After a lot of encouragement, you and Link manage to pull your horses up the steep slope and onto an unmapped path. The path led you downhill slightly, passing under arches from Kakariko that still claimed the territory. Soon enough, you come across the promenade leading to the mountain.

Even though it was in ruins, it was still beautiful.

The structures of stone in layered bricks were dressed in moss. Arches and stacked walls surrounded the crevasse. A constant, chilling breeze sweeps through the walkway and resonates a forgotten tune through the stone.

It was quiet and still, slightly daunting, like it was whispering. The sound of your horse's hooves clopping on the pavement echoed and bounced off the enclosure. The mountain of destination slowly drew nearer.

At the very end of the lake lied a single archway. It served as the doorway to the path leading up to the spring. It guarded the path and silently warned anyone not of the wisdom age to wait their entry.

You and Link dismount your horses and walk over to the base of the archway. Link takes out his Sheikah Slate and selects the eleventh memory. This was the place.

Both of you remember what happened 100 years ago where you stood.

--~--

The pressing silence was suffocating.

All five champions stood waiting at the gate to Mount Lanayru. Princess Zelda could be seen returning from the spring ahead. Behind her walked her appointed knight, the usual distance between them.

The champions all gathered around her and started to walk with her. Among them, Daruk was the first to speak. "Well?" he prompted, "don't keep us in suspense. How'd everything go up there on the mountain?"

Zelda's expression alone was enough of an answer. It took a lot of effort for her to bring herself to shake her head as she stopped.

'Time is up.'

'Danger.'

'Leave.'

'Calamity.'

(Y/N) stood directly across from the princess, eyes glued to the ground as Zelda gave the silent answer. (Y/N)'s hands balled into fists and scrunched their uniform as the overlapping voices whispered. Link was the first to notice.

"So you didn't feel anything?" Revali asked carefully. "No power at all?"

"I'm sorry, no," Zelda answered, refusing to make eye contact as she held her hands. That was her last chance, she thought. Yet again, she failed.

"Then let's move on," Urbosa cut the silence and stepped toward Zelda. "You've done all you could. Feeling sorry for yourself won't be of any help. After all, it's not like your last shot was up there on Mount Lanayru." Daruk nodded in agreement with a frown. "Anything could finally spark the power to seal Ganon away. We just have to keep looking for that... thing."

"That's kind of you," Zelda whispered. "Thank you."

(Y/N) shifted restlessly, wishing to speak, but not knowing how. Revali was the second to notice.

"If I may..." Mipha spoke to Zelda, who looked up as the Zora stepped closer. "I thought you... Well, I'm not sure how to put this into words. I'm actually quite embarrassed to say it."

'No time.'

'He's awake.'

'Danger.'

'Prophecy.'

(Y/N) grimaced and desperately wanted to warn the others, but the truth was so hard to believe. Urbosa was the third to notice.

"But I was thinking about what I do when I'm healing," Mipha continued with her eyes on the ground. "You know... What usually goes through my mind."

'Say it...' (Y/N)'s thoughts chanted with a dropping heart. 'This is your last role as guide. Just say it.' A timer was counting down. Zelda's eyes focused past Mipha and onto (Y/N), becoming the fourth and final to notice.

'Danger.'

'Danger.'

'Danger. Danger. Danger.'

"It helps when I think-- when I think--"

"It's awake!!" (Y/N) blurted. Everyone turned around, but before they could react, the ground began to rumble.

The trembling caused everyone to lose their balance. "(Y/N), you don't mean--" Zelda started, in a frenzy, but couldn't finish.

Revali fought against the force and steadied himself before taking off into flight. He soared high above the ground and laid his eyes upon the castle that was taken over by the swirling beast. The storm bubbled and brew large enough to be seen from the ground where the others stood.

"I'm sorry," (Y/N) whispered into a hand, too quiet to be heard.

"It's here," Urbosa accepted as Revali touched back down on the ground beside her.

"This is it then," Daruk established as he straightened up.

"Are you sure?" Mipha lowly asked, wishing she didn't have to.

"Positive," Revali answered.

Behind them, complete dread flooded through Zelda as she listened to the distant roaring. "It's awake..." she repeated (Y/N)'s words, "Ganon." She stepped backwards with a racing heart.

"Let's stop wasting time," Daruk advised and turned to the princess. "We're gonna need everything we got to take that thing down. Now Champions! To your Divine Beasts! Show that swirling swine who's boss! Link will need to meet Ganon head on when we attack! This needs to be a unified assault!"

"Little guy," he addressed Link, "you get to Hyrule Castle." Link subtly nodded in understanding with Revali silently scoffing at the reminder of his importance. "You can count on us for support. But it's up to you to pound Ganon into oblivion."

Urbosa walked over to Zelda and gingerly put her hands on the princess's shoulders. "Come," she said. "We should go. We need to get you some place safe."

"No," Zelda protested after consideration. She stepped out of Urbosa's hold and turned to fully face Daruk. "I'm not a child anymore. I may not be much use on the battle field... But there must be something I can do to help!"

~

Link and (Y/N) ran alongside Zelda, determined to protect her on the way to Hyrule Castle. Hope wasn't lost. All three of them were determined to fulfill their prophecies and end Ganon together. (Y/N) managed to convince the princess that her power was aligned to be waken and waiting for a spark.

The three prophecy holders looked up abruptly as an explosion rang out in a bang just ahead. Smoke rose up from the buildings with fire raging and eating everything in its way. Red lights flashed from the towns accompanied by mechanic whirring.

All three of them stopped, completely terrified, as the Guardians destroyed everything in sight. Their lights, once orange and docile, flared red with malice.

"No no no!" Zelda yelled as she saw the sight. "What are they doing?!"

"Get behind me!" (Y/N) ordered and jumped in front of the others, drawing her royal sword and shield. A Guardian advanced towards the party with gleaming eyes that beamed a laser straight on (Y/N)'s chest.

With a cry, (Y/N) deflected the attack and ricocheted it back towards the Guardian, hitting it right in its eye, and deactivated the monster.

Link wasted no time in grabbing both of the others' wrists and led them to shelter behind a stone hedge. "It's too dangerous," he reckoned. "We are getting you two to safety."

"The Guardians..." Zelda bewildered. "How--"

All of them slammed their hands against their ears to muffle the boom of lightning striking just beside them. The storm of malice from Ganon manipulated the skies and conjured darkened clouds, looming across Hyrule.

'Danger.' 'Cursed.' 'Ganon.' 'Danger.' 'Go.' 'Dead.' 'Guardians.' 'Danger.' 'Danger.'

(Y/N) winced and fought to hear over the cacophony.

Zelda's hands began to tremble as a numbing fear began to drown her. She couldn't see straight. How did it come to this?

"We must go," Link urged. Zelda feebly nodded and slowly stood to her feet with the help of Link. "(Y/N)?"

Upon hearing the name, Zelda looked to her right and saw the royal guard still crouched down and unmoving.

"(Y/N), come on!" Zelda grabbed her friend's wrist. "We need to--"

Link and Zelda ducked down again as a Guardian laser demolished a building to their left.

"No," (Y/N) whispered, so quiet it couldn't even hear herself over the voices. But the whisper was heard by the others. "No," (Y/N) said louder, "I'm still going to the castle."

"(Y/N)," they both warned at the same time.

"You can't..." Zelda continued with a horrified expression. A clap of thunder followed her voice.

"I'm going. I have to. There are still people there--"

"(Y/N)."

"--that can be alive. I can't just--"

"(Y/N)."

"run away. I'm the only one--"

"(Y/N)!!"

(Y/N) blinked and looked at Link who raised his voice.

"Do you even know what you're saying?!" he snapped. "That's suicide!"

"My role is done," (Y/N) emphasized and the ground. "I was supposed to help you up until the calamity. Now it's here. Now I'm done. I'm useless now."

"(Y/N) that is not true," Zelda reasoned and took her friend's hands in hers. "You are not useless. We love you, (Y/N). We love and cherish you. And-- and you're role isn't 'finished' as you say. You still have the ability to hear--"

"No I don't."

Zelda's face morphed into shock.

"I can't hear-- her voice is indistinguishable. She's not speaking straight. She's too loud. She's erratic. Haywire. That voice was the only thing that made me important! Listening to it was my purpose! It's the reason for my existence. Now I'm deaf and a dead loss! Can't you see? I can't be of any help anymore!" (Y/N) confessed their worst fear. "So I'm going to help the people I can."

'Dead.' 'Gone.' 'Ganon.' 'Danger.' 'Ruins.' 'Balance.' 'Guardians.' 'Curse.' 'Guidance.'

(Y/N) howled in frustration and formed tight fists.

"(Y/N)," Link said and put his hands on theirs with Zelda. Rain began trickling down on the lands. Distant explosions echoed from the castle. Not many people were left. "You're not thinking straight. Just come with us, please."

With every explosion and thunder that passed in the silence, (Y/N) tipped closer to the edge of losing it.

"No," (Y/N) said finally and stood up, the two pairs of hands slipping from their grasps. (Y/N)'s eyes locked on the cursed castle with a dangerous stare. "Link, get Zelda to safety." Their eyes widened as they watched (Y/N) look at them for the last time. "I promise you I won't die."

"(Y/N)! No!" Zelda yelled and stood up to run after them. Link grabbed the princess's wrist and prevented her from doing so.

"No," he uttered with all the strength he could muster. It took everything in him to not be the one trying to run after (Y/N). "We need to get out of here."

~

'Danger.' 'Stop.' 'Turn back.'

"I'm not going to," (Y/N) affirmed while running equipped with weapons, wearing a uniform that was tattered, burned, and smeared with dirt. Rain pounded down in sheets with howling winds.

'Turn back.' 'Too late.'

"I already said I'm--" (Y/N) was cut off by their own cry and jumped out of the way of another Guardian attack. With a yell, (Y/N) thrusted a nearly broken shield out and deflected the next attack, ending the machine, marking the kill count eleven, nearing exhaustion.

'No one...' 'left.'

Hylia's voice grew clearer and louder the more (Y/N) conversed. "I'm getting to that castle and I'm going to find survivors."

'Turn back', Hylia's voice spoke clearer. 'Turn back, (Y/N)... It's too late.'

"It is not too late. There are people still in there."

'No, (Y/N), no one is left waiting for you', the voice urged. 'You must head to Kakariko... Leave before you meet your end.'

"Hylia, I can't," (Y/N) argued and resisted accepting fate, nearly at the gates of the castle. Following the main path, (Y/N) climbed the stairs of the Sacred Ground.

The stone ground beneath rumbled and shook in an earthquake, causing the knight to stumble and knock straight down to the ground. Cracks split and divided the ground, running straight through the triforce of courage and cracking the balanced space in the middle, the carving on the ground.

(Y/N) resisted giving into the pain and watched a phantom of Ganon's making unearth itself.

'Forget everything and run," the goddess whispered.

"Like hell," (Y/N) openly defied and forcefully rose to a stand.

The malice twisted and contorted itself into a blight, equipped with weapons and abilities created to kill (Y/N).

"I'm lucky enough to be challenged by the man himself?" a determined smirking grin grew on (Y/N)'s face. "I accept."

~

A heavy thump of a body falling on the ground cut the dead silence. (Y/N)'s eyes involuntarily closed as they collapsed, beaten to death by the blight and ripped to shreds by the power inspired by their worst fear.

Controlled as Ganon's puppet, the blight bent down and pried the sword out of the commander's grasp. The light that can only exist if activated by its owner, dulled down and died in the hands of the beast. The blight spun itself into blue light and rose into the air with its given task complete.

Before it took off to travel north and hide the sword, it's light from the travel magic illuminated the Sacred Grounds and (Y/N)'s near lifeless body on the stone. Ahgin, multiple yards away, spotted the vacating blight and saw his beloved he was looking for lying on the ground.

"(Y/N)!!" his voice ripped and tore at his throat as he broke off into a sprint.

"Ahgin!" Purah, who finished helping Link into the slumber of restoration and joined the search for (Y/N), yelled after the Sheikah. "Stay in the group!"

Her words proved useless as they failed to reach Ahgin. He ran straight for the fallen knight and was nearly spotted by multiple Guardians.

He stopped as soon as he reached the grounds, now in ruins. He looked down upon (Y/N)'s unmoving form and felt himself completely freeze. No, (Y/N) can't be dead. They can't. Their eyes were closed. They must be just unconscious.

"(Y/N)," he spoke again with a broken voice as he crouched down on his knees. "(Y/N) wake up. Come on, wake up!"

He pulled (Y/N) to lay on their back and noticed how heavy they had become. "Come on, this isn't funny," he urged and subconsciously wrapped his arms around them tighter. "Wake up!"

(Y/N)'s face didn't show any signs of response, eyes remaining closed, not even a flutter. Their hair, darkened with water, stuck to their face as the rain continued to shower. The reality sunk in.

"No no no no," he whispered. "No, you can't leave me!!"

"Darling?" Purah softly whispered in shock as she saw (Y/N) wasn't responding in Ahgin's arms.

The rest of the search party gathered around Ahgin and his love. The exchanged words between them, something about a stolen sword and the second Shrine of Resurrection, went deaf to his ears.

His heart broke. He struggled to hold back forbidden tears as he squeezed his eyes shut and brought (Y/N) closer to him.

~

Inside the second, smaller Shrine of Resurrection, (Y/N) was placed into the bed. Their uniforn was stripped down to simple, modest clothes so the water's healing capabilities had the best coverage. When the bed was lowered and the water covered everything but their face, (Y/N) was asleep.

Ahgin wasn't allowed to help, but he was allowed to be in the room. When the process was done, Purah and Ahgin left the shrine. While the platform lifted them up to the surface, Ahgin looked at (Y/N) until they were out of sight.

The Shrine's doors threaded together and locked closed to safely guard the sleeping soldier.

Ahgin stood outside of the doors unmoving. Purah turned around to her friend of many years and felt her heart break.

"Come on, Ahgin," she softly said. "They're waiting for us at Kakariko."

"Go on without me," Ahgin said. "I'll catch up."

Purah understood and safely left the plateau, leaving Ahgin alone.

When she was gone, Ahgin dropped to his knees, still staring at the door. But soon, his eyes filled with tears. He tried so hard to keep his cries quiet as he hugged himself, bowing his head forward with the weight of a thousand forces pushing him down. He wasn't breathing, but when he finally took in a breath, he completely lost it.

He cried loudly and freely. There was no one around to hear him. Everyone was dead.

~

Ahgin waited outside of the shrine all day, every day. Several days, nights, weeks, and months passed silently. Years melted away. The door remained shut. When he returned to his home one day, he looked at his piano, his books, his music, his ancient songs. None of it mattered anymore.

Ahgin released his grief and anger by completely destroying the place.

Ahgin opened the door again, Impa gasped as she was caught. She heard everything. She looked at Ahgin and noticed he was carrying the bound book of his ancient songs and original compositions whether they were finished or not.

"Ahgin..." she said, but then noticed he was dressed warmly. "Where are you going?"

"Rito Village," he said and closed the door. He was already walking away when Impa called to him again.

"What for? We still need you here."

Ahgin roughly sighed and turned around with exhausted anger bubbling. "I have a student there," he explained. "I'm giving these to him. It won't take long."

Ahgin left. Impa assumed that his last statement meant he would be back shortly, but she never saw him again.

--~--

The multiple memories slowly fade out and bring you back to the present. Link was now not the only one who saw memories that weren't his own.

You can't express the amount of sadness you feel. It swarmed inside of you, pulling you down with a feeling of desire to give up.

You notice Link is now looking at you, so you return the gaze. You then realize that your entire journey with him, meeting him again, falling in love with him again... everything was because of the existence of the Shrines of Resurrection. You realize that you are so grateful... so thankful that the shrines allowed you to keep living.

If it weren't for them, neither of you would be standing where you are together, and you wouldn't have kept your promise.

Link didn't remember the memories you did past the point the two of you were separated, but he was able to guess what happened next.

He sighs and closes his eyes as he raises a fist and brings it down on the top of your head gently. Your gaze turns into a pointed look. "You really are an idiot," he sighs. "At least you listen to me now."

"Well now you know I keep my promises," you say and grab his wrist, lifting it higher in the air. "And I promise you that I'll never leave your side like that again."

In that moment, the only thing Link's focus was on was you, your words, and the feeling of your hand. You are the only one in the world to him. He smiles and swings his arm down, taking your hand in his with a squeeze.

"As do I."