[EDITING] The Legend of Zelda: Goddess of Secrecy

The Sealing Grounds

...spiraling into the white vastness. There was no way to direct where they were falling. Link wrapped his arms around Zelda, bringing her in close as they continued to fall to keep from losing each other. They continued dropping through the void without any signs of change in the great emptiness.

As Link was beginning to worry they were trapped, a break formed ahead of them. Link saw a fuzzy image of a vast desert filled with a horde before he was turned with the portal behind him, and then they passed through.

The ground came in fast. Link and Zelda were sent rolling in over each other as Link kept her close to protect her. A few misplaced elbows and a rough surface later, they came to a halt amidst the sounds of battle. Based on the sounds they both let out, he'd taken the majority of the damage there.

Link pushed himself up from the ground as Zelda pulled away, both of them expecting more fighting around them than they found. There was activity, but not fighting. Not right where they'd landed at least.

Someone shouted "They're back!" before news of Link and Zelda's return began to spread through the fort like wildfire. Still easing into his sense, Link took stock of where they were while he helped Zelda up.

He could hear it all around them, the sounds of more monsters trying to take the walls. He could see the soldiers holding strong against the assault, the Sages illuminating the line as they continued to hold. Hyrule's forces had held out for hours at this point, and showed no signs of stopping now even as the horde grew.

Where he and Zelda had landed was near the fort's keep. Horses were hurriedly penned off and medic tents had haphazardly been thrown together around the central structure. The beginnings of a camp were being scrabbled together in place of the actual buildings, but so many of the troops were still on the wall. Many of the injured that Link did see downed potions before pulling themselves from the sick beds and pushing back for the wall.

Link wished they would rest, but his attention was quickly drawn to why they couldn't. There was a shriek from the sky. He looked up to see kargarocs carrying great boulders in their talons and dropping them into the courtyard of the fort.

Far enough away to not take damage, they didn't need to take cover. Link still raised his shield on instinct in front of him and Zelda, both looking out over the edge of it to the devastation.

There was a clattering of hooves, and Link turned to see a black stallion with a silver mane and tail racing from them. Endeavor pulled Quicksilver to a halt, and swiftly dismounted. "You are back!"

"Where do you need me?" Link asked, called to act, even as Zelda asked over him, "What's happened since we left?"

Endeavor looked between them, holding up a finger to Link before answering Zelda, "The fort has held. The line thins, slowly, but we expect a counterattack soon. And I sense your task is not yet done, which calls for concern."

She turned and motioned to the Dark Portal, now snapping with magic. The gateway showed images of another world, distorted and twisted. Zelda let a small gasp escape her as they looked on in horror.

"That has been waking up recently," Endeavor stated, her hand on her sword hilt. "And I suspect it has something to do with the Demon Lord."

"He escaped," Zelda admitted guiltily.

"This does not surprise me. The retreat to the castle would take you away from us and let him strike in your absence. Let us hope he did not expect you would return so soon," Endeavor replied evenly, as if the news were simply to be expected. She turned to them both and smiled when she saw them disheartened. "The battle sides with us yet. Let us prepare a surprise for our enemy while we can!"