Sorceress: Here…ya'll can have a complimentary tissue for this chapter…it's sad. Maybe I should stop brainstorming while I listen to sad music while reading tragic fanfictions?
Dark Link: You…you're a jerk, Sorceress…why did you-
Sorceress: (Clamps hand over Dark Link's mouth) Spoilers, my dear Dark Link…
Link: Whatever. Sorceress does not own Zelda…which is a good thing…
Dark Link: A very good thing…
o~o0o~o
Termina Fever
Ch 11: The Dying of the Night
Saria knew she should be glad. She was a hero to the people. But it was just so hard; everything had been stripped away suddenly. It was her fault, she was sure-if she had gotten to the throne room a minute earlier maybe she could have prevented the whole thing.
But, as Dark Link would say, "life just didn't work that way." Saria had never felt those words bitter truth more than now.
She vaguely wondered whether anyone else mourned. They were sad, to be sure, but Saria thought that she held a deeper grief; the feeling was heightened by her being certain that the blue potion would work. Oh, how she ached with regret at her naivety! She wondered how she could have denied it.
How could she have not known that Dark Link was going to die?
o~o0o~o
"Saria, stop lying to yourself. It's…" Dark Link paused as coughs racked his body and bloodstained phlegm issued out onto his hand. "…Perfectly obvious," he concluded.
Saria shook her head frantically. "No," she claimed. "We have the cure, and either way, I won't let it." She stopped herself. Who was she to believe that she had power over life and death?
Dark Link sighed sadly. "You're breaking my heart, Saria. Don't make this harder than it really is." Taking her hand, he added, "Tides go in, but eventually they all have to recede, and to try to stop it only results in more work for yourself."
Saria balled her hands up into fists, nails biting into her flesh. "No…it's just not right…how can I be expected to let this wave go back to sea quietly? You've done so much for Hyrule, and, and…" She couldn't go on, preoccupied as she was with keeping the tears from flowing.
But, despite her efforts, a small, translucent tear streamed down her face, unnoticed by herself.
Dark Link noticed, though. Biting his lip, he released Saria's hand, and, with the passion and feel of the Goddesses, took the tear from her cheek.
Saria gave him an impossible to read look before standing up quickly and leaving the room, determined to get away from the source of her sorrow as quickly as possible.
As soon as she had gone, Dark Link touched his now wet fingers to his lips, sobbing silently, shoulders shaking with the effort.
Goddesses, but she hurt him as much as Termina Fever did.
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Dark Link moaned, knees against his chest as he fought the sharp, almost unbearable pangs in his stomach. They had begun about an hour before; since then they had only worsened, and the potions he took were of little use. He writhed in utter agony, and it felt as though his body was betraying him. This, he was sure, was the final seal; he was dying and there was nothing, absolutely nothing, to be done but to ride out the final hours.
"Dark Link…! Please…you have to pull through this one! You can't leave me!" Saria's voice drifted down to him. "You have to make it!"
"I…I…" Dark Link started. As he struggled to form a sentence, a stab, like a dagger drove through his body; he opened his eyes and began to cry out in pure pain, flailing, sheets flying everywhere, terror illuminating his face. His garnet eyes were wide open; they did not appear to be seeing anything at all.
Saria flinched as he let out another shriek. As it battered her ears, she stood up and ran away, eager to escape his tortured screams.
Dark Link, having just realized how soon Ganondorf's wishes would be fulfilled, found that, above all else, he did not want to die alone. He was not going to spend his last moments like he did his life, and so called, "Saria! Come back here!"
In a moment his desire was fulfilled. There remained only one thing left to do.
Dark Link reached out and grabbed Saria's shoulders, pulling her towards him. Using the last reserve of his strength, he leaned up. Their lips met.
They hung like that for a minute, before Dark Link withdrew from Saria and stared at her, a burning brilliance to his crimson orbs.
Saria wished she could describe those eyes, that face, for what it told. Bravery, and determination, and…
What she could only know as love. Oh, such unrequited, unreserved love.
Dark Link opened his mouth as if to say something, tell her how much he would miss her, how much she had done for him, but all of his energy was going into fixing her with that one look that told eons about her, about him, about life and what came after.
And then it was gone, replaced by a blank stare. Dark Link collapsed, head falling on Saria's shoulder. Saria stood rigid a moment, before remembering her burden and setting Dark Link on the bed gently. With the same touch Dark Link had used to wipe away her tear, she drew his eyes shut.
He looked so…peaceful; much more so than he ever did in all the time she had known him. His ebony bangs fell across his forehead perfectly, and a small smile graced his pale face.
Saria took him in for a moment longer, then kissed his forehead. Kneeling down, she put her hands together. Closing her eyes, she thanked the goddesses and prayed that he might rest in peace; pausing a moment, she also asked that she might one day meet with him again, love him once more.
Taking a lock of her hair in hand, she used Dark Link's sword to cut it off. This she tucked into his shirt pocket, where it remained undisturbed.
Having done her duty, Saria left the room. All that was left was to share the news with Ruto and the others.
o~o0o~o
They mourned him at Lake Hylia, with thousands of others grieving for their own losses.
Saria set the flower she had received into the water, placing the candle in it afterwards; this she pushed out to deeper water until the current naturally took it farther out.
Dark Link had been buried some time before. Saria could hardly believe herself-she'd felt nothing.
She looked up as Zelda, recently recovered, stood up to offer her condolences to those who had had deaths in the circle closest to them. Saria was appalled that no mention was made of the cure, but she supposed that peace would have been lost then.
The speech went on a little bit longer, after this the people went home, Ruto and Zelda included. Saria was left to herself.
The flowers cast a purple glow on the lake, and the moon added to the brightness still more; Saria didn't know whether it was this effect or something else, but suddenly she was crying, for Dark Link, for the others, and for herself.
"Why?" She raged through her tears, pounding the ground with her fist. "Why? Oh, Goddesses, I have been your faithful Sage, and yet you still find it necessary to take away the very thing that I love most? Please! Bring him back to me!"
Do not dwell upon the past, Saria. This voice was identical to Nayru's. Think instead of things yet to come.
Saria slowly hiccupped her way to countenance, and when she had she stood up. Nayru was right. She could not afford to dwell upon memories which only brought her pain.
It was time to look to the future.
The End
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Sorceress: My friends, this crazy joyride is over. It was fun. I can't believe that the story that started with no love at all turned into my most reviewed story!
Link: If you cried at all during this story, review. And if you didn't, review anyway.
Dark Link: Like these people: LinkLuver3, cookie; msfcatlover, cookie; LenaLain and MomoChan, cookie; The Sileo Patronus, cookie; deadaleta, cookie; shadowthedarkwolf, cookie; Alpha-Ghost-Rider, cookie; Shadow Lordl, cookie; freakyvampirecatgirl, cookie; RawkHawk2.0, cookie; Dinosour, cookie; and I think misszelda3290 gets a cookie. I'm too lazy to check.
Dark Link: Now is the time to favorite this story! Favorite this author! Review!
Sorceress: Can anyone tell me a song that reflects this story? State the name of the song and the artist; the winner will have his/her song posted here, if I'm not too lazy. Yeah.
Link: Yep. Anyways, 'til next time!