Author's Notes~! So, you really need to read this first, lol. This, like most of my fics, is based off a dream that I had. In this dream, Link was female, and so he will be a she in this fanfic as well. :) Not too confusing yet, I hope? Another thing was it seemed that the world from Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass are mixed together, not separate like they are in the games.
Step Into Hell
Chapter One
"Link!" a voice called out in the confusion. She turned, her heart stopping at the sight before her. A monster larger than any she has ever fought, more frightening than Bellum and Ganon put together, stood before her with Linebeck in its claws. "Link!" he called out to her again, reaching towards her, fear and desperation etched onto his face.
"Linebeck!" she screamed, dropping her sword and running towards him, reaching out for him.
The monster laughed and tossed Linebeck into the air, devouring him in one gulp. Link froze in her tracks and screamed while falling to her knees.
She continued screaming, or so she thought, as she shot straight up in bed. Just... Just a dream, she thought shakily. Despite relief washing over her from waking up, a feeling of dread remained clutching at her heart.
She stretched and peeked out her window. It was almost dawn, the moon was starting to set. She hopped out of bed and pressed her hands against the glass, looking out over the sleeping village. What was that dream? An omen? Her thoughts were frenzied and confused while her heart was still racing. How long has it been since she has last seen Linebeck anyway? Why would she be dreaming about him after so long?
"Something still feels off," she sighed to herself. She went back to bed, hoping for no more nightmares.
The sun poked its way through the shades and brought Link out of her dreamless sleep. She was thankful for no more nightmares, but she still felt edgy, still felt that something was wrong.
"Neechaaaan~!" she heard Aryll before the girl even made it to her room. "Neechan! Granny says its time to get up!"
Link sighed and cupped her face in her hand. "I know. I'm up."
"You OK, Neechan?" Aryll tilted her head, clearly concerned about her older sister.
"I'm fine, just a bad dream I'm getting over," she replied. "I'll be down in a minute."
Aryll nodded and ran back out of Link's room. She was all ready a teenager but still acted like she was seven years old. Perhaps not having to save the world twice will do that to you. Link looked at herself in the mirror. She suddenly felt very jaded and jealous of her younger sister.
While Aryll was playing and behaving like a little girl should, Link was out sailing the world, saving it from Ganon and then again from Bellum. Her adolescence and teenage years were taken from her. Link sighed. She hated getting in these moods. She was chosen by the Goddesses to be the Hero, like Tetra was chosen to be the Princess. That thought brought a smile back to Link's face. She could not see Tetra as a refined and proper lady. She was certain Tetra would kill to have her role instead.
"I wonder how Tetra is doing?" she wondered out loud. Knowing Tetra, she was out sailing, being a raucous pirate as per usual while Link returned home to resume a 'normal' life. "Maybe I had that dream because I was bored?"
That dream... It was terrifying. She had never been so scared for another person in her entire life. Maybe I'll take a trip. See how Linebeck is doing. She nodded to herself. "It'll calm me down at least."
Finalizing her decision to visit Linebeck, Link packed her bag and went downstairs to tell her grandmother.
"Granny?" Link's voice sounded small and frightened. She fiddled with the end of her hat when the older woman turned towards her. "I'm going to go visit Linebeck. I'll be back in a few days."
Granny just smiled and nodded. "Be safe dear," she said, planting a kiss on her forehead. Why was that so scary? Maybe she was afraid that Granny would say no? Make her stay here? Then again as far as Granny knew, Linebeck and her were just friends. Not many knew what their relationship was really like.
It was easy enough to leave without Aryll finding out. Getting a ship to Mercay, however, was a harder task. Many were eager to take the fabled Hero wherever she pleased, but finding the fisherman or the merchant going where she needed to go was a task in itself.
She found a ship, but it seemed a bit shady. The captain certainly did not seem to be of the most reputable type. But she needed to get to Mercay, no matter the cost. The ship was large, old, and filled to the brim with what she could only imagine was ill gotten gains. She spent most of her time on deck, away from the crew. The sea breeze felt good. The notion of adventure made her feel more like her old self. Perhaps trying to have a 'normal' life just wasn't for her?
"So, the rumor's true." Instinctively, Link's hand shot for her sword as she turned around. The dark haired man held up his hands in a defensive manner. "Whoa, slow down there, Hero, I'm not here to cause any trouble."
"Dark Link," she hissed. "What are you doing here?"
"I work for this ship," he replied, leaning against the railing. "And it's Damien now, by the way."
"You 'work' for this ship?"
"Yes ma'am," he replied. "After you let me go I wandered a bit until I found something I partially enjoy."
Link turned back towards the ocean, watching the water and the waves. Damien broke the silence. "So what brings you to this ship?"
"I'm looking for Linebeck," she admitted right away.
"Linebeck? Why?" Damien sounded genuinely surprised. "Does he owe you money or something?"
"No. I... Had a dream. An omen," she looked down at her hands. "It wasn't good and I wanted to visit, just to make sure things are OK."
"What was the dream?"
"The scariest thing I've ever experienced. I would rather face Ganon and Bellum at once instead of the thing in my dream."
"That doesn't really answer my question," he sighed.
"A monster ate him," Link said quietly. "It was so scary. I don't think I've ever been that afraid in my life before."
"A dream is just that, Hero. A dream. Why are you so concerned about him?
"You wouldn't understand," Link muttered and turned away, meandering below deck to her room. Stupid Dark Link. Stupid Damien, she fumed. What's he know? She leaned against a wall and held her face in her hands. She wanted to get to her room before a break down, but the Goddesses did not seem to want to grant her that one request.
"Now what's wrong?" it was Damien again. "Don't tell me you're getting seasick."
"No, its the sound of your voice making me sick," she replied through her hands.
"Look, I know we haven't exactly been on friendly terms since we've met, but you can be honest with me. I'm not out to kill you anymore."
"Just... Leave me be," her voice was small and weak sounding to her ears as she was sure it must have sounded that way to Damien. She pushed herself off the wall to continue on her way when her wrist was grabbed. "Let go," her voice was now shaking, threatening tears.
"Not until I find out what's going on. Being cryptic like this is not you and it has me curious," he admitted, trying to turn Link around to face him. "Just be straight with me and I'll leave you alone."
"I was straight with you," she sighed. "I had a scary dream and now I'm checking up on a friend to make sure it wasn't some sort of omen! Goddesses!" Link threw her hands up and turned around, resuming her trek to her room.
"You take me for a fool, don't you?" his voice was dangerous. "I lived in your shadow for a good portion of your time on Linebeck's ship."
To his surprise, Link just laughed. She turned towards him with her hands on her hips and a stupid grin on her face. "Then you should know why I'm really going to see him."
While he was thinking of something to say, she turned around and finally got to her room. It was a small private room with only a bed and a desk. She sank onto the bed and held the pillow to her chest. She forgot that Dark Link Er, Damien... she corrected herself, had been spying on her, waiting to strike. A parting gift from Ganon right before she sent him back to the Abyss. How much did he really know? Or was that all a bluff?
"Whatever," she mumbled into the pillow. I'll just avoid him for the rest of the trip. Which was easier said than done. It seemed like everywhere she turned, he was right there. Completely not his fault she tried convincing herself. No matter how big a ship may be, you're going to run into each other she tried telling herself.
Finally, Mercay was in sight. Excited, Link stayed on deck for most of the day, watching the tiny piece of land get larger and larger with each passing minute. Her heart pounded from the excitement and dread she was feeling. Most likely nothing happened and it really was just a bad dream. She giggled to herself, imagining that Linebeck would think she came all this way for nothing and refusing to give her a lift back home. Then her thoughts turned dark. What if something had happened? What would she find? The S.S. Linebeck quiet, abandoned. She could see herself going below deck and finding everything in disarray, blood splattered everywhere. She prayed to the Goddesses that the latter was not true.
Once docked, Link was the first one off the ship. She made her way quickly through the port, trying to find the familiar ship of her teenage years. She found it, at the end of the pier, on a small, lonely dock. She called out Linebeck's name, cautiously boarding the vessel. There was no answer to her calls. No one was in the steer house, all that left was below the deck. Swallowing her fear, Link slowly walked down the steps, still calling Linebeck's name. Again, she found no one and nothing out of the ordinary. The entire ship was empty.
Leaving the ship, Link ran into town, checking each of the milk bars. He was not there either and no one had seen him for a couple days. Perplexed, Link wandered outside of town towards the Temple of the Ocean King. Maybe he's there? Trying to find some left over loot? The pathway up to the Temple was not hard to find, nor were the small monsters hard to fight. The sun was setting when Link finally arrived at the Temple's entrance.
Nostalgia misted Link's eyes. This was where she first met Linebeck and she half expected him to be stuck in the same trap. How long ago was it that I first ran in here? She mused as she pushed open the familiar wooden doors. I was what? Fourteen? Fifteen at the time? She smiled at the familiarity at the main entrance. The lonesome skeletons laid where they were last time she was here and the ethereal lights continued to cast the room in an eerie, but warm light. At the far end the Phantom Hourglass was on its pedestal, filled with its magic sand. She left it where it was, after Bellum had been defeated the curse on this Temple was lifted and the life would no longer be sucked out of you. Hopefully the Knights were gone as well.
Her footsteps echoed softly as she slowly made her way down the stone stairwell. Light was seen at the end of the stairwell, the safe zones from when the Temple was cursed. Its soft violet light enveloped Link as she stepped onto the blessed tile. She could not sense any malcontent in this room but that did not stop her from checking each corner. The Knights could still be patrolling and she was in no mood to deal with them.
There was nothing on this level. Link gave a heavy sigh. She had hoped that if Linebeck was here he would not have ventured far into the Temple, but how would she know if she did not check each level herself? She figured he probably thought the further down the more treasure there would be. Further down she wandered through the Temple of the Ocean King with no trace of Linebeck. Giving up, she turned to head out when she heard a noise. Someone else was here with her. Her heart pounding, Link turned the corner and found a blue mass huddled over, rifling through what looked like a chest.
"Linebeck?" she called out cautiously. The blue mass moved and a human head peeked out over what would have been a shoulder. "Ah! It is you!"
She ran and tackled the older man, tears brimming in her eyes. She was ecstatic, relieved, and oh so very happy. She had to control her breathing for a few seconds to keep herself from crying.
"You come all this way just to see me?" Linebeck grinned. "Its been a while, hasn't it? You actually have a figure now!"
"Come on, is that really the first thing you're going to say to me?" Link pouted, crossing her arms over her chest, trying to hide her body. "I was worried, I had this weird, terrible dream that felt like an omen. I had to come see if you were all right."
"I appreciate the concern, really," he patted her on the head. "But wouldn't it help if I was Linebeck?"
"What?" she could barely get out as an excruciating pain erupted from her left shoulder down across her chest under her right breast. She screamed and clutched herself, falling over. Linebeck laughed a good, hearty chuckle while his form changed ever so slightly. Was it the pain? Or did his eyes turn a different color? Was he always that lanky? It was becoming harder and harder to see straight, to even think.
She thought her name was called but her head was so heavy, she could not lift it up to look. She did see the maniacal grin on Lineback's face turn into a scowl. "Oh look, your shadow has come to rescue you," she thought he said. "But he's not really your shadow is he?"
His mouth kept moving but Link could not hear anything more, everything was fading, getting colder, until it all went black.