered around her effortlessly. Her own momentum carried her forward and she slipped on the wet grass, falling to her knees. It didn't matter if she actually struck it or not, though; all she had to do was get past it. She tried to rise to her feet and hurry forward again but was yanked backwards a moment later. Fighting against whatever restrained her, she felt her hair pulling against her head. Looking frantically over her shoulder, she saw that the Stalizalfos had seized her long, golden hair and now held her back with ease.

She shouted and swung the knife at the creature again but it simply blocked her strike with a forearm. The weapon glanced off and didn't so much as leave a scratch. She just wasn't strong enough to wound an undead monster.

Another tremendous smashing sound yanked Zelda's attention back to the battlefield and she saw large cracks erupt along the base of the chimney. One more strike would knock it down…

And then that tower would fall.

It would fall right on Link, crushing him and all the Stalfos that still refused to let go of him.

He was fighting with everything he had. Even now, he was still trying to defy the overwhelming odds. But there were just too many and he was too injured to overcome them all alone. He couldn't break free anymore…

Zelda felt tears overwhelm her.

'If…if only I hadn't left him! Maybe I could've done something more than this! Why!? Why did I leave him!? I'm such a worthless coward! How could I abandon him after everything he's done for me!?'

The Lynel swung its club one more time and the base of the tower exploded inward, the stonework buckling and caving in. The highest point of the chimney began to shift towards Link and the group of Stalfos.

Zelda was sobbing as she looked on, helpless.

'I can't lose him! He's the first person who's ever cared about me! He's the only person who's ever made me feel happy! He's the most important person in the world to me! I…I love him!'

The tower broke free of its supports and began to fall. The Lynel had aimed it perfectly.

'If you really love him then do something, you failure!'

Something inside Zelda snapped.

She couldn't get away from the Stalizalfos because it had her by the hair. Then that meant she just had to remove the problem altogether.

She seized the base of her hair in one hand and, in a single, frantic motion, took the hunting knife and slashed through it. It was soaking wet and cut easily, the foreign pressure of the monster pulling against her vanishing in an instant. The Stalizalfos let out a hiss of surprise and fell over, but Zelda was hardly aware of it.

The chimney was hurtling towards Link. It was likely too late to get the creatures off of him. But it wouldn't stop her from trying. She would never abandon him again. Not like before.

"Link!" she cried out, sprinting towards him with every bit of strength she could muster.

She was vaguely aware of Toren, Tye, and Fin shouting at her to stop. She wouldn't. Link was looking at her through the mass of Stalfos with wide eyes, probably wishing she would turn and run in the other direction. But she couldn't turn her back on him anymore.

She was still too slow, though. All her strength just wasn't enough to get her to his side in time. The tower was falling too fast. In a moment…it would crush the man she loved.

"Link!"

She reached towards him desperately, trying to grab him and pull him free. It was impossible…but she had to try.

And in that moment, a deep, golden flash burst from her hand.


When that tower had begun falling towards him, Link braced himself for the end.

It had come so fast. When his duel with the Lynel started, he had felt confident. He was much faster than the golden beast and had managed to wound it quite a bit. He had even been given a gift in the form of the storm weakening the fireballs the Lynel could launch from its mouth, making them much less effective than they normally would have been. Yes, he had been forced to deflect two swings of its mighty crusher with his shield, something that had rendered his arm almost entirely useless, but he was still convinced he could kill the Lynel before it seriously injured him.

And then it had summoned the Stalfos as if it were their general.

Monsters rarely behaved that way and it took Link by surprise, despite his earlier suspicions. The horde of twenty Stalfos was nearly impossible to take down permanently. They covered each other's weaknesses, something the usually-simpleminded undead creatures could never have comprehending doing of their own volition. And even with the help of his students, there were still too many. Ultimately, they had pinned him to the ground despite everything he'd done to resist, despite Zelda's efforts to alert him to their plan.

When the Lynel brought the chimney down atop them, he was convinced he'd reached the end of his life.

He didn't want to die here. Not in front of Zelda. Not without ever really telling her he loved her. She had been reaching out so desperately, even going so far as to run towards him. She had endured such a miserable life before they'd met…he didn't want to leave her alone again. He wanted to make her happy, to be happy with her. It couldn't end like this…

But there were just too many enemies…and he couldn't shake them loose. When the falling tower had obscured his vision entirely, he had reluctantly and miserably accepted his fate.

Except…he was still here. That enormous stone tower should have crushed him by now…but nothing had happened.

Link opened his eyes slowly. The first thing he was aware of was that the Stalfos had released him and were staring up at something. It seemed like they were stunned, tilting their heads in confusion, their arms limp at their sides. And when Link brought his eyes upwards to join them, he completely understood why.

The tower the Lynel had knocked over was frozen in midair. Stationary. Floating.

He looked over his shoulder and his eyes widened as he saw Zelda's outstretched hand glowing with a deep golden light. He understood immediately. She had stopped the tower from falling on him. She had saved his life. She did possess some kind of magic of her own, even if it was different from Hilda's Sealing magic. And she had called on it to spare him from a terrible fate. But it wasn't yet time to dwell on such things.

He couldn't waste Zelda's gift.

Pushing his exhaustion away and leaping to his feet, Link let fly a vicious spin attack before any of the Stalfos could react or recover from their surprise. The still-glowing blade of the Master Sword was more than enough to rend them all in half. With the last of the energy he could still summon, he sprinted out from beneath the tower. On the other side of it was the Lynel, curiously studying the floating structure before it. Once it saw Link, though, it immediately began to snarl.

But it wouldn't get the chance to retaliate this time.

Link raised the Master Sword and slashed the air before him, a glowing beam erupting from the length of the blade and sizzling through the rain towards the Lynel. It blocked the strike with its mighty arm, grunting in pain as it defended.

But Link wasn't done yet. In one fluid motion, he sheathed the Master Sword again and plucked his bow from his back, leaping into the air and focusing intently. This wasn't a smart plan. His left arm was in no shape for this…but it was all he had left to end this before his body gave out entirely. Forcing his ruined arm up one last time, he steeled himself against the miserable pain that ripped through it and steadied the bow. Three arrows flew forward and struck the Lynel's visage a second later, a howl of pain erupting from the beast as it once again grabbed its face.

Racing forward again, Link dropped his bow and drew the Master Sword once more. He was close enough to put an end to this battle and the Lynel couldn't see him to defend itself. Putting every bit of strength he had left into his legs, he leapt from the ground and drove the tip of the Master Sword up through the golden beast's chin. The blade skewered the Lynel's head and he twisted it forcefully. Time seemed to move in slow motion as the proud Lynel dropped its crusher at long last.

Link kicked off its chest, landing hard a short distance away. His legs gave out and he fell to his knees but still watched in relief as the Lynel's golden coat was replaced by that eerie black hue that signified the death of a monster. After a few short moments, it was gone, the Master Sword falling to the ground.

An enormous crashing sound filled the space behind him and Link glanced around hurriedly only to see that the tower had finished its fall, crushing most of the remining Stalfos beneath it. Zelda was panting and bent at the waist, her hands resting on her knees. She was staring at the fallen chimney with a look of disbelief on her face.

A few Stalfos had escaped the impact but it seemed the death of their leader had rattled their confidence. The remaining undead turned tail and ran away deeper into the village, all sense of unity lost.

'Damn them. I can't let them hurt anyone else…'

Link struggled to rise to his feet before stumbling forward and retrieving his sword. It was all he could do to attempt to force his exhausted body to move. Seeing this, however, Zelda snapped out of her daze and ran towards him as fast as she could.

"Link!"

Having her at his side again filled him with a sense of relief so strong he almost lost his balance. He stumbled dangerously and she caught him, wrapping her arm around his back and easing him to the ground, leaning him carefully against the tower.

"Link, are you okay?"

She was crying but it didn't appear to be from anguish. She seemed overwhelmed by relief too.

"Yeah…I'm okay. You saved my life, Zelda. Thank you."

She said nothing else, instead throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him hard. He noticed she took special care to avoid his left arm. Even after all that had happened, she was still so aware of him. So careful and kind towards him. She was a light that warmed his heart and soul so effortlessly.

But despite that light, the nightmare wasn't over just yet.

"I'm sorry, Zelda," he managed, placing his good hand on her shoulder. "I know you just saved me…but I have to hunt down the rest of them. I can't let-"

"No!" she shouted, pulling back and meeting his gaze with fiercely determined eyes. It was quite unlike her…but he understood her feelings entirely. "You're hurt! Your arm is broken! And you almost died! You can't fight anymore! I won't let you!"

"Zelda…" he murmured, guilt overwhelming him. He'd probably scared her so badly…

She buried her face in his shoulder again and refused to let him go, clinging to him with every bit of strength she possessed. Her voice, much smaller now, drifted up to him.

"Everyone's safe in Ira's basement. Let's just let the monsters go. I…almost lost you tonight. I can't lose you. I love you. Please don't leave me again, Link."

Despite everything that had happened, Link felt his heart overflow with joy.

'She…loves me…?'

"Zelda…I…"

Before he could say another word, the whinnying of an approaching horse rang out over the pouring rain, drawing his attention. In fact, two horses were approaching and, to his surprise, Aryll and Glenne were on their backs. He had so many questions…but let them all go for now.

Aryll leapt from her horse and landed close by, drawing her twin scimitars and scanning the surrounding area with sharp eyes. When she saw nothing lying in wait, she knelt down beside he and Zelda, her gaze softening.

"You okay, big brother?"

He gave her a grimace.

"I scared Zelda half to death, blew up our house, and my left arm's broken…but otherwise, yeah, I'm okay. I'm glad you're here, Ari. Thanks for coming."

She smiled at him.

"Thank Glenne, he's the one who came and got me. He said an army of monsters was coming to attack the village."

Zelda, who until now hadn't moved her face from Link's shoulder, perked up immediately, raising her head with wide eyes.

"Glenne's okay?"

Aryll nodded at her and gave her a comforting smile, gesturing behind her. Indeed, Glenne had finished dismounting his own horse and was being informed of the situation by Toren, Tye, and Fin.

"He's safe and sound, see? Not a scratch on him."

Zelda breathed a deep sigh of relief.

"Thank the Goddess…"

Aryll turned her attention back to Link.

"He said there was a gold Lynel in the group. You killed it already?"

"Yeah."

"I never had any doubt. Any stragglers left?"

"Just a few Stalfos. They ran into the village once their leader went down."

She placed a hand on his right shoulder.

"You did great, Link. Stay here with Zel-chan and leave the rest to me, okay? You've done more than enough for tonight."

"Thanks, Ari."

Aryll leapt to her feet and called his students to her side.

"Someone stay here with Link and Zelda just in case an enemy doubles back for them. The rest of you, you're with me. We'll mop up the stragglers before they find anyone else."

"I'll stay," Toren offered. "I'm probably the most banged up but I'll never let anything happen to them."

"Thanks, Toren," Glenne told him, his face set and an unfamiliar spear at the ready. He turned his attention towards Link and Zelda and gave them a guilty smile. "I'll explain everything later, Master, Miss Zelda. For now, just let us handle the rest. You stay here and recover."

"I'm counting on you, Glenne," Link managed.

"I'm…glad you're okay," Zelda added, a small smile on her face.

"Thanks, Miss Zelda."

Their reunion was cut short as Aryll's loud voice rang out over the still-pouring rain.

"Alright boys, on me! Let's go kick some ass!"

Even as Aryll, Glenne, Tye, and Fin set off at a run into Hateno Village, Link couldn't stifle the amused smile that stole his face – that was the first time Zelda had ever heard Aryll speak like that and her rather taken-aback reaction was adorable.

As quiet descended over them again, Link wrapped his good arm around Zelda's shoulders and pulled her close. She didn't gasp, tense up, or blush. Instead, she nestled into his embrace and wrapped her own arms around his waist, resting her head against him.

"Link…I'm so glad you're safe…"

"I'm glad you're safe, too. Being with you like this…it's all I need."

He gazed down towards her, taking in the beautiful sight of her. For a brief, hellish moment, he'd been convinced he would never get to look at her again, hold her in his arms, hear her gentle voice. But now that they were together again, she seemed to shine even more brightly than ever.

In fact, she had actually been glowing like a goddess during the battle. Her hand had shone with the same color her hair always did. But…he hadn't noticed until just now – her hair was gone. It looked as if it had been cut away in a hurry, a jagged, diagonal angle starting at her shoulder having severed the rest of its length.

"What happened to your hair, Zelda?"

Her hold on him grew a bit stronger.

"I…a Stalizalfos grabbed it and tried to keep me from you. All I could think about was…saving you somehow. So I…I cut it off with that knife you gave me so I could get to you. I…couldn't just sit there and watch you…watch you…"

Link pulled her in tighter and squeezed her shoulder.

"Zelda…you really did save my life tonight. If you hadn't stopped that tower…I'd be gone right now. I can't possibly thank you enough."

"It…was all I wanted…when I reached out for you…the tower just stopped."

"It was some sort of magic, right?"

"I'm…not sure. I just wanted to save you so badly. Everything else…is kind of a blur."

"Well, whatever you did was incredible. You froze it in midair. I've never seen something like that before."

"I…never knew I was capable of something like that."

"I'm sorry you had to see me like that during the battle…"

She shook her head.

"I'm sorry I abandoned you. I…regretted it the second I left you at the house."

"I promise I felt better that you were far away from that Lynel. And besides, you came back for me. You never abandoned me; you're the reason I'm alive right now."

Zelda hugged him a little tighter still.

"I'm so happy…that you're still with me, Link."

"I am too, Zelda. I'll make sure something like this never happens again. I won't leave you, no matter what."

She nodded against his chest, a small smile finally spreading across her lips.

Toren, who had been patrolling the open area around the fallen tower, walked to their sides again, his spear resting in one hand. He was a little banged up from fighting the Stalfos but he was okay.

"Link, if you're able to move, we ought to get inside somewhere. It's freezing out here and we'll all get sick if we stay out in this rain much longer."

It was only then that Link noticed how cold he actually was. The adrenaline must have finally been wearing off. Zelda was shivering badly too and he certainly didn't want her to catch a cold.

"That's a good point."

Zelda raised her head and looked up at Toren.

"M-maybe we should head to the inn. There should be plenty of towels and blankets there to dry off and warm up with."

The young warrior nodded his agreement.

"That's a great idea; I'm sure Karin won't mind. Besides, with Aryll and the rest cleaning up the last of the Stalfos, everyone will be free to go home soon. So it won't be long before she can give us an earful in person if she's actually upset." His efforts to lighten the mood worked wonders as light laughter overcame all three of them.

Link felt like he'd recovered enough to be able to rise to his feet and help Zelda up, but it seemed she wasn't happy being the one taken care of this time. She leapt to her own feet before he could even move and gently helped lift him to his, dodging his left arm. Her own left arm wrapped around his waist and she insisted he lean on her for support. Still feeling surprisingly weak, he did as she asked. It was the first time he'd ever really had someone do this for him. It was warm and kind. Selfless and thoughtful. Loving.

'She loves me.'

Link would have to think more about that wonderful thought later. As they set out, Toren cleared his throat and spoke again, his voice low.

"I'm sorry we weren't more helpful out there, Link. We may have been able to fight a few Stalfos…but we were still pretty useless…"

"That's not true at all, Toren," Link assured him. The young man turned his head in surprise, his eyes wide. "If you hadn't gotten some of those Stalfos off me, I don't know if I'd have broken free to block the Lynel's attacks. Not to mention, that was your first time fighting real monsters and you did great. I couldn't be more proud of you all."

Toren chewed his lip for a moment.

"…I'm glad we managed that much at least. Thanks, Link."

"Thank you, Toren. I would never have asked my students to rush into a battle with a Lynel nearby…but I definitely needed your help tonight."

Toren grinned and shook his head.

"Thank Zelda. She was about to charge headfirst into the fray with or without us so we pretty much had no choice." He laughed lightly as Zelda's face flushed. A moment later, though, his voice grew more sincere again. "But…she also came up with a plan that actually let even us weaklings help you. I'm really glad we were able to do more this time than when the Yiga came last year."

Zelda gave the young warrior a small smile.

"T-thank you again, Toren; I really owe you and I'll make it up to you and the others. I couldn't have done anything without your help."

He let out another light laugh.

"I don't think that's true – you levitated that giant chimney all by yourself. We didn't do anything to help you with that."

Zelda blushed again but accepted the compliment.

Toren kept his spear at the ready for the rest of the walk through town. All three of them were wary of one last ambush, one last challenge to overcome. But nothing jumped out of the darkness at them. Link breathed a sigh of relief – the battle in Hateno Village was finally over. Knowing his sister, she wouldn't rest until every Stalfos she could find was taken care of. Of course, by daybreak they would all cease to exist anyway. But either way, the villagers were safe. His students were safe. He was safe. Zelda was safe.

And in the end, that was the most important thing.


For the first time in her life, Zelda refused to take 'no' for an answer.

After arriving at the inn, she fussed over Link like she never had anyone else in all her days. His clothing was soaked through and she knew he must be freezing. After finding several towels, she insisted on drying his hair for him. Miraculously, the hair tie she had made for him was still perfectly in place and she removed it so she could work more easily.

Next, she tracked down some basic sleeping clothes from one of the rooms. The outfit consisted of a simple white tunic and loose brown pants, but it was better than his current clothing, still dripping with icy water. Link had insisted he could manage changing himself, but she refused to let him injure his arm any further and finally convinced him to allow her to at least help him with the tunic so he wouldn't have to struggle so much.

Perhaps it was because of the adrenaline still in her body that she didn't much react to witnessing him without his shirt on for the first time. Even when she stopped halfway through the process to dress some of his larger wounds, she still didn't bat an eye.

But she did leave the room very bashfully after that so he could change pants himself.

After that, she took a small sheet and set about fastening it into a sling for his broken arm. Link tried to tell her he was fine and would just be careful with it but she wasn't having it. After a few moments of her stubborn insistence, he finally agreed and let her wrap the cloth around his neck. She eased his arm into it and tied it gently. He looked much more relaxed now.

Finally, she insisted he get in bed, fluffing a few pillows for him to lean against since he wanted to remain in a sitting position. He was hardly incapable of doing things like that by himself, even with just one arm, but she wasn't taking any more chances tonight. Only after all of that did she at long last let Link convince her to change out of her own wet clothing and dry her hair. She left the room and quickly did so before returning to his side with several warm blankets for him, layering them atop his legs and brushing his still slightly damp hair from his face.

"Do you need anything? Are you still cold? Are you uncomfortable at all?"

Link gave her a warm smile.

"I'm perfectly fine, don't worry. How could I not be when I have someone as wonderful as you taking care of me?"

Zelda blushed but didn't let it throw her off too much this time. Link needed her. And this time, she knew she could help.

"Would you like some tea or something to warm up with? I can go find anything you need."

"I'm very warm, thank you Zelda. All the blankets you brought me are more than enough to keep me comfortable. Are you warm enough?"

She was wrapped in a blanket of her own, though she sat on a stool at his bedside. She had pretty easily given into his own insistence to warm up once she was convinced he was as comfortable as he could possibly be.

"I am," she promised with a reassuring smile.

"You know, I just realized something," Link murmured.

"What's that?"

"Remember that night after I saved you from the Yiga? You said if our roles were ever reversed someday that you wanted to be the one to take care of me. And I really couldn't ask for a better person to do that. Thank you."

Zelda blushed yet again.

"I…do remember saying something like that. I'm…glad I'm good enough."

"You're so much more than good enough. And besides, I'm a terrible patient – just ask Ari. Every time I got sick when I was young, she and Dad would have to force me to let them take care of me. I just hated lying still and feeling weak. But…it does feel a lot nicer with you."

"I-I'm glad."

"Zelda?"

"Yes?"

"Will you come sit on the bed with me?"

"S-sure."

She slid from her seat onto the mattress beside him. Link reached out and placed his right hand over her left, his now-warm skin causing her to shiver a little.

"You said something to me earlier tonight…that I didn't get the chance to respond to."

Zelda's face flushed scarlet. She knew exactly what he was referring to. She had let slip that she loved him. She had been so panicked and caught up in the moment that the words had just come out in her efforts to keep him from charging into battle again.

She had always thought confessions of that nature were meant to happen at a special place during a special time. That's the way all the storybooks said it should play out. But…she had blurted it out in the freezing rain only moments after he had slain a Lynel that had meant to kill him.

"Um…I'm sorry if I…was a little too sudden in the way I…said that…"

Link shook his head and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

"You weren't. Honestly, hearing that from you…made me more glad to be alive than I've ever been."

"R-really?"

"Really. I told you back in Castle Town that if you ever fell in love with me I'd be the happiest man alive. And I am."

"O-oh…um…uh…"

"Zelda?"

Her eyes widened and she jumped a little.

"Y-y-y-yes?"

"I love you, too."

Her entire world stopped as she heard those words spoken in his soft, warm voice. Her heart leapt out of her chest and somersaulted through the air, her face and ears grew hotter than she'd ever felt in all her life…and an uncontrollable smile spread across her face.

"I…I…"

Link shifted his grip, his fingers threading between her own. Her hand fit perfectly in his.

"I've been in love with you for a while now but I never wanted to pressure you. And we can still take things as slow as we both need to, okay? But…I just didn't want to let that moment pass without telling you the truth. Not after what almost happened tonight. I really love you, Zelda. And I'm sorry I scared you so badly earlier. I promise I'll never forget that you're waiting for me to come back home from a fight like that."

Zelda's face was on fire and she felt like she might pass out. She also felt like her heart might burst from absolute joy.

"I…I…um…l-l-love…you…Link. A-and please…don't apologize for anything. You…were trying to protect me. I'm…I'm just glad…I actually managed to make a difference before it was too late. I just can't bear the thought…of losing you…"

"You'll never lose me; I'll make sure of it. Thank you again for saving my life, Zelda."

"You're…you're welcome. I…wanted to save you…more than I've ever wanted anything else in my entire life."

"That's probably what let you use that power of yours. I know I said it earlier, but you were incredible. I've never seen something like that."

"I…stopped the tower, you said?"

"Yeah, almost like you had frozen it in time with magic. It was unbelievable."

"I…did it and it feels unbelievable to me, too."

Link laughed lightly and squeezed her hand. It was different than usual. More intimate.

"Well, I couldn't be more grateful for the fact that your father and sister have been wrong about you your whole life - it's why I'm still sitting here with you, after all. You have your own talents and even your own magic. And you're capable of things nobody else in this era has ever done. Your abilities are unique to you, Zelda."

"Link…thank you."

"Not that you would ever be any less special to me even if that wasn't true."

A calm smile stole her lips.

"I…really do believe that."

A gentle knock sounded at the door and, at Link's invitation, Aryll and Glenne entered the room. Both were soaking wet but wore triumphant grins on their faces. And yet, even with their new company, Link refused to let go of Zelda's hand nor let her slip away from her place at his side…something that made her heart race.

"Welcome back, Ari, Glenne," Link began. "You both alright?"

Aryll nodded and gave him a bright smile.

"Perfectly fine. We tracked down six Stalfos that got away. I'm not sure if that's all of 'em but there weren't any more in the village. Everyone was holed up in the storeroom at Ira's, so we went and told 'em the coast was clear. They agreed that a few people will alternate keeping watch overnight just in case, but by tomorrow morning any Stalfos still out there'll burn up and disappear anyway. So I think Hateno is safe again."

"Thanks, Ari. I'm glad you got here when you did."

"Me too. You seemed pretty exhausted and banged up before. And it didn't look like Zel-chan wanted you to go into battle again anyway after what you went through." There was no teasing in her voice, only genuine warmth. "Tye and Fin told me what happened tonight. Zel-chan?"

"Y-yes?"

"Thank you for saving my brother's life. I owe you more than I'll ever be able to repay."

Zelda blushed but managed a small smile.

"I…wanted to protect him more than anything. I'm just so glad…I was actually able to."

Glenne stepped forward, a large smile on his own face.

"When Tye and Fin told me what you did out there, Miss Zelda, I was blown away! You stopped a whole chimney tower in its tracks! Just froze it right in the sky! That's…unreal! It's amazing! I knew you were someone really special from the first moment I met you!"

Zelda found that the intense compliment only embarrassed her so much by comparison to what she'd felt earlier. The memory of Link's sweet words was still fresh in her mind…

'He loves me.'

"Gotta give credit where it's due, too," Aryll continued, gesturing to Glenne. "The kid here's got good instincts. He rode his horse to Lurelin and started banging on doors yelling 'where's Aryll? Where's Aryll?' He figured you might need a little backup with that many monsters coming."

"You mean after everything tonight, I'm still just 'kid?'" Glenne pouted, frowning.

Aryll laughed and ruffled his wet hair, grinning at him.

"I'm just teasing. You did good tonight, Glenne. You were cool under pressure and made the best of a terrible situation. I'm proud of you and I'm sure Link is too."

Glenne blushed fiercely at Aryll's earnest praise but still managed an awkward smile.

"T-thanks, Aryll."

"She's right," Link interjected, "I'm very proud of you, Glenne. But what happened to you anyway? How did you wind up in Lurelin? Zelda told me you'd been missing this whole time."

Glenne's face morphed into a complicated expression.

"Um…actually, I wanted to talk to you about that, Master."

"I'm all ears. Zelda's not going to let me out of this bed until tomorrow anyway."

He smiled warmly at her and squeezed her hand again. It made her heart race, even more so than usual for how physically close they were on the mattress.

"Um…I'm really sorry if I'm offending either of you, Miss Zelda, Aryll, but…would it be okay…if I spoke to Master Link in private?"

Zelda got the sense that the situation was very delicate; Glenne never sounded timid like this.

"I've got no problem with that," Aryll agreed at once. "What about you, Zel-chan?"

She shook her head.

"T-that's fine with me, too. Link's safe and sound now so…I don't mind entrusting him to Glenne for a while."

"You heard the lady! Link's all yours. He's an awful patient, though – don't let him out of bed just because Zel-chan's not here to watch over him."

Glenne laughed lightly, the tension on his face abating slightly.

"I'll make sure he's resting and recovering while you're gone. And…thank you both. I really appreciate it."

"O-of course. B-but before that, here – use these towels and you can dry yourselves off some," Zelda offered, gesturing to a nearby table laden with fresh ones.

Aryll grabbed a few towels, throwing two across the room at Glenne, before vigorously drying her hair. It was shorter even than Link's so it didn't take long.

"We can make the most of this time, too!" Aryll exclaimed, her face emerging from beneath the damp towel once more. "Why don't you come to the lobby with me, Zel-chan? I'll fix up your hair so the length matches all over. I used to give Dad and Link haircuts back in the day – I'm pretty good at it!"

"So the length matches?" Zelda repeated, confused.

"You haven't seen yourself yet, have you?"

Pointing to a nearby mirror, Aryll stepped out of the way so Zelda could get a good look at herself. She was immediately taken aback by her appearance. Her hair was cut at a terrible angle, the blind slicing she'd done leaving it in a sorry state.

'I…looked like this the first time I told Link I love him…? The first time he told me the same…?'

She blushed fiercely before gazing at Aryll again.

"I-if you'd be willing to fix this for me…I'd be very grateful."

"Don't you worry, Zel-chan! I'll take great care of you. And while we're gone, Glenne, you take your time with my brother. We'll be just downstairs if you need us."

"Thank you both again," Glenne murmured.

Before Zelda stood up, though, she turned towards Link again and gave his own hand a comforting squeeze the way he always did for her.

"Don't…overexert yourself, okay?"

He smiled warmly at her.

"I promise I won't."

"A-and…make sure you don't aggravate your arm. You've been through a lot tonight."

"I'll be careful."

"A-and…c…call me…if you need me."

Link's own cheeks flushed a bit but his smile never faltered.

"I'll do it in a heartbeat if I need to, I promise. But don't worry – we won't be busy for long and I'd love it if you'd come right back here and stay with me again after we're done."

She nodded, a tiny smile spreading across her lips.

"I'd be more than happy to."

Finally, Zelda rose to her feet and Link released her hand. It felt so empty without his warm touch…she wanted to hurry back to his side. Still, she followed Aryll to the door. But before she could bring herself to leave, she turned back towards Link…towards the man she loved more than anyone or anything.

"I'll…bring you something to eat after you and Glenne talk."

"Thank you, Zelda. I'm already looking forward to it," he assured her, his voice warmer than any fire she'd ever felt.

With a giddy feeling in her heart and a bright smile on her face, she left the room with Aryll, closing the door behind them as they exited. She was curious just what it was Glenne needed to tell Link in private. It wasn't like him to hide things; usually, he spoke his mind without hesitation. It must be something important…

"You certainly seem to be keeping it together after what happened earlier," Aryll offered in a gentle voice. "Are you really okay? You aren't just pretending for Link's sake, right?"

Zelda felt an overwhelming sense of calmness spread throughout her body as she heard his name again, her thoughts drifting back to him at once.

"Honestly…I am okay. Thank you, Aryll. I truly couldn't be happier that I actually managed to…save Link tonight. I never thought I could do something like that. And the fact that he's alive in that room right now…makes me happier than I've ever been in my whole life."

"I'm so glad you were there for him, Zel-chan. He's incredibly lucky to have you."

"I'm…the lucky one. I always have been."

"Don't sell yourself short – I've never seen Link like this. It's all thanks to you and how much you care about him."

"T-thank you."

"Any time. Now! Why don't we get your hair looking cute again? I bet short hair will look amazing on you! I'm thinking a nice shoulder length bob cut! How does that sound?"

Zelda couldn't help but giggle.

"Anything will look better than this. I'll leave it all to you."

Despite what had happened that night, Zelda's heart was lighter than she could ever remember it being. She had actually managed to save Link's life. And not only was he happy that she loved him…he loved her back.

How could the world be any more perfect than that?


"Alright, Glenne, what's on your mind? It's not like you to keep secrets like this," Link noted, though his tone was soft. He wasn't scolding the young man, far from it.

Glenne nodded, a guilty look on his face.

"I know. I'm sorry for being so secretive. It's just…I don't really understand what's going on right now and the only person in the whole world who will know what to do is you. B-but it's not that I don't trust Miss Zelda or Aryll, really! I just don't want to go running my mouth off this time without understanding the full picture, the way you've always taught me."

Link smiled at his student, a sense of pride welling up within him.

"You've grown a lot, Glenne."

"Do you really think so? It feels like I'm the same dumb kid I've always been…"

"You shouldn't tear yourself down like that. I've known you for more than two years now and I promise you really have grown, as a warrior and as a person."

"Thanks…Master," he conceded, a familiar smile spreading across his face.

"Now then – tell me what's going on. I promise any secret you share is safe with me."

"I know it is. Um…the truth is…I saw something in the forest earlier tonight…before the monster invasion. Something I…probably shouldn't have. I'll…I'll start from the very beginning if that's okay."

Link nodded and focused his attention solely on Glenne.

"Please do. I'm all ears."

11/10/2023


Post-Chapter Notes: Welcome back everyone! I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter!

So, wow. This one was quite the undertaking. To be totally honest, and I sincerely don't mean this as bragging, I am truly and immensely proud of this chapter. I was doubtful of my ability to pull this off. I thought it was just too ambitious for me in terms of portraying the action scenes properly. The fight choreography I had in my head I was certain was too complicated for me to accurately depict for you. But when all was said and done (and after several revisions), I really am pleased with the way this turned out. This was the first time I've ever written something centered around action that I've been happy with. I don't think the chapter is "perfect" of course - I don't think "perfection" is something that can truly be achieved in any artform. But I've been extremely excited to share this chapter with you all for the last three days and I'm thrilled to finally do so. I am deeply proud of this one and I really, really hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it in the end.

Now, let's talk! There were some big reveals this time around, several of which I've had planned for months and some of which literally just happened as I wrote. First, Zelda being able to use her Recall power was something I've known was going to happen since I first wrote the words "[Zelda had] no ability to utilize Sealing magic" all the way back in Chapter 1. Hilda got light magic from their ancestors and Zelda got time magic - it split between the twin sisters. So that was a ton of fun to finally reveal, though some of you mentioned/called that early! It wasn't something I ever dropped hints for but it's also not that surprising - why wouldn't she have some kind of power, right? Now, the characters will probably never call it "Recall" because there's no context for that word or name in this story, but that's what it is, as I'm sure none of you are surprised by after this chapter.

But the more enormous reveal, especially from a Zelink perspective, is that they finally said "I love you" to each other! And I'll be entirely honest - *that* wasn't originally going to happen in this chapter. In fact, I already knew exactly where it was going to happen in Book III. But as I've said so many times, I try to listen to the hearts of my characters while I write and let them lead me where they want to go, not just stick to a plan I made that might end up feeling unnatural in the moment. And after Zelda almost lost Link and managed to save him with her own powers, I didn't think there was any way she would swallow those words and not say them to him, not for how close to losing him forever she'd come. Same with Link - while he was under the falling tower, all he could think about was how he never told Zelda he loved her. There was no way he wouldn't tell her that very night after she saved his life. So I changed course with that plot point and just let the confession moment happen in this chapter instead. And I think it works a lot better for those two and fits their personalities well!

Speaking of saving Link's life, do y'all see how much I had to nerf Link to make it realistic that he might be in a position where Zelda would have to save him!? Shield arm broken, no appropriate armor, a golden Lynel that was *stronger* than normal golden Lynels, *and* the fight was 20 vs. 1 in the end! And even at that, I still had to write him into a corner that was believable! Link's just too OP lol!

Also, Zelda's hair is short now! That's for a few reasons - first, it made for a wonderfully dramatic moment. Second, I like the idea that Zelda would do anything to get to Link. It didn't matter to her at all that she cut her own hair off with a hunting knife (and then almost threw herself beneath a falling tower in an effort to save him). In fact, she didn't even really remember she'd done it until Aryll reminded her later. But the last reason is...I just like Zelda with short hair better than long hair LOL! Her TotK design is just so beautiful and perfect and part of the reason I absolutely adore her a maybe concerning amount. It's my absolute favorite Zelda design ever and it's always been my intent for her to wind up with that haircut in this story. Plus, it's kind of a nice nod to the appearance she has when she learns to use her Recall magic in the actual games themselves.

Some things I just enjoyed writing this time around - depicting the growth of Link's students since the beginning of the story has been a lot of fun. They're obviously not main characters, but showing them become stronger and braver over time has been nice! And for a character who didn't have a name until Chapter 9, Toren was a major player this time around too! I also really liked writing Aryll be more sincere and serious. She knows the time and the place for fun and games and, of course, this wasn't it. Even after she and Glenne come back to the inn, she's still a lot more subdued than she tends to be. I enjoy writing fun, energetic Aryll a ton, but showing her ability to adapt to more intense situations was also nice.

Also, I always have a great time showing Zelda be a clever tactician even though she's such a gentle soul without a mean bone in her body. That someone as soft and sweet as her would think to drop a roof on a Lynel just makes me grin and laugh. And I don't think it's out of character either given what we've learned about in the past with her penchant for judging situations and coming up with plans on the fly. And her being willing to stand against a monster with nothing but a knife she didn't really know what to do with was such a fun moment to write. She's so brave and devoted and would do anything to save Link!

And finally, we still have a mystery to solve. Glenne has something important to tell Link, something that's making the normally very excitable young man timid and hesitant. And it's something about what happened before the monster invasion. Hmm...I wonder what it is? I promise you'll find out next time! Without saying too much, I'm every bit as excited to post this next chapter for you all as I was to post this one.

But for now, that's far more than enough out of me! Thank you all so much for reading and I really hope you enjoyed the climax of Book II. The last chapter of this current Book/arc will be next week! Then we move onto Book III after that, which I'm still immensely excited to write! So, one more time, thank you all for reading and I'll see you in the next one. Take care everyone!