A few important notes on setting, story, and the author.

1) Universe: Chronologically Tenacity takes place following the events of Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask. A few important assumptions are made; namely that Zelda did not send Link backwards in time after the defeat of Ganon in Ocarina. Not much reference is made to Termina, however, the universe also assumes that Majora's Mask took place while Link was an adult.

2) Updates: Only promise I'll make is that it will be finished. No timeline on that. I am wildly inconsistent with updates.

3) Over the years I've put a lot of effort into the story. Feedback is appreciated and don't hesitate to send a PM with any questions or concerns. Or if you just want to chat.

Important Note (10/23/14): Tenacity re-write underway. I am continuing the story but we're now nearly 3-years from when I started it (holy shit). I'm excited to be working on Tenacity again but I'm not longer satisfied with much of the original work. Expect substantial changes over the next couple of months.

With the back of his hand he wiped sweat and grime from his brow. Filth caked his body, his clothes tattered and singed. His limbs felt like leaden weights dragging him down, sinking into the battle fatigue. A nasty gash on his hip speckled the ground with the sap of his veins and his left arm sported a burn from Ganondorf's black magic. Each breath rattled in his throat, drawing forth the dull ache of several broken ribs. Scrapes and bruises adorned his body like decorations.

Link grunted as he rolled to the right, narrowly avoiding Ganon's blade. It plunged into ground where he'd stood a moment ago, the massive black blade rending the earth. He ducked as Ganon lashed out with his other sword, the blade whistling just above his head.

Regaining his feet, Link quickly backed out of range as Ganon struggled to pull his blade from the split earth. His body was blackened but a fire smoldered inside his stomach, the embers alight in his eyes. He hefted his longbow, snatching an arrow from his quiver and nocking it on the flaxen string.

Ganon let a out bellow, raising his massive blades above his head.

Link regarded the monstrosity coldly. Pulling the bowstring taut, he carefully sighted down the arrow shaft. Just as Ganon raised his arm to swing, he loosed his arrow. The arrow sailed towards its target, buzzing angrily.

"Lux," he exhaled, and the arrow was engulfed in a blinding light. The back of his left hand glowed brightly for a moment. The light arrow struck Ganon in the shoulder, causing him to let out a howl of pain. The purity of the light burnt like fire, searing the blackness of Ganon's twisted soul. Ganon dropped one of his blades, leaning on his other arm for support, recuperating.

Dropping his bow Link charged towards the beast. All around them was chaos; the palace's collapse, the howl of an unearthly wind, and a rising dust that made it difficult to see or breathe. Despite all of this, all Link could hear was his heavy footfalls beating in rhythm with his heart. Each step of the way his body protested, burning, screaming, and all he wanted to do was lie down and quit.

Pulling a mighty hammer from his back, he was acutely aware he couldn't feel his left arm. He dived between Ganon's legs, avoiding yet another vicious slice of Ganon's blades. Gaining his feet with a graceful flourish, he used his forward momentum to bring the hammer around in a mighty swing. With a roar of rage and pain, he brought it down on the abomination's tail with a sickening crunch.

Ganon let out a agonizing howl and slumped to the ground with a crash, unmoving. The circle of flame surrounding the two of them flickered, then died altogether.

The Megaton Hammer fell from his hand, hitting the ground with a mighty thump befitting its name. Clutching his chest with his burnt arm, Link wearily staggered away from the corpse of the great creature. Some twenty yards away he spotted his sword, sticking out of the ground, knocked from his grip by Ganon. He lurched towards it uneasily, blackness beckoning at the corners of his vision.

Zelda came running up to him. She had been separated from him by Ganon's wall of flame, but with the tyrant vanquished they were reunited. Without saying a word she put her arm around his back and supported him, helping him limp over to the sword.

When they reached it, she let him stand on his own as he caught his breath.

Using his whole body he pulled the blade from the earth, clenching his teeth as his wounds flared with pain. Holding it aloft he couldn't help but admire its deadly beauty. The silver blade shined brightly from the fires of the palace, casting eerie rays across the war torn cloister. He closed his eyes and twirled it in a tight circle, taking some small comfort in the blade's lethal hum. With a final flourish he sheathed the blade of evil's bane, glad to done with the fighting.

"You're hurt."

Link opened his eyes. Staring down at his charred arm and the blood dripping from his hip, he started to laugh. Zelda looked at him with genuine concern.

"Don't worry," Link chuckled wearily. "They'll make for some good scars."

She laughed uneasily as he hobbled over to a rock and slid down with his back against it. He looked like he might collapse at any moment. She sat down next to him, looking out at Castle Town below them. "After all these years," she whispered. "It's as if it were a dream."

They sat there for some time in companionable silence. The wind had died and the city was devoid of sound save for the crackling of fires.

A thunderous roar shattered their reverie. Zelda was on her feet in a flash, helping Link up with her hand.

Link groaned. "Are you kidding—"

"I'm not finished with you yet, boy," Ganon boomed. He was pushing himself up, tendons popping out of his flesh as he strained to regain his feet. "I will crush you, as I would crush an ant."

"Goddesses, save us," Zelda breathed. Ganon's grating laugh rumbled across the cloister, echoing off the crumbling walls of the palace. His eyes blazed manically and spittle dripped from his lips.

"Run," said Link through grated teeth.

"I won't leave you." Zelda shook her head. "This time you won't fight alone."

Ganon bellowed, charging towards them with a sword raised high.

Link grabbed her around the waist and held her close. "After all of this, I won't let you put yourself in harm's way."

"Fio aethēr," he shouted as Ganon lashed out viciously with his sword. A vortex of green light engulfed them just in time, and they disappeared. Ganon's blade struck the ground and he let out of a roar of frustration.

Link and Zelda appeared on the other side of the cloister with a flash of green light. Farore's Wind had saved him many times and it hadn't let him down yet.

He turned to Zelda. "Stay here." He turned to leave but Zelda grabbed his arm.

"Wait," she said softly. "Take this." She put a palm on his chest and her hand glowed with a bright light. Link felt new energy surge into his veins. Zelda stumbled for a moment, breathing heavily. Link's brow creased with concern and he grabbed her arms to steady her.

"I'm fine," she gasped, waving him off. "Go! Finish this for Hyrule."

He held her gaze for a moment, their cerulean blue eyes locked. Time seemed frozen around them.

Then, without a word, Link's face hardened and he nodded. Drawing the Master Sword from its sheath, he broke into a run towards Ganon on the far side of the cloister. The back of his left hand glowed with a golden light that matched the fire burning in his eyes.

Ganon saw him coming and readied his blade. Link dived over the initial swipe, instinctively sucking in his stomach as the blade whistled by just inches beneath him. He hit the ground in a roll, then immediately jumped to the side as Ganon's fist swung down to crush him.

"Aduro," Link yelled, slamming his fist into the ground. A dome of fire blazed outwards around him, scorching Ganon's face. Ganon howled and clutched his eyes, blinded, but no less dangerous. Dropping his sword he started lashing out with his fists, going into a mad frenzy. He caught Link in the side, sending him flying backwards.

Link hit the ground hard, hearing an audible crack from his chest. Lights blinked before his eyes as he struggled to maintain his grip on consciousness.

"Link!" cried Zelda. She sounded a universe away. How nice it was to lie down for a moment. "Link, get up!"

A towering shadow loomed over him. The darkness of Ganon blocked out all light.

"Foolish of you to stand against me, boy," rumbled Ganon. "Together we could have united the Triforce, been masters of Hyrule. Masters of the world."

Link tried to push himself to his feet but Ganon grabbed him like a rag doll, holding him aloft.

"Pathetic," Ganon boomed, crushing the life from him.

Suddenly he was engulfed by a beam of light. Zelda stood, twenty yards away, her arms outstretched. Light blazed from her palms, searing Ganon's darkness away. Ganon dropped Link and tried to turn towards her, but the radiance intensified and he dropped to his knees.

"Link! Get up!" she screamed. "I can't hold him for long."

Never give in. Never give up.

The voice echoed in Link's mind like a distant memory, evoking images of falling leaves and golden light. Never give in. Never.

As if possessed, Link brought himself to his feet, a snarl on his face. "This is the end for you, scum," he spat.

Using two hands to grip his sword he charged forwards, driving the Master Sword deep into Ganon's chest, all the way up to the hilt. Ganon wailed, a deep primal scream full of pain and hatred. In the corner of his eye Link saw Zelda collapse to the ground from the strain. The light shackling Ganon disappeared and he used a massive fist to push himself to his feet.

Link and Ganon circled each other warily. They were both at the end of their strength; Ganon's taunts had fallen silent. Black blood dripped from the wound in his chest, pooling on the ground around them.

With a sudden roar Ganon lashed out, but Link was ready. "Contego," he shouted, and a blue diamond flashed around him, breaking Ganon's hand. Without pause Link rolled through Ganon's legs, corkscrewing upwards with a great spin that hit both of Ganon's ankles. Ligaments severed, the beast fell to the ground face first, unable to stand.

Link climbed onto the base of Ganon's neck, spinning the Master Sword in a tight circle. With a prayer to the heavens he raised his blade, and it glowed brightly. With both hands on the hilt he drove it downwards with all his remaining strength, into the base of the beast's skull.

A demonic howl emanated from Ganon so intense that Link was sent flying, landing some fifteen yards away. Ganon thrashed in agony, flailing. Light blazed from his eyes and mouth and it seemed as if his very essence was disintegrating.

"Sages, now!" screamed Zelda, on one knee, her magic blazing forth once more.

Darunia, Rauru, Ruto, Saria, Impa, Nabooru. All six appeared in a circle around Ganondorf.

"Ancient creators of Hyrule," yelled Rauru to the skies. "Send this evil incarnation of darkness into the void!"

Each sage turned into a ball of light matching the elements they governed. Spirit, Shadow, Light, Fire, Water, Earth. They intertwined, and whirled into a vortex of white light, becoming one. Link and Zelda raised their arms, sheltering their eyes. Ganon's body started to crumble into light, but to the last breath he was defiant.

"Curse you Zelda!" he raged. "Curse you sages! Curse you Link! One day this seal will be broken, and I will have my vengeance on your descendants!"

With a resounding boom, an invisible barrier snapped shut, sealing Ganondorf away forever.

Link lay on the ground. His limbs weighed a thousand tonnes. He couldn't feel most of his body. A euphoria passed over him as he slipped into the darkness.

Hyrule was free.

A tear ran slowly down his cheek. He gazed up at the heavens, whispering his thanks. His time had come. As he faded into oblivion the voice echoed in his thoughts once more.

Sleep, Hero.

Closing Note: Thanks for giving Tenacity a chance. Hope you enjoy the rest of the story!