I do not own the Legend of Zelda. But I wish I did.

Threads of Destiny

Prologue

It was still coming. After everything they've tried, it just was still coming. And now, as the last line of defense, a small group of warriors stood in a small clearing in the middle of the vast forest hoping to buy at least a minute for their savior.

Among the dozen or so sheikah only one stood out. The lone human wore only a simple chain shirt under his white tunic and grey pants, a white cloak on his back. His messy blonde hair failed to obscure his sapphire blue eyes. The simple sword in his hand shook with fear and anxiety. The sheikah surrounding him all looked so similar it was as if they were all the same person, it was the small details that gave each one away and made them different. All wore the same style of armor, simple leather armor that featured their clan's insignia in the were equipped with short swords and throwing daggers.

The sky was blacker than on a moonless night. The only sources of light came from the vast fires that gave the land a ghostly fiery red glow. From up ahead the sounds of fighting could be heard. A last alliance of the free people of the world gorons, mogmas, sheikah, and a small group of humans banded together against the tides of evil it produced. Most of the human population had been annihilation and their savior had managed to round up the last few hundred or so and gathered them together. Of course the lone human did not count himself and his band of brave kinsmen among those. He had been made the leader of this alliance, not only because of his prowess but because of who he was. Whether he liked it or not he was chosen for the role, the role of hero, but he was not the savior. No, that was her job and he'd do anything to make sure she succeeded.

For hours on end the bokoblins, the soldiers of the enemy had moving ever towards them. Constantly drawn to the sacred power that they were so desperately trying to protect, the bokoblins had not stopped, just kept pushing forward. The rest of the army had gone forth to meet them head on, but the small group of sheikah had pulled him from the rest of the group, telling him to help them defend the path to the temple. So he did.

They now stood, unable to see the fighting, but no longer needing to. The fighting could be heard, and it was drawing ever closer. The allied army was being driven back towards the temple. But the army wasn't being driven back by bokoblins, no those creatures were only as dangerous as they were intelligent, even in mass. It was their master that gave them the advantage to fight off the armies. Even now he could feel the evil and malice it gave off. The evil was crashing against him like waves from the oceans.

The sounds of footsteps reached the small groups ears and they turned to see the youngest of the sheikah tribe closing in on them. "Master Daphnes," she said as she nodded her head in salute. "Her grace has gathered all of the survivors, and they are prepared to go,"

"Good," Daphnes replied looking back forward. The young sheikah made a nervous gesture, as if not knowing how to proceed. Noticing her behavior the human turned back.

"She's waiting for you, she wants you to go with them," the sheikah continued. Daphnes sighed and looked back at his comrades. The look in his eyes told them everything that needed to be said and one of them nodded for him to go.

"Very well, let's go," the human said much to the relief of the sheikah. The two of them ran back through the woods back to the temple. The path becoming increasingly more difficult to see as the darkness deepened. It wasn't far away now.

A mass group of humans, probably all that remained of his species was gathered on a large out cropping of land, and just in front of the group was a single blonde haired woman. She wore a white silk dress, and has bright blue bracelets on her arms. She looked around waiting, perhaps searching for something, someone he knew. The moment she spotted him her eyes shone bright with love and happiness. She ran up to meet them and before the man could say anything, embraced him.

"Hylia," Daphnes barely managed to say as the blond hugged the air out of his lungs.

"Thank the Goddesses you're safe," she said. Her eyes told him all he needed to know about her. She was so torn, to most they would see only the strong sage turned demigoddess, but he could see. The entire conflict had been draining her will, and the life in her eyes had likewise been sapped. For that, he could never forgive it. The blond released him and grasped his hand. "Come, you're the last one, then I shall send you all skyward," she said as she tried to pull him to the other survivors.

He stopped as she felt resistance from the other side of their clasped arms. Just as she was turning to face him, he pulled her into a deep kiss. He felt the woman give in, and her arms wrapped around his neck, his around her waist. The passion that flowed from the two was as powerful as their feelings for each other. After a few seconds, the two reluctantly pulled back, and looking into each other's eyes, both realized that would be their first and last kiss.

"Hylia, I'm not going, Demise is almost here, surely you can feel it too," Daphnes said. He whipped the tears that were now flowing uncontrollably down the young woman's face. "Send them up; I'll buy you what time I can." With that he pulled himself away before she could grasp him again.

"No," Hylia said weakly. "No, please Daphnes, please go!" she pleaded. "I-I love you!" Tears spilled from her eyes, leaving marks on her porcelain skin.

"I love you too," Daphnes replied. "And that's why I can't go," he said. The blonde's eyes widened. "To live a life without you is worse than dying, so I'm going to stay and do what I can," he finished, turning away so that Hylia wouldn't be able to see the tears now flowing from his own eyes.

Hylia felt her heart shatter, her one hope in all of this was that he'd escape and live on. But no, he refused to leave her. Part of her was grateful; part of her was terrified at his words. But most of all, his words dealt a blow to her that Demise had yet to achieve, her one last hope had faltered. No, this wasn't her last hope, just her selfish one.

Just then, another sheikah had appeared. He ran up to the hero and goddess. And spoke quietly so that the general public wouldn't hear. "Demise had broken through our lines, he'll be here in a matter of minutes," he spoke quickly, his breathing hard as he tried to regain his lost breath.

Both hero and goddess locked eyes one last time. Hylia's eyes were pleading, pleading for him to go and survive. But he knew better. "I'm sorry," he whispered to her before turning around and faced the messenger. "Let's go," he said. He turned to face the young sheikah who had remained silent the whole time. "Impa stay here with Hylia, protect her with your life," he finished before running back towards the woods.

Hylia reached out in vain for him as he ran, the cloak that she had given him flowing freely in the breeze. More tears threatened to flow from the goddess's eyes as she chocked on a sob. Impa placed her hand on the blonde's shoulder. The girl forced back her tears and turned to face the people before her. She gave her golden harp to one of the captain of the knights who Daphnes had ordered to stay with their people. The man instantly knew what it meant and gave the girl a nod.

Stepping back she took a preparing breath as she called upon the powers the Goddesses had granted her for this quest. Casting a last longing glance back in the direction her lover ran her made a silent prayer. 'Farore, Nayru, Din, please keep him safe,' he prayed. With that last thought she focused her mind and powers, raised her arms and concentrated as much as she could.

When Daphnes returned the sheikah he left to hold the pass where spread out, each clutching their wounds. Some were already dead, others looked close to it. A large humanoid like demon stood in the clearing. His fiery red hair blazing, burning the air it touched. The grass his feet touched bled the life out of the plants making them wither and die. His sword, massive and black was intimidating, but Daphnes knew its power was dwarfed by the monstrosity wielding it. It, the thing he had been having nightmares about now stood in front of his face. The remnants of his army could still be heard fighting in the distance, less than a few hundred meters away.

Demise turned to face Daphnes and the other sheikah. "So, this is it huh?" it said with a chuckle in its deep raspy it. "This is the last thing the "goddess" can throw at me?" it asked with a huff. "You're nothing but a mere human standing before Demise. I have searched long and hard for this power and no one will stand in my way, if you value your life then flee."

Daphnes planted his feet firmly on the ground, drew his sword and fell into his battle stance. His shield, blessed by Hylia, had been lost when they had to withdraw from the once prosperous mine. The iron shield his men gave him to replace it, broken just a few hours earlier.

It mattered not; Daphnes knew how to defend himself even without a shield. "I'm not going anywhere, and you shall go no further monster!" he shouted. The man could have sworn he saw a smile grace the demon's face.

"You dare stand before Demise? Very well, I shall humor you, I accept your challenge," Demise said as he readied his blade. Daphnes lifted his hand and Demise understood.

Turning to the sheikah at his side "Get them out of here," Daphnes said. Demise allowed the sheikah to gather his fallen brethren and get them out of the way. Once they were gone Daphnes readied his sword. "Just you and me," he said as he charged forward.

With a furious war cry Daphnes slashed down on the monster from the right to which the demon king easily parried with a simply flick of his blade. Trying from the left this time, he met the same results. Blow after blow was met with block after block. Daphnes decided to feint an attack, luring Demise's blade to one side before quickly lashing at the now defenseless side. The smirk that Daphnes had formed quickly dissolved into a look of shock as his blade seemingly bounced off the monster as if it were a massive rock.

With a laugh Demise lashed at the human's sword, both sending the blade out of his hands as well as cutting it in half. "See, no human can damage me, you should have just ran and hide like the cowards your race is," Demise said as he kicked Daphnes back.

The hero hit the ground with a roll and pulled himself back up. It was hard for him to stand, and he was breathing heavily. He realized the kick must have broken a rib or two. He hurt everywhere but refused to give in. Drawing the sheikah short sword that the guardians insisted he carry, which he was now grateful for, he made to charge the monster one more time. However, before he could take step, his leg gave out under him and he fell to his knees.

Demise chuckled to himself. "Foolish human, I shall spare you so that you may die as you see fit," he said before continuing onto the temple.

'No!' Daphnes yelled in his mind to himself. 'Hylia is depending on me, I can't give up now!' he continued. Hylia's face flashed before his eyes. The softness of her touch, the warmth of body, the feeling of their kiss, the light in her eyes, it all flooded before him. Suddenly he found strength, strength he thought left him, strength he didn't realize he had. The hero rose to his feet again, with blade in hand and ran after the demon king.

With a leap the hero landed on the demon's back, wrapped an arm around neck, and brought the blade through the fiery red hair. Much to his surprise the red was cut from the body of the demon king. As the hair landed on the ground the flames extinguished to reveal only ashes. Demise shouted out in rage, his hair growing back and burning twice as bright, before grasping the hero and slammed him on the ground. Daphnes coughed up blood as he landed on his back. The sound of his bones breaking filled his ears.

Within an instant Demise took his blade and stabbed the hero through his abdomen. Daphnes cried out in pain and lay on the ground, his blood slowly flowing into the ground. Raising his gaze to the sky, the hero couldn't help but smirk.

"Oh Demise, you've lost," he struggled to say. His words were quiet, but Demise heard them nonetheless. The demon king's eyes narrowed as he focused on the dying human before him. "Even in defeat, I won, just look up," he continued. Demise, letting his curiosity get the better of him, humored the human and looked up, to his astonishment and fury; he saw a large out cropping of land rising in the sky. But the land was not what made him furious, no; it was the giant statue that was rising with it. He could feel the power he had so diligently sought after escaping him as it was slowly drifting upward.

Demise howled in rage as he watched the bottom of the statue disappear above the clouds, a ripple spreading from it. Suddenly could no longer since the golden power that he sought after. His fury consumed him, and he knew who he could take it out on.

Pulling his sword free from the dying man, Demise continued on his way and left him there. A sad smile made its way to his face. She did it, she really did it. He just wished that he could have been there to see her one last time. Looking back up to the sky, he could see the clouds forming, covering the entire sky as if it were a giant barrier separating the humans from the rest of the world, and with them the golden power that started all of this needless violence. The darkness seemed like it was passing, finally passing. That left him with more satisfaction than anything else in the world, except for Hylia.

The ground began to rumble, and then the world fell silent. Quietly at first, then louder foot steps could be heard. "Quick someone get a stretcher!" he heard someone shout.

Hylia fell back, right into Impa's arms as the sheikah caught her. Her hand instantly over her heart. She had felt a severe jolt of pain in her heart, and it ached. Sadly, she knew what it meant. Tears once again poured down her cheeks. The sheikah guards that surrounded her all closed in. Each tried to offer their condolences. The survivors that Daphnes had managed to rescue had all come and filled her in on the details. After seeing the new land of Skyloft safely off into the sky, she used her magic to heal them.

Once the bottom of the statue had passed through the clouds, it created a cloud barrier, just as planned to prevent anyone from entering or leaving either side. The goddess had left the group of sheikah, and sought to be by herself. Her heart was heavy and her sorrow greater.

But it seemed that fate truly seemed to be out to get her, for it was within minutes that she heard it. A ferocious rage yelling at her from the darkness and from it came Demise. Steeling her heart, Hylia let her sorrow become her strength. When she saw Demise, she saw not the demon king, but rather the murderer of her beloved.

As the sheikah prepared to make one last futile effort to stop the evil, she stopped them. She stepped forward and faced the abomination. Holding out her hands, light magic formed and soared towards Demise. She poured everything into her magic and didn't stop until it shredded the creature until it became a mass of solidified evil. The giant monster tried to step forward. But another one of her quick spells threw the monster to the bottom of the pit where the Triforce was once protected. With the last of her energy she sealed the monstrosity where it lay, sealing it for all time.

The goddess fell to her knees. It was over, it was all finally over. Demise had been cast down, her people safe, the land safe… but at what cost?

The remnants of the alliance army returned, many happy, but the sheikah were silent and their expressions sad. She watched as they all came closer. Less than a tenth of the size compared to how big it was originally. But that was not what caught her eye, no; it was the one on the stretcher that was being carried by a group of sheikah, Daphnes. Instantly she was back on her feet and closing in quickly.

Again she felt her heart ache as she saw the now blood stained tunic. She immediately began trying to heal his wounds, but her strength failed and her magic dispersed. Someone procured a healing potion, but it had no effect. He looked at her, and despite the darkness she could see forming in his eyes she could also see happiness. "Hylia, you did it," he said in a weak voice.

Hylia almost broke down at his worlds, but kept herself together for his sake. "No, I couldn't have down it without you, thank you," she said sadly taking his hands in her own. They were already beginning to feel cold.

"I'm glad I got to see you, one last time," he said, his voice weaker than before. Hylia let slip a few tears. Much to her surprise Daphnes raised his arm despite his weakening strength and whipped the tears away. "Hey, it's not good bye forever, I'll see you again, in another life, I promise," he said. The sun's morning light began to spread from the horizon, welcoming the new day, the new age. It was ironic in a way, the sun'd morning rays washing away the darkness, yet it will be the last day in which it will shine on the face of the world.

"You never break your promises," she replied. The light washed over their faces. Seeing that he was almost gone, she gave him one last farewell kiss.

Daphnes felt her kiss and used the last of his strength to return it. "Good bye… Hylia… I love you…" and with those last few words, Daphnes welcomed the cold embrace of death.

Hylia began to weep, and she was not alone, for all who knew him weeped as well. Daphnes may not have been able to stop Demise, but he gave the ultimate sacrifice to ensure that the world had a future, and for that he was a hero. Hylia held his limp body as she sobbed into him. She knew it was not the end, no their love was too great to be stopped by time. She just had to wait, besides, things were only getting started. But for now, she let her heart pour out.

Ok, so that was a bit dark, but it's the prologue… Tell me what you think, please R&R Thanks!