~ Disclaimer ~ I don't own Zelda or anything concerning Nintendo products.
All right, I'm pulling another night shift cause I just can't sleep on a cliffhanger. Also, I got a slap in the face (basically). Every reviewer I had has been so very kind to me that I guess I was getting a bit full of myself. Then I started getting lazy. An anonymous reviewer brought this self-realization into the light. I'm sorry.
To make up for it, I'm going to treat these last few chapters with a bit more respect and try to focus on the story, not just the scene. Therefore, this chapter may be a bit longer than any of the others.
Well, no more long disclaimers (for now). I wish to dedicate this chapter to CrysSton16 who's been with me through thick and thin of this story. Shadow Knight who has become a great friend of a reviewer. To farmerboy who is also working on a great Zelda fic. Snowsilver who seems to never let any confusions get her down. Pink Yoshi even though she only read the Dance so far. Primagen who has been a great confidence booster for me and has shown yet another promising author who writes from the heart.
My only hope in this chapter is that I don't let any of you down.
Kohachan: You won't, Shadow Girl. Believe in your ability, it won't fail you.
~~~~~~~
~ Tyrant Wolf Meets It's Fate ~
Through the lightning-torn rain, the Tyrant Wolf ran with only one thought in its simple mind. To kill. It had tasted blood but wanted more. Not only blood, though. It was also after power. The heavy scent of a great power was nearby. Tyrant went after it, altering its course only slightly and could see the aura of ever-attractive power in the distance. Time to kill.
Link's eyes began to glow once more as Navi stayed near Kohachan and Andrake, Shekro had been sent away, not permitted to witness or partake in the fight should his want to fight get the better of him and get him killed. He held his sword low and to the side, a stance he was not familiar with but seemed to ease his spirit. As Kohachan had instructed, "Never let anger or hate overpower you. See clearly and call the power by your own will."
The sword seemed to release a mist of light to surround the blade. The mist, a tint of green mixed with silver, crawled up the down-pointing blade like a flame and engulfed Link's hand. Yet, he did not flinch at the touch of the excess power. Rather, he calmed himself further, willed the flame of magic to diminish only slightly and at his command, the mist returned to cover the blade once again. Link could see his opponent in the flashes of lightning then. Flashes of blazing eyes, lolling tongue, powerful shoulders and erect ears, locked onto him and he was not afraid.
The Tyrant roared in challenge, it wanted the fight, it wanted blood and death. Yet, it knew it would have to earn these things by battle. This opponent who held such an inferno at his command was a foe to be reckoned with for sure. The Tyrant was still confident and hungry for it knew it could not be defeated!
At the roar, Link narrowed his eyes and picked up his pace to a trot, meeting the fight as far as he could manage from his friends. They would now only serve as distractions. When Link could hear the heavy panting and smell the poison-like breath, he brought the flamed sword forward, the light streaming through the darkness and cutting into the Tyrant's leg.
It leaped back, only startled. It felt another sensation, one it had felt only a while before. Pain. That sword had caused it pain. It leered, red eyes glowing in the darkness, stared at its opponent once again, taking the fight more seriously. Despite being so small, the swordsman's eyes were aglow with power as was his blade. His clothes had only slightly changed, taking on a white sheen in some places and a black sheen in others. His hair also paled to silver even in the darkness of the night. His hair only served to better define his equally glowing eyes.
It could feel no fear from this swordsman. No fear, no worry, not even any doubt! It was infuriating! Link lifted the sword again in a ready stance as the Tyrant licked at the cut leg. The wound easily closed up and there was no more pain. Though unfazed, Link took into mind that if this fight was to be finished, it would have be done a quick, strong strike. A strike delivered when the Tyrant could not escape and could not defend itself.
The Tyrant leaped straight up and over Link. It came down, both claws aimed at the boy. He leaped to the side, sliding on his shoulder then back to bear the sword on his chest. Tyrant stabbed into the earth with a hiss. Where the claws struck the roots, blades of grass quickly died and turned brown. Tyrant growled and turned to meet it's quick opponent once again but was met with Link leaping at him, sword above his head, striking a downward blow again to the Tyrant's leg. It leaped away, supported by the other three legs but rather than taking the time to lick the wound, it leaped at Link, using sheer size to try and overcome the swordsman.
For the first time, Link grinned. The Tyrant was becoming desperate already. With a quick thrust, Link jabbed the glowing blade forward and struck the Tyrant's snout just below the large, black nose. Yet, the sheer momentum of the wolf pushed Link back and pushed the blade even deeper. It didn't yelp, shocked by the pain, it stopped its running but couldn't stop Link.
Link lost all signs of emotion from his face, save that of concentration. He reached into himself once again and drew forth the flame. He called upon it to grow, flare up and surge into the sword's tip. It obeyed. The Tyrant then did cry out. Again it was an agonized cry more horrible than the roar of rage following it. Link held tight to the hilt, already getting ready for the next move.
Sure enough, the Tyrant reared back from the pain, onto its hind legs and threw its head back in agony. Link, for a moment, was astounded by the height of the monster but wasted no time. He pulled his blade free, pulling with it the power he had expanded into it. Still, the Tyrant was too strong to use the finishing blow on and that magic had drained Link to a point. He wished silently for a bottle of Chataeu Romani milk but shrugged it off and focused on his next target on the Tyrant Wolf. Its tail.
Mindful of the spines, Link slid and jumped, doing everything he could to keep from rupturing the skin as the female Natural had done. Eventually as the Tyrant was composing itself, Link grabbed a handful of the bushy tail and held tight as the wolf was once again began futilely attacking him.
With no further hesitation, Link drove the blade into the base of the tail. Summoning another surge of power, the blade grew bright red and seemed to expand. Tyrant howled once again in pain as the fur singed down to the grayish, fowl-smelling, scaly skin but also cut deeply into the bone of the tail. With little notice, the smoke from the cut and singing fur flew into Link's face, flooding his mouth, nose, throat, lungs, and eyes. Link ignored this and focused only on the task at hand. He began to yell as he strained the flames to do his bidding, cut wider.
Tyrant writhed on the ground, too much in pain to turn and claw or bite at the burning blade. The flame-like power grew to the sides and finally the bushy tail fell with a heavy splash into the mud. Tyrant felt itself growing vastly weakened but no too much so. Link's concentration on the tail had given the other wounds including that of its snout time to heal. The smoking stump was burned enough to not bleed profusely and Link gained his footing to leap free of the monster again.
Link coughed and staggered a moment. The fumes from smoke emitted from the creature's back had coated his throat as he had cut the tail. The fumes, heavily tinged with poison, took affect on Link and the boy fell to the ground on one knee, holding the blade tip to the earth and using it for a brace. Tyrant turned about, one paw at a time, slightly wavering in strength but gained stamina as the irksome fighter was down and immobile.
Tears flooded Link's vision as the fumes continued their affect on him. He was helpless. Tyrant pulled back it's massive head, stretching its jaws, and came down on the fighter, fangs first. Link refused to believe that that was the end but there was nothing he could do on his own to save his own life!
A blur of blue and black was the only sign of salvation before Tyrant was forced to pull away again. There was a sharp sting, nothing compared to the previous attacks but it was an attack nonetheless. This time, it pulled away not by pain but by confusion. If the opponent was immobile . . .
It licked the deep cut in its mouth and felt the severed fang with its tongue. Andrake held his hissing blade. It hissed from the speed of the strike and the acid saliva of the monster. More poison eked from the blade but Andrake quickly rubbed it in the mud, cleaning the poisons from it. He held Link's free arm over his shoulder as Link continued suffering the effects. The Tyrant would not wait, however, and went on the attack once more.
Link could feel the monsters' presence then. Deprived of sight, he could sense the beast. He could feel the opposing power like a blue flame opposite his own. It was growing, preparing for another strike. Andrake was nearby. He also held his own power but between Link and the Tyrant, his was nothing.
Link shoved Andrake aside, braced himself firmly in the earth and lifted his sword above himself, knowing the Tyrant's attack. It had leaped upward over him again. It met the flaming blade under its paw. Taking all the weight off the skewered paw, it landed heavily on the left front as its back legs landed behind him. It roared in pain, having slit its paw all the way open to remove it from the blade and barked angrily at Link. Link stood slowly, only slightly coughed for the poisons but said in a shattered voice as loudly as he could, "Andrake, get out of here!"
Though he could not see, Link's ears told him that the young man had not yet moved. Anger swelling, he tried again, "Get the heck OUT OF HERE!" Then the sound of fast moving feet through the mud was heard, fading slightly as they became more numerous. Good, this time the noble knight had done as he was asked. The Tyrant returned to the battle, once again leading jaws first. Link was swept up into its jaws, too distracted and blind to see. The fangs dug painfully into his hips and Link cried out in pain, he could feel the odd feeling of fatigue engulfing him. One tooth had broken skin and saliva leaked into his system.
Shaking his head from the sudden nausea that empowered him, Link brought his sword to bear, grabbing a whisker for a brace, he pulled his sword up and jabbed it into the corner of the beast's eye. An eye for an eye.
Once again, the monster howled in pain. It dropped Link to the ground and began pawing at its pained eye as oddly red-black blood leaked down. Link gripped his side in agony where blood freely flowed down his leg. Anger mixed with pain bubbled up but he quickly smothered the feelings, numbing himself to them and noticed the Tyrant was defenseless and weakened. Link smirked and no longer tried to open his eyes. It was time.
He prepared for the final attack, recalled absolutely everything Gramps had told him, recalled the attack of the Wolfos caused by their hatred for Katie's mischief. Mischief that resulted in the colossal abomination he fought. He felt the flame in himself, already it was worked and weakened somewhat. He could feel there was enough though. He wouldn't feel well afterward but there was enough for the final attack.
Oddly, Link became acutely aware of the rain falling around him, the sound of his own pounding heart, his and the Tyrant's heavy breaths. Then he reached into the fire and sought the strength. The flame began to flare. It bulged and formed in the blade, fanning out and growing all that much larger yet remained contained and unnoticeable to any observer. Then it stopped. Not enough!
Link began to yell, drawing out all the power he had. His yell mixed with the Tyrant's roar of defiance to mute the sound of the rain and equal the sound of the distant thunder rolling over them. Tyrant Wolf leaped at Link for one last go. There was no way the boy could defend himself from the final assault. Yet, before Tyrant could even reach the boy, the flame grew and Link released the built up energy into his sword. The power was almost too much as it caused the blade to glow red then white with the energy.
Tyrant felt something beyond pain as the energy swelled like a shining wave of light through its paw and devoured the creature's entire front legs. Fear of the blade drove the Tyrant to stop its approach by some means and it started to withdraw from the light as quickly as it could manage. Link, however, would not let it escape. Not this time.
He opened his eyes, could not see anything but black and white as he faced the retreating wolf. He aimed his blazing sword at the darkness, felt the power of the opponent and with a yell, let the power flood all out at the gigantic target. The wolf was washed in the light from the shoulders, up to its head and down its back across the stump from the tail, and finally to its legs. Everything was washed and devoured. Eventually, there was absolutely nothing left except for the bush tail laying still just a couple of meters away.
Link drew a few deep breaths, fighting the final darkness creeping up on him. Another light made itself known but in the sky. The rain had stopped, as though the clouds too were burned away by the light of his attack. He fought the darkness of sleep that reached up from under him to drag him down. Try as he might, all the power gone into the attack as well as the still affecting poisons of the saliva came back to him with a vengeance. His eyes rolled back and were followed by his head. He dropped the blade hilt, the blade returned to normal as did his clothes, hair, and eyes. He slightly moaned and was unconscious before he hit the ground.
A horrifyingly familiar voice spoke to him then. Deep and scratchy, laughing triumphantly at him as it said, "Join me, Link, in Hell!"
~~~~~
Navi clutched onto Kohachan's arm as the Sheikah stared with absolute disbelief of the fight he had witnessed. Despite the shadow of night, which only intensified the light of power emitted by Link, the entire fight was seen all too clearly. Kohachan recalled in his mind how Link was bitten and brought up in the beast's jaws. Relived the pained cry from Link as a stab to his heart, and recalled the sight as Link fought even in the jaws of death to free himself once again. Even after that escape, he used the technique. Never in all his days of life had the Sheikah seen such a feat!
Andrake returned to them, each of them was speechless. None knew what to say. Finally, Navi gained her senses back and cried out to Link but the boy didn't stir. She shook Kohachan out of his shocked state and ran to Link. Both Kohachan and Andrake were quick to follow after her. She knelt down by Link and set a hand over his forehead. He was burning as though on fire. Kohachan knew of the poisons of the Tyrant Wolf and instructed Crystal to call upon her mount. They needed to get Link back to town as fast as possible. Navi quickly pointed out her problem. The Sheikah was stilled by his own idiocy but only for a moment.
Andrake decided upon a running start and began his sprint across the fields to warn the healers of an incoming patient. Kohachan tried again, telling Navi to help get Link off the ground before letting a shrill whistle to the horizon. Following the tune, the dark stallion appeared and charged easily from the field to his master. Navi held her hands to her mouth, "But, if you plan to ride that horse with Link, how am I going to be able to stay with him? I can't leave him! No! I refuse to!"
Deftly, Kohachan reached for her arm and gave her a sharp shake, "Think, Navi. You are Link's friend and right now, if he is to survive, he needs help from someone who knows about herbs and healing ways. I don't dare take Link to Katie . . ." Navi felt the words herb and healer echo in her mind. They were very familiar to her. She grabbed the Sheikah's arm, pleading him to stop as he was boosting Link onto the black back of the patient stallion. "I know of one! Crystal! I can feel it, she can do it! She can save Link!"
"She may be able to heal him but can you bring her here? He needs her help. He is dying." Navi was rendered monetarily speechless with the thought. She could not have come all this way to lose him to a stupid monster! She gained control over herself and nodded, "I'll try." Kohachan slowly pulled Link down from the high back as the boys breath was nonexistent and his heart stopped beating.
~~~~~
Link felt the fires engulfing him. It was a familiar sensation to his exhausted powers but much more hostile. When he tried to command it, it flew against him, burning him all the more. When he pulled away, it reached for him to engulf him. He screamed with the absolute pain of the burning flame. Was this Hell? He tried to fight the pain but it burned him only that much deeper.
Fire surrounded him, caressing his face, kissing his eyes, embracing his body. It was a malicious lover. He cried until the fire coursed down his throat, forcing him to close his mouth. Even then, it pried whimpers from his burned and aching voice. He tried to shed tears of agony and defeat but the liquid in his eyes was far-gone. Pulling himself into a fetal position for protecting, he was surrounded by a bubble of flickering, taunting flames, threatening to eat him alive.
He cried out for the pain to stop. He did not want to die. He was answered by a tongue of flame silencing his own, biting into his cheeks and burning down his throat like dragon's fire. He was about to give in, throw his arms open and allow the flames to take him when a different, cooler light made itself known.
Born on angel wings and surrounded by a softly glowing blue bubble, a grown woman came closer to him. He looked at the figure, trying to keep from crying out in pain once more. The fires tried to drive her away but with absolutely no effort, they died away from her protective light. A wall of flame erupted between Link and the lady only to be ignored by her. Link reached out to her as she extended one hand to his scorched flesh.
He winced as the fires formed a chain painfully tight around his wrist. He nearly cried out once more when the black-haired woman reached just a few more inches and grabbed hold of his hand. He felt the flames rising with all new power beneath him as the touch of her cool, comforting hand began to draw him nearer. However, just before the wave of flame could burn him again, he vanished into a comforting blanket of darkness.
When opened his eyes, a gentle spray fell over his face and the sound of a small waterfall came from nearby accompanied by the sound of a voice. It was singing? He was on his back, looking up at leaves of a creamy green colored tree, completely shaded from the sun but there was a gentle light there allowing him to see.
He sat up slowly, unsure of what just happened. Last he remembered, he was engulfed in fires and trapped by the dark. The singing continued in all its beauty and he turned to the singer. It was the same woman. She kept her back to him as her feathery wings were neatly fanned around her. Her black hair fell in soft waves down her back, completely unfazed by that experience of flame.
He did not move, simply listened to her beautiful voice and felt the gentle mist of the waterfall to wash his face. When the song was done, she turned to him, her wings rustled slightly and the white robes surrounding her figure shifted only slightly. She smiled warmly at him.
He looked back at her. His eyes still reflected the pain and fear of the darkness claiming him and tearing him to the fires that tore at him and left forever scars in his soul. She rose from her stone seat and walked closer to him, shifting her wings so they fell a little more behind her back. "W-who are you?" Link finally asked, still terribly shaken.
She answered with a voice soft as velvet and sweet sounding as the songs of his ocarina, "I am Sharra. Crystal's mother." Link did not respond even as she knelt to look him in the eye. Se raised a gentle hand to his cheek and gently caressed it. Link felt himself being lulled by the touch but refused to sleep again.
Before he could ask a question, she supplied, "You have been brought here from the very pits of the underworld, Link. You are not to go there. Nor are you to die, not just yet. It would seem as though you have become a close friend of my daughter. I am very glad for that, Link." He comprehended her words but only slightly. Her warm slime only grew as she said, "Please, Link. Live up to your promise. Keep her with you or stay with her. She cries for you, Link. She is trying to bring you back but I wanted a few words first."
Slowly, Link grasped the entire situation. He nodded to her, "So, this is my spirit?" Sharra nodded and said, "The wolf you defeated cast a curse upon you with its fang and then an old enemy of yours brought the curse into effect when you fell unconscious. I believe you know the fiend?"
"Ganondorf." Link stated flatly but the name still left a bad taste in his mouth. "That's right." Sharra said, the smile fading from her red lips for the first time. She sighed and said to him, "Please, Link. My daughter needs a friend like you. Take care of her. It will be difficult now as she shares her body with another." Link nodded, recalling the fireplace when he talked to Navi as she looked like Crystal except for a few minor changes. He said to Sharra, "It's not my time to die? I was hoping it wasn't. If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to enjoy a few more festivals in your daughters company. It would have been a fantastic day if only . . ."
Sharra set a hand on his shoulder comfortingly, "Don't worry for that, Link. My daughter will take care of Katie along with your new friends. All will be made right again with the Wolfos pack and even the Naturals. You need to go back now. We'll meet again someday. Long from now. Send my love to my daughter Link. Take care of all who rely on you." Link thought to himself, "That is a lot of people". When he finished the mental thought, he was gone again. This time, much more comfortably into shade.
~~~~~~~
Well, that is all for now. Did I make too much of the afterlife? Please, send me some feedback about that because I really am not sure.
The Tyrant Wolf is gone once and for all. Link survived but just barely and Navi has wakened Crystal up from her mild blood poisoning coma.
That was why she had to fuse, to bring power back to Crystal and help clean the poison out of the blood, see? If that doesn't make sense, I'm afraid I don't know what would.
Anyway, I hope you liked that one cause I actually did try on that one.
Till next time!
All right, I'm pulling another night shift cause I just can't sleep on a cliffhanger. Also, I got a slap in the face (basically). Every reviewer I had has been so very kind to me that I guess I was getting a bit full of myself. Then I started getting lazy. An anonymous reviewer brought this self-realization into the light. I'm sorry.
To make up for it, I'm going to treat these last few chapters with a bit more respect and try to focus on the story, not just the scene. Therefore, this chapter may be a bit longer than any of the others.
Well, no more long disclaimers (for now). I wish to dedicate this chapter to CrysSton16 who's been with me through thick and thin of this story. Shadow Knight who has become a great friend of a reviewer. To farmerboy who is also working on a great Zelda fic. Snowsilver who seems to never let any confusions get her down. Pink Yoshi even though she only read the Dance so far. Primagen who has been a great confidence booster for me and has shown yet another promising author who writes from the heart.
My only hope in this chapter is that I don't let any of you down.
Kohachan: You won't, Shadow Girl. Believe in your ability, it won't fail you.
~~~~~~~
~ Tyrant Wolf Meets It's Fate ~
Through the lightning-torn rain, the Tyrant Wolf ran with only one thought in its simple mind. To kill. It had tasted blood but wanted more. Not only blood, though. It was also after power. The heavy scent of a great power was nearby. Tyrant went after it, altering its course only slightly and could see the aura of ever-attractive power in the distance. Time to kill.
Link's eyes began to glow once more as Navi stayed near Kohachan and Andrake, Shekro had been sent away, not permitted to witness or partake in the fight should his want to fight get the better of him and get him killed. He held his sword low and to the side, a stance he was not familiar with but seemed to ease his spirit. As Kohachan had instructed, "Never let anger or hate overpower you. See clearly and call the power by your own will."
The sword seemed to release a mist of light to surround the blade. The mist, a tint of green mixed with silver, crawled up the down-pointing blade like a flame and engulfed Link's hand. Yet, he did not flinch at the touch of the excess power. Rather, he calmed himself further, willed the flame of magic to diminish only slightly and at his command, the mist returned to cover the blade once again. Link could see his opponent in the flashes of lightning then. Flashes of blazing eyes, lolling tongue, powerful shoulders and erect ears, locked onto him and he was not afraid.
The Tyrant roared in challenge, it wanted the fight, it wanted blood and death. Yet, it knew it would have to earn these things by battle. This opponent who held such an inferno at his command was a foe to be reckoned with for sure. The Tyrant was still confident and hungry for it knew it could not be defeated!
At the roar, Link narrowed his eyes and picked up his pace to a trot, meeting the fight as far as he could manage from his friends. They would now only serve as distractions. When Link could hear the heavy panting and smell the poison-like breath, he brought the flamed sword forward, the light streaming through the darkness and cutting into the Tyrant's leg.
It leaped back, only startled. It felt another sensation, one it had felt only a while before. Pain. That sword had caused it pain. It leered, red eyes glowing in the darkness, stared at its opponent once again, taking the fight more seriously. Despite being so small, the swordsman's eyes were aglow with power as was his blade. His clothes had only slightly changed, taking on a white sheen in some places and a black sheen in others. His hair also paled to silver even in the darkness of the night. His hair only served to better define his equally glowing eyes.
It could feel no fear from this swordsman. No fear, no worry, not even any doubt! It was infuriating! Link lifted the sword again in a ready stance as the Tyrant licked at the cut leg. The wound easily closed up and there was no more pain. Though unfazed, Link took into mind that if this fight was to be finished, it would have be done a quick, strong strike. A strike delivered when the Tyrant could not escape and could not defend itself.
The Tyrant leaped straight up and over Link. It came down, both claws aimed at the boy. He leaped to the side, sliding on his shoulder then back to bear the sword on his chest. Tyrant stabbed into the earth with a hiss. Where the claws struck the roots, blades of grass quickly died and turned brown. Tyrant growled and turned to meet it's quick opponent once again but was met with Link leaping at him, sword above his head, striking a downward blow again to the Tyrant's leg. It leaped away, supported by the other three legs but rather than taking the time to lick the wound, it leaped at Link, using sheer size to try and overcome the swordsman.
For the first time, Link grinned. The Tyrant was becoming desperate already. With a quick thrust, Link jabbed the glowing blade forward and struck the Tyrant's snout just below the large, black nose. Yet, the sheer momentum of the wolf pushed Link back and pushed the blade even deeper. It didn't yelp, shocked by the pain, it stopped its running but couldn't stop Link.
Link lost all signs of emotion from his face, save that of concentration. He reached into himself once again and drew forth the flame. He called upon it to grow, flare up and surge into the sword's tip. It obeyed. The Tyrant then did cry out. Again it was an agonized cry more horrible than the roar of rage following it. Link held tight to the hilt, already getting ready for the next move.
Sure enough, the Tyrant reared back from the pain, onto its hind legs and threw its head back in agony. Link, for a moment, was astounded by the height of the monster but wasted no time. He pulled his blade free, pulling with it the power he had expanded into it. Still, the Tyrant was too strong to use the finishing blow on and that magic had drained Link to a point. He wished silently for a bottle of Chataeu Romani milk but shrugged it off and focused on his next target on the Tyrant Wolf. Its tail.
Mindful of the spines, Link slid and jumped, doing everything he could to keep from rupturing the skin as the female Natural had done. Eventually as the Tyrant was composing itself, Link grabbed a handful of the bushy tail and held tight as the wolf was once again began futilely attacking him.
With no further hesitation, Link drove the blade into the base of the tail. Summoning another surge of power, the blade grew bright red and seemed to expand. Tyrant howled once again in pain as the fur singed down to the grayish, fowl-smelling, scaly skin but also cut deeply into the bone of the tail. With little notice, the smoke from the cut and singing fur flew into Link's face, flooding his mouth, nose, throat, lungs, and eyes. Link ignored this and focused only on the task at hand. He began to yell as he strained the flames to do his bidding, cut wider.
Tyrant writhed on the ground, too much in pain to turn and claw or bite at the burning blade. The flame-like power grew to the sides and finally the bushy tail fell with a heavy splash into the mud. Tyrant felt itself growing vastly weakened but no too much so. Link's concentration on the tail had given the other wounds including that of its snout time to heal. The smoking stump was burned enough to not bleed profusely and Link gained his footing to leap free of the monster again.
Link coughed and staggered a moment. The fumes from smoke emitted from the creature's back had coated his throat as he had cut the tail. The fumes, heavily tinged with poison, took affect on Link and the boy fell to the ground on one knee, holding the blade tip to the earth and using it for a brace. Tyrant turned about, one paw at a time, slightly wavering in strength but gained stamina as the irksome fighter was down and immobile.
Tears flooded Link's vision as the fumes continued their affect on him. He was helpless. Tyrant pulled back it's massive head, stretching its jaws, and came down on the fighter, fangs first. Link refused to believe that that was the end but there was nothing he could do on his own to save his own life!
A blur of blue and black was the only sign of salvation before Tyrant was forced to pull away again. There was a sharp sting, nothing compared to the previous attacks but it was an attack nonetheless. This time, it pulled away not by pain but by confusion. If the opponent was immobile . . .
It licked the deep cut in its mouth and felt the severed fang with its tongue. Andrake held his hissing blade. It hissed from the speed of the strike and the acid saliva of the monster. More poison eked from the blade but Andrake quickly rubbed it in the mud, cleaning the poisons from it. He held Link's free arm over his shoulder as Link continued suffering the effects. The Tyrant would not wait, however, and went on the attack once more.
Link could feel the monsters' presence then. Deprived of sight, he could sense the beast. He could feel the opposing power like a blue flame opposite his own. It was growing, preparing for another strike. Andrake was nearby. He also held his own power but between Link and the Tyrant, his was nothing.
Link shoved Andrake aside, braced himself firmly in the earth and lifted his sword above himself, knowing the Tyrant's attack. It had leaped upward over him again. It met the flaming blade under its paw. Taking all the weight off the skewered paw, it landed heavily on the left front as its back legs landed behind him. It roared in pain, having slit its paw all the way open to remove it from the blade and barked angrily at Link. Link stood slowly, only slightly coughed for the poisons but said in a shattered voice as loudly as he could, "Andrake, get out of here!"
Though he could not see, Link's ears told him that the young man had not yet moved. Anger swelling, he tried again, "Get the heck OUT OF HERE!" Then the sound of fast moving feet through the mud was heard, fading slightly as they became more numerous. Good, this time the noble knight had done as he was asked. The Tyrant returned to the battle, once again leading jaws first. Link was swept up into its jaws, too distracted and blind to see. The fangs dug painfully into his hips and Link cried out in pain, he could feel the odd feeling of fatigue engulfing him. One tooth had broken skin and saliva leaked into his system.
Shaking his head from the sudden nausea that empowered him, Link brought his sword to bear, grabbing a whisker for a brace, he pulled his sword up and jabbed it into the corner of the beast's eye. An eye for an eye.
Once again, the monster howled in pain. It dropped Link to the ground and began pawing at its pained eye as oddly red-black blood leaked down. Link gripped his side in agony where blood freely flowed down his leg. Anger mixed with pain bubbled up but he quickly smothered the feelings, numbing himself to them and noticed the Tyrant was defenseless and weakened. Link smirked and no longer tried to open his eyes. It was time.
He prepared for the final attack, recalled absolutely everything Gramps had told him, recalled the attack of the Wolfos caused by their hatred for Katie's mischief. Mischief that resulted in the colossal abomination he fought. He felt the flame in himself, already it was worked and weakened somewhat. He could feel there was enough though. He wouldn't feel well afterward but there was enough for the final attack.
Oddly, Link became acutely aware of the rain falling around him, the sound of his own pounding heart, his and the Tyrant's heavy breaths. Then he reached into the fire and sought the strength. The flame began to flare. It bulged and formed in the blade, fanning out and growing all that much larger yet remained contained and unnoticeable to any observer. Then it stopped. Not enough!
Link began to yell, drawing out all the power he had. His yell mixed with the Tyrant's roar of defiance to mute the sound of the rain and equal the sound of the distant thunder rolling over them. Tyrant Wolf leaped at Link for one last go. There was no way the boy could defend himself from the final assault. Yet, before Tyrant could even reach the boy, the flame grew and Link released the built up energy into his sword. The power was almost too much as it caused the blade to glow red then white with the energy.
Tyrant felt something beyond pain as the energy swelled like a shining wave of light through its paw and devoured the creature's entire front legs. Fear of the blade drove the Tyrant to stop its approach by some means and it started to withdraw from the light as quickly as it could manage. Link, however, would not let it escape. Not this time.
He opened his eyes, could not see anything but black and white as he faced the retreating wolf. He aimed his blazing sword at the darkness, felt the power of the opponent and with a yell, let the power flood all out at the gigantic target. The wolf was washed in the light from the shoulders, up to its head and down its back across the stump from the tail, and finally to its legs. Everything was washed and devoured. Eventually, there was absolutely nothing left except for the bush tail laying still just a couple of meters away.
Link drew a few deep breaths, fighting the final darkness creeping up on him. Another light made itself known but in the sky. The rain had stopped, as though the clouds too were burned away by the light of his attack. He fought the darkness of sleep that reached up from under him to drag him down. Try as he might, all the power gone into the attack as well as the still affecting poisons of the saliva came back to him with a vengeance. His eyes rolled back and were followed by his head. He dropped the blade hilt, the blade returned to normal as did his clothes, hair, and eyes. He slightly moaned and was unconscious before he hit the ground.
A horrifyingly familiar voice spoke to him then. Deep and scratchy, laughing triumphantly at him as it said, "Join me, Link, in Hell!"
~~~~~
Navi clutched onto Kohachan's arm as the Sheikah stared with absolute disbelief of the fight he had witnessed. Despite the shadow of night, which only intensified the light of power emitted by Link, the entire fight was seen all too clearly. Kohachan recalled in his mind how Link was bitten and brought up in the beast's jaws. Relived the pained cry from Link as a stab to his heart, and recalled the sight as Link fought even in the jaws of death to free himself once again. Even after that escape, he used the technique. Never in all his days of life had the Sheikah seen such a feat!
Andrake returned to them, each of them was speechless. None knew what to say. Finally, Navi gained her senses back and cried out to Link but the boy didn't stir. She shook Kohachan out of his shocked state and ran to Link. Both Kohachan and Andrake were quick to follow after her. She knelt down by Link and set a hand over his forehead. He was burning as though on fire. Kohachan knew of the poisons of the Tyrant Wolf and instructed Crystal to call upon her mount. They needed to get Link back to town as fast as possible. Navi quickly pointed out her problem. The Sheikah was stilled by his own idiocy but only for a moment.
Andrake decided upon a running start and began his sprint across the fields to warn the healers of an incoming patient. Kohachan tried again, telling Navi to help get Link off the ground before letting a shrill whistle to the horizon. Following the tune, the dark stallion appeared and charged easily from the field to his master. Navi held her hands to her mouth, "But, if you plan to ride that horse with Link, how am I going to be able to stay with him? I can't leave him! No! I refuse to!"
Deftly, Kohachan reached for her arm and gave her a sharp shake, "Think, Navi. You are Link's friend and right now, if he is to survive, he needs help from someone who knows about herbs and healing ways. I don't dare take Link to Katie . . ." Navi felt the words herb and healer echo in her mind. They were very familiar to her. She grabbed the Sheikah's arm, pleading him to stop as he was boosting Link onto the black back of the patient stallion. "I know of one! Crystal! I can feel it, she can do it! She can save Link!"
"She may be able to heal him but can you bring her here? He needs her help. He is dying." Navi was rendered monetarily speechless with the thought. She could not have come all this way to lose him to a stupid monster! She gained control over herself and nodded, "I'll try." Kohachan slowly pulled Link down from the high back as the boys breath was nonexistent and his heart stopped beating.
~~~~~
Link felt the fires engulfing him. It was a familiar sensation to his exhausted powers but much more hostile. When he tried to command it, it flew against him, burning him all the more. When he pulled away, it reached for him to engulf him. He screamed with the absolute pain of the burning flame. Was this Hell? He tried to fight the pain but it burned him only that much deeper.
Fire surrounded him, caressing his face, kissing his eyes, embracing his body. It was a malicious lover. He cried until the fire coursed down his throat, forcing him to close his mouth. Even then, it pried whimpers from his burned and aching voice. He tried to shed tears of agony and defeat but the liquid in his eyes was far-gone. Pulling himself into a fetal position for protecting, he was surrounded by a bubble of flickering, taunting flames, threatening to eat him alive.
He cried out for the pain to stop. He did not want to die. He was answered by a tongue of flame silencing his own, biting into his cheeks and burning down his throat like dragon's fire. He was about to give in, throw his arms open and allow the flames to take him when a different, cooler light made itself known.
Born on angel wings and surrounded by a softly glowing blue bubble, a grown woman came closer to him. He looked at the figure, trying to keep from crying out in pain once more. The fires tried to drive her away but with absolutely no effort, they died away from her protective light. A wall of flame erupted between Link and the lady only to be ignored by her. Link reached out to her as she extended one hand to his scorched flesh.
He winced as the fires formed a chain painfully tight around his wrist. He nearly cried out once more when the black-haired woman reached just a few more inches and grabbed hold of his hand. He felt the flames rising with all new power beneath him as the touch of her cool, comforting hand began to draw him nearer. However, just before the wave of flame could burn him again, he vanished into a comforting blanket of darkness.
When opened his eyes, a gentle spray fell over his face and the sound of a small waterfall came from nearby accompanied by the sound of a voice. It was singing? He was on his back, looking up at leaves of a creamy green colored tree, completely shaded from the sun but there was a gentle light there allowing him to see.
He sat up slowly, unsure of what just happened. Last he remembered, he was engulfed in fires and trapped by the dark. The singing continued in all its beauty and he turned to the singer. It was the same woman. She kept her back to him as her feathery wings were neatly fanned around her. Her black hair fell in soft waves down her back, completely unfazed by that experience of flame.
He did not move, simply listened to her beautiful voice and felt the gentle mist of the waterfall to wash his face. When the song was done, she turned to him, her wings rustled slightly and the white robes surrounding her figure shifted only slightly. She smiled warmly at him.
He looked back at her. His eyes still reflected the pain and fear of the darkness claiming him and tearing him to the fires that tore at him and left forever scars in his soul. She rose from her stone seat and walked closer to him, shifting her wings so they fell a little more behind her back. "W-who are you?" Link finally asked, still terribly shaken.
She answered with a voice soft as velvet and sweet sounding as the songs of his ocarina, "I am Sharra. Crystal's mother." Link did not respond even as she knelt to look him in the eye. Se raised a gentle hand to his cheek and gently caressed it. Link felt himself being lulled by the touch but refused to sleep again.
Before he could ask a question, she supplied, "You have been brought here from the very pits of the underworld, Link. You are not to go there. Nor are you to die, not just yet. It would seem as though you have become a close friend of my daughter. I am very glad for that, Link." He comprehended her words but only slightly. Her warm slime only grew as she said, "Please, Link. Live up to your promise. Keep her with you or stay with her. She cries for you, Link. She is trying to bring you back but I wanted a few words first."
Slowly, Link grasped the entire situation. He nodded to her, "So, this is my spirit?" Sharra nodded and said, "The wolf you defeated cast a curse upon you with its fang and then an old enemy of yours brought the curse into effect when you fell unconscious. I believe you know the fiend?"
"Ganondorf." Link stated flatly but the name still left a bad taste in his mouth. "That's right." Sharra said, the smile fading from her red lips for the first time. She sighed and said to him, "Please, Link. My daughter needs a friend like you. Take care of her. It will be difficult now as she shares her body with another." Link nodded, recalling the fireplace when he talked to Navi as she looked like Crystal except for a few minor changes. He said to Sharra, "It's not my time to die? I was hoping it wasn't. If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to enjoy a few more festivals in your daughters company. It would have been a fantastic day if only . . ."
Sharra set a hand on his shoulder comfortingly, "Don't worry for that, Link. My daughter will take care of Katie along with your new friends. All will be made right again with the Wolfos pack and even the Naturals. You need to go back now. We'll meet again someday. Long from now. Send my love to my daughter Link. Take care of all who rely on you." Link thought to himself, "That is a lot of people". When he finished the mental thought, he was gone again. This time, much more comfortably into shade.
~~~~~~~
Well, that is all for now. Did I make too much of the afterlife? Please, send me some feedback about that because I really am not sure.
The Tyrant Wolf is gone once and for all. Link survived but just barely and Navi has wakened Crystal up from her mild blood poisoning coma.
That was why she had to fuse, to bring power back to Crystal and help clean the poison out of the blood, see? If that doesn't make sense, I'm afraid I don't know what would.
Anyway, I hope you liked that one cause I actually did try on that one.
Till next time!
