Link panted heavily as he stared up at Dark Beast Ganon, blood dripping down his cheek from a head wound and his hands shaking as he clung to his sword and shield. Despite everything, despite freeing the Divine Beasts, despite freeing the past guardians and unlocking their abilities, it wasn't enough. His girlfriend - who had been sealed in the chamber with him and joined him throughout his journey - had fallen, unconscious against a tree where the beast had thrown her.

Link quickly rolled out the way of a swipe of a claw and parried away the sharp claws, biting back a sob as his body ached with agony. He couldn't give up yet, he just couldn't! He had to save Hyrule! He had to defeat the beast once and for all!

He stumbled against the wet grass and quickly dodged a breath of fire, feeling the edge of his tunic catch fire. Quickly snuffing it out, he kept moving, looking for an opening. The beast watched him closely and growled, its' claws digging into the ground as its' muscles tightened, preparing to pounce.

Link gasped when he finally slipped on the wet grass and a very large, very heavy paw pinned him to the ground. He stared in horror up at the beast and quickly grabbed his fallen sword, slashing at the leg. He let out a choked sob, continuing to slash and stab as the beast pressed more into him.

Looking around in a panic, Link froze when he saw a woman stumbling as she ran barefoot across the wet grass. She only wore a pair of loose pants and a vest that clung to her, sticking as the rain dampened it. She had obviously fallen several times from wherever she had been, considering the amount of mud on her.

The beast looked over its' shoulder and stared as the woman ran towards it, tears mixing with rain on her cheeks. The beast loosened its' grip on the hero enough for him to slip free and Link stumbled away, trying to signal the woman to run away. However, she kept running towards the beast fearlessly.

The woman sobbed and slowed down, rubbing her nose as she neared the beast. Holding out her hands, she choked out, "Ganon, please, please stop this."

Link stared in horror as the beast prepared to launch an attack at her and faintly heard Seraphina scream a name. Alice... her sister! Link quickly ran towards Alice and yelped when the beast knocked him away, sending him crashing into the ground beside Seraphina. She quickly helped him up and the two stared as the beast jumped on Alice, sending her sprawling onto the ground.

Alice sobbed as she lay on the ground and stared as hot breath fanned over her. "Gan... I know you're in there. Please... hear me."

Ganon stared down at her, breathing heavily as she laid defenseless under him. One bite and she would be gone forever. But he couldn't bring himself to end her once again. He faintly felt something pull inside of him.

He growled as the feeling grew and watched as Alice trembled, her eyes plastered on his. Ganon straightened up and roared loudly, summoning a tornado of dark magic. The beast dissolved into the magic and a man stood in its' place, staring in horror at the woman.

He dropped to his knees and bundled her into his arms, holding her to his broad chest. Holding her close, he curled over her protectively, his long red hair curtaining her vision. Ganondorf held Alice close as the dark magic continued to swirl, tears gathering in his eyes.

Alice gently cupped his cheek and sniffled softly, whispering, "I missed you."

He smiled softly and held her close, shakily squeezing her waist. "I don't deserve you."

She shook her head and pressed her forehead to his, staring into his golden eyes. "I love you, Ganondorf."

He closed his eyes and tightened his grip as a tear streaked down his cheek. "I can't do this anymore, I'm tired."

She smiled softly and gently wiped away the tear with her thumb. "I am, too. Let's go now, they'll understand and everyone will be at peace."

He leaned into her hand and let out a slow breath, cupping her cheek. "We won't exist anymore, we'll fade away into nothing but legend."

She nodded and hugged his shoulders, pressing close to tuck her nose into his neck. "That's okay, we'll be together forever then."

He nodded and guided her into a kiss, cupping her cheek. She tilted her head slightly and pressed close, deepening the kiss as the tornado of dark magic swirled faster. She gasped softly as she was lifted up and clung to him, the tornado swirling closer and lifting them off the ground.

He held her to him and pressed his nose into her hair as the magic consumed them. They held onto each other as their bodies turned to dust, dispersing into the air with a shockwave. The rain stopped as the magic fully disappeared and the clouds lightened, turning to gray and letting small beams of light through.

Link stared at the spot the beast once stood, clothes torn and singed, his body almost completely wrecked, and a single tear slipped out of his eye. Seraphina fell to her knees and screamed, clutching her hair as tears flowed freely and hit the wet ground, mixing with the water. Link sunk down and gently pulled her close, biting back a wince as she turned to cling to him.

It was finally over. Ganon would be no more, but at no small cost. There would be no need for heroes anymore and everyone could rebuild their lives. Everyone except two people who had chosen to become legends.

Yes, Link silently vowed, they would be remembered. Despite everything Ganon had done, he was once a man. A man who wanted his people to thrive and a man who loved like no other. And despite Alice being no one important, she ended up becoming the most important of them all. She ended the suffering of the one man who had the power to end the world and willingly joined him in becoming a legend.

In the end, it wasn't by blade or arrow. It wasn't by courage or wisdom or power. It was love that started and ended it all. A man who loved his people so much he lost himself to a power too great for his own will and a woman who loved him so much she gave up the rest of her life to join him in the afterlife.