Disclaimer: I do not own the Legend of Zelda.

His Sword and Her Master

Greetings Master

He could have sworn he'd heard the sword speak when he first grasped its hilt so long ago; by the goddesses was it really only six months ago that his journey started with those dreams of the Dark Lord Ganondorf riding his black horse across the burning fields of Hyrule? They were so naive back then—he and Zelda—which resulted in Ganondorf gaining access to the Sacred Realm and the Triforce...or maybe just a piece of it.

The Master Sword was the key to everything; the Sacred Realm, the Triforce, probably even the salvation or destruction of this great land. He'd often wondered who had forged such a magnificent blade but the knowledge was lost with time.

Time...

He'd spent seven years sleeping in the Sacred Realm so his body could grow to the age where he could properly wield the Master Sword. There was simply no other weapon like it and every time it was in his grasp he felt a wave of nostalgia, as if he'd done this all before. At first he'd thought it was merely the magic of the sword itself aiding him in battle when he'd fought his way through legions of Redeads to escape the ruined Castletown. Afterwards he'd felt weakened, exhausted even and at the time he thought he'd just used too much of the sword's power.

Now that he thought back on it, it felt more like it was the other way around. As if the sword was drawing strength from its wielder and using it to increase its own power. At first he hadn't noticed the change but as he battled Phantom Ganon in the Forest Temple to save his childhood friend Saria he'd somehow called upon greater strength than he'd thought that he possessed.

He'd struggled to escape the Redeads in Castletown and had almost fallen to exhaustion. Then he'd fought the four witches in the Forest Temple and for some reason he just kept getting back up no matter how many times they knocked him down. And then during the battle with Phantom Ganon he was able to take repeated hits from the dark energy attacks of the wraith-like creature.

He'd defeated Phantom Ganon by repelling the dark energy balls hurled at him back at the phantom warrior. His body had moved on its own to defeat the seemingly untouchable phantom, and it was only after he'd awakened Saria as a sage that he had noticed that he wasn't exhausted at all. In fact he'd felt better than ever...that's when he kept hearing that voice in the back of his mind.

In the name of my creator, draw the sword and raise it skyward.

They were echoes he'd realized, coming from the Master Sword itself. He hadn't told anyone about it, not even his trusted companion Navi and to be honest he didn't think he'd even be able to tell Zelda when they finally found her. It was almost like the sword was an old friend and not for the first time he turned his gaze upon its otherworldly beauty.

It drew strength from him and in return he gained even greater strength. It was a weapon befitting a hero, a symbol of hope in a hopeless situation, a relic of an age passed and a light that could bring about a better future. Again he wondered who had crafted it; maybe it was a goddess? He'd heard it was called Farore's blade a few times so maybe she made it?

It would explain why it felt so right in his hands; as the one the Great Deku Tree bestowed the Kokiri Emerald too he could probably be recognized as Farore's champion. And wasn't the Triforce piece Farore had crafted supposed to embody courage? It would certainly fit him well...but...he didn't think this blade was crafted by Farore. It just didn't feel right when he thought that...

"Link? Are you awake?" Navi asked as she flew out from under his hat. "It's almost dawn; we'd had better to get ready."

"In a minute, Navi," Link told her as he rested his back against the stone, turning his gaze out at the desert. He held the Master Sword by its scabbard and smiled. "You need a name," he whispered as he grasped the hilt of the sword. "How about...Fi?" the sword seemed to shine as the morning sun shone on the horizon.

"Link?" Navi asked unsure.

"...It's nothing," Link shook himself as he pushed himself to his feet. "Let's go."

"I'll follow you to the end," Navi smiled as she flew at his side.

It was time to head back to the Temple of Time...

He'd done it; he'd actually defeated Ganondorf, rescued Zelda and ended the reign of terror that had befallen the once prosperous Kingdom of Hyrule. Now here he stood atop what seemed to be the clouds in the sky over Hyrule and despite how far away he was from the ground he wasn't afraid at all. There was also this strange desire to put his fingers in his mouth and whistle as loud as he could. He had to shake himself for a second and stop from actually do that.

"Thank you, Link," Zelda said with a sad smile. "Thanks to you, Ganondorf has been sealed inside the Evil Realm. Thus peace will once again reign in this world...for a time," she sighed as she turned her head away from him. "All the tragedy that has befallen Hyrule was my doing...I was so young...I could not comprehend the consequences of trying to control the Sacred Realm. I dragged you into it too; now it is time for me to make up for my mistakes...you must lay the Master Sword to rest and close the Door of Time. However by doing this, the road between times will be closed."

"...You've got to be kidding me," Link said quietly. "Do you realize what you are asking of me?"

"Yes," Zelda replied sadly. "Please Link, give the Ocarina of Time to me; as a sage I can return you to your original time with it."

He couldn't believe it and yet he knew that this had to happen. He could feel it now...the flow of time...as it danced around him. This needed to happen despite how much he didn't want it too; there was somewhere he needed to be but he knew that if he left now he would be dooming this time to destruction.

I was created for a single purpose, long before the recorded memory of your people. My purpose here is complete; therefore, I ask you to dissolve our arrangement as master and servant.

There it was again, he sent a glance of his shoulder at the sword on his back and felt warmth coming from it. He smiled sadly and nodded as he took out the Ocarina of Time. He placed the ocarina in Zelda's hand and she clasped both it and his hand in between hers with sadness on her face.

"Peace has returned to Hyrule…it is time for us to say goodbye," she pulled away with the ocarina in hand. "Now go home, Link. Regain your lost time! Home…where you are supposed to be…the way you're supposed to be…"

He didn't know where his words came from but he couldn't stop them from being said. "I am forever a Hero in the service of Her Grace," Link said as he knelt on one knee, his right arm across his chest and his head held high.

Zelda seemed surprised for a moment before shaking herself and bringing the ocarina to her lips. The Song of Time echoed across the clouds as a column of light enveloped the Hero. The world around him faded as he fell through time itself towards the end of one journey and the beginning of his next adventure.

"Thank you Link…Goodbye," he heard Zelda's distant voice one last time.

The column of light died down and all he could do was stare at his Sword feeling both relief and longing. Here he was again, in the form of the child he once was standing before the Blade of Evil's Bane. He sighed and looked over at Navi with a sad smile.

"Are you leaving?" Link asked her.

"I have too," Navi replied sadly.

"I'll be coming after you, you know?" Link said clearly.

"I know," Navi smiled back. "But you might not catch me."

"It doesn't mean I won't try," Link told her.

"Goodbye Link…" Navi whispered as she flew out of the temple window overhead.

Alone again and this time without Saria to comfort him he couldn't help but sigh and turn towards the massive Door of Time. Even now he could feel that his journey wasn't over yet; Navi hadn't told him why she was leaving but he accepted that she must have had her reasons. It wouldn't stop him from chasing her though; after all she had been with him through everything that had happened.

He stopped at the edge of the step and turned back towards the Master Sword, seeing it glisten from the sunshine coming through the windows. He turned away with a small smile and continued walking; well…maybe she wasn't the only one to see everything through to the ends of time…

May we meet again in another life…

His smile widened as he waved back, the Door of Time closing slowly the moment he exited the room leaving his sword behind.

Until next time…Master.

Author's Notes:

These are just my thoughts on the bond between the Heroes and the Master Sword. I honestly believe that the Master Sword's abilities are powered by external forces like the Sages of Wind and Earth in the Wind Waker or Zelda (Hylia) herself in Skyward Sword. I read the manga version of the Ocarina of Time and Link appeared to become exhausted after using the Master Sword early on which made me think that maybe it draws strength from its wielder forcing them to become even stronger to compensate for drain.

Ghiraham at first was just toying around with Link in Skyward Sword and yet Link was able to beat him at full power by the end of it to which the Demon Lord says it can't just be the Master Sword that's able to give him such strength since he himself is an Evil Master Sword who was probably forged in a similar manner by the Demon-God Demise. It would also explain how the Hero is always able to do such impossible feats that any normal human couldn't possibly do without some way to even the odds a little.

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