Author's Note: While there's been a drop in reviews and no new rates since the last chapter, we have reached 24,000 views on this story. To know that you guys are consistently looking back at your favourite moments of this story warms my heart! Even if I probably won't get another chapter out for Christmas, I would like to get one out for New Year and another story out for the holiday season.

Also, I just want to take the time to redirect you to another story by an author here that I consider a good friend of mine. MiniJen, you may know her, has written the Bound Destinies Trilogy centred after Skyward Sword, Ocarina of Time, and Twilight Princess, however has such a dark twist that you're on the edge of your seat for the entire series. The stories are: Blood and Spirit, Wisdom and Courage, and Light and Shadow. These stories are amazing, and the third has not been getting the love that it deserves. So I would ask you now to have a look into these stories, or at least Light and Shadow, because it will warm her heart and mine too!

"Sometimes you have to get knocked down lower than you have ever been to stand back up taller than you ever were."

~Unknown~

Ancient Roots

A Skyward Sword FanFiction

Chapter 46: Minuere

Icy sheets of rain lash down against my body until it's completely numb, my breath shallow as I hold Link close to me; the rain dribbling down across our skin. My fingertips are white from how strongly I'm holding him, my hands shaking from fear and the cold as I cuddle my head close to his—our noses brushing with every shallow breath we take. I refuse to let go of him until I have no choice.

But I'll have to leave him soon.

This is a mess that I have to fix myself.

Even as the rain falls, I can feel the dust settling around us around the Seal—the markings gone now that the ritual has been completed. Link's hand lies limply against the wet soil, only his chest moving periodically when he inhales. He's too weak to even wince in pain from all that he's suffered through, his blood from being stabbed in the Sealed Temple staining my muddy dress and hands.

For far too long, I'm terrified to look up. I don't want to face the truth behind my actions no matter how cowardly it sounds. Hylia is desperate to stand and fight Demise with everything that she has in her, however Zelda is grieving too much to join her, so I sit here and hide from my failings and the horrors of reality that await me there for as long as I can.

As I huddle back into the shadows that cling to the outskirts of the clearing, I build up enough courage to glance up from my hiding spot.

And what I find terrifies me.

A large figure kneels over the Seal as the dust finally falls back down against the ground, their figure muscular and their face concealed from where I sit and the diminishing light. As they rise onto their feet, a burst of flames circle their body and cling to their hair that cascades down their back, creating enough light for me to finally see who it is. I always knew who it was, but to see them in reality makes my eyes widen in sheer fright.

"Master!" Ghirahim greets in Ancient Hylian, placing one leg forwards and bowing deeply, placing a fist over his heart. I subconsciously pull Link closer to me, as if I could protect him from what has already hurt him. As he rises back onto his feet, he takes an ever so slightly hesitant step forward. "You have graced us with your return... and all shall bow down to your excellence."

The Demon King studies his hand for a moment, taking everything in. His black, scaly skin physically pulsates, a dark aura radiating out from his body as the tips of his scales ooze with the blood of who his servant sacrificed. The same mantle that he wore during the Great War in Hylia's memories drapes to the ground from his waist, his form towering over my own as his crimson hair positively glows.

The rain doesn't even touch him.

He tilts his head up to the sky, drinking in the atmosphere that he has created thanks to the amount of shadows that have lingered since the outset of Ghirahim's ritual. The Demon Lord takes a rather uncertain step forwards, unsure of whether to speak to his Master so directly or not—his lack of confidence surprising me.

Though after a pregnant silence, he manages to speak up, "Master, we discussed the implications of your return before the War. Is our deal still implied within this?"

Demise hums in thought, golden eyes ablaze as he doesn't even look down upon his servant before snapping his hand upwards towards him, completely freezing Ghirahim in place. Demise doesn't watch as his servant gains height, only glancing over when he creates a translucent form of the sword he wielded in the Great War.

Without any hesitation, the spirit of the Demon Sword is ripped out—causing him to laugh maniacally as it happens—and transferred into the blade, making it solid and causing the Demon Lord to disappear in a flash of darkness.

Just like that, he's gone.

The serrated sword that he now bears is jet black and adorned with the inverted Triforce. He adjusts his grip around the sword, not even acknowledging his servant's sacrifice as he looks back up to the storm above us. I would follow his gaze, yet I am so transfixed by the return of the Demon King that I barely notice what happens next.

The sword flares up with dark flames and casts an eerie light towards Link and I, causing Demise to finally see me. He catches sight of my pathetic form as I hug Link's form closer to me, making him smirk before his lips twist down into a frown as if he's unsure if he recognises me or not. I gulp thickly as terror courses through my veins, the Demon King studying me as he stalks towards me for a closer observation.

"What a strange being you are," he muses, also in Ancient Hylian, watching me as I lay Link gently on the ground and shuffle in front of him for protection. He lifts his sword up to my chin, raising it ever so slightly as he takes a step away from me—forcing me to stand and leave Link behind. "My Famulus has mentioned the mortal masquerading as the Goddess, and now I see her in the flesh."

I let Hylia take over when I speak in the old tongue, moving away from his blade, "I told you once that the Ultimate Power was protected by my beloved people, and so I have returned as one of them to bring about your destruction, Demon King."

She uses her powers to bring the Master Sword and my Harp into my hands instantly, although Demise's lips merely twitch as he refrains from laughing in my face. "You lowered yourself to a mortal existence to defeat me? How pathetic to abandon your divine form and stoop to a bag of flesh!"

"It matters not what body I reside in," I say sternly. "You swore to me that you would return, and here you stand. I swore to you that I would set foot on this land again to stop you, and here I stand. Our lives are bound, and so we shall fight again. You shall not take this land without a fight."

With Hylia's strength bolstering my courage, I don't wither beneath Demise's amber gaze. In the rest of the pit, Fi and Impa are still fighting, and Demise soon cuts his gaze away from me to inspect them out of curiosity.

"How intriguing to see such beings rise against the power that I wield," he comments more to himself than anyone else. When he fixes his gaze back on me, I don't falter. "It seems that your petty humans have grown strong. The humans I've known were weak things; hardly more than insects, shivering under rocks and ready to flee at a mere glimpse of me. How fitting that those who screamed and clung to you, praying for your protection, have all been struck down."

"And how interesting to see your own minions scream and flee at the mere glimpse of me are dead at my hand," I retort. "But unlike you, I don't feed off the Souls and remains of others or the sacrifices of your servants. We are all responsible for maintaining order in the world, and the way that you toy with Souls is throwing everything out of balance. For this crime, you must be punished."

Demise's grin deepens into a smirk. "Oh Hylia, you haven't changed, have you?" I say nothing, to which he nods down to my garments. "Even though the war is over, you still wear those same garments soaked with the same blood. I watched on as you mourned over the loss of your Knight. I watched on as you promised his corpse that you would shed your divinity for him. I enjoyed slaying him, and it pleases me to have done so again."

Hylia falters for a moment.

I gulp, passing him a bitter look, an urge to step forward and attack, but I hold myself back. "He is still alive, and you shall not take solace in killing him again."

His golden eyes glitter with mirth. "It seems that your naivety has remained even in your mortal form. He may still be alive, but he will never wake up again. He may still be breathing, but his eyes will never look upon this dying world ever again. He may still be alive, Hylia, but he's as good as dead."

Lightning strikes.

I loosen my grip around the Master Sword as I force myself not to look behind, knowing that Demise is right

At the thought of Link never waking up again, a force surges through and I drive the Master Sword forwards.

He simply catches it in his hand, the burns from the blade's holy light barely affecting him.

"Your boldness is fascinating. It seems like such a shame to punish it," he mocks with a roar of laughter, then loses all emotion on his face as he growls, "But you stand in my way of the Ultimate Power, and so you must be destroyed."

Another clap of lightning sounds, casting dark shadows across his face as the rain begins to pour down even more. His flaming hair is still unaffected by the rain, but I pay no mind to this as he releases a wave of dark magic which throws me into the wall behind Link. I slam against the dirt so harshly that both the Master Sword and my Harp skitter out of my grip.

I weakly raise my head, scared out of my wits as the Demon King begins to advance on me, his body smothered in an inky blackness that pulsates around his body and the embers of his eyes glowing almost as much as his fiery hair. I attempt to push myself up and onto my feet, but the magic struck me so hard that I can barely get onto my knees before clutching at my body in pain.

I reach out for the Master Sword, only to find that it's gone.

What—?

A figure now stands before me, the highlighted with alabaster light with the Master Sword in their hand.

Only one other person can hold that blade.

"L-Link?"

I snap my gaze over to where I left him, only to find an empty space.

I blink rapidly as I try to process everything—knowing that Fi told me that Link wouldn't be able to wake up if a certain amount of his Soul was taken. Was he just exhausted and saved more of his Soul than I thought? But that can't be right—otherwise the Discidium would never have been completed.

Then I spot the light surrounding his form again.

The Old Gods are helping him…

The Demon King watches Link with curiosity. "Hm, so there is power within that vessel after all," he muses, momentarily dropping his stance. I can imagine the cold glare that Link gives in return. Demise gestures to me. "How can you follow her when she has toyed with your life ever since the first time that you were bought crying into this world? I can spare you from her wrath, boy!"

Link responds with a hard silence, and Fi's words echo around my mind. "If ninety percent of his Soul is sacrificed to Demise, then he will be lost in a perpetual sleep. Any injuries taken after this will… they would be fatal, Your Grace."

I promised him that it would never happen to him, and look where we are, a voice in the back of my mind sneers.

I won't let him die protecting me—not again.

"You have to stand down, Link!" I plead desperately. "Once I kill Demise and find a way to restore your Soul, you shall live in peace just like I promised you would! I never wanted to hurt you; I promise you that! Just let me protect you, please!"

"Ha! She promises to protect you after she let you die!" Demise mocks, taking a step towards Link and focuses solely on him. "Think of all the sacrifices you made for Hylia, and what has she done in return? She corrupted your only love and burnt away everything that you could have dreamed of having. Think of her, and then think of what I can give you, boy. She doesn't deserve you."

Link's stance doesn't waver, and then he finally speaks. "She promised me a life that she did not give me," he says, sounding like there are two voices speaking at once—hearing him say that makes my heart break even more. "But she has done all she could to bring me what peace she could and give me a better life. When I accepted the calling of the Gods, I swore an oath to stand by her side, and I shall not go back on that oath."

Oh Link…

"That oath was made before she let you die, boy," Demise warns. "Don't allow her words to control you—you are nothing to her!"

I clasp my hands together. "You mean everything to me, Link. I—"

A sudden burst of light around Link cuts me off before I can finish, and I can't help but shuffle back slightly from its intensity. Bowing his head, he speaks again, "I do not intend on leaving this world without fulfilling my duty. My efforts to protect her and end this war shall not be in vain."

As Link raises his head, I realise that he's about to cast a spell from the stance he shifts into, and with Fi's words still in the back of my mind I cry out, "Stop Link! You'll die!"

He doesn't respond.

I leap to my feet and reach out for him, only for another to appear and drag me back before I can—wrapping their arms around me tightly to prevent me from breaking free. "I-Impa?"

"You must stay away from him, Zelda," she says sternly. "You could get hurt."

"I don't—"

"The rising sun will eventually set, a newborn's life will fade," Link chants, and my lips part at the sound of Father's favourite poem being spoken. "From sun to moon, moon to sun, give peaceful rest to the living dead…"

Demises eyes glow with fear as he recognises the words and braces himself. "No!" He roars in fury. "You dare defy me after all that I have offered you?! You will never return from this, boy!"

Then Link glances over his shoulder to me, his eyes as blue as they always have been. He smiles sadly at me, and when he speaks it's only his voice.

"I'm sorry, Zelda," he says. "Forgive me…"

I blink at his words, only for him to turn away. "I-Impa, what's—?

"Minuere," she breathes, her face pale.

Then it hits me.

"So, the first Bearer used this spell to weaken Demise?" Link nods, though he seems hesitant to talk about the spell—Minuere. "How did it work?"

He thinks on his words for a moment before replying, "The caster of the spell uses their own energy to drain that of their opponent. Thanks to this spell, Demise was weakened enough for Hylia to seal him away and send a chunk of land into the sky." I notice a strange glint in his eyes.

"Are you alright?"

He hums, but it isn't genuine. When I press him, he finally talks, "Impa taught me this spell as a last resort. The first Bearer used it at full strength, but if Demise comes back in our time, I'll barely be alive." My eyes soften as I reach out to take his hand. "I don't want to use it, but if it's a choice between saving you from Demise and dying… I'll do it."

My lips part. "L-Link, you can't—"

"Trust me, I don't want to, and I pray that I'll never have to," he cuts in before I can panic. He turns to me fully and cups my cheek. "But it might be our only chance at defeating Demise."

"But I can't let you die…"

He smiles sadly. "If it means I can protect you… I'd do it over and over to save you, Zelda."

"No!" I scream, tears leaking out of my eyes. "No, Link please!"

Father's favourite poem was never just that, but a powerful spell—one that will be the end of Link.

I would fall to my knees if Impa wasn't holding me to tightly. The way he assured me that he would cast this spell over and over to save me, even if it meant him dying because of it, just makes me sob harder. He just wants to protect me, and I want to protect him from that—but every time I try, I fail miserably. A golden orb, the final part of Link's spirit that he protected from the Discidium, slips from his body. Fi readies her rapiers to protect us whilst Impa holds her naginata in front of the two of us.

Link's form is surrounded in light and is replaced by a taller figure fitted with white armour, hovering in the air before landing softly against the earth, tightening its grip on the Master Sword. I clutch Impa's arms tightly as the new figure stares the Demon King down.

"The Fierce Deity…" Fi says softly.

My eyes widen, Farore's words suddenly entering my head.

"I… I gave him too much power, and his being became dangerous—a Fierce Deity, I suppose."

The first Hero they wanted to create—he wasn't sealed away like she said…

I feel sick.

Link's Soul hovers above the Deity and Demise, though neither of them focuses on it as the former begins to advance on the latter—swinging the Master Sword with inhuman might. Two beams of pure light strike the Demon King, the first parried away by the Demon King though the second too fast for him to block. The beam pushes him down onto one knee instantly, and he grunts in pain.

Without hesitation, the Fierce Deity steps forward and slashes across Demise's chest, causing the latter to scream in pain.

But there's no time to dwell on our supposed small victory.

The façade of the Fierce Deity drains away from around Link's body like paint and condenses around the Soul floating above them. Demise watches on in anger as the golden orb shatters completely.

Within a matter of seconds, the force of his Soul shattering like glass sending Link flying backwards behind us, half skidding and half rolling away until he lands in a heap with his back to us.

No!

Impa and Fi immediately move to stand on either side of me as Demise recovers, giving us no time to see if Link's alright.

Even though he can barely stand, the Demon King forces himself onto his feet. "So your Chosen Knight is still destroying himself for you? It only further proves that you aren't worthy of being a God!"

"I'm a better God that you'll ever be," I snap, anger rushing through me. "Now fight me, Demon King! Let us finally settle this once and for all, and then we shall see how unworthy you truly are of apotheosis!"

He narrows his eyes at me, clutching at his wound tightly. "I accept," he says simply, then, "Only so I can take solace in knowing that I can drag your corpse back here and show it to all who defy me before taking the Golden Power and becoming a God myself!" If you really believe that you should raise your sword against the world that I will build, then join me in a place that we both hold dear to our hearts. Then I'll show you that the spell your Knight used against me was futile and in vain!"

"Then I'll come for you," I promise him. "And I'll show you what happens when you defy the Gods! I'm sure that you'll get a warm welcome from the rest of your brethren when you return to the darkness."

Creating an inky black portal beneath him, Demise grins at me, "Join me, oh Goddess of Light, and fate shall choreograph this eternal dance!"

The portal consumes him, then lies in wait for me to step into it.

But I won't—not yet

I have to know…

I breathe heavy for a moment, then let the Master Sword and my Harp clatter against the ground—my heart in my throat as I stumble towards Link and fall onto my knees. Impa and Fi stay behind, knowing that I need this moment alone.

Water splashes up from where my knees hit the wet earth, my breathing shallow as I shakily reach out for Link, gently turning him onto his back and grunting as I pull him into my lap. His head rolls back limply before I have a chance to cradle it, his skin paler than before. I choke out a sob at the sight of his parted lips and unseeing, half open eyes, the irises dull and empty.

I shake him lightly.

He doesn't respond.

My hair falls from my shoulders and around my face as I shake him again, trembling as the truth sinks in. Tears leak out of my eyes as I draw him close to my chest, closing my eyes so I don't have to look at his unblinking ones.

"If it means I can protect you… I'd do it over and over to save you, Zelda."

And he did—he protected me.

That's all he's ever done.

He saved me from falling into the Black Tornado and I failed him. He gave himself out outside the Earth Temple to save me and the others. He went into a sleep that lasted thousands of years to give me time to find the Triforce.

And then he died to protect me and give the world a chance at surviving this.

"I'm sorry, Zelda," he'd said to me. "Forgive me…"

The last thing he said to—he never wanted to use the spell, and he wanted to apologise for that.

And now he's dead.

He's dead.

He's dead…

I burst into tears and scream into the night—my worst nightmare coming true before my very eyes.

Fi glides forwards silently, floating on the other side of me. "Allow me, Mistress," she says simply, though I don't move. Instead, she reaches out and holds two fingers at his neck.

For a moment, it looks like she shudders at whatever results she's found.

"Dominae," she begins softly, as if unsure of how to word her report. "The newest Bearer has now entered the Inanis, a period after the Discidium where there is no Soul connected to its chosen vessel—rendering the latter dead. This period is a transition between the mortal plan and the realm of spirits, and the remaining parts of the newest Bearer's spirit will remain there until it is ready to move on."

"No Soul connected to its chosen vessel."

I freeze.

"Rendering the latter dead."

My heart rate begins to quicken, pounding so harshly in my head that I zone out of everything else that is said or done and concentrate on Fi's words. I hold Link closer, clutching his body in an iron grip as the world falls apart around me—my breathing short and sweat rolls down my back as my chest constricts.

"Rendering the latter dead."

I'm a murderer.

I killed him—the one person I was trying to protect the most.

"Zelda…" Impa calls out, but I can't hear her; I can only stare at the blood on my hands. "Zelda, stay calm. We have time to fix this."

But I don't believe her.

There's no time left.

I start pinching myself in a desperate attempt to wake up from his nightmare—but I can't.

This is reality.

And even though I'm the Goddess of Time, I've never been so late.

I burst into tears and cover my face, Link's blood staining my cheeks as I curl up around him, my throat too raw to scream any more. I don't react to whoever places a hand on my shoulder, fighting against them as they force me to straighten and meet their gaze. Impa's eyes are glossy with emotion, but she looks at me firmly as she holds me tight—my broken complexion tainted with blood reflecting in her crimson eyes, the same blood from two lives as well.

"Zelda," she repeats again, releasing me for a moment to hold my face, not caring for the blood that rubs onto her fingers as I struggle for a moment. "His life hangs in the balance, but it doesn't mean that we can't bring him out from the depths."

"W-What?" I breathe.

"Demise's body will still be adjusting to Link's spirit," she explains to me. "If you manage to defeat him before he adjusts, then we might still have a chance to return Link's spirit and bring him back to us. And if we all battle Demise together, we have a stronger chance of taking him down."

She lets go of my face, allowing me to lower it as I take everything in and return my gaze back to Link.

I have one last chance to save him.

I can't let that go.

But I must do it my way.

"I'm going alone."

"W-What?" Both Fi and Impa stammer in unison.

I hold my bloody hands up to them and rasp hoarsely, "I… I have to get the blood off my hands…" Impa goes to protest, but I cut in before she can. "I caused all of this, and it's up to me to fix it."

Impa opens and closes her mouth a few times in shock.

"If that is what you wish…"

I nod. "It is, Impa. Take Link to the Temple of Hylia and protect him—whether I fail or succeed, I will need you to be prepared." Even though she doesn't agree, she nods silently and kneels down to pick Link up. I hold out a hand to stop her before she can, sending them a look to ask them for a moment alone. I zone out as I caress Link's cheek, finding his empty eyes with a frown.

I never deserved him in either life, nor the love I feel for him in this one. But what he deserves is happiness and a future, and that's exactly what I want to give him. He deserves peace and joy, something which is up to me to give him after all that I've done for him.

I can't let him down after doing so more than enough times.

My fingers brush over his lips, then I close his eyes—hopefully he will open them himself next time.

I stand and turn to the others, Fi holding out the Master Sword and my Harp for me to take from her. Despite the blood staining the objects as I take them into my grasp, I try my best to ignore it and drop my arms down to my sides with a firm resolve—to end this and bring happiness to everyone I've hurt.

The Sheikah steps forwards and draws me into a tight embrace. "Be careful, Zelda. I have faith that you will bring this to an end once and for all."

When we part, Impa takes a step back as Fi glides forwards. "I detect a zero percent chance that you will be able to return through this portal once you step through it unless you are able to vanquish Demise once and for all," she clarifies. "Are you ready to proceed?"

I nod grimly. "I am."

"Very well. But know that even in the place that lies beyond this portal, I will be with you," she assures, but I don't smile. "Good luck, Mistress Zelda."

Unable to do or say anything else, I make my way towards the dark portal a few steps away; Fi returning to the Master Sword as I do so. I can't help but glance back to Impa as she holds Link in her arms, meeting her sad gaze as we both think on our looming victory or defeat. Breathing deeply, I step forwards and allow the darkness of the portal to consume me—and with it the fate of the world hangs in the balance.

~Interlude~

He wandered through a strange place, one that seems ever so familiar but was foreign to his mind. The skies above him were blank and void, as if waiting for an artist to appear and paint their impression onto the world. There was no sun or moon to shine down on him as he made his way through the place, walking past buildings and over old cobbles.

Others watched over him from afar, only they knowing what had happened to him. So much of him had been lost that he didn't even remember his name or the fact that he walked through the place that he once called home.

Nothing here made sense to him, but he didn't seem to mind. After all, he was a mere empty shell of his former self. As he made his way to a large statue and into the courtyard beneath it, he spotted a woman there playing a golden instrument with her back to him—her figure so familiar but nonetheless unrecognisable to him.

He didn't feel alone anymore.

So why did he still feel so much sorrow and pain?

The woman turned to him, her white dress swaying with her movements as her blue eyes landed on him and her lips twisted up into a small smile. He stared at her blankly as she reached out for him, silently asking for him to take her hand. She waited for him to join her, her hand soft in his, though released his hand to begin playing a song for him—her voice hauntingly beautiful.

"High in the halls of the kings who are gone, Jenny would dance with her ghosts…"

One by one, more figures began to appear—all of them knowing him but the boy not recognising any of them. The first people to step forwards seemed to be old soldiers, all of them grinning as they clapped him on the back and grasped his forearm firmly before fading away into particles of light. He blinked as they disappeared into nothingness, emotionlessly moving onto the next group to step forward.

"The ones she had lost…"

Four people made his way towards him as the woman continued her song—one a man with dark hair and a moustache, one a large woman with white hair, one a small child, and one a large man with kind eyes and a warm smile. They seemed to wear similar clothes, as if they came from the same place, but as they murmured that what happened to them wasn't his fault, they were gone just like the others.

"And the ones she had found…"

A woman appeared and cupped his cheek, taking his gaze away from those who had left him behind. Her dark hair shone under the sunless sky; her dark purple tunic similar to the soldiers who had gone before her. Planting a kiss on his cheek, she transformed into a strange spirit before gliding away—his cheek stinging from her touch.

"And the ones who had loved her the most…"

A man and a woman stepped forwards, a baby in the latter's arms, and they observed him with wet cheeks; wishing that the could see who they were. He looked back at them blankly, the baby in the woman's arms reaching out for him. They were long, dark cloaks as if they had been travelling somewhere, the rings on their fingers connecting them by marriage.

"The ones who'd been gone for so very long, she couldn't remember their names…"

And he couldn't, even if something about them broke his heart at the sight of them. He grew hesitant as the woman placed the baby in the lap of the lady who was singing, allowing them to come closer. At first, he was nervous that they would be the last people to disappear and leave him, though they became the only ones to stay beside him.

"They spun her around on the damp old stones, spun away all her sorrow and pain…"

The woman held him close, although he couldn't feel the warmth in her touch. He felt empty as she pulled away, emotion in her eyes that didn't reflect in his. The man then took her place and ran his hand's through the boy's hair, wishing that they could do that in reality as the two of them embraced him together—the three of them swaying back and forth as the other lady continued to sing.

"And she never wanted to leave, never wanted to leave. Never wanted to leave…"

He closed his eyes and lost himself in the song and the presence of these people that he didn't know. Time soon became a fleeting afterthought, and he truly didn't want to leave this place. Here he felt empty, but he also felt safe—something that he hadn't felt in a long time. He didn't want to leave the place where he felt safe—and he couldn't until he was saved from this painless prison.

As the woman continued to sing, tears filled her eyes as the boy continued to dance with the family that he had forgotten, praying that her successor would fulfil her destiny and save her lover from this horrid place where he danced with the dead.

A place he would remain forever if she did not save him.

"Never wanted to leave…"

~Zelda~

Before my eyes can adjust, the inky blackness of the portal beneath me dissipates; stranding me in this new place. My heart hammers against my chest, my thoughts wild and panicked as I take a step forward, the cobbles beneath me damp like the air. If it weren't for the singular torch on the other side of the room to illuminate the exit and parts of the room around me, it would be too dark to see.

Water drips somewhere I can't see, setting me at unease as I squint in a vague attempt to make my eyes adjust properly. Something about this place seems familiar, as if I've walked down those steps ahead of me before and stood in this room—the atmosphere tinged with sadness and a hint of stale blood reaching my nose.

And when I see a pair of chains dangling against a nearby wall, it finally clicks.

"I have spent four years of my life in chains. I am used to the pain that they bring along with them."

Just as Demise had told me, he brought us to a place that we both hold dear to our hearts—the place where the first Bearer spent so much of his life and where heart of the Great War against the Demon King was waged.

I should have known that he'd bring us here for our final battle, for it's the place we both sacrificed everything and will do again to end this once and for all.

I will either leave this place victorious or this place will become my tomb for all eternity.

With shaking hands, I force myself into movement as I adjust my grip on the Master Sword; finding some form of comfort in the soft humming that it radiates in anticipation of the battle ahead. Away from the Temple of Hylia and what came to pass there, I'm lost in the silence of the Fortress and a strange wave of calm falls over me—being so far away makes everything feel so small, and yet so immense at the same time.

Shivers dance across my skin as I clamber up the steps and out of the prison, not wanting to stay in such a horrid place full of awful memories whilst the Demon King waits somewhere nearby for me to reach him. My ragged breathing and droplets trickling down the walls of the staircase are all I can hear for a moment, though it isn't long before another voice calls out to me.

"Your Grace…"

Just like when I first came to this place, something about the voice sounds familiar, but I can't put my finger on why. They call out to me, yearn for me to follow the echoes of their voice, and I do so immediately. I burst free from the stairway leading down into the dungeons and enter the main hall that I had ran through during the Trial of Power. There are many corridors leading out to training grounds and other areas of the Fortress, though many have fallen into decay, candles snuffed out months ago and a thin layer of dust settling across the room.

It's unsurprising, really. After the Great War, there was so many towns and villages to be rebuilt that the Fortress was somewhat forgotten about amid everything. And besides, there was no need for a stronghold. With the structure so vulnerable and so many people left behind to recover without the Goddess's aid, it was simply left to rot.

And so, hundreds of bodies now surround me, their bones strewn across the ground and over the rubble that remains.

Shaking my head free from my dark thoughts, I refocus myself on what I need to do and push onward; keeping in mind the reason why I'm here and building up my strength and courage as I pursue the voice. Instead of moving up the staircase I ran up during the Trial of Power, the voice echoes down one of the nearby corridors and leads me out into one of the few training yards; one now diseased with dirt and blood stains.

In the back of my mind, Hylia reminisces watching the first Bearer spar with Impa during her many walks to clear her head. Numerous soldiers and servants rushed between the arches around the edge of the yard, going about their daily business in their best attempt to keep themselves busy whilst war loomed over them like an old shadow. Memories of watching so many innocent people react to the impending darkness makes me swallow thickly.

"Your Grace…"

I snap my head up from the bloody cobbles at my feet, my attention returning to the voice. Just like before the Trial in Skyloft, a small orb of light floats before me expectantly, waiting for me to reach out to it.

For a brief moment, the ball of light transforms into something else entirely; the outline of their figure illuminated for a fragment of time, but even that was enough for me to recognise who it was.

"You…" I breathe, Hylia taking over for a second as the orb of light darts away before my fingers can brush against it.

With parted lips, I chase after it.

The Wisp dances between the columns and across the rest of the training yard, illuminating the maze of corridors that it leads me down until it reaches the depths of the Fortress. The air is much cooler down here as I pass various statues of men standing valiantly with swords in hand and women sitting gracefully with their hands clasped on their laps.

Hylia immediately recognises the place—the Fortress's crypt.

As I make my way past the effigies of commanders, lords and ladies long gone, I notice that the Wisp has halted and hovers before a simple marker; the statue dedicated to the departed soul unmade. Despite the inactivity here, some partially wilted flowers seem to have been placed here recently; perhaps by a wandering traveller or Sheikah guardian.

And when I read the marker, I understand why.

'In loving memory of Queen Zelda XVI, a loving Queen and strong ruler. May she and her unborn child rest in peace.'

My heart sinks at the sight.

She took refuge here after her own castle was destroyed, caring for her unborn child as the Demon Army loomed in the shadows. I press my lips against two of my fingers and press them against the marker—a Skyloftian mark of respect to the dead—as my stomach churns. Demise killed thousands of innocents during the Great War and knowing that the Queen's child never saw the light of day only sends anger flooding into my body.

He will pay the debt he owes my people in blood, just like his Famulus will.

The Wisp suddenly begins to move again, its mourning over. Blinking my gaze over to its fading light, I take one final look at the unfinished grave before pursing the Wisp once more, clambering up a narrow staircase and entering the higher parts of the Fortress.

I make my way down a long corridor, the crimson carpet runners beneath my feet ripped and clogged with dust and dirt. The right wall is lined with windows fortified with dark metal, the world outside opening out before my very eyes. The clouds, almost like charcoal, remind me of how dark the skies felt after the attack on Skyloft; the very thought of that horrific time making me swallow thickly as the memories swarm in my mind.

The Wisp continues onward until it reaches a large flight of steps, and it feels as if I hit a wall of darkness as I begin to climb up them; the air thickening and the temperature decreasing as I do so. As the wind howls outside and my nerves grow, Hylia realises where the orb of light is guiding me to. Everything around me feels ominous as we stop at the start of a long corridor lined with torches leading towards a large set of doors.

What used to be the Queen's temporary throne room lies ahead, the very place where the Demon King and his Famulus now wait for me. Before the Queen arrived here, it was occupied by the commander as a place to address public matters, and it will now be the place where I end this war once and for all—hopefully anyway.

The torches glow eerily around me as the Wisp glows brightly, and within moments a figure stands before me.

It really is you…

The first Bearer.

Hylia wells up with emotion as she reaches out for him, her hand resting against his cheek even if he isn't physically here—a familiar glint in his eyes that stirs something within Hylia. He reaches up and places his hand above my own, the corners of his lips tugging upward as I try my hardest to hold back the tears.

"You fought so valiantly, my Knight," I murmur, the edges of my eyes warm as I meet his gaze evenly. "You never deserved the life that I inflicted upon you, however you took it in your stride and protected this land as best you could. I will do my best to give you the salvation that you always deserved—your spirit shall live in peace for all time, and I shall pay for the pain that I caused you and the newest Bearer…"

He smiles kindly at me. "I accepted life as the Hero of this land and made the choice to serve you until the very end, and with it the pain I suffered was for a purpose. I fought for those who could not fight for themselves, and as I waited for you to return to this world, I eased any regrets I left this world with. I have lived in peace, Your Grace, and now so must you."

I swallow thickly. "Not until he's gone."

"You have marched through countless foes, each mightier than the last, and now you gaze into the future with vision unclouded," he tells me firmly. "You are the one who will restore this land to its stature of yore as the chosen land of the Gods, and then you shall find true peace."

I shake my head. "I can't… I have caused too much suffering to ever find peace now. I forced you and so many others into the slaughter for my own needs; destroying families and loved ones in the process. These dark times are the result of my actions, and it was you and so many innocents that reaped the penalty!"

The first Bearer says nothing for a while, studying me as I drop my hand from his cheek and lower my head in shame as the outside world rages around us. After a pregnant silence, he kneels before me and reaches up for my hands. "You mind has been plagued by a past that never belonged to you, Zelda, but it will be your undoing if you allow these dark thoughts to control you."

I think back to the Trial of Time and what Hylia asked me. "Will you allow your fears and the darkness nurtured within you to be your undoing… or will you fight through your greatest fears to save this world and yourself?"

And she's right—they both are.

"You have a reservoir of strength, Your Grace," he says softly. "We part now on the eve of battle, and I shall tell you what you told the soldiers every night. We have survived against all odds, for you have been blessed with unfathomable strength of will. And when the dawn chases away the depths of the night, we shall fight again. And we shall go into this fight not telling ourselves that we shall fall, but that we shall go forth knowing that we are fighting for those we care for the most—and if we do fall, we shall not go down without a fight!"

I nod firmly. "I will not fail you."

"This was how the fates wished for things to end for an old warrior such as myself, but I have no regrets," he reassures, rising onto his feet again. "I am trusting you with the Master Sword, the reincarnation of my Sailcloth, and the future of this world. Shine brightly, Your Grace, and do not allow the darkness to win."

I open my mouth to respond, though I fall silent when Fi appears at my side. Her and the first Bearer share an eternity of a second in a mere glance and fond smile from the latter before he raises his head skyward and ends their short reunion—white light surrounding him for a moment before he fades from this world to await the outcome of my battle from the Spirit Realm.

With nothing else standing in my way, I take a deep breath and walk towards the set of large oak doors ahead of me. The light from the torches cast dark shadows across the corridor as well as the metal decorations and Triforce carvings on the doors, the dust and rubble around me disturbed by tremors in the outside world.

Standing before the great doors, I stare them down and wait for Fi to speak; only for her to stay silent. Without looking back at her, I murmur, "This is it…"

"It's time, Dominae," Fi concours. "The Demon King and his Famulus are on the other side of these doors."

Panic rises in my throat, but I manage to quell it with Hylia's aid—I can't lose it, not when I'm so close.

Everything that I've fought so hard to end lies on the other side of these doors, and with it the fate of the world hangs in the balance. Without Hylia in me, I would never have come this far, but I never could have done this without Zelda either. All that matters are me and the Demon King now; nothing more, nothing less.

I inhale deeply and close my eyes.

I will end this…

I open my eyes and open the doors.

My footsteps echo around the circular room as I enter, the walls and floors made up of cracked stone—seemingly the only room that wasn't too damaged by the Great War. In the middle of the floor is the insignia of the Triforce itself, pillars are pushed firmly into the walls to grant the room more space. Other than passageways for servants on either side, I stand in the only entrance.

A large chandelier of dusty and mostly burnt down candles hangs from the ceiling, the only light in the room appearing from the flashes of lightning that dazzle the sky through the high arched windows. With my blade and Harp brandished as I move forward, I lock eyes with the figure reclined on their claimed throne; red drapes rustled by the breeze of the doors closing behind me.

Lightning flashes again, revealing his grin.

"Welcome to my stronghold, Hylia," he booms, instantly putting me on edge. I say nothing as I chew my lip and force myself to breathe as evenly as I can as the Demon King leans forwards eagerly; observing me as I calm myself. The tip of his blade rests against the step he sits atop, its presence equally dark and ominous as it is twisted. "Now you have arrived, the bloodbath can begin, can it not?"

"Yes," I answer firmly, Hylia's strength taking over. "And it'll be your blood on my blade, won't it?"

Another flash of lightning.

Demise rises to his feet, whisking his sword up with him. "Your valour and persistence against the world that I would build is misplaced, Hylia, for where we stand shall be your tomb for all eternity." I try my best to be unfazed by his words as he studies me closely. "The hate for the Gods that has boiled in my veins… you will taste all of it in a bite of my blade—you and all your pathetic mortals who dare to oppose me."

"Your hatred has always been your downfall," I retort. "Once I finally dispose of you once and for all, I will ensure that my people will live in peace and my Champion will live a life free of fear. You can watch on as they live joyous lives whilst you burn away in the darkness for all eternity!"

He's silent for a moment, then chuckles at my words and adjusts his grip on his blade. "I finally understand," he muses. "You wish to turn back the clock and allow your Knight to cheat death. Whether it be raising the dead or keeping the near-dead alive, it's rather dirty business, Your Grace! You continue to meddle in his affairs… well know this, my dear, no matter what happens here, his Soul will be with me forever!"

"Never," I growl. "You needed his Soul to return to this land, but you need it no more."

"Your mortal form seems to have failed you yet again, Your Grace," he remarks, smirking devilishly at me. "When a hand of darkness touches the Ultimate Power, it will split into two and house itself within spirits of that virtue. Once I wrench the Triforce of Power and use the boy's spirit to claim the Triforce of Courage, all that remains is the Triforce of Wisdom."

Another flash of lightning.

"You will never obtain the Triforce."

"Oh, but I will," he replies with a grin. "And when I do, I will finally take my place amongst the Gods and claim everything in this world—everything will become my to dominate, mine to subjugate, and mine to rule as I wipe all who oppose me from the face of this land! Yes… the almighty power that I have sought for all millennia will be mine, and the world shall be under my foot for all eternity!"

I narrow my eyes and raise my blade. "I will not allow it! I will stop you!"

His laughter booms around the chamber as his power radiates out from his form. In a single second, I notice my reflection in the Master Sword as the lightning flares up again. A strange glint in my eyes sends me back to a time long forgot in a single moment before the battle begins, a time where Hylia was about to stand before the Demon King for the first time herself.

~O~

Hylia stood on one of the balconies of the Fortress, her fingertips balanced perfectly across the stone as she drank in the fading light and warmth of the sun. She begged her Sisters that the light wasn't about to be blotted out by the Demon King, praying fervently that this battle would come to an end quickly.

Her Circlet glowed in the sunlight, the jewels embedded honouring the Goddesses; an item that she held close to her heart in these dark hours and soon to be her time of need. The Demon Army had been advancing in the past few weeks, and she knew that it wouldn't be much longer before they arrived—and with it her anxiety grew more and more.

She would never lose faith in her people, but she did fear how strong the darkness had become against the light.

Nonetheless she couldn't allow her resolve to waver. While the Master Sword had still not awakened at the Bearer's command, she had faith that it would when the time was right. She looked out upon her world, the one that she had blessed at the dawn of time itself, wishing that it never had to come to this; her Chosen Knight living four years of his life in torture, many mortal men fighting in a war that they never should have been a part of; it was all her fault that they were going to suffer on that battlefield.

Whilst she had a large Army and three of the land's Dragons on her side, she did not have strong powers like her Sisters; and her greatest fear was that she would be powerless against the Demon Army.

No, she couldn't think like that. She had the courage, wisdom, and power of her Sisters dwelling within her as well as her own strength, and she would not fail in this plight.

She turned around when the sound of footsteps reached her ears, her heart twisting at the sight of her Chosen Knight entering the room—his armour shining in the sunlight and his mantle draped across his shoulders. He was ready for the battle ahead, although she still hated herself for putting him through this for her. She needed him, but she wished that she didn't, and he could find peace one day.

He nodded at her, and she knew exactly what it meant—apprehension swelling within her as she nodded in response and glanced back to the landscape before her, taking in a deep breath.

"It is time…"

Author's Note: Well then, the finale of this story is coming on in a nice way, if I do say so myself. Even if this chapter isn't the strongest of them all, I still liked what I actually wrote in the end as I struggled a lot to get this done and in the right way. Nonetheless, please drop a rate and review if you haven't all ready, and we'll see how the fight between Zelda/Hylia and Demise goes in the next one; and if Link will ever remember his family again. Keep your fingers crossed!

*Famulus means "Servant" in Latin and Inanis means "Empty" in Latin.

**The song that's sung in the interlude is Jenny of Oldstones from Game of Thrones.

~RandomButLoved~