Chapter Text
Link stands at the edge of the Central Hyrule tower, looking critically towards the distance. The rain never seemed to stop the further he went into Hyrule Field, and it worked to obscure most of his surroundings. Still, neither rain nor distance could conceal the sight of red glowing Guardians crawling back and forth all around the ancient ruins that led up to the castle.
He sees with anticipation that despite the gloom, the sun had managed to rise beyond the mountains of Zora’s Domain. The rays struggle as they reach out from beyond the clouds, right onto small patches of grass eager for any hint of sunlight. The world wept in this region indefinitely, perhaps out of sorrow, or a desperation to cleanse itself from the filth writhing at the heart of Hyrule. And it will continue to weep, drowning the flora and fauna along with it until the land is purified. That is what Link hopes for at the very least.
He watches with gleaming eyes as sunlight is scattered with the falling rain. These few moments were all the peace that he was going to get, as the promise of morning brought with it the dread of his inevitable task. He waits solemnly, feeling the wetness of the breeze gently colliding against his skin. He sees the castle as it is shrouded in folds upon folds of darkness. Violet clouds interlace with black shadows that swirl ceaselessly, revealing only the highest bits of the castle. The scent of rain and malice filled the atmosphere… It was a distinct odour that closely resembled rotten Bokoblin blood, and ashes. Link senses the spirit of the Master sword glow impatiently against his back.
The Master Sword longed to fulfil its destiny, and he too had the same longing.
It has been a year since he had pulled the sword that sealed the darkness from its ancient pedestal, and four years in total since he had been revived at the shrine of Resurrection. Four years of travel in roads paved by his own failures, riddled with monsters, enemies, friends and beyond. Link observes a world with eyes unclouded by memories of the past, and perhaps that was but a small mercy of the Goddess. He could not imagine the magnitude of his guilt should he have known what all the ruins looked like before the calamity, or the people that dwelled within them.
The only thing Link could do really, was his job. And that he did. He now reminisces on his journey and how far he’d come. Guilt was tempered by pride, mistakes soothed by good deeds. He was not perfect but he reached out to those in need. Should he not return after this endeavour, Link believes that he would not mind. What he’d done so far was enough to ease his conscious. The memories that he made presented themselves at the forefront of his thoughts, and if he is being honest, he could not imagine a life beyond this point of no return. If he truly had any luck, he would perish with Calamity Ganon, or live on quietly in the small house that he bought in Hateno Village, should he dare and dream of a happy ending.
He had pulled the Master Sword from its resting sanctuary in Korok Forest, but only after unlocking one hundred and twenty shrines scattered across the entirety of Hyrule, some of which around the castle itself. He freed the Divine beasts, and their red beams now fixated onto a spot within the castle that Calamity Ganon was sure to be. He aided all those he could help on his journey whether by performing menial errands for much needed Rupees, or by doing the impossible to save endangered lives. He dismantled the Yiga Clan, a Ganon worshipping band of Sheikah traitors that buried themselves in the hidden annals of Gerudo territory. He freed Naydra, the dragon that was corrupted by the spreading malice at the Spring of Wisdom, after a treacherous climb of the freezing heights of Mount Lanayru. He even funded and built Tarrey town with its diverse inhabitants. That wedding, where he was somehow chosen as the best man to the Hylian-Gerudo couple, was the happiest moment of his life, that he could remember.
He had accomplished so much, but now his road had reached its inevitable conclusion.
Everything was in place now. And the five races stand to witness this historical day, whether they knew its significance or not. It may as well be a normal Tuesday morning to the people of Hyrule. But not to him, nor to his friends who helped him along the way. He had travelled around the entirety of Hyrule one more time, bidding his farewells in case he never made it out of this alive. Those who mattered knew where he was.
The sun rose considerably into the sky, and he sighs. “It is now or never,” he whispers to himself.
Link clasps his hands together, his fingers clenched strongly as he performed his final prayer.
“Oh Hylia, blessed be your name.” He says, devotion rising within him. “May I never stray from your righteous path. Steady my feet with your courage; steady my mind with your wisdom; and steady my hands with your power. It is by your grace that I yet live, and by your grace that I may yet perish. And whichever way it be, you are most knowing of my faith.”
He finds himself kneeling, overwhelmed by the thought of his task. “Oh Hylia, blessed be your name… Help me, please.” He shut his eyes closed and allowed humility to engulf his being.
“Help me save the princess and be the sword that strikes down Ganon once and for all!” He whispers, as his voice trembles.
He stands up, feeling some of his burden lifted. If he had no trust in himself, he could always simply trust the Goddess. With one last look around the terrain, he summons his paraglider from the slate.
“I am on my way, princess Zelda!” He shouts powerfully and breaks off into a sprint as he runs off the ledge. Beams of nearby Guardians lock onto his body in an instant, but that matters not as he swiftly evades them. The wind now carries him, coldly, towards the castle.