Chapter 28

The End?

Finding a moment of reprieve before landing atop another bridge adjacent to the towering fortress, both Link and Zelda's moment lost in each other's eyes had been cut short. And before they could catch their breath from their miraculous escape, it was robbed from them again. To their shock, they were thrust from out of the frying pan and into the fire. They were now in an even more frightening situation from where they escaped. As they loosened from each other's embrace, they found themselves staring face to face with the dark harbinger of Ganon himself, Malroc.

"There you are, princess…" The beast smiled, catching both of their attention from across the way. His arms were slowly unfolding from being crossed as if he was expecting her. Waiting for them all along. The beast gleamed at them both, just steps away from where they landed.

Instinctively, Link forced Zelda behind him on the bridge for her safety and struck a defensive pose with his blade and hatchet. "Damn…" Link said low, cursing their situation.

He felt his power begin to wain from his wounds and exhaustion. Battling Malroc now while maintaining her safety would be an impossible feat. But, he made himself ready nonetheless.

Malroc smiled and let out a harrowing roar of a laugh. "Thank you, hero! You have brought her right to me. How wonderful…I am truly in your debt."

"Good luck with that, not a chance!" Link retorted.

Zelda trembled, stepping back from Link. The fear in her eyes glistened as she saw the condition Link was in. The battle had taken its toll on him thus far, and in her heart, she knew that even he had his limits. But, before she could tell him to consider otherwise, Link took another step forward. It would seem the battle had begun whether she liked it or not.

"Let's finish this!" Link said with a smirk, channeling whatever strength he had left for another round with the demonic spawn of Ganon.

But, before he could make his first move, he was struck with a pulsating wave of mind-crushing pain. His whole body coursed with a dark current of energy. Soon engulfed by a black cloud of electrifying red lightning. His veins bulged, popped, and glowed a putrid crimson. Sickly and demented, his flesh went.

Link collapsed, dropping his weapons to the ground beside himself as he fell to one knee. All the while, the great Titan watched eagerly, crossing his arms yet again in delight as he saw the scene unfold before his eyes.

Link grunted and wailed as the pain intensified to a fever. His whole body went numb, hot, and he began to tremble uncontrollably where he knelt. There he squeezed his head as raging thoughts of evil intent poured into his mind and soul. It was as if he was possessed by dark, unrelenting force.

Mortified, Zelda screamed from behind him. "What's wrong!? What's happening to you? Linnnnnnk!" She said before shooting a quick dead-eye stare back at the foul King of lynels up ahead on the bridge. "What are you doing to him!? Stop! Stop it!"

Malroc only glanced to them both and reveled in the moment, letting out a low chuckle that reverberated the whole bridge, shaking it to its foundations. His minions began to pile in from around him.

Zelda ran up beside Link, confused and distressed, unsure what to do. Her heart sank, and the despair of losing him again forced her voice into a pitch none had heard before. Her worry was at its height that it has ever been watching him suffer so.

Zelda shouted and pleaded. "Link! What can I do? Please, what is happening? I don't know what to do to help you! Oh, Link!"

Under his breath, Malroc spoke to himself. " Ahh, I see…Now I understand…Yes, what a wonderful revelation indeed…With this new development, I won't even have to retrieve her myself…you make this, all too easy…My little...Hylian friend….heh heh."

In his most profound and darkest thoughts, Malroc gloated to himself. Some of his words reaching Link's mind. So, the Dark Lord has become a part of you? I see…The malice burns bright within! That's it! …Let the sickness overcome you. …It's useless to resist my puny challenger...Even now, his cursed essence flows through your very veins…How marvelous it must be for you…To be a part of him…The more you fight it, the stronger he festers in your heart and soul… Corrupting you until you are no longer recognizable. Like all the others, you too will become his servant…And all of this, just to see your beloved so-called princess see you turn to him. To become a slave to his will…Heh heh…

And with a louder voice, Malroc spoke, fierce and terrible, his small host behind him now cackling in delight as they started to swarm around in glee. And with a firm low command, he spoke. "Now, go…"

Link fell forward on the bridge, succumbing to his affliction, stomping and shaking erratically, violently screaming in agony. Zelda was petrified by the horrendous sight, speechless.

In Link's thoughts, he heard corrupt and vile voices, seemingly taking control of his body. It was the dark tone of Malroc weaved in by another…One that he has never heard before yet, for some strange reason that he couldn't explain; it sounded familiar. But, this voice was far more terrible and viler…It could only be him, he thought. The King of the Demons himself, Ganon. (Kill, kill her!)

An unseen malignant force invaded his being, and his muscles spasmed uncontrollably as he fought to resume control of his body. The old champion fought as best he could and swung his arms away from Zelda, desperately trying not to heed the command to his flesh. But, it took every ounce of strength and will to restrain the ill voices that took hold of his body, all the while he railed in pain.

(Now, Kill!…Get her! Get….HER!)

Supplanting both his fist in distress, he slammed the cold stone beneath his feet in a bow, splintering the bridge; the Knight shouted over his shoulder to Zelda behind him. "Go! There's…a stairway just beyond…toward the tower…It's your only chance…the way is clear on that side...Now go! Behind you…Take it to the others! Now!"

Zelda looked onward to him, not wanting to leave his side. "I cant! No way am I abandoning you now, Link! We're in this together!"

"No! You must leave…quickly!" he said, distressed.

The princess could only look upon him in fear for his life, confused by his words, with a sinking feeling that felt like a bottomless pit.

Link felt his temples bulge and knew at any moment he could lose all control and forced out a scream. His pupils widened, engulfing his eyes until nothing was left but an ominous and sickening red glow. "GO NOW!" He roared in an echoing malicious demand, turning to face her. It shattered her heart seeing him that way.

Zelda nearly collapsed from his yell. It shot at her with the force of a hurricane wind against her chest. Terror shook her. And, the cruel sound in his voice broke her to tears, as if he'd been taken by a demon entity.

Link didn't intend it for that way, but he needed her to run before losing all control. So, he frantically pushed her away.

Link commanded again. "Go! Flee! Please! You have to get out of here now, Zelda!" His own voice resonating in and out of the eerily dark tone he spoke in earlier. Phasing back and forth between himself and something else entirely.

With no other choice, Zelda listened to his command and hated that she had to do so. She escaped from the other side. Link was now alone to the mercy of the Devil.

Now alone to themselves atop the rampart, the monster spoke freely to the Hylian Knight. "I almost feel sorry…I wanted a great fight to unfold between us, one for the centuries…but this...this is what I get? A wincing pathetic boy?" He said, approaching closer in a few hoofed steps.

The monster smiled. "I can end your suffering right now. But, where would the fun be in that? It would be all so easy…But, I digress…Like a sick dog, I will put you down. Put you out of your misery. Would you like that?"

Malroc was now hovering above him, watching him suffer still on his knees before him.

"And that poor, foolish girl…" He reveled again, letting out a sinister laugh of pure ecstasy before continuing.

"She believed so much in you…to put her trust and faith in someone so…weak…I can just see the look in her eyes now, heart shattered to a million pieces and full of despair…For the whole world shall fall into despair…Whatever hope she thought she had in you is about to go flying out the window with my next attack." The monster said, raising up his majestic yet, corrupted Lynel sword over his head.

Just as he was about to deal the finishing blow, he paused and stared down at the suffering Hylian young man beneath his feet.

The Titan spoke. "Actually,…on second thought…I think I'll wait…savor this moment. Better yet, for his sake….perhaps, it is better that I wait? Yes, I know now…That is what he would want. What I would wish for as well…I want her to see you fall. Watch me break you down inch by inch as I rip the life out of you. And when you are left beaten and broken, when you can take no more and when my Lord is done with you…

"She will be ours!… And there is nothing you can do…Oh, and she will suffer too, That I can promise you…she will be ours….and her unblemished body will be abused beyond reconciliation, tortured as a holy sacrament offered to the Dark Lord! How do you like that? Hero?" He finished in a mocking tone, head crooked overlooking Link, amused at his plight, reaching down with his claws over his head of hair in a horrific gesture of pious pity.

Link heard enough of his vile speech, and no matter what pain he had to endure and what demons plagued his soul, he fought with every vestige of his being and in a terrific yell that even shuddered the King of lynels back a few steps back, he stood tall and unafraid "NO! I will never let you take her! You will never win!" His voice echoed again, more brilliant than ever, but it was now his own.

"So, you have some fight left in you after all? Very well then, we will just have to rework our strategy!" The monster struck an attack pose, readying his dark sword. "Back to the original plan, it is. I prefer it this way. I'm afraid, in your condition, you won't survive this…Now, taste my blade!"

And with that, the monster leaped in a grand attack towards him, but with radical speed, Link shook away the cloud of confusion around him and reached for both his weapons in a marvelous block. The wave of energy from the criss-cross of their weapons colliding slammed all the surrounding area, throwing back the Lynel's cretins from behind off their feet.

But, the power of Malroc was too tremendous, and Link wasn't all himself.

The monster spoke again, shoving the champion back across atop the bridge. "I can feel your fighting spirit begin to falter. It won't be long now. One wrong step, and it's all over for you. If the sickness doesn't take you, I will…"

"Go…Go for it." Link said back, panting as he reoriented himself, standing firm and fearless, blade and ax in hand. "I'm ready!"

The Knight knew that he was weakened from all the battle waged thus far and was tired even more so. Not to mention, his weapons have seen better days as well. They were dulled and worn. But, even with all those odds stacked against him, he had to try, and the very least, he couldn't let that beast know it. He couldn't fail. He mustn't.

After climbing down the old stone steps, Zelda was met with an unimaginable scene in the thick of the war. All around, she saw the army desperately fighting for survival. Eight massive Lynels were on the offense, ripping through lines of men that had tried to rally behind Simon.

She chanced a glance all around and figured that at least a third of their force had been lost. Her heart pitted for them.

She began to think that her whole campaign was a foolish crusade, and before she lost all hope from their dire circumstance, she saw it. Like a glimmering beacon of faith in the blowing wind, it shone in her eye from afar. Not too far off it lay, the sword Ilucifarr!

In her soul, she knew that if Link were to have any chance of slaying a monster as great as that, he would need a weapon mighty enough to defeat him.

The sword lay among some rubble, perched up against some broken stone, still untouched and partially removed from its sheath. The glimmer of its beautiful Jasper red hilt sparkled in her eye from afar. It was out in the open, maybe a hundred feet away at the most, she guessed.

But, how was she to get to it? That was a far cry undertaking, to say the least. War was raging all around her, and men and beast alike were clashing in a full-scale bloodbath. She was defenseless, and to maneuver among the battle out in the open would be suicide. She didn't even have her dagger that Riju graced her days earlier. But, even with that knowledge, she didn't care…Link needed her. And just as she took a breath to make her move regardless of the danger, for her love's sake, not two steps further, she was hit by a stroke of luck.

A familiar voice called out to her from afar. It was Sylmoor. "Princess! You're alive! Thank the Goddess!"

Her ears twitched to the sound of his welcoming voice as she turned to him. Before she could reply, he continued. "Stay there! I'm coming! Don't move an inch! You're safer there behind the rubble!"

Taking two glances over his shoulders, he kicked his stallion and galloped through a battlefield, spectacularly weaving in and out from foes facing soldiers until he reached her.

As he made his approach, Zelda hollered to him over the noise of war. "The sword! I dropped the sword! It fell!"

"What!? Then we have to get you out of here! It's what Link would want—"

"No! I'm not retreating anywhere!"

"I insist!"

"No, We have to retrieve the sword! He needs us!"

"But it's lost. You said—"

"No, it's not! I have found it! See— there! Just beyond the collapsed sanctum bridge! Over there, to the east. You see?" She said, pointing beyond the fray.

And with a short glance over some rubble, Sylmoor saw the foretelling blade sparkle like a jewel in the sun. It was a blessed sight for sore eyes indeed.

Zelda continued her speech, fist raised up to her chest in a desperate plea. "We have to get it! Please! Link is fighting that horrific monster; he needs it! We can't abandon him! I fear….I fear that if he doesn't…

Sylmoor heard all he needed and knew better not to question this particular princess. For she was a very strong-willed young lady. And that in itself could be more dangerous to upset her than an entire legion of Malroc's best. "No need to say a word, princess! We have a sword to fetch! Here, quickly climb atop my horse! We'll get your prize, or I Ain't Sylmoor, son of Alister Illiastar!"

Sylmoor then reached his hand out for her to saddle up behind him, and before he could get her to join him, she shouted over him. "Look out! Behind you!"

Sylmoor spun as he sat, and to his pale shock, as if seconds stood still like hours, he saw his impending fate before his eyes.

A drooling Moblin had snuck up in the commotion and was now perched over them both from behind. With its ax over its head, it was about to drop the killing blow. They were caught!

But, before his crudely crafted ax could slash down upon them, the beast was met with a sharp skewer of a Zora spear to its side, ripping and tearing through its flesh, splitting its entrails. In a miraculous surprise, they were saved by a tall, charging Zora.

Peeking her eyes through her fingers that she flinched shut by what she could have only thought was their doom, she heard the familiar shout of Seabass over to them.

"I told you I would keep our pretty Lord safe, little princess! I am a Zora of my word! Haha!" The great white Zora exclaimed, flexing his arm in a victory pose, reminiscent of Sidon. "Not one hair upon his pristine blonde head! Did I not say, eh?"

Thankful for the save and amused by his antics, Zelda smiled. Sylmoor, on the other hand, was suffering shock, nearly recovering from a heart attack of fright. Noticing the pair was still in awe at what could have been their end, Seabass cleared the air and reached out for the princess to help her saddle up behind Sylmoor.

"Here you are, your majesty!"

Zelda thanked him with another warm smile and composed herself before approaching the shell-shocked Illiastar Lord. Sylmoor was still panting. Gathering deep breaths of courage, reaching for the shiny silver flask he had hidden away under his cloak and armor.

Hands shaking and filled with terror from before, he lamented as he realized all its contents have been drained hours earlier, shaking the small tin upside down dry in despair, on the verge of tears. Zelda couldn't help but smile at his over-the-top reaction and quickly took it upon herself to calm his nerves by setting his mind at ease with a soothing arm to his shoulder.

"It's alright Sylmoor, If your fate was to die today, it would have happened already. I believe in my heart that the good Goddess herself has much more important things in store for your destiny. You really think that a slobbering Moblin would have been your end?" She finished with a wink.

Sylmoor's eyes widened like the two great seas of Hyrule, and rivers of sweat poured down his face. "Oh, geez, that makes me feel loads better! After all this time, it turns out my life happens to be just in the hands of a fickle goddess! That is so much better than it being left in my very capable hands!" He finished with a gulp.

Zelda couldn't help but giggle, realizing that maybe her pep talk wasn't exactly what he was looking for in consolation before returning to address Seabass, who was chomping at the bit to speak.

"I couldn't help but see you two be looking like you be needing some place to be? Now, so where are we off to? Lead the way, my Lord and Lady!" Seabass spoke with an eager, gloated laugh—Ready for another challenge.

"To the sword!" Zelda boldly declared with a ray of determination and hope shone in her eye, hand-stretched across past Sylmoor and pointing to their destination.

Returning to the land of the living from his near-death experience, Sylmoor rolled his eyes upwards, letting out a breath of thanks to the goddesses before kicking his horse onward. They were off to retrieve the lost blade.

Link was dodging and blocking oncoming blows from the great Titan back up above in a heated struggle for survival. But, he was struggling. Severely weakened and with sub-par weapons, it had become clear that he was against the ropes.

"It won't be long now…hero…" Malroc taunted. They were now even higher up in the castle, at the ruined floor where Zelda and the beast fell earlier. They have been engaged in a stupendous battle the whole time. Link valiantly fending him off as best he could. The massive chamber they were in was partially collapsed, and the building's roof was crumbled, open to the air and sunlight.

Link shot back with a fiery reply. "I didn't hear no cucco crow yet! It isn't over until it's over, not by a long shot. I'm ready when you are!"

"Very well then, then death is your wish…" Malroc slowly walked to him, atop the split and broken sanctum floor. Link was at the edge and was cornered, but he didn't care. He wasn't one to ever flee from a fight.

"You know…You know you can't win…Not like that, you can't. I admit earlier, you may have had a chance if you and your friend had got me in a rush, but even with that, I'd say it would have been only just a sliver of a chance. Now I am afraid…you have none…" Malroc's red eyes gleamed in delight.

Link panted but still flexed both his blade and ax in his hands, showing no fear. "You keep saying that, but why don't you come over here and show me?"

Malroc only smiled, and with that invitation, he vanished into the wind. Moving at such great speed that shocked the Knight himself. But, just before his death strike could befall Link, the young Knight's unconscious reactions took control, and he did a marvelous backflip away.

More of the castle shattered beneath their feet and began to crumble and fall. The whole place was becoming unstable.

Malroc didn't let up and, with his other hand, unleashed his demonic whip that carried a spiked ball at the end. The strike was a diversion, though. And, in unison, he slashed with one hand and whipped in the other.

Link blocked the moves as best he could, losing more and more ground after each devastating blow until there was no ground left. Link found himself caught at the end of yet another broken bridge to an adjacent tower. But, it had been broken half across, and he was now at the edge. He gazed over his shoulder and noticed they were now many flights up, and falling down to the warzone below would surely lead to his death.

And in a grand finale of attacks, Malroc dashed and swung his massive sword, narrowly missing Link's throat, just an inch away. In that rage of fury, the chain neckless which he wore around his neck was caught by the tip of Malroc's blade and broke. The same neckless carrying the precious vile which Impa had given him days earlier. The Lunar Tear potion.

Frantically trying to catch his balance from falling over himself, Link lost sight of the small glass jar in slow motion, far away from his grasp. Like a glistening raindrop, it fell down to the war below, surely to be shattered upon the ground and lost forever.

Link's eyes widened over his shoulder, and he saw the blurry height he was at. Phewww, that was close.

Malroc approached calmly. "End of the road for you, my friend…You did put up a good fight, and for that, even I must congratulate you, for you were the only Hylian to ever block my strikes. And for that, I applaud your effort. But, like all good things, they must come to an end."

"Must they? Link forced a fatigued smile, gazing up above Malroc to the dilapidated stone archway above the massive Lynel.

"Hmm?" Malroc eye's questioned.

Without saying a word, Link threw his ax, and before the Lynel could know what the champion was up to, it was too late.

He threw the spiraling ax to hit the dead center to the arch's keystone with such magnificent force, splintering a tremor of cracks the broke the old stone.

"You dare!?" Malroc roared and dashed toward him. And with that, Link used all the strength he had and leapt up overhead the monster as he swung toward him.

The archway fell simultaneously as Link ripped back his ax, circumventing himself over the fall. And as the arch fell, it crashed onto the heavy stricken bridge where the great Titan stood on the other side, shattering the remnants of the bridge to collapse. The monster began to crumble along with the old structure, down to the encompassing battle below.

Out of breath, the hero reoriented himself back safe onto the other side, still high up in the castle, securing his ax.

But just as he let out an overdo sigh of relief, he felt a sudden, sharp, spiraling grasp to his legs; gripping him tight from a hold he couldn't break free. Looking down he saw but couldn't fight back. It was too late.

And, with his last attack, Malroc hurled his demonic whip and pulled the Knight with him as he fell. In the raining destruction, they both fell down to the war below like meteors.

Malroc landed far away from Link and quickly reoriented himself, shaking the dust from the fall. Link, on the other hand, was nowhere to be seen. Lost in the dusty maze of broken castle.

But, before he could search out and destroy the hero, he was approached by one of his own that rallied to him.

It was a slithering, gangly, Lizalfos commander.

"My malevolence, we have retrieved the ancient treasure of Hera. One of our own retrieved it from the waters as it fell earlier."

The great Titan arose and shook his head from the dizziness of the fall and spoke clearly. "Where is it?"

"This way, my Lord, we have it secured in the old Knight's chamber.

I must ask, do your orders still stand?" The lizalfos gulped, gripping its chin in worry as it spoke again, voice shaking… "But without the girl, how will we—?"

Malroc growled and interrupted him. And just before he could deal his fierce judgment upon the poor slithering cretin out of the rage of losing sight of the boy, in that opportune moment, his gaze was stolen from him by a far off gift of dark prominence from beyond.

There it was as if it was given from the Demon King himself, drifting and sailing down softly in the breeze up above his servant, the sign he was looking for.

Delicate strands of torn golden hair gently falling in the air to a ledge of old stone just feet away from him. Malroc remembered now. That when he slashed toward her majesty in the castle earlier, he must have cut loose some of her hair. With this new knowledge, the monster silently chuckled to himself. "We have all we need."

"B-but, the witch!" The Lizalfos stuttered and stammered over himself. "The witch said we needed both blood and spirit for the ceremony to work?"

"Silence you! I will not deal words with you or any witch. I serve only his highness Mandrag! And his will shall be done!—

"As it is in Demise, as it is on Earth!" He finished, raising both his arms triumphantly, hailing to the skies in glee. "It is time to show these Goddess filth what true power is…Are they ready?" He said again, grinning toward the cowering lizard.

"Y-yes, m'lord, the eight are in position, and their festering souls are aligned…awaiting your orders."

"Then, let us begin! It is now time…"

"Yes, my lord…" the cretin bowed.

Malroc just smiled and whispered to himself. "It's time…Time for hellfire."

With her new vanguard beside her as they charged through the fray, they were stopped suddenly by a change of disposition from the offensive enemy line. Without warning or any explanation, the advancing eight Lynels halted their onslaught and fell back. The smaller beast retreated as well and scurried behind them.

The soldiers saw and were at a loss for words about why the battle took a sudden standstill, looking at each other confused. The battle went eerily silent.

Simon shouted to his men victoriously as if the war had already been won. "You see! We can win! The devils flee before us!"

"No, no my lord…I don't think so," cut through the wise counsel of Sidon who spoke nearby, quickly taking the wind from his sails.

Who was still mending a wounded Teba in his arms.

"What? What do you mean? Are you blind? Look at them! They run before us like the mindless cowards they are! It's time for us to finish them where they stand! Look at them! They are still, tails tucked in and kneeling, with their eyes closed even!" Simon reiterated, lance pointing toward the split line where the enemy lay in the quiet dusty fog.

"I have a bad feeling about this…" came a cough of an awakened Teba, shocking Sidon, who had been distracted looking away as he held him in his arms. Amazed that he was alright after all.

"You're alive!" Sidon said with a smile, helping the fallen Rito back up to his feet.

"Of course I am! It's just a scratch… Sorry I blew it back up there," Teba smirked back.

"Nonsense, you did well; you saved my life!" Sidon said.

"Well, unfortunately, I couldn't save the princess. Which reminds me! Damnit, She is here! Does Link know?'

"Yes, we all do. But, don't worry, you did all you could. Link himself went up ahead to save her."

"I see…Well, no need to make such a fuss over me; I'll be alright."

"You sure?"

"Yes. Though…I took a pretty shot to my wing back up there...I won't be able to fly. But, don't worry, I can manage well enough on my feet. We Rito train just for these very situations, ya know," he finished with another smirk, right before the ground shook violently.

"What the—-!" Simon shouted, gripping his lance tight yet again, pointing it toward the smoke of the wall where the enemy illusively hid.

"I have a very bad feeling about this!" Teba reiterated, reaching for his hand-crafted Rito blade from behind his back, lining up beside Sidon and the others. The worse was far from over.

"You've got to be kidding me! Is that really all you got?" A faint and unknown voice spoke.

Link was trapped in what could only be a black haze inside his mind, and there he listened silently in the dark.

"Taking a break on the job now, are we?—-

"C'mon, you're embarrassing me! Is this truly the power of the great Champion Link? I'd come to expect more from you…More from the great Hylian with that special shiny sealing sword on his back. Oh, but I must correct myself...my keen eyes see that you don't have your pretty fancy sword? A pity. Well, no matter, don't tell me that's enough to keep you off your feet! Not the Link I used to know!"

"Who? Who are …you?" Link mumbled back, still in a daze.

"Really, you don't know who I am? You must have really bumped your head harder than I thought…Very well then…"

And in the black abyss of his mind, a swirling apparition of pale green light began to form, and in no time before it completely congealed into a personage, Link knew then precisely who he was speaking to as he lay still on the black empty void.

Slowly, his senses returned, and the black nothingness that was wrapped around him began to form into reality, into the true existence around him. The warzone below Hyrule's castle.

He found himself surrounded by broken castle debris. And before the ghost of the past could fully realize its proper form, Link spoke, and he rose up back to his feet. "Revali…You're—-"

"Yup, the one and only! Who else?—Once again, I must clean up everyone else's mess and save your tail feathers," Revali posed, wearing a cocky grin.

"But, how?" Link said, just before falling again to one knee, head throbbing. "Aghhhh!"

Revali sprang up, disappeared, and reappeared again beside him. "C'mon, pull yourself together, man! The princess needs you!" He scolded, but not before noticing that some dark force from the great beyond had a hold of the young Hylian warrior. So, he eased off. "Fight it, Link! Whatever it is, you must!"

The Knight gripped his temples tightly, wincing from the singeing intensity that scorched behind his eyelids. He felt the red glow of evil fill his veins once again and grinned his teeth. Fighting hard not to succumb to the black temptation that took hold of him, desperately clinging on to the familiar yet, most unlikely voice of a friend within his mind, Revali.

"You got this Link! I hate to admit it, but if you can do what even I could not, and destroy those things that stole the Divine Beasts, and beat back the greatest Devil this world has ever known, surely you can beat whatever it is that is plaguing you now! It should be child's play to you! C'mon, don't let him win! You must! Now fight! Fight it!"

Link shook erratically alone among the rubble; he was some far distance from the others who were still waging battle, alone with the spirit of Revali on the other side of the castle grounds in a hidden enclave of crumbled stone.

"That's it, Link, you're doing it!" Revali urged. Fighting with words of encouragement too alongside him.

"Eyarghhhhhh!" The Knight raged and fell to his knees.

Revali paused and watched, waiting for what seemed like an eternity before he could speak again. And just as he was about to, Link arose and returned to his old self.

"I'm alright…I think. For now at least…Thanks….Thank you, Revali," Link said with a grateful smile. Happy to know that least of all, Revali truly did care and had his back after all these long years.

"Alright, alright…Don't get sappy on me now. I was only doing my job!… No need to make such a big deal out of it." The old Rito champion said with a pompous huff, slowly turning to face the broken bit of castle, which allowed a tiny crevice of glimmering sunshine in where they stood. It was the shining hope they needed in this dark hour.

He continued. " Now, you're running out of time, and I only have one chance to help you. After that, all my power will be exhausted, and I'll be gone forever. You got me? So, let's not try and screw this up!"

"Right." Link nodded.

"Alright, let's show this brute bastard what we're made of! Show him the unmatched power of Revali and Link! What do you say?" The old Rito champion affirmed, with a fist hurled made out of feathers. "I mean, with my superior ability to harness the currents of the skies at will, and your…well, you…" he said as he returned smugly to face Link, eyeing the wounded, young royal guard from head to toe.

"I'm sure we will be an unstoppable force. What say you?" He finished, eyes focused skyward, eager on their target.

A demonic voice rumbled. "It's ironic really, one could say it was fate…Through her own sealing power, he was banished, and yet, by her own undoing, he shall be reborn.

"With these sacred keys given to us now, bestowed upon this pearl of great price, we now have the engine to life that can restore our Lord. And with her flesh…He shall be resurrected in all his glory." Malroc gleamed, happy at the thought with eager eyes.

He continued. "Not the weakened apparition of spirit this kingdom has seen thus, but he shall return in all his magnificence, wrought and full of power…

"And his terrible judgment shall be poured out upon all their heads once he claims back his golden prize. This world…will fall, and all who have ever opposed him shall be made slaves to his will!

"May inferno glory be to him and his name forever and ever, the true god of this world—-Mandrag Ganon Dragmire!" Malroc spoke, clawing for the Moon Pearl, which one of his lieutenants offered to him.

They were all safely tucked away in some unknown part of the castle that remained in darkness, planning their schemes.

The lizalfos from before slithered again beside him like the slinking cretin that it was. "But, we don't have her blood and spirit, your evilness?"

"No, we don't…But we will…And in good time…

"But, for now, we have this!" Malroc praised, revealing in his other claws his secret weapon. Strands of beautiful untainted golden hair. "These are from her sanctified and unblemished head…One of a virgin princess. They are a part of her, and that should be more than enough to end this war. They will now feel the wrath that has been prepared for them since before the foundations of the world, " he finished with a smirk.

"But, what of the witch? They said—-"

Malroc growled, dissatisfied with its lack of faith, yet again. "The witch will just have to see for themselves that they were late to the coming of the great one.

"And I wouldn't want to be them when they have to answer for that. Unlike me, our King is not as forgiving for failure as I am." Malroc finished, his dead-eyed red stare glowing fear into the faces of those around him. The others gulped in fright and bowed their head to his final decree. Hellfire was to be unleashed.

Back at the ground level, it was a sea of men standing still. The war was calm as the wind. Enemies skulked away to the outer edges back toward the holes from the ground from whence the demons arose. And in unison, each Lynel knelt.

Zelda didn't have time to inquire what had taken place. Nor did she really care.

She decried atop the stallion alongside Simon, her hand pointing over his shoulder with a smile of hope stretched across her face. "Nows our chance! Over there, the ancient blade of Locke the Valiant! Onward!"

In a blitz of fury, being led by Zora and men alike in a stunning formation, they charged to where it lay. Slaying whatever sad beasts that had been left behind in the disarray. They didn't stand a chance, and in no time, she was inches away from the sacred sword. Wasting no time, she grasped the blade tightly and hid it under her cloak.

"Now, to Link! We must find Link!"

But, as Sylmoor turned back to kick the pale steed to haste, a mighty roar erupted over all the land. A wicked voice she knew all too well. Malroc.

"Behold, your…nothingness!" He said, mocking with his eyes locked, piercing like an arrow right through her.

She knew he was speaking to her.

"Behold, your end…And now, the light of this world that you hold so dear to your bosom shall be ripped away from you, just to fade away into the same nothingness that you are…

"Earth shall be overturned, fire shall raze these lands, and the nightmares of your children's legends shall have dominion once again overall this world! Alas, I summon with this ancient Pearl, Hellfire!"

"What—-NO!" Zelda's pupils shrank, and her heart sank as she screamed. "He—He has the pearl! But, How? We're too late!"

The King of Lynels was high above them, overlooking the entire battle below, from a fortified terrace keep. For the magnificent jewel of Hyrule, its castle had many towers that were open to

the view of the city.

The vile monster presented the mythical pearl of foreboding with one hand and revealed in his other strands of golden hair. In a dark spell forgotten to the memories of men, he murmured under his lips. In that instant, as if possessed, both the pearl and her hair shot up above his head into the sky for all to see.

And in the glisten of the sun, they fused as one, and the once heavenly, milky, twilight luster of the pearl glowed a malignant and hellish red. Its dormant and sacred power, now awakened.

Zelda and the others couldn't think or speak and were stricken, paralyzed by the sheer fear that filled them all. It was too late, and the deed had been done. Their doom was sealed.

From where Link was, he saw the skies' changing as if a sudden storm was forming out of nowhere. But, these clouds were not the natural clash of changing winds; it was something much more sinister.

These clouds were black as his worst nightmares and surged with a steady stream of crimson lightning, cracking and splitting the air above them with a terrible loud thunder.

"What's happening?" Revali spoke, still not quite fully caught up with all the chain of events that had happened thus far.

Link could only whisper back, feeling defeated at the grave peril they were all in now, wondering to himself where he went wrong. "It's over…He has it…"

"Who has it? Has what?" Revali demanded. "What's going on!?"

"He has the pearl…We're too late…"

"I refuse to believe that; you'll think of something! You…you always do," Revali said as he squeezed a fist behind the Knight, not wanting to admit that Link was the better soldier.

The old Rito looked down, noticing a fist he had made, and with resolve flew up behind Link. "Look, I don't know exactly what all this means, nor do I give a damn. I'm not afraid of a little wind and lightning! Are you?"

And with that jolt of tough love, Link snapped out of his momentary self-pity trance, and he shook away the odds that were stacked against them. "No, you're right! But, we have to go now! No time to explain! We have to stop him!"

"Then why are we standing around here for! Let's go! NOW!" Revali grinned.

With his back turned and with his gaze trapped upon the diminishing sky, Link felt the grasp of being pulled as if from a charging bull.

But this was no horned beast. This was the majestic power of a Rito. And before Link could realize what had happened, he was flying and soaring high into the air, straight to the source of the wickedness that had been unleashed upon the skies above them.

Revali summoned a great gale of energy under his wings. A tornado of wind that could even contend against the mightiest of raging gusts that the enemy could have ever hoped of conjuring. Through his strength, he launched them both up high into the clouds to where the pearl was.

The only question was, would they make it in time?

Still out among Hyrule's plains approaching the city walls, the Starlight cavalry that escorted the Wizard of Draene paused their progression. They, too, saw the entire firmament change for the worse. The sky had become sick, and the thunder of chaos was heard from where even they were.

Far off, they could even make out the bright red glow of a shiny orb up in the distance, hovering above the castle, flickering like a beacon of death.

Before their horses could trot another step forward, a crimson bolt of negative energy shot out from the pearl and pierced the heart of the noon-day sun; leaving it to bleed out overhead in the skies. Its once yellow life giving rays now stained red. The intensity of it all whiplashed them with such a fierce wind that it felt like a typhoon had blitzed around them on their horses.

Malice soon coalesced and festered around the one bright and shining star, until finally it suffocated it into darkness. And in just mere moments that felt like hours, the sun had eclipsed entirely by the malignant power of the pearl and turned to blood.

The one leading at the troop's head waved his hand for all the others to stop and spoke softly, hand still raised. It was Kelcifer, the so-called wizard. "That's a clever children's trick…"

"Clever? A children's trick!? Have you gone mad? The whole sky is falling apart, raining down like fire!" The captain returned, face drenched in sweat and afraid to move an inch forward. The other men, too, pulled back on their reins in fear, looking to the heavens full of dread.

"Yes, how observant of you?" Kelcifer noted before addressing them further. "Yes, this is old magic…Very old… not since before a time when the seas themselves have covered these lands, has such an elusive and evil power took hold of this kingdom…Back, during the ancient world." The young yet, wise man whispered under his cloak. He spoke without even a hint of fear in his voice. As if he was on just another stroll across the kingdom, without a care or worry in the world.

"What!? Are you not even the least bit worried at all!? Have you ever seen anything ever even remotely like this before?" The captain gulped. Hoping to hear some news, anything that could set their fears at ease.

"No, I cannot say that I have…Not at least….since…well…nevermind—-It's not like you would understand anyway.

"Don't fret yourselves over this trivial matter. It's precisely the reason why I have been summoned here. Am I not a wizard?" Kelcifer grinned softly under his hood.

The old captain could only gaze upon the confident mid-twenties man without knowing what to think. But for now, he had to trust in the plan, whatever that may be.

The wizard spoke again. "Now, come…Come, follow me! We have a princess to save, right? Let us not let her down! There is still much to be done—-

"But, before we depart, there is something that I must do. It is of the utmost importance if my plan is to work. So, with that, I ask, who among you is the bravest?" The man questioned, hand still stretched out facing all those who encircled him on their horses.

One by one, he slowly drifted his hand across them all, pointing until it fell onto the youngest soldier of the Starlight Cavalry, who was near his age. "Who has the guts to do their duty to their kingdom and serve her highness?

"There is no room for any doubt and fear in the soul…and there is certainly no room for failure. So, who here dares to do what needs to be done? I will only need one...One who has courage as fierce as dragon fire and a heart as tempered as cold steel. " Kelcifer finished with a soft smile, pale green eyes locked on the youthful soldier.

The young man clad in armor trotted forward. "I guess, I do…I do, sir," the lad coughed, trying to act brave around the other men.

"Very well, so be it…You with me!" The wizard commanded before turning to the others. "The rest of you all head to the city gates and await my further orders! I'll be back in no time, now go!" Kelcifer decried, with a wave of his hand stretched toward the city off into the yonder.

Wasting no time, the others made haste atop their horses out of earshot and far from the sight of Kelcifer and the young guardsmen.

They were now alone.

Kelcifer chuckled softly, and the man turned to speak to him. "What's so funny? How can any of this be amusing? The world is falling apart, or haven't you noticed?"

"Don't be so high strung." The wizard scolded softly before continuing. "The world will come and go, and all that will be left to be told of us is bones. But that's not why I am laughing. Not particularly. It's you as to why I'm so amused, my good sir."

"What? Me?"

"Yes, I find it so very curious that young men such as yourself are so eager to run off and die for some high-born prissy they have not and will not ever have the privilege of meeting," Kelcifer said, finishing with a low laugh into his fist.

"It is my duty! All of ours! What else do we have as men, if not our honor? We have sworn an oath," The man returned with a gruff of dissatisfaction.

"If you insist…"

"Now, what is this plan of yours? What can I do to help? Whatever it is, I do it willingly, for my Lord and my princess to be."

"I figured you would say that. Very well then. I will let her know that you gave your all and you were very valiant in the face of danger and death. I'm sure she would be well pleased by such noble devotion from you."

And as the young soldier looked onward to the open meadow ahead of them, eager to see where their heading would be, like cold running water, he felt his chest go numb before it turned into a searing fiery pain. And as he looked down to see what the matter was, he saw drenching his armor was his blood.

He had been impaled by what appeared to be a blue, crystal dagger of some fine crafting.

"But why?" The man said, stood bleeding out atop his stallion gazing up to the wizard who was dead-locked on him, hand in his gut with a knife.

"Why does the wailing willow weep and the nightingale sing, when there are none, no one around to see? Because—-these things, are simply meant to be." Kelcifer assured softly, almost pitying him.

The soldier gulped up blood to his lips and gripped the arm of the wizard, trying to stop him as he thrust the blade deeper into him. But, it was too late. He had no more strength to fight, and all he could do was listen to what were his last moments on this earth.

"I think that the princess would agree, that it would be better for one man to die than for an entire nation to dwindle and fall into despair. Wouldn't you agree?"

The man's eyes bulged as he listened to the harrowing sermon before being shoved off his horse to the prairie below, to wallow in his slow death.

All was left of the man was his aimlessly wandering horse and a blood-soaked, blue crystal dagger.

Absorbed of the man's blood, Kelcifer quickly sealed it away under his cloak in a jar for safekeeping. Afterward, he continued his speech to the dying man while he gasped for his final breaths upon the cool grass.

"Consider this your oath full-filled. And let your heart not be troubled, for your sacrifice was not in vain.

"I will certainly let her highness know that you indeed, did your duty to the very end, for her sake—

"So, farewell, my friend, and safe travels…to the next dimension…"

A few brief moments passed as the stormy wind kicked up even more intense around him. There he stood in silence, gazing up to the diseased red sky that was festering above.

"And so…now the curtain pulls back…and with that, act two begins…" Kelcifer breathed to himself, raising his hand up gracefully in the air, gazing through his eclipsing fingers over the blood red sun.

UPDATE 5-02-2021 I promise the next chapter will be miles better. Also- I will be on vacation for a week and immediately following that I will be in training for my job out of state for two weeks straight. With that being said, I won't be able to resume this next chapter until at least three weeks. And I am only half way done now. So, expect the next drop in a month. I do apologize but it is what it is. Thanks for reading and expect the climax to this arc to be a doozy. I'll make sure that it will be the best chapter thus far for your wait. Thanks again and let me know what you would like to see more of and what you would like to see less of.

Authors Notes- Sorry for the late posting. Next chapter will be the the end of this Arc. I hope you enjoy the story. If you do, please drop a review, they motivate me to push forward. Also, It will be some time until the next drop because I have to work on the audiodrama a bit and catch up there. I only get a few hours off a week from work to work on this. But, I do love hearing your thoughts. Please let me know them. And as always, I hope you are all well, and I thank you for reading!