The Legend of Zelda: What Comes After - The Final Tale of The Hero of Time

Chapter XII: The Hero's Purpose

I remember that fateful day...

The day the Gerudo attacked Castle Town... when our forces were able to fend off the attack. However, in the final moments of the battle, their cowardly leader sliced the neck of my best friend, leaving our army no chance but to kill every last one of them. I remember watching from a distance, chasing down the leader, but when I got close, in the blink of an eye, she threw two daggers at me. Catching me off guard, I turned around to be impaled in the chest and in the eye by the two daggers. With that remaining energy I had left, I traveled through the forest... to see my beloved wife one last time. In my final moments, I used the last of the energy I had left to tell her I loved her, as I slowly bled out in her arms. When I finally passed on, I remember looking down over my wife, who held onto my body, as Tarin watched in horror from a short distance. All I wanted to do was comfort them and tell them that I was okay.

 In that moment, I had hurt like I had never before. Seeing my wife in so much grievance and pain hurt more than anything. There were countless times over the years where I watched Malon break down into tears, and she had no idea that my spirit was right beside her. During my funeral, she cried just as much as she did when I passed away in her arms. I stood next to her, Tarin, and the sages as they lowered my casket into soldier's graveyard. All I wanted to do was hug them and comfort them, but I couldn't. 

The Princess when she found out about my passing was devastated as well, as were the other sages. They seemed to be just as sad and hurt as my own wife was. In this moment, I could still see the love they had for me. The Princess blamed herself for this... which... I think was unnecessary. I wanted to be a Hylian soldier. I chose this path. There was nothing that she could have done to prevent this. At my funeral, both Malon, Tarin, the Princess and the other sages were distraught. There was little to no talking among them as the mourned for their fallen loved one. 

I watched the army bury their fallen captains and General. I watched as one of my best friends healed from his injury, but was torn apart when he found out of his two friend's deaths. Even the King grieved for the young General. 

I remember hurting, as my grieving wife raised our kid without a loving father. I watched from above as my son grew up. I watched as he grew from a kid and to an adult. I remember the resemblance he had to me. How much he looked like me, and how he became protective of my wife, just like I was to her. I watched my wife grow old, and my son start a family of his own. Unlike me, he had multiple kids, and he even named his oldest boy after me. When my wife passed away of old age and illness, I finally got to see her again. However, after our reunion, I told her that we would not be able to reunite forever until one last thing was completed. She accepted that and told me that she would be waiting for my return, yet again. 

It wasn't until years later that I saw Tarin again. Once he had passed, I also met with him before he ascended into the true afterlife. I told him how proud I was of him, and that I could not have asked for better son. Although our time together was short, I told him I loved him that what I was waiting to do. He accepted it, and said he would wait for the day I arrived in the true afterlife. I told him that I watched him and his mother, especially on the day he found writings, and the days he created his own. All the words he had written, I had heard.

I watched as the generations of my family unfolded. I also watched the royal family unfold theirs. Zelda eventually ended up having children, but as I could tell, she showed no affection to her husband. The rest of the Princess' days were filled with remorse and regret... and I felt terrible for her. When she finally passed away, I reunited with her as well. She apologized more heart fully than anyone could ever do. I told her to not be sorry, but be thankful for the life we both got to share together. I also told her that I was not going to pass into the true afterlife yet, as there was still something I needed to do. She, like Malon, accepted it, and moved on to the true afterlife.