Series Title: How to Tame Your Volga

Disclaimer: I don't own HW.

Author's Notes: Due to the unpleasant nature of how this one ends, I've actually gone ahead and written the continuation piece that immediately follows the events of this one. So on the one hand, there's some hurt coming in this first one is really dark and sad. But on the other hand, there's two updates, and no one has to wait to the end of time to read it.

As always, thanks for reading.

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Story Title: History Repeats

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It wasn't true. It couldn't be. There had to be a misunderstanding somewhere in all this. Link raced across the rocky desert toward the south sanctum. He crossed the bridge where the ever-shifting sand cascaded into a deep ravine. The gigantic cacti were coming into view, and farther still were the ruins of the sanctum. Volga had probably just gotten annoyed at a few soldiers getting in his way and threatened them, but that was just him venting his frustrations. He wouldn't turn on them. Volga was more honorable than that.

Volga spiraled to the ground, his dive-bomb sending a heat dome and explosive shock-waves through the army units attempting to subdue him. At the sight of their instantly charred fallen brethren, the surviving Hyrulean soldiers broke rank and fled, their screams incoherent with terror. Link charged ahead, sliding to a halt shortly in front of Volga, still remaining in his dragon form.

Volga circled around to face him. He bared his bloody fangs and expelled his flamethrower breath. Quickly, Link raised his Hylian Shield. The fire was terrible and plentiful. The great heat stole his breath. Sweat dripped into Link's eyes. His iconic metal shield glowed red. He felt the sting of his Triforce as it awakened once more to protect him from being burned alive. Link prayed that the divine favor the Goddesses held for the Hero did not fail him.

Realizing his flamethrower wasn't doing enough damage and nearing the end of his breath, Volga switched tactics and skull-bashed him, knocking Link up into the air. Link managed to land on his feet, a little rattled but ready to keep fighting. The air was hazed with smoke and shimmered from the heat, or perhaps Volga's low growl made the very air around them ripple and quiver. Volga's eyes were clouded over with a swirling black fog. Only a thin ring of his brilliant green eyes was still visible around the edges.

Volga swiped at him with his front left claws. Link jumped to the side but not in time to dodge the subsequent tail lash. Link went flying and spinning for gods-knew how many feet before hitting the ground on his back and rolling several feet more. Pain arced through his spine and out every nerve. His lungs felt bruised, his every breath making sure that he was aware of his hurt. With no time to recover, Link scrambled to his feet. Already Volga was closing in on him.

Link switched to his gauntlets and then sidestepped out of the way of Volga's lunging strike. He quickly turned his head and struck again, but Link grabbed him by the top and bottom jaws and forced his mouth open. Volga's dragon breath was unbearably hot, and smelled of smoke, sulfur, and vaguely of death. Volga clawed his way forward and pushed Link farther and farther back, his boots slipping through the hissing sand.

"Having a bit of a lovers' quarrel?" said a familiar voice, regal and sultry. Link glanced over to see Cia standing atop a rocky hill surrounded by giant cacti in bloom. The off-white flowers were beautiful, but their odorous fragrance was heady and invasive to his senses. "I suppose that's to be expected when you hook up with someone outside of your species."

Link groaned. The last thing he needed was to deal with Cia right now. It was taking everything he had to keep Volga's fangs from snapping into his flesh.

The very back of Volga's mouth lit up. Link knew far too well what was coming. He let go, miraculously managing to keep his hands in the process, and then followed up with a quick but powerful uppercut to Volga's bottom jaw. Volga let out a strained roar as wisps of flames and black smoke escaped his forcibly closed jaws. The giant fire dragon staggered back and shook his head to toss off the shock before resuming his assault.

Volga had never shown this much aggression toward him before. This was no mere spar or skirmish between them. He was not seeking to test his strength against him as rivals. Volga pursued Link as prey. He had to do more than just defend himself, but he didn't want to hurt him. Somewhere, beyond the black fog blinding his eyes and poisoning his mind, was his dragon.

Let him go, Link signed emphatically at the dark witch.

"What for?" Cia gazed down upon him with amusement. "Volga's a monster. To his very heart and soul. He's immensely proud of that fact."

Volga was many things, including a monster, but that did not mean that he did not deserve to be loved.

Link drew his sword and shield, as Volga took to the sky. He circled back around and flew low, spewing fire and scorching the earth. Link reached for his bombs before realizing what he was doing. Not yet having a plan of attack that did not involve attacking, Link ran from the raining flames and evaded Cia's orbs of dark magic.

"He's incapable of loving you. Deep down, you know that to be true."

Link did not agree with that one bit. Did Volga understand and know how to express his love into tender words and actions? Not exactly and not always well, but they were working on building his understanding. Volga was trying to learn, and that alone disproved Cia's claim.

Cia appeared behind him. She pressed the string of dark magic that connected the spiky crystal orb topper to the rest of her staff against his neck and pulled him close to her. Link tried to dig his fingers underneath the string, but his fingers simply phased through the dark magic. Despite it being immaterial to his hands, the string felt all too real against his skin.

"What did you think you could do? Change him? Turn him sweet and gentle?" she chuckled darkly. "No matter how many times he sheds his skin, he will never be anything but a battle-hungry wyrm."

You've never seen him any other way. How would you know? Link struggled to sign, his fingers shaking. From rage or panic, it was impossible to distinguish which.

"I know him intimately," she whispered into his ear, as she pulled the dark magic string tighter across his neck. "His flames and armor guard a pathetic soul, and neither shields him from me."

Link sputtered and desperately gasped for nonexistent air. His legs flailed and kicked at nothing, not even his heels were able to reach Cia. The dark witch hummed with pleasure at his struggle. Volga paced from side to side, impatiently awaiting new orders. Or his meal to be tossed to him.

"Pledge your life to me and I shall spare his and yours," Cia ordered. "Otherwise, he will burn and rampage across Hyrule until only ash remains. If the princess and her allies do not slay him."

His life for Volga's and the kingdom. It was really that simple. Cia was asking for very little. It was a trade Link could live with—he would give his freedom or life, whichever Cia wanted more, for Hyrule—but Link feared for what Volga was going to do once he learned of his sacrifice. He'd drive himself to ruin trying to get Link back. No matter what it took, for how ever long it took, regardless if it was to face the entirety of Cia's army alone and risk falling underneath her control once more, Volga would fight without rest to get Link back. And if Cia chose to take his life, Hyrule was going to burn regardless.

It didn't matter what he chose. The result was the same.

"I do love you so much, Link," Cia said sweetly, as she leaned over his shoulder and kissed his cheek."That's why I'll mercifully see to it that you won't be around to see the coming carnage."

Cia shoved Link forward and blasted him with her magic. Link slammed onto the ground, and before he knew where up was, Volga stomped on his chest, flattening him against the dry earth. Volga's wide open jaws barreled down toward him. Link closed his eyes, tears escaping the far corners.

And then nothing happened. Link expected Volga to chomp his head and end everything for him, but the moment he expected it to happen came and went. A few more seconds passed, and Link was still alive. Link slowly peeked open one eye. Volga's jaws were closed. The fire dragon remained frozen, his panting breaths whipping Link's flyaway hairs into his eyes and making him squint. Volga stared at him, slowly moving his gaze around as he examined Link's facial features carefully, before finally fixating on Link's eyes. The black fog clouding Volga's eyes swirled violently.

"...I know you," Volga said, as if recalling a long, distant, cherished memory that had been ripped away from him. His expression softened, as a sense of clarity came over him. The world made sense to Volga once more, and there below him lay the only thing that mattered to him. And then the realization of what he had been about to do hit him harder than any attack.

Tears of joy welled in Link's eyes now that Volga recognized him. Link laid a hand on Volga's snout and stroked on up as far as his fingers could reach. His gentle touch grounded Volga. The dragon knight closed his eyes and lowered his head, fully accepting Link's comforting gesture. It gave him something else to focus on rather than the horror of his thoughts. Volga uttered a pleasant rumble—if Link didn't know better, he would have said it was a purr.

"No!" Cia said in a cursing tone. She waved her staff and dark fuchsia rays of light snaked through the air and ensnared Volga.

Volga writhed in pain as the magic threaded itself throughout his body, through his bones and veins. Volga fought Cia's control, but her hooks were already too deep. He lurched toward Link, his body obeying the will of another. This was not the same brainwashing magic Cia had used on the dragon knight in the past. It was soon clear to the both of them that she wanted Volga to be acutely aware of every little thing she was going to make him do to Link. They had sinking, vile feelings that Link was going to be slowly eaten alive.

Link's hand hit what turned out to be the pommel of his sword. It lay on the cracked earth beside him. Link picked his sword up. The hilt felt heavier than it ever had before.

"Do what must be done," Volga plead, his voice strangled.

Link rose to his feet. He felt broken in two. He wondered how many pieces he was going to be left in after all of this was through. Volga lunged forward, his neck stretched out. A clear and obvious target.

Link swung his sword. It was a clean slice.

And Volga was slayed.