A Light at the End of Darkness
When Dalan arrived at the field where the final battle had taken place, Zelda was covered by a warm blanket and lay beneath a protecting tree. The rain still continued it ceaseless pouring as he rushed toward her. He saw Link out of the corner of his eye, sitting as still as stone out in the harsh rain, his clothing and hair soaked through. The Master Sword was imbedded to the ground at his side. Dalan turned his gaze away from the warrior and toward the woman sleeping soundly beneath the tree. The Pryderi let out a sigh of relief and thanks when he saw her peaceful and even breaths. She was whole, she was safe.
Dalan looked up and searched for Rhaea in the midst of the rain. But he could see no sign of her. He slowly approached the still warrior and tossed a cloak over Link's body. Dalan sat down beside him and looked at him curiously. He then turned his gaze to the field about him, but could still see no sign of Rhaea. He turned back to the warrior that was as still as death and spoke.
"Where is Rhaea?"
Link groaned in agony. Dalan, surprised, moved forward and looked into the warrior's face. Tears fell steadily from Link's tightly clenched eyes and the anguish could be read on his face. Fear grew in Dalan's heart. Where was Rhaea?
Dalan grabbed Link and shook him. "Where is my sister, warrior? Where is Rhaea? Where is she?"
Link lifted his arms up and forced Dalan's hands off of him. Link looked up fiercely. His eyes were bloodshot and his face contorted with pain. Dalan moved back as Link growled and stood up. His body was wound tighter than a bow and it seemed ready to snap at any moment. Link turned back toward Dalan and cried out, hoarsely, all the anguish spilling out.
"She is dead!"
Dalan shot up and growled at Link, the fear in his face belying the furious words. "What do you mean, 'she is dead'? Rhaea can not be dead!"
Link turned away from the Pryderi and began to make his way toward Epona. "She had to crystallize the power of your love and the Sages' power into herself and transfer that into Zelda to expel the Evil from her. It destroyed her body. Rhaea…is dead."
Link leapt onto Epona and looked down at the astonished agonized brother. "At least you have your love," Link said quietly. "She will give you comfort during the cold nights. I loved your sister. And I will be forever alone."
And without another word, Link rode off into the depths of Hyrule.
* * *
Link had been a walking corpse since Rhaea's death. He had never known pain, never known anguish as he did now. He traveled from town to town, through the woods and forests; barely eating, training endlessly, and trying to keep the overwhelming anguish at bay by giving himself physical exhaustion. He could never sleep unless it was because of extreme exhaustion, and even then his dreams were tormented with thoughts and memories of Rhaea.
He had become only a shell of a man. The Hero had performed his last good deed. The Hero of Hyrule was once more just a myth. The man that now roamed the lands was no more than a beggar. He could no longer play music, could not think, and could not live. His soul had died, and the only thing left was a hollow shell. Not even his father knew what had happened to him.
The empty eyes stared into the darkness of the waterfall. He could no longer feel pain, could no longer feel anything at all. The tears would come unbidden and unnoticed and would stream down his face without his knowledge of their presence. He could not speak. He had become no more than a wandering ghost, searching for the life that was no longer his.
When he came upon the spring that he had first met the enchanting faery woman, his screams of anguish could be heard across Hyrule. When Zelda had heard those screams she could not stop the sobs from building in her soul. He had done so much for Hyrule. And in repayment he had become a lost soul, endlessly searching for the one he loved. Searching for the only one who could fill his empty corpse.
Link stared into the darkness, no longer anyone or anything. He could not even feel himself breathe. He could feel nothing at all. He could not think. The only thing he could do was gaze sightlessly at the world around him and live off the torturing memories. He was the perfect example of self-sacrifice and the price that comes with it. After all of his hardships, his kindness, his gentle aids, and his goodness in defending and protecting, he was rewarded by the loss of his soul. His only reason to continue living. Because of that he was no longer anything but a walking casket, empty and alone.
He collapsed on the ground, exhausted from his endless wandering, physical labor and nothingness. His cheeks were hollow with mall nutrition, his eyes sunken from exhaustion, his body strained and weak with physical labor but nothing to give it the energy. He stared sightlessly into the night… until a glimmer flashed before his eyes. He gave it no heed until it flashed again. And again. And again. The glimmering lights began to flash around him like an endless array of shooting stars. He hoped this was death. For as far as he was concerned he was already dead.
A small face shimmered before him, until he recognized it and the voice that came from the small lips. The small woman glowed as her lips moved insistently calling him until he awoke from his stupor.
"Link? Link? Wake up, Link? Do you not remember me? Link…?"
Link's lips moved in the shape of her name, but he was too weak to speak. But even if he had had the strength he probably would not have been able to speak anyway. He had not spoken until the last words he had told Dalan about his sister's death.
"Na…vi…?" his lips moved silently as he slipped into unconsciousness.
* * *
When Link finally awoke, he could feel again. His body felt alive, healthy and well rested. His muscles no longer ached and he was aware of every move he made. When he opened his eyes, he gazed at a world he had never seen before. Full of flashing lights and brilliant colors and beauty. A small woman with wings appeared before him. A faery.
"Navi?" he whispered hoarsely.
Navi laughed and nodded. "It is a good thing we found you when we did. If not you would have probably died and faded away!"
Link turned his gaze away. "How do you know that was not my intention?"
Navi started and gazed at him strangely. "Surely, you do not mean that, Link. Why would you want to die?"
Link's body trembled. "Because there is nothing left for me here. I have lost everything. All I lived for was to help people and to suffer. Well, my job is done and I no longer wish to suffer. I want to die and live out eternity with the love that was taken from me in repayment for saving the world."
Navi stared at him in horror. "You want to die so you can be with your love?"
Link gave a curt nod. "Leave me be. You have only prolonged my torture."
The small faery gave a cry of outrage. "Do you not know where you are? You are in the homeland of the Faeries. We brought you here. No other mortals have ever been in our homeland before, Link. Because of what you did and the suffering you went through we brought you here. Is this how you will repay us? By willing yourself to die!"
Link stared harshly at the faery. "Then toss me from here, kill me, do something. But just let me die. I gave everything for the world and all the world gave me back was suffering. So let me suffer and die in peace! I lost the only thing that gave me true happiness and hope! I am nothing but an empty shell, Navi. Hollow and alone. You will let me live in this torturous aloneness? You are cruel. Just let me die."
Navi was furious. "Then what are supposed to tell our Sister Fair One when you die after we all went through torture ourselves to bring her back to you!"
Link's head shot up. He turned to the faery, his eyes wide. "What did you say?"
Navi growled at him and the other faeries began to flitter about him. "Your love was one of our kind. Not a faery, but a fellow Fair One. She gave her body away and welcomed death to save the world. But she was no more than a lost soul when she came to us. We did everything we could to reconstruct her body for her and for the love of hers that risked everything—including happiness with her—for the souls of all those living." Navi shimmered about him as the faeries began to lift Link into the air. "We found you, almost dead and saved your life so you could live it with the one you love, you buffoon!"
With that Link vanished from the faery world only he had ever seen.
When Link awoke he could feel the sun on his face and the sand beneath his back. The surf was spilling over his toes. He was bare-chested and barefoot as he slowly began to lift himself from the sand, his eyes slowly opening. Had it been a dream? Had the vision of Navi and the faery world been nothing but an illusion? He placed his had to his head and opened his eyes to gaze into the brilliant horizon. The water shimmered with life and light. Link smiled sadly, wondering if it had indeed been all a dream.
When he suddenly saw gold glisten out of the corner of his eye. He turned his gaze and saw a woman with her feet in the sea, her arms holding a huge bouquet of wildflowers, her golden sheer dress billowing in the wind. Her short black hair shifted with the wind and the sun's light caught on iridescence of her faery-like wings. Links heart pounded furiously in his chest as he slowly stood, his eyes unable to move from the vision before him, afraid she would disappear in a moment.
He slowly stood, praying that this was no a dream…praying that he wouldn't awaken. He began to make his way toward her, his heart beating so harshly he was sure she could hear it, if she was even real. He took a deep breath and held it, afraid of making a sound lest she vanish into the winds. He lifted his hand slowly and tentatively, placing it gently on her shoulder. She turned and he stared into brilliantly glowing golden eyes. The joy filled him and choked him; tears of happiness streaming unheeded down his cheeks. Rhaea gave a cry of joy and tossed the beautiful wild flowers into the air, the wind carrying them into the sea and around the lovers as they embraced. He clutched her close to his body, his laughter shouting over the sounds of the splashing waves, the whistling wind and the sweet music of their souls. He lifted her high over his head and they spun around, the sheer joy filling their body with lightweight giddiness. He pulled her into his embrace and kissed her deeply as the wildflowers circled them on the wind and the life around them began to sing with the music of their souls.
Their souls merged once more beneath the brilliance of the sun and of the life they had fought so fiercely for. The splashing water, the laughing wind and the music of life silently applauded their exuberant joy for the sacrifices the lovers had made for the life of the world… and for each other.