Twilight's POV

With Warriors healed, Wild turns to face us. He cocks his head, his brilliant blue eyes still wet with sacred tears, and chitters something none of us can understand. Warriors drags himself to his feet, the hole in his gut repaired and all the Malice cleared out. He glares at me with obvious rage in his eyes and forcibly draws his sword.

"So that was your plan?" he mutters. "Stupid lizard wanted all of us to be like you by the time this is done, huh?"

I nod.

"Not going to happen!" Wind declares, resting a hand against Wild. "We're getting out of here Malice-free!"

"And so are you guys," Sky promises.

First and I both nod. Our Malice convulses, sensing our renewed commitment to losing, and forces us back into action. Wild flares his wings out as First holds up his hand and more Malice erupts from his back. Wild's body flashes with glorious flames that ward the dark away. My Malice quivers, crawling around in the shadows underneath my tunic and through my hair. I grin, stepping toward the fire. First does the same, his Malice tendrils quickly being cut aside by the others.

"I can help!" Sky calls, holding the Master Sword to the heavens. Silver light makes its way across the blade, and he slashes vertically. A glowing blade beam races through the room and provides more light. Holy light. First smiles, standing directly in its path and holding out his arms. Sky's eyes widen. First's Malice rushes to help him, absorbing the entirety of the blade beam in his stead. Every speck that makes contact with the Master Sword's power dies immediately. First grins even wider, the Malice that had so thickly coated his skin now beginning to thin. His golden eye blazes with fear and the little Malice left on his body slithers across him at a rapid rate, but his blue eye burns with triumph. The Malice covering his stomach wound shudders violently.

"Again!" he calls to Sky, his mouth finally free. "Do it again!"

"A-are you sure?"

"He hasn't got enough to block it," Warriors warns.

"Wild can heal him," Time says calmly.

Wild nods, chirping in affirmation, though his eyes are on me.

"Do it again, Sky," Four confirms.

Sky raises his hand upwards again, then cries out in pain and drops the Master Sword.

The others are at his side in an instant. Wild turns from us, his blazing fire leaving the room. First's Malice quickly takes advantage of the situation, putting out a few more torches before beginning to regrow itself. He's quickly gagged again, and then his tendrils rush forth once more.

I grunt in irritation as I run towards the others.

Sky huffs, waving the others off himself. "She won't let me wield her against her own master."

"But you got the first blade beam out," Legend argues.

Sky grips the Master Sword tight as I draw near, but his hands are shaking and his gloves are singed. The Blade of Evil's Bane really did burn his hands for trying to hurt First a second time. I suppose with enough Malice destroyed, the Master Sword was able to recognize First as her master instead of a monster.

Wild hops towards me, swiping his wings like a thick blade. My Malice tries to bind him, but it's all burned away as soon as it touches his feathers. He squawks at me fiercely, fanning his wings out and flapping heat towards me. First's tentacles reach him now, but he quickly bats them aside too.

"We know what to do," Warriors says with a nod to Wild. "Give us some light!"

Wild jumps into the sky, spinning his body in circles rapidly. I ignore him and run at Wind, shoving him to the ground, his attention on Wild for just a moment too long.

"Wind!" Sky yells. He charges up a blade beam, and this time the Master Sword lets him do it. He fires it at me as I drive my spiked hands towards Wind's chest. The beam reaches me just in time, forcing my Malice to cover me. Most of it's burned away, and I feel the first sense of free will I've had in several days. I take a few shaky steps away from Wind, letting him stand. He picks himself up and kicks me to the floor. Wild stops spinning and flares out his wings. Fire explodes from his body, lighting all the torches that had gone out and giving blinding light to this dark room. Every occupant covers their eyes, and some of my Malice withers away just from being so close. First's tendrils are burned to death, and he sends more out to die as well. They quit listening to him and remain near him, way off near the edge of the room.

"How about this?" Hyrule calls, and lightning crashes to the ground, mere inches from First's body. The eruption of light burns more of his Malice away. It crawls out of his bloodstream now and continues its attempt on attack. Some of it rushes around the edge of the room searching for darkness.

"Finish it!" Sky commands.

"I'm on it," Time promises, sprinting towards First, the Biggoron Sword raised high. "You said go for the stomach."

"I did," First agrees, falling to the floor as his Malice continues to expend itself uselessly. "Go on."

Time reaches him, and plunges his blade deep into First's stomach. The veil of Malice is easily punctured, and black blood races from the wound. Despite the injury, First inhales a deep breath, resting a hand free of Malice against the bleeding gash and smiles up at Time. "...Thanks."

Time nods.

"Go on, Wild!" Hyrule urges. "Don't let him bleed out!"

First shakes his head. "Help…Twilight…"

Wild glances at me, my Malice swirling with anger, drawing what little darkness it can out of this room. I shake my head.

So he goes to First, the others crowding around him and standing opposite me, blades raised defensively as Wild stands over the fallen hero. Wild gets himself to cry again, and the tear lands directly in the wound. I watch with bated breath. The remaining Malice is burned away. But his wound is not healed. Fire tears at the skin there, tries to reform it, tries to coax it back together, but black sparks of evil barring magic prevent his flesh from returning. The others all exchange surprised and worried glances.

"Told…you…" First groans. "Nothing…can heal this wound…" Red blood flows through his fingers now, no longer black and laden with evil. He smiles weakly. "Thanks…anyways… You've given me…a greater gift…than you can imagine…"

The others all stare at him. My Malice doesn't urge me to attack. I can't approach Wild's blazing light. It'll destroy the infection. It refuses to even let me approach. With the others all huddled near the wall, darkness has crept back into the rest of the room, and my injured Malice rapidly repairs itself.

"H-he's wrong," Four says hurriedly. "Nothing can heal it, but the Malice was holding him together."

"Wild's fire tried to do that and failed," Hyrule says critically.

"..This wound…was given to me…by the dark god Demise…" First chokes out. "Of course…" he falls into a coughing fit.

"Of course Wild's holy fire can't help him," Warriors finishes for him. "But Malice can, because it's darkness."

"Just like Demise's blade," Sky mutters, pulling his hand into a fist. He glances at the Master Sword, then shakes his head.

"If we're going to save you, we need something dark," Four concludes.

First shakes his head. "Leave me…you don't even know me…Go…Save Twilight…"

"We're not leaving you," Wind says firmly. "We know how to beat the Malice now, it doesn't matter if Twi-"

First grips his arm firmly. "Go…now…Or Dark will come…"

"Too late for that," Dark's familiar voice says lightly. He comes to stand beside me, in his true form, as a dark reflection of a much younger Time. He crosses his arms over his chest and glares at the mass of heroes standing on the opposite side of the room. My Malice quits shaking and caresses his shoulder in thanks.

He smiles, stroking it back. "Yes, you're welcome." He turns his attention to the others.

Time takes a step back, his eye wide. "Y-you're–"

"Dark Link, in the flesh," Dark replies, grinning. "It's been quite a while, hasn't it, Hero of Time?"

"You know this guy?" Wind demands.

"That's…your Black…Lizalfos…" First wheezes.

Time tightens his grip on his blade. "So all this time…it was you…"

Dark nods. "Indeed it was. I drove you all together. I let you all fight together, let you become friends, let you chase me into portals a few times. Just to make it seem like you were winning. You weren't. All of this was orchestrated by me. You might think yourself a commander of time, hero, but your ocarina is nothing compared to my power. I've been traveling across every timeline and every universe, watching you all from the shadows, waiting for the day I could use you. I know every single one of you better than you know yourselves."

He holds out his hands, and instantaneously shifts into my form.

"You've changed," Time spits. "Well, it doesn't matter. I'll–we'll still beat you! Just like before!"

"It's far too late for that," Dark says, his voice exactly like mine. I shiver. I can't even use mine right now. My Malice still curls around my throat, still forces me to be silent, to just watch and listen. "I've already calculated this very–"

"The crystal!" Four blurts out. Everyone turns to stare at him. Dark huffs in irritation.

"What about it?" Legend demands.

"That's what we can use to save him!"

"...That's what you've been thinking about?" Wind mumbles.

"He's going to bleed out if we do nothing!" Four replies. He looks at Wild. "If we smash the crystal and press the remnants against his wound, the dark magic should be drawn to the darkness preventing it from healing, which will force it to bond together and create a covering, just like the Malice did."

Dark smiles. "But if you do that, you lose your phoenix. First will bleed out before this fight is over, won't he, medic?" he asks Hyrule.

Hyrule nods hesitantly.

"Which means you have to do it now, or never. You all have to make a choice," Dark concludes. "First? Or Twilight and I?"

"...Leave me…" First insists again. "I was…supposed to die…anyway…"

"We aren't just leaving you to die," Sky mumbles.

"He's got a point," Legend admits. "We need Wild's phoenix form to heal Twilight."

"...No, we don't," Time says slowly.

"Yes, you do!" Dark yells. "Don't be foolish! Nothing short of a phoenix tear can cure an infection of Malice that runs this deep!"

"But we've got phoenix tears," Time replies evenly. He puts a hand on Wild's feathers and bares his teeth. Sharp canines like mine. They won't last, I can tell that much. They aren't nearly as long as mine, so they should go away given a few days without the crystal's influence. "I have wolf's teeth, heightened senses, and a mark on my chest. Wild will have heat and healing tears."

"How do you know?" Warriors questions. "If you're wrong, we could lose everything."

Time closes his eyes. "Wild, you haven't got a mark yet, do you? I noticed you checking your chest only a little while ago."

Wild nods in confirmation.

"Then something less visible must've happened," Time concludes. "Your tears."

"That's not a certainty," Four mumbles.

"Is that good enough for you all?" Dark demands. "Taking a risk like that based only on your eldest's best guess?"

Time clenches his jaw.

"Let's do it," Sky says softly. "We said we'd save them both, so…"

"Heroes can't go breaking their promises," Wind agrees.

Dark smirks. "Alright. Give it your best shot." He gestures for me to stand down. My Malice relaxes, returning to my skin and reforming my short claws.

"Wild, go on," Time commands.

Wild nods, bowing his head. Sky presses the flat of the Master Sword against the feathers on his forehead. Black squares erupt from Wild's skin, and he begins screaming in pain only a moment later. I suddenly wonder why I didn't hear him screaming the first time. But I suppose that's not very important right now.

Dark stands beside me with an evil, smug grin on his face. "They're wrong," he whispers to me. "Surely this won't work."

I still can't reply.

He laughs at me. "Said things you weren't supposed to, did you?"

I glare at him.

"Ah, it doesn't matter. We'll bring them all back to us soon enough. They're throwing away the only advantage they had, in a vain effort to save someone they just met."

I still just glare.

"Oh, I'm sure you have something you'd love to say. Go on. You can't do much damage anymore with your voice," Dark relents. With his permission, the Malice releases my lips and I suck in a deep breath.

"Four's pretty smart, you know," I spit. "Sometimes he figures things out before Warriors does."

"You mean Vio's pretty smart," Dark objects.

I stare at him. "W-who?"

"Vio," Dark repeats. "You know, as in violet. Ask Four about it sometime."

I shake my head. "You're just trying to keep me from trusting them." But my thoughts land on Four's constantly flashing eyes. And violet usually does seem to be their color whenever we're planning or thinking.

"I'm telling you the truth," Dark shrugs. "Believe it or not, it's up to you."

I cross my arms over my chest.

Wild finishes screaming and the black squares clear away, revealing his Hylian body slumped on the ground with the crystal strung around his neck. Sky offers him a hand to help him stand up. Without his phoenix's light, my Malice is no longer afraid. All this darkness to consume…is destroying the crystal really a good idea?

Wild's POV

I take Sky's hand and force myself back to my feet, the pain of transformation lingering in my bones. I hand the crystal off to Time, and cast Twilight a glance. He's ungagged, Dark Link standing next to him comfortably, still wearing a dark form of the Hero of Twilight. The two look like some kind of cursed twins; Twilight with his Malice and Dark Link's black skin and red eyes. I shiver, returning my attention to this new hero, First. I wonder if Twilight is alright with having his crystal destroyed. He'll never be Wolfie again, if this works. But he doesn't say anything in objection as Time draws a hammer out of his bag and the crystal is placed on the floor next to First's gaping stomach, blood still running out of it. The man's eyes are dazed, his breaths are shallow, and it's obvious we're running out of time. I hope this works.

"Ready?" Time questions.

First nods sluggishly.

"Someone turn around and watch them," Warriors orders, gesturing to Dark Link and Twilight standing on the other side of the room. Twi's Malice has rebuilt itself without my fire to keep it at bay. We'll need to start over with him.

"I'll do it," Sky volunteers, turning to stare down our two adversaries, the Master Sword tight in his grasp. Despite his burn, his grip is steady.

I return my own attention to Time and his hammer. He raises it over his shoulder, the large head squared over the crystal.

"Don't…miss…" First quips with a weak laugh, resting just beside the crystal.

Legend snorts.

"Don't talk," Hyrule commands.

Time brings the hammer down. The crystal shatters, its shards pressing into the floor under the heavy weight of the hammer, most of them remaining flat on the ground. Only a few splinter off and explode away from the rest of it. Time moves the hammer away, leaving the shards on the ground.

First reaches for them, pulling them closer to his horrible wound slowly.

"How can he touch them like that?" Warriors questions.

"His body is obviously pretty used to darkness," Legend answers easily.

Warriors nods slowly.

First brings the shards through the puddle of blood collecting near his torso, pushing them up against his horrible wound and forcing himself to breathe now. His hand is shaking, every push requiring far too much effort, but he pushes anyway. If this fails, he's going to die.

For a moment, the crystal shards do nothing. Their darkness adds a strange black tint to his fingers, but they do nothing to cover up the hole in his wound.

Wind sighs heavily.

First lowers his hand and closes his eyes. "Thanks…for…trying…"

Then the shards react. One by one they raise themselves off the ground and rush towards the edges of his dark wound, the edges of the gash glowing black and pulling the evil shards towards it.

Four nods in satisfaction, his eyes almost glowing violet, watching First's wound close rapidly.

The crystal shards break down into smaller bits of dust that quickly form a thin layer across the entire gash, and the continuous flow of blood is finally stopped. First twists his torso, and the covering twists with him easily. It looks bizarre; it's mostly black sans a few electric orange lines that seem to carry energy across them, just like the crystal's original form, and the regular skin around the coating darkens to black.

"Heal him, Wild," Hyrule says to me. "He's bled too much for my magic."

I nod, stepping closer to First and leaning over the gash. I close my eyes and pull my hands into fists. We still need to save Twilight. Twilight is still infected, and we let his infection regrow itself by distracting ourselves with this wound for so long. Dark Link is here now and I don't know if we can–

I start crying. It's almost embarrassingly easy for me to force myself to cry. Nobody says anything, since my emotional vulnerabilities have already saved Sky, Warriors, and now hopefully First. My tears slide off my face and land on First's chest. Fire comes to life, digging into his body and rushing around in his veins, his arteries glowing through his skin as my fire works to replenish his lost blood.

I laugh out loud, pumping my fist and wiping my tears. "It worked!"

First smiles up at me, his breaths coming easier and color returning to his features.

"Impossible!" Dark Link yells. Black smoke rises from his skin, and he thrusts a hand forward. "Attack them! No mercy! Tear them to shreds if you can't infect them!"

Twilight dashes forwards towards us, his Malice rising from his back and expanding into long tentacles adorned with deadly spikes.

Legend pulls First to his feet, and we all draw our weapons.

"Stand behind us," Warriors commands First. "You're unarmed."

"Or take this," I reply, stepping behind Time and pulling the Sheikah Slate off my belt. I turn it on and rapidly go through my inventory, drawing a Royal Broadsword out of it once I find one, and handing it off to First.

First nods, accepting the weapon in his left hand and coming to stand beside us. "You all have my most sincere thanks."

"And you're very welcome," Sky answers.

"Now, let's get our last teammate back," Legend says firmly as Twilight draws near.

We all nod. And then Twilight throws his hand outward, and his tendrils of Malice charge us. We slice them down, but they easily regrow.

"We're going to need light," Warriors says.

"Where can we get it?" Wind questions.

"How many times can you do lightning?" Legend asks Hyrule.

"Only like twice more," Hyrule replies.

"That won't cut it," First says, rolling under a tendril of Malice and charging Twilight. Twilight focuses more heavily on him, sending both of his tentacles to attack him and rushing us with his claws outstretched.

"Fall back!" Dark Link orders him as we rush to overwhelm him with the power of numbers. "I've got a better idea." He collects dark smoke in his hand, and leaves it swirling around his fingers as Twilight runs back to him.

"What's he doing?" Four demands of First.

First clenches his jaw. "He's going to overwhelm the Malice with darkness. It'll be like what the crystal does, except far worse."

"Like when we fought your lion?" Time asks.

First nods. "Exactly like that."

I watch with dismay as Twilight lowers his head and allows Dark Link to press all the horrible smoke straight into his forehead, right over his mark coated by Malice. He grunts in pain, collapsing onto all fours and staring at us with veiled eyes. Huge dark squares quickly hide him from our sight, and after only a moment he begins to scream.

Dark steps back, brandishing his own unholy blade, grinning smugly. "You cannot hope to win. Darkness will overwhelm you. You have no choice but to fall, here and now, to my power!"

"No better than your master, I see," Time says calmly.

"My master was a fool!" Dark screams as the black squares covering Twilight expand rapidly. "My master failed time and time again to defeat each one of you. But now, I will win. Against all of you at once."

The black squares evaporate, and we stare up at our new opponent. Twilight's body has been warped into that of an enormous wolf, with fangs longer than my forearm and fur thicker than Wars's armor. His breathing is haggard, his eyes have darkened to black, and shadows curl around his ankles, ready to be put to use. He bares his teeth at us, his horrible eyes void of any resemblance to those of the man I know so well.

I take a step back.

"It's still him," First promises. "He can still hear us. Still see us. There is simply nothing he can do to control himself."

"...How many times did you endure this?" Four questions.

First sighs. "Enough times to know what I'm talking about."

"Least we've got an expert," Legend says.

"Same plan as last time?" Sky asks, holding the Master Sword up and charging a skyward strike.

"Not a chance," Dark replies, running toward him. He shifts his body into a reflection of Sky's, his blade also transforming into a dark replica of the Chosen Hero's holy blade. He dodges Sky's rushed sword beam, and thrusts his sword at Sky's chest. Sky blocks it with his shield.

I pull my bow off my back and take aim at Dark's neck.

Twilight moves now, swiping his thick claws horizontally, forcing all of us to roll away. Sky pushes Dark off himself and slides under Twilight's attack. Dark leaves him no time to even stand up. Time steps in his way and allows Sky to get to his feet.

"Go on, Sky," he grunts, pressing his heavy blade against Dark's. "Help them. I can handle this guy."

"Just like before?" Dark sneers. "That was over thirty years ago for you, and much longer for me. Things have changed." He pushes Time away forcefully, and when the eldest rushes him again, he fires a blast of shadows from his palm that wrap around Time's body like chains.

I lower my bow and run to him, First stepping in front of me as cover. Dark turns from us and moves to continue oppressing Sky, keeping him from helping us with Twilight. Twilight snarls, and tentacles of shadow rush forth, attacking all the others.

Time pushes against his bonds to no avail.

"Here," I say, wiping a tear off my face from earlier and pressing it against his chest. Fire quickly consumes the incorporeal constraints.

"Thanks," he says, accepting the hand I offer to help him stand. He stares up at Twilight. "Let's finish this."

"Any ideas?" Warriors calls to First. Sky is fighting Dark by himself, the others occupied by Twilight's shadows and claws.

"We must focus on Twilight as much as we can," First answers. "Dark will run if his aid falls. He is a damned coward."

"I am not!" Dark yells, smoke rising from his body that assaults Sky. Sky cuts it away with the Master Sword, and hastily ducks under Dark's retaliation.

"He's the antithesis of a hero of Hyrule," First goes on, grinning smugly. No doubt having the power to say these words freely is almost bewildering. "Of course he's a coward."

"I am not your opposite," Dark spits, turning away from Sky and advancing towards First. "I am your superior! I owned you for almost a decade! You would have died on that hill if I hadn't saved you! Don't act like you owe me nothing!"

First narrows his eyes, blocking Dark's first swing. "I do owe you nothing. I would have rather died in Hylia's arms than endured your horrific treatment."

Warriors nods hurriedly to Sky. Sky nods back, charging up a skyward strike and launching it at Twilight. Twilight accepts the blast, his mind consumed by darkness likely too sluggish to assume that the sword's projectile could overwhelm his evil defenses. The powerful sword beam slices through the dark tendrils that try to stop its advances and burns through a thick layer of Twilight's fur. He whimpers slightly, then launches all of his shadows at Sky.

"Take this!" I scream, pulling a bomb from my Sheikah Slate and chucking it at Twilight's chest.

It detonates in his face, burning off more fur. He growls, and shadowy tendrils rush to subdue me. I roll away from them, but they continue their pursuit. I dodge them for as long as I can, giving Sky enough time to dispose of his own tendrils and fire off another skyward strike. Twilight snorts, conflicted on who to target.

"How about this?" Wind challenges, throwing a bomb of his own that explodes against Twilight's chest.

First is still trying to distract Dark. He's a skilled swordsman, perhaps more skilled than Warriors, and his form is elegant. He talks as he fights, staying on the defensive and allowing us time to deal with Twilight.

"You think you gave me this great gift of an extended life," he's saying. "Tearing me from that hill and preventing the death that destiny had assigned to me. But if that was the death destiny had decided upon, I would have liked to have honored it."

"Destiny?" Dark spits. "Destiny? You're no better than your descendants! Slaves to the Triforce, to the goddesses, to destiny! You only win over and over because destiny ordains it! This time will be different, because my mere existence oversteps destiny's reign. No prophecy or fortune has ever foretold or overseen my battle against you. Destiny is no longer on your side, hero. This is a battle of wit and skill, and I will come out on top!"

"I'm still standing, aren't I?" First laughs. "And even if you do harm me, I have two wonderful healers on my side. Your power is nothing against us."

"My power is darkness," Dark replies evenly. "Darkness that is still keeping you alive. You say you wouldn't mind dying, yet you allowed all the others to be rid of their biggest advantage just to save your life with the power of darkness."

Finally, the shadows pursuing me catch up. I fail to roll out of the way, and one of them grabs my ankle, lifting me up into the air upside down. It pulls me right in front of Twilight's face, and I stare into his eyes, searching for any sign of recognition. I find nothing familiar in those dark pools of black that have become his eyes. He bares his horrible teeth at me.

"Wild!" Time yells, standing with his blade drawn, unsure what to do.

"Here!" Sky calls, sending a skyward strike upwards towards the shadow binding me. Twilight dodges it this time, my body jerking as he jumps away from the projectile.

First becomes distracted, staring up at me in worry, and Dark knocks his blade out of his hands. "See?" he sneers. "Your victory is no longer predestined."

I reach for my Sheikah Slate, grunting as my fingers grope for the belt hook that keeps it strapped to my side.

Legend runs to First's aid, jumping in front of the downward strike that would've ended the man's life.

Twilight growls. Hyrule sends lightning crashing into his back, and he yelps in pain. I get a hold of my Sheikah Slate and open the rune menu as quickly as I can. Twilight recovers from the lightning strike and opens his jaws, the shadows pushing me towards his open mouth.

"He's going to eat him!" Wind screams in disbelief.

"Sorry, Twi," I mutter, pulling a bomb into my hand and tossing it down his throat as fast as I can. "This won't taste good." I ignite it as he chokes on the large object, and then he roars in pain. The shadow drops me immediately, his coating of darkness thinning as he shivers from the agony. I fall to the ground and land on my back, the air pushed from my lungs. Twilight shudders, his eyes on me, and he raises a paw as though to just crush me to death. I have no air in my system, I can't possibly move.

And then Twilight roars as a thick blade embeds itself in his chest. Time's Biggoron Sword. The eldest has his arm outstretched, and a grief-stricken look on his face. Just like with First, Twilight collapses to the ground, and black squares overwhelm his form.

Dark stops attacking Legend and stares, his only ally now defeated. "...How?" he mutters. "This was perfectly calculated, this should've worked! You should all be mine!"

"Our victories weren't mere happenings of fate," First says, approaching him and resting a blade at his throat. "We're all heroes because we've earned it."

Dark stares at the sword pointed at his neck with obvious contempt burning in his gaze. "Go on. Do it. Kill me. Kill the one who saved your life."

"With pleasure," First spits, driving the blade forward.

Dark teleports away. "You'd really do it."

"Of course he would," Legend agrees. "What you don't seem to understand is that people like us, with integrity, don't just want to be alive."

"We want to live for something, fight for something, that's important," Warriors agrees.

"You might've saved my life that day," First goes on. "But you stole everything else. I would've rather been dead."

Dark shakes his head. "Whatever. It seems you've bested me today. And unlike you, I don't need to fight for a glorious purpose. I prefer very much to be alive, even if it's surviving off the grace of my enemies."

"Then I'd suggest getting out of here," Wind says curtly. "You won't be alive much longer if you hang around here."

"That's right," First says. "Go on. Run away. Prove me right. You were created to be a challenge to everything we stand for. We are heroes borne of the purest courage. Which means you are a coward through and through. That's what you were created to be. So, go ahead. Run away. Live another pitiful day. We'll find you eventually. Until one day, you can't run anymore."

Dark grits his teeth. Then he throws a black triangle from his hand that expands into a black and red portal, and runs through it, leaving us all alone. First laughs.

The black squares clear away, revealing Twilight lying on his back with a gash in his chest. Malice pulses along his body still, and his breaths are raspy. No doubt the inside of his throat is severely burned from my bomb. Nothing a phoenix tear can't fix, I'm sure.

I walk to him, kneeling over him and closing my eyes. I grin. We've got him back. All this worrying, all this fear, and now we've got him back. This time, my tears are happy. Because we've done it. We've won. The first tear lands on his chest and burns away most of the Malice. I keep crying, and soon the rest of the Malice is gone. Then the hole in his chest closes, his blood is replenished, and soon the burn in his throat is healed. I move to lean away but he throws his arms around me and basically drags me into his lap.

"Thank you," he whispers, his voice quivering. "Thank you, Wild."

I nod, burying my face in his pelt and continuing to cry. "Y-you're welcome. It was so awful…without you…"

"...Thanks to you…I'm back…" he whispers, squeezing me so tight I can't even breathe.

"Welcome home," Time says, resting a hand on his shoulder. Twi releases me and takes Time's hand with both of his own, nodding gratefully.

The others come to circle him, and Time helps him stand. Four helps me. We stand in this awkward circle for a moment or two, Twilight and I in the middle, reveling in the unlikely victory of the day.

"You were right," First says. "We could get through this. Together."

Twilight nods.

"Welcome to the team, First," Wind says, grinning up at him.

First smiles softly. "Happy to be here."

"You're an excellent fighter," Warriors praises.

First nods in thanks.

"So," Legend says. "Are we just going to ignore the portal over there, or…?"

"Give us a moment to say hello to each other," Sky chastises. "We just got Twilight back!"

Twilight nods. "Yes, I'd like a moment to recover."

We all stand around for another moment or so. Twilight smiles brightly, locking eyes with each of us and grinning wider and wider. "Oh, it's so good to be back."

"But I do believe Legend is right," First says, gesturing to the portal. "We've got to chase after him."

"Excited to get some revenge?" Warriors questions.

First smirks. "Somewhat." He stares at the portal. "I think, more so, that I'm ready to get out of here."

"How does it feel to have your free will back?" Twilight questions.

First sighs heavily, running a hand across his stomach. "More fulfilling than I could have ever imagined. These words and thoughts, they're my own. And I'm permitted to act on them. It's wonderful. Intoxicating. I might be without the abilities granted to be my Malice, but I feel more powerful than Demise himself." He stares at his hand, devoid of horrible ooze, and pulls his fingers into a fist. "I am not just a tool for somebody else to use anymore."

"Or ever again," I promise. "Now, you're one of us."

"And we take care of each other," Sky agrees.

First nods. He turns back to the portal. "Let's get going."

"Lead the way," Twilight says, coming to stand beside him. "I'd like to get some payback myself."

"Then let's get on it," First replies, walking towards the portal. We follow after him, and I sigh in relief, wiping the remnants of my tears away. Dark might have tried to tear us apart from the inside, pitting us against each other and forcing both Twilight and First to work for him, but really he only made us stronger. We've got an entire new teammate to work with, and a powerful one at that. We've got Twilight back, and the Ordonian's desire for victory is burning even brighter now that he endured and survived Dark's torment. And I've got a pretty useful new ability. Time might lose his wolf's teeth, but I've had the crystal for far longer than he. Surely I can keep my phoenix attributes.

One by one, we step into the portal, ready to get back onto our mission. It might be a long time before we corner Dark and keep him from running, but I don't mind. I stand next to Twilight and lean into his shoulder, and he wraps his arm around me. I've got everything I need right here. Nobody can take that away from me. From us. Not even Dark Link.

The End

Author's Note: I hope you all enjoyed (especially you, Jitters_Box)! As always, feel free to let me know what you thought by dropping a review, and thank you so much to everyone who read this entire story!