Alrighty everyone so... Here we are at the longest chapter of this story yet (like around 12,000 words long), jam packed with pretty much everything and believe me when I say this one is HEAVY! I mean HEAVY! (I just hope you all don't hate me too much by the end of it!) So, I'll try to keep things short this time. foREVer72399, Tloz-H50, CupcakePride101, and GO ZeldaXLink for following/favoriting. Now onto the (many) reviews and let me just say you guys had a hayday with the last chapter, didn't you? ;)

Nikrael: Well, allow me to say that things aren't over yet, but thank you so much for the kind words! They made me feel so nice and I hope I will continue to amaze you in the chapters to come! :D

GO ZeldaXLink: Don't worry! I wouldn't dream of leaving you guys hanging at a moment like that! We're about to find out what happens in a bit and I hope you enjoy it!

Zelinkwolf: Yeah... I cried while I was writing it, so that's saying something... But then again, I am super emotional in the firstplace so... hahah :D

TheJediAvenger: Uh... about Zelda and her baby... well we'll just have to see! And yeah, I don't know how much more of this my feels can take either :P

Vivi-ntvg: Is it over? I can't say yet, but you'll find out! And yeah, Fi not recognizing the hero she had spent so much time with is kinda tragic, isn't it. And don't worry! Zelda and Sheik aren't going to give up without a fight! :D

anon: Yeah I actually had just re-watched the final battle between Azula and Zuko before I wrote that and I was all like: "What a great line!" and so I used it! XD

ShadowNinja1011: I know, right? Just utterly depressing to both write and read... :(

Pandora151: I'm in tears right along with you, in light of both the last chapter and this one. :,(

Nintendoman: Yeah... pretty much XD

Jarvis R. Yeriel: Huh, cool. I should look that song up sometime and listen to it! And yeah, I was looking back on that PM as I wrote that part, but of course, I extended it and strengthened it to make it better. And don't worry! The feels will be HARD in this chapter! :D

RandomButLoved: As far as how I'm feeling towards Majora after writing the last two chapters, its a mix of hatred and... no, pretty much just hatred :( And I'd agree with you in saying that it was one of the best chapters. The stars just kinda... alligned on it, which is a really great feeling to have while writing! And as far as whether or not I'm gonna save him... we'll just have to find out! (PS, if you want Zelda looking back on her times with Link in Skyloft, then I think you're gonna love the beginning of this chapter! :D)

LooneyCat55: I love getting such emotional resonances from my readers, so as you can imagine, your review made me quite happy! :D

So evil: It can't be the ending yet! There's still so much that needs to go on! XD

Alrighty, so before we start, I just want to say THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH for all of your super sweet support! Your kind words are what inspire me to keep writing with such passion to get this epic story done for you all! Love you all and I hope you all will enjoy this chapter! Let's get started!

Chapter 34: Mortal Goddess

"No one ever loved,
No one ever lost as hard as I,
No one ever came,
No one ever saw the crystalline in his eyes,
Starry sky paradise in his eyes,
I'm in his arms, don't leave me now,
Crystalline, don't fail me now."
-Lykke Li, No One Ever Loved

When they were young, the world had been a different place. Years ago, before they knew anything of war, of death, of sorrow, or of destiny, they had only known each other. They knew, even in the innocence of youth, what they were to each other and how much their friendship was worth to both of them. They had been safe from harm, from grief, from the terrors they had been forced to face when they were older. They were young, innocent, full of life and happiness abundant.

And in those long-gone days, when the world below their safe-haven in the sky was nothing more than a clouded myth, when their world was one of the bright, sunny skies, of colorful Loftwings gliding overhead and of warm breezes filling the air, they never could have dreamed that they would ever know any differently. In the slow-passing days of childhood, they had lived their lives in the only way they knew how: in playful friendship and peaceful bliss. But even as the years passed, as they abandoned innocence for responsibility and happiness for destiny, one fact had always rung certain, never changing, even though the darkest hours.

They had always been together.

The very first thing she had ever noticed about him had been his eyes. Even in her very early childhood, she had seen something special in them, in him. They were a kind of blue that she had never seen anywhere else before, so bright, like the endless clear skies above, so full of life, so full of hope. And yet, there had always been something else in them too; insistence, determination, strength, courage.

Perhaps a flame that burned that bright was not meant to last.

His handsome eyes had always been able to define his impeccable character, a character that she grew to love more and more as she explored it each and every day. He had always tried to tell her that her eyes were beautiful, but she had always ignored him. In her eyes, there was nothing more extraordinary than him. Even as they had moved on from early childhood to the start of adolescence, she had not stopped noticing him for a moment. As he became bolder and stronger, she began to take even more notice, to the point that she soon found herself attracted to him as if by some natural, unseen force. His kindness and gentle manner lured her in, and his optimism and selfishness made her stay.

Somehow, she had always known that they would end up together, and in her dreams, she had fantasied about their perfect, untouchable future together, in which they would raise a family and live long and happy lives, completely encompassed in each other's love. And for quite some time, it seemed as though it would be a future that they would actually get to see.

Since they had always been together.

A thousand years was a long time, but every moment had seemed even longer away from him. Sealed into a protective sleep to keep the world safe from untold evil, she had parted ways with him, though she had assured him that it would not be forever. But even she did not know that for sure; worry had crept into her seemingly endless dreams of what would happen if he failed in his mission. Not only would it mean that her own mission would never end, but it also meant that she would never awaken to see him again, a thought that she simply could not bear. It was in those dreams, or nightmares rather, that she was forced to witness his demise in so many different ways that she knew a life without him would not be worth waking up to in the first place. Density had pushed and pulled them in many different ways, tearing them apart rather than bringing them together, but they had both persisted and withstood it all. She knew that he was strong, strong enough to endure all of the trials laid out for him and come back to her. And sure enough, he did.

His return had been like the bright, renewing sun rising after a dark, seemingly endless night. He had, through all of the struggles he had endured, come back and had been there as she awakened for the first time in a thousand years. He had caught her when she fell, held her in his strong arms and whispered sweet words of welcome and reassurance to her. And suddenly, a thousand years didn't feel so long anymore.

Because they had always been together.

In the fresh light of a day that had been hard won, they had stood together, taking in the new land of opportunity before them. Their world of peace and innocence that they had once known was above them, beyond their reach as a new world lay below, teeming with chances ready for them to take. She had never doubted for a moment that he would complete the destiny that she had put in place for him; he had conquered on this day and had fulfilled his purpose well. It seemed that, for once, they were at least free from the obligations of fate, that, from this moment on, they would be free to carve their own lives, to take their own paths and make their own choices. Every day would be filled with new adventures, new discoveries, new pleasures. And the best part of it all was that now nothing could tear them apart. They had both struggled so much to be together again and it was a victory that had been hard earned, but earned nonetheless.

For they had always been together.

Fate stood ready to tear them apart once more, this time in a way that was beyond cruel. And as the land stood on the edge of war and he stood on the brink of losing himself forever, there was really only one thing that they could do to ensure that their love would not fade away with them.

They had stood together once more, this time as they were joined together in a union, one that they both knew would not last, but one that they intended on savoring for as long as they could. Their bond was one that surpassed struggles and hardships; those things had never been able to tear a rift in their love and they never would be. Even if they were physically torn apart by fate, their hearts would forever cry out to each other in love, a love that could not be killed by any darkness that thrived in the world. It was true that their story was destined to end in tragedy, but, she believed that they would have a chance to find each other again in another life. She had hoped that someday, even long after they had been separated, they would meet again and their love would finally be able to thrive.

After all, they had always been together.

Always…

They would never be together again.

That was the only thought that Zelda could hold onto as she kept her lips pressed firmly against Link's, keeping her eyes shut tightly as she tried to take in every last, dying second she could still kiss her beloved husband in, even though she knew he was already gone from the bitter coldness of his entire body. But even those seconds, like every other measure of time, went by far too quickly. Since her eyes were tightly shut, she had not noticed the strange aura of white light that had surrounded the hero as the corruption that had been raging within him for so many weeks now finally came to its completion. The girl did not notice it at all until she felt him begin to be pulled away from her by some unseen force, a force she knew to be the demon taking him away from her once and for all. Opening her tear-filled eyes, Zelda let out a gasp of horror when she saw the white light enveloping Link, his eyes shut and his expression blank and listless. If she didn't know any better, she would have thought he was dead, but she knew that as his old, true, noble, selfless life had just come to an end, a false one, one that would never end and one that would be controlled entirely by Majora, was just beginning.

Despite the disconcerting light surrounding the hero as he began to be pulled off the ground and rise into the air, the girl refused to relinquish her tight grip on his stiff, ice-cold hands, knowing that this was the last change she would ever get to hold them. As the demon continued to pull him away from her, she held on tightly in desperation, her breaths coming out in choked sobs of grief. But it was only as he was dragged higher into the air and out of her reach, the glow around him ever intensifying, that his hands finally slipped out of her grasp once and for all. In misery, she continued to hold her hand up as she watched him rise higher, reaching out for a hand that would never be returned.

The malevolent winds filling the courtyard suddenly picked up to hurricane speeds as Link finally stopped rising. Zelda watching with wide, distraught eyes as the demon kept the lost hero in place for a moment, as if mocking the girl over the fact that he was gone. In that breathless moment, even Sheik and Veress paused in their merciless battle to watch as corruption overcame Link completely, the Sheikah leader in tearful sorrow and the Interloper leader in wicked pleasure. And then, just as Zelda finally lowered her hand, knowing that she would never know the joy of even touching her husband ever again, the bright light surrounding the hero flashed blindingly, its powerful scope spreading out over almost every inch of the land as the demon took him into its corruption forever, never to let him go free again.

Since the girl was so close to the hero as this burst of power radiated from him, she was knocked back roughly several feet, hitting her head against one of the pieces of rubble and being knocked into semi-consciousness as she landed. But nonetheless, she watched with wide, terror filled eyes as the light began to dim and the hero began to descend to the ground one more. Zelda didn't even bother breathing as she watched Link land softly on the ground. After all, who could possibly care about breathing at such a moment as this?

Sheik and Veress also looked on as the transformative light faded from the hero entirely, allowing everyone to see the full effect that corruption had left on him physically. Without question, his hair was pure white and the red and blue markings on his face were prominent, but now that the corruption had run its full course, several other changes had occurred to his appearance as well. His tunic and cap were now a much lighter shade of green and his once-white undershirt, as well as his formerly tan pants were now pitch black. Just as Majora had provided its former servant with armor, so too had it given Link a strong, silver cuirass, protecting his chest from any sort of attacks whatsoever. His leather gauntlets were now metallic and, while the golden shoulder armor remained, the scarlet cape that had once belonged to Hylia's first hero was now colored dark violet, yet another sign that the hero was now nothing more than the demon's soulless servant, a fact that could be clearly seen just by looking into his blank, vacant white eyes.

As Zelda gathered her bearings once more and looked over at Link, who was standing quite a few feet away from her, she could not help but let out a ragged scream of grief, frustration and fear. She hated how Majora had twisted almost everything about the hero she loved, including his appearance, until he was only a faint echo of his former self, and echo that would only fade away more and more with each act of destruction and violence he would be forced to commit.

Just as Zelda was frozen in fear upon seeing how Link had irreversibly changed, Sheik was also struck with shock and despair. Her mournful gaze was locked on the hero and nothing else as she realized that she had not gotten a chance to tell him the true extent of her feelings for him and now, she never would. But even more than that, the greatest champion of the goddess had just become perhaps her greatest enemy at this moment. Despite the great power that Veress posed, it was clear that, simply by looking at him and feeling the dark energy that emanated from him now, that, under the demon's control, that Link was now even stronger than the Interloper leader and all her evil magic. The threat he now unintentionally posed to the surface and everyone upon it was great, but it was a threat that none of them really knew how to deal with. Because of the immortality granted to him, they could not kill him, even if they wanted to. His newfound strength was more than any of them could hope to stand against and it seemed that, unless they could find a way to stop him, that the Triforce would be an easy prize for the demon and its new servant.

Completely forgetting about her ongoing struggle with Sheik, Veress turned away from her former friend and approached the corrupted hero, her unmatching eyes alight with excited evil. To see the great hero of the goddess brought down to the level of a mere servant filled the Interloper leader with untold delight; after all, in her eyes, Link was the one who had taken away the chance to defeat Demise and achieve glory and honor away from her in the first place. And now, he had fallen from the greatness he had once achieved into oblivion and darkness which he would never rise from again. Veress's dark smirk widened as she stopped a few feet away from the hero, inclining her head in respect to the demon that had finally succeeded in overtaking him.

"I commend you on your victory over that wretched hero, demon of Termina…" the Interloper leader said with dark satisfaction as she spoke specifically to Majora, despite the fact that it was not immediately visible to her. "His spirit was strong, to be sure, but when placed under enough pressure, it was bound to break sooner or later, am I right?"

Upon hearing the voice of the Interloper leader, the demon decided to show itself, appearing in its shadow-enshrouded form as its dark tendrils flowed down from it, wrapping around the hero's neck and arms, symbolizing its complete control over him. "Yes, you are correct…" Majora said with clear triumph. "The hero is mine now, completely subjugated to my command. It took quite a bit of effort on my part, but in the end, even he could not defeat me. He was weak and foolish and through those faults, I destroyed his spirit and every part of it: thoughts, emotions, memory, free will. All wiped away by my power, never to be restored to him. He is nothing more than an empty shell, a slave, and nothing more."

Veress kept her calm smile as the demon let out a chilling laugh in its secured victory. "And, of course, you owe it all to me, right?" she asked with pride, placing her hands behind her back. "After all, had it not been for me and my dark power, then you would still be struggling against him and his spirit."

"I suppose that I cannot take all of the credit for my success…" Majora mused somewhat begrudgingly. "The might of your Fused Shadow certainly helped in dragging the hero down and deteriorating his once-great strength. And so I offer you my thanks, Interloper leader. Because of you, I am only a few steps away from finally claiming the golden relic of the gods."

"What?!" Veress exclaimed in sudden rage. "How dare you! The Triforce is my prize! I have worked too long and too hard to have it stolen from me by you! You may think you are so strong, demon, but my power is beyond even yours! You only managed to triumph over the hero because he was weak to begin with! But you will find that you will not fare so well with me!"

"Well then," Majora teased challengingly as it disappeared. "If you think you are strong enough to stop me, go ahead and try it! You will find that your struggle will be just as pointless as his was!"

Without sparing another word, the Interloper leader rushed forwards with a shout of insane anger, not even bothering to think logically about the situation as she brandished her duel knives and leapt to attack Link in the hopes that she could defeat Majora's servant before he could be used to claim the Triforce instead of her. However, before she could even think, the corrupted hero raised his blade and met her knives squarely, repelling her backwards with an incredible amount of force.

It was as Sheik watched Veress fly backwards from her failed attack that she was snapped out of her temporary shock and remembered the dire situation going on around her. She knew that there was nothing that could be done to save Link now, since he was already too far gone, and as she looked over to Zelda, who was simply sitting on the ground a few feet away from her, staring at her fallen hero in silent sorrow, she knew that the girl was too overcome with the pain she was feeling over her loss to do anything at the moment. And so, the Sheikah leader realized that it was now up to her to protect the Triforce, at least from Veress. Her ability to go up against the hero in his current state and survive was extremely low and she knew it, but nonetheless, she resolved to move beyond her heartache and rise to defend the surface and the goddess from the Interloper leader until she couldn't anymore. And so, before Veress could even pick herself up off of the ground, Sheik was already upon her, attacking her once-best friend with all of her might, fighting through the several wounds she had already acquired from her previous battle with her.

However, before the Sheikah leader could land a hit, the Interloper leader managed to kick her away, already poising both of her knives to attack as she rose to her feet. "Stand down, Sheik!" Veress shouted in violent rage. "You're no match for me and my power. My skills are beyond any of those that Impa may have taught you because of her obvious unfair favor for you. I've been waiting to destroy you for so long and now it seems as though the hour is finally at hand!"

"No," Sheik said rigidly, gripping her staff tightly. "Your strength is nothing more than an illusion. Your power has blinded you and your greed has clouded your judgment. And that's why I will never let you win."

Veress's look of hatred turned to a smug grin as she prepared to attack. "Just because you won't let me, doesn't mean I won't," she said with confidence, her unmatched eyes almost glowing with insane delight as she rushed towards her adversary.

As the two Sheikahs fought aggressively, exchanging harsh words as well as blows, the girl simply remained still, not moving from the position she had been in for what seemed like ages. Unable to take her eyes off of her former hero as tears continued to steadily stream down her cheeks, she simply stared at him in woe, trying to register the fact that he was gone forever. Never again would he hold her, or kiss her or even speak to her. Every part of him, from his heroic soul to his kind heart, were now nothing more than a memory, a memory that she would always pine for, but never really know again. She needed his love more than she needed anything and she was so desperate for just one more moment of it that she would have done anything to return him to her. But despite the one way that she knew of to free him from corruption, she knew that it would not return him to her; it would simply take him away from her again, only this time, it would be worse. If she were to use the light arrows on him, she would forever have the blood of her own hero on her hands for the rest of her life and that was a guilt that she would not be able to live with.

Zelda finally broke down into a series of broken, inconsolable sobs as she realized that she would now have to live her life alone, bereft of Link and his comforting love and supportive strength. Never before had she ever gone without him; they had always been constant companions for as long as they could remember. The very idea of a life without him was so unbearable to her, that the thought crossed her mind that she would rather die than have to suffer a fate like that. But as soon as the idea came to her, she realized that there was one thing preventing her from giving up on life entirely: the tiny life developing in her womb. She knew that it would be unfair to her unborn infant if she were to let go of her will to live at a time like this and that wasn't all. The baby would be perhaps the last trace of Link that she would ever get to have, since the child was created by both of them through their deep, once-thriving love. Despite the pain she would always feel over losing the hero, Zelda knew that there was a chance that the baby would be able to lessen it somehow, simply as a living reminder of her hero and the love he used to have for her. Because of that, the girl knew that, even in the face of this great adversity, she had to make sure that the unborn child would survive, no matter what the cost. And the only way she could do that was to ensure that she survived as well.

Taking in a deep, uneven breath, Zelda wiped her tears dry and unsteadily rose to stand, feeling weak physically from her minor wounds and emotionally from pouring out her grief over Link. However, as she stood, she noticed that for the first time since he was fully corrupted, the hero had finally begun to move. Unlike his previous bouts of corruption, his movements, though guided by the demon, were now much more fluid and natural-looking, most likely yet another constant reminder that he was entirely corrupted. Anxiously, the girl watched as her former husband slowly began to move towards Terminus, who was still dutifully upholding her seal over the Triforce, despite the fact that she, too, was mourning over the fact that Link was lost. It took Zelda less than a moment to realize that Majora was commanding its new servant to go after the golden relic in order to begin its wicked conquest of the surface. The girl's heart began to race nervously as she knew that if the demon were to obtain the Triforce, there would be no hope for a future for her, her child, or anyone else upon the surface. Eternal darkness would fall upon the land, and in the process, Zelda knew that her own life would be for forfeit, for it had been Majora's intention from the very beginning to mercilessly kill her.

Zelda bit her lip as she glanced over at Sheik and Veress, who were still locked in a violent battle, neither of them noticing Link's silent, yet steady approach on the goddess of Termina and the Triforce. Fi could not help her and neither could Terminus, who by now had noticed that the hero was on his way to strike her down and destroy the barrier she'd been keeping in place. Hoping to buy herself, as well as the girl and the Sheikah leader a little more time, the goddess of Termina used some of her already waning power to erect another magical barrier, this time between herself and the corrupted hero. However, even Terminus knew that her shield would not last for long, a fact that Zelda also was quick to realize. Certainly, with all of the power and strength provided to him by Majora, Link would soon be able to destroy it and strike the goddess down with ease, clearing his path to the Triforce once and for all.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl as Zelda realized what her only options were. In this moment of desperation, she knew that she was the only one who could stop the demon from claiming the Triforce and dragging the land down into darkness forever. However, she also knew that the only way she could possibly hope to stop Majora would be to stop Link as well, and the only way she knew how to do that was to do what she had been dreading for so long. If she were to fire a purifying light arrow at the corrupted hero, it would, as she had been told by the dragons, finally free him from the demon's control, but it would be at the cost of his life. And yet, if it could help ensure that the surface would be free from eternal tyranny, would that be worth the cost? Zelda knew that, since she was Hylia reborn, it was her duty to ensure the land's safety, no matter what the cost. The part of her that was the goddess was pulling her towards firing that arrow, telling her to let go of her sorrow since she would never get Link back anyway. But there was another part of the girl that was already rife with grief and guilt for what she would ultimately be doing. If she shot a light arrow at her hero, she would be murdering him, but in the process, she would be saving countless lives. She knew well what her duty was, but nonetheless, she was still torn between doing what was right for her land and doing what was right for her heart.

However, Zelda's conflicting thoughts were suddenly abandoned when she saw that Link had begun to mercilessly pound against the barrier between him and Terminus using his sword. The goddess of Termina cried out from the strain that the heavy force he was applying to her temporary shield, one that was only being upheld by her quickly draining magic. Knowing that if he managed to break through, not only would the Triforce be lost, but so would her dear sister, the girl found the courage to raise her bow and create a light arrow. However, as she drew it back and aimed it for the hero's turned back, she hesitated as memories of the love she still had for him filled her mind. Letting that arrow go would be the hardest thing she would ever have to do in her life, but she knew it was what she had to do to keep both the surface and their unborn child safe. Some of the last words the hero had ever said to her rang out in her mind as clear as day as she held her arrow in place, words that strengthened her resolve: "You can build a world where… where our child can live in peace… Where they won't have to suffer… like we did…" A world where their child could live in peace. Wasn't that what she really wanted, what they had both wanted from the start? A surface that could finally be free from the threat of darkness, a place where their people could start anew, a land that could grow into a great nation, a haven for their child to call home? It was all Zelda could hope to desire and it was all Link had wanted as well. And, in honor for all he had done for her, all of the love he had freely given her, even when she didn't always deserve it, the girl knew that fulfilling his dying wish was the only thing she could do to ensure that his hard, long struggle had not been in vain.

However, right before Zelda could let her light arrow fly, a knife suddenly flew in out of nowhere and struck the back of her hand and buried itself deep, causing her to cry out in pain as she dropped her bow before she could even let her arrow loose. Blindly pulling the blade out of her hand, even though that only multiplied her already intense pain, she turned to see that it had been thrown by Veress, who had somehow managed to use some of her dark magic to subdue Sheik and throw her to the wayside, so she could focus her evil efforts on the girl once again. Zelda was quick to reach for her bow again, but the Interloper leader was too fast. Before the girl could get her hands on the Bow of Light, Veress kicked it to the other side of the courtyard, far out of her reach. Defenseless against the Interloper leader, the girl backed away cautiously, clutching her bleeding hand to try and staunch its flow as she kept her eyes warily trained on her foe.

"So…" Veress cooed darkly, using her dark magic to call her other blade back to her. "It seems as though your beloved little hero is finally gone once and for all. Good riddance; he was nothing more than a thorn in my side anyway, much like you are, your grace. But you won't be for long… Once your corrupted champion breaks down that barrier, I'm taking both of you out once and for all. But obviously, I've learned that I won't be able to defeat your hero, as strong as he is, without a little… help… You will help me of course, won't you, Zelda?"

"Never!" Zelda shouted in fury, knowing that the Interloper leader certainly wanted her to shoot a light arrow at Link once the barrier was gone, simply to get him out of the way and take the Triforce for herself. "I won't let either of you take the Triforce. I intend on doing everything in my power to stop you both, no matter what."

Veress pouted mockingly as she took a step closer to the girl, holding one of her golden blades up. "Oh, Zelda…" she said twistedly, shaking her head. "I was so hoping that you would be agreeable with me, just as your little hero was… That would have made things so much easier for both of us… But, since you plan on being stubborn, then I guess I have no choice…"

Before Zelda even had a chance to wonder what the Interloper leader meant, she felt a sharp burst of pain as Veress torn one of her blades into her other shoulder, which wasn't bleeding like the other one was. The girl cried out in pain as she clutched her new, deep wound, her eyes growing wide as she helplessly watched the Interloper leader came in for another attack. Much to her misfortune, Zelda found that her back was against the stone wall of the courtyard, leaving her with nowhere to go as Veress stabbed her other knife into her arm deeply, electing another scream of agony from the girl. Taking perverse enjoyment in the suffering that she was causing the goddess, the rebel leader grinned darkly as she quickly cut her knife across the girl's cheek, creating a painful cut that marred her otherwise pretty face. Deciding to go after something more vital, Veress tore her knife against Zelda's chest lightly, not cutting too deep, but still causing quite a bit of pain, pain that was all but forgotten as she felt a knife tear across her abdomen roughly. Remembering the tiny life that was now being put in incredible danger, the girl sank to her knees in defeat, raising a shaking hand to protect herself as she let out a heavy sob of anguish. "P-please!" she begged the Interloper leader in desperation, knowing that above all else, she had to spare the life of her baby. "S-stop! Please..."

"What is this?" Veress asked wickedly, her eyes shining with violence and sadistic pleasure. "The great goddess Hylia is begging to me for mercy?! How ironic! Every single person on your surface below and your skies above has been taught to pray to their dear goddess for her blessings and mercy, but now, she had been brought down from her glory and is now asking me to spare her life? You truly are pathetic, Zelda… Just like your hero was…"

"Please…" Zelda whispered somewhat incoherently as she watched Veress raise her knife to land the final blow on her, feeling overcome by the pain of her many wounds as she wrapped her arms around her stomach in order to protect the infant inside of it. "N-no… T-the… The baby…"

"Baby?!" the Interloper leader repeated in genuine surprise. "You're with child?!" Her aghast expression quickly turned to one of evil delight as she raised her deadly blade even higher, clearly not swayed by the girl's desperate pleas to spare her and her child's life. "Oh, how priceless… Let me guess… You and your dear hero knew that your time together grew short and so you both decided that you would need someone to remember him by once he was gone, am I right? Someone to carry on the legacy of his heroic spirit, yes? How foolish… You both certainly knew that your child would never be able to live, much less in peace, in the midst of this great war. Trying to preserve its life is as futile as trying to preserve your own, Hylia. But before I end you once and for all, you should know that I will take great pleasure in wiping out not only the goddess, but any last trace of that wretched, worthless hero as well!"

Zelda let out a ragged, fearful scream as Veress laughed in insane triumph, but right before she could drop her knife into the girl's heart, the Sheikah leader leapt in just in time and rammed into the Interloper leader, driving her away from the goddess and protecting her once more. As the two former friends fell and scuffled for a moment, Veress managed to land a heavy blow to Sheik's shoulder, but she ignored the pain and kept fighting, striving to protect the goddess once more, especially in these dark times. "Your grace, run!" the Sheikah leader called out to the girl in the midst of her struggle with Veress. "Flee from here and save yourself! I can deal with Veress!"

"But… but what about Link?" Zelda whispered fearfully to herself as she shakily rose to stood, turning her attention away from the dueling Sheikahs and to her fallen hero once more, who was clearly close to shattering Terminus's barrier by now. She bit her lip nervously, forgetting about her many painful wounds as she remembered the task that she had already committed herself to, a task that she was going to carry out no matter how she felt. However, in her struggle against Veress, the Bow of Light had been cast far out of her reach and the girl knew that it would take up too much of her already waning energy to go and retrieve it. And so, she decided to go a different route instead.

Calling upon the powers of the goddess that she possessed, Zelda held her hands out in front of her and focused as much as she could, allowing an orb of light to form over them. No more than a moment later, the golden light shined brightly, revealing a perfect sacred arrow in its place, glowing with the holy light of Hylia as the girl grasped it and held on tightly. Without her bow, Zelda knew that what she was about to do would be infinitely more dangerous and difficult, but she could only hope that her plan would work, despite the pure fear running through every part of her body.

Clutching onto the light arrow as firmly as she could, the girl approached Link, stopping when she was only a few feet away from the hero as he continued to strike at the barrier savagely. She paused for a moment, letting all of her apprehension fly away as she took in a deep breath and decided on her determination to restore peace to the surface above all else. And her determination and resolve only grew as she saw the corrupted hero finally shatter the barrier, causing Terminus to cry out in pain from the power that she had just lost and in fear over the fact that she could meet her end in a matter of moments.

"Hey!" Zelda called out loudly to her former hero so she could be heard above both the still-raging storm. "It's me you want, not her!"

The corrupted hero stopped in his tracks before he could begin his final approach on the goddess of Termina. For a breathless moment, Zelda simply watched anxiously as Link stood still, his back still turned to her. However, a moment or two later, he finally turned to face her, and it was in complete shock that she noticed his wicked smirk, looking so uncharacteristic on his still-handsome face. She gave him a wary look as she realized that it was most likely being forced upon him by the demon, and so she took a cautious step forward, knowing that a situation like this required careful tact and precision.

For what seemed like ages, the two of them simply stared at each other, neither of them even trying to make a move. Zelda wondered what Majora could possibly be planning, but she decided to show no traces of fear, least it be her downfall. However, her resolve quickly shattered when she heard the demon speak through her hero in a voice that sounded like two different, contrasting voices at once: his original voice and the voice of the demon controlling him. "Ah… the great goddess Hylia…" he said mockingly, his dark smirk still present. "It is an honor to finally meet you face to face… I've been waiting for this moment for so long now, truly I have…"

"How dare you!" Zelda shouted in absolute fury upon hearing Majora speak in Link's voice, as if it stealing him from her was not painful enough. "You take every part of him away and you still have the audacity to use his voice to speak to me! You're a coward, Majora! If you had any backbone at all, then you'd have the nerve to come out here and face me yourself instead of using him like he's some sort of puppet!"

"You impetuous little brat!" the corrupted hero shouted in rage, his cold smirk finally turning to a look of burning anger. "You dare to question my incredible might? Very well then… If you wish to look upon the one who has your former hero forever locked into servitude, then you shall see me indeed!"

With a dark laugh, one that Zelda could never imagine hearing from Link on his own, the fallen hero raised his blade into the air as a white glow surrounded it. As the strange light pulsated outwards from the sword, a barrier seemed to surround just the two of them and on the outside of the barrier, time seemed to slow to a complete stop all around them. The girl gasped in surprise when she noticed that Sheik and Veress were completely frozen in the midst of their aggressive fight, as was Terminus as she continued to protect the Triforce. The world grew cold and silent all around them as even the storm raging above stood still, leaving the couple entirely encased in their own bubble.

"That's much better, isn't it?" the corrupted hero said with a renewed grin as he lowered his blade. "Now that we are all alone, my dear, let us finally converse… face to face…"

Zelda watched anxiously as a white light began to surround Link once more as Majora itself materialized, its wicked, ominous form unlettering her as it wrapped its tendrils tightly around the hero's neck and wrists, showing that its control over him was strong. The girl took in an uneven breath as she took yet another step closer to him, even though they were only a few feet away from each other now.

"Hello, Hylia… Or should I call you Zelda, as your dear hero used to…?" Majora said twistedly, no longer speaking through Link as it had been. "Here I am, just as you asked. It is truly a shame that we never had the chance to encounter one another when you were still immortal, as your sister is… I'm sure that attempting to slaughter you both would have been just as enjoyable then as it is now…"

"You won't be slaughtering anyone," Zelda said in a voice that was much smaller than she had hoped it would be. In truth, she was quite terrified of facing the demon who had been overtaking her husband for so long now, the demon who had ruined both of their lives in every single way. But she could not let that fear show, lest Majora cast it off as weakness.

"Oh, you are quite right…" the demon said darkly. "I won't be slaughtering anyone… Your former hero will. Or perhaps I should refer to him as my slave now that he is employed in my service instead of yours. I hope you do realize that it was always your dear, beloved, Link's density to be used, by both you and me. He was never allowed to choose his own path in life and look what he has become because of that. You know that you are to blame for what has happened to him, Zelda, just as much as I am or Terminus is."

Zelda wanted to argue upon hearing this accusation once more, but she simply hung her head and sighed, unable to find anything to say in the midst of her guilt. "I… I know…" she muttered morosely, already fighting back the tears that she had driven away.

"Of course you do," Majora said smugly. "Even you, as weak and as mortal as you are, must know the truth. Your guilt overwhelms you, Hylia… I can feel it… But would you like to know something that Link never told you? Just how much he was willing to go through for your sake. Because of you, he would have allowed himself to die at the hands of the Dark Interlopers if he had been able to. He would have been content with slipping off into the unknown and falling into my corruption all alone, without another human soul around for miles. While his many sacrifices were foolish and completely worthless, he would have given anything just to spare your life… and yet, you were not able to save him… You failed him, but until now, he had never failed you."

The girl clenched her fists tightly at her sides upon hearing this, closing her tearful eyes to avoid the demon's piercing gaze. "I know!" she shouted in absolute misery. "I know! He was ready to stand and fight for me no matter what, but there was nothing I could have ever done to help him when he needed me most! I have failed him… and… and I'm sorry, Link!" she cried, addressing the hero this time, whose expression had turned blank and stoic once more. "I'm so sorry for all I put you through! I'm sorry that your life had to end like this! I'm sorry… I… I… just…" She trailed off as her heart shattered even more, knowing that she would never be free from the burning regrets she harbored over losing him

"He cannot hear you, Zelda…" Majora said in cold delight, finally moving away from its place above Link's head to float closer to the mournful girl. "He is mine now… Nothing more than a slave, loyal to my every command. Link is no longer the hero you once knew and loved. As you likely know, everything he once was has been obliterated by my power. He does not remember you, or anyone else. The only thing that fills him now is darkness and his sole purpose is to live to serve me for eternity. He is mine..."

The girl glared at the demon relentlessly, glancing down at the golden arrow still within her tight grip. "He won't be for long," she said defiantly. "Not if I have anything to do with it."

Majora simply laughed wickedly, already well aware of her plan. "How amusing…" it taunted maliciously. "So bold and brazen… just like your hero was… It would appear that you both complimented each other quite nicely… And you still could…"

"What are you talking about?" Zelda asked warily as Majora began to circle her, its tendrils still connected to the hero nonetheless.

"Come now, Zelda," the demon said patronizingly. "Let's be honest. Both you and I know that the very thought of plunging that sacred arrow of yours into my servant's heart is absolutely abhorrent to you. The last thing you want to do is murder him with your own two hands, even if it would keep your land safe from me. But what if I told you that you could be with your hero again, if the two of you could be together… forever?"

Zelda's eyes widened as she heard this proposition, unsure of what to think of it. While it was true that she wanted to be with Link again, to be able to have her beloved husband once more, she didn't know by what means Majora intended to bridge the gap between them. "I… I don't understand…" she said, shaking her head as she looked to the hero once again.

Majora was silent for a moment as it used one of is long tendrils to beckon Link towards it and the hero began to step forwards without delay. Zelda felt the demon's cold coils on her back and shoulders as it gently pushed her towards the corrupted hero against her will, but nonetheless, she found herself moved until she accidentally collided with Link, his tall, sturdy form pressing against her weak, wounded body. Her heart racing, the girl glanced up into the hero's empty face, finding that she could not find it in her to pull herself away from him. Tears lightly streamed down her face as she forgot all of her resolves to end him and instead remembered all of the love he used to give and all of the love she still felt for him. She barely registered the icy tendrils lightly wrapping around the two of them to keep the girl in place as the demon continued to speak to her, its voice low and deceptively kind. "The two of you could be together again," Majora said softly, its voice smooth and alluring. "In fact, you could be together for eternity, never having to worry about being torn apart ever again… I could ensure that your love would never die. It could live on everlasting. After all, forever is a long time… wouldn't you rather your hero spend it with you rather than all alone?"

Zelda was silent for a moment as she shook her head, not trusting what the demon was offering her. "You won't let him go free," she said bitterly, finally turning her gaze away from Link. "You never would. You wouldn't dare let go of him after working to corrupt him for so long."

"Be at ease, child and listen to my words," Majora said calmly. "I hold unlimited power, the power to change anything at all simply upon a whim. As you can see, I have already changed the destiny of your hero, but I could do the same for you as well, Zelda. You know that it is your destiny to be with him; you are not complete without him. At the moment, a great divide stands between you both. But I would be willing to bridge that divide with my power. After all, a love as great as yours should not be torn apart by any means, yes?"

"How… how would you do that?" the girl asked quietly, looking into the hero's blank face once more, feeling lightheaded from all of the blood that she had lost.

"It really isn't that hard…" the demon said gently, as it gingerly wrapped its tendrils around the girl's wrists, hoping to coax her into letting go of the light arrow she was still holding onto. "In fact, you wouldn't have to do much at all. All it would require… is one little kiss…"

Zelda silently mouthed the word "kiss" as she felt Majora move her and Link's faces even closer together, to the point that they were only inches apart. Her breathing was small and tense as she reached a trembling hand up to caress the face of the hero she still loved so much, the hero who, according to the demon, was not as hard to restore as she had once thought.

"Your heart pines for him above all else," Majora said in a smooth whisper. "He is the love of your life, the only one who has always been there for you. The two of you have always been together… always… And if you allow it, you can always be together again… The choice is yours, Zelda. You can suffer through a lifetime of grief and sorrow bereft of your beloved Link… Or you can choose to be with him… forever…"

As the demon spoke, Zelda watched in awe as a soft glow enveloped the corrupted hero's face, temporarily changing its appearance to how it had been before the corruption began to befall him. His hair was once again honey-golden rather than white, the red and blue markings were completely gone and his eyes were the same shade of light blue she had always known, but had not seen for so long now. As she kept her hand upon his cheek, he gave her a small, warm, genuine smile as he leaned in even closer to her, until they were intimately close. He even wrapped an arm around her waist and held her close to him, using his other hand to gently brush away from of her golden hair out of her eyes like he always used to. If Zelda didn't know any better, she would have allowed herself to believe that Link had returned to her, but she knew that he had not; at least not yet.

Tears softly rolled down the girl's face as she realized that she was so close to having back what was so cruelly stolen from her: the hero and his love. The thought of having Link with her once more made Zelda's heart leap with joy and hope. Hope that they would never have to be separated, hope that their fire of their love would never burn out again. And as she gazed up into the face that she had known since childhood, the face that she adored and trusted above anyone else, she found that she was completely ready to do whatever it took to be with him again. As the demon had said, it was as simple as one more kiss.

"Link…" Zelda whispered almost inaudibly, a small, hopeful smile crossing her lips as she moved them closer to him, more than ready to be reunited with him. "I… I love you… so much…"

The hero's kind smile widened as he gazed into the girl's eyes, causing her heart to skip a beat. "I love you too, Zelda…" he said softly, in an almost seductive voice. However, as she heard him speaking in both his own voice and the demon's at the same time once more, Zelda's smile faded. All at once, she was suddenly reminded of how she had lost Link in the first place, and just who had taken him away from her. No doubt, Majora's plan to "reunite" them would only be a means to an end, furthering its own plans to get her out of the way and obtain the Triforce. Perhaps it never had any intention of bringing them back together at all; perhaps all it had wanted to do was lure the girl in close so she would be an easy kill. Zelda slowly pulled herself away from Link as she realized that all of this seemed wrong, especially as she removed her hand from his face and moved it down to her stomach instead as she remembered the baby that she was still determined to protect. Above all else, the child had to be her main priority as well as protecting the Triforce and the surface. She had been selfish in thinking that she could give up everything to have her hero restored to her, but now, Zelda would not let anything, not even the promise of potentially having him back forever, derail her from her resolve.

"No," she said quietly, yet plainly as she pushed herself away from Link, whose smile had also faded. As she looked him in the eyes one more, she was finally able to see that, despite the color that had returned to them, they were just as cold and empty as they had been when they were blank, yet another sign that no matter what illusion Majora tried to trick her with, the hero was still corrupted and each gesture of love he made towards her was nothing more than a ruse.

"What did you say?" the hero asked sharply in obvious displeasure, moving his hand from her waist to grasp her wrist tightly.

"I said no," Zelda said rigidly as she glared at Link firmly, watching as he regained the physical signs of corruption. "This is nothing more than a trap, and it's a trap I refuse to fall for." Her dark blue eyes still livid, the girl ripped her hand out of the hero's grip roughly and pulled herself away from him using all of her remaining strength. "It looks like you aren't as clever as you thought you were," she said fiercely to Majora, who had retracted its tendrils away from her upon seeing her resistance.

"You foolish girl!" Majora hissed in fury. "You could have been with him forever, but you gave up your chance and now it is too late. You have just sealed your fate, as well as the fate of this land. First, I shall command my servant to kill you and then the Triforce will be mine!"

Zelda simply shook her head as the demon let out a cruel laugh. "No," she said in firm anger, much more provoked in ending Majora's hold over Link than she had been before. "Like I said before, I will never let this land fall into your hands. For so long I wondered why you were putting him through so much torture, even though you knew that he would fight through it no matter what. But now I think I finally understand. From the beginning, you knew that he was strong, stronger than even you. You wanted to break his spirit if for nothing more than to prove that you could conquer anything, but even you couldn't break him on your own. He resisted you for so long, right up until the very end and that drove you crazy. And so you had to cheat by putting him through emotional and physical pain in order to finally wear him down. But let me tell you something right now, Majora. You never would have broken his spirit if you had given him the chance to really fight back."

"Silence!" the demon screeched in fury, flying in close to the girl's face, though she still showed no signs of fear or deterrence. "Your hero was weak, just as you are! Both of you are only human! Pathetic! Insignificant! Your hero's spirit was strong, to be sure, but under my power it shattered and nothing you can do will ever restore it! He is mine now! No matter how much you wish otherwise, Link belongs to me and he always will, now and forevermore!"

"No," Zelda said in tranquil rage, clenching the light arrow in her hand even tighter. "You're wrong. He doesn't belong to you and he never has."

"So, he belongs to you then?" Majora asked in mocking anger. "Certainly you must think so, for why else would he have put himself through so much pain, so much struggling, just to make sure you would be safe from harm?"

"He doesn't belong to me either," the girl said firmly. "He belongs to himself, just as every single person should. The fate of another person is something that no one else can define except for them. Everyone has the freedom to choose what their own destiny is. But you took that freedom away from him, just as you took everything else from him. The reason why he resisted you for so long was because he loved me and he would have done anything to protect me, even go through untold pain and torture."

"Oh, how incredibly foolish!" Majora scoffed hatefully. "Love?! You really think he did any of what he did because of something as pathetic and worthless as love? He did it because he felt like he owed it to you. Because you are the goddess and he was your hero. Much like you are, he was guided by destiny and nothing more. But even if it had been because of love, it still would have been just as futile. Do you honestly think your 'love' for him, for this land, or for anything else is going to save you in the end? Can't you see, Hylia? There is no hope for you. There never has been any hope for you because in the end, only chaos and darkness can win. The light of this world is quickly burning out and it will die once and for all, right along with you!"

"You're wrong!" Zelda exclaimed defiantly, raising her light arrow slightly. "And you've always been wrong. You know nothing about Link! He didn't fight as hard as he did because he thought it was his job or his responsibility as my chosen hero. He did it because he has always cared for me; he always put me first, even above himself. He was the most selfless person I had ever known. He knew what mattered most and that sometimes, you have to make sacrifices to help the people you care about. And I love him too. Which is why…" The girl took in a deep breath as she closed her eyes tightly, finalizing her resolve. "Which is why I'm taking after him and making a sacrifice of my own. I'm putting an end to this right now! And do you want to know how, Majora? Because as long as there is light to banish darkness, it can never extinguish hope!"

Before the demon could even utter another word, Zelda let out a strong, courageous shout as she held her light arrow up high and rushed towards Link as fast as her legs could carry her. She quickly bridged the gap between them, but right before she could stab the arrow into the hero's chest, Majora quickly provided its servant with his sword once more and, in a blind panic not to lose its strong control over Link, it commanded him to strike Zelda down. Right before the girl could land the purifying blow upon the corrupted hero, he swung his sword widely and broadly in her direction. The girl screamed in immense agony as the deadly blade slashed her roughly against her chest, cutting very deep and intensifying the pain of her other wounds. Zelda stopped in her tracks right in front of Link, wrapping her free hand around her chest to staunch the already heavy flow of blood coming from the gash, but nonetheless, she knew what she had to do. Fueled by adrenaline and determination, she watched with wide eyes as the hero lifted his blade to kill her once and for all, but right before it could come down, she firmly plunged the sacred arrow into his chest, piercing the armor the demon had given him and burying it down all the way to his heart.

Time suddenly resumed as the barrier that had been between the couple shattered as both Link and Majora cried out in pain. Sheik, Terminus, and even Veress all turned and gaped in shock when they realized what had just happened. A bright glow radiated around the hero and then flashed out brightly, the force of it knocking Zelda back several feet and causing her chest wound to pound in even more unbearable pain. But nonetheless, she forced herself to sit up and watch as Link was enveloped in light one more, but instead of the white light of corruption, this was the golden light of purity. She didn't have a moment to feel any form of guilt, for the only thing she could register in her mind was awe as she watched her hero finally be freed from the force that had been constantly trying to destroy him for so long now.

As the golden light surrounding Link flashed once more, Zelda was unable to see anything else but his silhouette for a moment as she watched Majora's dark form rise out of the hero, a sign that its control over him had ended. The demon screeched in absolute fury as it turned its glowing gaze on the girl, knowing that it only had a few seconds left before it vanished away. "Do not think this ends here!" it shouted hatefully, to both the girl and the hero. "This struggle is not over! The Spirit of the Hero will be mine one day! I will not rest until it is broken, subjugated to my control and corrupted beyond salvation. Your hero may have escaped from eternal servitude under me in this era, Hylia, but he will not be so fortunate in his next life! Whenever a new hero is born into this land, I shall return and relentlessly pursue his spirit, haunting his kind and yours for the rest of eternity!" After uttering this curse, Majora let out one final wicked laugh, even in the face of its defeat as it faded away, never to return until a future age.

As the golden glow finally faded away from the hero, the girl ignored her own pain and kept her gaze locked on him upon noticing that every trace of corruption had vanished from him. His hair and clothes had reverted to their original colors and the armor Majora had given him was gone. However, Zelda was bitterly reminded that she would probably never get a chance to see if his eyes had returned to normal as he collapsed to the ground limply, without even making so much as a single sound. Warm tears streamed down her cheeks once more as she realized that Link was most certainly dead and that she would never get another chance to say goodbye to him again. Guilt hit her heavy and hard as she remembered that she had been the one to ultimately murder him, even if it had freed him from a fate worse than death. She was tempted to drag herself over to his unmoving body and utter an apology, as well as one final farewell to him, but her immense pain prevented her from moving much at all. And besides, she knew it was pointless; he wouldn't hear her anyway. He was gone and nothing could change that.

Zelda lowered her head in solemn grief, ignoring Sheik and Veress as they continued to duel on in the distance. However, in the midst of her silent mourning, she barely managed to pick up on the soft, almost inaudible moan of pain that came from several feet away from her. Immediately, she glanced over in Link's direction, her eyes wide and hopeful as she listened for his voice once more and sure enough, she heard him groan quietly once again. Her jaw dropped in shock when she realized that he was somehow alive, though she knew that he wouldn't live much longer in spite of his fatal wound.

Not even thinking about her own injuries at all, the girl forced herself to her feet even though her pain was immense. Desperate for just one more moment with the hero, she weakly limped over to him, slowly kneeling at his side as she gazed into his placid face with love and grief. "Link?" she whispered softly as she took his cold hands into hers, relishing the fact that she could finally touch him one last time. "Link?"

As the senses, thoughts, and memories that had been stolen from him by the demon returned to him, the first thing the hero registered was the girl's soft voice calling out to him, followed by a heavy rush of pain from the arrow still sticking out of his chest. Slowly and laboriously, Link opened his eyes and focused his vision on Zelda's face, a sight that filled him immediate relief. "Z-Zelda?" he asked quietly, his voice small and pained, but peaceful nonetheless.

The girl barely managed to hold back a sob of both joy and grief as she held onto the hero's hands even tighter. "Hey sleepyhead…" she whispered with a warm smile. "Glad to see you finally woke up…"

"You… you're hurt…" Link muttered worriedly upon seeing the heavy cut torn across her chest. "Did I… Did I do t-that?"

"Oh… Link… you…" Zelda bit her lip, knowing that in his dying moments, the last thing she wanted to make him feel was guilt for something that wasn't his fault. "No," she lied, wanting to lift the burden off of his shoulders despite the load on her own. "But… But I did that to you…" She pointed to the arrow stabbed into his chest, the golden light faded from it as a steady stream of blood, red rather than white, flowed from the wound. "And I… I am so sorry…"

"N-no…" the hero said reassuringly, giving her a gentle smile. "Don't be… Zelda… y-you saved me… didn't you?"

The girl could only nod silently as she started to feel her own fatal wound take its toll on her. "L-Link… I… I…" she trailed off in a shuddering, mournful breath, feeling pain start to drag her away from consciousness. "I don't think… we're going to make it… either of us…"

"Zelda…" Link said, his smile fading as he watched the girl slowly lie down next to him, wrapping her arms around him as she cuddled close to him, trying her best not to agitate their wounds. "Don't say that… Y-you… you're going to be f-fine… You aren't g-going to… to die here… okay? Y-you can't… the… the baby… it needs you… even m-more than it needs… me…"

Zelda closed her eyes in grief as she knew that no matter what the hero said, her wounds were too dire for anyone to treat. She knew well that she was going to die right alongside him, and with the two of them would also die their child, before it even got a chance to be born into the world. "Link… I'm sorry…" she whispered tearfully, giving his hands a soft squeeze. "I… I tried so hard… For the surface… for our child… for you… I guess it just wasn't meant to me…"

Link was silent for a moment, pushing away his intense agony as he tried to figure out a way to console the girl in their shared final moments. As much as it pained him to think so, he knew that both of them were going to die in a matter of mere minutes, and there was nothing that could be done to save them now. And so, he simply gave her a small soft kiss on the cheek as he slowly moved his arms to place them around her, so that the two of them were embracing one another as they lay and bled out together. "Is… is it a boy or a girl?" he asked vaguely, immediately confusing the girl.

"What?" Zelda asked with a frown, feeling her energy begin to drain away.

"T-the baby…" the hero said with a small, bright smile, wanting to comfort the girl in the midst of their shared agony. "What do you… think it is?"

Zelda thought for a moment, knowing that in their last few moments, Link wanted both of them to die happy, thinking of what the future could have held for their child, a future that would never come to pass. "It would have been-"

"No," Link said succinctly. "D-don't talk like t-that… Not 'it w-would have been'… Say 'it will be' i-instead…"

"O-okay…" the girl said, closing her eyes and letting her imagination to take over for her. "It will be… a… a girl… S-she'll be strong… and healthy… and loved very much…"

"S-she'll be beautiful… like her mother…" the hero said with a contented smile.

"And she'll… she'll be brave… like her father…" Zelda sighed happily, leaning her head against Link's shoulder.

"S-she'll live a long… and happy life…" Link said softly, his voice starting to fade as death began to take him more and more. "And o-one day… she'll find love… j-just like her p-parents did…"

"I l-love you, Link…" the girl said somewhat distantly, her body going numb from the pain. "I'm so g-glad… that we got t-to say goodbye… one last time…"

"T-this isn't goodbye…" the hero said with hope in his tone. "I… I think we will m-meet again someday… Don't you?"

"I… I know we will…" Zelda said with a warm smile, knowing that know that he was free from corruption, she certainly would meet Link again in another life. "F-for every lifetime… we share together… I w-will always love you… no matter what…"

"A-and… I will always love you…" the hero whispered, gazing into the girl's dark blue eyes as the vibrancy of life faded out of them.

Zelda couldn't help but let out a small, blissful sigh as she placed her trembling hand against his face and kept it there. "Goodnight… s-sleepyhead…" she said, closing her eyes after taking in one last glimpse of him. "Sleep t-tight…"

"Goodnight… Zel…" Link said as he also closed his eyes and seamlessly moved his face closer to the girl's until their lips were almost touching. "S-see you… in the… morning…"

No more words were exchanged between them as they both spent the last of their energy to allow their lips to meet one last time in one final kiss. The final breaths were almost simultaneous, but even as the life faded from them, the couple was still locked in a fond embrace, even despite the storm still raging around them and the destruction that was falling upon the land they had once strived to protect.

The goddess and the hero were both gone. But if nothing else could be said about them and all of their struggles, there was one thing that was completely certain and always would be.

They had always been together… even in death.

OK I AM SO DONE! I AM BEYOND CRYING! I HAVE REACHED A NEW LEVEL OF GRIEF ALSKFJALSJFHDJKFJGSKJFHAKDGKJADFHLGJFHLAKGKJFALSHJ

Ok... ok... now that I am more... collected, let me just beg you guys to not kill me yet! I know what I just did and I know its crazy, but just wait and see what happens, ok? Have patience my friends! I know what I'm doing! But until then, just to get you guys even more curious about what's around the bend...

Chapter 35: The Flow of Time
Chapter 36: Lights in the Shadows
Chapter 37: Curse of the Interlopers
Chapter 38: Song of Time
Chapter 39: A New Era
Epilogue: Blood and Spirit

What? Only six left? I can't believe it! But the good news is that even after Blood and Spirit is over, we still have Light and Shadow to look forward to and I am getting SO freaking excited for it! Its gonna be INTENSE! XD So, as always, leave me REVIEWS cause I love them! Until Next Time!