So let me just start of by saying DANG this chapter is REALLY long! Its like over 9,000 words long, which is by far the longest thing I've ever written! But its all good, cause this chapter is so extensive with the angsts, and the romances, and the lores, and the suspense, and the plot forwarding and the everything else! Plus, I kinda went into depression several times while writing it so... So, let's not take too long here, huh? Thank you legendary-retrouvailles and YueMelHamachi for following and favoriting! Now onto the reviews!
Nikrael-Its totally fine! I understand well how hectic life can get! And thanks!
YueMeHamachi-lol THANKS! XD U have no idea how much I love reviews like yours! They make me get this huge, dumb smile on my face and boost my confidence levels way high! XD And just a little fun fact about that earring scene: as I was writing that, I was hanging out with my best friend and I was all like, is it possible to rip an earring out of someone's ear by sheer force, and how much would that hurt? and she's all like, you're seriously not going to have Link get his earrings out, are you? and I was all like, lol maybe... ;) Anyway, yeah the torture parts are a little heart-wrenching, but i hope you like them anyway! :D
Zelinkwolf-Nice! Thanks for the follow! And yeah, writer's block is like, the most evil thing ever... Its the total bane of my existence... Fortunately, I had very little of it while writing this chapter though, so YAY!
Vivi-ntvg-Yeah, I already have some epic battle scenes planned out for Sheik, but unfortunately, I'm saving most of them for the next few chapters instead of this one. But they will most certainly be epic indeed! :D And yeah, Link is just too much of a boss to reveal anything to Veress, and this chapter will certainly show just how awesome he really is (in a simple, but still awesome way)! :D
ShadowNinja1011-That's ok! Thanks for the review anyway! :D
And now, onto the chapter! (Brace yourself for some HEAVY feels btw)
Chapter 24: The Mark of the Triforce
"You did not break me.
I'm still fighting for peace."
-Elastic Heart, Sia
Veress growled in sheer frustration and rage as she plunged her sharp knife into the side of Link's arm once more, stupefied that he was still even conscious after enduring the pain of all of the many wounds she had inflicted upon him over the past several hours. The hero stifled a moan of agony, but other than that, he remained silent, as he had throughout this constant storm of torture. The Interloper leader had been interrogating him with the same question for what seemed like ages, threatening to kill him if he did not divulge the secret of his corruption, but he held fast, knowing that she would use the information for some evil purpose. But because of his insubordination, Link had suffered more pain in the past few hours alone than he had throughout his entire life. Veress had not used any restraint as she continued to whip him brutally until his back was raw and painted in white blood. When she had grown bored of that, she had resorted to her weapon of choice, her golden-colored knife, which she used to slowly and torturously inflict multiple heavy wounds and cuts all over the hero's body, but it was all still to no avail. He wouldn't say a word, no matter how much pain she put him through and only occasionally would he let out an actual cry of pain, but even then, they were very brief and only reserved for the most intense types of pain. Yet even though Link remained as calm as he could on the outside, he was in sheer agony on the inside. Everything seemed to be consumed in a deep, unending ache; his legs had given out on him quite some time ago, and so the only things that were keeping him upright were the chains that he was hanging from, making his already-injured arms incredibly sore. He had grown lightheaded and weak, not only from the excessive amount of blood he was losing with each new injury, but also from extreme hunger and thirst. However, Veress had already made it quite clear that he would be getting no sustenance within the cold walls of this stronghold, much to his dismay. Yet despite the immense suffering that seemed to grow worse with each passing moment, the hero found consolation in the fact that his resistance was unnerving the otherwise calm and calculating Interloper Leader, even if that did increase the amount of pain she delivered to him. But all the same, he was showing her, even in the most simplest of ways, that she couldn't get everything she wanted simply through violence or force. And, he was showing her that he was not as weak as she thought he was.
Furious at Link's continued stubbornness, Veress gripped him harshly by the front of his shirt, which she had placed back on him only to irritate the still-bleeding cuts she had left on his back, and glared at him hatefully, her pupils seeming to be just as dark of a shade of blood red as her irises. "Speak, hero!" she shouted at him in raw rage. "Say something! I demand that you tell me of your corruption, now!" Once again, Link remained silent as he returned the Interloper's hard gaze and shook his head, bracing himself for what was to come next. But instead of lashing out at him once more, Veress simply tightened her glare towards him as she leaned in close to him, her words growing quiet and dark. "This is your last chance, hero," she said coldly. "I'm through playing games with you. Though I want to know your little secret, I'm not above ending you again just to get you out of my way. I don't know how you've managed to survive for so long, but I can tell you that if you keep this up, you won't live much longer. So, tell me what I want to know, or I promise you that I will kill you."
The hero grinned challengingly at her, for once taking solace in the fact that she wouldn't be able to. "Go ahead then," he said defiantly, anticipating the look of shock and anger that would appear on her face upon seeing her attempt to slaughter him fail once more. He didn't have to worry about keeping Zelda, or anyone else safe here in the stronghold of his enemies, and so he didn't care that another spell of corruption would be what would bring him back to life after Veress killed him again.
Upon hearing his confident answer, the Veress glared at him with burning hatred, gripping her knife tighter as she raised it high into the air. She was amazed that Link didn't even seem to be afraid at all over the fact that he was about to die again, as he simply closed his eyes and held his head high, somehow retaining dignity despite everything he had gone through. But she chased her awe away as she let out a scream of fury and plunged her blade right into the center of the hero's chest, burying it all the way to its handle. Link let out a sharp cry of intense pain as the burning agony of the fatal wound seemed to spread to every part of his body. The pain only magnified as Veress slipped her knife out of his chest, allowing pearl-white blood to spill from the wound freely. She watched with a look of wicked satisfaction as the hero began to breathe heavily, gasping for air as his body began to shut down and enter into death's icy grip once more. Only, unlike the first time, when he had died from a quick electric shock, this time, it was slow and agonizing. Everything started to grow cold and dark as his senses drifted off into complete oblivion. The very last thing he saw before he was gone completely was a comforting vision of Zelda, smiling lovingly at him as she reached out to take his hand and lead him to a bright, warm, golden light.
Link tried desperately to reach his own hand out to give to the girl so she could take him away from this torture chamber and lead him into a peaceful rest, but right before he could, the light suddenly turned into darkness and Zelda vanished altogether. The ache of his bleeding chest turned numb as a sharp chill and a feverish heat ran through his body, accompanied by the sound of dozens of incoherent voices calling out to him, dragging him away from death and rest and pulling him back into life and corruption once more. At the same time, Veress stood by, watching in furious shock as both the markings on the hero's face and the deadly wound she had inflicted in his chest started to glow with a strange light until, right before her eyes, the wound somehow closed itself up, leaving nothing but a heavy scar behind.
"Impossible!" Veress screeched in fury. Enraged by her second failed attempt at killing him, the Interloper leader shrieked in hot rage, grasping him by the front of his shirt once more and shaking him roughly. "Why won't you die!?" she yelled at him hatefully, wanting nothing more than to destroy him once and for all, something that seemed impossible for some unknown reason.
Struggling between corruption and freedom, Link managed to lift his lowered head and open his closed eyes to glance at the Interloper leader. Even Veress was taken aback when she saw that one of his eyes was still crimson and focused and the other one was pure white and empty. "It's… f-frustrating… isn't it?" the hero said defiantly, giving her a weak, yet triumphant grin, much to her aggravation.
Veress took a step back from him and examined him with both awe and scorn. "How… how did you survive that?" she asked incredulously, her unlettered tone showing just how confounded she was. "How does someone defy certain death, not once, but twice?! Nothing, not even pain or torture, seems to break you… It's like you're not even human… Boy… what are you?"
Link's confident smile grew as he seamlessly managed to push away the oncoming spell of corruption. Both of his eyes reverted to their focused red and through some unknown source of strength, he managed to reclaim his footing and stand up straight and firm once more, clenching his fists as he looked the rebel leader straight in the eyes, completely devoid of fear or hesitation. "I am the goddess's chosen hero," he declared bravely and proudly, letting both the Interloper leader watching him in angry shock and the furious demon futilely trying to regain control over him know exactly who they were dealing with. "And you will never break me."
Veress was clenching her fists in anger so tightly they were trembling. She turned her back to him and let out an unbridled shout of fury and frustration, hating his unrelenting hope and determination with every fiber of her being. She was willing to do anything it took to destroy those things, right along with him, and, as she realized that she had the means to do that, her rage started to subside into a calm smile as she turned to face him once more. "We'll just see about that," she said forebodingly as she held her hands out in front of her. They took on a blackish glow as she used her dark magic to summon something, calling out to it as she did so. "Come to me, my Fused Shadow!" the Interloper leader commanded her dark relic. "Come so that we may finally put this foolish hero in his place…"
Veress laughed wickedly as the Interloper's mysterious power source materialized, floating ominously above her palms. The moment the Fused Shadow appeared in the room, Link let out a soft cry of pain as his head suddenly began to pound and his heart began to race. It was as though the mere presence of so much concentrated dark energy was weakening him for some reason. In the midst of his splitting headache, the hero remembered that this had happened only once before, right after he had come down to the surface for the first time, when he had first felt Demise's evil presence subtly pervading the land. But he didn't understand why this sensation was happening again now. Surely the strange, dark power of the Dark Interlopers could not be equal to or stronger than that of the vanquished demon king, could it?
"If I can't get you talking," Veress grinned with pleasure as she noticed the hero's discomfort near the dark relic. "Then I know our precious Fused Shadow certainly will-" The Interloper leader cut herself off as she noticed a golden glow coming from the back of Link's hand. At the same time, the hero felt a familiar burst of warmth in the same spot on his right hand, one that he had experienced quite a few times during his first journey upon the surface and he knew what it meant. He could only hope for the sake of the entire surface that Veress's wouldn't find out.
Nonetheless, the rebel leader, her expression unreadable, slowly moved behind the restricted hero so she could get a better look at the back of his hand. And the moment she got a clear view of the three golden triangles shimmering on his hand, her features lit up in evil delight. "The Triforce!?" she exclaimed, gripping his chained wrist tightly as she ran a finger over the image of the sacred relic greedily. "So you were the one who brought the Triforce back down here from the sky?! Oh, yes… that's right. The legends did say that only the goddess's chosen hero could use the Triforce to defeat the demon king… And you said it yourself; you are the chosen hero, Link…"
Veress laughed triumphantly as she came to stand beside her dark relic once more, knowing that its evil disruptive presence had been what caused the mark of the Triforce to appear on the hero's hand. Link frowned worriedly, wishing that he wasn't in chains so he could hide the shining mark out of her view. He had promised Zelda that he would protect the Triforce from the Interlopers at all costs, and yet, thanks to his own carelessness, he had unintentionally exposed another one of its secrets to them and in doing so, hindered its safekeeping. But at the same time, part of what the Interloper leader had just said put him at ease. She had said that only the chosen hero could use the Triforce, meaning that, perhaps, it would be safe from the rebels so long as he remained diligent. But with the corruption threatening to end him soon enough, he had no idea how long he could keep it up.
"Well, this certainly changes things, now doesn't it…?" Veress asked coyly, giving the hero a sly smirk. "And here was I was, thinking that you wouldn't be of much use to us. How fortunate for me that I didn't kill you."
"You mean you couldn't kill me," Link challenged her boldly, not letting her undermine his resolve to protect what was important to him. "What's it matter to you if I have the mark of the Triforce or not? It's not like you can force me to give it to you."
"She may not be able to force you into handing over the golden power, but I most certainly can…" Majora's malicious voice suddenly rang out in the hero's mind as all of the symptoms of another spell of corruption hit him hard. Link cried out in agony as his chest wound was once again torn open for the first time in weeks and the overpowering surges of hot and cold swept through him. Meanwhile, Veress stood by with a wicked smirk, knowing that she had just uncovered one of the hero's best-kept secrets, and, as she prepared to put the Fused Shadow to use, she was also about to find out another one.
"N-no," Link muttered in pain as he struggled to fight against the demon and chase its influence away as he had moments ago. "I-I'll never… g-give the T-Triforce… to you…"
"Oh, I think you will, hero," Majora cooed with greedy delight. "Once you have fully succumbed to my corruption, my will shall become yours and you shall want only what I desire. You will live only to serve me and as such, I will use you to obtain the Triforce, a sacred power that has been lost to the land of Termina for ages. I should have known that Hylia's little pet would have gained access to the golden power, what, with that 'unbreakable' spirit of yours… That's all you are to her, a mere tool that she used to vanquish the demon king of this land using the Triforce, because she was too weak to do it herself. She doesn't really love you as she claims she does. She toyed with your affections to guide your destiny and for what? For you to ultimately meet your doom at the hands of my corruption? She used you. She has always used you and you have allowed her to lead you on willingly. Whatever you think she feels for you, she has only lied to you in order to get you to do her bidding."
The hero shook his head as he continued to resist the corruption pervading every fiber of his being. But all the same, he wasn't going to stand by while the demon fed him such petty lies about the woman he loved. "Y-you're wrong," he said as firmly as he could, despite the pounding pain of his chest. "Z-Zelda does love me… and I-I'll do anything it takes… to k-keep her safe from y-you…"
Majora simply laughed at his resolve as it pressed another intense wave of pain upon him. "If that is truly what you believe, hero, then answer me this," it said twistedly. "Where is she now? If she loves you as much as you say, why has she not come to try and save you from this torture?"
"B-because," Link struggled to breathe amidst the corruption taking over almost every part of him. "I d-don't want her to…"
"To keep her safe, no doubt," the demon said darkly. "You know that nothing you can ever do will keep her safe in the end. My first servant may have failed to kill the goddess of Termina, but I will not let the life of the goddess of this land slip out of my grasp so easily. Take solace in the fact that once you slaughter her for me, you will be following the will of someone who can promise you so much more than she ever could. Immortality, immense strength, power beyond your wildest dreams. All of these things will be yours when you finally fall into my corruption once and for all."
"I… I d-don't…" the hero started weakly before another sharp wave of pain cut him off. The Interloper leader, who had been watching him the entire time, raised an eyebrow at him as he cried out once more, closing his eyes tightly to try and shut out the pain.
"If you're quite finished carrying on whatever conversation you're having with yourself, then I think it's time we move on, hero," Veress taunted him, even though he paid her absolutely no mind as he started to lose everything to demon's strong hold. "It's time to uncover the truth behind your so-called corruption…" She laughed coldly as she placed a hand on the Fused Shadow, allowing it to fill her with its strong dark powers. With her hand still on the dark relic, she looked to Link once more, just as he was completely drawn into corruption once again. His eyes became pure white and blank once more as he started to pull against the chains that bound him under Majora's command. But before he could break free from them, the Interloper leader let loose some of her magic on him to completely halt his movements. She slowly approached the frozen hero and, with a cruel smirk on her face, she placed her dimly glowing hand on his chest, sensing the evil force stirring within him. "A dark presence fills your heart and mind, hero," she said with quiet satisfaction. "It would seem that you are not as pure and noble as you appear to be… This darkness is tainting your spirit, and it wants to tear you apart until there is nothing left. You are at war with it, and from the looks of it, the darkness is winning…" Veress let out a soft snicker as she continued, speaking to the dark presence specifically this time. "Come out and let me look upon you," she coaxed in a smooth voice, hoping to draw the evil force out so she could learn more about it. "I believe our goals are very much the same; to put an end to not only the hero, but the goddess and the surface that he foolishly strives so hard to protect…"
Hearing the Interloper leader's words, Majora decided to manifest itself in a physical form so she could see it plainly. The demon materialized in the shape of a heart-shaped, spike-bearing mask, shrouded in shadows as it floated above Link's head. Only its piercing yellow eyes were truly visible though, save for the multiple dark tendrils that draped down from its form and wrapped themselves tightly around the hero's neck and arms, symbolizing its strong control over him. Veress's dark eyes lit up with delight as she saw it, feeling the great evil energy emanating from it. She inclined her head in respect for it, knowing that anything that could conquer the chosen hero of the goddess warranted her admiration.
"I am Veress, leader of the Dark Interlopers," she introduced herself as she motioned to the Fused Shadow, her own source of dark power. "And I must say I'm impressed. I knew that some form of darkness unknown to my former people and my own followers was pressing upon that wretched hero, but I could have never guessed that his corruption could be caused by such an imposing being. If it is your desire, then share with me the information that he has been withholding all this time…"
The demon was silent for a moment as it seemed to mull over her request before speaking in its surreal, unearthly voice. "I am Majora, the ancient demon of Termina, a land parallel to this one," it said mysteriously. "And you are correct in assuming that I am the one corrupting the hero's spirit… While he resists me strongly, I am on the brink of pulling him into my control for all eternity and he will never escape. He will become my servant forever, knowing nothing of the faintest bloom of his own desire or presence of himself. When I obliterate his 'unbreakable' spirit, I will use him to take this land and the Triforce as my own!" Majora laughed wickedly at this, but Veress frowned, already formulating to deal with the demon who wanted the exact same things she desired.
"So you are the reason that I cannot kill him?" she asked thoughtfully, placing her hands behind her back as she began to pace back and forth slowly. "You've granted him some sort of immortality, am I right?"
"Yes, you are," the demon said. "After all, what good would a dead servant be to me before I even have the chance to corrupt him fully? Though I must say that I admire your persistence, Interloper. I can sense that your hatred for the hero is strong, born of jealousy and anger."
"Well, he did take an honor away from me that was rightfully mine…" Veress scowled, turning her glare upon the still unaware hero. "Him and the leader of the Sheikahs still loyal to Hylia…" The Interloper leader scoffed as she crossed her arms, hating those who took away what she saw as her destiny, which she believed was to lead the Sheikah into battle against Demise themselves. "The goddess, the chosen hero, Sheik-I mean, the Sheikah leader… I despise all three of them with every fiber of my being. And I simply can't wait to see all three of them completely and utterly destroyed."
"Such hatred and anger is a powerful thing," Majora said with a hint of excitement. "I commend you for it, Interloper. Those are the things that overpower what the goddess and the hero believe to give them hope: love, peace, kindness… Foolishness! Those are the very things that will be their downfall in the end… But you and I, we are very much alike, Interloper. Unlike those weak-minded fools, we see things for how they really are… Only the strongest, those who have true power that only darkness provides can truly rule the world!"
"Which is exactly why I'm trying to rip this land right out of Hylia's hands," the Interloper leader said with a dark smirk. "And I agree; we are very much alike… We both share a desire to plunge this land into chaos and darkness for all time and a desire to rid the world of this pathetic little hero and his pathetic little goddess once and for all. And it is because of these desires, that I have a proposition for you, demon of Termina…"
"A proposition?" Majora asked, intrigued. "You have gained my interest. Tell me what it is you are planning."
Veress's clever grin deepened as she locked her gaze onto Link rather than the demon, her dark eyes alight with bloodlust. "You wish to drag the hero into your corruption, yes?" she asked knowingly. "And the only way for you to do that is to break his spirit, correct?" Majora confirmed this for her before she went on. "Then since we share a common goal and a common enemy, I propose that we work together to break the hero's spirit. Certainly, between the two of us, we will be able to make him crumble to pieces in only a matter of time. And besides, from what I've seen, there's no chance that simply putting him through immense amounts of pain and torture will ever do that. There's only one way to completely and utterly break someone, and it's from the inside out."
"So what do you suggest?" the demon asked with genuine curiosity, agreeing to her wicked plan.
The Interloper leader laughed quietly to herself as she approached the listless hero and placed her hand on his chin, looking into his empty white eyes. "We use the very same reason he's fighting us both so much against him," she said cryptically, already finalizing her devious plan. "Let's see how long the goddess's chosen hero lasts when he realizes that he has nothing left to fight for…"
Zelda, Sheik and Fi had traveled across the field nonstop ever since they had left the village early that morning. The girl was leading them to the spot where she remembered emerging from the Interloper's underground fortress when she had escaped from their grasp weeks ago, hoping that it would work as a passageway back into the stronghold now. Thankfully, the hot summer sun had not peaked its way through the lingering grey clouds overhead, even as the day drew on into the late afternoon. But even so, the women paid it little mind as they traveled at a constant pace as the Sheikah leader and the girl rode along on horses and the sword spirit glided through the air beside them. There had been little conversation exchanged between the three of them, save for those pertaining to where they were going, as all of them had their minds on the same thing: finding the hero who was so important to all three of them, and delivering him from the grasp of the evil Interlopers.
Zelda sighed as she scanned the barren field that lay around them in all directions, trying to locate the exit she had used to get out of the Interloper's stronghold. It wasn't easy to find since the hill-covered expanse was so vast and it all looked so similar. But at the same time, her mind was burdened with concern and worry for Link. Without question the Interlopers were torturing him, whether it was for the purpose of getting him to divulge some sort of information or simply out of cold blood. To merely think that her hero was going through untold pain for her sake made her heart break. But she had resolved to not cry any more over him until he was safe and sound with her once more. She had to be strong for him just as he had always been for him.
At the same time, Sheik was also fretting over the hero, only unlike the girl, her heart was filled with guilt over what had happened. The Sheikah leader regretted that she hadn't tried harder to change Link's mind the previous night. Perhaps if she had, he would be with them instead of the wicked rebels, those who sought to destroy them all in the most painful way possible. Yet though she shared Zelda's desire to save him from them, she knew that she was also breaking yet another promise she had made to him. Link had told her not to let the girl try to go on any sort of rescue mission for him, and yet here they were, heading right into certain danger with the hopes of bringing him home. Sheik knew that when and if they found him, he'd certainly be angry with her, especially if Zelda managed to get hurt in the process. And so, it was as she realized this, the Sheikah leader dedicated herself not only to saving the hero, but also to making sure that no harm came to the goddess as they did so. Even though it broke her heart to see the couple together, she would not rest until she saw the two of them happily reunited once more.
All of a sudden, the girl brought Epona to a stop by pulling on her reigns, remembering what the hero had taught her about riding a horse a little over a week ago, during their all too brief period of peace. Sheik followed suit and stopped her own horse and Fi came to a landing, both of them giving Zelda a curious look as she glanced over the field once more.
"What's wrong?" the Sheikah leader asked upon noticing the sudden worry in her expression.
"I… I can't find it," Zelda said with dread in her tone. "It was around this area, but now, it's gone. It's like it was never even here at all…"
"Veress and her followers must have anticipated that we would attempt to infiltrate their base and rescue Master Link," Fi said in her formal way. "And so, I estimate that there is a 79% chance that they have closed of all of the entrances and exits to their underground stronghold, so that we cannot get in and he cannot get out."
"So how are we going to find him now?" Sheik asked with a frown as she saw the look of sudden woe on the girl's face.
Zelda opened her mouth to say something, but before she could she suddenly let out a cry of pain instead as she put her head in her hands and tried to chase away the sharp headache that had appeared out of nowhere. Sheik's eyes widened as she noticed that the girl was starting to slip off of Epona's back and so, without any hesitation, the Sheikah leader leapt off her own steed and managed to catch the girl just as she fell off completely. Zelda let out a quiet groan as Sheik set her down to lie on the grassy ground, looking over her worriedly for any sign of injury.
"Your grace," the Sheikah leader said firmly, helping the girl ease herself into a sitting position. "Are you alright? What's wrong?"
"Um… I… I don't know…" Zelda said softly, feeling incredibly weak for some reason as her head continued to scream in pain. However, in the midst of this, a vague memory surfaced from her time in the Interloper's stronghold, when she had experienced a brief sensation of weakness and pain as she was feeling now. "W-wait…" she said, trying to remember things more clearly. "I… I might know w-what's happening… The I-Interlopers… They… they have a s-source of dark power… They call it… the Fused Shadow… But… I don't understand what…" Her words trailed off as she tried to catch her breath, already having exerted herself enough in a few short words.
"You don't understand what that has to do with anything?" Sheik asked and the girl confirmed it with a nod. The Sheikah leader pursed her lips as she wracked her brain, trying to figure out what that meant herself.
"Perhaps I might be able to help you understand," Fi suggested as she knelt down to Zelda's level. "It is common for those whose destinies are profoundly bound to the fate of this land to be sensitive to any type of evil that might be pervading the surface. As the goddess reborn, it would only make sense for you to grow weak when such dark power, such as the kind you were describing the Interlopers have, is put to use in excessive amounts."
"What could they be using it for?" the Sheikah leader asked worriedly, biting her lip as she wondered what Veress's current treacherous plan was.
Zelda suddenly gasped as her eyes widened in horror as she pieced the answer together, causing an unshakable fear to rush through her. "Link!" she cried, knowing that, for whatever reason the Interlopers had brought out their Fused Shadow, it must have been for the purpose of using it against her hero.
The same fear came over Sheik as she thought of the same thing the girl was thinking. "You don't think…?" she trailed off, hoping that it wasn't true, but knowing that it most likely was. Just because the Interlopers wouldn't be able to kill him, didn't mean that they wouldn't be able to do anything else they wanted to with him, including using their mysterious dark power to torture him beyond repair.
As the women were fretting over this, a bright glow suddenly lit up the southern skies over the forest. They all looked over in that direction as Zelda rose to her feet, her eyes widening in worry when she realized what it was. "The Triforce?" she wondered out loud as she stepped forward to get a better view of the golden light rising over the trees far in the distance.
"It must be reacting to the Interloper's dark power as well," Fi theorized. "It would be understandable, especially if they created it with the purpose of using it to claim the Triforce for their own."
The girl gasped as a sudden, very dreadful thought occurred to her. "Oh no…" she whispered in anxiety, shaking her head as she stared at the Triforce glowing miles away from their current location. "No, no, no… This is terrible…"
"What is?" Sheik asked, feeling like she was out of the loop with everything.
Zelda frowned, but before she could say anything, a loud crash of thunder sounded out across the grey skies. Almost immediately after it, a sudden downpour of rain began to pour from the heavens, drenching the women almost instantly. Wanting to get out of the torrential storm, they took to the horses once more and headed to the north, fortunately finding a nearby rock formation that would provide them shelter from the already raging winds, banging thunder, heavy rain and bursts of lightning.
"It hasn't rained on the surface in years!" Sheik exclaimed, looking out at the storm as her and Zelda caught their breaths from the fast ride. All three of them knew that ever since the cloud barrier had been set in place between the surface and Skyloft, it had not so much as even sprinkled upon the world below. The magic of the barrier that Hylia had established between the two worlds not only blocked the rain that was often common Skyloft, but it had also provided the surface with all it needed to keep the land fertile and thriving. The only reason the Sheikah leader and the girl could think of as to why it was raining upon land below now was because the Interlopers had pierced the cloud barrier, and now, there was no longer anything separating the sky and the surface. But that was the last thing on their minds, as Zelda began to explain the reason for her worry concerning the Fused Shadow and the Triforce to Sheik and Fi.
"I think it'd be best to start from the beginning," the girl said, looking off towards the direction where the light of the Triforce could still dimly be seen through the rain. "As you both know, centuries ago, Hylia cast off her immortal form so the Triforce could be used to defeat Demise in a future age. But there was another reason she did this as well, and I doubt that any of the legends of your people speak about this, Sheik."
"About what?" the Sheikah leader raised an eyebrow, already wrapped up in the tale the girl was telling.
Zelda sighed, closing her eyes as she let the goddess's ancient memories fill her mind. "In the first war against Demise, before Hylia chose to become a mortal, she had chosen a hero of her own, the first one that this land had ever known. She had loved him, but he died in the battle against the demon king, and Hylia was so grieved over his loss that she decided to be reborn as a mortal, so she could be reunited with her hero, whose unbreakable spirit she vowed would live on eternally."
"So… Link is Hylia's first hero reborn?" Sheik asked in slight awe over this news.
The girl nodded, her expression solemn and somber. "Yes, but he doesn't know it," she said, trying hard not to get upset over thoughts of her own hero. "I don't think he was reincarnated in the same way I was. He has no memories of his past life like I do, but it doesn't really matter. What does matter is that Hylia, knowing that she would be reborn alongside her hero, began planning on how the two of them, or should I say, the two of us, would defeat Demise in the future. She knew that the Triforce was the only power that could possibly defeat the demon king and she also knew that its might could not be wielded by a goddess such as herself. But, most importantly, she knew that only one with an unbreakable spirit could properly use the power of the Triforce. Hylia already knew that her hero, both of the past and of the future, would have such a spirit, but that alone was not enough. And so she created many trials for her future hero, so he would cultivate the qualities needed for him to obtain the Triforce, the attributes of power, wisdom and courage." Zelda sighed once more, sadness and regret creeping into her tone as she continued. "And, to top it all off, she… She had set the fates of her next hero and her mortal incarnation in motion, before either of us were even born…"
"What do you mean?" the Sheikah leader asked softly, still trying to take all of these revelations in.
The girl smiled grimly, letting her thoughts drift back to happier, innocent times she had spent with her hero as they grew up in Skyloft, times that seemed like an eternity ago now. "I think it was through her intervention that Link and I have always been drawn to each other," she said wistfully. "It was through her design that Link and I have always been so close to one another, and it was because of that devotion that we had for each other ever since we were little, that he didn't hesitate to leap head first into any danger, just to save me… She used both of us… but the way that she used him was by far the cruelest…"
"Hylia-I mean, I still regret what I've done… Everything that I've put him through for my sake…" Zelda said, speaking in a tone that made her seem years older and wiser that she normally sounded. "He has struggled so much, but he has never complained. I'm not deserving of his love, and yet he gave it to me freely, even to go to the extremes that he has now just to protect me…" A stray tear slipped down the girl's face, and she let it fall, hating herself for the fact that everything terrible that had befallen the hero was all her fault.
Sheik and Fi were both silent for a long moment as they both gave Zelda consoling looks, unsure of what to say to comfort her. But after a while, the Sheikah leader's curiosity got the better of her as she reached forward and put a reassuring hand on the girl's shoulder. "Your grace," she said gently and sincerely. "What does this have to do with the Triforce?"
Zelda took in a deep breath as she wiped her face dry. "As I said, only someone with an unbreakable spirit could rightfully claim the Triforce," she said, taking on Hylia's formal mannerisms once more as she pushed aside her grief. "And, after going through all of the trials that Hylia had set in place for him, Link was able to obtain it and use it to defeat Demise in both the past and the present. Even now, he's still perhaps one of the only people in this world who is actually able to control its power because of his heroic spirit and pure heart. However… because of this, a heavy burden rests upon his shoulders, one he will always bear for the rest of his life. He has access to the greatest power in this world, which, normally would bring hope to this land during such dark times, but… I fear that my actions may have put him, and all of us, in grave danger…"
"The Interlopers wouldn't be able to just force him into handing over the Triforce to them, would they?" Sheik asked, understanding well where Zelda's worry came from now. "After all, we are talking about Link here. We both know he'd do everything in his power to keep it safe from them. Besides, how would they even find out that he can use it? It's not like anything you just said is common knowledge among any of the Sheikah."
The girl sighed again, closing her eyes in shame over her own actions. "That's what I'm most worried about," she said with a hint of fear in her voice. "If the Fused Shadow has the ability to weaken those sensitive to dark power and cause the Triforce to react to it even from the distance, then I know what else it's capable of doing. Those who have the ability to use the Triforce bear its mark on the back of their hand that only shows itself during certain occasions, such as when they're near the Triforce or some other form of sacred power. And, if I could guess, I'd say dark power would make it appear as well."
"So Veress has probably already found out by now…?" Sheik asked tensely, a hint of anger towards the Interloper leader apparent in her tone.
Zelda nodded gravely, praying and hoping that both her hero and the golden relic would be safe despite this. "I don't know if the Fused Shadow has the power to actually do anything to force Link into relinquishing the Triforce to the Interlopers, but I wouldn't put anything past them," she said, pursing her lips in worry. "I blame myself. I should have warned Link about all of this beforehand. Maybe then, he wouldn't have… he… he wouldn't have…" The girl fought hard to push back her pressing tears, and from her saddened manner, Sheik could infer what she was going to say. If she had better warned the hero about the situation, then perhaps he wouldn't have handed himself over to the Interlopers, knowing that there was a chance that doing so could deliver the Triforce right into their hands.
"It's not your fault," Sheik said consolingly, hoping to ease the girl's guilt. "No one really knows the extent of the dark power that the Interlopers wield." A sudden sly smile came across the Sheikah leader's lips as she developed a plan in her mind. "But…" she started, grinning cleverly. "I think this could prove to be a perfect opportunity to learn more about our enemies. And it gives us all the more reason to save him as soon as we can."
Zelda returned her smile as she realized that she was not too far away from her hero. All she really had to do was find him and bring him to safety. Easier said than done, certainly, but if Link was able to go through untold trials to save her, then she was willing to deal with anything the Interlopers could possibly throw at her to save him. "Alright," she said with a confident nod. "But I doubt we'll be getting closer to finding him in this storm. It's getting late anyway. We should rest for the night so we can find another way into their fortress tomorrow."
Sheik nodded in agreement with this plan as the trio settled into their simple shelter and built a fire to keep them warm and dry. Fi, not needing sleep and not bothered by the torrential downpour, volunteered to keep watch from a distance throughout the entire night as the girl and the Sheikah leader got their rest to prepare for the difficulties ahead.
However, sleep did not come easily to Zelda, and after what seemed like ages of uselessly trying to find rest, she eventually sat up and pulled her legs to her chest as she watched the rain fall down through the darkness of the night. It was a dreary sight, but it couldn't compare to the dread and sadness in her own heart. She was guilt-ridden over the fact that she had inadvertently placed Link in even more danger than he was already in, wanting nothing more than to take the burden that rested solely upon his shoulders away from him and let it rest of her own. Now more than ever, the girl hated the fact that she was also the goddess, and that she had ultimately been the one who pushed the hero's destiny in such a terrible direction. She couldn't even imagine what kind of pain he could possibly be going through at that very moment, just because of what the goddess had ordained centuries ago. Zelda desperately wished that she could be at his side to comfort and encourage him, even if she could do nothing else for him. If only there was a way that she could at the very least send a message of hope and love to him as way to tell him that she wasn't going to let him suffer for much longer.
The girl gasped as one of Hylia's memories suddenly came rushing back to her. In ancient times, the goddess had often used her powers to communicate telepathically with her first hero when the two of them were apart, as a way to not only tell him of her battle plans, but to also deliver him encouragement when he needed it most. Zelda wasn't sure if this specific ability had been transferred to her or not, but she knew that she had to at least try it. She missed Link terribly, and longed to be with him again, but if communicating with each other from miles apart was the only way to find closeness to him at the moment, then that would enough for her.
Zelda sat up straighter and closed her eyes, concentrating on what she wanted to do and nothing else. Letting Hylia's memories guide her, she tapped into the part of herself that contained the few powers of the goddess that she had received and started using her heightened senses to search for her hero's presence. While she was unable to pinpoint exactly where he was, she could sense that he was still alive, though that didn't surprise her after what Sheik had told her about his apparent newfound immortality. Taking in a deep breath, the girl started to establish a telepathic connection with him, one that she prayed would work, as she whispered his name to herself: "Link…" she said quietly, knowing that neither Sheik nor Fi would be able to hear her. "Link… Can you hear me?"
Despite the ache that lingered throughout his body, Link managed to ease his way back into both consciousness and self-awareness, only to find that he was alone in the small cell that he had awakened in that morning. He didn't remember anything of what had happened after he had slipped into another bout of corruption, but he guessed that eventually, Majora had decided to let him go for some reason and Veress must have grown tired of toying with him for the moment, so she threw him back into his cell for the night. But the hero knew that this was far from over. The Interloper leader certainly had more plans for him, especially after discovering what she had about the Triforce earlier that day. Yet he was still resolved to do everything in his power to protect the golden power from her and the demon, lest the surface fall into darkness for all time.
Though it caused him immeasurable pain to even move thanks to his many injuries, Link sat up and moved over to the nearest wall, resting his back against the rough, yet cool stone with the hopes of soothing the burning sensation that the whip lashes had caused. He closed his eyes and let out a deep breath, feeling exhausted and feverish. This single day of torture alone had brought him so much pain and hardship; he had no idea how he would be able to last more of it in the days to come. Despite his determination to protect what he had to, a part of him was starting to lose hope about the entire situation. What if he was unable to protect the Triforce or worse yet, what if he unintentionally delivered it right into the hands of his wicked enemies? He couldn't even begin to imagine how much chaos could be wrought upon the surface if he failed, an outcome that really didn't seem all too impossible now. He felt worn and weak, much too weak to even try to stop it all. Link lowered his head in shame for even thinking about giving up, but he felt as though he had no other options. He found himself trapped by the very choice he had decided to make, and because of it, everything was doomed to fall into darkness for all time. His only regret was that he would never get to see Zelda again, and that he had left her to fight off this great evil all on her own.
The hero was almost to the point of letting a few tears of misery fall over their devastating plight when suddenly heard a soft voice, one that couldn't possibly belong to the demon or the Interloper leader, call out to him. "Link…" the voice said, sounding as if it were faint and very far away. "Link… Can you hear me?"
The hero's eyes widened as he realized who this voice belonged to, and he prayed that he wasn't just hearing things amidst the sanity that he was no doubt starting to lose. "Zelda…?" he whispered hesitantly, hoping that this wasn't just another one of Veress's tricks.
Miles away from the cold cell where Link was, Zelda's heart leapt with joy when she heard her hero's voice faintly, knowing that he had heard her as well. However, she could sense that the connection she had made with him was weak, since she had never done this before herself, and so, she knew that she would not be able to speak with him for long, which meant that every second counted. "Yes, Link…" she said with a small, warm smile. "It's me…"
"But… how?" Link asked with uncertainty, wondering if her sweet, pleasant voice could be nothing more than a dream.
It tugged at the girl's heart to hear just how weak and hopeless his voice sounded, compared to how it normally did: strong and full of life. What had the Interlopers done to him to make him sound like that? "I'm speaking with you telepathically," Zelda explained, trying hard not to cry even though her emotions were about to overflow. "I miss you so much, Link…"
The hero barely managed to suppress a sob upon hearing the sadness, mingled with guilt and remorse, in her voice. He longed to be by her side once more, he longed to hold her in his arms, and he longed to kiss her lovingly and let her simple warmth heal his torn heart. "I miss you too…" he said with subtle grief. "Are you mad at me?"
"What?" the girl asked, not knowing why she could ever be mad at him at a time like this. "Why would I be mad at you?"
"For lying to you," Link said and that's when Zelda remembered the rush of anger she had felt towards him earlier that morning, upon discovering that he had lied to her yet again about leaving. She knew that she would have to address the subject with him eventually, but that could wait until after he was safe and with her again.
"No," she said succinctly. "I'm not mad. I don't want to talk about this right now anyway. Right now, I want to know if you're alright or not."
Link hesitated, not wanting to answer her truthfully lest he appear as weak and pitiful to his wife, the one person that he needed to be strong for the most. "I'm fine," he said emptily, not caring to elaborate any further on his broken condition.
"Now I know you're lying this time," Zelda admonished firmly. "I can hear it in your voice that you're not fine, so tell me the truth. It's alright, Link. You don't have to pretend that you're perfectly fine for my sake. Nothing can change how I feel about you."
The hero sighed as he hung his head in shame, feeling incredibly weak inside and out. "You're right. I'm not fine," he admitted quietly and morosely.
"Did they hurt you?" the girl asked, her heart breaking for him.
"Yes…" Link said as he suddenly remembered the reason why had decided to go through so much pain in the first place. "But I can take it. If it means keeping you safe, then I'll let them do their worst."
Zelda took in a deep breath as she heard the determination and courage return to his tone, as guilt and desperation filled her own. "Oh Link…" she whispered in grief as a stray tear slipped down her cheek. "I… I'm so sorry… You were right. All you've ever done has been to protect me, and all I've ever done is used you to further my own ends. And now, because of my selfishness, I've put not only you in even more danger, put the Triforce as well."
"Like I told you before, I won't let them have it," the hero said firmly, strengthening his resolve. "And I don't blame you for any of this. I'm trying to protect you because I want to, not because I feel like I have to. Because I love you, Zelda, and I always will."
The girl let out a sob as she let a small smile cross her face. "I love you too, Link…" she said as her spirits began to lift. "And that's why I'm coming to find you. I won't let you suffer any more than you have to."
"What?!" Link exclaimed, suddenly worried. "Zelda, no! If you come here, they'll kill you!"
"And if I don't, then they'll do so much worse than kill you," Zelda said calmly, determination in her voice. "You've saved my life more times than I can count. This is the only way I can repay you for all you've done and it's the only way I can make up for how much I've wronged you. It's like you said: I'm doing this because I want to and I love you."
The hero was touched at how much the girl truly did care for him. The demon had lied earlier when it had said that she didn't care for him any more than as her champion and nothing more. He could tell just in her resolve alone that she was devoted to him just as much as he was devoted to her. Their love for each other was nothing less than genuine, in every sense of the word. "Zelda…" he said in slight awe as he smiled softly. "I… I don't know what to say…"
"Then don't say anything…" she said with a light laugh of bliss. "Just know that I'll be there before you know it. We'll be together again soon, I promise." As she was speaking, Zelda felt that her telepathic connection with Link was starting to waver and that soon, she wouldn't be able to contact him again. "We'll only be able to talk to each other for a little while longer," she said with slight sadness, not wanting to leave her hero alone again. "I'm sorry…"
The hero's heart sank as he could already feel her warm presence start to fade. "That's ok," he said, closing his eyes as he rested his head against the stone wall behind him. "Like you said, we'll see each other again soon. But please, Zelda, be careful. If they hurt you, I'd-"
"I'll be fine," the girl said reassuringly. "After all, I made it out of there on my own once, right? Now I have Sheik and Fi with me to help, so between the three of us, I'm sure we'll be able to bring you home. I love you, Link… Don't forget that."
"I love you too," Link said with a small smile, satisfied that he would be able to experience her loving warmth again soon. "Zelda?"
"Yes?" she asked softly, wrapping her arms around herself as she closed her eyes and listened to the hero over the sound of the fading rain.
"Before you go, do you think you could sing for me?" he asked, longing to hear the sound of her beautiful voice raised in a lovely song, one that could comfort him into a much-needed rest.
Zelda smiled blissfully, knowing how much Link had always loved to hear her sing, ever since they were little. "Of course," she said as she began to craft a soft tune. At first, she sang the ancient Ballad of the Goddess, but before long, she decided to experiment with the melody a bit and before long, she found that she was singing it backwards, in simple notes rather than actual lyrics. This new song was surprisingly harmonious, sounding like a peaceful lullaby as it helped to relax the hero and ease his pain, both inside and out. The girl was also taking in by the melody, allowing her dread and guilt to wash away into contentment as she lay down to get some sleep herself. And, as the connection between the couple faded away, this sweet song remained in both of their minds as a reminder that they would not be apart forever. Sometime in the very near future, they would be reunited face-to-face. They would be able to hold onto each other in a blissful embrace and they would restore the hope that they both thought they had lost as they kissed in love and joy. And, for both of them, that alone was a beautiful thought.
Well, that's it. I've finally gone off the deep end with all of the many tears of sadness that this chapter has brought me! It was just too heavy! :,( Excuse me while I go off and cry into the corner now... Alright I'm back! lol, so what did you think? Did this chapter depress you as much as it depressed me? Well, I hate to say it, because this story is starting to become boarderline tragedy, but there's more of this sad stuff to some in the next chapter, but hopefully there will be a little action to balance it all out! Oh and by the way, I just wanted to say THANKS SO MUCH to everyone who has reviewed! I could have never imagined that I'd break over 100 reviews for any of my stories and yet here I am at 119! Thanks a ton and please keep them coming! Reviews are like candy to me and every time I get one, they inspire me to keep writing for you guys! So please do REVIEW! Until next time!