Title – Rain

Chapter 9 – Last Chance

Rating - M (adult themes)

AN – Finally reached the end of the ½ half of this story. I hope you all enjoyed Rain and I'll be working on it's sequel soon. Thank you to everyone who followed, drop me a review if you like the story!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything about Legends of Zelda.

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Link swam up into their shared room repressing the urge to smile. He had found the information he had needed to free Ruto. The librarian had helped him a great deal. He had even caught him up on the palace issues. Zelda was still very much trapped, but nothing else had transpired and Darunia was no were to be found.

His good mood was short lived as his ears broke water and he heard shouting. "You classless slut!" Were the first words he could understand as he dragged himself out of the water. Shaking his head free of water he saw Leena as naked as he had left her screaming at Ruto.

"Funny coming from the Royal who can't even feed herself!" Regretfully he climbed onto the stoney floor of the room. They seemed to continue to ignore him as they threw insults at each other. For a moment he considered jumping back into the water as the girls had inched closer screaming at each other.

"Says the insane bitch! You're in league with that bastard aren't you?" Ruto snipped back. Link winced, he knew Leena would take great offense to that. She had before. However, he wasn't prepared for what she did next. He watched in mute shock as Leena's hand snapped into the air, passing through her barrier without issue and connecting with Ruto's angry face. The slap echoed off the walls for only a moment before Ruto threw herself at the barrier falling short of her angry tackle at Leena.

"Stop it right now." He hissed scrambling to his feet. Where Ruto could not reach Leena, he did. Pressing his hands into her shoulder he pushed her back. Thankful she did not retaliate with her strength.

"How dare she say that!" Leena screamed offering a bit of resistance as he pressed her into a wall.

"And how dare you hit her." He added glaring down at her. "What started your petty fight to begin with?" She resisted more pushing him back with just her shoulders. He let go not willing to be slung across the room again by the irritable heroine.

"You slept with her! Why did you sleep with her?" Ruto interrupted. Link turned back to his close friend confused. "Yeah so?" Ruto blanched, "Yeah so? You don't just go and have sex with strangers Link! What were you thinking? She's not going to let me go just because you slept with her! People like her don't work that way. They don't trade! You earn, and with her we could never earn anything!"

"Let her go." He snipped over his shoulder knowing that Ruto was right. He would give her this chance to free Ruto, prove to him that they were on the same team.

"She's right, if I were that easy you would have slept with me sooner." She sneered seemingly done with them as she headed towards the water.

"Fine then." He stated winking at Ruto as he freed his sword. She watched him curiously as he listened for Leena's retracting steps. She did not stop at him drawing his sword which was good. He sliced his finger carefully open on the sharp blade of his sword. He watched with pride seeing his blood well up, Ruto would be free.

Kneeling down he began to write the counter runes on her circle to break the barrier. The librarian had insisted that Leena's actions had demoted her Priestess status and their mutual hero blood would counter act each other. He heard Leena fall to the floor on her rear, as she had done often when she was being arrogant. Sliding her feet in first she was just about to leave when Ruto ruined it. "What's that symbol mean?"

He winced his hand moving faster. It was only a few symbols to free her, but all it would take was one swift tackle from Leena and he's never get close enough again to open the circle. "Wha-" Leena stopped talking preferring to scrambling to get her legs on solid ground. "No don't!" She hissed as he finished the third rune. He ignored her his mind focus on the fourth and final rune that would break the barrier. He could hear her hands and feet as she moved towards him. He was safe until she either stood up or reached him.

Done with the rune he had just enough time to dodge Leena's tackle. He passed through the fallen barrier running straight into Ruto. Together they fell down, but instead of Ruto's nagging of being tackled she laughed. "I'm free!" He gave a startled gasp as he was lifted off Ruto by his tunic. He looked down at his fishy friend startled as he gravitated away from her.

Leena lifted him into the air above her. "What have you done!" She hissed tossing him into the air. He felt ill as the room spun about. Already his mind was fretting over the inevitable crash. The wild spin was suddenly stopped, but his body was still rattled as he tried to make sense of whatever he was seeing.

"Oh yes what have you done Link?" Zelda's sarcastic voice filled the room. His eyes rolled confused over to the sound of the voice. He saw his beloved Princess in all her regal glory tinted pink. The unusual color caused him to look about. He was suspended in air by a pink barrier similar to the one Ganon had encased her in when he had been walking Hyrule as it's False King.

"Whats going on." He slurred his eyes instantly searching out for Ruto. She was in a similar state encased in a white barrier on the floor. Rauru stood in front of Ruto silently staring at Zelda as if awaiting orders.

"No not again!" Leena growled as she defiantly dodge Impa who had appeared out of the shadows in the dank room.

He watched confused as a red speck of light flashed into existence behind Leena. Darunia's form appeared in a flash, his rocky hands catching her by the wrists.

"Tsk tsk my Priestess. I don't want to hear your cries this time, you shall silently watch the end this time. I will not have you killing me this time." Darunia's voice snickered as he raised her off the ground by her wrists. Link frowned at the single gloomy black collar around Darunia's neck. A similar collar was around Impa's neck as well as Zelda's.

"Now that I have the last of you sages and you pathetic heroes under control," Zelda's voice picked up where Darunia's left off, "it's time to get what I want." Link was confused, what kind of enemy could control the Sages and jump between them so flawlessly.

"Where are the other sages?" He hissed the question ripping out of him as fast as he fretted for them. Zelda gave a lazy wave of her arm in Impa's direction. The Sage stilled suddenly encased in a pink barrier as well. Her body was raised off the floor mere inches before it reverted into a ball of purple light. Other spheres of energy appeared next to it encased in barriers as well.

"That's the nice thing about control hero, I don't need them at all times so I can focus on the good stuff. Like finally catching the bitch that killed me." Zelda smirked as she glided across the small room towards Darunia. Leena scrambled frenetically against his hold, small strangled sobs spilling from her lips. He watched helplessly as Zelda's form reached out and punched Leena square on the chin. She snarled wrestling Darunia while attempting to kick out and strike Zelda. Her flailing was blocked by a pink shield that appeared anywhere she attempted to strike.

"You never had a chance Leena." Zelda spat striking her again with her fist. This time the hit to her cheek seemed to leave her dazed. Zelda continued, "I planned it all perfectly. I am always five steps ahead of you. I know you through and through my dear. I'll admit," Zelda smirked looking up at Link, "this world's Hero and Sages were a mystery in the equation. This place was in shambles when we got here though, so I worked quickly and took the mystery out of the equation. I knew you would find a way to lock yourself out of my reach. Clever of you to steal a Sage and cut off all connect to the outside world in her temple. But again a move I had planned for."

Her energy returning to her Leena struggled once more hissing. "What do you want, what could you possibly want that needs you to take over two worlds."

This question seemed to cause Zelda to remember something. "Oh right, what I came here for." Zelda wiggled a finger for Link to come closer. He glared as the barrier holding him in the air lowered and shifted leaving him beside them.

"Whats happening Link?" Ruto finally uttered.

Silently Rauru waved his arm. Ruto was focused into her projection form, a blue sphere that floated over to the other trapped sages. Rauru shuffled close to the group his eyes slipping between them curiously. "Yes, I'm curious to know what your plans are." Rauru added.

Zelda nodded, "Well since you were kind enough to help I shall tell you. I want to make a wish is all."

This seemed to appease Rauru who stepped back with a bow, "I was commanded to follow your wishes and I shall. You are allowed your one wish."

"Whose orders!" Leena screamed swinging about from her wrists. Darunia silently held her, unmoving like a statue.

Zelda laughed, "Who do you think? He is a Sage after all. Those who did not fall in line were made to understand. Now I'll be needing your arm."

"Put me down, I'll help you." Leena spat. "Doubtful he will agree to it though." She added looking up at him contempt in her eyes. It occurred to him the only people Rauru would listen to were those above. Leena was only agreeing because she obeyed "orders" from the Goddesses just as much as Rauru did. She was being forced to do something she had not wanted to do it seemed, but her faith was holding her true. Darunia dropped her moments later to Link's surprise, his hopes only rose for a moment. Leena did not move in retaliation, she merely stood still with anger on her face.

"I don't have to have his agreement for my wish. Just his arm." Zelda snipped pulling one of her gloves off. He saw the shine of her Triforce of Knowledge as Leena offered her own Triforce of Power. Against his will Link's arm was forced out of the barrier by the sheer pull of the other two. "I was afraid when I found out the holder of the Triforce of Power had been sealed away in the evil realm. What a horrid thought to have to wait for you ants to reassemble."

"Silence, I don't want to have to hear you anymore. I only agree by order. Your reasons concern me not." She snapped her tattoo glowing in tandem with her rage. Try as he might he could not stop his arm from reaching out to the girls. He felt his mark burn as it came close to the other two.

He let out a cry of shock as he fell the last bit to the floor. The barrier holding him was gone, but so was his sense of direction as he tried to right himself on the stoney floor. Mixed cries of several voices filled the room as the Sages freed from their captivity rematerialized. In the confusion of Zelda stumbling back into the awaiting Sages. Link only had enough time to look up at see Rauru disappear. His eyes snapped into place on Leena who looked livid. She spat at him taking the confusion for what it was.

She ran straight towards him leaping effortless over his prone body. He only managed to trip her mid jump. She tumbled across the floor with a growl. Spinning onto his belly he got to his knees quickly trying to scramble after her. But even as chips of stone and dirt scratched his hands. she was faster falling over the edge into the water out of reach. He cursed continuing his scramble reaching the edge seconds later. He looked into the unsettled water with regret. She was gone. Even if he attempted to give chase. There was no way to keep up with a Zoran on the best of conditions.

"Link where did she go!" Ruto hissed falling to the floor beside him.

"I don't know." He answered back automatically. There was no reason for her to return to the shrine. Magaron was gone that much he could tell. Whatever he had wished for had been granted.

"Well wherever she's going she's going without her sword..." Ruto added sharply. She helped him sit back his boots hanging in the water. He was worried that Leena had left her sword. In all the time he had seen her she had never been without her sword unless it was forcefully removed from her. She had even gone so far as to take his sword for whatever reasons she had deemed reasonable.

"Well... guess that means we don't have to worry about her killing me in my sleep." He added tartly. He felt a twinge of pity, but only just. He knew Ruto would chew him up about him sleeping with her later. When no one was around to hear what he had done.

"Very funny. I'm pretty sure that isn't the last we have seen of her and you know it."

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Link sighed as he strolled to the Temple of Time. It had been a weeks since the incident. Two months since it had all started in the Forest Temple. He and the Sages were still coping from the time lost in hiding or in slavery. Darunia had been hit the worst, he was the only Sage that had had the strength to fight back for some time. He had told them that Magaron had been divide at the start, his time spent pinging back and forth had given Darunia time to fight, to see what he had done, how he had nearly killed his adopted brother. He still walked about with a limp that he said would pass in time. Link doubted it would, and he hoped in return that they would see no more fighting.

He was doing his boring patrols once more. His life had fallen back into the dullness and this time he willingly accepted it. He stopped at the doors of the Temple of Time, the thought of entering the doors did not appeal to him in the least bit. The Temple of Time had finally sealed it's fate as a place where no good came. He had failed Zelda in that building several times, he had injured Darunia there, had fallen for Ganon's trap in that building, and even now he felt the menacing promise of his next failure in it's hallowed halls.

He looked down at the white stones for a moment wondering what weight Leena had been under to believe to adamantly against letting him help her. They were heroes, they were suppose to band together, and instead they had often worked against each other. How deep did her wounds go? Where was she now?

He wanted to go back in time and fix what he had done. Correct his mistake in freeing Ruto and giving Magaron what he wanted. He still dreaded whatever that wish had been. What lingering effects it might have caused. Go back and make that moment in the shrine last. He had snapped what fragile trust had started to form with the only person who could look at him and see him for all that he was and was not.

He hardly knew her, but the faded promise of understanding still echoed in his bones. He wanted to find her and say he was sorry. To try to mend what had happened so when he looked into her eyes again he would see regret, pain, even remorse and know he was looking at himself. He did not want to be alone in a sea of those above him and those below him. It was no way to live.

Her forgotten Master Sword let off an unusual vibration that he had not felt before. It still protested to his wielding, but when it was safely tucked away in it's scabbard it did little else. He frowned looking at the doors feeling a overwhelming fear, the urge to run the other direction filled his body, but he ignored it. He was the holder of the Triforce of Courage. He had the will and peace of mind to step forward feeling somehow drawn to the blasted building.

He placed his hand on the hilt of her sword trying to better understand whatever the feeling was. The sword, as if knowing he refused to back down, no longer urged him away, but instead beg him to move faster. No longer fighting it's fear he dashed up the steps in a flash, the gossip stones a blur. He slammed into the massive doors pulling them hastily open as he left the brilliant cloudless day behind. The never ending hymns of the Temple filled his ears as his eyes took in the flawless walls and the recently repaired floor.

There through the open doors beyond the sacred gems stood Leena. She stood patiently at the pedestal for the Master Sword dressing in a simple gown. No doubt she had pinched it off a villager. "Lee." He grinned foolishly running across the vast temple. Entering into the room that housed the only mortal entrance to the Chamber of Sages he smiled at her.

She looked unimpressed with him as her cold eyes looked him up and down. He frowned feeling the need for him to protect continuing to leak from the sword. "What are you doing here?" He questioned looking at her cleaned figure. She had been taking care of herself? That was very unlike her. He was used to the wild woman running herself ragged and usually naked if she could help it. Even her hair was free of knots.

"I'm going home." She stated calmly.

"How? When? Now? But-"

"Shut up you simpering fool." She snapped cutting him off her eyes filling with anger. Oh yes, he definitely had to turn back time if he ever hoped to get her forgiveness. "Give me my sword, I can't go back without it. I'll need your help of course. Or do you plan to imprison me here for what I did to your beloved fish bitch."

Not for the first time did he wonder how a Priestess could get away with such a sour mouth. His hand hurt with the effort holding her scabbard in place as he untied it from his belt. Though his hand did not move it felt as though the sword were shaking with a fierce panic, not wanting to return to it's owner. He shrugged the feeling off recalling, how painful it was to hold her sword by the hilt. It must have been protesting to someone else touching it so close to it's owner.

Though the words he wanted to come out of his mouth were apologies, however, his ego offered, "Well, if you want to leave so bad let me help you along, what do I have to do?"

She seemed content with that comment nodding to him as she stepped over the pedestal leaving him a clear view. As he freed her sword and offered it to her she snatched it from his grip without a word. He nodded regretfully pulling his own sword free. "Put your sword in the pedestal, then bleed on the blade. Time is easy to swim through, like water if you will. Space requires as sacrifice."

He did as he was told wincing as he sliced his palm open on the honed blade. "How does my blood send you home?" He questioned wondering how she got here if someone else had to make way for the passage.

"Oh that's easy. It doesn't." She said calmly as she stepped farther away from the pedestal, the hand clutching the sword shaking. "Damn, here you can have this, I can't hold it." She snipped throwing her sword at him. He stumbled, startled as the all to familiar light encased the pedestal. He was being sent somewhere that was for sure, but it was no promise to be the Chamber of Sages. Her sword collided with his head causing him to cut his fingers even more on his blade as he fell to his knees.

Trying to keep his eyes open he squinted against the blinding light trying to see where Leena had disappeared to. Vaguely he saw her form stepping farther away as he finally shut his eyes to the light. Surrendering to the magic he felt his body seemingly pulled away though he knew he was physically untouched. A gust of wind gathered turning quickly into a roar and realizing there was nothing else he could do against the trickery he closed his eyes and prayed.

-fin-