Thanks so much to Alice-Ann Wonderland (Ah men indeed XD) and MexicAmerichick6 (Same here, honestly XD) for reviewing! I hope you continue to enjoy!

With that, on with the chapter!

~ Chapter 21 ~

Zelda's power was not growing as swiftly as she would have liked. Granted, she could feel the small spark of magic deep within her becoming a fraction stronger every minute, but it wasn't nearly enough. Having to maintain her connection with Link over such a long distance didn't help either - at this rate, it seemed as though she was actively using just as much power as she was able to replenish.

"This isn't working…" she murmured, wrapping her arms around herself in a frail attempt to shield herself from the cold. "I don't...I don't have enough power for this…"

Memories of standing in frigid springs, begging for an answer that would never come, flickered through her mind.

Zelda squeezed her eyes shut, as though that would accomplish anything. As though she could hide from her past, her present, and the slowly dawning realization regarding her immediate future.

She couldn't build up enough power to warp while still keeping a beam of her magic focused on Link. She had clearly underestimated how much energy keeping the Malice at bay would consume, and was paying the price for it. If she was going to ever be able to return to Link's side on her own, she knew exactly what she'd be forced to do.

She had to break their connection.

It was truly the last thing Zelda had wanted to resort to. Once she had learned that the Malice had possessed Link the moment she had first gotten out of range, she had sworn to herself that she would not let such a horrific occurrence repeat itself. Even without evil energy coursing through his veins, Link was already monstrously strong. She could scarcely bear to imagine the devastation he could cause if he was allowed to spiral out of control for too long.

And yet now, it would seem that she had no other choice. The way things were, her powers' growth was at a standstill, unable to build past its current level. Naydra, circling above the mountain, could protect her indefinitely from outside threats, but she knew that she couldn't hold out forever. Even inside the somewhat insulated cave, the cold was beginning to get to her, and she would need food sooner or later. If she was to have any hope of getting back to Hateno alive, she needed to act quickly.

"It will probably just be for a few minutes…" she reasoned with herself, desperately trying to believe her own words. "The magic flows swiftest under extreme pressure, after all, especially when concerning Link's safety...and there are multiple capable warriors there with him. I'm sure if they work together, they can subdue him for as long as it takes me to warp back...then once I'm there, he'll be perfectly fine once again...yes, it should all work out well…"

She wished she knew with certainty that anything she said was true.

Zelda took a deep breath, shivering as the icy air entered her lungs. There was no getting around it. She would have to sever their magical connection, summon as much power back as she could, and desperately pray that Link wouldn't be completely overtaken before she could make it back to his side.

Her first instinct was to send her voice down to Link again, to warn him of her plan before she began, but she stopped herself. Though merely watching from afar took very little energy, projecting her voice across such a distance, even with their preexisting bond, sapped far more. It was the reason why, when she had been trapped in the castle, she could only occasionally contact Link directly, lest she accidentally use up enough magic to allow Calamity Ganon to overpower her. And now, within the last couple of hours, she had used that particular ability twice, meaning that her already paltry pool of magic had waned even further.

She couldn't risk draining it completely, or else it would then take much, much longer for it to refill itself once more. As such, though the mere thought of it made her sick, she would have to go through with her plan without warning her knight of what was about to happen.

"...I'm so sorry," Zelda whispered, pretending that Link could hear her. "Link...I pray that you're still strong enough to fight the evil mass within you. Whether you believe it yourself or not, I trust that your heart shines bright enough to cause any force of darkness to shrink back. As I told you, all that time ago...you are the light. Our...no, my light. And no matter what happens...I will always love you."

The princess closed her eyes to envision the strand of golden light stretching across the sky to the tech lab on the hill. With a final, slow exhale, mist furling from her lips in the frigid air, she lifted her hand, imagining that she could wrap her fingers around the far end of the tether.

And with a swift jerk of her wrist, she snapped the golden line and absorbed its magic back into her being.

()()()()

Riju blearily woke up to a head full of static, an aching throat, and the odd feeling of smooth scales pressed against one side of her face. Bringing a hand up to rub at her temples, she shifted to sit up straight, glancing sideways at the tall Zora prince, whose arm she had somehow ended up slumped against. Sidon too appeared incredibly drowsy, his eyes closed and his head nodding every few seconds. He didn't seem to notice her stirring beside him.

The young Gerudo sighed, shaking her head with a grimace. Not exactly the most dignified position, was it? Buliara would surely have some choice words for her if she'd seen her charge sprawled out asleep on the floor.

Regardless, Buliara wasn't here, so it was of little consequence anyway. For now, Riju's primary concern was her pounding head and bruised throat. How had that happened, again…?

As she glanced around the room, her eyes eventually fell upon the shimmering steel of the Master Sword, glowing softly where it lay on the floor out of its scabbard, under a table. Upon said table sat a certain short, blond, especially ragged-looking Hylian voe, his head lowered enough for his bangs to cover his eyes.

Oh. Right. That.

While she shook off the fog of sleep, the memories slowly crept back. Link's fingers closing around her neck. His obsidian fire eyes staring down at her. Sidon knocking the possessed voe unconscious. The discovery of the real Paya. Rushing Link up the hill to the tech lab. Holding the Master Sword up to the Malice on his face until she couldn't stand any longer.

Truly, a lot had happened today.

Suppressing a shudder, she moved to stand, bracing herself against the wall when her legs still proved wobbly. As soon as she had gotten to her feet, Link's head snapped up to stare at her, and she froze.

Riju slowly met his gaze, relieved to discover that his eyes were once again a bright sky blue - and yet, they were still somehow darkened with an emotion she could only interpret as guilt.

"...Link," she spoke softly, minding her aching throat. "You're...awake. And yourself again, I see."

The Hylian voe's only response was an agonizingly slow nod. His eyes flicked to the side, where, at the back of the lab, Purah, Impa, and Teba were involved in some low conversation that Riju couldn't make out. The tips of Link's ears dropped slightly in apparent disappointment when none of them noticed him looking, and his eyes reluctantly found their way back to the Gerudo vai.

For several long seconds, neither of them said a word.

Riju released a soft sigh, opening her mouth to speak, but before she could utter a syllable, Link suddenly blurted in an unusually raspy voice, "I'm sorry."

The young chief's eyebrows lifted. Since when was the silent knight the first to find his voice? All the more reason to stay quiet and let him continue, she supposed.

"I'm sorry," he repeated, head dropping to stare at the floor. "I...the Malice...I didn't know what I was doing, I...I wasn't strong enough to resist it. I'm sorry...I almost...I could've killed - "

"Huh. It's not often I get to see you this flustered, Hero of Hyrule," Riju interrupted, leaning back against the wall to keep from toppling over. "And all for my sake…? I have to admit, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't flattered."

Link fell silent, though he still didn't look in her direction.

Riju, meanwhile, watched him carefully. "...you're feeling guilty," she pointed out. It wasn't a question. "About what the Malice made you do. Though...I'm guessing someone else has already told you off about that, right?"

The knight's eyes once again darted over in Purah's direction, confirming Riju's suspicions.

"Mhm...well then. I guess that means I don't have to waste my breath repeating everything you've already heard." The vai carefully eased herself off of the wall and made her way over to the table, jumping up to sit beside Link. She allowed herself an amused smiile at his bewildered expression and lightly patted his shoulder. "Don't apologize any further, because I forgive you. Let's make it as simple as that, alright?"

Having only left the Gerudo Desert a few times in her life, Riju admittedly wasn't particularly well-versed in the behaviors of Hylian voe as a whole, but little by little, she had begun to figure out how Link's mind worked. The young Champion, though he appeared deceptively calm on the surface, was overwhelmed surprisingly easily when it came to his own emotions. He had no idea how to cope with problems he couldn't swing a sword at, so his solution was often to simply shut down and not say a word. Once he reached that state, no amount of prying - except from perhaps Princess Zelda herself - could get him to open back up.

Then again, simple problems often required simple solutions.

Riju had no doubt that Link had already heard all about how he wasn't to blame and shouldn't feel guilty from the others. To someone else, such sentiments might have helped, but Link was hardly the type to let himself off the hook that easily. He believed wholeheartedly that he was responsible for his possessed self's actions and should apologize as such.

So then, why not respectfully acknowledge that, accept the apology, and move on?

Link, surely having expected another lecture, stared at the younger vai in disbelief. "You...forgive me…?" he repeated slowly. "Just...like that? Seriously…?"

She smirked and winked at him. "Seal-iously."

At that, Link actually gave a light laugh, though he still appeared stunned. "Seal-iously...right," he chuckled faintly. "Um...that's...good, then. Riju...sarqso. Really."

"Of course!" the Gerudo replied with a smile. "I'll get back at you soon enough anyway, I'm sure." She reached up and tapped the top of his head. "Would growing taller than you be a worthy revenge, I wonder?"

Link's smile was small, but it did much to ease the tension in his face. "Heh...I doubt that'll take very long at all."

"I'll be extremely disappointed if it does," Riju agreed. "I am a Gerudo, after all. And I - " She paused, eyebrows raised, as Link suddenly froze, looking stricken. "...Link? Are you…?"

"Riju," he cut in urgently as his whole body began to tremble. "Riju, you...you have to get away from me. Right now."

Her eyes widened at the genuine terror in his tone. She slowly moved off of the table, backing away. "Link…? What's going on…?"

Across the room, Purah, Impa, and Teba looked over, their attention drawn by the sudden change in atmosphere.

Link swayed a bit before sliding off of the table as well, landing on his knees next to the Master Sword. With his proximity, the blade's soft silver glow gradually increased in strength.

"It's...i-it's gone…" Link whispered, doubled over in pain. "Z-Zelda...her magic...it's gone…" He lurched forward and his forehead hit the ground as he let out a sharp cry, which sent Teba and Purah dashing to his side.

Memories of flaming obsidian eyes flashed through Riju's mind.

"Th-The Malice…" the young knight whimpered. "I-It's...coming back…"

Then, he went dead silent.