It was dark. It began at the edges of his vision, flickering in until it came into a distinct clarity. It was the throne room again, everyone in their usual places. Each time Link had one of these dreams, the room and its inhabitants came clearer into focus than the time before. This time felt different, however. He was more self aware this time, more lucid. It was almost as if he was physically there. From the corner of his vision he noticed a large pool of blood. Following the blood, he could see Alecai being dragged out of the room by their frantic underlings and attendants; blood bubbling from their lips and staining their clothes. Their eyes flickered up toward the astute figure always by the side of the throne; who was looking back while scrawling things onto a clipboard. Was that the person whom Ghirahim mentioned that Alecai harbored affection for? Link couldn't remember the name.

The figure paused writing for a moment to shout orders to the underlings, but Links could hear nothing but a ringing deep in his ears. He concentrated hard on trying to catch the words, but by the time he had righted his hearing, the speaking had finished. Oh well. The sensation he felt was not unlike trying to swim in Chu-jelly; like his thought process and movements were stinted by some unseen force. It was like he was floating, but neither here or.. Wherever his physical body was.

Once Alecai had been carried away for what must be medical attention, the room fell into silence. It was quickly broken by an impatient sounding snarl, which drew links gaze to the shadowy area near the left of the thrown. The rattling of chains preceded the glowing pinprick of what must have been an eye. When Link heard the voice that spoke, it resounded off the walls and into his head clearly.

"Ngggh, Naberius.. I told ya if you want shit done, send me out! I'm next, ain't I? Yeah? Yeah?! You need the clipboard-stiff here for advising or whatever.. Lemme rip into them, eheh..."

A row of sharp teeth gleamed in the dim light. Link felt the sensation of having goosebumps, but he couldn't know, since it didn't feel like his body was physically here. There was a sigh from the right of the thrown, as well as the word 'barbarian' whispered under a breath. From the throne, Naberius himself, cloaked in shadows as always, impatiently tapped his fingers along the stone armrest. After a moment of consideration, he spoke.

"Yes. You're being deployed next.. But if you next two should fail like the other two.." The threat hung in the air. It didn't need to be finished.

To the right, there was a soft breath. "Rest assured, sir. When that one's bloodlust gets the better of him as always and he does something foolish.. I'll eliminate the enemy myself."

A barking cackle sounded from the left "Tough talk, bird-shit for brains! There won't be anything left for you to eliminate! I'm gonna make a good meal out of them… Especially the hero." Link could practically hear him drooling.

Naberius spoke up again. "I really don't care which one of you does it. I just need them out of my way. That hero alone has the strength to ruin us, but with the cooperation of that sword... They are the biggest threat we face. All I ask is to see their bodies when they're dead.." He folded his hands over each other "..However mangled they may be."

A yelping and snickering laugh came from the left, while all that came from the right was an affirmative sound. Link knew that the hardest part was yet to be seen, but could it really be harder than beating Demise?

Naberius sighed "With that being said.. Please see to it that each of your second in command officers take over the duties of militarization. Sable and Alecais officers have already stepped up in their stead, and I expect the same from you both. With our commanders being this… Indisposed.. I fear it may take longer than originally planned to deploy the troops."

Ah, that was important. Link had to remember that. It was now, unfortunately, that he was starting to feel dizzy. He could feel something that was perhaps blood, dripping down from his nose that… May or may not physically be there. He tried to move his arm up to wipe off the warm liquid, but he found he couldn't control his limbs. Ah. Well..

From this point, he could feel his consciousness.. (Or perhaps unconsciousness) slipping. The image of the throne room was fading further into obscurity, until all he could see was darkness again. That's when the pain started.

The sudden shift and flux between the dream and the stages of waking were so strong, it brought on physical pain. Link's eyes snapped open when he found himself unable to breathe. His body was paralyzed with the sudden awakening, so he could only struggle for oxygen. After a few moments of panic, his lungs finally kicked in and he took a few hasty and shuddering breaths. He felt disoriented, as he could still feel that feeling of dread that washed through his body after all of those dreams, but it was more.. diluted. He brought a hand up to rake through his hair. His skin was sweaty and he felt that same wetness under his nose. This time his arm cooperated however, so he brought his fingers up to his nostril. It was blood… How comforting. He licked his dry lips and shifted to look around. Where was he?

The smell.. The smell of hay and trees told him he was back in the centaur village. He relaxed his tense posture and blinked away the blurriness in his eyes. What had happened? How long had it been? They had just gotten the gem and fought Alecai.. As Link went to sit up, he winced. Looking down, he noticed his shirt had been taken off and his midsection had been wrapped in gauze. He worked himself into an upright position as he heard the sound of hooves approaching. Hard to be stealthy when you're a centaur and your house has a stone floor. The door to his room opened to reveal Valoys, who was carrying a tray with towels and a glass of water. Bless this centaur. Valoys smiled kindly when he saw Link awake.

"Ah, Link.. How are you feeling? You look worn out.." Seeing the state he was in, Valoys tutted gently and got a towel; kneeling to wipe the blood from his upper lip and the sweat from his face. Link couldn't help but relax under the kind gesture. Valoys was so sweet... Link looked at the water longingly, as his throat felt as if he hadn't spoken in 20 years and gargled with sand. Valoys noticed and smiled, handing him the water. Link nodded gratefully and drank like this was the last form of liquid relief on earth.

Valoys placed a hand on top of the bandages on his midsection, which made Link tip his head curiously. Had he been injured? Valoys spoke up.

"I must thank you for what you've so bravely done. The woods are already far less dangerous.. While it will take some time for all of the dark magic to leave that place, it is already much safer.. I imagine it was a hard battle. You were exhausted when you returned!" His laughter was light.

"You had a few cracked ribs and some minor internal bleeding. When we got you into bed, we just gave you an herbal potion and wrapped you up to set the bones correctly. That was a few hours ago, so it should be alright by now." He gave a little wink "The secret ingredient is magic."

Link smiled a bit and uttered a small thank you. Now that he thought about it, the potion most likely altered his mental state; making the premonition dream seem surreal and helping to mask the pain afterwards... Looking out the window, he could see it appeared to be almost noon. Ghirahim would probably be mad, considering how pressed for time they were…. Ah. But if what he saw in that dream was to be believed.. He looked about in inquiry. He hadn't seen any sign of Ghirahim..

While Valoys was looking over how well he was healing, Link asked him about Ghirahim's whereabouts.

"Ah! My mother offered to mend his shawl.. And I believe he mentioned something about a gate and headed off?" Valoys tilted his head slightly. "He said he would return shortly.."

Oh.. So Ghirahim went to put the gem in the demon gate. Good. When Valoys gave him the all clear, he moved to stand. Stretching out his arms, legs and midsection, he felt only a slight stiffness in his chest. Having his wounds tended to in a more professional way was a luxury; more than he could say for his original adventure which often ended with bloody makeshift cloth bandages and emergency trips for potions. His body, which before had been almost unscathed was now marred with scars. It was a bit of a shame, but it also served as a constant reminder of the amazing things he'd accomplished. He was one of the first humans to set foot on the surface in some-hundred years... He single-handedly carved out a path between the monsters of the land to save his friend and defeated the demon king.

That journey changed him, as to be expected. Before he was content lazily gliding through the sky on his loftwings back, becoming a knight and… What, protecting people from chu-chus? How could he ever really go back to a life like that, once he had experienced the surface world in full? He had met so many people and had amazing stories that he could tell for ages.. Ah. He'd spaced out..

Valoys left the room for a quick moment before returning with Links tunic folded and cleaned in his hands. The centaur smiled lightly and cast a glance at the floor. "I took the liberty of washing your tunic.. It had seen better days, no doubt.." That's true. Link gave a grateful smile and took the tunic, running his hands over the surface. It had been imbued with magic to mend the gashes and runs in fabric. The centaurs really were incredibly kind.. Link's chest swelled happily at the hospitality being shown to him. This is why he loved doing good things for people.. For the happiness he and they could share afterward. Valoys left him to re-dress himself, which he did with care. He moved to look at his reflection in the mirror that was propped up against the wall across the room. He smiled slightly, running his hand through his golden locks in an attempt to tame his rampant bed head. Once he felt as though he was back in one piece, he reattached his gear, which had been left by his bedside.

Venturing out into the common area of the house, he was met with the smiling face of King Zaic. He had been settled onto the couch with his wife, who looked to be mending Ghirahim's shawl. He stood and trotted over to Link.

"There he is! Ahahaa.. I had a good feeling about you when you came here, and you've even done what you said you would! The centaurs are in your debt." Zaic proceeded to give a short bow, which caused Link to sheepishly rub the back of his neck.

Zaic gave a hearty laugh and patted Link on the back for his modesty, though it was with more care than usual as to not injure him further. Xenia moved to stand next to her husband, presenting Ghirahim shawl to Link with a smile. Link took it and noticed that there were now golden accents along the edges , which made him cast a curious glance toward the queen.

She smiled sheepishly "Ah.. Ghirahim had asked me to add those on, if I was to be working on it already, so I agreed.."

Of course. Always had to be flashy, did he? Speaking of the devil, he appeared in the living area with the snap of his fingers, in a flourish of diamonds that hardly seemed necessary. Link then noticed that Ghirahim held his sword on his back. He must have really have been out of it to not notice his sword had been missing…..

Ghirahim hummed pleasantly, seeing not only that Link was awake, but he also held his mended shawl. He walked over and propped a hand on his hip casually. "Have a nice nap? I took the liberty of setting the gem in myself, while you were indisposed.." While he spoke he moved to pluck the shawl right out of Link's hands, scrutinizing it.

He must have deemed it acceptable, as it around his shoulders not a moment later. Being the gentleman he was, Ghirahim gave his thanks to Xenia, his pompous attitude causing Link to scrunch up his face. At least he seemed pleased. Dealing with a pissy demon sword was not high on Link's to-do list.

After a brief meal with the centaurs, at their behest, Ghirahim and Link were ready to head off. Xenia had packed them some bread, water, and cured meats for their journey. Valoys had made a few more herbal potions for Link to take with him. Link had been musing over returning to skyloft for a supply run, but that didn't seem entirely necessary now. That would shave off some time getting to their next location.. Which Link should really ask Ghirahim about.

After venturing into the woods outside the village, Ghirahim produced the map they had been using from thin air. Setting it down, Link saw there to be more marks than before. The area near the desert and the woodland area had been crossed off. Link turned his attention to the remaining marks; one to the far right of the eldin province, and one way in the desert area of lanayru. Ghirahim pursed his lips in thought. Was he trying to figure where to head next? Including who might be waiting for them there..? Link thought it to be a good time to speak up, now that they were alone and back on track.

"I had a premonition dream…while I was out." At this simple phrase, Ghirahim turned his eyes upward to the boy. His eyes spoke volumes. White lips twisted up in an amused smile. It seemed like he and the boy.. Now had this unspoken connection. Ghirahim could peer into those sky blue eyes and see whatever Link wanted him to. It seems that Link could read him a bit better than he would have given him credit for. He had figured out what he was thinking, after only a few moments of thought on Ghirahim's part. The demon gave a broad gesture, which Link took as a signal to speak.

"I could see so clearly.. Yet everything was in a haze.. Alecai was being taken to the infirmary. Naberius was talking to two others.. One of them was.." Link paused, taking a moment to recall details "manic, to say the least. The other was very stoic and composed. The two were bickering.. But I believe the manic one was being deployed.."

Ghirahim nodded, as if what Link was saying confirmed a few things in his head. Link definitely had some sort of ability to peer into the demon world, as there was no way he could have known about the last two commanders. Was it because of the connection he now had to Ghirahim? Or was someone behind it? Whatever the reason may be, if this was true, Ghirahim knew where to head next. However, Link continued talking.

"Ah… But most importantly.. Naberius said that since the commanders were being drawn elsewhere, getting the army together may take longer.."

Ah. Ghirahim perked up in interest again. That was good, very good. Not that he cared about the fate of the surface world, but having to fight his way through the entire demon army would be hellish, even for him. No pun intended. Once Naberius had the backing of the army, he'd be virtually untouchable. Thinking about that lowly usurper made his blood boil and his fingers itch to feel his blood on them. Shaking away the bloodlust, Ghirahim smiled.

"Perfect. That buys us a few days at most, which can be critical. Now I suggest you clip on those fireshield earrings of yours, because we're going deep into Eldin." Link could hardly contain his joy, in the form of slumping shoulders and a sigh. What fun.

In almost no time flat, the duo had found their way into the Eldin province. Instead of heading toward the summit, which Link had expected, Ghirahim guided him to an expanse of lava. He eyed ghirahim and informed him while the fireshield earrings keep him, well, alive in temperatures like this.. He was still flammable. Ghirahim clicked his tongue and gave a dismissive wave of the hand.

"I know that. We're just going on a bit of a trip. All we need is a vessel…" all at once, with his signature masculine grace, Ghirahim grabbed at the cliff side around them and voraciously tore out a large chunk of rock. Links eyebrows raised at the spectacle. Sometimes, he forgot just how strong the demon was. It was always intriguing for Link to see the more powerful side of Ghirahim. He could flit about and preen for all it was worth, but when he got into bouts of physical strength and anger, that sort of… primal side always made Link feel like..swooning? He shook his head. Flipping his curtain of hair, Ghirahim set the rock down in the lava with the flattest part facing upward. It could hold them both with relative ease.

Ghirahim stepped on and sat himself down. He glanced lazily over his shoulder at Link and patted the spot next to him. "What are you waiting for? A formal invitation? It will be in the mail. Now get on." Link gave a soft snort as he moved to climb on. Forget about the whole swooning thing.

Ghirahim had neglected to tell him exactly how long it would take to get… Wherever they were going. They had been gliding along the lava for.. What had to be at least a half hour. Link looked over at his companion, who was laying back on the rock with his eyes closed. He huffed and shifted to lean over him. Why should he get to rest?

Sensing the malaise in Link, Ghirahim popped an eye open to gaze at him. Link was trying not to puff his cheeks out like a petulant child. Ghirahim snorted with laughter at the expression, sliding his eyes closed again.

"Are you growing bored, Link? We're only…. A bit more than halfway there." Link could have groaned. Ghirahim chuckled slightly at the teen. Teasing this boy was something that was always hilarious to the demon. After Link fell silent for a few moments, Ghirahim opened an eye to look at him again. The boy was looking at him, deep in thought. He quirked a brow, but the boy spoke up first.

"Why did you not help me in the battle with Sable?"

The question was sudden and unexpected, making Ghirahim open both his eyes. He studied Link's eyes, but found little answers there. He ran his tongue over his teeth before choosing to answer.

"Why? I wanted to see if you had the skills to defeat the likes of the demon commanders on your own. I had never gotten an in-depth look at your fighting and cognitive skills.… Why do you ask? Was it nagging at your little mind?" He propped his arms up behind his head and studied the boy.

Link was the first one to break the eye contact, looking out over the lava. The two hadn't really gotten much time to talk in their haste to get to the demon world… But what better time to talk than when you're stuck on a slab of rock on a lava river for an hour? Link had plenty of questions.

"...Would you be willing to tell me more about the demon world? And the demon king? I was never really told in detail.."

He hadn't known much, going into it. Doing some research on his own, he had inferred about Demises attempted seizure, how he was sealed away, and everything that happened with the Goddess Hylia.. But neither Zelda nor Impa had truly explained the root of everything to him. Sometimes, he recalled Zelda's words in the Sealed temple. 'I used you'. In truth, Link had mulled it over before. He and Ghirahim were… Alike, the thought. They were both pawns, of the Goddess and Demon king respectively.

Ghirahim was surprised with the turn in the conversation. He studied the expression on the boys face. He had a wisdom that was beyond his years. He sat up, finally giving Link his undivided attention.

"...Alright. What is it that you want to know?"

Link replied quickly.

"Everything."

Ghirahim gave a snort before tapping his fingers lightly against his leg. "Let's see… The demon world itself is seated in a dimension much like where the Goddesses reside. This realm is a shared realm, between the Goddess realm and the Demon realm. It is a dark place, where the sky is ashen grey and the sun is red. Very different from this world, both in looks and how it is run. There are cities and villages scattered about, but most demons are very solitary and territorial, preferring to live alone. It's a generally hostile place with few rules, except listen to the current King or Queen and their commanding officers. That one is mostly common sense, as if you cross the ruler and their commanders, which are the most powerful beings… Death is eminent."

Link listened, as raptly as possible. This was very intriguing to the adventure hungry sky boy.

"The Demon King comes into control by sheer power alone, forcing those under him into submission. My earliest memories are of Demise, so he was one of first rulers. Demise was…. Just. He was a fair king who sought power and destruction for demon kind. When he learned of the existence of the Tri-force, he set out to take it and conquer this realm for the expansion of demon territory. Well, I imagine you can venture a guess of how that went…."

Link noticed that Ghirahim was reverent, playing with a ring on his finger that Link really hadn't noticed until now. Had that always been there? No.. He must have brought it back from the stronghold. He nudged it every time he breathed the word Demise. He always spoke so highly of him.. With such respect and prestige. During a pause in his speech, Link spoke up.

"Can you….. Tell me more about the bond between master and sword?"

Ghirahim's eyes moved up to meet his. There was a profusion of emotion between their gazes. Ghirahim breathed out softly.

"Link… Our bond was much, much closer than anything you could even imagine having with Fi." That single sentence brought with it a feeling that Link couldn't place, but knew he didn't like.

"Demise and I… We were virtually unstoppable together. It's rare for sword spirits to exist, as it was mostly a trend reserved for the the rich and royal… But the true bond between master and sword.." Ghirahim ran his hands up over his arms, in a motion like he was hugging himself. "Exquisitely close. You do anything to fulfil your master's needs. You're at their beck and call at a moment's notice.. Ohhhhh..and the feeling of euphoria when they praise your hard work…"

Link knew he had never had such a close bond with Fi. Fi was sweet and helpful, but Link felt she took her duty much too strictly and without emotion, which made it hard to become truly close. Ghirahim is the polar opposite of Fi..and hearing how he talked about such a close bond made something in Link's chest burn with longing. For what, exactly he couldn't say. For a bond that close? For a sword that reliable? For Ghirahim?

Links emotions must have been smoldering in his eyes, because when Ghirahim looked up at him, he paused. The two were closer than Ghirahim remembered being before, and the look that Link was giving him was charged with emotion. What exactly those emotions were, Ghirahim couldn't tell, but the sheer intensity of them left him rendered stationary. Link had always had eyes like a beast, and even Ghirahim would admit being intimidated by the furious looks Link had cast him in the past.. But there was something about his gaze now that left him almost… Flustered?

Impossible. He, of all people, wouldn't get flustered by the raw look of a human boy. The sudden inexplicable heat on his face was from the lava, nothing more. The irregular beat of heart heart was due to the smoke that hung in the air that made breathing difficult, that was all.

Link himself was actually almost attracted to the sudden look that Ghirahim adopted. He was a deer in headlights, his eyes a bit wide and his face a bit flushed. The demon turned after a moment and coughed into his fist.

"T..This air is hard to breath in…" Link.. Didn't quite believe that was all that look held, but he would drop the issue for the moment. He had never seen the demon with a look that was anything other than playful, serious, smarmy or livid. Seeing his face then, Link would almost call it cute… Almost. He wouldn't admit it to the flamboyant beast, or else he would never shut up. Still… Link resolved to file away that memory for later.

Ghirahim gripped his wrist and willed his heart to relax as he looked down at his lap. What was that? For a moment, he felt as if it was Demise looking at him again. That same sort of look that he felt the need to submit to, as if it was his duty. As if Link was his true master. This kinship between him and Link was nothing more than business.. Link was not his Master! Link isn't going to be his master! He's just using Link until he gets to the demon realm! He would never submit himself to that boy… Ghirahim continued those mantras in his head as they continued down the lava river at their leisurely pace. It's just the heat, Ghirahim…. It's just the heat.


Whew! Look at that, actual weird feelings between these two. They're both way too stubborn to admit anything's going on. Its just the heat boys, don't worry ;) Yeah, again, sorry for sparse updates. It's just hard to find motivation among heaps of school work. This part was actually pretty fun to work on though...

Where could they be going? Who will they meet? Who's this next commander? Will they make it out okay? Idk. But it will be coming up, so stay tuned!