"Doubt can only be removed by action."

~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe~

Ancient Roots

Chapter 8: Eldin

After a surprisingly restful sleep, I wake not long after sunrise and get ready for the day with a strong resolve to get started and find the Earth Spring as soon as possible. If we work hard enough then we can work through Eldin to reach the spring and find Link there. After that, I'm not sure what will happen, but the thought of seeing Link again fills me with determination.

But then I walk into the kitchen and, when I remember last night's unfinished conversation, my mood quickly sours.

"Good morning!" chirps Karane. Despite how early it is, Henya's already preparing this morning's breakfast and bustles about around the fire. Karane and Pipit are the only other two people here and I'm not blind to the weapons and equipment scattered across the table—there's enough for both of them.

I don't like where this is going.

Well, time for the plunge.

"Good morning," I say. "Are you sure we'll be able to carry that much?"

Karane hesitates and glances at Pipit before replying, "Not if there's three of us. Come on, Zelda," she adds instantly when I go to protest. "Impa said we'll be travelling in two groups and they'll have a head start on us for sure, so we won't be drawing attention to them. And besides, Ghirahim knows about us—we've already drawn attention to ourselves."

"I know, but…"

"And from what Karane's told me," Pipit cuts in before I can finish. "You're just as important in all this and that Ghirahim knows it; she told me what he said to you last."

My gut twists as the memory floods back, "Get in my way again, though, and you're dead." I'd been so swept up in the moment that his words fell on deaf ears until now. We don't know the Demon Lord's tactics, but we do know that his words are precise and twisted for whatever meaning he wishes. They could be empty words, but it'd be foolish to think so naïvely.

I swallow thickly and lie, "Empty threats, that's all."

"And if they're not?" Karane asks, and I realise I've lost this fight long before it started. "Zelda, we have absolutely no idea what today will bring. We need to protect Link, of course we do, but we need to protect you too. You're—"

"I'm not the one who needs protecting," I retort. "We need to focus on keeping Link safe, and we can't do that if we're too busy focusing on the wrong person."

Pipit hums in agreement, "We'll protect him, and each other, together."

"No, we—"

"Please Zelda." I turn to Karane. Henya wanders out of the kitchen muttering something under her breath. "We don't know what we're up against and I know taking more people will mean a larger party which comes with its own risks… but we need all the help we can. Not many people know about what's happening so every person counts. Please Zelda…"

But I knew that I lost this fight a long time ago so I may as well not prolong the argument. My shoulders slump forward and I finally give in, "Alright. Thank you both for being here." With Henya gone, I ask, "Fi, what do we need to survive in Eldin?" The hilt of the Goddess Sword glows bright.

"The Eldin region is primarily comprised of Eldin Volcano: a mountain or hill with a crater through which lava—hot molten or semi-fluid rock—erupts," she explains. Pipit raises a brow at Karane, who nods, so I assume she told him about Fi. "Due to the nature of this area, I recommend the use of iron shields and numerous canteens of water as natural springs will be rare. I surmise that upon placing the tablet from Skyview Spring on the altar in the Chamber of the Sword, the way to the Eldin region will open."

I nod, trying not to think about how dangerous this area sounds, "Alright, I need to go to the courtyard. Get everything ready and meet me there in ten minutes."

They nod in agreement, clearly relieved by my decision, and I take my leave before I can worry myself over the thought of having two people to think about as well as Link and Impa, plus Ghirahim hiding in the shadows. Once I quickly bid farewell to my father and make my way up to the courtyard beneath the Statue of the Goddess, I try in vain to lift my dampened spirits.

Soon enough, I stand beneath in the courtyard and stare up at the gigantic statue before me. Her benevolent smile, the same one I saw in Skyview Spring only yesterday, watches over the island I call home. A momentary irritation rises in me at the sight of her—what's her plan for us? Why is she putting Link, or rather all of us, in so much danger? Why couldn't she come back to the Surface to destroy the darkness?

There's so much I still don't know, I remind myself. Maybe there's a deeper meaning to all of this…

It doesn't quell my anger in its entirety, but for now I can focus my emotions elsewhere. Heading into the Chamber of the Sword, I take back the tablet we received in Skyview Spring and walk towards the altar. I slot the tablet above the first one and push it into place. The gemstone glitters in the torchlight and I feel a brief rumble beneath my feet before Fi appears in a spark of light.

"Dominae, I have confirmed the location of a second opening in the cloud barrier. It is located in the skies to the northeast. The opening will allow you to access a new area on the Surface. I suggest you fly there as soon as you complete necessary preparations." I smile and nod, tilting my head when she doesn't leave like usual. "Dominae… if I may speak freely?"

I blink and stammer, "O-Of course."

"Thank you." She pauses, then, "Dominae, I would actively advise against this larger party. I understand the arguments of your companions, however a large party in unknown terrain will reduce speed and may risk alerting the Demon Lord to your presence."

"I know," I sigh. "But they're choosing to come with me and I can't refuse them."

"Of course, Dominae," Fi says, bowing her head before dismissing herself. Her words plague me as I make my way back out into the courtyard and wait for Karane and Pipit, though I do my best to seem in higher spirits when they finally arrive. The sight of a Sailcloth tied to Pipit's belt makes my heart squeeze as much as I try not to let it get to me.

"Are you both ready?"

They simply nod and we turn to the diving platform nearby. When we jump and start flying towards the next Column of Light, there's no turning back. We have to commit to travelling to Eldin as a party of three, potentially a party of five later, and the thought of it puts me on edge. As the others leap off the platform, I steel myself and focus on the breeze on my skin before following after them.

We bound towards the platform and jump into the skies below, whistling for our Loftwings and being caught soon after, quickly locating the red beam of light adorning the sky to the northeast as Fi had said. Despite my low mood, I can't help but smile as we take turns racing each other across the sky. Pipit's grey bird, Darmani, outmatches our Loftwings in terms of speed, though we do come close to beating him a few times.

By the time we're circling around the red Column of Light, we peer down to see what is beneath us; our races and playful accusations are gone with the wind. Below us is a part of the Surface which is a stark contrast to the region we travelled through yesterday. The verdant Faron Woods, so full of life and ancient structures, are worlds away from the land of Eldin, a land of browns and reds and patches of ground surrounded by large portions of a substance that looks like melted pumpkins—presumably the lava that Fi told us about.

And then there's the heat. Even from up here, the three of us recoil from the heat rising from the land below. I already know that the lush forests of Faron were like a paradise compared to whatever waits for us below today.

"Is this what the Surface looks like?" Pipit asks over the wind. "Because it doesn't look like a paradise like the ancient texts say."

I breathe out a laugh and shake my head as Karane replies, "No, this is definitely not what we saw yesterday. Do you think that looks like a forest to you?" He shrugs.

"Never seen one before. How am I supposed to know?"

I pull out my Sailcloth as they bicker; there's no time to lose. Swinging my legs over my Loftwing, I take in a deep breath of the warm air as I guide Destiny over to the right spot and study the land below, readying myself to jump. Closing my eyes, I tighten my grip on my Sailcloth and let go.

The red earth shoots towards me with my companions close behind. After my first descent to the Surface, I feel more confident in waiting a little longer before opening up my Sailcloth. As we glide down to the Surface, I lock my gaze onto the large mound of rock in the distance which leaks that strange orange substance. It seems to be the Eldin Volcano that Fi mentioned, however it's bigger than anything I've ever seen before—the Statue of the Goddess pales in comparison.

I land first and marvel at the land before us as the other two knights follow soon land behind me. Pipit seems to recoil from the landing like Karane and I did in the Sealed Grounds, though he quickly recovers and stands beside me to ask, "So… this is the Surface?" We hum, still mesmerised by the view despite the heat. "It's… not what I was expecting, but…"

Fi appears in a burst of light when he trails off, "Dominae and companions, this is Eldin Volcano. It is an active volcano rich with the power of the earth. Approximately 65% of the region is covered by lava. It is also inhabited by a large number of creatures that thrive in the extreme heat or direct flame so please exercise caution with flammable material such as wood and fabric." We simultaneously look down at our clothes with unease.

That may be a problem for us later on…

The spirit of the blade glows and a slip of parchment appears before her. It glides over and hovers before me until I take it. It's seemingly a map of the area and, just like Fi had said, most of it is covered in orange to denote the lava. Noticing a patch of white stone at the top, I point to it and ask Fi, "What's this?"

"That, Dominae, is the entrance to the Earth Temple in which the Earth Spring resides," she explains. "This is where the Spirited One must travel to next. I recommend making your way there also."

Once Fi returns to the Goddess Sword, we draw our weapons and begin our new journey. We walk in silence as we take everything in, trying our best to gather our bearings as quickly as possible. Tiny gems and minerals in the earth beneath us shine in the morning sunshine and it's tricky not to get too distracted by this area's hidden beauty. But then my eyes find the lava nearby and I tighten my grip on my sword—now's not the time for distractions.

As we struggle to adjust to the heat, I pray that we don't have to stay here overnight. I was worried that we would've needed to in Faron, but I would much rather stay overnight in the more temperate climate of the forest than the heat and humidity of Eldin, and that's not even taking the dangers of an active volcano into consideration. We need to act with speed and caution; today's going to be a long day.

Pipit, like he always does, quickly takes the lead, only to skid into a halt with a gasp when he rounds the next corner. We rush to catch up with him and feel the same shock at the sight before us. Two furry creatures are here before us, half submerged in the ground. The creature on the left has blue hair whereas the other has brown hair, and both of them have small eyes with dark markings around them and wear straps as if to carry bundles or bags.

The one on our right raises its fist at us, though their voice instantly betrays their offensive front, "Hey, hey, hey! Y-You mess with ourturf and you're gonna… p-pay?" His, I think, accent is much thicker than that of the Kikwis, but I can still make out what he's trying to say. The creature on the left shakes his head.

"Yo, Ledd, I don't think these are any of those red creeps."

I raise a brow, "There are Bokoblins in the area?"

"I-It speaks!" Ledd yelps, pointing at me wildly. I bite the inside of my cheek to refrain from laughing at his reaction. "B-But yeah… those monsters have been showing up and messing with our turf; it's got me on edge. Y-You don't look like them… but still, no reason to scare the hair off of us!"

"We're sorry for scaring you," I say as I lower my sword. They don't seem to be a threat. "We've seen lots of Bokoblins too; they've been running rampant in Faron Woods as well."

Ledd crosses his arms smugly, "Well, when they show up here next, I'm gonna knock the red clean out of 'em! That's what I'm doing here. Yeah, me, Ledd." The other creature snorts.

"Yeah, whatever, Mr. Too Scared to Dig in the Dark."

Ledd's eyes widen, yet Pipit cuts in before the creature can get too angry, "We're looking for two people. One looks like us and the other's a Sheikah. Have you seen either of them?"

"Maybe we did, maybe we didn't," Ledd answers coyly, only to gasp when his friend smacks him on the shoulder. "Fine, fine! Yeah, we saw 'em. Didn't stop to say hello, though. They seemed in quite a rush, y'know? I heard the Sheikah saying they had to reach the summit by sundown." He points to the path behind them, "They've got a long way to go so just follow this road and you'll get there eventually."

Even though his 'you'll get there eventually' isn't the most helpful comment, I nod and smile graciously nonetheless, "Thank you both for your help." Ledd grins at me in a way that reminds me of how Groose smiles dotingly at me, only for his friend to snap him back into reality and they burrow into the ground.

We stare at the space they once occupied before moving onward. To know that Link and Impa passed through here at some point gives me hope, especially since we may be able to catch up with them before they reach the Earth Spring. Potentially having a party of five still concerns me, although the Eldin region seems far more dangerous than Faron so I'm sure we'll need all the help we can get.

The rest of our morning is spent passing through fiery caverns filled with bubbling lava and searing heat. The creatures were right when they said we'd have a long journey ahead of us because we often need to stop and take breaks in the few caves free of lava to catch our breaths. Some of the caves are surprisingly adorned with blue flowers and I can't help but wonder how life manages to thrive here.

By the time we exit the caverns, we're all exhausted and not much closer to the volcano. We take a break to eat and drink as the sun reaches its zenith. I let Karane and Pipit chat idly as I eat, frustrated by our lack of progress and praying that the journey is taking Link and Impa just as long for them as it is for us.

"Hey," says Karane with a nudge. "We'll get there soon."

I smile and let out a breathless laugh, "Stop reading my mind."

"I'm reading your face, Zelda," she says, though she isn't teasing. "Today's going to be a long day for everyone but we're still making progress, no matter how slow it may feel."

"Exactly," Pipit agrees. "And we're no good to anyone when we're tired. We can rest for a bit and then move on."

I sigh and nod, knowing that they're right. We don't linger for too much longer and I start using my dowsing to give me a little hope that Link's nearby, glad when the sword glows brightly. The sight makes me both excited and anxious, just like most things on the Surface. As we make our way closer to the base of the volcano, however, I realise something that makes me stop in place.

"Wait."

Karane's eyes widen, "What's wrong?"

"How many enemies have we seen so far?" I ask. Pipit ponders the thought.

"Not too many. There were some Keese in those caverns and a few Bokoblins in our rest areas, but we haven't been overwhelmed." As soon as he says the last word, he starts to realise why I look so worried. He swallows thickly, "You're wondering why we haven't fought more monsters, aren't you?"

I nod, turning to Karane. "Compare how many battles we got into yesterday compared to today."

"There's certainly less, I'll give you that," she agrees with a frown. "Come on. If there's less monsters for a reason then we need to get going."

All in agreement, the three of us pick up our pace as the dowsing leads us towards a bridge in the distance. Thankfully it doesn't take much longer before we reach it and, despite the dust in the air, the bridge looks surprisingly new as it crosses over a river of lava. The volcano looms high above us here and we know that a tough ascent to the summit is coming. There seems to be a few different routes we can take, though that's the least of our concerns right now. I stop Pipit and Karane before they set foot onto the bridge, my heart soaring at the sound.

I hear a voice—his voice.

"—be a short break, I promise," he's saying. We can't see him, but he's clearly nearby. The three of us slowly make our way across the bridge and follow the sound of his voice. "We'll make it to the spring by sundown like you'd hoped… I just need a minute."

We make our way into the right pathway which leads into a small cavern with a large wind tunnel on the other side. Impa and Link—my heart squeezes at the sight of him—stand near the wind with their backs to us so they haven't spotted us yet, though something inside me wants to wait and see how their conversation turns out.

Impa rests a comforting hand on his shoulder, "I know the journey has been long, but we must keep going. We must reach the spring, otherwise we will spend the night in the den of our enemies."

He goes to reply but, as if the Goddess herself willed it, he notices something behind him and looks over his shoulder. Our gazes instantly meet and my world stops for a second; he's really here. The same joy is reflected in his eyes, but there's also a momentary panic that surprises me, as if he's not sure if seeing me is entirely a good thing or not. But then the joy returns and he calls my name and my world starts moving again.

Despite the sweat clinging to my brow and the aches from travelling all morning, I smile. Link takes a decisive step forward, only for Impa to catch his arm before he can go any further, "You cannot go to them. You must restrain yourself and focus—"

He doesn't listen.

Wrenching his arm free, Link crosses the gap between us in an instant, bundling me up in a tight embrace. I hug him back just as fiercely, "I didn't think I'd see you again so soon."

"Well, I'm glad you did," he murmurs into my neck, the relief in his tone palpable. "Thank the Goddess you're here…" He holds me at arm's length with that look in his eyes again. "I need to tell you—"

The Sheikah appears behind him before he can finish and he loses his voice. She smiles warmly at us, "I'm glad to see you're well."

"Likewise." Gesturing to the knight behind me, I add, "This is Pipit." He takes a step forward.

"I understand the risk of a larger party," he says firmly. "But I'm here to help in any way I can."

She hums and introduces herself, then, "I suppose an extra pair of hands can't hurt too much, but we must move quickly as to not draw more attention to ourselves. Evil clings to every shadow." At first, I'm a little surprised that she doesn't actively tell us to split up into two groups again, but I think she realises how much we need each other right now and doesn't want to be the person to separate us again.

After a brief reunion with Pipit and Karane, Link glances back at me like he's going to finish what he was saying before, but something makes him think better of it and we silently wander through the small cave towards the wind tunnel. My eyes find Link every few moments, yet he's seemingly lost in thought. I nudge him and offer him a smile, only for him to return it with a half hearted one of his own.

Something's wrong… if only he had the chance to tell me…

But from the way he went quiet when Impa appeared, he clearly doesn't want to say anything around her. I just hope that he's able to talk to me privately soon. Standing before the wind tunnel, Impa says, "This is the fastest route up the volcano. You two—" Impa points to Karane and Pipit. "—must use it first, then I shall go last."

The knights nod and unfurl their Sailcloths, taking the wind tunnel one at a time. Link silently urges me to go next and I don't protest. Balling my hands into fists at my sides, I sheathe the Goddess Sword and take a deep breath as I pull out my Sailcloth, leaping into the wind and gasping as how strong it is. I purse my lips together and endure as the wind pulls me up through the tunnel and out into an open area.

I glide down and spot the others in an instant, surveying the area with them for any sign of monster activity. From the lack of tracks here, the area seems to be rather quiet and secluded from the main pathways up the volcano, so we can safely assume that there aren't any monsters nearby. Off to the right is the entrance to a large cavern which Fi automatically warns me to stay away from due to its high temperatures. As I wander back to the wind tunnel, I spot something on the wall.

"Fi, what's this?"

Without leaving the Goddess Sword, Fi explains, "That is a volcanic ladybug, Dominae." I hum and lean closer to the insect on the wall, entranced by its red shell and black markings. How can such beauty survive in such a place? It flutters away before I can inspect it further, to which Fi adds, "Sensitivity to human presence is 65%." I stifle a laugh and rejoin Karane and Pipit as Link and Impa appear from the tunnel.

I instinctively stand close to Link as Impa takes the lead and our companions walk behind us. It feels strange to be protected in such a way when Link and I can handle ourselves just fine, but we never know what'll be around the next corner so I have no choice but to welcome the extra protection.

Our pace soon picks up into a jog as we make our way down a short tunnel littered with Keese, emerging in some sort of makeshift village. The huts are basic and made from simple wood and metal scraps, though there aren't any occupants. Impa remarks that they're most likely made by Bokoblins and presses on before we can question her further.

Dust flies up from every step we take until the ground beneath us shifts from earth to stone and we reach an area that's a stark contrast to the rest of the volcano. Lined with tall pillars, a blue stoned pathway leads up to a tall building that's a part of the volcano walls and adorned with a variety of red bricks, golden arches and detailed motifs. Ahead of us are two large red doors with dragons painted on in white.

From this vantage point, most of the Eldin region can be seen. The bright blue skies are matted with dusty clouds that drift lazily across the sky and the heat remains steady despite how high up we are. Although it's a little more difficult to breathe up here, I'm sure we can take a break before we continue on.

Impa gestures towards the red doors, "That is the entrance to the Earth Temple, and inside is the Earth Spring. We're making good time and should reach it by sundown if we continue our pace."

"I'm worried about the lack of monsters," I tell her honestly. "We haven't seen many today and I'm worried they may be waiting for us in the temple." She hums in agreement.

"Their distinct lack of activity is a cause for concern," the Sheikah agrees. "But we will be able to handle whatever comes our way."

We nod, though I'm not overly comforted by her words. We haven't seen many monsters today, but what's worse is that Ghirahim hasn't appeared at all. I don't know how big the Surface is though I'm sure he'd be able to track us down quickly—and yet we haven't seen any sign of him. I glance over at Link, who looks as concerned as I feel, and there's that glint of dread again. I have to ask him what's wrong.

Or at least I try to.

As Karane and Pipit take the initiative and shove open the doors into the Earth Temple, I start to cross the gap between Link and I so I can finally ask him what's been plaguing him all day. But as I do so, something flashes in the corner of my eye that instantly puts me on edge—it's the flash of metal in the afternoon light. I start to turn just as I see the shadow of a tall, imposing figure stretching across the ground, raising their knife into the air as they prepare to strike.

They never get the chance.

Before I can defend myself, Link pushes me behind him and takes the strike for me. I stagger away just as Karane and Pipit stand in front of me, but they don't need to worry about me. In the heat of the moment, the figure grabs onto Link, spins him around and holds him close to them; one arm across his waist and the other holding the knife near his neck. As I cry out his name, the world catches up with me and we realise who our attacker is.

"I-Impa?!"

The shock of grabbing the wrong person is evident on her face for a brief moment until she recovers and leans in close to him, "You really need work on your stealth. Did you honestly think we'd let you hear our plan and still strike at the spring?" But Link doesn't move and I quickly understand why.

He knew about Impa. That's what he wanted to tell me before but he couldn't with the Sheikah always looming. Our eyes meet for what feels like an eternity of a second and I can see the apology in his eyes. I give him the most reassuring look I can through the panic gripping my heart. It's not his fault; he was in an impossible situation.

"Impa, why?!" I demand, desperately trying to push past Karane and Pipit, but to no avail. "The Sheikah are supposed allies of—"

"The Goddess?" Impa scoffs, effectively cutting me off. "I was loyal to her and her fight against the Demon King, but that was before I saw the horror of the Great War. She sent her favourite humans to safety in the heavens whilst the rest of her people—good people—were left to the slaughter."

I find Link's eyes again and I see the plea in his eyes; he needs time.

"But this isn't about her!" I counter fiercely, trying to keep the Sheikah focused on me. "You were the first Bearer's mentor and you vowed to protect Link from the darkness. Whatever you hold against the Goddess, you can't drag him into this too!"

And, praise the Goddess, I keep her occupied enough to give Link the time he needs. Without warning, a light sparks from his hand that draws everyone's attention, just as he'd hoped. He uses Impa's momentary distraction to break free and I dart forward between Karane and Pipit as they move aside so I can catch him. We hold each other close as we stare Impa down.

"You've done well to harness what dwindling power you have," she muses. "But you'll never be as strong as the first Bearer without playing right into their hands; the stronger you are, the stronger your soul is."

Link falters for a moment but composes himself just as quickly, "I won't let fear stop me. I won't let you stop me!"

Impa lunges for the two knights in between her and us, but they hold their ground well. Link, desperate to protect me over himself, pries himself from my side and steps in front of me. We draw our weapons and ready ourselves for the fight ahead. My heart's already pounding and my mind's racing with so many thoughts that I can barely think straight. Impa's betrayal has shocked me more than I can describe and all I can feel is fear for what's about to happen and frustration at both Impa for what she's done and at myself for allowing her to do this.

And yet, Impa isn't our only problem.

With my attention solely on the fight before us, I cry out when something suddenly grabs me from behind and drags me into the same position Impa had done with Link only minutes ago, a familiar gloved hand holding a knife against my throat. My blood goes cold in realisation and terror grips my heart with an unyielding grasp—I drop the Goddess Sword in surprise. I struggle in their tight grip but to no avail.

"My, what have we got here?" Ghirahim murmurs as he leans in close. My breathing quickens at his closeness. "You certainly have a flair for getting in my way, don't you?"

I attempt to shove him away with a grunt, but this only makes him chuckle and press the dark blade closer to my neck. Link spots my situation first and, once Pipit and Karane realise too, the battle soon turns against them. With her natural speed, Impa quickly disarms the two knights in one fell swoop and holds them close so they can no longer interfere.

"We'll protect him, and each other, together," Pipit's voice from this morning echoes around my mind. I grit my teeth.

In mere minutes, we've been brought to our knees and with it we've failed to protect Link and each other—the Goddess must have made a mistake in choosing me.

And now I have to watch as Link inevitably pays the price. He stands alone, trapped between two people who want to see him suffer as his friends are used as leverage against him. Anger courses through me at the thought of being used in such an awful way, but all I can do is watch on as it happens. His bright eyes flicker between each of us before landing on the Demon Lord.

His life comes first; it has to. However, the two central means of escape back down the volcano are blocked by Ghirahim and Impa and the only other option is the Earth Temple, which is most likely teeming with all the monsters we haven't seen today. There's truly no way out and we all know it.

"I told you that this wasn't the end," the Demon Lord remarks. I can feel the triumphant look on his face without being able to see it. "Now, I'm no longer in the mood for playing games. Either your petty defiance ends here or it will be their blood on your hands."

Our eyes meet again and I know Link's answer before he's even considered his options—he won't let us get hurt no matter what happens to him. We'd all do the same in his position, but this isn't the time for heroics. I shake my head as best as I can yet the shine of resolve in his eyes doesn't waver.

"Don't!" I cry before I can stop myself. I can feel the knife pressing into my skin but I don't care; I won't let him sacrifice himself for us. My voice cracks as I beg, "Please Link…"

But how can I try and stop him when he's already made up his mind?

I glance over to Karane and Pipit who look just as scared as I feel. Pipit, as this is his first time seeing the Demon Lord, focuses on Ghirahim while Karane is torn with doing the same and looking at me, silently praying for a way out of this. As I turn my attention back to Link, my heart sinks as he sheathes his sword and holds out his scabbard to drop it, pausing before he does so.

"Give me your word that you'll spare their lives and I'll go with you."

"You have my word that I'll spare them," the Demon Lord agrees.

But Link shakes his head, "Give me their names. I won't let you cheat your way out of an agreement."

Ghirahim groans with frustration but complies, vaguely gesturing to Pipit and Karane, "The sky children will be spared. You have my word."

"And Zelda?" I can feel the Demon Lord's patience wearing thin as the minutes go by.

"As much as I would prefer to promise otherwise, Her Grace will be spared too. Now," he quickly adds before anyone else can speak. He gestures to Link's weapon. "If would be so kind." I can't watch. I close my eyes as he has no choice but to comply. My heart sinks further when I hear the scabbard thud dully against the stone floor at our feet and I know the deed is done. There's a pause, the sound of moment and then a tut from the man behind me. "Oh no, Your Grace; don't look away. I want you to remember this."

He tightens his grip on my waist so suddenly that I reopen my eyes. Link kneels before us; his scabbard discarded a few feet behind him and far from anyone's reach. His eyes are a storm of emotion, yet his fear for me is as clear as day. A pregnant silence ensues as Ghirahim basks in his victory and I grit my teeth.

"This isn't over," I growl. "Just end this and let us go." He makes a displeased sound.

"Oh, but we still have one more thing to clear up, Your Grace," he coos. "Don't you remember what I said to you the last time we met?" My blood runs cold—how could I forget? "Ah, that was it…" His playful demeanour drops as his voice becomes dangerously low. "Get in my way again, though, and you're dead."

Link's eyes widen, "No—"

"Well, I may have all I need here, but I certainly can't go back on a promise, can I?" The others cry out but they can't do anything to stop him. I can feel his grin as he continues, "I suppose I did promise not to kill you, but you know better than most how much a person can suffer before death, don't you, Your Grace?"

The last thing I see is Ghirahim pulling his knife away from my neck before driving it towards my stomach, then my world goes white.

Pain erupts in my middle and spreads like wildfire. I hear voices, loud voices, but I can't make out what they're saying. All I can hear is someone screaming; is it me? The sounds and voices grow louder and pain worsens as the sights and smells of the world around me return slowly, unbearably so. Colours and sounds morph and blend together, only making the pain and confusion worse.

Before I can look down and see the damage, the world jerks forward and the arms that once supported me are gone. I'm in freefall for a few moments before I tumble into another pair of more familiar arms. Despite the agony flooding through me, my heart flutters as Link's face comes back into perspective.

He's talking to someone. I can hear the words but I can't piece them together, but I can see the anger and fear in his eyes without having to hear what he's saying. His face starts to blur again and I relax against him despite the pain. I try to look down at the wound, but Link's faster and pushes my chin up before I can see anything. He's talking to me now. I blink rapidly to try and clear the haze and understand him, but to no avail. He wants me to keep my eyes on him but he doesn't understand—I'm struggling to focus on anything right now.

He's safe. That's all the matters…

Ghirahim said he wouldn't kill me—he'd rather see me suffer. He promised. But why should I take a monster at his word?

What if this is it?

I feel something warm trail down my cheeks as the pain intensifies. I can't tell who's crying. Darkness eats at the edges of my awareness and I know it won't be long before I pass out (though that'll only be a blessing), but there's something I have to do. My vision's cleared enough for me to fully make out Link's face now and the raw emotion is clear to see.

I realise we're both crying.

My heart aches.

I desperately paw for his hand until I find it, grabbing onto it as tightly as I can (which probably isn't that hard). I try to say something, anything, but my voice gives out and Link soothes me. Suddenly I want to tell him everything I've ever thought about him—everything about him I like, everything about him that makes me smile, everything about him that I hold dear—but I just don't have the voice for it.

I can feel something metallic welling up in my mouth. I cough weakly and feel it run down my chin.

Then the Demon Lord appears in my line of sight. He drags Link to his feet without a care for either of us and the sudden action elicits an unstifled yelp from me as I collapse to the ground. I blink a few times, trying to banish the dark spots in my vision and stare up at the two figures above me. Their voices raise in volume as they demand things of each other although I still can't make any sense of it.

My heart leaps to my throat as I find Link's wild eyes one last time before he and the Demon Lord completely disappear from sight in a burst of diamonds—gone.

No!

I try to reach out and stop them, as if I could do anything in my pitiful state, but I'm already too late. Now lying on my back as blood starts to pool on the stone beneath me, I stare blankly up at the hazy sky as the last of my energy is snuffed out. I hear voices, though they aren't as loud now. I distinctly make out the shrill shrieks of Bokoblins as darkness finally claims my awareness.

I've lost too much blood.

I black out.