Chapter 2- A Hero in Pieces
Link wandered through the darkening woods. How many days had it been…four? Four days without his sword—and at least four days since—Demise had been resurrected. It made no sense why he was alive, as the last memory he had before waking in these woods was falling to his death. It had to have been divine intervention. Perhaps the Golden Goddesses had saved him. Perhaps they had caught him mid fall and placed him gently here in the woods.
But why? He had failed…Failed so miserably. It was a stupid mistake, the fall, that is: something that would have never happened to him under any other circumstance.
He had cried about it for days as he wandered the woods, for the soul of his best friend and of the Goddess he so devoutly once had worshipped. He wept for the Surface, and Skyloft past and future, for his friends, and even in the darkest and loneliest moments—for himself. Something had happened to the fresh faced youth in that short time of reconciliation: he had transformed from a reckless child-hero into an adult.
To Link's surprise, on the fourth day he was sure he felt no pain at all. His clouded thoughts had began to become clearer…Demise would surely be hot on his trails if he was not already. He needed to find Fi. She had to be close for sure… Why else would the Goddesses save him and yet permanently separate him from the only thing that could stop Demise?
Link approached a small gorge in the ground, carefully survaying his surroundings. He would have to think logically is he ever wanted to survive. He would have to think like Fi. Goddesses Please let me find her…
Turning his head to the tree tops Link could see in the west that the sky was already a deep shade of red and black, a stark contrast to the bright blue that was over these woods—where ever he was. The source of the darkness certainly was Demise, an endlessly unsettling thought. How long would it be until the darkness spread over the entire world—And what would happen if Demise defeated him?
Link shook his head. He couldn't think of that not now— It's just another trial—His thoughts assured him, as he tried to diffuse the growing panic inside him. He would find Fi soon. Her cool and emotionless voice would sooth his weary and guilt ridden mind. If only he had listened to her more carefully when he had the chance.
He remembered Ghirahim, eyes ablaze with a new fury he had only seen glimpses of in the past—encounters— with him. The demon seethed towards him, and subconsciously he had stepped backwards, heart thudding wildly as he surveyed the new situation.
"This time, there will be no heroic escape…" The demon's words burnt like fire as he drew two sharp swords out of thin air. "I've made such a fool of myself sparing a human child's life—again and again! Do you truly believe you can stop this? Do you believe you can stop me?"
Link tensed, the demon's words shaking him to the core. The platform he stood on spun higher and higher as Ghirahim's hysteric speech continued. "No matter— Now is the time where we meet in battle once again."
All restraint seemed to have left the sword's tone.
"…Yes, I feel it Skychild— that thread of fate binds us closer than ever before…"
Link trembled to the bone, struggling to remain standing on the spinning platform that took him further and further form the ground.
Just breath. Just breath.
"For you I have prepared a most humiliating death—I even have a pet name for it…"
Link searched the plain frantically. There had to be a way to win this. "Fi…" His voice trembled.
"…What can I do?"
His sword pulsed in response.
"Try leading Ghirahim to the edge of the platform. Your agility is slightly higher than his due to his increase in muscular strength and size. Before he can strike you, move quickly out of the way and push him off the ledge."
"Okay." Came the hero's shaky whisper.
Ghirahim eyed Link's glowing sword in fury. Typical that the Goddess's sword didn't realize that he could obviously hear with his attuned senses every single word she had uttered.
"Any day now Skychild." Ghirahim laughed, feet clanking closer to the edge of the platform with each moment. The little human looked so scared, yet so ignorantly courageous. Magenta lightning curled and jumped erratically from his fingertips. This would be the most fun he would get to have for a long time.
"Now Master." Fi cooly said.
—
Ghirahim swung his arm to send Link to his death but was met with a surprise. The human was—gone.
His pearl white eyes flicked down the ledge to see the sky child—motionless—on the ground below.
Suddenly the entire world froze. The chaos of the ritual, the energy that surged in the platform, and even the insatiable rage inside him stilled.
He'd done it. He'd won. A wide, manic smirk crossed the demon Lord's face. The hero had done this—to himself! The child had—made an error. A thousand emotions ran through him at once. Delight and pride of course, relief that the pesky fly had been squashed. But there was something else…Something he had never felt before.
"Pathetic…" He growled. He almost wished that the sky child had put up more of a fight—how dull…
With a snap of his fingers the platform descended. The ritual would only take about five more minutes before complete. His sword form was far more powerful when fighting enemies, but not as useful when doing just about anything else. Ghirahim sighed as he disintegrated into diamonds, emerging in his preferred form. The child's body. Obsidian eyes examined him. Blood spattered his soft face…there were countless broken bones for sure. Ghirahim closed his eyes. With even a touch of magic he could feel the muscle tears—fatal organ damage—blood loss and…"
Ghirahim stiffened. "…Breathing?" His eyes snapped open.
With a mixture of awe and disgust he watched the tiny rise and fall of green fabric at his feet. Immediately, he drew his sword and held it at the Link's neck. He would end the child's life quickly—Yes…that had always been the plan after all.
Link's face had never looked so pale. His deep blue eyes were closed, much to Ghirahim's disappointment. Not open to appreciate him. He had studied it for so long before—when Link was on his various pointless missions set out for him by the Goddesses. That face would soon fade from the world forever more, never to be seen again, an odd thought that Ghirahim had once been too panicked for time to consider. A strange twinge of something sparked somewhere deep within his chest. No not now… he thought. Not after all that you have worked for… The Demon Lord lifted the diamond sword high over his head, ready to snap the thread of fate that had connected himself and the human so—intimately.
As he lowered the blade, Ghirahim caught a silver glimmer from the corner of his eye. The Sword. He froze at the sight of the weapon lying a few feet away from where he stood. The Sword was all that mattered—The child was only a pawn of the blasted Goddess, useless without the guidance of a sacred weapon. Link was now nothing but a helpless worm compared to what he once was—and as much as the demon wanted to end his life—He wasn't sure if someone of his position would stoop to such—recreation.
A white gloved hand grabbed the hilt of the Goddess sword. Funny…Ghirahim thought. He would have expected immense amount of pain from touching a sword that had been fused with the power of the Triforce…But perhaps the Goddess's didn't even give the sword any real power even after it had been "strengthened" by Link. So typical of the them to limit even their chosen hero.
Above the spirit maiden twisted in agony…it would only be moments before his Master would return.
He turned his attention once more to the hero.
The feeling again.
When Demise appeared he would certainly kill the sky child immediately. But perhaps—he would let him in on the fun too, and maybe he would even let him take his soul…Ghirahim's pulse quickened as his tongue subconsciously flicked against his bottom lip.
No…His Master would never allow it…
Repressed anger trickled though Ghirahim's still pulsing veins. No—Demise never rewarded him in any way…and he was sure it would be no different now even after all the work he done. After hundreds of years of careful planning, he deserved the Skychild… And then—Link would know in the end that it was Demon Lord Ghirahim that had taken his life.
This is your last chance to kill him…Ghirahim's mind raced, the growing darkness above almost at its peak.
Ghirahim didn't know why he had done it. Later he decided that it was his selfish, indulgent, and vain nature—(all envied qualities within the demon realm)— But there had not been much time to think about it. With a snap of his fingers the child disappeared into diamonds. He would be safe and sound where he was going… For now.
Suddenly, as if perfectly and theatrically timed, a flood of darkness enveloped the entire area as Demise lifted his flaming head. "Welcome, Master." Ghirahim whispered with a bow.
Demise ignored the his weapon's welcome. Although useful at times, his incessant blabber was a bit too dramatic for his taste.
"Give me the sword." Demise commanded.
In an instant the comically small Goddess sword teleported into the hands of Demise.
"Such a funny little twig for the weapon of a hero…" He mused, a wide grin plastered to his rocky face.
Without warning, Demise gripped the two sides of the sacred blade, and snapped it in half.
Ghirahim's face was stone cold, the only outward sign of his thoughts a small twitch of his fingers.
This was his Master: death itself. The death that had given him life. It was not that he had forgotten about his Master's endless need to destroy over the years. No—he had only grown a bit—soft. He had only grown a bit restless and bored. Being "Masterless" for 600 years had taken a bit of a toll on his psych for sure…Perhaps that was why the Sky Child had been such a wonderful distraction. But what about the thread…
"It is time Ghirahim. Time to finish what should have happened 600 years ago. The Triforce…I sense its presence closer than I ever have before…"
Demise's fiery eyes searched the pit as if looking for something.
"But first, we are going back to the forging room."
"The forging room?"
"Yes." Demise said with a wicked smile.