Chapter Text
The rain pelts the ground relentlessly, pounding it into mud beneath the ambling legs of soldiers and Guardians alike. Hooves clatter amongst the echoes of lasers that fire across Central Hyrule. The castle is overrun, the Malice and Shadow of Calamity Ganon already proving too much for the stone walls. Beyond the armies, the four Divine Beasts watch—or watched—carefully, each Champion waiting for the opportune.
It could have been a victory.
But Ganon proved too powerful, at the time.
Zelda remembers Link at the frontline, standing as a beacon for the army against the threat. But now the Guardians had overrun Castle Town, long gone up in flames.
Only minutes ago, Ganon wheeled above, raining Malice onto the world below. Only a minute ago, the Divine Beasts had been poised to attack. But now, they stand as monuments to the hopes and dreams of a kingdom that now lies in mud and flames and ash and rubble.
And it had only been twenty seconds ago, that Link had been cut down right where he stood.
And only a moment had passed after Purah, white hair streaked with ash, had pulled the lifeless corpse away from the throng of battle.
And not only a second had gone before Zelda, in a mix of fury and rage and despair and hope for all that had been lost, cast a prayer to the Goddess.
And not even an eye had blinked since she had unleashed her power and sealed the Incarnation.
But now, as Zelda Hyrule sinks to her knees, safe as safe could be under a fallen arch or bridge—where she is does not matter now—she weeps amongst the trampled flowers.
She had failed her kingdom.
Her Goddess.
Her father.
Herself.
Had Ganon been a man or even man-shaped, lying prone in front of her after a real confrontation, she would have stabbed him, in the throat, the chest, the head, wherever she could. Over. And Over. And Over.
For everything he had done.
And everything she hadn’t.