[EDITING] The Legend of Zelda: Goddess of Secrecy

Overworld Chapter 70 - Farewell

...to the hill at the center of Hyrule Field where the Hero's Shrine waited. The early sun fell on the central statue, the Hero depicted lifting his sword up to the sky. Unimpressed, birds danced around the statues, their birdsong filling the air.

Zelda waited at the edge of the shrine with their horses. Epona and Bliss turned out to graze as she made idle conversation with the knights as they joined again. Link could only make out what they were saying faintly as he approached the statue.

When he passed into the ring of statues, a mist wrapped around the space. He could still hear Zelda, now even more distant, and the birds chirping from where they perched overhead. But it was as if he had walked out of time itself, and into somewhere uniquely its own.

On the base of the central statue sat a lone figure. Still human, his green tunic mirrored Link's own. A red scarf fell over his shoulder as he braced his hands on his knees.

"I was wondering when you'd show up." Shade smiled as he rose to greet Link. Link returned the greeting with a reluctant smile, to which Shade's expression became more neutral. "I hope we didn't call too soon."

Link shook his head. "No, no, that's not—That's not it. I—I can't believe it's all real. That it's done." He swallowed as he looked out over the fields in their here and not here state. "That I did it."

"Your humility is a bit much, don't you think?" Shade asked jokingly as he gripped Link by the shoulder, suddenly very present. "You did good. Really good. Let yourself enjoy it a little."

Laughing lightly, Link shook his head as he brushed Shade's hand off. "I think you've had more time to sit with that."

Shade lifted both hands to his sides in a gesture that said "well" before he looked back at Link with a serious and genuine expression. "I mean it though. The Convergence, the Goddess, all the forms of Demise! Even I couldn't do that." He grinned and motioned to his side grimly. "You're the best of us, Link. All of us. And I'd know, I've been through them all."

Link bowed his head, his face a little flushed as he wasn't sure how to respond. Finally, he resolved, "I'm the best yet. But someone else will come."

"And you'll be there to help them," Shade replied, motioning to Link before he held his hands together at his waist. "But you didn't come here to pass compliments, did you?"

Again, Link shook his head. Standing here now, there was a small part of him that wanted to turn back. To wait, to hold on, as if it wasn't over. Just a little longer.

But there was no more waiting. It was time. He knew it in his heart. Hyrule was at peace. It needed to rest. He needed to rest.

Link shifted his sword belt and pulled it over his head. The cloth Zeal had given him at been restored by Reechka, and it was still wrapped tightly around the belt as he brought the belt and its contents in front of him. From the back of the belt, Link unclasped the sheath and slung the belt back over his head.

He drew the blade out, one more time. The light of it had faded since the battle. Only a dull shine remained as Link looked into his reflection on it.

"Never had a better sword," Shade said as he looking to the metal as well. "She truly is a beautiful."

"Yeah," Link agreed, feeling a lump forming in his throat. "She is."

Pushing the Master Sword back into its sheath, Link lifted the casing up into his hands. He turned back to Shade and extended the weapon out in front of him to the memory of his past.

Shade gripped the upper side of the sheath as Link's hands rested underneath. The ancient Hero offered a smile, though it was a hollow consolation as Link let go. Shade stepped back and rested his hands on the hilt as the golden end of the sheath rested on the floor.

"What happens now?" Link asked even as his eyes watched the sword in its sheath.

"You tell us," Shade answered, and the air suddenly began to move. Out from the statues around the perimeter appeared yet more figures, all with the memory of a green tunic as they joined by Shade's side around the central sculpture. Shade inclined his head towards Link. "You do still have a lot of life to live, you know?"

Link smiled even as his cheeks hurt from the expression. His eyes were getting heavy, and he quickly ran the back of his hand over them. Lowering his hand, he looked across the crowd of faces until he finally reached Shade again.

"Will I ever see you again?" Link asked.

Shade shrugged. "One day. But that's a long ways off. Keep it that way." He leaned in with a serious expression at his last remark.

"I'll do my best," Link agreed, his eyes again falling on the Master Sword.

"You know, a shrine in the middle of field isn't exactly the best place to keep this," Shade said, tipping the Master Sword towards him for a moment. "Perhaps you should find a better place. For the next go around."

"I can do that," Link answered, the smile easier this time. "But you won't be here?"

Shade shook his head. "My time's done. The way will be open for you to find her, but it's your path now. This is your era, make the most of it. Be a legend worth telling."

Link's vision grew blurry as his eyes welled. He grit his teeth to keep the tears back and bowed. "Thank you, for everything you did to help."

"Don't thank me, kid," came the response, but the voice was already beginning to fade. "You're the one who did it."

When Link rose again, the shrine was empty save for him. The sound of birdsong filled the space again, nothing to muffle it. Light filtered in on a handful shafts of light, framing the face of the hero before him. It almost looked like the statue was smiling.

Taking in one more long breath, Link turned and left the shrine behind him. The sun warmed his back as he walked, and returned to the fields where Zelda and their company waited.

Zelda stepped up to meet him. She leaned forward, a hint of concern in her otherwise friendly greeting, "Well, what now?"

Link stepped closer, reaching out for her hand. She clasped his back, unmarked hand in unmarked hand. Link gave it a tight squeeze to ground himself as he looked into her eyes.

"Let's live."