Author's Note: So we finally have a title! After watching most of the E3 showing of Breath of the Wild—the introduction, the combat, and the shrines—it looks incredible, and I have a theory of my own to how Link came to be in this version of Hyrule; this is my theory. It may be completely wrong, but it gets me back into writing and I'd much rather write it out than explain it; I haven't paced this in a certain time frame either. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to The Legend of Zelda, only the rights to any OC that I create. Also, there are slight spoilers for the beginning of the game, so read at your own risk.

"Link… you are the light—our light—that must shine upon Hyrule once again."

~Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild~

Our Light

At first, she could not believe her eyes.

The war had been raging on for seven long years with no stalemates. Ganondorf, fierce leader of the Gerudo, had risen up from the ashes of defeat and started another battle that, for him, was not going to end by the hand of another Hero. And so, Hyrule was once more plunged into bloodshed, rendering the fine kingdom scarred yet again. The people fought valiantly, their Queen and Hero present to guide them. Even though the Gerudo King had an Army twice the size of theirs, the sheer power of the Triforce of Wisdom and Courage was enough to even out the playing field.

Zelda had returned from a clash with various wounds, however she did not care and upheld the tradition that her and Link had shared—after each and every battle that they had faced, they would always find each other, almost ironically after learning that they had battled the Gerudo King many times before in different time periods. Doctors frantically followed their ruler, desperate to heal her cuts and scars before anything happened to their Queen, but Zelda ignored them as much as possible.

But she couldn't find him.

Rows upon rows of soldiers came piling in, all with various injuries that needed to be treated. Zelda's heart rose in panic as she called out his name over and over. The enemy forces had long since retreated to lick their own wounds after one of their commanders had been killed in battle. Her plated armour, scratched and matted with blood and mud, bounced against her hips with every long stride that she stood, desperate to find him and repeat the tradition.

She only stopped when she saw soldiers trying to save his life.

By the time she had fallen to her knees at his side, he had slipped away—eyes wide and unseeing.

The last time she had seen him, his cerulean eyes were bright and sharp with determination, not devoid of live as they had been then. She had lost her courage and was terrified for the battle, as were many around her, but it was the first time that Zelda was scared of defeat. And yet, despite this, he had taken her hands and assured her that it would all be fine no matter what the outcome was; if they won then Hyrule could be restored to its former glory, and if they lost then the Goddesses would reward and punish those who did not make it.

"And besides," he had added as he pulled her into a tight embrace. "I've apparently done this before, so I can just keep trying, right? The Goddesses don't seem to mind repeating my existence."

She had snorted into his tunic, something that he laughed at, and she never saw him again—Hyrule was on the brink of destruction.

Their Hero was dead, their Army diminished, and it was only a matter of time before Hyrule was devoured by the darkness that threatened it.

Zelda refused to believe it.

"Your Grace, it is time that you face the facts," Impa explained softly as her charge stared out of the glass doors leading out onto her balcony, pulling her from her thoughts. "It is time to decide the fate of your land. We must protect the Realm, and everyone in it. The people are looking for their hope, and now we have our chance to give it to them. Either we may attempt to attain peace between Ganondorf and the rest of Hyrule, or we use our Hero as a martyr for—"

"Stop," the Queen of Hyrule hissed, sapphire orbs gleaming with anger as she faced her guardian. "I will not use him, Impa. I have barely come to terms with what has happened as it is, and I will never use him like a tool when he has no way to..." Her breath hitched, and she did not continue. The Sheikah reached out towards her charge, faltering at the last second. She knew that the Queen was fragile, no matter how much she tried not to show it.

After all, a death of a friend is one of the hardest to comprehend.

A sudden knock sounded at the door, causing the two women to turn, Impa calling for the person to enter so that the Queen could take a moment to recover. A young, partially armoured man entered, bowing deeply before speaking up, "Your Grace, Lady Impa, I have come to report that his body is prepared to be visited before the burial." He must have noticed Zelda's expression, because he immediately bowed and dismissed himself.

The Sheikah guardian cast her attention to the Queen, whose eyes were pricked with tears as reality settled in her gut. "Oh Zelda..."

"Leave me," she whispered, curling her arms around her waist as she desperately tried to keep her voice in check. Impa rubbed small circles into her back, only stopping when she physically flinched from the action. "Leave me, Impa. Please..." Her voice finally broke on the final word, yet Impa had no other choice but to leave her charge alone to react in peace.

"Of course, Zelda." The Sheikah bowed quickly and exited without hesitation, an unsettled sensation clouding her mind as she crossed the private chambers. As much as the guardian fretted over Zelda's well being—especially during a war—though she also knew that overwhelming her charge with the presence of many would not allow her to come to terms with what she was facing. Swallowing thickly, Impa forced herself to leave and await the aftermath of emotional pain that she would later face from the Queen.

And as soon as the door clicked shut, Zelda fell to her knees and sobbed away seven agonising years of pain.

She couldn't understand how he looked so peaceful in death.

The chimes of the Temple of Time rung melodically above them, as if the Goddesses were in a deep state of mourning too. Zelda, garbed in a navy cloak, cast her gaze upon her friend, her hands shaking as she placed them over his. According to those who treated him, it had been quick and painless no matter how much blood she had seen. It had only been a few days since Ganondorf had managed to finally meet the Hero on the battlefield—their fight ending with Ganondorf the victor.

It killed Zelda almost as much as it had killed Link.

"You never deserved this," she whispered, thankful to be alone. The candlelight flickered over his pale skin, the blood cleaned away but not in Zelda's mind's eye. A tear strayed from her eye. "If you can hear me then know that I should have protected you from him. I have failed my country, and I have failed you too!" She lowered her head to their interlocked hands, emotions boiling over as soon as she spoke the truth aloud. "I'm sorry…" she murmured over and over. "In the name of Mother Nayru, I'm so sorry, Link…"

Footsteps suddenly sounded, and the Queen immediately turned her mind to the worst, snapping upright and holding her free arm over the altar to protect him only once from the man that murdered him. Her eyes blazed in anger and fear as the shadow sped up towards her, her heart palpitating further as she forced herself to act strong. You can't hurt him, she told herself. Not again. Never again.

But when the light caught the figure, Zelda relaxed slightly.

"At ease, Your Grace," Impa reassured softly, to which the Queen obeyed. The Sheikah moved to the other side of the tablet, lips creased down into a frown. "If only the Master Sword was not connected to Ganondorf's power… they maybe we could have—" Impa cut herself off, "But I suppose that is the value of hindsight when we are faced with calamity." Zelda hummed but said nothing. "Even though his statue is in the process of construction for the catacombs, we will not be able to bury him before Ganondorf attacks again."

The Queen of Hyrule swallowed thickly, stroking his face. "I had thought as such. He would want us to focus on that, after all."

"Indeed, especially that Ganondorf has managed to somewhat control the Guardians." This caused Zelda to straighten and tense in concern. Impa swiftly continued. "Those that once protected places like the Temple of Time have been altered and are now attacking what they see. If he lures us away from the castle, then he can and will use them against us. We have very little left that we can do, Your Grace, and with very little time to spare to plan."

Impa's charge lowered her head solemnly, her tear pricked eyes cast down to her dearest friend. The Sheikah was correct: the kingdom of Hyrule had mere hours to decide their fate and the hour of doom seemed at hand. And for the one with the Triforce of Wisdom, Nayru was not giving her any aid to her fight.

She begged the Goddesses for the body beneath her to be a decoy and for her true friend to leap at her from behind and pull her into a tight hug. Even though they were not lovers, she considered him an adviser and her closest friend within the walls of her gilded cage of a castle. His final words to her repeated over and over in her head, guilt seeping into her core as inner thoughts reprimanded her for not protecting him as he did for her. If only he could have hung on so that she could have seen him once more while he was still alive...

Then it hit her.

"The Goddesses don't seem to mind repeating my existence."

"Repeating his existence," she murmured under her breath. "Fanum Resurrectionem..."

"Pardon?"

"Fanum Resurrectionem," Zelda repeated, her tone growing in strength. "The Shrine of Resurrection. Impa, we still have hope! Ganondorf can do nothing until Link returns; he doesn't have the power to wrench the Triforce of Courage from him if he is in the Shrine. As long as we do it before he loses the Triforce..." Her voice diminished when she met Impa's eyes softly, crimson eyes shining with pity. "Please Impa… this is our only chance!"

In the most southern parts of Hyrule was a sacred place known as the Great Plateau—a land where the Temple of Time stood tall and protected the now dull Master Sword—where the diminishing Sheikah tribe created the Fanum Resurrectionem, or the 'Shrine of Resurrection'. It had not been completely prepared, although she had been told once that it did have the ability to bring the dead back to life if the Goddesses willed so. She did not know how many years it would take, but there was the smallest hope there.

The guardian lowered her head, silently contemplating the thought before placing a hand on her charge's shoulder, "Zelda, you know that the Shrine is extremely fickle and may not even work—"

"I don't care," Zelda replied sternly. "I am giving him a second chance. The people deserve their Hero, and he deserves to live again. This battle will be long since over before he wakes up again, us along with it, but he has to have that chance to live again. We may never know what happens, but if we lose this fight then he can end it just like he wanted to. I know that the chances are slim, but the Goddesses hold him above us all. He is the light—our light—that must shine upon Hyrule once again."

With those words alone, Impa placed her hesitation aside and agreed.

In the dead of night, the Queen of Hyrule and Impa of the Sheikah slipped away from the chaos, knowing that they could only do this in a single night if they were to return for the battle—their best commanders left in their stead. They rode at a fast pace, desperate to reach the Shrine of Resurrection by midnight. Zelda constantly glanced over at Impa, who held onto Link firmly, hoping that what they were attempting would work.

Impa led them straight past the Temple of Time and towards a cave system, the two of them dismounting and entering in silence—the entire world holding its breath in anticipation. They were plunged into darkness, and it was only when Impa called out, "Lux," that red arterial lines pulsated on the walls and bright blue lights crawled towards the very centre of the cave; in turn, causing the cave door to shut behind them. Neon blue lights twisted around a large structure above the tablet, releasing tiny particles of cerulean light that reminded Zelda so much of Link's eyes before they were devoid of life.

Zelda clasped her hands over her heart as she watched her guardian lay him down onto a lowered tablet before them, bright blue symbols surrounding the strange structure. As she knelt before Link, she addressed Impa, who was focusing her energy, "Do you believe that it will work?"

The Sheikah continued to focus her mind before muttering in a strained tone, "As long as no one obstructs it, then it should take a century before the cycle is complete." The Queen repeated the time frame in her mind, perplexed and in awe, however her eyes glinted with a sense of hope that she had lost over the days as she turned on her friend. Butterflies swarmed within her, thanking all of the Gods that chose to listen for their aid. "But if we do not do it now, then he may slip away too far. Zelda… step back."

Zelda did as such, worry and guilt blending with her joy as she watched as Impa held her hand above Link's heart, concentrating deeply. A blue sphere germinated in the palm of her hand, sparkling with such concentrated magic that Zelda had no choice but to look away for a moment. The ball grew before breaking away into multiple shreds and leaping into the man's body, a steady stream of water flourishing around his form. Once Impa signalled that it was fine to return, the Queen ran over.

The water continued to rise, briskly lapping over more and more of his body. She reached out for his hand, though seconds later it was covered. Zelda's eyes warmed with unshed tears as she cupped his cheek, a tiny smile tugging at her lips. "Rest now, Link. It will all be right once you awaken. I will fight for us now, and it is up to you to either finish this fight, or return to a peaceful where my descendants reign over." Her smile grew as she removed her hand to kiss his forehead quickly. "Sleep well…"

The Queen of Hyrule gazed upon her dearest friend one last time before the glimmering water swallowed his form.

Zelda cautiously rose to her feet with shaking hands, and Impa wearily drew her into an embrace. "He isn't the only one who must rest," she remarked at an attempt of humour—it worked. "Come now, Zelda. We have peace to restore."

After the Queen and Sheikah left, no one set foot in the Shrine again until destiny called once more.

And so, one hundred years after the end of the war—all documents detailing who found victory all but lost to the ages—a tender voice willed a small wish. "Open your eyes…" it seemed to repeat, penetrating the man's consciousness after generations of trying. "Open your eyes, please…"

It all felt different to him. The voice, a female he believed, was calling out to him almost desperately like she was barely clinging onto hope herself. The world felt muffled, caressing and protecting him from the evil that he could feel preying in around him. No matter what, he kept trying and trying to reach her, slowly but surely growing closer towards her. She gave him hope when he was ready to sink into the abyss.

Through the inky blackness, he waited for each passing second for her voice; it was his only salvation. She sounded older as time passed, more and more frail the longer they were alone together. For so long, he could not feel a thing, and to finally have something awaken his senses filled his consciousness with comfort and a sense of peace. With every passing moment of time, he clawed his way towards the mysterious voice—unknowing that he had known the bearer of it for so many years.

And when the day finally came, he could easily hear the smile in her voice as she willed, "Open your eyes, Link…"

And so he did, with no memory and only a name to him.

In the far distance, the once sacred blade—now rusted over and cracked across the brilliant blade as it awaiting its master once more—weakly gleamed before falling dull again.

"Master..."

Finally, the final light of Hyrule had returned once more, and with it the darkness.

Author's Note: It is relatively short and sweet, but I hope that you liked it. Again, it probably will be nothing like the game in the future, nor have I put it anywhere in the timeline for that matter, so I see it more as a character study. Either way, please tell me what you thought of it, and I cannot wait to see what else we have in store for this game, though please don't outright spoil things that may not be a) true or b) important to the story (I'd like to find out for myself).

~RandomButLoved~