Yin and Yang
~*~
"So. The yang has finally come. There is hope after all." The dragon looked closely from the heavens to see Link carrying a mortally wounded woman.
"I doesn't look good though," said the phoenix that was at the same vantage point, "She's been injured more than any human can comprehend."
"What if she doesn't make it?" The fairy fluttered around the two in a frightened manner. "He can't face the Oni alone, even as a demigod!"
"We must give it time. Destiny has never lied to us before. I don't see why it should start now."
~*~
"You cannot blame yourself for all of this you know." Gounomono entered the room with fresh bandages. "Not even a hero could've seen this coming. However, I've warned you of your emotions."
"…and it cost
the life of the Princess of Hyrule. I
can never show my face in my kingdom again." Link wiped away his bitter tears. "I'm no hero. I'm a killer. I might as well die in this godforsaken
place." Link gazed at the body of the
once lively Mitsukai. Zelda…
"Now I will have none of that here. Go outside. I shall tend to your princess."
Link left his master and walked to the shrine. He clapped his hands twice and kneeled to catch the attention of the spirits. "Megami, I ask for your guidance."
A yellow glow fluttered from the winds, taking form of a glowing woman. "What troubles you, Hero of Time?"
"I do not know what I should do now. I've…" Link couldn't find the heart to say it, but Megami knew what was coming.
"You fear that you have failed as a hero?"
"Yes. I killed the one I've come here to find. Now…I don't know if I'm worthy of doing this."
"Link-san, you cannot forget who you are. You have gone through so much and have still lived to tell about it. I do not see that as a failure."
"That doesn't matter. How can I see myself fit as a protector if I can kill innocent people?! HOW?!"
Another spirit formed beside Megami, this one with a more ghostly appearance. "You are wrong about one thing Link. She is not dead."
"Seirei?" Link was confused, "You mean…"
"If she were dead, she would have already crossed over by now. I have not seen nor sensed her spirit coming towards the great plain."
A glint of hope filled Link's eyes for a moment, but turned back into skepticism. "Why has she not passed over?"
"There is still a conflict within herself. It's between her soul and the spirit that has possessed her."
Megami answered Link's question before he even asked. "I'm sorry Link-san. I cannot simply drive out the darkness. Doing so would sever her soul. This is a battle that she must win on her own." With that, the spirits started to fade.
"Wait! Is there anything I can do?" Link called out to the spirits.
"Be by her side." Megami responded, "Let her know that you love her. She needs all the strength she can get. Give her that strength." The spirits disappeared and Link knew what to do.
~*~
Cold. Dismal. Dark. This was all Zelda could feel in spite of being comfortably covered in blankets. However, this was somewhere different. Somewhere only she could recognize. The subconscious of her mind. She opened her eyes to see herself curled up on invisible ground. Rubbing the aching parts of her body, she noticed that she felt unbelievably cold. She was completely nude, save several bandages covering her upper and lower dignity. She propped herself up as her bare feet caused the ground to ripple. It looked as though she was standing in a shallow pond. Lost in this state of mind, Zelda helplessly looked around this strange world of her mind. This was nothing she could ever logically comprehend. Never had she felt so…vulnerable. Although this was all in her mind, there was a sense of unfamiliarity. That demon. The one who possessed me. A faint, haughty laugh echoed as Zelda saw a shadow sitting on top of a rocky arch. Gathering all her feeble strength, she lifted her head to face the shadow. "Do you feel that princess?" the shadow asked as she held a rose, "bit by bit, petal by petal." The shadow started to pluck the silky petals from the flower and drop them onto Zelda. "This rose is like your life. And it's withering away…very slowly." The shadow gloated as she crumpled the delicate flower, mangling it into a thorny stem. She threw it at Zelda, who shuddered when the thorns scratched her soft skin.
"Who…are…you? Why…are you…treating me…like this?"
The
shadow laughed with amusement as it disappeared from the arch and reappeared by
Zelda's crumpled body, "You don't know who I am? I'm hurt, Zelda dear. After all we've been through."
"I
know you're name is Mitsukai," Zelda snapped, regaining her strength, "But who
are you really?"
"Zelda. My Zelda," the shadow mocked, "I am not just
any spirit you know. I know how you
think, how you act, and how you feel." The shadow slowly crept into the light, letting it reveal her face, "As
a matter of fact, I know you better than anyone in existence…sister."
Mitsukai face was all too familiar to Zelda. "You're…me…"
~*~
"Do you see these markings Link-san?"
"Yes sensei. What do they mean?"
Gounomono indicated the tattoos covering Zelda's arm, "This is a very unique possession spell. It is unlike anything ever used before."
"So what does that mean?"
"It means that there is no demon within Zelda-chan's body."
Link was shocked at this revelation, "What do you mean there's no demon?! Something is in her!" Link's tears started to swell up, "That…woman…was not the gentle…shy Zelda…I nearly…" Link wasn't able to finish his sentence.
"Settle down." Gounomono said, "Now as I was saying, there is no demon inside of Zelda. This particular spell only amplifies the darkness and throws off the balance."
Link dried his tears as he started to understand. "Zelda's dark side…"
~*~
"You neglected me Zelda dear. All these years, your 'holier than thou' nonsense has kept you from being who you truly are…"
"No…" Zelda said to herself, "It can't be true…"
"Oh, I guarantee you. This is the truth."
"I am not a killer. I do not fight. I AM NOTHING LIKE YOU!"
"Oh really?" Mitsukai slapped Zelda, "You're a fool. Everyone has a dark side. Don't deny it princess."
Zelda seethed as she retaliated with a weak slap. "How am I like you, huh?!"
"Think Zelda! When I was seducing Link, you did not resist at all."
"I…I…" Zelda couldn't retaliate. Mitsukai was right. She did enjoy it. "That…was…different…"
"Don't lie. You loved it. You didn't care about morals or ethics. You wanted him."
"Fine! I did! I loved him." Zelda blushed as she thought of it. "He's so warm. And caring…"
"When are you going to wake up, Zelly dear? He never loved you."
"He does! He'd do anything for me!"
"Is that so? Then where was he when you were taken?" Zelda couldn't answer. "Where was your 'hero' when you were taken to my master? Where was he then?!"
Zelda started to break into tears, "Why…"
"And why did you think he was so merciless when defeating you? He doesn't love you. Never have I sensed so much hate in a person!" Mitsukai laughed as her counterpart started to fall apart. "You're alone Zelda. All alone…"
~*~
Link
sat at Zelda's side, praying to Nayru that everything would work out. The silence was broken when he noticed tears
dripping from her eyes. A weak voice
left her lips, "All…alone…" Although no one could know what was happening, Link
knew that something was in her mind. Zelda's body began to squirm slowly and convulse. "For…sa…kened…" Zelda unconsciously repeated
everything her dark side told her. She
wept and begged for repentance. Link
could hear her as she continued, "For…give…me…" Link held Zelda's hand. His only action of comfort he could give. I'll always be there for you. I'll never leave you.
~*~
"I'll never leave you…"
Zelda knew that voice. It was him. She glared at her shadow, her spirit renewed. "You don't control me."
"And how will you stop me?"
"I…won't…let…you!" Zelda's frail body started to glow with a holy light. Mitsukai was stunned and tried to play more mind tricks on her.
"What you are doing is foolish! It is useless! You'll never win! You cannot destroy me!"
Zelda said nothing as she approached Mitsukai. "You're right. I cannot destroy you. We shall be one again."
"I'm not going back!" Mitsukai tried to fight back, but the light was too great. "Don't lock me up! Please! I don't want to go!" Useless. Zelda grasped her dark side, and accepted her. Her soul was whole once again. "Wait for me Link. Wait for me…"
~*~
"LINK!" Zelda jerked up in tears as she embraced her
hero. "Link! I'm so sorry!" Her eyes
swelled with tears as she remembered the deaths at her hands, "I
didn't…mean…to…"
Link
hushed her as he laid her gently onto her bed. "No," he admitted, "I should ask you for your forgiveness. I nearly killed you. I don't deserve you."
Zelda's
tears came down in torrents. She
gripped Link and scolded, "Don't you ever say that! Don't you ever leave me!" Zelda wept and kissed him right then
and there. She had returned.
~*~
Morning
arose as Link walked towards the path. A new sense of determination fired up within him as he stared at the
sunrise. He could not escape
destiny. Oni Ryuujin would have to die,
or else he would fail this kingdom. "Are you sure that you can handle this alone?" Link turned to his master, who was standing by the gateway.
"I
don't know. He is more powerful than my
other foes, but I won't fail this kingdom."
"Then
I shall go with you," muttered a feminine voice. Link almost jumped when he saw Zelda by the doorway dressed in
her ninja attire. Zelda walked up to
the hero, ready to travel with him. Link however, shook his head.
"Forgive
me. You cannot come."
"I
am coming!" Zelda burst out, "I won't
stay back and watch as you die by the hands of the demon that manipulated
me." She tore off her mask, showing
some of the scars that had been inflicted during her time as Mitsukai. "See this? This is what he did to me if I hadn't obeyed him. I've gone through enough. I want to see him one last time."
Link
hesitated, than slowly nodded. "Alright
then. Stay close to me and nothing will
happen."
Gounomono
smiled at this scene and pulled out something from his sleeve. "A man walked by here one day and was
selling me masks. Normally I'd refuse,
but there was one that intrigued me." The mask he held was pearly white with several golden markings. However, the face was clearly female. "He called it the mask of the Guardian
Angel. It is every way opposite of the
Fierce Deity. Prophecies foretold of a
demon and an angel saving us all. Now,
that time has come." Zelda accepted the
mask before embarking on the journey. "Go to the cave where the Oni was released. There you shall see the gate to his world. Good luck you two, and may the spirits guide
you."
Link
looked off to the distance, as did Zelda. The two looked at each other as if for the last time, and then set off.
~*~
"So, the traitor is
returning. And who is this? The boy? This shall be most entertaining."