Wow! So this is the last chapter! I am super proud of myself for having finished this story but also kind of sad to be posting this last chapter. Thank you EVERYONE who has reviewed, favourited, followed, recommended, or just simply read this story and especially to those of you who have stuck with me since the beginning. I really can't tell you how much it means to me to see the traffic on my story every day. Every time I get an email about a new review or a new story favourite/follow, it honestly makes my day so thank you so much to all of you! I really hope you've enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it and I PROMISE! This isn't the last you'll see of me :) I have a short LoZ story I plan to post in a few weeks. I had originally hoped to post it sooner but I'm going out of the country for a week so I'll have to post it when I get back. It is MATURE! So heads up if that isn't your thing. If you're down with that, then keep an eye out for it around the beginning of February. I have a few other stories in the works at the moment as well so once those are done, I'll post them and start on a sequel to this one.

Again, thank you sososososososososososo much for everything. You guys are honestly the best ever! As always, don't forget to favourite/follow/review and I hope to see you all again very soon :)

Hyrule Field was crawling with guardians. There were far more of them here than Zelda had ever known existed. Ganon must have found even more of them than they had and corrupted their programming to do his bidding. There had been rumours of stores of them hidden somewhere under the castle. Four massive pillars had risen up from the ground surrounding the castle glowing with the same magenta corruption that hovered around the castle where the smoky incarnation of Calamity Ganon circled. The researchers' efforts to find the stores had never amounted to anything but it was clear that's exactly where the overwhelming number of guardians had come from.

Zelda stood in the field, looking toward the distant towering castle. Between her and the castle, hundreds of guardians patrolled back and forth but Zelda no longer felt fear from them. She knew now how to defend against them with her newly awakened goddess-given powers.

She clenched her fists, channeling her anger at her ancient enemy to the task at hand. She closed her eyes and delved into the near endless depths of her powers and brought a trickle of it up to hold in her fingertips, ready to defend against the ancient machines that blocked her path.

Determinedly, she walked forward toward the gate. She hadn't gone far before the guardians approached her. They looked at her with their glowing blue eyes and she stared back defiantly but after a moment, they backed away and cleared a path for her to the castle.

Ganon is waiting for me… She thought, frowning. She continued toward the gate to Castle Town.

Ganon's deafening roar rang out above the castle as she entered the town – or what had once been the town. Rubble littered the streets and even the cobblestones below her feet buckled in a few places. Few structures remained standing completely. Almost everything that she had known in the town had been reduced to rubble around her. A few bodies still lay around her with scorch marks from where they had been killed by the guardians' fire.

She gave a prayer for each one she passed, pausing when she saw a mother clutching her newborn. Both had been killed in the attack and their bodies lay partially buried under a pile of rubble. She closed her eyes again but the image was burned into her memory. She reached again into the power, drawing more of it to the surface. Anger boiled over within her and she opened her eyes with a look of pure hatred but she was no longer where she had been standing in the square of Castle Town.

There was nothing but endless sky beneath her and above her. She blinked as she looked around but was forced to cover her eyes when a blinding golden light shot out towards her. When she lowered her arms, the sacred relic of the goddesses, the Tri-force, shone before her in golden splendour. Holy light radiated from it and she reached out toward it in the distance.

She suddenly became aware of another presence and she turned around to face the most beautiful being she had ever seen. The woman floated on outstretched white feathered wings. Her flowing white gown blowing gently around her along with her long, golden hair. Familiar green eyes gazed back at Zelda.

Zelda immediately dropped to her knees to bow to the goddess Hylia.

"Rise," The goddess's musical voice rang out.

Zelda did as commanded and looked up to meet her eyes.

The goddess had a stern set to her face that made Zelda suddenly fearful, "You mustn't let your emotions control you."

Zelda's brows came together in confusion, "I'm not sure what you mean…"

The memory of a moment ago when she was filled with unbridled hatred toward Ganon flashed through her mind.

The goddess's expression softened, "Calamity Ganon is the reincarnation of the ancient king of demons, Demise. He is the embodiment of hatred and malice. If you allow hatred to rule your heart, his power will corrupt you and defeat you."

Zelda's mouth fell open to speak but no words came forth.

"Love is what awakened your power." The goddess continued, "And love is what will make you stronger. Remember that in your upcoming battle. Believe in the hero and believe in yourself. My power flows within you. With it, you can defeat Ganon."

A single tear forged a path down her cheek as she gazed at the goddess and she nodded, "I will…"

The goddess smiled upon her before another flash of golden light surrounded Zelda and she found herself back in the square, looking up at the castle before her.

Ganon watched her as she set forth again. Every step forward strengthened her resolve.

For the kingdom of Hyrule…

She stepped up the stone stairs that began the path to the castle proper.

For my father, King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule…

She passed through the castle gates.

For Revali, Champion of the Rito…

The massive wooden doors into the great hall of the castle stood open and she walked inside.

For Mipha, Champion of the Zora…

The red carpet stretched out before her leading to an elaborate stairway.

For Daruk, Champion of the Gorons…

She climbed the stairs that curved upwards to another hallway leading to the dining room. Chairs were thrown about the room and rubble piled in places where the ceiling had caved in.

For Urbosa, Champion of the Gerudo…

She passed the long table and headed into the great library of the royal family. Books had fallen from shelves and one wall had fallen away, exposing the sky masked by Ganon's corruption.

And for Link, Hylian Champion and hero chosen by the goddess…

She stepped into the stairwell that led up to the sanctum of the castle where the beast awaited her.

As she stepped into the room, it stood empty but she could still sense his presence. A wisp of smoke swirled up from the ground in the center of the circular room.

"I will defeat you." The princess said with conviction.

The castle rumbled and smoky malice rose up from the center of the room. She watched as the smoke continued to rise and collect into a growing sphere above her. It grew and grew, pulsing with the same magenta corruption that surrounded the castle outside.

Lighting cracked down on the castle from the wicked clouds above crumbling the stone where it struck.

The smoke shifted and swirled slowly taking form. Zelda closed her eyes and searched through her kingdom for the Shrine of Resurrection on the Great Plateau and watched as Robbie and Purah placed Link's body in the bed and activated the slumber of restoration. When he was lying comfortably, water slowly rose around his body and a soft blue light illuminated his sleeping form. Purah placed the Sheikah Slate in a pedestal near the door and the two Sheikah researchers left, sealing the cave behind them.

Zelda smiled knowing they had made it in time. Her knight would be safe there until his wounds healed and he could come for her just as he had promised.

She opened her eyes to face the boar-like head before her. She drew from the well of power deep inside her and raised her hand up as the beast roared its hatred and charged toward her.

She unleashed the power from her palm and Ganon was sucked into her seal, screaming in rage. As the last wisp of smoke was sucked inside, something grabbed hold of her and sucked her into the seal as well.

Ganon slammed against the seal as she was unexpectedly sucked inside and he nearly broke free as her concentration wavered. She drew more power from the well, solidifying the walls of the seal and keeping him and herself contained within.

Here, neither of them took form. They both existed as omnipotent powers – one good and one evil. Ganon pushed against her powers and Zelda pushed back, slamming him back down and holding him imprisoned.

After a time, Ganon settled down but Zelda knew he was just biding his time and reserving his energy for when her seal weakened.

She found she could see into Ganon's twisted mind. Memories of times long past when he had revived in their world and faced Zelda's ancestors and their heroes shot through her own mind as though they were her own. Through him, she remembered when he had touched the Tri-force and it had broken apart. Infuriatingly, he had held the Tri-force of Power on the back of his hand while the Tri-force of Courage appeared on the hero's hand and the Tri-force of Wisdom had appeared on her own hand. A part of her still felt it there. The Tri-force of Wisdom had appeared on her hand when her powers had awakened and a part of her knew that the Tri-force of Courage had appeared on Link's hand as well even though she hadn't seen it. The three of them were forever tied together through the curse of Demise and the Tri-force because of the Hero of Time so long ago.

When Ganon rested, Zelda extended her mind to look over the kingdom again. Link rested peacefully, healing in the Shrine of Resurrection. The chamber was sealed and would only open when he awoke from healing.

Next she looked to Kakariko Village where Impa, Purah and Robbie met to determine the next steps and how to prepare for the hero's awakening. Deciding to split up around the kingdom in hopes that at least one of them would survive to help Link when he finally rejoined the living, they went their separate ways – Robbie to Akkala, Purah to Hetano Village and Impa staying in Kakariko Village.

From there, she searched the four corners of the kingdom – Zora's Domain, Death Mountain, Tabantha and Gerudo Desert. Each of the Divine Beasts rested. The malice and corruption inside of them from Ganon's influence slept until such a time when the hero came to fight them back again.

She searched the kingdom and saw Akkala Citadel. It held as the last stronghold against the attacking guardians. The knights had fought bravely against the onslaught but were ultimately overwhelmed by Ganon's forces.

Ganon slammed against her seal when she was looking away and she was forced to return her focus to holding the seal against him.

There, they stayed, locked together within her seal in the sanctum of Hyrule Castle. From time to time, she would look out at her kingdom and watch, waiting for the day when her brave knight would awaken. Ganon would push against her powers and she would hold him down, growing weary from the constant battle.

Over time, a cautious peace arose in pockets over her kingdom. Hetano Village was nearly untouched by the Calamity that befell the kingdom. The Gerudo chose a new chief and their town prospered once again. The Gorons continued to mine their mountains and the Rito followed in Revali's footsteps, honing their skills at the flight range. The Zora mourned the death of their princess. The elders held a deep resentment against the hero for dragging Mipha into a Hylian war but the younger Zora who had known him, grieved for both their princess and their friend. A small fishing village on the coast scraped together a modest living. The Sheikah of Kakariko Village trained and prepared for the day when their skills and knowledge would once again be needed. The stables throughout the kingdom once again became the centres of shared information, commerce and humanity that they had once been.

Her kingdom was still under threat but for now, it was safe thanks to the efforts of Princess Zelda and her hero and she held onto that knowledge deep within her heart. When her resolve wavered, she thought back to her time with the hero and her love for him that had awakened her powers and drew strength from that.

For one hundred years, she remained sealed away with Ganon, holding him imprisoned until at last, she felt something change. A flicker of life echoed from the Shrine of Resurrection. She looked out toward it, not sure if she'd even truly felt it. But there it was again.

It is time…

A bright golden light appeared in the darkness. At first it seemed far away but slowly it grew. A voice called out, distant and faint so he couldn't really hear what it said. He listened.

"… Open your eyes…"

It was so quiet, he still wasn't really sure he heard it.

Suddenly, he was bathed in golden light.

"Open your eyes..." The voice said.

He opened his eyes slowly and the golden light slowly faded into blue lights set in circles ahead of him.

"Open your eyes." The voice said clearly.

He was aware then that he was lying in a pool of water. The water was slowly receding from his naked body.

"Wake up, Link."

The End