A/N: Hi, wow, I'm back. I'm sorry it's been so long! I've had writers block and personal stuff to deal with and I'm exhausted and writing has been hard (but I'm trying). I did have this to share, which I posted a while back on AO3. It was written for ZeLink Zine, a free PDF fanzine which will be available in its full and final form on July 15th, 2019! Ya'll should go check it out on Tumblr, [ ]ZeLinkZine. So this piece is a re-imagining of the first battle with Demise, and the events which led the Goddess Hylia to shed her divinity for the sake of her chosen hero, based on the pre-SS manga in the Hyrule Historia. Enjoy, and don't forget to review and fav!
Amongst themselves my humans war
For leadership and self-serving course,
While woodlands burn and rivers choke
On death and pitch and smoke.
Despite my pleas they cannot see
Their own desperate reality;
My Godhood cannot win alone—
Courage needs forge our keystone.
T'was once a man I thought could lead their fight,
The humans' gloried and revered knight;
But now he rots in dungeon deep,
On orders from the castle keep.
The battle turns against our favor,
And though I tire I will not waver;
I am my people's bulwark from pain,
But in time even my strength will wane...
Four long years I've rotted here
A casualty of foolishness and fear.
I gave my life for my people's good
And in return, stripped of my knighthood.
Let them rot and feed Demise—
For falling for Dagianis' lies!
Though… I wish not for their dying screams
For despite, their pain does haunt my dreams.
But… what is this? Dagianis dead?
Killed by the Demon King's bloodshed.
Freedom at last—met with request,
To fight Demise at their behest.
My sword… once broken, now is mended
In offering to me presented.
"You use me as it pleases you!"
Yet… who else but me could they turn to?
So many lost—the Demon King advances,
My people… we are running out of chances.
Will I fight? I suppose t'was never a question…
Merely a matter of concession.
The Hero, Link—once more he fights!
Have my people turned their faults to rights?
He rallies their troops with such courage and strength
Perhaps there is still hope, alength…
"Do not sit and for salvation pray—
Only our will to fight will win the day!
Gather your wits men—gather your swords!
It is the protection of our land which we work towards!"
His love and courage, his perseverance
After all his suffering and embittered deference
To the foolish whims of the most misguided of men;
Still he fights and he bleeds, for their lives to defend.
Long have I lived and long have I felt
But this feeling is like nothing with which I've ever dealt.
My love for my people and the world I keep
Has always pierced me—but never so deep.
Is this, perhaps, a new kind of love?
It is like nothing I've ever known of;
For I know well my duty bestowed by the Gods,
But in this duty, my heart is at odds.
A hero needs guide my people out of despair,
But my heart aches so to witness the burden he bears.
I know not what to do to ease his pain,
But for this: he will not be alone—never again.
He is my hero, and he will I bless,
And fight by his side in faithfulness.
Come Loftwing! I believe I have found a man worthy;
To his side—hurry!
Upon the parapets, shouts of fear:
"A demon comes—it's nearly here!"
But no… "Wait! Hold your fire!
Upon it's back—a rider!"
A woman, radiant like the golden sunrise,
Our Goddess Hylia, who fights for us against Demise!
"I bring a Loftwing—a great bird of the Gods,
Who seeks a worthy rider to even our odds—
In this fight against the Demon Demise,
Who among you would ascend to the skies?"
Such magnificence, I found myself without words
Gazing upon this king of all birds.
Suddenly it spoke—voice high and disdained,
"Hmph! Hylia, our search is in vain—
They are so fearful they cannot tell
Gods from demons; Here, my rider doth not dwell…"
It's grand spell, broken, by words of foul slander—
"If you would dare speak ill of humanity with such candor,
We will show you the courage and strength of man!
We will defeat Demise as one clan!"
"And who might you be, human so small?"
"I am Link! A knight who will not see this land fall!"
"Hmph. If this is so, then show me man's worth!"
And with great beats of its wings, it departed the earth.
But there was little chance for reverie;
The Goddess spoke—words dire, but voice a melody:
"Demise will soon engulf the surface in conflagration;
I will not watch my land and people fall to ruination.
There is a chance, you can escape to the sky,
Upon the very land upward will you fly—
By the holy Master Sword, wielded by the hands
Of the most honorable hero in the land."
Blade in hand, to me, she bowed,
And for the first time in my life, I felt cowed.
I had lost my honor, many years ago,
Imprisoned and given to woe.
"Your grace, long ago was my honored unmade,
I could not lay hand upon such a sacred blade."
With heavy heart I held her gaze,
Praying another might rise to her praise.
But she smiled—brilliant, like the sun,
"Of this I am sure—there is only one,
This blade knows if you are tarnished or not;
There was never another to which I gave thought.
The blade must be reforged by human hands,
To wield its power in human lands.
You've sought not revenge on those who locked you in dungeon's gloom;
Your heart is pure—will you instead save your kinsmen from doom?"
My people, even Gods, seek me when best it suits—
Hoping my will will bear their fruits!
Regardless of whether you are God or man,
Where you cannot, you pray my spirit can...
But… these people beside me are still mine,
And these lands blessed by the divine…
With a breath I let my anger free; "It goes without saying I stand,
With my friends and my people, my land!"
In the fires of death mountain my hero does toil,
With every attack I meet, the lands do roil,
He is the Hero destined for the sword that seals the Darkness,
But now the King seeks him—and I feel fear with such starkness.
For him, I must keep Demise's army at bay—
For the sword to be reforged amidst the fray;
Once my people to the safety of the sky ascend,
With the last of my strength, the surface I'll cleanse—
Sealing the Demon King away;
But… I fear he may return one day.
I see now my power alone cannot ensure
That the Old Ones' gift remains secure.
"The earth turns black—the the world ends; Goddess save!"
"Fools! Your prayers from afar will not death stave!
Gather your wits men—gather your swords!
It is our survival which we work towards!"
"It is Link, the hero, with blade reforged!
Hope has come—let the demons be purged!"
"Together we will fight, men—we'll win the day!"
If only to see the Goddess once more, this I pray…
Rise, creatures of the world below!
Servants of the Goddess, to the humans' aid—go!
The Demon King advances—protect your kin—
Of wing, and leg, and claw, and fin!
The final battle at last—the Demon King comes!
"Weep! Howl! Turn and Flee! To my might, succumb!"
"I'm not afraid to die in battle true,
But before I do, I will defeat you!"
With blade in hand and purpose clear,
Into the fray—without fear!
To save my people and the land I cherish,
Before all is lost and all does perish.
Hours pass in battle fierce,
Scars mark the demon's flesh I've pierced;
The King weakens, but alas—so do I,
My strikes lose strength no matter how I try…
AH! Pain—piercing deep;
I cry out, fall, in crumpled heap.
"Foolish worm! I've won this day!"
'No! Gods grant me strength…!' I desperately pray…
A thunderous rush of air does crack—
"Boy! Climb atop my back!"
The Loftwing! Has he changed his mind?
"Will you permit a rider of mankind?"
"I've watched your battles, kept close eye,
With you I would be honored to fly.
We can fight together—for eternity,
Henceforth—will you fly with me?"
"Yes—I swear! Loftwing, we shall be,
Partners in fraternity!"
With Loftwing's guidance, we could win—
Protect my Goddess, land and kin!
With our pact, the sacred blade did glow—
And summon forth three dragons from the world below:
"Hero! Present thy sword to the Goddess—it's time!
Into the sky your kind must climb!"
The Loftwing and I, to the goddess we fled,
Blood mingling in plumage red,
My time was near—we must hurry
End the King, and into to the sky journey.
"Goddess—the blade! The people are ready!
Rend the earth, and end the Demon's tyranny!"
She looked to me, then—eyes warm and smile soft,
Her gentle hands met mine; she took the blade aloft…
With single swing I rent the earth,
And the land of Skyloft met its birth,
With Loftwing's guidance the land did rise,
Into the sky, out of reach of Demise.
"Long live the land of Hylia!" my hero screamed,
As he plunged the sword into earthly seam.
It's light lifted Skyloft high,
And finally, the Demon's end drew nigh.
In battle with the hero weakened,
My powers finally sealed the demon,
Sinking into sundered earth,
Screaming, swearing his rebirth.
But how long would this weary seal hold?
Demise was strong, would not be controlled…
But time was bought—millennia of peace,
In which the death would finally cease.
Drained and weak, the deed now done,
I turned—and saw my hero undone.
To the ravaged earth I swiftly descended,
In my heart, fear and pain blended…
"Link… Link!" So near to death…
A grievous wound steals his breath;
Eyelids flutter and limbs like lead,
I realize now, this was the source of my dread…
Cradled in my arms I held him close,
My tears on his cheeks, his blood on my clothes.
"Long have I watched you, and felt your pain,
As through will alone was your humanity retained;
Only now do I see after all these years,
I fell in love with a mortal—doomed to tears,
Your endless courage won my heart,
But now the fates have torn us apart…"
His eyes struggled open—blue orbs gaze at me,
"Goddess…" he whispers in silent plea,
A smile barely lifts his cheek,
He speaks—but his voice is weak:
"We won—Dear Goddess, please don't cry,
Though my wounds are deep and soon will I die;
This parting is not the end—
When I return to this earth, I will find you again…"
His eyelids grew heavy, and he spoke but once more:
"There is only one thing left that I wish for.
Please: smile—it is like the sun,
Such sorrow is not for a day hard won…"
My aching heart rent in two,
But I could not deny him, this I knew…
And so I smiled as the light left his eyes,
And in my arms the man I loved dies.
How many long years would it be?
Before my hero returned to me?
And though my heart would with happiness burst
When the sacred realm his soul traversed,
And once more he walked the earth,
In a new era, his soul rebirthed—
I would be but a stranger—a distant Deity,
No more than one which to swear fealty.
Our time—this era—would be forgotten,
A distant echo, like sound through cotton.
In my heart I know I could not bear,
Blue eyes vacant his familiar stare.
Long have I lived and long have I loved—
After centuries alone, I have found my beloved;
I cannot bear this—will not suffer this fate,
I reject the divinity which traps me in this state.
And so… I'll forsake my immortality,
Dearest Link, please wait for me…
In the next life, may we meet anew,
And may I once more fall in love with you.
And likewise, may you too find me,
And may I hold your heart's key.
And should Demise once more return,
Together we shall his evil spurn.
With last breath I do your lips kiss,
My consciousness fading into the Abyss,
Your smiling face is the last I see,
Please, my love… wait for me.