I'm on fiiiiiire!

Seriously, never have I ever pushed out 2 chapters in such little time! I'm amazing! ORRRRR I have WAY too much time on my hands...yes, that's probably it...

Herp a Derp...don't have much to say about this chapter...intense chapter is intense? Or bad? Sad? Stupidly crazy? You be da judge and let me know! As alllllways, comments/feedback appreciated! :D

Ghirahim's lips were moving, but Link couldn't hear the words that he was saying. His ears buzzed with a low humming noise that seemed to wipe out all other sounds that attempted to be made known. His head hurt with the sudden appearance of a headache that throbbed with the beat of his heart. The boy's deep cerulean eyes became blurred as he tried harder to focus on the demon lord's face, but only succeeded in further drowning out his enemy in a mixture of colors that blended haphazardly together. Link opened his mouth, but no sound came out; his mouth became as dry as sand, making his throat tighten uncomfortably.

The warrior shook his head and cleared his throat, trying to force his mind to think straight and rid himself of the droning buzz that filled his senses. He focused on the demon lord once more, relieved that his eyes seemed to quit watering and that he was able to see clearly. Ghirahim's face had the look of worry, his pale mouth set in a grimace and his fathomless black eyes searching Link's own with such intensity that it made the hero's heart pound wildly within his chest. His hands clutched the boy's face tightly as he waited for Link to speak. After taking several more moments to compose himself, the warrior opened his mouth and attempted to speak once more. "Wha…what did you say?" He managed to ask Ghirahim hoarsely.

The demon lord stroked Link's face with trembling fingers as they traced his slave scars. And though there was fear written across his pale face, Ghirahim's voice came out strong
and confident, not betraying any emotion. "I'd like you to end my life, sky child."

The warrior immediately took a step back, placing distance between him and Ghirahim; his back thudded against the large boulder behind him, but Link took no notice. His eyes were wide with shock as he tried to register what the demon lord had just requested. "What? No! Is this a sick joke? No!" He spat out, his voice filled with confusion and anger. "Why would you ask such a thing?"

The demon lord folded his arms once more against his chest and gave a sigh. "I'm afraid I'm completely serious, Link. In all honesty, I wouldn't joke about such dreadful matters." He cocked his head to the side and offered a small chuckle. "I may be all fun and games but I am fully capable of being somber when the time calls for it."

Link flung his arms in the air, making a sound of annoyance. "But this is obviously not one of those times! You're not serious…you can't be serious, Ghirahim…."

Ghirahim let out an exasperated sigh, his calm demeanor slowly diminishing. "Do not question me, boy. I do not much like it when one tries to undermine my words with mockery." He bit out through clenched teeth, his body becoming tense with anger.

Link ran a hand through his hair, trying to steady his heavy breathing and frantic heart. What the demon lord was asking was too sudden, too much to process, and the warrior was having a hard time grasping at the concept of his enemy's desire for death. "I am, by no means, trying to mock you. It's just that…it's just that I don't understand why you are asking me to do this. What makes you think that killing yourself is the only solution to solving your problem?" Link paused for a moment, regarding Ghirahim carefully. "What are you so afraid of that death is the only escape?"

"What does it matter? I'm asking you to do this for me!" The demon lord snapped, his black eyes filling with unmistakable rage towards the hero. "The reasons behind my request are no concern of yours, and you would be wise to listen to me, sky child." Ghirahim seethed in a threatening tone.

The warrior crossed his arms and gave a determined glare to the demon lord, his mouth set in a hard smile. "The reasons behind your request are of every concern of mine, and until you explain what is going on I will not be a part of your suicidal-liberation plan."

Ghirahim let out a hiss of anger and lunged forward, grabbing Link by the tunic and lifting him into the air so that they were at eye level with one another. With such little distance between them, the warrior could see that the demon lord's eyes no longer belonged to him, that a misty texture overran the normally clear black orbs. A little gasp escaped Link's throat, but he refused to struggle against grasp that the demon lord held him in.

The boy could feel Ghirahim's hands slowly burning into his tunic, singing the fabric and exposing his vulnerable skin, and he gritted his teeth to prevent a cry of pain from escaping. The demon lord let out a low growl, his mouth in the form of an ugly snarl. "As my slave I order you to end my life!" He barked out loudly, stunning Link with the incredible authority behind the command.

Link let out a growl of his own, keeping his eyes fixated on Ghirahim's entranced ones. "I cannot! I…I just can't do it, Ghirahim! You are asking me to do something that is nothing short of impossible." Frustration slowly disintegrating, the sky child let out a sigh, allowing his facial expression to soften as he gazed at the demon lord's angry appearance. "I couldn't kill you back in the Earth temple. I had every opportunity to stab you through the heart, ensuring your death. But I didn't…I went for your shoulder instead. I gave you a wound that would hurt, but it would not be fatal." Link offered a smile and lifted a hand to the demon lord's face, gently caressing his cheek. "If I couldn't kill you then, all those months ago, what could possibly make you think that I could do it now?"

Ghirahim flinched underneath the warrior's touch, and his body began to tremble as he fought against the inner demons that sought to gain control of his body once more. The demon lord closed his eyes and let out a shaky sigh as his body attempted to release the built up tension that formed within his taut muscles. Sensing the conflicting battles his enemy was experiencing, Link placed his free hand on the other side of Ghirahim's face and craned his neck until their lips were pressed gently against one another. "Ghirahim…." The sky child whispered his enemy's name warmly, sending vibrations through the demon lord's
lips.

The demon lord's eyes snapped open angrily, and Link's heart sank when he saw that they still were not Ghirahim's own. Before the sky child could think of any other form of intervention, his enemy was moving. With a roar, the demon lord flung the boy into the nearby boulder. "Don't touch me!" He yelled, his fury-filled voice echoing off the earth walls around them.

Link's body smacked against the large stone with such an incredible force that it left him breathless. Giving several pained gasps, the boy closed his eyes in an attempt to cease the waves of nausea that swam within his head, threatening to empty his stomach of the little contents it carried. And yet, amidst the pain and dizzy spells, the warrior slowly pushed himself off the ground, using the boulder for support. Several times his knees tried to buckle from underneath him, protesting angrily with each step he took, but Link remained defiant. 'I'm not giving up on you.' He thought stubbornly to himself as he wiped the blood that trickled from his neck with the swipe of his hand. 'Not when we've come this far, not when you are so close to overcoming the evil inside of you…."

Ghirahim offered a cruel smile at the sky child's grim determination to stand. "It appears that we have a fighter among us! A fighter that doesn't seem to have the heart to carry out the simplest of tasks assigned to him. It's quite pathetic, really." He spoke scornfully to the weak warrior.

Link attempted to stand alone without the help of the boulder, but quickly grasped at the rock when his knees began to shake with the threat of collapsing. "It's just that what you are asking of me is...it's just not possible, Ghirahim." He let out a sigh and placed a hand on his heart in an act of intimacy for the demon lord. "Even if you begged, even if you tortured me, I couldn't do it. I couldn't kill you."

The demon lord let out a howl of anger, his fists clenching sporadically at his sides. "You fool! I am your enemy! I am the one that you are meant to defeat, the one that you spend hours strategizing, practicing, and planning just how you'll take my life! And now I am giving you the opportunity to do so, and you won't take it? You're a weak, useless boy."

Link narrowed his eyes at Ghirahim and took a wobbly step forward. "You're trying to get under my skin, trying to upset me enough to make me act out in anger." He shook his head and gave a low chuckle. "It won't work, so you should stop trying."

Ghirahim snarled and took a step back from Link's slow advances. "Perhaps it is just because I haven't struck the right nerve yet." The demon lord brought a black hand to his chin to imitate the act of pondering. "Come to think of it, that girl…Zelda…that is her name, correct? How is the goddess-wench doing?"

Link paused in his tracks only for a moment before continuing towards the demon lord. "Ghirahim," He said in a low and cautious tone, "at this point she is no concern of yours. This is just between you and I, so there is no need to bring her into this as well."

The demon lord gave an evil smile towards the hero. "But she has everything to do with this, boy. She is, after all, the main reason why I've been following you around all this time. Oh, don't make such a shocked face! Surely you must have known that I was using you in order to get to her."

Ghirahim scoffed, waving a hand casually in the air. "Please don't tell me that all those times we spent together actually meant something to you?"

The warrior took a deep breath in order to calm his nerves; the feeling of being exposed only to be tossed aside carelessly was overwhelming, and the sky child had to remind himself that Ghirahim was saying whatever he could in order to make him angry. "They did, and I know that they meant something to you as well."

Ghirahim let out a sharp laugh. "Oh please. Sky child! I was using you! Using you! And you, like the child you are, fell for it. Honestly, Link, why do you think I surprise you with visits at paramount moments of your journey? It's because I'm distracting you, so that my minions can figure out what you are up to, to see just how close you are to finding that Zelda girl." The demon lord scoffed and pointed a finger in Link's direction. "Why do you think I'm always one step ahead of you, always gaining the upper-hand? You are much too lenient with your trust, just as you are too willing to give your heart away to anyone, even those who do not want it."

Link let out a pained gasp. His body tensed up self-consciously as the demon lord's words made their mark, burning into his mind like a fire. Much to the warrior's dismay, tears began to well up in his eyes, threatening to spill over at any given time. It wasn't often in his life that Link let someone see him cry, see him offer any sort of emotion that displayed his weaknesses so openly. And the thought of the demon lord seeing his tears did little to bring solace to the boy, especially since Ghirahim was the reason for his emotional state. His thoughts began to tumble clumsily together as Ghirahim's cruel words raced within his mind. 'It's not true, Link…you have to believe that what he is saying is not true!' The warrior thought weakly, inwardly cursing himself for allowing his vulnerabilities to show.

But his thoughts simply became more negative, seeping through his conscious like an unattended flood that desired to destroy. 'Has he truly been using me? I'm just some toy to entertain him, while he's really distracting me?' Link could feel his throat constrict as the apparent truth sank in. 'To him, I'm nothing more than a boy that'll lead him to his prize…I'm nothing to him….'

Unable to take it anymore, the boy rushed forward, gripping the demon lord's shoulders tightly to prevent him from succumbing to the weakness of his knees. Squeezing his eyes shut in an attempt to block out the feelings of doubt that paraded in his mind like a poison, Link placed his forehead against Ghirahim's chest, his head shaking in denial. "It's not true!" The warrior looked up at the demon lord, eyes filled with hurt. "Enough with your lies, Ghirahim!" He began to lightly tremble against the demon lord as he fought
the choked sobs that wished to escape.

Ghirahim let out a low growl, and for a moment Link was certain that he would be flung towards the boulder once more. But he couldn't make his fingers to move from Ghirahim's shoulders, couldn't pull himself away from the demon lord's chest. The warrior simply tried to bring himself closer to Ghirahim, cling to him despite the fact that his affections were not being returned. He was vaguely aware of the tears that began their descent down his face in a scattered fashion, dripping from his chin and melting into both his and Ghirahim's clothes, but he paid them no mind. All he could focus on was the faint beating of the demon lord's heart as it thudded quietly against his ribcage. Gently, almost cautiously, Link slowly let go of one of Ghirahim's shoulders and placed his hand lightly where his enemy's heart was, splaying out his fingers till his entire hand rested against the demon lord's chest. The sky child let out a quiet breath and began to lightly tap out the beat of Ghirahim's heart, closing his eyes and forcing himself to remain calm, regardless of his enemy's actions.

It took Link by surprise when the the demon lord's arms wrapped around his back, embracing him tightly. The boy kept his eyes closed, enjoying the feeling of being secure within Ghirahim's arms, even if it was becoming painful. One of the demon lord's inked hands moved to rest on the boy's head, and he began to run his fingers through Link's hair in a gentle, rhythmic manner. It wasn't until a sinister chuckle escaped his enemy's lips that Link realized that the sense of security he felt was completely false.

Craning his neck to peek up at the demon lord, the sky child was greeted with a malicious grin and dead black eyes. Ghirahim's shoulders began to shake as his chuckle turned into a hysterical laughter, booming throughout the Sealed Grounds and causing all wildlife to hush in terror. Link instantly let out a growl and tried to pull away, but the sudden movement only caused the demon lord to grab a handful of his hair and pull him closer to his chest. He squeezed the boy so tightly that Link could feel his ribs shift uncomfortably within him, and he let out a small groan and tried once more to leave Ghirahim's iron clutches. The demon lord merely sneered at the boy's anguish. "Well, well! The sky child has finally cracked! Tell me, it must be troublesome to know that you've exposed yourself to the world, only to realize that your feelings are unrequited."

Link snarled and glared up at Ghirahim. "You and I both know that they are not unrequited. You said so yourself. That night on the Eldin summit…you expressed your feelings to me. You cannot deny them now, Ghirahim." He bit out through gritted teeth.

The demon lord simply waved his hand, scoffing at the warrior's remark. "That doesn't matter now. As I said before, it was all just a ruse that you willingly fell for." He grabbed Link by the arms and shook him roughly, forcing his attention. "Now, if you, my very unhelpful slave, refuse to perform the task I've given you, I suppose you are of no use to me anymore."

Before Link could reply, Ghirahim pushed the hero to the hard earth. The boy let out a low groan as he made contact with the ground, jolting his body uncomfortably. The groan that left his mouth quickly transformed into a scream when the demon lord sank a sleek black dagger into his hand, driving it all the way through and giving it a couple twists. The cry of anguish intensified when Ghirahim yanked the blade out carelessly, giving a sadistic smile in the warrior's direction. Link immediately grabbed his hand and gripped it tightly, growing pale as he watched spurts of blood seep from the wound at an alarming rate. His pained blue eyes met with Ghirahim's as he watched his enemy lick the blade of the dagger with his tongue; the demon lord let out a small moan as Link's blood entered his mouth, and he gave a shudder of delight. Gazing down at the boy, Ghirahim smiled. "Your blood is the one thing I never lied about, sky child. It's just so dreadfully wonderful!" With the delicate snap of his fingers, the weapon vanished into thin air, leaving only the remnants of smoke and colorful diamonds in its place.

Link continued to watch the demon lord, his face set in a grimace. No words could form on his tongue, so he could only watch in horror as his enemy took several steps away and began mumbling in the language belonging to the demon realm. Dropping his chin to his chest, Ghirahim placed a clenched fist on his heart, standing completely still as the skies began to form dark clouds that offered the promise of rain. The wind began to rush through the Sealed Grounds, ripping through the trees and destroying all previous signs of peace and tranquility. Link remained on the ground, looking around in shock as the once beautiful Sealed Grounds became completely ravaged and torn apart.

When Link's grim eyes settled back on Ghirahim's stationary form, he couldn't help but give a startled gasp at the dark purple and black smoke that began to materialize around the demon lord's body, swishing and dancing around him until he was completely enveloped in the colorful fog. The boy's enemy began to shake as his energy levels depleted dangerously low, and he crumpled down to one knee with a heavy thud. But he continued to utter spells in his language, calling on the dark forces of evil with all the strength within him. The fog began to thicken as it shifted from the demon lord to the empty spot beside him. Purple splashed with black as the dark energy melted together, slowly drifting and swirling to form the outline of a large four-legged beast. Link subconsciously made an attempt to shuffle forward on the ground towards the demon lord, letting out a groan when he applied pressure to his damaged hand. The warrior stopped moving and inhaled sharply, trying to control the pain that coursed through him. He looked up to focus on Ghirahim once more, eyes wide with fear. "Ghirahim, no! Stop, please!" The boy pleaded desperately.

The demon lord slowly lifted his head and stared at Link, hollow black eyes narrowed in a glare. His mouth continued to move nimbly as dark spells cascaded off his tongue, adding to the evil forces that began to take shape beside him. Without stopping to catch his breath, Ghirahim shifted his gaze to the transformation taking place beside him. Out of the colorful bursts of fog came a terrifying beast with shaggy black fur that tangled and tumbled with the wind. The monster stood tall on four legs, though most of his strength was designated to his front limbs, where the impressive muscles bulged underneath its taut skin. The back legs, albeit stubbier and smaller, still carried intimidating muscles that were designed for incredible speed.

But what worried Link the most was the head of the beast. Cold red eyes pierced into his own with such an intense look of hunger that the warrior couldn't help but shuffle back, trying to place distance between him and the unfamiliar monster. The demon lord's creation gave a snarl at the boy, showing off the dagger-life fangs that protruded from its wide open mouth. The growl that erupted from the monster's throat sent vibrations to Link's collapsed form, and he cringed at the sound. Once the last of the looming fog evaporated onto its skin, the beast shuddered abruptly and sank its serrated claws into the earth, becoming accustomed to the new environment. It swished its long rodent-like tail on the ground, paying no mind when it slapped against bushes and trees. Its beady red eyes landed on Link once more with eagerness and deadly intent, and the boy let out a growl and unsheathed his sword, preparing himself for the inevitable fight that was about to take place.

Ghirahim's voice pulled Link back to reality; the demon lord, completely sapped of all strength, lay on the ground in a crumpled heap. He had one hand outstretched to his creation, and his eyes were filled with a mixture of pride and satisfaction. "My glorious creation, hear me now! Do for me what this boy could not!"

Link's eyes widened with horror as he watched the demon lord call upon the same dagger that had previously been stuck through his hand. In a swift motion, Ghirahim swiped the blade across his black hand, creating a deep yet clean cut. Blood immediately began to ooze from the wound, and the demon lord spread the blood across his palm with his fingers, never breaking eye contact with the boy. It was at that moment, when he saw that the demon lord's eyes were clear of all fog but were filled with incredible sadness, that Link realized Ghirahim's grim intent. 'He didn't make the beast to kill me…he made it for himself!'

Link opened his mouth to speak, but the demon lord had already turned his attention back to the beast that pawed the ground impatiently. Stretching his hand towards the mouth of the monster, Ghirahim shouted with determination. "Drink from the blood that runs through my veins, and feed from my demon soul! Become one with me!"

"Ghirahim, no!" Link shouted as he tried to push himself up off the ground in vain; he was simply too weak and fell back to the earth before he was able to get both feet successfully underneath him.

The beast only needed to sniff the demon lord's outstretched and bloody hand once with its stubby snout before letting out a thunderous bellow that shook Link to the core and echoed within his ears. Pushing off the ground with its powerful legs, the monster leapt into the air and landed on Ghirahim's fallen form, teeth gnashing and ready to attack. And Ghirahim simply lay there, inviting death with open arms.

Oh nooooooessss!

What's gonna happen to Ghirahim? Will he live? Will he die? I HAVE THE POWER TO DECIDE!

*ahem* Scary moment is done

Hope you liked this chapter! It was sad/infuriating to write (simply because I hate Ghirahim for saying such mean things to the Hero)

More to come! :D