Chapter Text
In truth it was accidental but purely instinct to put her hand up to shield her knight that was hurt in the battle. Thinking of protecting him and others in that very moment, and it as as if time slowed for her in that moment as a golden light and triforce symbol appeared from her hand that faced against the incoming guardians.
Blinding light surrounded her vision as the need to protect overtook her, shockwaves of holy power thrummed throughout the battlefield, stopping guardians in their tracks. their tracking lasers dimming out before they could shoot their targets and the eerie malice magenta and red smoke flowing through them dissipated, leaving them dormant.
"I- I DID IT!" Inhaling and exhaling deeply to calm her ragged breathing, he shaking from adrenaline would take longer to leave since they still weren't completely safe just yet.
Link collapsed shortly after witnessing her miracle, it was astonishing he held out this long in the first place since he was shot by a guardian stalker twice- the first just barely missing him with a perfectly timed parry with his Hylian shield, although the knock back was still rough on him.
"Link! Don't worry we'll fix this…i hope." pulling his arm over her shoulder to try and help him stand, even if they had to hobble a bit they just had to make it. "We'll find Ima- or even Purah, we've got to get someone to heal you fast."
It wasn't long after that when Link had fallen and couldn't continue on, too tired and vision blurry after what seemed like hours to him and Zelda of walking and fighting when they could.
They had no choice but to force a stop when Link slowed and grew heavier with every step, Signing that he's sorry for failing to save Hyrule. For failing her and her father, King Rhoam who was lost earlier when Calamity Ganon first broke free and tore into the king's chest, killing him instantly.
Even with tears and pleading he doesn't leave her alone, it was futile. A knight can only protect for so long in battle after all.
Still Zelda stayed trying to get her powers to activate and heal- or see i they would. A golden continuous light was how Purah and Robbie found them, Zelda was attempting to use her new powers like Mipha did, and maybe, just maybe it'll work this time.
"Your Highness…" Purah put her hand on the crying princess's shoulder, unsure of what t really say at the sight.
It was painfully obvious it wasn't working in the slightest to save him too, but that didn't mean there wasn't any hope left.
"Princess i have an idea, it might be a long shot though but there might be a way to save him."
Seeming to get Zelda's attention she looked wide eyed to Purah who was assessing his wounds and breathing which was just barely even there. "The Shrine of Resurrection should be able to heal him, though I'm unsure if it can with how bad he seems to be."
"Then let's go."
"You're coming?" Robbie helped haul the comatose knight onto one of their horses but couldn't help but think Zelda might be safer with other knights or even Impa, plus with her powers she can help where she can.
"There's something i need to do, and I'll need Purah's help getting there." settling on the horse with Purah, Zelda looked down to the dimming light of the sword that seals the darkness, it spoke to her and she knows exactly where to take it.
"Oh? Well we'd better hurry then."
"Hyah! Where to?" Robbie called out squinting at the rain coming down, hoping they'll arrive before the weather gets worse or another wave happens.
"The Great Plateau, the path near the church is where the shrine lies."
It's a good thing their horses are used to being around the Guardians before, but having them dodge beams shooting at them is truly the worst, especially in the pouring rain. As luck would have it though, they were nearing the church and came across struggling villagers that received well needed help from them from mobs.
The Guardians were overtaking everything and could be seen scaling mountains, following people and targeting unless they were fast enough to confused the tracking beams or hide somewhere.
From the ride up the Plateau they could already see the Colosseum crawling with various Guardians or all types, even a Lynel ran too it for some reason, perhaps to keep Hylians from using the cannons that were near the top- or the weapons that were stocked inside the Colosseum itself.
A thick red and magenta goo started covering the building in various spots and grew sporadically the more Hylians were slain there- It really was a gloomy sight to see.
Thankfully with Zelda's powers as they past the church, she was able to shut down the Guardians in the lake and a few near a dormant Shrine.
Nearly getting shot by the Guardian stalker that climbed onto the church- or the mob of them that came from out of nowhere to lock in on the group of fleeing heroes, closing in at the perfect time for the golden light to envelope the mechanical nightmares and shut them down in their tracks.
when it was safe to do so they made it the very last way up to the shrine's mouth, and for an old building- like the shrines and Divine Beasts', it was in perfect shape inside and all aglow as soon as they used the Sheikah slate to open it, albeit there were some boxes and a bit of the steps had eroded over the centuries only leaving a large smooth stone and a bit of water leaking from the rain outside.
How the Sheikah made such creations of beasts and machine that appeared as good as new, no one could say for sure but if the inside of a sealed shrine of resurrection looked nearly pristine,t then imagine a sealed shrine! Zelda shook her head at the thought, it would be nice to get inside a shrine one day though.
Luckily there were a few chests that were perfect to place spare clothes for Link if when he woke up, no matter how long that might be.
Blushing profusely as she helped Purah and Robbie undress Link to put him in the glowing blue tub full of water in the last chamber of the Shrine- though she would blush if it were pretty much anyone since she's never exactly helped nor seen another person really undress before. It didn't take more than a moment for her emotions to change when she saw just how many scars and wounds Link really had, she knew it must be a lot but…this many?
The burn marks and holes where the Guardian stalkers shot him were a mix of cauterized and still bleeding and very jarring to look at, to know he might die because Zelda wasn't quick enough to get her powers activated. It left a bitter feeling for sure, especially seeing how Hyrule might perish since they weren't prepared and ready.
The only option she really had was to confront the calamity itself and keep it at bay, and hope Link would wake up to save them soon.
Leaving the slate behind to not only stay protected and help Link, but maybe he can use it to aid him in the battle or get it to work since she never was able to. Maybe this won't all be in vain after all.
Looking back at Link one last time before leaving "I have hope you'll save us all, Link."
Purah reached a hand to help pull Zelda up onto the horse "So, what's this other mission you need to do? I bet it has something to do with his sword, doesn't it."
"I need to go to the whispering woods." And though she sounded confident in her words, Zelda was truly scared for what was to come after it.
Purah smiled as they took off, "Alright, whispering woods here we come!"
She seemed in higher spirits than Zelda felt, maybe that was her default state though but it seemed Purah knew they'd succeed in beating the calamity.
Looking at the boar head shrieking in the distance that was growing closer by the mile, Zelda knew she was going to face that monster that's haunted her entire life, and she was going to make it pay dearly.