Ok... so I know it has been like three weeks since I posted a chapter... and for that, I am SO very sorry guys! I have quite a few reasons for the crazy long delay: 1. I was busy helping my senior class prepare for its play fundraiser 2. I went to Tennessee to go visit a college 3. I got my wisdom teeth taken out 4. FREAKING STUPID WRITER'S BLOCK! But anyway... I finally have a new chapter for you guys and its another really long one. The process of this chapter was a little rocky, cause when I first started writing it, I thought it was just going to be filler, but as I got into it, I decided to do some INTENSE things in it so I hope you all enjoy those! So anyway... Thanks to Lizzy8980 and Anytime for following/favoriting. Now onto the reviews, and there were a staggering amount this time! I love you guys so much for all your lovely support! :D

Random Nobody: Oh! No don't kill me! I'm not done writing yet! Haha... but yeah, I hope I didn't make the path I'm about to take too obvious there... I know that there are still quite a few unexpected twists left along the way... ;)

For the sake of simplicity, I will review all of the Guest reviews in one fell swoop (this still might get a little confusing): I am a little insane, aren't I? Hahaha... And yes, the DRAMA! it just explodes like a million fireworks across the night sky! :D Well, Hylia's words of wisdom were both for Zelda's comfort and a little foreshadowing advice as well... But I'm still not there yet in the story so... And no! I can't get rid of Link! (or at least not yet)! I love him too much! (seriously I have this huge fangirl crush on him and fantasize about him all the time lol ;) But thanks for all of the support and the many reviews! :D

Twilight16: Yep, the Fused Shadow all ties back into it. After all, I am trying to tell my own take on the Interloper war mentioned in Twilight Princess. And I could see why Midna would be so angry about what her ancestors did... They're kinda jerks if you hadn't noticed... ;) But seriously! I don't know if I can find it in my heart to kill Link off for good... but I can't say whether or not I will yet...;) And Fi is here, because while her sleep may have been "eternal", as will be later stated, the goddesses themselves instructed her to awaken and aid the hero once more! And yeah... maybe I should tell my reviews to stop spoiling things... wouldn't want to ruin the story for anyone too early ;) U HEAR THAT EVERYONE? NO MORE SPOILING IN THE REVIEWS! K THANKS! XD

TheJediAvenger: Lol, we already discussed the awesome hilarity of your review! Loved it!

Nikrael: I'll try my hardest not to rush... lol ;D But yeah, I have to say that if I was in Zelda's place, I would probably use the arrow on Link too. Like you said, it'd be better for him to die a merciful, honorable death than have to live as Majora's mindless servant forever and ever. But we'll have to wait and see what she's actually going to do later on, I guess! Glad you enjoyed the chapter!

anon: What? She is? Hm... Perhaps... Or maybe not... But I can't say anything specific just yet cause that would be SPOILERS! XD

Vivi-ntvg: Maybe.. maybe not... Who knows? (I do!) And yeah, I'd like to think that Link would like to die as himself too... but we'll have to wait and see what Zelda will chose!

Litts E. Lock: War is certainly on the horizon! In fact, this is our first chapter that is really starting to build up to the HUGE climax I have planned! And I certainly didn't want things to be too easy for Link or Zelda. I guess I'm just cruel like that, or whatever. :) And I'm afraid we'll have to wait another chapter to see what Veress is up to... For the duration of this chapter, allow me to clarify that she's sitting all cozy in her fortress with the Fused Shadows while her followers duke it out on the battlefield. And you're quite welcome for the acknowledgements! I love to give credit where credit is due! :D Thanks again for all your help!

RandomButLoved: Well of course I plan on using Frozen as an inspiration in the future! I love it SOOOOOO much! And no... that's not quite what I was aiming for with what Terminus meant... But I can't say just yet cause that would be major SPOILERS! We'll all find out soon enough! :D

Nintendoman01: Shh... "Its a secret to everyone!" ;)

Alright! Well that too a while, but here we finally go! Let's get started! :D

Chapter 29: War on the Surface

"So, burn me with fire, drown me with rain.
I'm gonna wake up screaming your name.
Yes, I'm a sinner; yes, I'm a saint.
Whatever happens here, whatever happens here,
We remain."
-We Remain, Christina Aguilera

Zelda frowned as she stood within the doorframe of the bedroom, silently watching Link as he prepared for the upcoming battle that was set to begin in just a few hours. The girl had spent the better part of the last two days trying to convince him that he didn't need to fight in the upcoming melee, since he was still recovering from his time in captivity and regaining his strength, but the hero wouldn't hear it. Link knew that defending the surface from the Interlopers would most likely be one of the last things he would ever do of his own free will before being corrupted and he was ready to do anything he could to quell the threat that the rebels posed to Zelda and the surface one last time. And every time the girl tried to plead with him to remain in the village where it would be safe while everyone else went off to war, that is what the hero would tell her, and it only made her feel more guilty about the entire situation.

As angry as she had been with him when he had lied to her about both his corruption and his captivity, she realized that she was now harboring two great secrets of her own. The first was one that she knew she could not tell him yet, as it would only complicate things even more. She hated the fact that it was something that she could not stop, but of course, she didn't really want to stop it at all. What she really wanted was for her husband to be able to survive and share it with her, rather than fade away before even seeing it at all. Her second secret was something that she was almost as afraid to tell him, mostly because she wasn't sure how he would react to it. If she were to tell him that she had a way to cure him of his corruption, but one that ultimately end his life, then she would, in a way, be giving over the decision to him, instead of having to quarrel with herself over it as she had been ever since the dragons told her about it. And in many ways, that would be fair; he would be able to choose for himself what his fate would be, whether it was death or corruption, though neither option was ideal. But no matter what he could possibly choose, Zelda knew that she wouldn't be able to fire that arrow into his heart herself. The very idea of ending Link's life, even if it was to save his spirit, was unthinkable to her.

However, as conflicted as the girl was, she couldn't help but draw in a silent breath when she saw the hero unfurl the crimson cape of Hylia's first hero and prepare to put it on, along with the golden shoulder mantel. Simply seeing the ancient garb filled her mind with the goddess's bittersweet memories of the fallen champion of yore and the reminder that she was going to lose her own hero in a way that was even crueler. But as Zelda thought of this, a sudden realization occurred to her; over the past few months, both her and Link had been keeping far too many secrets from each other, something that they had almost never done before their current ordeal began. Yet despite the many grave secrets she kept hidden from him now, there was at least one that she found she could finally tell him. She owed him that much at least.

"Link," Zelda said as she finally entered the room fully. The hero, who had unaware of her presence until now, turned to face her, giving her a small smile.

"Oh, hey, Zel," he said as he finished securing the golden armor plates on his shoulders. "I was just getting ready. Is something wrong?"

The girl was silent for a moment as she avoided his crimson gaze. "You know…" she said as she took his hands, deciding to start with something unrelated first. "I wouldn't think any less of you if you decided to stay back after all. In fact, I'd even be willing to stay here with you if you wanted me to. Then we'd both be out of harm's way, at least for a little while…"

Link sighed as his smile faded, knowing that they had been through this too many times now. "You know we can't do that, Zelda," he said resolutely, though there was a sincere understanding for her position in his tone. "You've said it before yourself: this land is our responsibility. It's our job to fight for it and keep it and the Triforce safe from them. And that's what I intend to do right up until the very moment I'm fully corrupted."

"Oh, Link…" Zelda covered her mouth with her hand as she suppressed the involuntary sob upon hearing this. Simply knowing of his incredible dedication to her and the land reminded her of just how heroic and noble he really was, no matter what manner of evil was being pressed upon his spirit. If there was one thing that any of the foes they were facing could not have anticipated, it was his will to fight for what he was sworn to protect. "I… I can't thank you enough for all you've done…" she said with remorse as she slipped her hands out of his. "But… I do feel as though I owe you the truth about something that I've been hiding from you for a while now… Something that I hope will finally explain so much that I wasn't able to explain to you before. And like we agreed: no more secrets, right?"

"What is it?" the hero asked in confusion, knowing that by the serious tone of voice she was using, it must have been important.

The girl sighed as the two of them sat down on the bed together. She took his hands once more as she figured out how she wanted to word this, the least of her deepest secrets. "Hundreds of years ago, before Demise even rose up and started attacking the surface, Hylia anticipated that he would strike," she began, letting the goddess's ancient memories overtake her words. "She feared that she wouldn't be able to defeat him on her own, and so, in preparation, she started scouting out among the knights of the land, searching for one who was strong in spirit, brave, selfless, skilled and heroic. And, in time, she found such a knight, and for quite some time, she watched this young man from afar and it was as she did so that… that she began to admire him for… more than just his strength…" Zelda paused for a moment and bit her lip, gaging Link's lack of a reaction to this as he continued to listen to her with intent. The fact that she was basically telling him that she had been in love with someone else in another life was certainly awkward, until she remembered that the one she had loved had actually been him in a past life. And so, taking in a deep breath, she continued solemnly. "Four years before Demise appeared, the knight was framed for an act of treason that he did not commit and he was imprisoned by his peers. It was all part of Hylia's plan that she had laid out for him; through his turmoil and hardships, he would be crafted into one who could stand against the demon king as the goddess's chosen hero… her first one…"

Finally the hero spoke, clearly awed by this revelation. "You mean… there was someone else… before me?" he asked, though the only emotion in his voice was surprise.

Zelda could only nod, since she couldn't think of anything to say to him at the moment. She suddenly regretted telling him about this, since she anticipated that he would be hurt or angered by it. After all, in a way, she was basically telling him that his only purpose in existing had been to serve as a replacement for a hero who had died ages ago. But the girl knew that he was so much more than that, to both her and the surface.

"And you've known about this for how long?" Link asked, his tone still calm and his expression almost unreadable, as if he didn't really have much of a reaction to this at all, despite the fact that he did and he was just keeping it under the surface for now.

"I didn't know until the night we got married," Zelda said diffidently. "When I first saw you wearing that." She took some of the fabric of the scarlet cape he was wearing and ran a finger down it, wondering who had repaired the once torn and marred material after the first hero's death. "This was his. When I saw you wearing it, all of Hylia's old memories about him came rushing back to me."

"So, what happened to him?" the hero asked after a moment of tentative silence.

The girl went on as before, though as she did, she continued to try and determine his thoughts on the matter. "When Demise started attacking the land with his followers, the hero was set free and his honor was restored. The people of the land depended on him to save them and so did Hylia. She appeared to him in person and gave him the Goddess Sword, tasking him with defending the people against the demon king and he accepted without hesitation. It wasn't much later that Hylia sent the human up to the sky, while her and her hero stayed behind to fight Demise themselves. And… during that time… the two of them became quite close… Even though she was a goddess and he was a mortal, they both quickly realized that they… that they loved each other, regardless of their standings. Which was why it hurt Hylia so much when… when he was killed in battle by Demise…"

"So, he died?" Link asked, this time with a hint of bitterness in his voice. "That just seems to be ultimate fate of all of Hylia's chosen heroes, doesn't it?"

"Link!" Zelda exclaimed in newfound frustration, angry with him for accusing the goddess of intentionally pushing the destinies of her heroes towards destruction. "Don't say that! You know that's not true!"

"So, you're saying that Hylia didn't force him into a battle that he wouldn't be able to win?" the hero asked rigidly, clearly no longer calm about the situation. It seemed unlikely to him that it was just by mere coincidence that both him and the goddess's first hero had been slated for death, despite what Zelda claimed. Rather, he was starting to think that maybe there was a chance that Majora had been right after all. Maybe the goddess had been using him all this time to achieve her ends, even if they were peaceful ones. But what frustrated Link the most was that not only was he being used, so was Zelda, who had been forced to take on an identity that she had never asked for or wanted to be. It was because of the thoughtless intervention of the goddess that neither of them would ever be allowed to live their lives peacefully in the first place.

"I never said that," the girl proclaimed firmly. "She wanted him to win with all her heart, but he fell in battle and there was nothing she could do about it. Nothing except bless his unbreakable spirit to be reborn alongside her mortal form in a future age so they could protect this land together. So we could protect it together."

"See? That's exactly what I mean, Zelda," Link said pointedly as he stood and turned away from her. "She used both of us!"

"No, Link," Zelda said without thinking, unable to contain her pressing anger any longer. "She used you!" The girl gasped the moment those words left her mouth, but it was too late to take them back now. She had told him before that the goddess had used him, but never in such a cold, bitter way. A prolonged, empty silence lingered between them for a moment, as they both stared at each other with wide eyes filled with hurt.

"So… it's true…" the hero said quietly, as he set his gaze to the ground in a glare.

"Link…" the girl sighed as she rose to stand up as well. "I didn't mean that…"

"Is that all I am to you, Zelda?" Link asked with slight sadness as he looked towards her again, remembering that in a way, she indirectly used him just as the goddess had. "Just your pawn and nothing more?"

"You were never my pawn!" the girl said firmly, clenching her fists tightly at her sides. "I'm not like Hylia was! I would never use you like she did. You were my best friend way before you were ever my hero and I value your life more than I do achieving my own goals." She sighed as she felt her anger turn to grief as she remembered what Terminus had told her days before. "When Hylia lost her first hero, she was able to get over it because she knew that they would meet again in another life. But… I know that I won't be able to get over losing you, Link… We won't meet again once you're corrupted…"

"What? Why not?" the hero asked as his glare towards her softened slightly.

Zelda hesitated, hating that she had to be the one who would have to tell him this, but knowing that she owed him this truth as well. "After her hero died, Hylia decreed that whenever this land is in danger, her sacred blood and his heroic spirit would be reborn to fend off whatever evils it faces. That's how it was supposed to be for the rest of eternity: that when we die, we'd be reborn in each new era, though without any memory of our past lives. Our destinies were bound throughout time like that. But… Terminus told me that once you're finally corrupted, your spirit will be forever broken, meaning that unlike me, you will never be reborn again…. Once you're gone, this land will never see another hero again…"

Link suddenly felt incredibly guilty upon seeing her close her eyes trying to fight back tears. Here she was, lamenting over the fact that they would never get a chance to be together again, and all he had done was accuse her of something that wasn't even her fault. What she had just told him didn't even bother him when compared to his attitude towards her. These were some of the last moments they would ever share together; the last thing the hero wanted was for them to be full of bitterness and anger. "Zelda… I'm sorry," he said with sincerity as he took her hands again. "I didn't really mean any of what I said. I guess I'm just a little stressed…"

"We all are…" Zelda said with understanding and forgiveness. The two of them said nothing for a while as they lay down on the bed, side-by-side, to take in a few more moments of peace and relaxation before the deciding battle began. The Sheikah and Skyloftian joint troops were to set out at dawn, and since all of them had been up all night preparing, it couldn't be too far off. Since the couple was as ready for it as they could ever be, now all they could do is wait.

"How did we get here, Zel?" Link asked wearily, referring to the overwhelming situation they both found themselves in.

"I still don't know…" Zelda said with a sigh. "Sometimes, I wish that none of this had ever happened. That this war had never started, that we had never come down here… and that we had never been forced into this destiny we share. Maybe… if we had never been pushed so close together by fate, then you wouldn't be losing yourself like you are now…"

"I would never wish for that," the hero said, taking her hand and giving it a gentle kiss. "I'd rather be corrupted a thousand times than live one life not loving you."

"You really mean that?" she asked, giving him a small, warm smile.

"I really do," he said as he drew her into a long, tender kiss. It was cut short however by the tolling of bells coming from the center of Kakariko Village, signifying that it time for the troops to gather and march out. The couple parted hesitantly, knowing that once again, their all-too brief peace was being torn apart.

"I guess we should go," the hero said as both of them sat up.

"Yeah…" the girl said with a frown as she continued to hold onto her husband's hand. "Link… I want us to stay together out there, no matter what happens. The last time we were separated, I thought I had lost you forever. I can't bear to lose you again…"

"Ok… but, you know that you're ultimately going to lose me anyway, right?" Link reminded her gently, not trying to cause her more grief, but wanting to be nothing less than honest with her.

"I know…" Zelda said as she glanced down, hating that this was certainly true, but knowing that she still had him for now. "But not today."

Sheik grinned perceptively when she spotted the first signs of the Interlopers rallying their warriors on the western hills. For once, it seemed as though everything was finally going according to plan. During the last few days of preparation, the Sheikah leader had discovered several Interloper spies amidst her own ranks, and so, she had cleverly made sure to feed them several pieces of false information, to throw them off of their real plans. Of course, there was no need for the battle to be any form of a sneak attack. Rather, Sheik wanted them to know that they were coming, since the entire point of it was to apprehend as many of the rebels as possible, and push those who were not captured towards the desert, where the gateway that the dragons were creating awaited. She allowed the Interlopers to know only when those loyal to the goddess would strike and where, but everything else they knew about their strategy, from tactics to battle formations, was sheer misinformation. The chances of success for the combined Sheikah and Skyloftian forces seemed good, great even; after all, they outnumbered the Interlopers nearly two to one and most all of them were skilled in battle. Fate seemed to be on their side this time and it needed to be; after all, they didn't have that many options left.

However, despite her confidence in their success, there were still two things that Sheik worried about; or rather, two people. And as she sat upon her own steed and watched the hero and the girl ride up along beside her, both of them seated on Epona, she couldn't help but frown. Both of them were so insistent on throwing themselves into such a dangerous battle, but neither of them wanted to see the other get hurt any more than they already had. The Sheikah leader felt great pity for both of them and how much they had struggled thus far, but she knew that their grief was only bound to multiply. She wished that there was something she could do to help the couple even more that she already was, but she knew that there was only one thing she could do for them and it was give them as much support in this war as possible. Not only did she consider it her duty; she considered it an honor.

"Are you both ready for this?" Sheik asked Link and Zelda formally, her tone brisk and her expression showing that she was clearly ready to fight.

"Of course," the hero said with a nod. "Are you ready, Sheik?"

"I've been ready to end this for weeks," the Sheikah leader said icily as she looked out across the vast green fields, hoping that they would not be stained red with blood in the upcoming strike. "I'm sure you both remember our plan, right? We'll wait here where we have the best vantage point of the field for a while as the troops head out first and try to push the Interlopers towards the desert. Some of them will certainly try to retreat back into their stronghold and that's when we start out and follow them from a distance to find a way in so we can get to the Fused Shadow and get rid of this problem at the source. Got it?"

Link and Zelda both gave her a terse, affirming nod as the three of them watched the last of the troops line up in place. There was a tense moment of silence, in which the very landscape itself seemed to be utterly still with anticipation for this awaited fight. And then, without a single word of command, both sides simultaneously rushed forth, their weapons raised as they hurried across the wide plains, until each warrior or knight met with an opponent and duked it out with deadly skill. As the trio sitting atop the high hill could tell, each and every person out there fought for a purpose, whether that purpose was under the command of the Interloper leader in an attempt to usurp more power and strength, for the loyalty that all of the true Sheikahs had for the goddess, or for the vengeance and honor the young knights of Skyloft were claiming in memory of their destroyed home above the clouds. The three of them watched the battle in nervous silence for what seemed like ages, noticing that it stood in a stalemate for quite some time. The force of fighting figures covered the land, as did their cries of war and shouts of pain whenever they were injured. Of course, those fighting for the side of the goddess had all been instructed to not kill any of the Interlopers, but to simply subdue them and apprehend them at most. However, the Interlopers had no qualms about showing any such mercy or restraint. Yet all the same, it was still difficult for Link, Zelda and Sheik to tell who was winning amidst the wild melee.

However, the tide of the battle suddenly changed in a moment that none of them had been anticipating. A bright, golden light suddenly shot across the grey, cloudy skies, illuminating them in a pure, sacred glow. Zelda smiled with relief when she realized that this was the work of Terminus, who was with the dragons in the desert, helping them prepare the realm that would serve as the Interlopers prison. They had been working on it for the past several days now, but as the girl could tell from the heavenly light streaking the skies, this was the goddess of Termina's way of telling them that it was finally finished. However, that wasn't all the light was for. As it parted the overcast skies, it was clear that such holy light was having an adverse effect on the dark souls of the Interlopers, who were so used to dwelling in the depths of the shadows that they had abandoned the purity of true light. The golden glow was weakening them and their forbidden magic, which fortunately allowed the Sheikah and the Skyloftians to take the advantage. While the battle had been going on for at least an two hours now, it only took them seconds to take down at least a fourth of the Interlopers, whether it was by capturing them, or forcing them to retreat in the only direction they could: to the desert.

It was as those loyal to the goddess started to gain the upper hand that Sheik finally spotted what she had been scanning the field for the entirety of the battle: a group of about only four or five Interlopers, not heading to the desert like the rest of their fleeing brethren, but instead, slipping through the fighting crowds unseen and heading to the north instead of the west. "There!" she exclaimed to Link and Zelda, pointing the divergent group out. "That's our guide. Let's go."

Without a moment's hesitation, the three of them set out, commanding their horses to speed across the fields as fast as they could in pursuit of the group of Interlopers, knowing that they would lead them to their fortress and hopefully, to the Fused Shadow. However, despite the fact that they could see where the group was running off to, they were still quite a ways off from them, miles away in fact, and since the field was filled with battling warriors, quite a few of them foes rather than friends, their chase was anything but easy.

But all the same, as they galloped along, it seemed very likely that they would be able to keep up following the trail that the retreating Interlopers were setting for them. That is, until something that none of them could have anticipated, but something that they should have taken into account nonetheless, happened. Just as the trio was starting to gain on their adversaries, Link felt a familiar, but still unbearable burst of pain ripple through his entire body once more, coupled with the usual rushes of hot and cold. He let out an involuntary cry of agony as the corrupting wound in his chest tore itself open from its stitches once again and, unable to hold onto Epona's reigns any longer due to his incredible pain, fell off her back and landed on the ground roughly. Both Zelda and Sheik gasped in shock upon seeing the hero fall, and both of them were quick to bring the horses to a halt, for they both immediately understood well what was happening.

"Link!" Zelda cried in worry as she knelt down beside the hero as he writhed in agony once more. "Are you alright!?" The girl instantly scolded herself for even asking him such a stupid question, for she could simply tell by looking at him that he was not fine. His eyes were shut in a tight, pained expression as he groaned in quiet misery and wrapped his arms around his chest, trying to force the suffering that the demon was putting him through away.

Link opened his eyes and managed to find enough of his waning strength to give her a small reassuring smile. "Yeah…" he said weakly, the pain of this new spell of corruption constricting every part of him, making even breathing a laborious task for him. "I-I'll be… fine… B-but Zelda… You n-need to… go on… w-without me…"

"What?!" the girl exclaimed, her eyes wide with protest upon hearing this request. "No! I won't leave you here all by yourself!"

"Zelda…" the hero sighed in exasperation, realizing that this bout of corruption was coming at a exceptionally inopportune time, for certainly they were allowing the Interlopers to get away because of it. And so, since he knew that the headstrong girl wouldn't listen to his pleas to hurry after them before they missed their chance, he turned to Sheik, hoping that she would prove to be more sensible about the situation.

"P-please…" he quietly and earnestly begged to the Sheikah leader, desperate to keep Zelda, who was already becoming hysterical upon seeing him in so much pain, safe from any harm that he could possibly cause her. "You have to… g-get her out of here… now… before it's… t-too late…"

The Sheikah leader nodded, but frowned with pity for the hero as his words drifted off with a painful shudder. "He's right, your grace," she said to Zelda with due respect, gently grasping her by the arm as she began to pull her away from her ailing husband. "We can't stay by here; somebody has to go into the Interlopers' stronghold and destroy their power source and we're the only ones who can. If we don't go now, we'll lose their trail."

'But… Link…" Zelda bit her lip as she cast another fretful gaze upon her hero, tears of worry for him slipping down her cheeks. The last thing she wanted to do was leave him to suffer another spell of corruption all alone, especially in the midst of such a terrible battle, but she knew that both of them were right; they still had a job to do and for the sake of the surface and all those upon it, it was one that needed to be done, regardless of the cost. And so, with a relenting sigh, she nodded her agreement to this plan, but not before turning to Link once more and taking his hand tightly.

"This isn't goodbye," she said firmly, trying her hardest to remain strong for both of them. "You can fight this. I know you can. You've kept it up this long; please, just keep it up a little while longer, even if it is hard. For me."

"I… I promise…" Link said as he began to slip into semi-consciousness, feeling the corruption begin to take a steady hold over him once again. "I'll n-never… stop fighting… f-for you…"

The girl gave him a small, tearful smile as she leaned in and gave him warm, loving kiss, praying and hoping that it would not be their last. Sheik glanced away from the couple and sighed remorsefully before returning to the task at hand. "We'll all try to reunite at the entrance to the fortress, wherever it is," she said in an authoritative tone. "The sooner we end this, the better. Let's get going." The Sheikah leader paused for a moment as she watched the hero struggle to stand and lean against Epona for support, but he managed to reclaim his footing, despite the fact that he was not out of the demon's grip yet. "Wait," she said, slowly walking over to Link just as she began to notice that his facial markings were starting to glow again and the color was beginning to fade out of his eyes, both signs that his corruption was growing ever stronger. She was unable to think of too much to say to him, so she simply placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him a small smile. "Link…" she began, wanting to let all of the anxiousness she had allowed to bundle up inside of her over the past few weeks go, but knowing that she couldn't yet. She still harbored too much regret over the whole thing. "Good luck."

"Thanks Sheik…" the hero said, still breathing heavily. Without another word, the trio parted ways. Sheik and Zelda both taking the Sheikah leader's horse and continuing on after the small group of Interlopers, in the hopes that their trail had not been lost already, while Link stayed behind and tried to fight off the corruption so he could rejoin them quickly. The girl glanced back towards her husband one last time, only to see him collapse against Epona listlessly. She caught onto the sound of his sharp cry of pain and when she heard it, she wanted nothing more than to hurry back to his side and help him, but her heart sank when she remembered that he had insisted that they part ways, even if it was only for a little while. And so, as much as it broke her heart, the girl knew that the only thing she could do was work as hard as she could to protect her land and hope that the hero would be able to push the force that was tirelessly trying to destroy him away once more.

Link was unable to suppress another agonized shout as another wave of immense pain overtook him. This was by far the most unbearably painful spell of corruption that he had been forced to suffer thus far; the anguish, both internal and external, was so terrible that it brought him on the verge of tears. And yet, his will to resist it was stronger than ever, for he knew that Zelda depended on him and there was no way he was going to let her down now.

However, despite his struggle, the demon was proving to be just as stubbornly resilient. With a wicked laugh of cruelty that sounded out loudly in both the hero's mind and ears, it sent another stinging burst of destructive power throughout his body, one that seemed to tightly constrict his very spirit even more than it was already being strangled amidst the corruption that was trying to break it. It was so utterly oppressive and brutal and Link was desperate to do anything to make it stop, even plea to the wicked demon that was causing it in the first place.

"Please!" the hero cried out to the voice that only he could hear in absolute misery, knowing that this was cowardly and weak, but there was nothing else he could do. "Stop!"

"You dare to beg to me for mercy, hero?!" the demon screeched with triumphant delight, knowing it had pushed Link to the very edge of corruption. "You weak, pathetic fool! What makes you think that you deserve any kind of mercy? The sole purpose of a slave is to serve the every whim of their master, and last time I checked, hero, you are MY slave! Your duty is to ME and nothing else! Not this pathetic land, not your own worthless desires, and certainly not your dear little goddess! In fact… Since you hardly resemble the hero that you used to be, I see no point in toying around with you any longer by calling you by your former 'noble' title… After all, a slave is nothing more than a slave, no matter who they are. And you certainly are my slave as certainly as I am your master."

"No," Link said rigidly, clenching his fists as he ignored another flash of heavy pain. "You're wrong. You're not my master and you never will be!"

Majora was silent for a moment, as if taken aback by the hero's bold statement, but it was quick to regain its composure by letting out a cold laugh. "You know, you really do amuse me, slave…" it taunted, referring to Link by the new, though unwanted title it had forced upon him. "There is a certain beauty in your resistance. Even I have to admit that much. The strength of your spirit is admirable, unlike any ever seen in a mere mortal before. And that is exactly why I wanted you so much, Link…" the demon said, calling the hero by name for the first time ever, signifying that its dark power was starting to pervade every part of the hero's being, and this time, it could not be simply willed away. "The Spirit of the Hero is filled with some of the purest power imaginable, power that is only rivaled by the glory of the Triforce itself. Being the mere human child that you are, I doubt that you truly comprehend the sheer might that is contained within you from you possessing both. What a shame it is that you don't even know how to use your own power to its fullest extent. But don't worry… Once I finally conquer you and claim you entirely as my own, then the power of the Spirit of the Hero and the Triforce of the gods will be at my command! And the irony of it all is that the very Hero of the Sky, who worked so hard to save this virgin land and its sovereign goddess, will be the one who will ultimately destroy them both!"

The demon laughed loudly and triumphantly inside the hero's mind, but before he could offer up a single word of protest to everything that it had just told him, he was cut off by the most aggressive wave of agony yet. Unable to remain standing, Link collapsed to the ground as he felt himself lose control of everything once again. A chilling numbness filled his entire body as the world around him began to pulsate and grow distorted through his vision, no doubt an effect on what Majora was doing to his mind. The last thing that hero was able to think out of his own free will before he was overtaken by corruption completely was that he had failed Zelda, and because of him, everything would fall into complete chaos and ruin for eternity.

Now under Majora's total command, Link stood, completely unphased by his former agony. His eyes were pure white and his expression was empty and emotionless as the demon guided his movements to turn towards the north, where Zelda and Sheik had headed off only moments ago. However, before the demon could command the hero to mount Epona to peruse them and attack, the hilt of the Master Sword hanging from Link's back glowed briefly, before the sword spirit emerged from it, already wielding her duel sabers.

Already knowing what the demon wanted the hero to do, Fi stood firm as her corrupted master turned to face her, drawing his blade as well and preparing to engage the new obstacle that stood in his way. "Master Link," she said, giving him a soft, wary glare. "I do not wish to fight you. But if mean to threaten her grace's safety… then I will do what I must to defend my creator."

Link said nothing in reply, and for a moment, Fi believed that he was going to stand down after all, but when he finally did speak, it shocked even her, despite the fact that she was normally so perceptive in most things. "Foolish sword spirit," the hero said in a voice that was undeniably his, however there was something else laced within it as well. It sounded as though there were actually two voices, both speaking in complete unison, coming out of his mouth at once: his own youthful voice and another voice that was deeper and unnatural, filled with malice and hatred. "I know you will not attack me. The sole purpose of your existence is to serve me as your master."

It didn't take Fi long to figure out from his cold, uncharacteristic words that Majora was speaking through its new servant, yet another sign that it had near absolute control over Link. But even so, the sword spirit could tell that the demon had not broken the hero's spirit quite yet and she hoped that through that small shred of himself he was still barely clinging onto that he would find freedom once more. "That may be true," she said calmly, brandishing her twin blades. "But while it may be my duty to serve the goddess's chosen hero, I am not obligated to serve him so long as he is under the control of a malevolent influence, Majora!" She shouted with fury, calling out the demon for its treachery and deception.

Link's stoic expression did not change, but there was clearly an edge of mocking in the words that the demon was forcing him to speak. "Do you honestly think you can stand against me on your own?" he asked challengingly. "Even you must know that I am immensely more powerful now than I ever used to be before. You are no match for me."

"I do not need to match the might of my master," the sword spirit said firmly, still speaking to Majora rather than Link. "I simply need to free him from your bondage."

Before the hero could say anything else, Fi rushed forwards, skillfully swinging her thin blades at him. Link repelled them easily, though the sword spirit could tell that his movements were nowhere near as natural and smooth as they usually were, due to the demon's control over him. As he swung the sword that served as her own vessel at her, she gracefully back flipped out of its path before rolling around behind him. Not wanting to hurt her master, the sword spirit gave him a kick in the back rather than using her swords on him directly. The hero was propelled forward slightly, but he managed to keep his firm footing as he pointed the tip of his sword skyward. Fi knew immediately what he intended on doing and so she raced for him, both of her rapiers ready to cut off his attack before it even began. However, what even she couldn't have anticipated was that the demon was feeding more power into the energy that was already flowing through the Master Sword and before the sword spirit could even come close to Link, he slashed his sword out in her direction, sending a wave of power that was no longer sacred as it once had been. Rather, this Skyward Strike was tainted by corruption as much as the hero was and as it struck Fi in her middle, it sent her flying back with a tremendous amount of force. Thankfully, she was immune to physical injury, but before she could even pick herself up off of the ground, Link was already upon her. He slammed a heavy foot down upon her chest, pinning her to the ground as he held his blade over her, ready to send it plummeting down upon her.

The hero still did not smile as Majora forced him to speak once more, but there was clear confident triumph in his words. "You should know that I can keep this up forever," he said, the deeper, more wicked side of his voice starting to overpower his natural one.

Fi grinned up at her master, grasping the hilts of both of her swords for a moment as she planned out her next attack accordingly. "So can I," she said pointedly as she swing her swords upward in perfect unison, capturing the blade of the Master Sword in between her own rapiers and gracefully wedging it out of the hero's grip. Taking advantage of the fact that Link was unarmed, Fi quickly slipped out from under his foot and stood, making her move immediately. Still not wanting to cause him any harm, she elbowed him roughly in the stomach, halting his attempt to regain the Master Sword. As he naturally recoiled, she swept a low kick aimed for his ankles. The force swept him off his feet and before he could even attempt to rise, she pinned him down just as he had her moments ago.

"I suppose that you are not as skilled as you appear to be," the sword spirit said with a small grin. "Your overconfidence was your downfall, and it is what separates you from my master. He has more skill and strength on his own than you could ever grant him and that is why he will never be your mindless slave. His destiny is beyond that, no matter what lies you try to feed him."

"You are wrong, sword spirit!" Link shouted in apparent anger, though it was clear that Majora's was through taking on the persona of the hero to unnerve her. "He will never be free! He shall be mine for all eternity and together, we will bring this pathetic land and its weak goddess to their knees!"

The sword spirit simply glared at Link, despising Majora for what it was doing to her master. "Let him go," she said crossly and quietly. "Now."

For some reason, the demon didn't laugh as its presence finally began to fade from the hero's mind, but Fi could tell that it still wasn't finished with him yet. With a sad sigh, she stepped off of him and knelt down at his side, watching as his empty eyes shut and his facial markings finally stopped glowing. The sword spirit waited in solemnly silence as her master slowly and painfully came out of another spell of corruption, his worst one yet by far. And as she waited, she took the time to sense how far his corruption had progressed. "90%..." she said to herself softly as she shook her head in sorrow, knowing that the corruption was so very deep within him now but she decided not to tell him that, lest it make things worse than they already were.

When Link finally began to stir and return to consciousness, Fi decided to steal a glance in the direction that Sheik and Zelda had taken almost an hour ago now. She could tell where they were through dowsing and she knew that Link would want to regroup with them as soon as possible. And so, even though she knew it was not the ideal way to go about this, she left the hero's side for a moment to guide Epona, who had wandered off when the two of them had started fighting, back to his location. Using her telepathic abilities to communicate with the animal, the sword spirit commanded Epona to lower herself so she could place the listless hero on her back and take him to the girl and the Sheikah leader.

As Fi began to lift Link up, he let out a small groan of pain and his eyes began to flutter open once more. The sword spirit let him lie still for another moment, hoping that she was not causing him anymore pain, as his chest wound was still torn open and bleeding. Though it took some effort, the hero eventually managed to focus on Fi as she knelt at his side, though his thoughts and movements were still muddled thanks to the still-fading corruption. "F-Fi?" he asked quietly, his voice singular once more and no longer laced with wicked intent.

The sword spirit couldn't help but give him a relieved smile as she looked into his crimson eyes, glad that her master had finally returned to her. "Shh…" she quieted him in a soft, comforting voice as she placed a gentle hand on his chest, allowing a little of her healing power to flow into him and sooth him. "Everything is alright now, Master… You are alright… Now be at peace and rest."

"But… Zelda…" Link muttered somewhat incoherently as Fi continued to help him onto Epona's back.

"She is fine," the sword spirit confirmed in a calm, even tone. "I am about to take you to her now."

The hero smiled softly as Fi made sure he was securely lying on the horse's back before positioning herself behind him, placing a hand over him to make sure he would stay on. "T-thank you… Fi…" he said in a relaxed whisper as he fell into a tired stupor.

"You are welcome, Master..." The sword spirit smiled warmly at him, allowing herself to feel unbridled joy at his returned freedom. Opposing her own master in battle had been the hardest thing that he had ever had to do in her existence, but in the end, she was grateful that she had not had to hurt him. But, all the same, it still grieved her to know that no amount of intervention on anyone's part, whether it was from the girl, the Sheikah leader, or even her own, could permanently free him from the corruption that relentlessly sought his spirit no matter what the cost.

"Where is he?" Zelda asked worriedly as she looked out towards the south, trying to catch a glimpse of Link. Her and Sheik had followed the group of Interlopers to the hidden entrance, which was near the entrance to the Eldin province, quite some time ago, and they had been waiting near it for the past half hour for the hero to catch up, but so far there had been no sign of him. "He should have been here by now!"

"I'm sure he'll be here soon," the Sheikah leader reassured her, although she wasn't too sure herself. "He's probably on his way here right now."

"But what if he's been corrupted… for good this time!" the girl exclaimed fretfully, praying that this was not the case. She was not ready to part ways with her husband yet, especially not at a desperate time like this.

Sheik frowned, understanding her concerns well. However, fate still seemed to be smiling upon them, for right as Zelda said that, she finally managed to spot Epona coming over the distant hills, bearing both Fi and Link on her back. "There he is!" she said with a smile as her and the girl began to run towards them to meet them.

"Master," Fi glanced down at Link, who was still lying semi-conscious in front of her, as she noticed the girl and the Sheikah leader approaching them. "I suggest that, to minimize her grace's worry and fear, you should sit up. She is hurrying on her way to meet you now."

Upon hearing this, the hero did his best to re-gather his bearings and ease himself into a sitting position. A dull ache still lingered throughout his body from the corruption, but he knew that he had to put on a brave face for Zelda's sake. The girl called out to him in clear joy when she was able to see him clearly and as they approached each other, both Link and Fi dismounted from Epona. Unable to contain her relief that he was alright, Zelda rushed towards her hero and wrapped her arms around him tightly. However, since he was still feeling somewhat weakened and unsteady on his feet, the force with which she collided with him caused him to fall back, taking her with him.

Zelda couldn't help but laugh warmly as she landed on top of Link, their faces only inches apart. "I'm so glad you're alright," she whispered joyfully, not hesitating to lean even closer to him and give him a long, passionate kiss, which both of them certainly enjoyed. The Sheikah leader frowned after watching the loving couple for a minute or two, and then she cleared her throat to remind them that there was still work to be done. Smiling bashfully, the two of them broke apart and stood once more, though they continued to grin playfully at each other for a moment or two.

"Ok, so there it is," Sheik said, pointing to the small stone entryway that was just ahead. Though it was once covered by a bush, the girls had been quick to remove it when they saw the Interlopers go into it. This was definitely one of the smaller, more obscure entrances into the rebel base, existing as a mere tunnel carved into the ground, with stairs leading down into the darkness. None of them knew exactly where within the fortress it would lead, but it was certainly better than nothing. "Is everybody ready?"

The girl and the sword spirit both nodded, but, as the Sheikah leader was quick to notice, the hero simply stared at the entrance, his eyes growing wide and his expression tense and distant. "Link?" she asked worriedly, as he was broken out of his concentration. "Are you ready?"

The hero blinked a few times and nodded, glancing away from the entryway. "Um… yeah," he said, though it was clear that he was distracted by something. "I'm fine… Let's go."

With one final nod between the four of them, they all started to head towards the entrance to the stronghold. However, as her and Link walked hand in hand, Zelda could feel his hand tense up and hold onto her hand clench, to the point that he was squeezing it tightly. As she glanced at his face a new wave of worry washed over her; his forehead was drenched in a cold sweat, his face even paler than before and his eyes were still wide, their crimson gaze locked onto the entrance to the Interlopers' fortress and nothing else. He was breathing quite heavily, to the point that he was almost hyperventilating and with each step they took closer to the entrance, his breathing became even more erratic.

"Link…" she whispered fearfully, praying that this wasn't what she thought it was. "What's wrong? Are you being corrupted again?"

The hero shook his head slowly, knowing that whatever was making his heart race and causing his shortness of breath was not like the pervading power of corruption. Rather, this felt so much more natural and innate, as if something inside of him was being tightened and constricted. The closer he got to the entryway to the rebels' fortress, the more his feelings of deep dread and anxiety began to grow. The very thought of having to descend back into the shadows of that wicked place, where had had been forced to go through so much brutal torture both physically and emotionally, was so unbearable to him that he couldn't stand it. And, right before they reached the threshold into the darkness, he was unable to hold back his pressing distress any longer.

Link stopped abruptly when he was still several feet away from the entrance, causing Zelda to stop alongside him considering the constricting hold he had on her hand. "Zelda…" he choked, trying to gasp for air that would not come to him. "I… I can't…"

The girl frowned in confusion, noticing that he was still staring at the entrance. "You can't what?" she asked with sudden fear, holding onto his arms and noticing that he had started to tremble. "Link, what's wrong?"

The hero shook his head again, a sudden sting shooting across his back upon remembering all of the merciless lashes he had taken within those cold, stony walls at Veress's hands. "I can't…" he muttered, slowly backing away from the entrance, though the girl did not relinquish her stead grip on him. Both his heart and mind were racing now, unable to focus on anything else but the deep, inextinguishable fear he was feeling. "I can't go in there…"

"What?" Sheik asked in surprise, turning as around as her and Fi took notice of Link's strange behavior. "Why not?"

"I… I just can't!" he shouted in sudden desperation, wanting to be anywhere else but here. He shut his eyes tightly, trying to push away the deep fear that was filling him, but as he did so, he could still hear the wicked Interloper leader's cold laughter, her malicious threats, the lies she had fed him about his wife and it only brought him more anxiety.

"What's wrong with him?" the Sheikah leader asked, biting her lip as she watched him crumble to his knees, his breathing still uneven and his eyes wild and scared.

"I believe that he is suffering from what is sometimes referred to as a panic attack," Fi hypothesized eloquently. "They are often triggered by severe stress brought about from unpleasant past experiences."

Zelda gasped when she realized exactly why Link was suffering a panic attack now. Being so close to the entrance to the place where had been forced to go through cold blooded torture at the hands of their merciless enemies was certainly the sort of thing that could cause it. The girl wrapped her arms around her hero tightly as he continued to gasp for air and his heart began to pound frantically, simply trying to calm him in his time of need. Some might have viewed him as weak for breaking down under such mental pressure, but she simply viewed him as even stronger for being able to outlast the terror raging on in his mind for so long. And in light of this, she wanted nothing more than to take him away from this place and take him a place where he knew he would be safe, place where he would be able to forget it all, even if it was only for a little while.

"We're not going in there," she said with dead seriousness as she turned to Sheik and Fi.

Both the Sheikah leader and the sword spirit gaped at each other, stunned at this sudden declaration. "What do you mean?" Sheik asked, suddenly frustrated with both of them for forgetting the plan. "We have to go in there and destroy their power source. Otherwise all of this will have been for nothing!"

"No," Zelda said firmly, sending a glare at the Sheikah leader for her insensitivity. "You two can go in. Link and I are going to stay right here."

"Your grace, be reasonable," Sheik pleaded, her own anxiety starting to rise. "Your light arrows are the only things that can destroy the Fused Shadow. This opportunity may not show itself again. You need to go in there. I'm sure he'll be fine in a little while-"

"I said no!" the girl shouted in authoritative anger, her blue eyes livid. "I won't leave him alone again! I've already done it too many times now! He needs me! So you two can go in there and do whatever you plan on doing, but I'm telling you right here and now that I will not leave my husband to suffer by himself again!"

Everyone was silent for a long moment as they allowed Zelda's firm, frustrated words to sink in. The girl turned her attention back to the hero, though she was still resolute not to allow herself to be convinced to leave him behind this time. She knew that he would do the same for her if their roles were reversed. And so, she dedicated herself to bringing him much-needed comfort and reassuring, and nothing else than that.

"Your grace…" Sheik sighed, lowering her head for her thoughtless behavior. In her own desperation to put an end to this long war, she had forgotten about the deep care and admiration she had for Link and that alone brought her great shame. "I… I am sorry… I-"

"Its fine," Zelda cut her off quickly, not caring to hear it as her and Fi helped Link to his feet once again. The hero was beginning to calm down upon realizing that they were not going into the Interlopers' stronghold after all, but he would feel much better after they were miles away from the entrance to that treacherous place.

The girl sighed wearily as she looked back on the entryway one last time as they headed away from it, hoping that she had made the right choice. She found that with every decision she was forced to make, she was always torn between picking the land that it was her duty to protect and the hero who she loved more than anyone else and it was getting more and more difficult to decide each time. She could only hope that if push were to come to shove, and she would be forced to save one and destroy the other, a choice that she felt like she was being pushed into more and more, she could make the right choice.

Ok! So, like I said, this was a LONG one, but I hope you enjoyed all the intense drama, angst, action and other stuff! I really poured it into this one! We're still building up to the climax, and I'm glad to say that it will begin in just 2 chapters! And so from here on out, pretty much every chapter will have a main focus on one of the main characters. So... the next chapter will be centered mostly on Sheik, for all of you who are big fans of her (Me! which is why I can't wait to write it!) BTW, I'm still in the process of editing Wisdom and Courage, so go check it out! So... Do you guys like extra stuff? I know I do, which is why if you go to my profile page, you'll find links to a lot of great things like the link to my DeviantART page, my Tumblr (which I'm updating ALL the time with stuff related to the trilogy and Zelda in general) and more! Head on over there and check it out and please, don't forget to leave a REVIEW! (but don't spoil anything in them this time, ok guys? thnks)! Love you all! I'll try not to delay the next chapter too much! Until next time!