Chapter 6 - Rise of Power

With Link possessed by his dark half, Zelda was certain her blood had turned to ice.

The notion of the man she loved being put under the control of such a twisted force of evil was bad enough, but his dark intentions for them made the matter so much worse. Further complicating the problem was her current magical exhaustion. She had no means of teleporting away, and putting up a physical fight wasn't going to do much good.

Even if it did, there was no way to injure the shadow without also hurting Link, meaning her only recourse for the moment was to escape him and stay out of his grasp.

And the shadow made the feat impossible with his very first move.

As she clawed at the fist grasping her throat while struggling for freedom, he suddenly released her, but only to swing his arm and land yet another blow against her already injured temple with enough force to send her stumbling backwards. Pain erupted as a result, her cheek on fire as she toppled to the floor, and yet her newly bleeding bruise turned out to be the least of her concerns.

The moment Zelda landed, she felt a snap accompanied by the sharpest pain she'd ever experienced shooting through her ankle. The sensation forced a scream from her lips as she looked down to realize her foot had been caught in a broken segment of the mortar where the floor met the sandpit.

As a result, her ankle was broken.

Letting a choked cry, she had no time to even process her newest injury before Link was on top of her, grasping the bodice of her gown to viciously rip open and expose her breasts. A cloud of agony and terror consumed her thoughts in the process, the haze so thick she didn't realize she'd grasped one of his wrists while beating her fist into his side until he seized a breast in a tight, painful clench.

"Stop!"

Screaming the word, she continued struggling as he gripped her throat and leaned down to take advantage of her exposure by capturing a nipple in his mouth, causing her to choke out, "Li-Link! Please, fight him!"

As she repeated his progenitor's name, the shadow instantly lifted his head and sneered followed by slapping her.

"Shut up!" Growling, he clutched her throat more tightly and snarled, "I hate that I love you, and I hate that you love him!"

Having absolutely no interest in anything he had to say, Zelda used the opportunity he'd provided by lifting his head to send her own hand sailing across his cheek. The crack of her palm against it was delivered with enough force to turn his head, though it didn't possess the amount of strength she would've preferred.

Still, it seemed to jolt him, his eyes flashing blue before turning red once more.

The change was brief, but the sight of it was enough to give her hope, a sensation he redoubled by turning those red eyes back to her face. There was an immense amount of anger in those crimson depths, but also reluctance, his expression strained as he shut his eyes tight, telling her all she needed to know.

Link was still in there somewhere, still fighting for control—and she was going to do whatever it took to help him.

It was just a matter of hoping she could focus well enough through her pain to do so before the mimicry could take this any further—and he was determined. In mere seconds, he'd regained control and proved his intentions of carrying out his plans by grasping the skirt of her dress to jerk up around her thighs.

With her legs exposed, he forced them apart, jarring her broken ankle in the process.

A sharp cry erupted from her lips as pain shot up and down her left leg, but the shadow didn't stop, ignoring her discomfort while clutching her throat with one hand and shoving the other between her thighs.

Tears flooded her vision as he sought her core, teeth clenching tight in response to his violation. Yet she forced herself to remain calm, to focus her mind while swiftly reaching for his cheeks with glowing palms.

And the moment she made contact, she spoke his name telepathically.

—Link … I know you're fighting this.—

Above her, the shadow's movements stopped as another telepathic bridge was formed between them. If she could simply reach Link, they could work together to force his mimicry out, but her bridge wasn't as easy to maintain as it had been in River Town. Almost instantly, Link's mimicry began fighting her efforts, blocking her thoughts to make it more difficult to reach her friend.

The plain of her mind was shrouded by a dark void as a result, vast and seemingly impenetrable. So she focused harder, a fine sheen of sweat dotting her forehead with her efforts as Link clutched her wrists under the shadow's control, ready to pull her hands away from his cheeks and break contact entirely.

Yet he never got the chance before Link's voice finally came through, albeit distant and faint.

—Zelda!—

Her grip on him solidified in response as she latched onto his call. In turn, a point of light emerged on the plain of her mind, growing bigger and brighter from beyond the void until two figures formed where the edges of light and dark met. Both were battling for control, the darkness attempting to contain the light—and she wasted no time intervening with a call of her own.

—I'm here, Link!—

The words echoed out, seeming so far away and yet so close, but Link wasn't oblivious to Zelda's presence, or her attempts to reach him. In truth, he'd been aware all along, yet his consciousness was lost in a haze he couldn't quite shake himself out of, making everything seem distant.

His mimicry's plans, Zelda's cries of pain, all of it felt out of reach and beyond his ability to stop. It was only when she slapped him that he'd managed to find some semblance of grounding, and even then, he could feel himself being pushed back, leaving him fighting against the darkness clouding his mind.

The entire while, his anger grew, as did his remorse. It was impossible to believe he could've harbored more enmity for his mimicry than he already did, but the things it wanted to do to Zelda sickened him. The shadow had violated them both, suffusing Link with enraged determination to regain control of himself.

That's when he heard Zelda's voice calling to him, and she abruptly appeared beyond the barrier of darkness he fought.

Like a shining beacon of light, she drew closer until he could just make out her feminine figure reaching as if to pull him from the void—and she was absolutely radiant. The golden hue of her form weakened the darkness around him, her presence alone lending strength.

Link had no idea how she'd accomplished the feat, but he didn't hesitate to reach for her in return, striving to meet her through the seemingly endless void against the sensation of being pulled back.

Fighting with every ounce of his being as she drew closer, he continued to reach until finally, their fingers touched.

Instantly, they clasped hands in a tight hold, a bright light flashing in turn that obliterated the darkness around them. For a brief moment, everything was awash in white as Link could feel the pull fading away, allowing him to wrest control from the mimicry at last.

Using it, he drew from the Light Power of the Sacred Realm, his body glowing white as he worked to force the mimicry out—and force himself off of Zelda, neither of which took long.

With a yell of effort, his power erupted, pulsing throughout the sanctum as his eyes turned blue once again. As a result, he was propelled backwards to hit the floor nearby with—in his opinion—a satisfying thud. Laying back with a low groan, his eyes cracked open just in time to see a dark mist rising up around him—the remnants of his defeated mimicry finally fading away into nothing more than a bad memory.

But though the thought was comforting, the repercussions of his actions persisted, a fact proven when Zelda asked his name.

"L-Link? Are you—ah!"

Link's head snapped in her direction the moment she cried out in pain, and the sight awaiting him was nearly as unpleasant as they came.

Settled on her right hip with her dress torn open and blood trailing down her cheek from a small gash in her temple, Zelda clutched her left leg with an anguished expression. What's more, her foot was twisted at an unnatural angle that proved her ankle was broken.

Almost instantly, Link turned his head and wretched, the knowledge that her suffering had been caused by his own hands too much to tolerate without a wave of nausea overwhelming him. Thankfully, he hadn't eaten enough to do more than dry heave, but it didn't matter as he had no intentions of dwelling on his temporary illness when she was in need.

He only took long enough to suck in a breath and drag the back of his arm over his mouth before pushing himself toward her with an immeasurable amount of guilt weighing him down. Perhaps Zelda's current state wasn't his doing, but he couldn't help blaming himself to the point of finding it hard to believe she reached for him instead of turning him away.

Gathering her in his arms, her agonized sobs broke his heart as she buried her face against his shoulder and whimpered, "I c-can't walk. M-my ankle's … broken."

"I know," he rasped, so overwhelmed with emotion he could barely consider his options for helping her.

Yet the answer soon came—his mother's power could heal her, and he wasted no time getting started on the task.

Still, as he leaned to reach for her leg, Zelda grasped his wrist to stop him with the words, "D-don't touch it! It hurts s-so badly … ."

She all but sobbed the last, prompting Link to gently murmur against her ear, "I know it does, my love, but it won't hurt for much longer. Just hold me tight, okay?"

Nodding, Zelda did as he asked despite her uncertainty over why or even how it wouldn't be hurting for long. Now that Link had returned to normal and the danger had passed, she was free to focus on her pain which had all but clouded her thoughts.

Yet she trusted Link explicitly, squeezing her eyes shut while clutching him tight as he reached down to place his hand upon her shin. Instinctively tensing as his palm slid down to the arch of her heel, she sucked in a breath, expecting more pain. But the warmth of his hand settled in place and questionably, the pain began to fade.

Finally cracking her eyes open, she turned her blurred gaze down to see a soft white glow against her skin and finally realized why her pain wouldn't last much longer—he was using his mother's power to heal her. Furthermore, it was working like a charm. Even the bruising around her temple was fading, her injuries mended within a matter of moments, allowing her to rotate her ankle without any trouble.

The relief it provided was enough to make her feel as if she might pass out, a pleasant sense of grogginess overwhelming her that made it impossible to tear herself away from Link. Still, she couldn't ignore the sight of his face when she turned her gaze up to see his eyes were shut as he focused and several tears had tracked down his cheeks.

Reaching up, she wiped the tears away with her thumb and whispered, "You can stop. It's better now."

Until that moment, Link hadn't realized he'd started crying, not that he was surprised by it after hearing the pain in her voice while knowing the reason for it. The notion had driven him to make certain she was fully healed before stopping, and when she admitted her wellness, he finally looked down to see that her face was free of blemishes and she was moving her foot without trouble.

Exhaling in relief, he pulled his hand away and related quietly, "I just wanted to make sure." Meeting her gaze, he parted his lips to add how glad he was that her pain was gone, but the warmth and love in her eyes had him rasping instead, "I'm sorry, Zelda."

With fresh tears clouding his sight, Link went on in earnest, "I'm so sorry."

Frowning, Zelda pushed herself up while shaking her head, clasping his cheeks in her hands with the words, "No, no, don't apologize, Link, this wasn't your fault. He hurt us both."

Despite knowing she was right, Link couldn't help feeling like the lowest person alive, his eyes closed in guilt and head bowed. The shame was etched on his face, telling Zelda all she needed to know about the level of self loathing he was now suffering. It was a sensation she was all too familiar with, and the thought of him experiencing the same thing was intolerable.

She wanted to see his eyes again, to see the deep sapphire blue she'd always found so comforting, whispering, "Link, please look at me."

Slowly, he obeyed, opening his eyes to pin her gaze, and she rewarded him with a warm smile he didn't feel he deserved. But he was momentarily distracted when she remarked, "There's the difference."

Confused, he inquired, "What?"

Drawing her thumbs along his cheeks in a soothing motion, Zelda related, "Your eyes have so much warmth and compassion in them while that mimicry's was full of malice and contempt. He wasn't you, could have never hoped to be you, so please don't blame yourself, Link. You fought him, and I can't stand the thought of you carrying the same kind of guilt I did after your fall."

Thoughtfully, Link's brows drew down, his gaze dipping from her face as he considered her words. It was true, his fall was in no way her fault, and he'd asked her more than once not to blame herself for it. Now, she was asking him to do the same, and perhaps his guilt was still too raw to let go of, but if it made her happy, he'd work on it to the best of his ability.

At the thought, he noticed her dress was still ripped open and barely concealing her chest. So he got started with the endeavor of releasing his guilt by reaching down to tear a strip of cloth from her skirt. Lifting it, he ensured the torn bits of her bodice were covering her properly before tying them in place by winding the strip around her torso.

Perhaps it wouldn't fix everything that had happened, but it was a step in the right direction.

Zelda remained silent as Link worked to cover her up, finding herself so consumed with love and appreciation that she hugged him tight the moment he was done. His arms wound around her in return, the couple becoming locked together in a tight embrace where they sat upon their knees near the center of the temple sanctum.

They simply needed the comfort the other provided, neither in a hurry to move, nor did they know how long their embrace lasted—because it didn't matter. Zelda rested her cheek to Link's shoulder as he nuzzled her crown, both content to enjoy the solace found in the other's arms.

Finally, after several long moments of silence, she broke it by whispering, "Say something, Link."

At her request, Link's eyes cracked open with the urge to tell her again how sorry he was. But he knew that wouldn't do, and instead, whispered a heartfelt, "I love you, Mira."

Once again, her childhood name slipped out without thought, but Link refused to correct himself—and Zelda didn't mind one bit. She found his use of it endearing, reminding her once more of just how much history they had together as she turned her head to nuzzle his throat.

The motions sent a pleasurable shiver through his body that elicited a sigh of enjoyment. Perhaps he didn't deserve it, or he was simply being too hard on himself. Whatever the case, she didn't blame him, and for now, that was enough.

As he had the thought, Zelda stopped moving, and he realized she'd lifted her head as if something had caught her attention. Lifting his own to peer in the same direction, he realized it was the Dark Orb still sitting upon the sandpit that had become the center of her focus, his brows narrowing at the sight of the object.

It was the last of Dragmire's orbs, and destroying it would free the remaining Sage Essences and pave the way to a confrontation with Ganondorf.

The final fight.

With the thoughts in mind, Link turned his gaze to the back of Zelda's head and inquired, "Are you ready to finish this?"

Casting her violet blue eyes up at his face, the determination in them was almost palpable as she confirmed, "Very."

Nodding, Link wasted no time turning to latch an arm beneath her legs and one around her back, then lifted her from the floor.

His quick movement caused her to gasp as she grabbed him tight, asserting, "I can walk, Link."

"I know," he replied, carrying her toward the orb with the addition, "but I don't care."

Realizing he wanted to carry her, Zelda found her lips curving in a small smile and closed her eyes, pressing her face against the crook of his neck if only to hide her blush. He just sounded so determined she couldn't help herself, reminded of the way he'd fought to overcome the Sandman and how his heroics had filled her with hope.

As Link came to a stop a few feet from the Dark Orb, she mentioned it.

"You know, I realized something while you were fighting that Sandman."

Setting her down, Link asked curiously, "What?"

With a smile cast up at his face, she remarked sincerely, "It doesn't matter what I already know you're capable of, watching you fight for the greater good is always impressive."

Unsure he was willing to be the center of attention at that moment, particularly after what just happened, Link pursed his lips and rubbed the back of his head with a mild blush tinging his cheeks that Zelda found adorable as he remarked, "I'm just doing what I need to, Zelda. I don't—"

Quickly pressing her fingers to his lips, she shook her head and related, "Link, I know you're modest, but for once, just accept my compliment."

Holding her gaze, Link reached for her hand and pressed a kiss to her fingertips where they rested against his lips before adding a more formal kiss to the back of her palm. Each gesture of affection left Zelda trembling as he replied, "Alright, but only as long as you remember that my skill in a fight means nothing without you."

Motioning at the orb they stood next to, he concluded, "I'm just paving the way for you to do the meaningful work."

Zelda bit her bottom lip, able to think of several reasons why his skills were more integral than he wanted to admit. But now wasn't the time to list them, and that aside, she was distracted when he used his grip on her hand to place it against the smooth surface of the orb and held it there beneath his larger palm.

Regarding their hands for a moment, she grasped her pendant while giving Link a smile that caused his heart to lurch. Simultaneously, the orb began to vibrate with the essence contained inside whirring, slowly getting louder with cracks forming in the surface of the dark object under Zelda's influence, and the blare quickly became deafening.

But Link paid it no mind.

Instead, he drew her close, hugging her against him with their faces turned away from the bright light flooding the sanctum while the last Dark Orb was destroyed. As had happened with each before it, the rumbling grew stronger along with the light, blotting everything out, including their consciousness.

The beam it unleashed shot into the sky high above the temple once the orb exploded, causing the clouds to spiral outwards around it, letting the early morning moon and stars briefly shine through. Outside the temple, the sandstorm began dying down, the winds that had kept it going for so long slowly ceasing to allow the dust and debris to settle peacefully on the desert floor.

Once again, everything became quiet and calm.

The towering beam above the temple was visible for miles around, over the fields where monsters roamed and across the waters of Lake Hylia. It was also seen from the southern peak of the cliffs rising above River Town where Tenio stood under the cover of night.

From there, the beam appeared as nothing more than a thin pin of light, the loud whir it created inaudible. But he knew precisely what his silver eyes had just glimpsed, could feel it in his soul as the clouds broke around the towering light in a ripple.

"Tenio? What is that?"

Turning his head at the softly spoken question, he saw Jada standing nearby with a covered tray of food in her hands as she stared at the distant beam of light towering above the Temple of Spirit. Her silent appearance at his post wasn't a surprise—Jada was usually as quiet as a mouse—but he hadn't expected her to see her there at all, much less with a tray of food.

Noticing where his gaze had gone, she blushed and admitted, "They said you were posted to watch overnight, so I thought you could use a bite to eat."

With his lips slowly curving in a smile, Tenio nodded and remarked, "Thank you, I could." Then, as she came to stand at his side, he answered her original question regarding the distant light. "It's what we've been waiting for. Link and Princess Zelda have just destroyed the last Dark Orb and unleashed the remaining Sage Essences."

Returning his gaze to the fading beam of light, he added, "So before I eat, I'll have to go tell everyone."

"That won't be necessary, Tenio," came a third voice from behind them, and the pair glanced back to see Lyonel emerging from the stairs leading down into the outpost, his cloak billowing in the breeze with each step he took through the snow.

"Lyonel," Tenio greeted as his fellow Hylian stopped nearby, suggesting, "you must have felt it, too."

"I did," Lyonel confirmed, watching as the distant beam of light began fading away. Knowing his son and their Princess were now at the heart of that disturbance, he added, "I just needed to see it for myself."

Nodding, Tenio turned back toward it, watching with Jada in silence as the clouds began to reform and a new wave of snowflakes started drifting down around them. Each became lost in their own thoughts for several moments, at least until Tenio felt something brushing against his hand.

Glancing down, he realized Jada had absently slipped her fingers into his as she continued observing the distant skyline.

Knowing of the abuse she'd suffered, it was heartening to realize she trusted him enough to unwittingly seek his comfort in a time of fear such as this. So he tightened his fingers around hers and glanced back out at the scenery with thoughts of what was about to come in mind.

The revolt was well aware that, once the final orb was destroyed, the true fight would begin, and he inquired of Lyonel, "So we are now called to arms?"

Lyonel glanced at Tenio and slowly shook his head. "Not quite yet. But the time has come to prepare for it."

Indeed, the former royal guard was right. With the Spirit Essence unleashed, the three essential powers were now free, meaning the connecting powers of Forest and Shadow would soon return to their proper place, leaving Ganondorf weakened.

But far from helpless.

Standing upon a granite walkway connecting two of the palace towers, Ganondorf's ochre eyes took in the sight of the Spirit Essence being unleashed, able to feel that power slipping from his grasp.

And he smiled.

He would've preferred to keep it in his possession, yet his enemies were unaware that its release had maneuvered other pieces into place, and their new position upon the proverbial game board could be easily used to obtain what he sought. At the thought, his eyes drew down to the central building of the palace below to regard the flat segment of roofing upon the north side of the structure.

Marked by the symbol of the Triforce, the sight of it reflected in his eyes, and his smile grew bigger. When they came to him, he would finally have the keys necessary to undo the mistake Dragmire made ten years prior and unlock the Sacred Realm to claim Myriad's power at last.

Once this was accomplished, there would be nothing to stop him.