Chap 13: Must All Good Things Come to an End?

(A/N) Hello everyone! So, Saria has… passed away. Link is left in shambles. Dark is unsure of his opinion on Link, but feels his pain. Dimesia is stronger than ever. Where could this have gone so wrong? Enjoy this last-ditch attempt at a 1st person chapter!

Italics means thoughts or someone is speaking sharply, or it means someone has spoken Hylian. It can also mean a flashback. Bold means an author's note or some sort of text, which I will seldom use. Underlined text implies importance. I am unlikely to remember that. Have fun!

Oh, and I don't own any piece of The Legend of Zelda. I own, literally, more air than Zelda.

We were alone. Except for the rustling of leaves around us, my occasional heaving and sobbing and Dark's breathing, all was silent. Fall had taken its toll on the world around us. The grass had turned to a shade of beige, the trees were rapidly losing their leaves, and the cold was quickly setting in. Even my Zora tunic, designed to stave off cold and drowning, was nearly useless in the frigid air. I was still kneeling on the ground beside my cold-and-still beloved wife, Saria. She looked so peaceful, so happy, so… painless. I envied Saria, her death freeing her from her torment, all sadness washed away like one cleans grime from a sword. There in an instant, gone the next.

Dark was the only one who dared break the silence. "Link? I need you to speak, just so I can know you're still with me."

I barely even registered what he was saying, his words merely going through my head. I barely heard the crunching of leaves behind me, and nearly didn't react on the hand touching me a second later. Nearly. I kicked out behind me, tripping Dark, set my beloved down and stood up. "Don't fucking touch me!" I screamed. Why had he touched me? Why would he snap me out of my thoughts, as if he had some right to take them from me? He stood up, the shock and distress worn on his face.

"Link? Listen, I know something real messed up just happened, but we need to move. Like, now. Dimesia left to kill or destroy Nayru-knows-what, and we're the only ones who can stop her," Dark said.

"Is it too much to ask for a moment to at least say goodbye? Is that really too much? Can I not even have one moment with the only person I've ever loved?" I asked. I turned back to Saria, the same peaceful look on her face. Not that I expected her to look any different. She wasn't warm when I picked her up. It was as if my embrace was the one thing providing her with heat. I wouldn't mind if the whole world fell away around us, leaving me with her for my sorrowful existence.

"Link, we do not have time! We are literally the only people who've stood even something resembling a chance against Dimesia. It's just… I don't want to see this land fall around us. I don't want to be responsible for the destruction of Hyrule. Even if we can't save it, we have to try. After all, what were we other than the savior of Hyrule one person truly recognizes and his shadow?"

"We were people. We were people with emotions and strength. When emotion overpowers strength, bad things can happen. This is exactly what has happened."

"I know what we are, but this is our one chance to go down as the people who saved this land. Doesn't that mean something to you?"

"Is this about the fame to you, Dark?! Is that what all of this has been about for you, not just being remembered as my shadow?"

"Link, I won't be remembered as anything if we don't help your people. And it's not just your people, it's everyone. Do you think the Zora will survive if you just give up? The Gorons? They'll all die. The Hylians, Kokiri, Zora, Gorons, Gerudo, and anything else in this world will all die. Now I'm not asking again. Get up, or I leave to do your job for you." When he was finished I was paralyzed. Not out of fear or worry, but out of realization. I hadn't even given thought to the other races of this world. Ruto, Darunia, Nabooru, Impa, Mido; they'd all be dead. And I was scared of that.

Slowly, I stood up, taking a final look at Saria as if that one gaze would bring her back. But I knew she was gone. "Get two shovels and a piece of stone," I commanded. Dark did so without question and we set to digging a grave, four feet deep, three feet wide, and five feet long. It was a bit tight in the end, but it served its purpose. Once Saria was in, comfortably, I left Dark to burying her. I went to the slab of stone Dark had found, thankful that it looked like an actual tombstone rather than a jagged piece of rock we'd have to whittle down. There was a sharp piece of rock nearby. I grabbed it and began chiseling the only words anybody who didn't know her personally would ever be able to know her by.

Saria

Saria was the most important person in my life for most of it. Whenever we were near each other, sadness was practically impossible. Even in her final moments, she did all she could to make it easy for me. Will I ever find a person as charming, as kind, as beautiful as Saria? I very highly doubt it. Saria had long, green hair, enjoyed her natural appearance, and liked spending time with our dog, Fado. There was only one person she loved more than anything else: her husband, and myself, Link. She will never be forgotten.

I hadn't even noticed that I was crying until I finished chipping the rock from the slab that would serve as Saria's makeshift tombstone. I also hadn't noticed that Dark was now standing next to me, wearing the same sad expression he'd had since we'd been captured. "Let's set the stone and get going, Link," he said. I nodded and stood up, my weary legs barely having strength to carry me to her… grave. Dark had dug a small spot for the tombstone to go in. It was a perfect fit.

Before I knew what had happened I was on my knees, my head in my hands, completely incapable of stopping the river of tears flowing from my eyes. Dark ran to catch me, but was just a little too slow. He ended up kind of kneeing me in the bicep, but I didn't really care. I couldn't feel anything. Dimesia, by killing Saria, had completely removed any emotion from me. The river stopped flowing. I stood up, slowly, drawing out the anger in me. Once I was up, you could practically see the anger and hatred emanating from me. Dark, my bad side incarnate, took a step back. "Let's go find Dimesia, Dark." I said in a deep voice I barely knew I had, nearly completely devoid of emotion. Nearly.

"Right, but I think we should rest first. Maybe get some blue potion. We need to recuperate."

"No, I just need to see her." I contemplated showing Dark the mask, ultimately deciding to. "This mask," I said, "will give me the power of a god. But I could barely control it last time. No problem now, I think. I was young and weak. Now, I'm older, stronger, faster. Better."

"Link, we're resting and that's that." He said that and I thought about snapping his neck, because I knew I'd work better uninhibited, with no witnesses to the horrible things I would do to her once I caught her. I decided it would be best to just go with his suggestion, remembering that he and I had been through far too much to just throw it all away. "Fine. I'll set up our fireplace and you should pitch our tent."

"What are you talking about? We're resting in town." While a nice, warm bed, real food, and some outside communication was appealing, it would bring me farther from Dimesia.

"If we go to town, we're putting more distance between us and Dimesia. Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Absolutely. I wouldn't have even pitched the idea if I wasn't sure." When he assured me that he thought about it, I was so weary and tired that I'd have believed him if he told me that the Trinity stood just behind me, wanting my autograph. I nodded and we set off for Castle Town. I took one glance back at Saria's grave, a lone tear working its way out of my eye. I made sure to look away before I broke down again.

Castle Town was in turmoil. Word had spread of Dimesia's existence and what she could do, and the people were terrified. Dark and I were nearly trampled when we entered, people doing all they could to get their families and leave, barricade their homes and businesses, protest the King, and defend Hyrule Castle. It was chaos.

"What the hell's happening here?!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. "You people are packing up and leaving your lives behind, barricading houses and shops that are replaceable, speaking out against one of the few men who can actually do something about this, instead of trying to fight for one of the few places actually matters. Do you think these walls mean anything? I've seen her, Dimesia. She's incredibly powerful. These walls don't mean anything to her. It's the people within these walls that she wants. She feeds off of fear, sorrow, suffering, anger, any bad feelings. And I understand that it's hard not to feed her, what with everything that's going on around here. But, people, please steel yourselves. Don't show her fear! Don't show her anger! And, when she comes for our lives, show her that we're the ones who will survive! Show her that we, the people of Hylia, will not back down, will not run and hide, will not be weak! People! Arm yourselves! Because, when Dimesia comes, she's going to bring everything she has, and it'll take everything we have to fight her off! Now, everyone, grab a sword, a bow, a lance, anything that can be used as a weapon! Training starts today!"

"What do you know of our struggles? What could she have taken from you?" a random citizen called out, bringing back memories of the girl I once called Saria.

"She took my beloved wife…" I said, finding myself lacking the strength to hold my chin up. A series of gasps came forth from the crowd. I just then noticed that I was standing on the top of the fountain.

"What's your name, son?" another citizen, older though, asked.

"My name, sir, is Link."

"Link, thank you. I don't know about everyone else, but my old bones and muscles will be put to use defending my home. Is anyone else with me?"

"I'll stand by you!" another citizen said.

"And me as well!" said another. Before I knew it, the whole crowd was a chorus, their song one of unity and defiance. We would not let Dimesia roll over us, taking all of Hyrule with it.

"I need five runners!" I shouted over the noise the crowd had produced. Five young, lean men appeared before me. "You: Kokiri Forest. Warn them all of the oncoming doom. Bring as many as you can with you," I said, pointing at the youngest one, who roughly sixteen years old. He set off after about a minute of contemplation and prayer. "You: Lon Lon Ranch. Make sure Epona, Malon, and talon come with you. Bring Ingo if you want," I said, pointing at the shortest adult present, about five-foot six. He set off immediately. "You: Goron City. Bring every single one of them with you," I said to the most muscular present. He flexed briefly before running off. "You: Zora Domain. Make sure that Ruto and all soldiers come with you. Before you leave, make sure all the citizens there escape," I said to the tallest there, about six-foot five. "And you: Gerudo Fortress. Bring everyone back, even the elders. They're all competent warriors," I said to the only female present. She blushed before setting off.

The crowd had begun dissipating, everyone either going home to get weapons or finding a place to train with what they had. I walked to the inn to find Dark was already in a room he'd rented for us. When I entered, he was already fast asleep, his sword and shield set next to his bed. I sat on my bed before collapsing on my side. I had a dream that night. I dreamt that I was with Saria, in the Sacred Realm, an overwhelming sense of peace and pure bliss washing over us. We were together again. I never wanted it to end. But all good things must come to an end. And, like some things, this one ended with an explosion just outside my room, throwing Dark and I out of our beds. There was only one thing that could've done something like this. People were starting demolitions training. We were already about to win, I could feel it. But I couldn't shake a slight feeling that the explosives were provided by the Gorons, like most are. They seemed more… powerful. I couldn't place it, but something felt very wrong.

Link kinda went off the deep end, didn't he? Looks like he brought himself back, but who knows. So, this is the beginning of the end, people. There aren't very many chapters left. Now, since day one, I planned on getting to at least 30,000 words. However, if things go the way I want them to, I may end up with 40,000 or more words. Anyway, there's about five or six chapters left (I think). There may be more than five or six, but certainly not less. Please review, it lets me know whether or not I suck. It also lets me know if I rule, which I'd love to hear about. Until then, if there are no questions, I'm out. Peace.