Endless War

V

"For most, the world will end when the Calamity arrives. For me, it already has ended." 

-Princess Zelda's diary

Hyrule Castle - 06:30:51

Link stood at attention like the soldier he was. As were the six others arranged in a circle around him. All eyes were on the King and his daughter. The General, Link's father, stood behind and to the right of his lord. The others didn't look at the General, but Link could see that his father was proud.

But of what? Link wondered. Of volunteering for a suicide mission? It certainly seems like it.... Ever since I joined the Angelblades my life has been one strike after another, getting dirty over here, getting dirty over there. All our missions are "important," but this one was deemed "paramount." And by the king, no less! So what's going on...?

It's always this way, isn't it? The big boss always has some master plan, but the poor grunts like me and the rest of these guys just get sent out to fight. Be nice to know what exactly we're fighting for. Maybe I shouldn't volunteer for every assignment that comes my way. But it's what the people expect.

If only... if only there was a way I could fight for that girl in the blue dress standing over me, asserting her dominance.

Link's musing was broken when the King started calling out each name in the room.

"John MacTavish."

"Simon Riley."

"Viktor Reznov."

"Yuri Curran."

"Alex Mason."

"Joseph Turner."

"Link Miyamoto."

Link ever so slightly shifted his eyes to look around the room. MacTavish and Simon were easily recognizable: he remembered them running to his aid after that horrific fight against the lynels two years ago. The rest... he had no idea who they were. Reznov looked like one of the bears he had often seen on his travels, and definitely as belligerent as one. Yuri looked much friendlier, but Link thought he detected a hint of sadness in his eyes. Mason looked like a typical veteran, who wasn't afraid to let his superiors know what was on his mind. And Turner looked incredibly young - probably only 23 or 22. He looked strict, but Link saw in his face that he was too friendly to be that strict. He was too young to know the harshness of war.

How can I think that? Link scolded himself. I may be a skilled swordsman, but I'm only 15! I haven't even hit my growth spurt yet, and I talk like I'm a man. No, I must respect these men. Even if I am...

Link's train of thought was interrupted by the King continuing his speech. Finally letting them have the background of the mission.

"My soldiers," he began, "today you embark on a great purpose. Today, the seven of you shall venture into the land of the Yiga, and tear its heart out. With the traitors removed from the equation, our progress will stop being hindered, and our young Princess Zelda will most certainly awaken her power sooner than expected."

That last bit stung, Link could see. Though she had tried to keep her face impassive, the boy could tell from countless hours of staring at her pretty face that she was furious with herself, possibly even embarrassed of her own failures.

And no doubt envious of me, he thought.

And in that moment, while the King spoke in bureaucratese, Link wished he had never known the joy of the fight, nor the call of the battle. He wished that there was no such thing as evil, that 10,000 or 100,000 years ago that black-armored Gerudo man had a good heart. He wished that Zelda wasn't Hylia reborn. He wished that he wasn't the incarnation of a man - no, a boy, he reminded himself - who had single-handedly ended Demise.

He wished... he wished for so many things. But mainly he wished that he could be a carefree child again.

But none of those things were going to happen, and so he just had to shut up and take it.

It was almost enough to make him start crying. I'm not ashamed to tell you that I did when I viewed his thoughts. But the self-control he had to stop that, to maintain a totally emotionless face, was simply awe-inspiring.

Dimly, he was aware of the other six soldiers dropping to their knees, so he did the same. One by one, they rose and pledged themselves to the mission: hunt down the last remnants of the Yiga Clan, specifically their leadership. And one by one, they walked forward to receive Hylia's Blessing from the Goddess' mortal form.

It seemed to take forever, and yet, it still wasn't enough time for Link to prepare. This would be the closest he would be to her in two years. In the intervening time, she had pleaded too busy with trying to awaken her power, or claiming that she was late to settle a dispute. But alas! the poor boy knew better. He could even feel the waves of resentment radiating off of her, drowning his hopes, crushing the meager fragments he held on to. And every time they had crossed each other's path, her look had been so full of despair and envy that he could only shrink back into his shell.

Puzzling that a man isn't afraid of a charging 20-ton lynel but is scared of a woman's wrath.

When finally it came Link's turn to receive the power that would increase his strength and speed, he looked down at the ground.

"Link."

"Link."

"My son, is something wrong?"

Hearing his father's voice, he finally snapped out of it and looked deep into the Princess' green eyes.

In those eyes, he saw pain and fear and suffering and envy and resentment, all swirling around, vying for dominance.

"O noble youth, in the name of Hylia, I..."

And when it was over, Link did feel more powerful, but he felt tainted. Like he had robbed his friend of her power.

With the ceremony over, the King and the General said a final goodbye to Link before going to check on the other soldier's preparations. It left the 15-year-old boy and girl alone together.

For some time, neither had the courage to say anything. Did they not have the right words for such a time, when one of them was in danger of disappearing or even death. Even I do not know.

It was Zelda who broke the silence.

"Go now, Link. If you fail, you fail. But if you succeed....

"Don't come back."