There I was, standing in front of the Sealed Grounds. The door glared down at me. I felt uneasy. Something in me trembled at the idea of what I was doing. It didn't feel right, but there were too many lives at stake to not believe her.

I pushed the door open. I saw the familiar room from before. As I walked in I felt like I was burning and feverish. It must have just been anxiety.

"Heyyy! It's you!" A humorous voice bellowed from the other side of the room. "Sweet-pea you came back! I'm Surprised you'z weren't squashed like a bug in the desert! Hope you ain't back for another ride." Groose laughed and walked up to me.

"No," I answered firmly. "I need to visit the Goddess Statue. A lot has happened, I need to pray for a while" I spoke through my teeth. I knew I was a bad liar, but I felt like I was about to collapse that did not help me hide anything.

Groose's face fell and looked firm. He didn't look amused anymore. "Yeah, sweet-pea. You don't look so great." He put a hand on my head. "Ya seem like ya just killed someone." My eyes widened in shock and began to water a bit.

"Oh hon, the statue is out the door, towards the back." He spoke with some disingenuous sympathy.

"I need to be as close as I can. Is there a way I can get to the top platform?" I asked nervously.

"Sweet-pea." His face expressed pure distrust. "I knew you felt off. The top platform isn't used for prayers, only rituals..." he was catching on, "or sacrifices." He finished. I got tense. "I don't think you're here to pray, are you sweet-pea?" He stood there firm, I was only an enemy to him now. He suddenly sprang at me to grab my arms and hold me down. I was squirming and screaming. I knew I wasn't going to win this battle from strength alone. I concentrated hard and mustered some power to shove him off me.

I began to rush toward the door, but I could feel my fever starting to get to me. I wasn't running as fast as I could and I could feel Groose catching up behind me. I pulled the heavy door open as much as I could and slipped through. I was met with the goddess's giant statue touching the sky.

"I can't get up there." I panted to myself. I heard the door creak open behind me. Groose was rushing back out and he had a large wooden club in one hand. I turned around used some more power to hold him back. It was taking a lot of energy and I had nowhere to go. My panicking made me weaker. I could tell all I was doing was slowing him down slightly. I stared back up at the platform I needed to be on. There was only one way up there. I release my grip on Groose. He was about to rush up and hit me with the club, I squeezed my eyes shut, took a deep breath, and snapped my fingers. I expected my face to meet the club any second, but nothing was happening. I peaked my eyes open and Groose was hundreds of feet below me. I took a step backward and stumbled. I turned around to be greeted up close with the Goddess's face. I had actually managed to teleport myself. I collapsed on my back and stared at the clouds to catch my breath. The cool air felt nice for a moment, but I had to quickly roll over to the side of the platform to puke. I was weakening by the second. This wasn't just some stomach butterflies from anxiety, something was actually wrong with me. I stood up on my wobbly legs and I saw a small niche in the statue.

I got a strong urge to go towards it and I placed my hand inside. Once I did I regretted it. An invisible force began to pin me there and crush every bone in my right hand. It felt like it was being crushed under tons of pressure. My hand began to mutate and turn a deep purple as the blood bubbled under my skin. Slices began to cut through my flesh and shred what little recognizable features I had left in it. The blood poured down the small alter and down to where I was crouching in pain in the platform. It pulled everywhere. I felt my pulse through every part of my body, throbbing, clenching, screaming. Anytime I tried to pull away the force held me there tighter. My hand spirted blood like a small geyser; the river thickened and flowed off the platform. The earth began to quake underneath me, but my hand was still stuck. The clouds began to thicken and block any sunlight from shining down.

My hand fell from the platform and I looked at it. I felt like it wasn't even a hand anymore. I couldn't move it. I just cradled it close to me and heaved in pain. The earth continued the shake and it was getting dimmer by the second.

"Akomin!" A voice screamed from below. I couldn't tell if I was going into shock or not. Actually, I was definitely already in shock. I looked down and saw Ghirahim and Catto standing with Groose behind them. However, Groose quickly ran inside after seeing what was happening.

"What have you done?!" Ghirahim screamed. He seemed scared. Tears welled up in my eyes and sobbed and screamed.

"I'm so sorry!" I cried loudly. "Mom, please, my hand hurts!" I felt crazy. Where they even there? Was I just imagining them?

"Akomin, you need to come down, now!" Catto yelled.

"I can't!" I cried.

"Yes, you can!" Ghirahim roared. "We can't come to get you! You need to come down!"

"I can't! I can't! I can't" I began to yell.

"Please, Akomin, I can help you! I'll make you feel all better, just come down!" Catto was sobbing as she yelled. I looked at my hand and back down at her. I stood up slowly, but once I was finished another invisible force held onto my throat. It began to lift me up and I gasped for air. My arms stretched out to my sides and I looked at my destroyed hand again.

"You damn idiot! It's too late now!" Ghirahim yelled.

I continued to gasp and I felt my body begin to boil with heat. I gasped, trying to let any air in. My legs were turning a dark color and the dark color began to creep up my body. It felt like a million bugs crawling over me. It passed over my stomach, my chest, and then I felt to go over my neck and up my face. As soon as it passed the grip on my neck was let go and I fell about ten feet back into the platform of the Goddess Statue. The sound I made wasn't that of flesh hitting the ground... it was metal. I scrambled back up and looked at myself. I was heavy metal and it felt so strange, but my hand was back to normal. I was also no longer in shock, however I still felt very ill. I wiggled my fingers and stared at the glimmer of my skin until I saw something move in the reflection. I jumped and turned to look behind me, it was a monstrous-looking man. He seemed scaly and ravenous. I knew immediately who he was.

"You have done well. I was not expecting my being to awakened until several generations from now." He chuckled to himself. "You've also brought me some visitors."

"Are you-" I began to ask but I was answered quickly.

"Yes." He turned around and stared up at the statue's face. "Where's your hero now? I certainly have mine." He turned back to me and studied at me for a few moments.

"Ghirahim." He called down towards him. "You've disappointed me." Ghirahim didn't respond. "Ghirahim." He called again, he seemed amused by everything currently happening. "Won't you introduce me to your family?"

"Master, I-" Ghirahim started to speak, but Demise reached his hand out and Ghirahim was pulled straight from the ground, up into his grasp. Demise's hand was huge. He was able to hold Ghirahim firmly with one hand around his waist.

"You're still in love...?" he sneered. He looked down at Catto and the back at Ghirahim. "Pathetic. And not only that, but you managed to create her." He looked toward me again. "So tell me why you knew she was the key to releasing me, but yet she is here on her own accord?" Ghirahim's face was terrified. He was truly scared out of his mind.

"Master, I swear, I was going to-"

"Are you not loyal?" Demise growled. He began to squeeze Ghirahim tighter.

"No, Master, I promise-" he gasped. Then, I was stunned to Ghirahim look to me. He didn't say anything, but his face screamed at me for help. He looked like he was begging me to do something.

"I must give you some credit for making such a fine specimen... twice." He laughed again and looked down at Catto and grinned wide. I needed to intervene, this was already not going as I planned. I needed him to realize why he was released and what Hylia was planning to do to his people.

"Are you going to free the demons?" I spoke up. Demise turned his head and gave me a confused look. Ghirahim also looked at me with pure horror of the words I had said. "You're going to free them right? You'll protect them so Hylia won't destroy them?" I wanted to try and distract him from his rage with Ghirahim. I was not expecting him to burst out laughing hysterically.

"Ghirahim, you didn't tell me she was delusional!" And at that moment I realize I had fucked up. I had been tricked.

Thank you once again for making it this far into the story. If you've put up with my ass this long it truly means a lot and I appreciate the support. Please continue to support by giving a favoriting, following, and reviewing. It's free and easy and every one of them counts and helps support my writing. I truly get excited and grateful for every single one that comes in. Thank you so much.
- Iris