HELLO! No, I am NOT dead! Rejoice! For I have updated at last! And OMFG! YOU GUYS ARE FREAKING AWESOME! 201 reviews? I DON'T BELIEVE IT! PARTY!

But, seriously guys... I've had MASSIVE writer's block... I just can't seem to think of anything to write... Oh, and I'm still seriously trying to figure out a new title for this... I NEED one...

Anyway, I know it's not much, but it's something... I'm gonna have to end it soon... Then get back to A Strange Reuniting...

Chapter Thirty Eight

Breakdown

OUTSET ISLAND

Zel had started eating in a week. Even though it was only small, like an apple here or there, it was something. She still refused to leave her room, and she had not uttered a single word. When Linque went in to see how she was doing, Zelda had seen how Zel had stiffened, and had politely asked him to leave. Since then, no man had been allowed near her.

Zelda was doing everything in her power to help Zel recover from the trauma, but everything that she was doing seemed to have little or no effect. She would offer kind words, a shoulder to cry on, and a confident, had Zel any wish to speak.

But all of it seemed for naught. Zel showed barely any sign of recovering. Zelda kept encouraging her to eat and sleep, but that was all she was able to do. After a while of trying to get her to talk, she would give up.

One balmy night, Aryll came up to Zelda with grim news.

"What is it?" Zelda asked, though she needn't have. She knew what was coming.

"Dark Linn died this morning." Aryll said softly, "Maybe that'll help Zel. You clobbered him good, though. I don't think even Tetra could've done it." She giggled. Zelda scowled.

"I'm not proud of killing a man, Aryll." Zelda said darkly, "Though I'm not going to pretend I feel sorry. He deserved it, but now I have a black spot in my life that I'll never get rid of." She sighed.

"Sorry, Zelda." Aryll hung her head, "The men are getting rid of the body now. Do you want to come?" Zelda shook her head.

"No, I think I'm gonna be sick." Zelda suddenly felt faint, and had to sit down. Within minutes, Aryll's grandmother was leaning over her sitting form, proclaiming that she was suffering shock, and that bed rest was the only option.

"But, Zel-" Zelda protested.

"I'll look after her." Aryll piped up at once, "Don't worry, Zelda. I'll take good care of you both."

Zelda wasn't very reassured, but allowed the women to steer her back into the house and into a bed. She closed her eyes, and relived the nightmare that she had been having over the past week. The memories from the clearing were replayed vividly in her dreams, but, in her dreams, she had not arrived in time to stop him.

After a few hours, judging by the fact that the moon was almost down, and the sky was lighting up, Zelda woke in a drenched sweat. She washed her face in a bowl of cold water nearby, and walked out into the kitchen.

HYRULE

Dark Link opeed his eyes, and the first thing he saw was a strikingly beautiful woman. She smiled serenely, and helped him stand up. He blinked his eyes a few times, to make sure it was real.

"I chased the poes away..." She sighed dreamily, "They were just about to eat you when I arrived."

"Who are you?" Dark Link asked, enraptured by her beauty. The girl looked over to him, her curly auburn locks teased by the light breeze. Her mysteriously deep bottle green eyes glinting with mischief.

"I am Zarina." She sighed lightly, "I believe I am the true heir of Hyrule. Zelda is my very distant cousin. They did not know that the family split along the way. There was one woman in the family who had two daughters of her own. I am descended of the older of the two daughters. The one that ran away."

"You are the Princess?" Dark Link asked, wide-eyed. The girl nodded, and looked out towards the sunset.

"Yes." She breathed dreamily, "The legend of Hyrule was lost along Zelda's line. It was never forgotten in my family. I am here to kill Zelda, and to claim my throne." She said this as if it was as common as sewing.

"Would you like assistance?" Dark Link asked eagerly, seeing this as his opportunity.

"Of course." She breathed, "Name your price." She said, a little harder and colder.

"I want you to help me kill Link." Dark Link said darkly. She nodded slowly, and looked over at him.

"Done. But only when Ganondorf is dead. I still need his strength." Dark Link nodded.

ANGAHIM

Angahim strolled through the halls of Hyrule Castle, his army of Stalfoses killing any foolish Shiekah that got in his way. He had conquered the Castle a week ago, and was slowly gaining more and more power in Hyrule.

"You there!" He barked to a random servant girl, "Bring me food! Now!" The girl squeaked, and ran off towards the kitchens.

GANONDORF

Ganondorf stepped into the cool surroundings of the Desert Collossus, and strode around the main halls, waiting for his spies. He had managed to get a decent sized following of Gerudos, and was now using them to spread his influence throughout the entire Gerudo population. Without Nabouru around, it was easy.

"Your Lordship," A Gerudo girl kneeled before his feet, "We have managed to convince a further twenty. We now outnumber them by three people."

"That's still not good enough!" Ganondorf barked, "If we attack with only three more people, we still stand a chance of losing! I want to control at least three quarters of the population! Off with you!" He barked. Returning to his walk, he began to wonder.

"Where the hell is Dark Link?"

LINK

Link woke up to a bunch of anxious Sages. He sat up, and put his hand up to silence them before they spoke to him about rest.

"It was not I who fainted the second time." He assurred them, "It was Dark Link. Now, has Linn returned?" He didn't like the look in the Sage's eyes.

"Don't tell me..." He muttered, "He's still out there, isn't he?" He asked them impatiently.

"Yes." Impa barked, clearly stressed, "And now you are awake, you are going to look for him." Link nodded grimly.

"I was going, anyway." He said, and collected his weapons and Goron Tunic. Donning them, he entered the crater. He hurried across the bridge, down the ladder, and into the Temple. He noticed a lot of dried up blood. He winced, remembering that it was his and Darunia's.

Climbing the steps, he opted for the door that was unlocked. But, before he could reach it, another door appeared to him. The statues in the middle of the room sprang to life, and moved away, revealing a door. Link cautiously proceeded towards it, and opened it.

It was as if he had entered a different world.

He'd walked straight into a village. It's inhabitants were like humans on fire. Great big flames with human shape walked past him, not batting one of their firey eyelids. Link, slowly, made to turn back, but one of them grabbed his arms. Instead of feeling heat, like one would expect, it felt simply as if a normal person had grabbed him.

Turning around, he came face-to-face with one of the fire-people. He beckoned for him to follow, and walked away, turning every now and again to make sure Link was following.

Link followed him through the village, and through a marketplace. Eventually, they came to a stop outside a large building that many of the fire-people were walking in and out of. Judging from the look of the inside, it was a hospital. Link gave his guide a quizzical look, and followed him inside when he beckoned.

It was cold inside. The people, who were once the orange colour of a flame, turned blue, and emitted a bit of heat to keep themseves warm. Link followed the one that he was following up to a desk and waited while he talked to, what appeared, to be a female nurse, judging from the fact that she was green, and not blue, and was gesturing a few times in his direction.

How Link could tell what sex was what in this strange place, he had no idea. He guessed it had something to do with body shape. Like humans, the fire-people's females were curvy, and the men had a broader chest and shoulders. But it was impossible to tell with the smaller ones, who Link assumed to be the children.

After several moments, the fire-man led Link down a few of the funny smelling halls, and into a private room. Link gasped when he saw the figure on the bed.

Linn.

ZELDA

Linque and Tetra decided that they'd have to leave soon, and were pressing Zelda for a decision. Was she going with them or not? Zelda kept telling them that she didn't know, that it depended on Zel, and that she'd let them know.

"We leave tomorrow," Tetra said to Zelda at dinner, "Mid-morning. We really need to know soon." Zelda nodded, and looked outside. She'd have to get Zel onto the ship in the morning. Plus, Zelda didn't know if Zel suffered motion sickness, so that was always a possibility.

"If we go," Zelda sighed, "I'll need your help with getting Zel onto the ship. I won't let anyone else do it." She looked around at the crew, "Sorry guys, no offence, but she really wouldn't be able to handle it." Everyone muttered that it was ok, and that they didn't blame her. Tetra nodded, and said that she'd help Zelda get Zel onto the ship, but they should do it now. Zelda, agreed, and the two of them got up and went over to Zel's room.

ZEL

She stiffened as the door opened, and relaxed when she saw two female forms. When they walked forward, she heard Zelda's soothing voice, telling her that they were putting her on the ship. Zel stiffened again, waiting. She wasn't moving. They'd have to drag her onto the ship.

As if they knew that was what she was thinking, Zelda took one of her arms, and Tetra took the other. They heaved her upright onto their shoulders, and half-supported, half-dragged her outside. Passing a door to the right, she heard the rumbling of voices, and assumed that the rest of the crew and the family were in there, eating.

It was a cool, balmy night. Zel felt the wind teasing her hair, caressing her face and whipping the hem of the dress that she was wearing. She felt the sand in her feet, and the shock of the cold water as her feet occasionally dipped into the tide. She felt the vibrations of the wooden planks as they boarded the ship.

The doors were creaky. Zelda had pushed one open with the greatest screech of resistance that Zel had ever heard. Slightly observing the room, she noticed that it was rather beautifully decorated. She sighed as Tetra and Zelda set her down. Tetra left the room shortly after, leaving Zel alone with Zelda.

That was when it happened. Zel couldn't hold it back any longer. Grabbing onto Zelda's sleeve, she cried and cried and cried. She cried for hours, with Zelda merely rocking her and smoothing her hair, just like her mother used to.

Like I said, not much... Anyway, title sugestions... Still open to them.

I think I can have a little fun with my new OCs, don't you? I'm open to evil plots as well...

I'm thinking of skipping a few weeks in the story again... I can't keep going continously forever... It has to come to an end somewhere, and if I don't skip parts, then it's dead boring.

Anyway, REVIEW!