Blood Moon: A Story Before the Calamity

Eleven

Link's POV

     "LIIIIIINK!"

     My eyes flew open, her scream still lingering in my ears.

     I knew. She was almost completely exhausted, almost overwhelmed. She was holding on only by a thin thread of hope.

     My time had run out. I've had just enough to recall all of my memories, the last one regained a mere few days ago. She was dying, her light fading, her along with it. 

     She depended on me. I had to act fast.

     Very quickly I gathered everything around camp, making sure that I had all that I needed, enough supplies to see me through a difficult battle.

     Arrows: enough.

    Master Sword: ready.

    Shields: all strong.

    Food: plenty.

    I was finally ready.

    The beast roared as I enter the Castle through the front doors, as though it had sensed my presence, what my intent was. At the heart of it, a blinding light grew more and more powerful, tearing through the envelope of malice, the Princess with the last of her strength.

     I didn't waste my time on the Guardians, my purpose ringing out strong out of me, giving me strength, resolve. I thought I could hear voices in me, warm, united in a final, powerful chorus, supporting my every footstep.

     Calamity Ganon awaited. The Princess awaited.

     When I entered the Sanctum, the heart-like cocoon writhed, struggling to escape.

     "..."

     "Link..."

     "I'm sorry..."

     "I'm not strong enough..."

     "I can't hold him..."

     Suddenly a beam of white-hot laser shot out of the shell of the monster, incinerating the bricks, destroying the stairs, and the heart contracted, then it burst open and Calamity Ganon was released from it, its sheer weight breaking through the floor, and we fell down, down, down, to the very center of the Castle.

    Ganon was like a spider in form, Sheikah weapons attached haphazardly into its malice-crawling body, its face deformed, its eyes glowing. It let loose a guttural roar that shook the entire Castle by its foundation.

     Suddenly, a burst of blue light showered around us, the Divine Beasts, who had been awaiting this chance, put into use at last. 

     Ganon was weakened. The Champions' work was done. And now... Now it was up to me.

     My hand found the trusted hilt of the Master Sword, feeling it light up with a holy glow as I flourished it, assuming an offensive position.

     Ganon... You had taken away everything from me. My friends. My family. My memories. My life. And now, it was my turn.

     A battle cry issued from my mouth as I charged.

     To the death.

     Ganon's mighty sword swept across the battlefield, but I flurry rushed it with ease, jumping back and darting forwards, taking care to avoid the volleys of fireballs shooting from it. My Sword crashed against the shell of the monster, huge gashes stretching across the malice.

     The battle tested everything from me, skill, patience, timing, resolve. But as I landed the final, devastating blow right at its heart, blood pouring from me, dizzy from the exhaustion, I knew it wasn't over yet.

     Ganon dissolved into tiny specks of malice, shooting upwards toward the sunlight at the hole of the ceiling. I followed him, my body breaking apart into fine bits and we reformed outside on Hyrule Field, it turning into a colossal boar-like beast, its own malice swirling around it, creating its final form. The Princess's soft voice emitted out of it.

     "Ganon..."

     The monster swung its head, its malice hooves slamming down to the grass, its impact felt even by me, who was standing across the field.

     "Ganon was born out of a dark past. He is a pure embodiment of the ancient evil that is reborn time and time again.

     "He has given up on reincarnation and assumed his pure enraged form. If set free upon our world, the destruction will be unlike anything ever seen before."

     It bowed down before me, softly growling, watching me with such hatred in its eyes I could almost feel its burn.

     "I entrust you with the Bow of Light, a powerful weapon in the face of evil."

     A bow encased in the purest light slowly presented itself before me, floating in the air, humming, calling out to me, the arrow nocked on it blinding with Divine power, expelling every shadow its rays touched.

     "Link... You may not yet be at a point where you have fully recovered your power or all of your memories... But courage need not be remembered--"

     I mounted my steed, catching the reins as it bridled, ready to fight this final great evil with everything I had.

     "--For it is never forgotten."

     "Hah!" I pushed my horse to a full gallop, sweeping from the ground the Bow of Light as I did. I pulled back the bowstring, ready, waiting for the Princess' signal.

     When the glowing points showed up, I let loose my arrow, and as it pierced deep into the darkness of Ganon's body, it stumbled back and roared.

     I was exhausted. But watching Ganon slowly weaken with every pull-back of my bow, every attack, I was living up to my name, finishing what I had begun a hundred years ago. I may not have been the same hero as I was back then... but it didn't matter, in the end.

     Soon, Ganon was swaying, a hair's width from the final death. I backflipped off of my horse and caught the updraft, pulling out my bow in mid-air, aimed for the eye, the center, of malice, closed my eyes, and let go.

     It was over. 

     The beast screamed, and threw back its head in pain. From it, a figure shrouded in light burst and fell gently to the ground. The Princess had her hands folded in prayer, looking down at the malice-stained grass.

     Then she stared back at her foe, the great Calamity that had torn apart her land, and gathered the dregs of her courage. One last, powerful, sphere of light burst from her hand, growing, growing, until it caged the entire giant of a beast, and then it was gone, wiped from existence.

     She reeled back, truly worn out now.

     I was panting slightly as I looked at her.

     And then her eyes traveled to me.

     She took an unsure step towards me, wary, careful.

     I was so tired. I couldn't see straight.

     And then suddenly she was running towards me, her feet slipping in the dewy grass, tears streaming from her eyes. She took me in her arms, lost for words, seemingly satisfied just to look at me.

     I stared back. I couldn't comprehend what had just happened, couldn't take in the enormity of it all.

     "Destroy Ganon." I breathed, her tears falling onto my face. It tasted salty. "Complete."

     And then my knees crumpled and the world faded out.

A/N: I did NOT do this final scene justice. :P