Before the Wild

Zelda, Fort Hateno 30 minutes later

The retreat had been called. Hylian soldiers were camped behind the fort walls, doing their best to defend it. On the battlements, spearmen and archers did their damndest to prevent the Stalkers from climbing the wall. Zelda was with them, using her magic to aid her allies. The Sheikah, magicians of their own, used their arts to slow the Guardians' advance as the infantry out in the field returned.

A laser blasted the left side of the fort walls, too low to take any soldiers but enough to cause a decrease in structural integrity. Zelda forced her head away from the impact, facing the Guardian responsible for it and snapping her fingers. Lightning from the heavens zapped the Stalker, overloading its circuits. The head exploded and the body fell to the ground, but Zelda could not rest easy. If she could summon a lightning storm, it could save them all, but with the soldiers wearing as much metal as the Guardians, she would risk everyone's life.

"Princess." Beside her stood Sheik, his scarf lowered from his face. She could see why Impa, though the woman would not admit it, was fond of the warrior; he was quite attractive for a battle-hardened man twice her age. She was reminded of Link, who Sheik resembled in personality; quiet, observant, dependable. In the many encounters Zelda had with the Sheikah, he's only spoken to her (outside of a respectful greeting) when the situation called for it, and Impa was not around. Such a moment was now. "I must ask you to fall back to Hateno. For the time being, you'll be safe there."

"Sheik," Zelda replied, icing the head of a Stalker while a soldier dove underneath to dismantle its core, "I won't fall back."

"Dying, for you, is not an option. If you fall, it is the end of everything. As long as you live, Hyrule has hope."

The first person to have an inkling of true, honest hope. Zelda, despite her words earlier to the entirety of Hyrule, didn't believe they stood a chance. "You really believe we can win? Ganon has taken the Divine Beasts and the Guardians."

"The calamities of Hyrule's past were not won with technology and Champions. We only need two people to save the world. You are one of them." Sheik's words weighed on Zelda's mind, but before she could speak again, a commotion at the foot of the wall caught her attention. Two soldiers were pointing to the battlefield in distress. Zelda turned to the approximate location, but with the rain and the constant distraction of the Guardians, it was hard to see just what had the soldiers worried. She looked back down again around the remaining infantry, gasping as she didn't see a blue shirt within the crowd.

"Princess Zelda! The Hero-he won't retreat!"

"What?" Zelda turned back to Link's location, where a Guardian's laser was reflected back at its eye. That area of the battlefield had the most fallen machines-either due to LInk's skills or Ganon's manipulation of wanting the Hero dead-but he was definitely in trouble. She had to bring him back! "Link."

"Zel...Zelda?"

"Retreat now. That's an order."

"If I retreat, the fort will be overrun."

"Link, you know that's not true. Ganon wants me and you dead because he knows how important we are. Those Guardians are targeting you for that reason."

"Then I have another reason to not retreat. If I come, they come."

Zelda's hands balled up. Why was he being so stubborn? Fine, two can play at that game. "Fine. If you are going to be out there, so am I."

"No, you are not!" Impa joined Zelda's side at the moment, staring sternly at the princess. "That I will not relent on."

Link, however, couldn't hear Impa. "You wouldn't dare. Impa wouldn't let you."