Maneuvering with the injury was difficult, needless to say. She had to be careful with it, couldn't really get it wet, and definitely couldn't put pressure on it- all things that were difficult to avoid in the Ancient Cistern. It was fragile, but she got passed it. They acquired the tool needed to do it, and honestly, the proceeding use of it was wonderfully fun. The injury meant she wasn't exactly able to swing around on the whip as required of her, which meant they really had to Tarzan the situation. And as romantic as that was in theory, execution was awful.
Over the course of their remaining journey, it was a common theme, unfortunately for Link's balls, because after the whip was kind of obsolete due to acquiring his clawshots, she still had to cling to him, and the force behind the swinging and the closeness meant breasts were uncomfortably squished, and balls were kneed. Neither of them were happy about that, but it was one of the many things they had to get passed, and possibly one of the fewer and more comical.
Koloktos was definitely an obstacle. A terrifying one in the moment, but as they succeeded, the massive, beautiful structure crumbling beneath Link's stroke, it was really honestly, fun. It was robotic in its actions, meaning it was pretty easy to really judge. Even if it's course of action was lethal, once they got a hold of it, they were able to take it down and with Ghirahim off expecting once more that his "henchmen" would deal with it appropriately, they were able to proceed into the first flame of three.
The second wasn't nearly as fun, but it did really have her interest. The timeshift stones were in use again, and the capabilities of those things were something that she wanted with every fiber of her being to explore and understand. Of course, in that moment, she wasn't exactly able, which was disappointing, but she just really enjoyed the environment of the desert. It was warm, and it was filled to the brim with interesting things all of which she wanted to know more and more about. But they proceeded onto a sandship of sorts, sorting a wonderful mix of puzzles that thrilled her more than she expected. Really, she was greatly saddened to see it all destroyed under the force of whatever that baby-faced creature that arose from it was.
The third and final laid in a gorgeous place that, just like all the others, she adored. Going through it was just as empowering as it had been the first time they visited the Eldin Volcano, and while she had to help Link along with his breathing, it was made easier by the gift the goddess passed along, which made him a little less affected by the heat. Still, she was allowed to take the lead there, even if the granted skill from the environment exhausted her quickly with just how little she could balance the enhancement. Ghirahim himself elected to be the obstacle there. He was beyond angry with the fact that Link had not only survived but become an actual menace to his plans- something that later on didn't really matter that much as Ghirahim almost got his way.
But again, Link was able to prevail, and surprisingly enough, he did so with Tya's assistance. Ghirahim wasn't affected by fire, and he was significantly more intelligent than the one-track-mind enemies they were accustomed to, but if she avoided his hits and landed forceful blows of her own, she could knock him off balance enough to give Link openings, which thoroughly enraged the Demon Lord, but made him retreat regardless.
With the sword finally endowed in the way the Goddess intended it to be, the pair was allowed to move along with the intention of getting Zelda out.
But in the usual fashion, this was made difficult…
First, the intervention came about once more from that massive scaled beast below the ground at the temple. It rose again, but with the help of Groose, the three of them were able to seal it back down, and though exhausted, they returned once more to the inside, where his new blessed blade was able to awaken the stone.
Of course that wasn't the end of their trouble… No, because as they entered, finally facing their friend, they were given information that honestly, they could have concluded themselves… Link, at the very least, was an instrument of the Goddess, and Zelda, the reincarnation of Hylia herself. Of course Tya wasn't relevant, she was nothing more than the second hand of the chosen hero, and she was alright with that.
But this meant that the fate she was accompanying on required just a little more work, which was made clear as Zelda sealed herself away with the hope that she would be able to keep the seal on the imprisoned being beneath the earth, Demise.
The fact that he had been used weighed on Link for some time, and though he felt somewhat betrayed by Zelda for it, he acknowledged that this was no easy task to ask someone for. Even so, he thought she understood that, for the Goddess, he would do anything.
It was something he couldn't overcome, but something he could at the very least come to terms with. For Hylia, he would be an instrument, and for Hylia, he would drive back the abomination as intended.
So they continued on the journey, ever closer by the tasks set for him that she assisted with. And they collected what was needed of them, to once again defeat Demise.
Succeeding in all of their efforts led them to the night which Zelda was freed from the seal she put upon herself.
Link had been put to the task of acquiring an ultimate power from not Hylia, but the Golden Goddesses. The ones who had made everything from the land they lived upon to the Goddess herself, to the power she was meant to protect: The Triforce. The journey had shaped him perfectly to acquire the Golden Goddesses' blessing. Before the Triforce, Link knelt, his prayers sent to Hylia and their creators, and the Triforce allowed the prayer to be heard. The destruction of Demise was imminent, and the goddess statue they worshipped fell from Skyloft, driving into the abomination and successfully eradicating it from their time.
The pieces connected perfectly, making it evermore clear that the surface was where they belonged…
The pair, exhausted, found their way back into the temple where Groose stood protectively at the old woman's side. Together, Link and Tya passed the Gate of Time and pulled open the doors that, behind, Zelda lay in her amber seal, awaiting the day she could reawaken.
They stepped up to the pedestal, and from inside, her pulsating light finally broke through the encasing, lowering their sought after friend slowly to the ground.
Blue eyes opened and fell on the two of them, half lidded and dazed, tired yet as she looked to them, to the temple in their backdrop, to the companions that awaited them, they began to water. Nothing flowed out, but there were tears in them nonetheless.
She started slowly, body unsure of itself after having been frozen for so long. Tya wondered if she was alright, but she guessed that every power she used to seal Demise and herself probably kept her body mostly healthy and intact over the time. She didn't look sickly- she didn't look different at all, aside from her gorgeous ethereal glow. But for Tya, that had always been there- it was just a little less metaphorical in that moment.
The bubbling excitement and adoration Tya felt in that moment was leveled as she watched her friend nearly fall down the stairs. She understood it was because she was tired, but as it happened, Link moved to catch her, Tya hurrying alongside him and after checking to see if Zelda was fine, she smiled at her.
The fellow blonde wrinkled her nose, a hand waving out at Tya as she said "oh hush, I was a sleep for a hundred years."
"Link does it on a daily basis and I've-" Tya stopped herself, head tilting. "Never mind, he falls down stairs frequently."
"I do n-not!" He retorted with feigned offense only to straighten, helping Zelda to her feet. He looked between the two of them before raising his chin and matter-of-factly saying "I haven-haven't fallen down stairs in at least a w-week."
This response caused both girls to laugh, and when it calmed, Zelda took in a breath, her hand setting over her chest as she looked between them. "Thank you," she offered genuinely, to which both of them responded in kind. They dismissed it in a clear gesture to say that she didn't need to thank them. She breathed in, rolling her eyes happily in response and starting forward with uncertain steps to the main area of the temple. Link and Tya followed close behind, watching her carefully to be sure she didn't fall, and if she did, they would be there to catch her.
Her presence felt like light had shined over their lives again… It was so calming, so peaceful, and it felt as if things were finally going to become.. Alright.
She breathed out like she hadn't been able to in the months that this had been happening, and looked to Groose and the old woman as they came to her.
Immediately upon setting his eyes on her again, Groose's breath left him. Much like hers, tears filled his eyes, hands held out toward her, and he moved forward, hesitating just before setting them on her shoulders. She flashed a smile up at him, watching as he studied her, then bowed his head and let out a pathetic laugh.
"I missed you so much," he admitted, releasing her immediately and moving to grab Link instead. He hugged the boy close, then grabbed Tya in the other and hugged her as well. After releasing, he even shuffled off to do the same to the old woman all before returning to Zelda, who couldn't even contain her laughing at that. He bowed in front of her, hand softly clasping one of hers. "I'm so sorry for-"
His apology was cut short by a shattering sound as a flash of white and yellow, the force of which sent all four of them back on the ground.
As they caught their breath, looking around for any answer to what had just happened, they realized that, while Demise had been eradicated, they hadn't actually taken into account Ghirahim's presence…
A foolish mistake- how fucking stupid of them. How could she have thought this was over? How could she have overlooked something so detrimental?
"Touching," Ghirahim commented, a hand motioning out to Groose. "And I'm so sorry that I must intervene, I really am," he put an exaggerated frown on his face, strolling over to Zelda. Her body already being fragile and dazed meant the impact of his magic was enough to knock her unconscious, which all three of them were quick to realize. Link was the first to his feet, body already shaking and weak from the days exhausting events, but Groose's, not so much. He wasn't able to do much, but it he hadn't thought about that as he charged forward a few steps, only stopped as Tya grabbed onto his shirt to keep him from getting hurt.
"Unfortunately, our little Goddess, has prior arrangements, and we must be off." The demon lord arched a brow to Groose, then scoffed at Link. At the notion that he'd be taking her, Link charged forward, sword drawn, but Ghirahim quickly proved he wasn't at all interested in a fight. A wall put itself in between the two of them, and abruptly shoved back, forcing any of the opposing parties back onto the ground as he started up the stairs to the constantly turning gears. The old woman fruitlessly tried to stand in the way only to be cast off the platform and onto the ground.
The wall disintegrated into diamonds as as Ghirahim continued on through. Groose shuffled to his feet, looking back toward Link and Tya. He wanted to say something, but he knew well what their train of thought would be, so rather than doing so, he hurried over to the old woman and hastily began to check her over to make sure she was fine.
Link hurried back to his feet, grabbing Tya's arm and pulling her off the ground in an appreciated gesture. His hand hooked with hers and he began to guide her through the gate as well.
They passed through, on the other side being greeted by a pained gasp as the Guardian of the Goddess held her shoulder, blood seeping through her fingers. She gritted her teeth, looking up to the two of them with clear annoyance in her eyes. "He appeared out of nowhere…" She shook her head, eyes closing tight for a second before she said "go get her, I'll be fine."
Link hesitated, glancing back to Tya, who nodded with similar uncertainty. She knew Impa was likely more than capable of handling that wound, and they didn't have the time to stand around. They hurried out the Temple's doors, pushing them open to emerge out on the edge of the crater, at the bottom of which Demise was still sealed and waiting. Zelda lay unconscious at the bottom, and around her, Ghirahim had begun to perform whatever odd ritual required. Link let out a breath as it really clicked what Ghirahim was doing, and he looked back to Tya.
Neither of them spoke, instead moving to the edge as if prepared to jump over only for this to be stopped abruptly as another of those walls forced its way up right in their way. Link slammed a hand into it out of frustration, then without a word, both of them started down the ramp.
They were running at full speed, very nearly sliding their way down the slope, but they weren't allowed far. Glancing up to notice their progress, Ghirahim grimaced. Briefly breaking one hand from his task, he held it out toward them and allowed another wall to erect in their path, cutting them off from proceeding. His hand then retracted, hovering over the girl, and as they tensed, a burst of light filled out of her body, temporarily lighting the night around them. Tya moved back to the edge, pressing to the wall to get a better look. Link joined her helplessly, letting out a whine as he watched. There was nothing they could do, but still, Link found himself drawing his blade and thrusting it into the wall only to be cast back.
A frustrated cry left him, and he fell forward against it.
Tya looked around at a loss, the area going silent aside from the sounds of Ghirahim's actions. She watched as the demon lord looked up from his work, seemingly pleased, but even so, he raised a hand, wrist flicking and at first, she couldn't place what he had done. But behind them, before the wall he had placed, came footsteps as well as the clattering of weapons. She shifted to look back, Link doing the same, and let out a breath as she laid eyes upon a hoard of those fucking pests.
But she also noticed something else as she looked up the path they'd just come. The border of the wall was marked particularly with a row of gradient diamonds, and she realized it was just a little over their heads. She let out a small laugh, grabbing Link's arm roughly and pointing to the top just before kneeling and clasping her hands together to give him a boost. For a moment he was confused, but then it set in what she was suggesting. "You can't get across," he shook his head, causing her to usher him again by moving her hands toward him.
"Yeah, but one of us can and you need to be the one." He hesitated at that, staring at her for a long moment then looking back to the hoard turning the curve toward them.
Only a moment longer before he knelt in front of her, one hand setting against her cheek and against the other, his lips. He held it there for a moment, grasping her hair before pulling away and setting his boot in her hand. When she tensed enough to boost him, he complied, and she helped him vault over just in time for them both to dodge a cleaver that slammed into the invisible wall. She reeled back to throw a relatively weak punch at the nearest one, back falling against the wall behind her. It wasn't much, but since it was a soft spot it was effective enough to get that one off her, and allow her to stand and let fire pour out and fend the rest off.
Link hit a fist against the wall, drawing her attention back so he could say "you're not- you're not allowed to die."
"I won't if you go stop him from sending more of these." She retorted hastily, to which he responded by darting off down the ramp. Tya returned her attention to the hoard, looking through her own wall of fire to notice they'd begun brandishing bows, arrows nocked and drawing back to aim at the figure in the fire.
To avoid this, she put more fire out to let the wall raise hire, and moved through it to get out of the spot they'd just seen her in. A moment later various arrows caught fire and shot through, all rebounding off the transparent wall at her back.
Relief washed over her, but she didn't have time to revel in it. They were likely preparing more or seeking out ways to get around her fire, so she took in a breath, closed her eyes, and began to let more of her flames draw out and catch the grass on fire around them. Though that was already taking much of her power, she held her hands together, both sides fueling a ball which she had learned that- if she put fire from both sides in, it charged faster. This was shot blindly into the crowd, her effort from both hands making it strong enough to do quite a bit of damage.
She lowered, her hand on the ground to extinguish the flames that had put up her defense. A lot of the crowd still remained, and the moment she was uncovered, they all turned back their attention on her.
They got close, and she swept her hand quickly, leaving a gust of fire to catch them up, causing some of them to flee outward with screeches.
They didn't learn from watching their brethren fry, so again, she put out a wall of fire to defend herself, shifting to a corner close to the wall and crouching to catch her breath. She rubbed a hand along her arm, glancing up at the wall that was defending her. She wasn't tired yet, thankful that she was in a place that didn't make her so unbalanced, but she had to be careful to not reach whatever her limit her body had. So she needed to finish them off before she got that chance and hope there weren't more waves after. She took a quick look back, noticing the coast was still clear along the path down the other side, but dismissed it. If the barrier broke she could possibly leave up her own long enough to get away, but that was only if. She still needed a plan A, and that came about as she flinched at the sound of a small explosion against her wall of flames. She stayed still for a moment, then another hit against the wall. Then after a moment, a bombflower tossed over top the flame, rolling close to her, to which she just sighed and nudged it away. The heat from it wouldn't hurt her, only the force. After a moment she was showered with a spray of dirt, causing her to sigh dramatically and let her wall fall just enough for her to look over it. More bombs were being prepared to launch, and at those pests, she gave a look of confusion toward that amount of stupidity, and began casting fire to the bombs. It was easy enough to take out chunks of the crowd with that, and what was left, she set flame to.
The area cleared, frying corpses around her that made her really appreciate her lack of smell for once. The barrier behind her hadn't fallen, but it seemed that Ghirahim hadn't actually noticed Link split off because another of them hadn't been put up. So not only had she bought time for him, it seemed she acted as a distraction as well, which she was pleased to see as she moved to the edge and watched Link finally reach the bottom.
It seemed that, even despite his appearance being unexpected, Ghirahim still wasn't surprised, only infuriated and inconvenienced. She couldn't hear the conversation so far from them, but she could see Ghirahim's over exaggerated movements. He hadn't given much of a speech this time as he had in other instances she'd met him, which she found odd at first since he seemed so theatrical, but he was clearly on a mission this time around, so she guessed she understood. If he would have stuck around any longer, they likely would have finally done away with him, and judging by Link's threatening actions at the bottom of the chasm, he had the same idea.
With a swift action, Zelda's body was suspended in the air once again, her ethereal glow lighting what Tya assumed was about to be a battle ground. She had to commend him, it was quite impressive that he was able to keep his ritual, this wall, that hoard, as well as put his attention on Link. She could barely even concentrate on the building of a small wall of fire without letting it stray out of her control and to anything else flammable in her vicinity. It was clear enough she had a lot left to learn, but it wasn't as if she'd be learning it from Ghirahim. No, she hoped Link would finally do away with this thing, but with Ghirahim's fury, she wasn't sure it would be anything like previous fights.
In a further display of Ghirahim's power, the Demon Lord shed his skin, revealing beneath the metalic body much like Fi's, and lifted the two of them onto a platform that, while putting them a step closer to zelda and a step closer to herself, was even more dangerous for either of them. It added in the possible fatality of the height… And honesty, given Ghirahim's form, she assumed that would only prove to be a real problem for Link…
She swallowed back her fear, it hitching in her throat as she watched them proceed, but even with Link taking a few blows in the fight, he managed to get Ghirahim over the edge of the platform. To avoid the fall being fatal to himself, Ghirahim made another, and before he could pull himself up, Link plunged his sword through his chest.
Whatever form he'd taken meant that wasn't fatal, but to do it twice before they hit the ground severely weakened the demon.
As they hit the ground, Ghirahim pulled to his feet again but made no move to fight Link. Instead, he raised his hands, and above them, Zelda began to writhe. A short moment later Tya could hear her screaming, the light radiating off her bursting and filling into the ritual circle below as the scaled beast rose once more, massive jaw hung open to consume it.
In almost the same manner Tya felt like her breath was being ripped out of her, and all she was left to do was hit against the wall in much the same manner.
As quickly as it had started, the light faded out, and a familiar mist began to radiate off the beast. The things that proceeded, Tya could barely comprehend. The area was blacked out in the mist, and after it calmed and dispersed, a man stood in the middle. It was only lit again as his hair ignited with a fire far brighter than her own. Ghirahim seemed to bow, but whatever he had done clearly didn't suffice- and she couldn't tell why, or what was happening to him, but the mannerisms he held seemed agonized, and the cry he let out just before being forced into the form of a blade implanted the thought in her mind that his master held little appreciation for the work he had put in for him.
What she could only assume was Demise turned his attention to Link, then up to Zelda, and that was when Tya's numbed distress was broken. With Ghirahim down, the walls fell, and she was able to move freely, which she started to do until a gust of hard air flew over her. She looked up, watching as the limp body of her friend was cast out carelessly. She hesitated in moving to try and catch her, figuring that feat was by all means impossible, but she was both proved wrong and shown up as Groose rushed passed her, through the felled corpses of her previous foes, and slid to a halt to let the smaller girl fall right into his arms- not without the help of a weakened Impa, of course. Whatever magic the Guardian of the Goddess possesed managed to slow the speed that could have easily severely injured the both of them, and Groose's accuracy pretty much saved her. He grasped Zelda tight a few feet down the path, scooping her into his arms and assuring her despite her unconsciousness, that she was going to be fine.
Tya moved to join them, wary of doing so as she could barely even catch up with all of these events.
Groose lifted her as Tya neared, moving to the edge to show his victory down to Link, who had froze in place with fear and uncertainty since he couldn't see the happenings nor tell whether or not they succeeded. Clear relief washed over him as he saw that they had, and he was quick to turn his attention back on to Demise.
"Are you gonna go down there?" Groose stepped back, looking to Tya but nodding to the battleground Link stood upon.
"I don't know if I should," she admitted, to which Groose let out a small, relating laugh.
"Either go down and help him, or come help us with Zel," he glanced passed her, toward the Guardian of the Goddess, then down to the goddess in his arms. "It's all on Link. Grannie said if he can get 'em down before her soul gets all sucked up, there's still a chance." Without another word, he started off, and Tya stood, looking down toward Demise and Link…
She had admitted first that she didn't know what to do, but that was only because she didn't want to distract Link from the battle itself. But watching him, she could see his own demeanor soften from it's hostility, and Demise clearly made no moves against him. She wasn't sure why, but that ultimately sealed the fact that she could join him. There were no second thoughts needed to send her over the edge, sailcloth brandished so she could make her way down efficiently.
She landed finally on the ground and joining at Link's side, to which Demise seemed both impressed and amused. "How brave you mortals have become," he commented, a laugh laced in his voice. "Have you come to challenge me just the same, girl?"
"If required of me, so be it." She answered, her hand grasping Link's wrist. He looked over to her briefly, an odd mix of both concern and relief brought by her presence.
His laugh continued at such a small display, but he said nothing more for the time. Instead, his sword raised that thick mist spreading once more over the field, rumbling the ground just before it came together and formed what appeared to be a gateway which centered around him.
"There is some honor to be found in standing before me as you are," he started, inhuman eyes locking on the pair. "But if you fear for your life, you needn't follow me. Remain here and cower, clinging to your world before I take it for myself. If you have the courage to follow, allow no distraction to come along." He nodded toward Tya, and before any argument could be made, he faded into the gateway he had made.
Link watched it for a moment before looking back to her. Though he had been pleased initially by her presence at his side, that had all faded out as he looked back up toward the temple.
Knowing his thoughts, Tya started with "The old woman said it will take time- this ritual is reversible so long as Demise is defeated before he can fully absorb her soul."
Link looked down to her again, nodding with understanding but still saying nothing. Instead, he just looked her over in silence, and somehow, she could tell why. The last thing Demise said contradicted the philosophical definition of courage and she knew it. Link was afraid for his life, but he intended to go anyway, and she knew he would, and knew he would succeed.
She raised her hands, cupping them softly to either side of his face, and rested her forehead to his. Their closeness had by no means changed in the time since the cistern- no feelings had been shared or reciprocated- in fact the urgent action Link had taken before she boosted him over the blockade was the closest either had ever come to any semblance of romantic, and still, she was sitting, doubting it was meant to be taken as such for the second she let herself think on it. So many more important things were happening and it was hardly her concern.
He closed his eyes, relaxing in her grasp and softening as he understood her comfort and her intention.
"Before you go," she started softly, disengaging just an inch. "Come up. Perhaps it's trivial, but I just.. Want you to at least have a bit of water."
"This is mo-more import-"
"No it isn't," she shook her head. "You are so tired, the very least we can do is that, if not a potion of some variety…"
He softened, nodding with understanding before complying with a soft tug she gave. They retreated up the path once more and into the temple itself.
Groose had drug through their pack, presumably for medical supplies for the three of them if they needed it, though not much in their pack could really be helpful to this situation. They didn't make soul healing potions, but they did make stamina replenishing ones. Perhaps it wasn't the most reliable method, but they didn't have time for much else. She didn't have the time to really take care of him, but she sat him against a pillar, forcing herself to pay little mind to Zelda as Groose and Impa cared for her, and let him drink both water and a bit of a thick, green potion.
It took only a few minutes for it to kick in, and as it did, he rose to his feet once more, collecting his gear despite the ache in his body, but before he started toward the door, Groose approached him.
"You're gonna go down there," he partly questioned, but before Link could give a response he said "you got this buddy. We all know you can do it," He offered a fist out, a solemn smile on his face. Though tired, Link smiled and nodded, offering out a determined one of his own before he turned back once again to start out. Tya followed him to the edge, and he looked over to the gate awaiting him.
She squeezed his hand, but said nothing, and he did the same. Turning, he leaned back and once more set his forehead to hers, giving both of them that brief moment of solace before they had to separate. Releasing her entirely, he stepped over the edge, sailcloth out to lessen his falls. She stood to watch as he moved to the gate, glanced back at her, then continued through to fight the final fight of their journey.
