Somehow this ended up turning into a longer chapter… Sorry? It still feels more transitional than anything but… hopefully it isn't too boring!
And also the Shadow Temple references got a bit out of hand in this chapter… I apologize.
Warnings: violence I guess?
Link supposed things could have been stranger.
He did a mental recap. After months and months of nightly unconscious torture and being finally persuaded by some insane deduction that his enemy was still alive, he set out to find said enemy. He managed to locate him in the heart of some sinister hideout deep within an only slightly less malevolent forest. One confrontation, a journey into his past self's wondrous experiences as a prisoner of war, and some sort of a divine revelation later had Link hanging in the balance between thinking the demon lord may have been on his side the whole time – whatever that entailed – or that he was simply delusional.
Then there was the issue of Zelda's abduction, his home's attack, and the fact he was temporarily joining up with the demon to go and rescue his best friend. The sheer absurdity of the entire situation nearly floored him where he stood whenever he thought too hard about it.
So yes, there were stranger things than the being swathed in a tattered cloak suspended in the air before him.
She had appeared before the two once they'd reached the bottom of the cliff, phasing into existence through the fog. Only her slit-like glowing eyes were visible under her hood. The spirit's short bout of introductory cackling was bone-chilling, but oddly carried no malicious intent. The hero was still on guard, prepared to attack if necessary, but Ghirahim had informed him that she would be the one guiding them through the wasteland. ("That's a… woman?")
The being didn't speak, hardly even acknowledged their presence before she turned back towards the abysmal plain and started into it. The lantern held in one wiry hand cast a purplish glow far into the haze, lighting a path. The small bell that dangled from the bottom of the lantern chimed like a grim death toll.
The demon lord and the human followed, some understandable hesitation from the latter.
They walked in silence, the wall of mist closing back up behind them. The lantern acted as some sort of a beacon. It warded off the fog, keeping it back outside the ring of light. The ground beneath the hero's feet was uneven, cracked and randomly dipping in some areas. He didn't complain, however; at least it wasn't made up of bones capable of springing to life at any second.
But that didn't mean he wasn't still wary.
Outside the circle of light, the haze would shift as though it were a living thing. It seemed to be trying to claw its way towards the demon and the human, to suffocate them, engulf them in a darkness that they would never escape from, but their mysterious guide's flame kept it at bay. The darkness, as much of it as there was, could not overtake the tiny spot of light slipping through its clutches.
Link tried not to stare out into the wasteland, not that he could see much anyway. It felt as though things were moving out there, prowling along the ground, beasts lying just beyond the veil of shadow. He swore he could hear something being dragged across the stone, but the sound was so faint, too quiet to tell if it had been real or if he had just imagined it.
What he was sure of was the feeling of eyes on them as they made their way through the black. Contrary to his expectations, nothing jumped out at them. The eerie stillness was not much of a relief, however.
Perhaps whatever it was simply hadn't noticed them after all, or it didn't care.
Or it could be lying in wait for an opportunity to attack.
Link shook his head clear of those thoughts, trying to focus on something else. He walked a little faster than usual, staying much closer to his temporary companion. It was almost embarrassing practically clinging to Ghirahim's side like a frightened child in this situation, but he was caught between a rock and a hard place; the endless sea of black or the demon lord. He tended to keep nearer to his accomplice.
As long as he tried to ignore the subtle upwards curve of Ghirahim's lips, it wasn't so bad.
The demon's pace was brisk, but not hurried. He strode only a few paces behind their shadow guide as she led them along an unseen route. She didn't slow or pause at any given point in their journey, and gave no indication that she was going to. The hero had to make sure he didn't fall behind.
Link's mind began to wander.
He'd been questioning a lot lately, but the subject at the forefront of his mind for the time being was the motive behind Zelda's capture.
First he thought that the demons, assuming they had been working under the demon king's rule, would try and use her to bring Demise back. He bit his bottom lip, clenching his fists so hard that his knuckles turned white. The mere prospect sent his anger spiralling, climbing to a dangerous height. He wouldn't allow that to happen to her, not again.
A more rational part reasoned with him that Demise's resurrection was impossible. The demon king had been completely eradicated out of existence by the power of the Triforce. Not only that, but he'd been destroyed in the past as well, the only remaining Gate of Time having been closed soon after. There was no way he could return. The only thing that could possibly overrule the Triforce's influence was… the Triforce itself. But then why not target that instead?
He remembered that the Triforce had been hidden, for it was simply too powerful a relic to be left out in the open, and only he and Zelda knew the location of it…
The hero swallowed, his throat feeling dry. Zelda wouldn't tell them where it was, and neither would he, but even so…
He thought of something else. He seriously doubted that, even if the demons did somehow manage to obtain the Triforce, they would be able to use it. The youth himself had to go through so much just to simply have his wish recognized by it; he'd had to prove himself worthy of its power. Did that same rule apply to them?
Link huffed, blowing his bangs out of his face. This was too confusing. There were too many factors to take into consideration. He was almost tempted to ask Ghirahim more questions, but after their previous sour encounter he found himself turned off to the idea. And he also didn't want to appear stupid, though he suspected that the lord already thought of him as such…
"… Link…"
A shiver travelled up the length of the hero's spine. A whisper, carried out from the shadows by some invisible breeze, trickled into his ears. It caressed his mind, prying but gentle fingers taking their hold on him. He should have known better but he slowed his pace, captivated.
The whisper had no discernible voice, or none he could make out. His thoughts came to a halt, his attention being pulled towards the unknown entity speaking to him.
"… Link…"
The youth tilted his head, blinking. He should have felt scared but for some reason he didn't feel much of anything at all as the voice called to him once more…
But he'd lingered too long. Something reached out of the darkness and clamped over his mouth, jerking him back and breaking him out of his trance. He was so stunned that his own voice seemed too far away; he didn't make a sound even as it dragged him away from the safety of the light. The smell of rotting flesh filled his nostrils and bile rose in his throat.
His eyes were fixed ahead, wide with fear. The mist had closed over him; the light from the lantern the guide carried just a dim purple glow a ways away. But how had he gotten so far away without realizing it?
And Ghirahim hadn't noticed.
In that moment, Link realized two things. One, there would be no help coming to him. Two, if he didn't do something now he would be left stranded in the wasteland with creatures like whatever the one gripping him was, and he couldn't fight what he couldn't see.
Terror lost its hold, replaced by adrenaline. Link twisted, struggling violently against the creature, for more of its hands had seized his arms and legs. He didn't even want to know why it had multiple hands. He kicked and shouted, but his voice didn't get far, muffled by the thing's disgusting palm. If he could just get Ghirahim's attention…
Then there was breath on his shoulder and neck, heavy and rank. Panic made him fight against it harder and he managed to free his arms, reaching down for the dagger he carried and slashing at whatever he could.
The hero stumbled forwards, unexpectedly free. His knees hit the dirt but he wasn't down for long, scrambling to his feet and turning to look at his assailant out of habit.
He really wished he hadn't.
The hero's eyes had adjusted to the darkness somewhat, so he could at least see what lay in front of him. But right now that didn't seem to be a positive aspect…
The thing hardly resembled anything even remotely human. It was hunched, rotted skin practically dripping off of its deformed body. Its head was bent forward; mouth stretched impossibly wide, cracked rectangular teeth bared in a rictus. It had no eyes, just two endless holes in its skull, boring into Link with soulless hatred.
It smelled about half as awful as it looked.
It appeared that the arms that had grabbed the hero weren't actually connected to its main body. They sprouted from the ground, as tall as small trees, grasping and clawing at the air. Their numbers were numerous. How many were there? Six? Ten?
Link didn't pause to count. He turned and ran.
An ear-splitting shriek cut through the air, shattering the silence like a hammer to glass. It pierced his eardrums, shooting through his body and turning his blood to ice. Not in the literal sense, but he couldn't move nonetheless. He found himself helplessly paralyzed mid-step, a sitting duck. From the corner of his eyes he could see it approaching. The blood pounded in his ears, sweat running down his temple.
The scream had hadn't come from the thing, but something else nearby that he couldn't see. Link didn't care what it was. The primal desire to get away from the impending danger was all that mattered to him now. In the distance, the shadow guide's light was fading into the fog. He didn't have much time left…
Those horrific hands reached him right as he regained control of his body, but he was too slow. He cried out as they pulled him, thrashing and fighting, to the ground. The hero clawed at the loose earth fruitlessly, gasping when he felt more weight on top of him. "No!'
Something grasped at his tunic, and then decayed lips pressed against his flesh. The blond's struggles faltered for he suddenly felt his strength being drained away. He was hardly aware of his own screaming, both in terror and for help. Everything was growing dimmer and dimmer…
The weight lifted and the hands released him all at once. For the second time that day, a grip on his upper arm jerked him to his feet and shoved him forwards. Not entirely himself, Link staggered and fell again, but forced himself back up just as quickly and ran. His rescuer pulled him along with haste, snarling in irritation every time the boy clad in green would trip and slow. The malevolent air whipped around them, vexed as it watched its two would be victims slip through its fingers.
Their guide hadn't stopped to wait for them, and it was sheer luck that they managed to catch up to her in time. They burst into the circle of light, the hero's head spinning.
"Must I hold your hand, sky child?" Ghirahim ground out under his breath, his tone venomous. Link looked at him, but the demon lord had already fallen back into step behind the cloaked spirit. He got the feeling it would be better not to say anything to him at the moment. His heart was still thudding against his ribs. He reached up, touching the spot where he'd thought he'd been bitten, but there was no mark. The skin hadn't even been broken. He walked robotically after the two beings, still in shock.
Once the panic subsided, Link did his best to keep alert for the rest of the journey through the dangerous wasteland, continuing in silence until they'd reached the other end.
If possible, the trek up the cliff of the other side of the realm seemed even more tension filled than it had been before. The air around the demon lord was almost toxic. Link kept at a distance – or as distant as he could be from his companion. He trailed behind him no closer than necessary. There was no mistaking it; the demon's temper had been stirred.
Far behind them, their shadow guide had bid them somewhat of a farewell, if one could call it that. The cloaked being had vanished into thin air once they'd arrived at the other end of the wasteland, but the lantern she carried had remained suspended in the air, but only for a moment. It had dropped to the ground, shattering and releasing a small plume of lavender fire before that too disappeared.
Link didn't bother questioning it. This journey alone had exhausted him and he felt that he had to rest soon. It was impossible to tell what time of day it was but the hero guessed it to be after dark.
He was breathing heavily by the time they'd reached the top of the uphill slope. Before them lay even more shadow realm, and the dimness made it much harder to see now. He had a lantern with him that he knew he could use, but they weren't proceeding just yet. The youth would have liked to sit down and rest for a few minutes, calm his nerves, sooth his aching muscles, but he didn't want to appear weak in front of the demon. So he stood, gazing out at the wasteland they'd just conquered, then to the ceiling so high above it wasn't visible, and finally at the maze of tunnels and darkness that lay ahead. It appeared that there was still a lot left to do.
He took a step forward out of curiosity, cocking his head and trying to listen for anything that may have been lurking in the shadows…
An unexpectedly powerful shove sent him sprawling forward to his knees. A sharp grunt flew from his mouth as his palms scuffed along the stone, sending pain shooting up his arms. He looked back over his shoulder incredulously.
"I already warned you once about getting distracted, did I not?" Came Ghirahim's voice, low and dangerous. Link felt a lump grow in his throat, hearing the accusation in the demon's tone. He didn't respond, but it didn't seem like his companion cared for anything he had to say anyways.
"Or have you simply thrown away all sense of precaution for your own wellbeing?" Ghirahim drew closer. "I wouldn't expect that from someone so bent on risking everything for another, least of all you, sky child."
Link flinched at those words, guilt washing over him. The demon lord did have a point. He tried to push himself up, but Ghirahim wasn't done with reprimanding him just yet. He cried out sharply as a foot stomped down on his back, sending him back to the floor.
"How do you expect to rescue your little friend if you're dead?" The demon jeered.
A groan slipped out between the hero's teeth as that foot ground down into his spine. Coughing at the sudden strain put on his ribs, he craned his neck to look up at Ghirahim, more in shock than anything when, honestly, he really shouldn't have been. Ever since he'd confronted the demon after venturing from his village, the demon's violent streak had apparently quelled. Link found out now that it had just been dormant.
He cursed himself for forgetting how unpredictable his adversary was.
Ghirahim was glaring down at him, not even a hint of amusement in his gaze, just coldness. It was easy to tell that he was beyond furious, but there was something else in the way he regarded Link; disappointment.
Somehow it made the youth only feel worse, especially coming from his enemy.
The demon lord reached down and seized a handful of blond hair, jerking the boy's head up. Link snarled and shot something back in defense for himself. "It's not like I meant to!"
Ghirahim brought his lips to Link's ear.
"Then focus." He hissed before promptly releasing him and stepping away. His cloak swished in the air behind him as he proceeded forwards without looking back to check if the hero was following or not.
Link pushed himself to his knees, placing a hand on his chest where it had been roughly forced against the stone ground. He panted, frowning at the demon's back. To be treated in such a way…
Link's eyes narrowed. Just because they were in a mutual agreement for the time being didn't mean that his adversary had the right to walk all over him like this. Ghirahim may have been assisting him but Link was planning on returning the favour; Link didn't owe him anything more. The demon lord didn't have the right to act so condescending. He was in half the right mind to shoot something back at Ghirahim.
Instead he swallowed his pride and stood. Starting anything now wouldn't solve anything. And he knew for certain that he cared more about Zelda than Ghirahim did, so the demon would hardly have any qualms about wasting more of their precious time.
But the next time something like this happened, the hero wouldn't stay quiet.
Consciousness graced the golden-haired girl in short bursts. First she was in the dark and unforgiving realm, the malevolence of its air swirling around her. Next, a sort of calm had fallen over her surroundings, not malicious in nature, though not exactly friendly either. But a weakness had overtaken her, so powerful that she couldn't even find the strength to struggle – however futilely that was – against her captors.
Now she couldn't place where she was. The girl lay on stone, no longer being carried like a sack of potatoes by the creature she'd heard speaking some time ago.
And it was cold.
Zelda resisted the urge to sob into the ground. This was a literal nightmare, her sense of reality skewed as she was helplessly dragged to some unknown location, blinking in and out of awareness. The goddess reborn was too drained to move. The cave was dim and visible figures were shifting nearby. If she possessed the strength, perhaps she could have ran if those creatures weren't so close, and if she had some sense of direction.
There were three, all hideous and pale. One was large and well built; it had to be the brute that had carried her. The other two were smaller and leaner, somehow appearing even more threatening than the first despite their less impressive stature. Details were hard to make out but something about them sparked a sense of familiarity in Zelda's goddess memory.
Demons.
The girl narrowed her eyes. Though she was frightened and fearful of what was to come, she was also angry. She wanted answers.
"Hey, you!"
It didn't come out as strong and demanding as she thought, but it got across.
They all turned their heads, one of them looking up from sharpening what appeared to be some sort of weapon. The shorter of the two smaller demons looked surprised at first, but that soon gave way to a smile that was anything but friendly. He rose from where he sat and stepped over to the human, clasping his boney hands together.
"Ah, Your Grace, we didn't expect you to come back to us for a while." The being's voice was low and whispering, yet sharp.
Zelda pursed her lips at the demon calling her by her formal title. For the most part she didn't like being addressed that way, especially not by this… thing. "Who are you?"
The demon blinked a few times, crooked smile unfaltering. He lowered himself down, balancing on the balls of his feet in front of her.
"Now that's just insulting. Tell me, do you remember condemning our people to this calamitous place?" He reached down, trailing a few fingers along the side of her face. His nails were sharp, deadly so. Zelda grimaced. "Or has that part conveniently slipped your mortal memory?"
The girl's blue eyes widened in surprise and confusion; she was completely taken aback at the accusation. "I…"
The larger demon spoke up from where he sat on his end of the cave.
"Oh, don't bother the lady right now. I'm sure she's had a rough trip." He rumbled.
Zelda groaned, trying to push herself up, but it was no use. Her tied hands only made it all the more impossible.
"I don't understand…" she protested. "What's going on?"
"All will become clear soon, dear Hylia…" The slimmer demon assured, running his fingers through her long blonde hair. Zelda wanted to swat him away but he was already standing up, much to her relief. "When do you think we'll reach the lord anyways?"
A small gasp left the goddess's mouth as alarm flashed through her. "Lord…?"
"No more than a few weeks. Probably less if we're fast." The third demon answered offhandedly, having gone back to sharpening her weapon. She didn't spare them so much as a glance. The other demons began to converse with each other again, but Zelda had tuned them out at this point.
She thought back, remembering the Wing Ceramony seemingly so long ago, the tornado that had initially brought her down to the surface. She remembered the dangerous chase, the weeks upon weeks of evading capture, and almost getting caught on more than one occasion. Being reunited with her friends only to have it cut short… The ritual… and her subsequent sacrifice…
Finally, she remembered Link speaking to her, intending to set out and confront his old foe.
"Ghirahim."
The cavern fell silent. Zelda raised her head slightly, apparently having spoken louder than she thought. Once again, all of the demons had turned their attention towards her. Their expressions were unreadable, some even regarding her strangely as though she'd grown a new head. Suddenly feeling very awkward and nervous, she looked away from them uncomfortably.
Just like that they dropped it and went back to ignoring her and speaking about their own matters, which included travelling for the most part. Zelda did her best to listen for some information that could be of use, but her mind kept wandering. Worried and distracted, she drew her limbs inwards, wishing none of this had happened in the first place. She was terrified for the people on the surface, wondering what would become of them. She missed Groose, she missed Link. Where were they now? She was scared more for them than she was for her own wellbeing.
But whatever was happening, whatever bizarre reason these demons had for starting this whole mess, she was now certain that the self-proclaimed demon lord of the surface had something to do with it.
The path through shadow took them deeper and deeper through the labyrinth of tunnels and passageways. A lit lantern hung from the hero's fist, swaying ever so slightly as he walked – or trudged. By now he was more than exhausted, but he figured that they had to as least be close. The thought of having to sleep in this place didn't sound too appealing to him.
Something occurred to him. He wondered if his accomplice was feeling as tired as he was – considering how much Ghirahim had complained of being weakened – or did he even possess the need to sleep at all? Link had never seen him do so and he truthfully had no clue.
The path wound downwards, spiralling into the earth. There seemed to be fewer and fewer creatures lurking about, aside from the occasional keese (which were more of an annoyance than an actual hindrance.) Ghirahim was exceptionally good at leading them around the monsters, especially those not visible, though Link supposed that was due to his sensory skills. He recalled his previous partner, the beautiful spirit of the Master Sword, Fi. She had possessed the same ability, utilizing it in a method called 'dowsing.'
It made sense, considering they were both sword spirits.
Link lowered his gaze sadly, reminded of how much he missed his old companion. He sighed, knowing it was pointless to dwell on it; she was never going to return. Her role in destiny had been fulfilled.
The tunnel grew narrower, the walls appearing to close in from all sides. Link glanced around warily, for it seemed like it would simply lead to a dead end, but Ghirahim kept pressing forward even as the passage grew so small that the hero was forced to walk directly behind him.
Just as he thought that he was going to be squished between the walls, the passageway opened up into a sizable cavern. He nearly walked into the demon's backside as Ghirahim abruptly halted in the middle of the chamber. The space was much wider than it was long and the wall opposite to them lay only a few meters ahead. From what the lantern light revealed, there didn't appear to be any more tunnels leading from this particular room besides the one they had entered through. Had Ghirahim been mistaken in his direction?
Then Link saw what exactly lay before him.
Red streaks painted the stone, branching across the wall in a network of intricate markings and symbols he couldn't understand. The blond raised his light source, discovering that the markings spread across the floor and ceiling as well. Their colour and design bore a semblance to blood veins, and the flickering glow given off by the lantern almost made them appear to be pulsing. The hero's eyes followed them, around and around, until they led back to the center of the wall, converging to a point. At that point lay a familiar looking insignia.
The hero assumed it was supposed to be the Triforce, but everything about it was wrong. There were indeed three triangles arranged into their respective formation, but each individual shape had been turned upside down, pointing to the ground instead of the sky. Link didn't know what it was supposed to mean but he found it disturbing.
Ghirahim had elegantly strode over to the display, trailing his fingers along it and humming softly. The satisfaction in his demeanor told that this was their destination.
"Is this the gate…?" Link asked after a few moments, stifling a yawn with his hand. His temporary companion looked back at him out of the corner of his eye.
"Yes, this is the door to the demon world. I suppose you would expect something a bit more impressive…" the demon lord replied, probably mistaking Link's fatigue for boredom, "… but it's important that it's kept hidden. Something flashy could draw attention too easily."
The sky knight lifted his shoulders in a small shrug. He actually did think the gate was a pretty impressive sight, albeit eerie, but then again he and Ghirahim must have had grandly different opinions when it came to the aesthetics of things.
The demon gave a sigh, tossing his hair out of his face and letting his palm rest against the stone. His attention was once again on the gate. "I can sense her energy. It's faint but it's there… beyond this point."
Link shivered, having heard a similar statement from the demon long ago. He bit his lip, the parallel bringing on some sense of perturbation.
Glancing back to the gate, his mind drifted to another subject, one he'd only just thought about now. It was probably a silly thing to worry about, but he felt he still had a valid reason to wonder how exactly they would pass through decorated solid rock.
"Um…" Link shifted his feet, looking around awkwardly. Turning aside for a moment, he snuffed out the lantern and stowed it away. The strange red markings on the wall were beginning to give off their own luminescence so he saw no reason to waste more oil.
"The gate requires an offering to activate, only then will it allow us through." Ghirahim mused, apparently reading Link's mind. "It's a bit inconvenient in that way. Not many can pass through it all at once; it's fragile, the thread connecting the two worlds… demon and human…"
His gaze travelled up the wall, contemplation taking root in his disposition. He withdrew slightly, sights moving down to his outstretched hand as he turned his palm upwards. The demon still wore his pristine white gloves, which somewhat concealed the black markings littering his otherwise flawless skin.
By now Link had noted that he seemed to be caught between his two forms; one being the more humanoid version he was used to, the other one being his darker, metallic sword spirit form. The hero had given some thought as to why Ghirahim didn't just revert back to either form, but part of him wondered if he couldn't.
Disregarding that fact for now, the hero was also curious as to what the lord meant by 'an offering.'
It took him a few seconds to realize that Ghirahim had extended a hand towards him and was looking at him expectantly. Link narrowed his eyes, prompting Ghirahim to roll his own.
"No, I don't want to hold your hand, stupid boy, but this is a necessity. Now, come."
Link glanced to his hand suspiciously, then back up. "What are you going to do?"
Ghirahim gave a small snort. "Does it really matter? I thought you wanted to go after your friend, and you're only holding us up. I could waste more time explaining but I doubt you'd want that."
Link grumbled quietly, but moved to comply. "Fine. I don't see what's the big deal anyw–"
He yelped as the demon lord abruptly jerked him closer by the wrist, Ghirahim's free hand going behind the hero and reaching for something. "What–"
The teen heard his blade slide from its sheath and his eyes widened. Ghirahim had hooked his thumb under the material of Link's glove, forcing it upwards, and he'd brought the sword to his exposed palm in the same motion. Link winced and let out a small cry, feeling the steel bite into his flesh and warmth run down his hand.
Without any hesitation, Ghirahim grabbed Link's hand and pressing it to the wall injured side down. He held it there firmly. The hero could only watch in astonishment as his own blood tricked down the rock and over the red markings.
Then, as though guided by some invisible force, the fluid began to branch out, fitting to the shape of the runes running along the stone. Gravity had no hold on it as it began to travel upwards as well, taking on a new life of its own. The gate began to emit a pulsating crimson light, growing brighter as it spread throughout the vicinity of the room.
Link gasped as the floor began to tremble and quake, a deep rumble building up beneath their feet. He squeezed his eyes shut and the tremors intensified, steadily drowning out every other one of his senses. He heard one last thing before the gate claimed the two of them, pulling them both into the clutches of the realm below. A whisper, spoken directly into his ear, its speaker's mouth curved into a grin.
"Brace yourself."
I don't remember exactly what happened after Ghirahim had cut my hand and used it to open the gate. The transition was a blank gap, nothing between the departure from shadow and arrival into demon. It was somewhat like passing through a Time Gate; being in the present one moment and then stepping out into the past an instant later.
But unlike going through a Time Gate, I could only describe my entrance into the foreign realm as waking up after a brutal beating and having absolutely no recollection of it at all.
I couldn't see anything but I could feel the floor beneath me. I was on my back, probably looking like a fish out of water. Breathing hurt, my chest feeling like it was being compressed. I couldn't move my limbs at all, weighed down by sheer exhaustion.
I groaned. I felt terrible.
My eyes refused to open for what I believed to be ages. It was frightening not being able to see in this weird, probably dangerous place. I didn't hear anything, however, so there didn't appear to be any immediate threat.
I was wrong. There was a noise, a click of a tongue and then a falsely sympathetic hum. Soft footsteps drew nearer, stopping beside me. I tried to turn away in irritation. Of course he wouldn't be affected at all by passing through the gate. The same couldn't be said for me…
A hand brushed my cheek and I managed to crack my eyelids, peering up at the blurry red and white figure.
"I apologize, sky child," the demon said smoothly, hardly sounding sincere. Perhaps he was still mad about earlier, then again he was usually always like this; enjoying my distress. "The transition is never a pleasant one, but take my word for it, you're holding up better than others I've seen endure their first crossing. For that, you may clap for yourself."
He nodded to himself assuredly, features coming into focus. After minutes of being awake, I was beginning to regain my senses. Ghirahim didn't seem to be too concerned about me, going off on his own speculations.
"I do believe some have even perished passing through the gate – the weak, naturally. Their bodies have simply caved in under the strain…" He stated with some amount of amusement, resting a hand on my chest. I moaned, partially in pain and partially in exasperation, lifting my head off of the ground slightly only to gently knock it back down against the stone. He was doing this on purpose.
"The lungs stop taking in air…" The demon continued regardless of my discomfort, his hand drifting downwards. "The eyes gloss over…"
This wasn't fair.
"The heart ceases to beat…" He drummed his fingers on my chest, smiling and watching me squirm. "Of course, such things wouldn't affect you, hmm? I wouldn't expect the chosen hero to be done in by a simple dance between worlds."
I wanted to swat the demon away but at the moment I didn't have the strength. I closed my eyes once more.
"Stop talking, please…" I managed out hoarsely.
Much to my surprise, he complied. I heard the demon stand up and move away, but not without an entertained chuckle. "Very well."
I suppose stressing me out more would only hinder our progress.
I merely lay there and willed my energy back. It took longer than I would have liked, probably because of how drained I was even before the crossing. After a while I found that I could sit up, pushing my palms against the ground and rising. Pain shot up my right arm and I was reminded of Ghirahim unceremoniously offering up my blood to the gate. I scowled. Could he not have used his own?
"Was that really necessary?" I asked, indicating my injured hand and keeping my voice controlled. I knew he practically thrived off of my irritation.
"Probably not, no." Ghirahim's answer was frustratingly simple. He lowered himself down beside me, eyes on the gash running diagonally down my palm. It hadn't stopped bleeding yet. The sudden intense look in his eye made me uncomfortable. I wanted to shrink back but he had already reached out and seized my hand, examining it closely.
"… I almost regret it though." He admitted, sighing longingly. I turned my face away slightly, still keeping my apprehensive gaze on him. "It does appear that I cut deeper than necessary, and spilling your blood so over-generously seems like such a waste…"
I opened my mouth in shock as he suddenly dipped his head, bringing my hand to his lips. His absurdly long tongue slithered out, licking along the wound as he drank. He moaned deeply, as though the taste of my blood stirred up some desire within him that I didn't even want to know about. His ministrations stung, making me wince and let out a noise of discontent. I regained myself after a few moments, snatching my arm back and away from him.
"What is wrong with you?" I asked, appalled.
He drew his tongue over his lips, lapping up a few stray red droplets, before standing up and offering me a smirk. "I merely wanted a taste, hero. It certainly has been a while after all…"
I glared back before turning my attention back towards my hand. This would have to be taken care of before it got infected, but I didn't exactly want to use a potion just because of an injury so small. Not now anyway.
I exhaled heavily, retrieving the necessary supplies from my adventure pouch needed to clean it and bandage it up as best I could. I could feel Ghirahim observing me as I worked but I ignored him, getting to my feet when I was finished. It wasn't perfect but it would have to do for the time being.
By now I felt a lot better than I had before. Still not great considering I hadn't gotten any substantial rest yet, but I felt I could at least keep going for a while. I turned around to see that the demon lord had already begun walking down the passageway dead ahead.
I took one last look back at the gate before catching up to him. Having taken a good look at my surroundings, I noted that we were in the same sort of area as before, only it wasn't as dark. The air felt different as well, not suffocating and musty and generally reeking of death like it had been in the shadow realm. It almost felt… as though I were on the surface again. But how was that possible?
I narrowed my eyes, following the demon cautiously. The tunnel was growing wider and brighter, but the temperature was dropping simultaneously as we moved forward. Surprisingly, it wasn't long until we reached the end of it. A small gasp left me as I entered the next area after my accomplice.
The size of this chamber caught me off guard. It was wide and circular, a spiralling staircase running along the wall. I stepped forward, craning my neck upwards to see how far the room extended; it was probably as tall as the statue of the goddess. There was an opening at the top, light flooding down into the chamber. I could not describe the amount of relief I felt right there, seeing actual light after the impenetrable darkness that made up the shadow realm.
Perhaps it shouldn't have made sense considering how deep it seemed like we were in the ground before, but as of now, I didn't care.
My relief turned to disappointment as I realized we would have to be walking all the way to the top. Normally I wouldn't have an issue with a task like this; I just hoped that I wouldn't pass out from exhaustion.
I looked back to see Ghirahim regarding me with a brow raised. He swiftly turned without a word and started towards the bottom of the stairs.
The climb upwards seemed to last hours. It soon became a struggle conquering each individual step, but I was determined to continue without stopping, I wasn't going to fall behind. Part of me was tempted to drink the stamina potion I had brought with me – I knew I could clear these stairs in a heartbeat if I did that – but it was probably best to save that for a much more pressing situation.
I didn't go near the edge of the stairs. Not because I was afraid of heights, but there were no rails or anything of the sort and the steps honestly looked like they could crumble at any given moment. It was getting colder as well, freezing actually. I pulled my cloak around myself tighter, tucking my nose under the collar. My breath still materialized through the fabric in a small cloud, which was entertaining for about a minute.
I looked up to see Ghirahim slowing as the ascent came to an end. The opening I had spotted before was in plain sight now, a grey cloud covered sky visible beyond it. The stone steps made one more circle around the chamber and I just about collapsed against the wall beside the entryway once we'd reached the top. My throat burned, the ache in my chest and legs was one of the worst I've ever felt. I sat and endured it, waiting for it to fade.
The demon lord stood a few feet ahead, back against the corner of the arch, appearing to be surveying the area outside. Determining it to be safe, he turned back to me. "You look spent. I suppose it would be foolish to try and proceed now when you are so clearly in need of rest. Ah, humans are such high maintenance…"
I sputtered a laugh at the absurdity of his last statement. He, of all people, had the nerve to call me high maintenance?
Bracing a hand on the wall, I pushed myself up. I wasn't going to appear weak in front of him. "Whatever. If the demon realm is as unforgiving as you say it is then we can't stay here, it's too open." I stepped around him and passed under the arched opening and into a clearing, looking down in surprise at the crunch under my boots. I hopped a few paces forward. The ground was covered in a blanket of white, flakes of the same substance drifting down from the sky. "Oh…"
I heard the demon scoff behind me, muttering something about humans and their inexperience.
"I know what snow is," I snapped back. I remembered first seeing it about a year ago. It had surprised and captivated the Skyloftians who dwelled on the surface back then, myself included. Skyloft had never gone through such dramatic weather changes, unlike the foreign land below.
I was just a little shocked to see snow so abruptly in the demon realm. That was all.
A low growling sound drifted to my ears, making me tense. At first I thought it had come from the demon lord, but even he couldn't make a noise of that pitch. I whirled back around, scanning the barren trees that surrounded the clearing. All had grown quiet again. It was possible that I'd just been imagining things.
But I was soon proven wrong for something hulking and feral threw itself out of the treeline and broke the spell of calm, charging straight towards us.
Yeah, I know. Abrupt ending but I was getting tired… and sidetracked. Sorry for the random POV shift lol. I don't usually like writing first person but whatever, tis good practise I suppose. I wanted to try writing Link. I imagine he would have somewhat of a simple and to the point way of describing things, since he is a man of few words, but not too simple because he of course isn't stupid.
Feedback is appreciated.
R&R