Alright, well this final chapter is finally posted! It's a monster of a chapter (seriously, it's nearly twice the length of what I usually post) and I'm very pleased with this conclusion to the story. I hope you all enjoy it and I appreciate you sticking with this fanfic even through all the delays the changes in my life have caused.
Thank you to Shaveza, Have – A – Go – Hero, Stormhelen, DrBananaFace, DarkNutDestroyer, Marasia, Black Silverclaw, ShippinHermoldy, and Random Chick 29 for your reviews!
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Part III
Chapter Fourteen
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Zelda was exhausted when she at last reached the shore of Trash City, her dark clothes soaked and her arm aching where she'd been hit with Veran's – Link's – attack. The Sorceress was using the Triforce of Courage to cause death and destruction. And she was already much better at magic than Zelda was. The princess knew what she had to do. Find Sahashrala and tell him what had happened. Surely he, of all people, would know a way out of this. As morning broke over the island, Zelda hadn't gotten more than a few feet in when Telma came running up.
"Mila!" Telma gasped, coming to a stop before her. "I can't find Link. Where is he? Cohen has left for the mainland with the plague. He's going to kill everyone in the castle with it!"
"What?!" Zelda gasped, blue eyes going wide. She couldn't believe this. As if things hadn't fallen apart enough, she had to stop Cohen as well. "How long ago did he leave?"
"Yesterday," Telma told her. "We don't have much time if we're going to catch him."
Zelda's mind was spinning. How were they going to pull this off? She had to tell Telma, Sahashrala, and Jolene, too, what had happened, but she couldn't lose much time if she was going to stop Cohen and Veran. Hyrule Castle was so far away from here. How could they even travel the distance in time to . . . Then she remembered. They had a way. They had a way to get their instantly. And with that knowledge, she said, "Telma . . . there is a lot to tell. Please find Jolene and, uh, Shral and meet me at your bar."
"And Link?" Telma asked, frowning.
"This meeting concerns him," she answered. "Please, we have to hurry."
Telma seemed to understand and ran off, leaving Zelda to pull together her remaining energy and hurry off into Trash City. She stopped by Link's house to get her two daggers, she figured she was going to need them. Then she hurried back the few blocks to Telma's bar. When she entered through the backdoor she saw that Jolene and Sahashrala were already there, sitting at a round table. Telma was pacing the room, palpably upset.
"Has it happened?" Sahashrala asked, looking up at the princess in concern.
Zelda sighed, "It has." She turned to Telma. "Veran has possessed Link."
Telma's hand flew to her mouth in horror, swearing under her breath.
"What happened?" Jolene asked, frowning.
Zelda sat down at an empty chair, sighing. "There's so much to say. Link has been on the run all his life from a Sorceress named Veran. Her goal has been to possess his body and use his magic to take control of Hyrule. She succeeded about an hour ago. I spoke to her myself. She's headed for the castle."
"Link doesn't have any magic," Jolene stated.
Telma nodded. "He does. He doesn't like to talk about it, even to me. But even when he would say nothing I could read between the lines. I myself was possessed by Veran once. It was an enlightening experience, to understand the threat over Link. I am still baffled, though, how this Sorceress has such power."
"It's because she's a demon," Sahashrala said, drawing the attention of the other three. "I told you I've been doing research, my lady. I thought that the descriptions you gave me of Veran, particularly that she bled green blood, was familiar. I was able to use that to track down theories on demons in my books. And I found a couple paragraphs on one that would take the guise of a blue-skinned sorceress while in this world. One that had been known to bring spiders in her presence and possess people's bodies." He gave a small smile. "Of course, once we know what we're dealing with, that makes a solution more possible! Knowledge if half the battle, haha!" When no one else laughed, he cleared his throat and continued. "I believe I know a way to stop her and free Link."
"Can we even get to Link in time?" Jolene asked. "We might never be able to catch up to him-her."
The old man answered, "We don't need to. An entrance to the Demon Realm is on this island, I located it on my search yesterday. One of you will just need to go inside and break Veran's ties there. She is able to possess people through being half in the Demon World, and half out. Kick her out, and she'll be forced to abandon whoever's body she is in and resume her normal, monstrous form."
"What do you mean?" Zelda asked. "She doesn't always look like a woman?"
"Oh no no," he replied. "Demons are horrible to look upon. That's why, if they're able to get out into our world, they take the form of something less conspicuous."
"I will go do it," Telma volunteered.
Zelda stood up. "No, I'll do it. You are still recovering from the illness Cohen gave you. I won't fail, I promise."
"Speaking of Cohen," Jolene said, "how are we going to stop him? Telma told me he's probably close to the castle by now."
Zelda and Sahashrala exchanged a smile. The old man said, "As long as we are able to warn the soldiers in the castle first, then they should be able to easily take care of this Cohen. Fortunately, there's a way for us to beat him there. I have a spell in my possession called Farore's Wind. I always bring it with me on my travels as a fail-safe. It teleports you from where you are to wherever you set the initial spell. I always set it to my old library in the castle."
Jolene tilted her head to the side. "So someone just needs to teleport to your library and warn the castle's soldiers? Sounds easy enough. But just in case things don't go according to plan, I'll go. I can take out Cohen if needed."
"I'll come with you," Telma stated. "It's too important to rest on one person's soldiers." She looked at Sahashrala and Zelda. "Just promise me you'll bring Link back safe."
"We will," the old man nodded. "Do we all understand what we need to do?"
When they all shook their heads in acknowledgement Zelda said, "Alright, let's get going."
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The power . . . there's so much of it . . . like a lightning bolt . . . It's almost a struggle to maintain.
Veran stood in Link's body atop a crest in Hyrule Field, looking at the castle. After nineteen years of hunting Link, she finally had him. The Triforce of Courage was small, quiet at first, having never been used. But now it was singing through his veins and tingling his fingertips. She would put this power to good use. She would seat herself as Hyrule's ruler, and eventually the world. Then she would be the Queen of this world, and the most powerful demon in history.
She found it ironic that in the end it wasn't she who had weakened Link enough to possess him. One of his own species – that army captain – had knocked him unconscious. With that barrier of protection out of the way, it had been easy to slip into his mind.
Link could wield such power, it was almost a pity he'd rejected it his whole life. If he'd accepted it and learned to use it, truth be told she may never have been able to best him. His reluctance to embrace who he was had been his downfall.
She smiled, giving the castle one more look-over. Her new home. It was time to claim it.
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Zelda frowned in uncertainty at the stone door, runes in a language she didn't understand scratched all over it. "I can just . . . push it open? Are you sure?"
"Your Triforce gives you this power," Sahashrala advised. "Embrace it, don't fight it. You can do this."
"It would be helpful if I actually knew what I was looking for," she sighed. "Link doesn't have time for me to search for hours."
"I wish I knew more, my lady," he said apologetically. "But you will be on your own. Have confidence in yourself. "
After leading her to a remote part of the island, Sahashrala had taken her into an underground tunnel that went for three miles before stopping at a stone door. His lantern provided flickering light, enough to show that no plants or insects were alive in this area. The door gave off a cold that seemed to take the life right out of the earth.
Zelda nodded. "I'll be back as soon as possible." She smiled at the old man. "Thanks for all your help, Sahashrala."
"Don't thank me yet, this isn't over."
She set her jaw, taking a deep breath and squaring her shoulders. "It will be soon." She pushed on the door and it swung open easily, sending up a cloud of dirt. Behind it was only darkness. As Zelda stepped through it felt like the world spun around her, and then up ahead appeared a faint green light. It was still all she could see in the dark. She glanced behind her but the door was shut.
Turning back around, Zelda headed cautiously toward the light, holding a dagger in one hand. She heard a sound like whistling wind, but nothing stirred her hair. The ground felt like dirt, soft and uneven. As she neared the light the world started to be revealed around her. It appeared to be an underground cavern, but it felt so alien. Stone stalagmites ranged from two feet to twenty, soaring as twisted figures into the air. The green light came from a stone sconce, one of many along the walls. The cavern seemed to be part of a labyrinth of passages that branched off and doubled back. There was no sound except for the wind noise, and the smell was of dirt, mold, and moisture. The moisture scent came from a small fountain on a raised dais to the side. She approached it cautiously, her boots making no sound on the dirt.
It was about three feet in diameter, with a small stone statue rising from the middle. It was shaped into a lantern. An inscription on the side of the fountain said "Poe". The creepiest part of the fountain was that the water was black.
Zelda stepped back, shuddering. What did that mean?
"It's a demon," a voice behind her said.
She spun around, weapon held out protectively before her. She gasped, seeing the owner of the voice. "Link?!"
He offered a small smile, his blue eyes sad. "Hi, Zelda."
She looked him over, but immediately noticed something was wrong. His body was ghostly and transparent, leaving no shadow. "You're . . . here. How are you here?"
"Veran has my body," he answered, "so my soul has been sent here. I can still feel a connection to her, more or less. It's . . . difficult." A scared expression crossed his face. "I think she's in the castle, Zelda. She's going to kill everyone."
"No, we'll stop her," the princess answered firmly. "Sahashrala said that I just need to break Veran's ties here and her hold on you will break."
Hope blossomed across his face. "We need to hurry, then."
She looked around, biting her lip. "I'm still trying to understand this place. This fountain here is really creepy. What does it mean?"
He glanced down at it. "I've had some time to look around. There are fountains like that all over the place with different statues and different names. I am assuming they represent each demon."
"We need to find Veran's," Zelda said. "That must be the 'tie' we have to break."
Link smiled. "We have some luck finally. When I first appeared here it was by her fountain. Follow me."
He started running and she followed, heading into one of the tunnels. More sconces lined the walls, giving off the same green light. They passed more rooms and caverns. As Zelda glanced in each she saw fountains in every one. So far all were empty, but one room had a skeletal figure sitting on the edge. She whispered, "Link, are we in danger here?"
"Not much," he replied. "It's mostly empty in here. I've seen a few demons – they're quite scary looking. Only one bothered me, but when his sword went through me without doing damage he just ignored me." They ran a few minutes longer until Link slowed at one room. "This is it."
They turned inside, and Zelda took in a fountain that was engraved with 'Veran'. The statue rising from the center was one of a grotesque spider, its fangs out to attack. Her rising excitement dropped when she saw a figure in the room. It turned at the noise of their approach and regarded her with two glowing eyes inside a hood and two skeletal arms holding a scythe. It floated off the ground, clothed in torn and rotted rags. As Zelda pulled out her other dagger to defend herself, it attacked.
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A burst of wind swirled around them as Jolene and Telma appeared in the castle's library, pages rustling. They looked about, the dizziness from teleporting subsiding. As Telma still adjusted Jolene ran to the door and flung it open, looking up and down the hallway. It was empty.
"The soldiers can't be far," the pirate stated. "We should split up."
"I agree," Telma nodded. "You head into the castle interior; I'll head to the outside." She then hurried out as the two parted ways. She'd never been inside a castle before, and the size and luxury of it awed her. The windows were arched and had stained glass, banners hung between them depicting beautiful Hylian scenes. But there was a noticeable absence of people. She wondered where they all were. Attending a ball of some sort? Isn't that what the castle folk did?
She was able to use the view from the windows to find her way out, going past the empty courtyards until she found a door. Hurrying out, she scanned the area and saw two guards atop the battlements, running somewhere themselves. Telma went to intercept them, racing up stone steps that ran along the wall.
"Wait!" she said, drawing their attention as she topped the wall.
They turned, looking at her suspiciously. "Who are you?" one demanded.
"I came to warn you," she panted, cursing her middle-age and the fact that she hadn't tried to stay fit. "Someone is about to attack the castle!"
"Someone already has," the solider answered. "He's heading to the throne room. You should find a safe place." Immediately they turned their backs on her and proceeded to run inside the castle.
Telma paused, catching her breath. Well, good, she thought. That's taken care of, then. She hesitated, frowning. 'He's heading to the throne room', they had said. That didn't necessarily mean Cohen . . . that could mean Veran as well. Anxiety twisted her gut. She needed to find out what was going on. As she turned she saw five figures heading up the road through Hyrule Castle City carrying large bags.
Telma leaned against the battlements, the wind stirring her red hair. It was Cohen. She looked around wildly, trying to find a soldier or someone to help. But no one was there. She had to do something.
She hurried down the steps and back into the castle, hearing shouting and blasts of magic from somewhere deep inside. Her heart leapt into her throat. Link. Zelda needed to hurry before Veran used him to kill everyone in here. She wanted to go to him. To help him. To protect him from Veran and from the soldiers. But she knew there was nothing she could do. If she got involved, it would just break her heart. She looped around to try to find the main entry into the castle, and found two large doors that had been blasted open, pieces of wood scattered around the floor. As she came to the threshold, shocked at the destruction, she saw Cohen and his followers standing five feet from her.
"Telma?!" he said, shocked. "How on Hyrule did you –" He drew his sword, pointing at her. "I will kill you this time if you don't step aside."
Telma fished for words, trying to think of what to say to make him stop. "You're about to walk into a massacre, Cohen. A demon is inside the castle killing everybody. You can see the soldiers are gone!"
He shook his head. "I don't need to fight anybody. We just need to get this place infected and get out of here."
"Please don't do this," she begged. "This isn't right, Cohen."
He waved his sword in a thinly-veiled threat. "Move or get run through."
She picked up the only weapon in the vicinity: a slab of broken wood. He laughed, and then swung his sword at her.
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Veran twisted and turn as she made her way down the castle halls, magic shooting from Link's fingertips. The halls flashed with green light as if there was a storm indoors. Soldiers raced at her and were thrown back. Into the walls, through the windows. Those that kept trying would end up dead, creating a line of bodies behind her. She was almost to the throne room.
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Zelda held both her daggers up cautiously, warily watching the ghostly figure that moved around the room, its scythe shining in the green light.
"Be careful, Zelda," Link said, his voice tight. "I can't help you."
She moved further in, eyeing the fountain behind the ghost. Veran's connection to the demon world. If she could break it, then Link would be free. Perhaps the statue was the tie that needed to be broken? And maybe if she broke the statue first, then she wouldn't have to worry about the poe that was ready to kill her. But what could she use to break the statue? Her daggers were too weak, and she'd seen nothing so far in these catacombs that she could use. The enemy before her swung its weapon threateningly, moving closer and seeming to realize she wasn't going to strike first. She then had an idea blossom. If the poe struck hard enough with its scythe, could it break the statue?
"I have an idea, Link," she said, slowly making her way over to the fountain, always keeping herself faced towards her opponent. The ghost darted forward, making two quick swipes. She yanked back, the first slice taking a half inch off the ends of her hair. She jumped back to avoid the second, nearly tripping.
"Zelda!" Link exclaimed in concern, taking half a step forward.
Another swipe came vertically down at her. She threw herself out of the way, rolling clumsily and banging her elbow, but avoiding the attack all the same. It took her too far away from Veran's fountain, though.
The poe came in fast, its robes rippling with its movement. Zelda ducked under its attack, racing towards the fountain. She heard it flying up behind her and turned around, staggering, bringing her daggers up for safety. The first hit struck her daggers with such force she was sent flying back, hitting the ground hard enough to knock the wind out of her. The second strike went wide, anticipating her to be where she no longer was. It crashed into the statue, breaking it in half in a shower of stone.
The impact was immediate. A force of green light shot from the statue, slamming into the poe and Zelda and forcing them back against the walls. The black water in the fountain started to boil. Link held his hands up, staring with wide eyes. They were becoming solid, he could feel Veran's grip loosening, and his body coming back to him.
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Cohen first strike hit Telma's wooden defense, bursting it apart and knocking her to the ground. Sunlight glinted on his sword as he raised it up over his head. Then he recoiled from the impact of a spear burying itself in his chest, blood spilling forth. He stumbled back a few steps before dropping, his four followers gasping in horror.
Telma turned, seeing Jolene standing behind her.
"Back off, or I'll kill the rest of you," Jolene snapped, drawing two curved swords. "I'm a pirate, I'm far more ruthless than you."
Shrieks sounded from the interior of the castle, startling the group. They were inhumanly loud and animalistic. Intense green light began to flash behind them like lightning.
"Link!" Telma gasped. "Is he . . .?"
An intense force shook the castle, magic crashing through the windows and breaking open the doors. A thick bream shot straight over Telma and past Jolene, melting the tip of one of her sword. It slammed into one of Cohen's followers, incinerating him on the spot. The last three swore, dropped their packs, and raced off.
Jolene threw herself to the ground, covering her head as she and the older woman waited out the screaming fit of magic-blasting rage Veran was enveloped in. It sounded like she was fighting, struggling to maintain control. But control was slipping. And with one last blast suddenly the castle was enveloped in silence.
Jolene raised her head slightly, looking around. "Where did she go?"
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Zelda and Link came running up out of the catacombs and back into Trash City, laughing in relief. Sahashrala was there waiting for them, his orange robes flapping around him in a sudden violent wind that had struck the island.
"I did it!" Zelda exclaimed to the old man. "Link is free!"
Link grinned, flexing his fingers and glad to be in control of his body. "I'm back. What happened to Veran?"
Sahashrala looked up at the sky, a worried expression crossing his face. "Well, ah . . . I think we may have a bit of a problem."
The two looked skyward. Dark clouds were swirling over the island, green lighting crackling through them. The growing storm was kicking up a fierce wind that blew their hair back from their faces.
"What's happening?" Zelda asked.
The old man tilted his head to the side. "I believe breaking Veran's ties to the Demon World has caused her to manifest here, as Link did. And . . . I don't think she's happy . . ."
"HERO!" a voice, Veran's but twisted and thunderous, boomed over the island. "IF I CAN'T HAVE YOUR POWER, THEN I WILL KILL YOU AND ROB YOU OF YOUR DESTINY!"
A green bolt of lightning burst from the center of the storm and struck the middle of the island. The ground shook. Against the dark sky a black silhouette, gigantic and misshapen, formed. As it rose larger and larger Link felt like the ground had dropped beneath him. As lightning struck again, it revealed what Veran's true demonic form was. A thick, hairy spider, so huge she towered at the same level as the tallest buildings.
"What on Hyrule?!" Zelda gasped.
"Oh," Sahashrala breathed. "That is . . . quite terrifying." He looked over at Link. "What are you going to do?"
He took a deep breath, staring up at the real form of Veran. "I've been going about everything the wrong way. I thought if I did bad things that would mean I wasn't the Hero any longer. But that didn't change anything, and all I did was push people away and insult my parents' memory. And while trying to change my destiny, I let evil get stronger. Any death or destruction that has happened is on me. But I am going to make things right."
Sahashrala smiled, pulling Link's sword from where he had it slung around one shoulder and holding it forward. "You may want this, then."
The young man took it gratefully, drawing it from its sheath. He looked over to Zelda. "I've been fighting fate for too long, its time I embrace it."
Zelda nodded once. "Let's go stop her."
The two raced out further into the city, the wind blowing trash and debris past them. There were screams as the people of Trash City raced for cover. Link said, "We need a bow, arrows, and fire." He flashed her a smile. "We're going to burn her!"
He turned a corner to the location of a shop where smuggled weapons were sold. As he expected, the owner had abandoned it to take cover. He rummaged through the weapons as the metal clanged together loudly. He found what he needed, slinging a quiver of arrows over his back and grabbing a bow.
"Do you know how to shoot that?" Zelda asked.
"I'm competent enough to hit a target that fat," he nodded. "Can you grab one of the small fire pits in the street?"
Zelda nodded, following him back out into the street. The ground shook as Veran in her spider form walked around, the noise of her crushing things underfoot and roaring echoing over the island. The princess found a two foot burnt metal pot on the corner, still filled with ash and kindling. She carried it as Link led her over to a five story building that had a rusted ladder leading up the side. Zelda carried the pot with one hand as she climbed up after Link. It was heavy, but adrenaline fueled her.
They topped the building, Link almost losing his balance at the force of the winds at this height. As Zelda came up behind him he pulled an arrow out from his quiver, looking around for Veran. He spotted her several yards away, her back turned, tearing up the streets as she searched for her prey.
Zelda sat the pot down by him. "Hurry, Link, she could kill everybody on the island."
He knelt by the pot, grabbed a hand-sized stone from the rooftop, and struck it against the arrow head. He had to try a couple times before it produced a big enough spark to light the kindling in the pot. Fire grew inside it, adding a red glow to the area. Using the arrowhead, he cut off a small strip of cloth from the bottom of his shirt. Rubbing it in the grime and grease from the building's roof, he wrapped it around the arrowhead and dipped it into the flames. It caught fire well enough, not as strongly as if it his weapon had been coated in oil, but it would do. He notched the arrow, pulled it back, and let it loose.
It sailed through the dark sky, creating a red streak in the air, before stabbing into the giant spider. Veran shrieked, and while she appeared injured the fire did not spread over her body. She turned, her multiple eyes glowing green, and spotted the two on the rooftop. Her eight legs moved quickly as she approached.
Zelda's heart leapt into her throat at the sight of the monstrosity coming towards them. She lit one of her hands with blue magic. "Let's hit her at the same time."
Link nodded, quickly repeating the process of lighting the arrow. As he let it loose with a snap Zelda fired magic from her Triforce piece. The two impacted the spider, but she still came, not slowing pace. Panicking, they both started firing as quickly as possible, red and blue lighting up the sky between them and the demon.
As she got hit over and over again Veran increased her speed, roaring at the pain. She caused a line of destruction in her wake, buildings toppling and streets cracking. As an arrow at last stuck into one of her eyes she threw herself forward with an ear-piercing screech and into the building. Her fangs stuck out as far as they could, but they just missed as the impact of her body knocked Link and Zelda off their feet.
Link's head hit hard, causing his vision to swim. He stared up at the angry clouds rolling above them, forearm throbbing from the bowstring striking it so much. He felt his body tilt and then Zelda shouted his name. He blinked and sat up just in time to realize the building they were on was falling over. They started to slide across the rooftop.
Link cried out, trying to grab ahold of something. His bow tumbled from his grasp, the fire pit sliding past him in a shower of sparks. "Zelda!" he shouted, reaching for her.
She reached back, a mask of terror on her face. Then the building collided with another in an explosion of stone and dust. Link felt his head hit something and he was knocked out.
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He blinked wearily as he came to, his body aching. Debris covered him. Groaning he sat up and dusted himself off. He was in the middle of the collapsed building, chunks of stone all around him. One had fallen over his legs, but mercifully it was arched and hadn't crushed them. "Zelda?" he coughed, looking around. "Zelda?"
"I'm okay," she replied, crawling up to him from the haze. There were blood stains on her clothes, but she wasn't seriously injured. "What happened to Veran?"
The rubble shook, and the spider slowly rose, stones tumbling off of her. Blood seeped from multiple wounds that dripped onto the ground below. She rose up directly over them, eyes wild, and stabbed down with her fangs.
Link shouted and rolled out of the way, Zelda doing the same. Her fangs slammed into the ground so hard the impact bounced the two of them. Link rolled into a crouched position, swopping his sword up with one hand, and slicing off one of the spider's fangs. It was severed in a shower of blood and Veran reared back, screaming. She kicked out with one leg, catching him in the chest and sending him flying into debris five feet back.
Zelda twisted to her feet and fired magic from both hands, hitting Veran in her eyes. The spider thrashed and stabbed down at the princess with her other fang. Zelda pulled out of the way, then yanked both her daggers off her belt and stabbed them into the fang. Veran yanked back with such ferocity that she ripped the weapons from Zelda's hands.
Veran turned her eyes to Link as he picked himself up off the ground. With both fangs ruined, she dove down at him with mouth wide open, roaring. Link gasped and spun out of the way. As the spider's head collided where he had just been, he vaulted on top of it and stabbed his sword deep into it. Screaming she pulled back, standing up nearly on her hind legs. Link held onto his sword with a death grip, knowing he'd die if he lost his hold. Veran held that position for a full five seconds until her scream died out. Then she fell, quickly and heavily, to the ground, hitting with a force that jarred Link's bones. And, then, at last, there was silence.
Link held onto his sword still, his eyes tightly closed, breathing heavily. He wasn't sure for how long. Minutes that felt like hours. But at last he sat up, looking around. The storm was rolling away, revealing the sunset in its place. Veran was dead.
Link slid off her carcass, leaving his sword where it was. He looked around and spotted Zelda, standing cautiously a few feet back, her hands up to strike with magic if she needed to. They met eyes. And they he ran to her, meeting her in a tight embrace.
"She's dead," he assured, panting and hurt but happy. "She's finally, finally dead."
They stood there and held each other until Sahashrala came to find them.
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Zelda stood out on the balcony of her room, leaning along the stone railing. Sunlight warmed her skin as she gazed out over Hyrule Castle City. She was home again, and had been for three months now. After Veran had been defeated she wanted to immediately go home and find out if her father was alright. Sahashrala had taken them both to the castle through use of Farore's Wind. Her father was, indeed, still alive. Many soldiers were killed and the castle had seen better days, but the most important thing was that the Sorceress of Shadows was gone.
So much had happened, but today was perhaps the biggest event since returning. Today she and Link would meet with her father to determine if Link would be pardoned of his crimes. Karane would be there as a witness, which made Zelda nervous, but so would Sahashrala. If anyone could convince the king, surely it was his lifelong advisor.
Her father hadn't known what to think of her when she'd returned home. This young woman that returned – dressed in black, beaten and dirty, with short hair and weapons at her hips – was so different than the daughter that had left. She had come back stronger, more authoritative, and much, much wiser. He'd been part furious and part overwhelmed with relief when he'd learned the whole story. That she had chosen to stay away. She had tirelessly stood up for Link and would not allow him to be arrested. The king had grudgingly agreed to temporarily allow him his freedom so long as he stayed within the castle boundaries. Not that it mattered. Link was in and out of the medical room for weeks; he'd suffered a concussion among other strains, cuts, bruises, and sprains. Luckily both of them had made a full recovery. But King Daphnes said Link was still a criminal, still a fugitive, and like all others he was subjected to a trial. Due to the recent events and conflicting testimonies, the king had agreed to a small council to decide if Link would be pardoned, or stand trial once again.
Zelda was ready to fight for him. Link was her best friend. He'd come to mean so much to her. He'd changed the way she viewed the world. Determined to ensure his freedom, Zelda turned away from the balcony and headed toward the meeting room.
In another part of the castle, outside in the gardens, Link sat on a stone bench with Telma. He was about to leave to attend the council with the king, and he needed some space to calm himself.
"I wish I could come," Telma complained. "Apparently they think as your mother-figure I'll be too biased."
He chuckled. "That doesn't sound like you at all." He was glad Telma had decided to stay; Jolene had returned to Trash City to help with the mess that had been left behind. When he'd been given a temporary room in the castle Telma had requested one of her own. Due to her involvement in stopping Cohen her request had been approved. Zelda may have also had a hand in the approval, but the princess wouldn't admit to it. The circumstances around Cohen's attempt at killing everyone in the castle were . . . foggy, to say the least. No one witnessed him there except for Telma and Jolene. There were only the two dead bodies and the packs that had been dropped. Telma and Jolene had promptly informed the castle guard that the packs contained a deadly virus and needed to be disposed of properly. While the soldiers cooperated and thanked them, there was so much confusion due to Veran's attack that there was never any real praise or reward for saving everyone. Telma assured she didn't need it, though. Finding out that Link was the Hero, that 'Mila' was actually princess Zelda, and that the old man Shral happened to be royal advisor Sahashrala was "enough excitement for one lifetime" she had said.
Link sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "I'm scared, Telma. What if they don't pardon me? I know I did good stopping Veran, but I've had a lifetime of doing bad."
"I won't promise you things I don't know," she said. "But I can promise you that Zelda and Sahashrala will fight for you. Whatever is meant to happen will, and we will make the best of it. What matters now is that you are free of Veran, forever."
He smiled. He was free. But for how long? He stood, stretching his legs. "It's time. I'll see you afterward, Telma. One way or another." He gave her a sincere look. "Thank you for . . . everything you've ever done for me. If it wasn't for you . . . Telma, I don't know where I'd be."
She stood and embraced him tightly. "I love you, Link. I'm so glad you're safe."
"I love you, too."
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The room they met in was small and simple with a round table in the middle. It still held the luxuries of the castle. Windows allowed in a view of the gardens, there was a crystal chandelier overhead and the table was made of marble. King Daphnes, Captain Karane, Sahashrala, Zelda, and Link all sat evenly spaced apart.
The king looked at them all in turn. "We're here to discuss the matter of Link receiving a pardon for his crimes. He has many years of criminal history which, prior to his escape from prison and subsequent run from the law, he faced the death penalty for." He paused, then continued. "But there have reports that Link has saved Hyrule from a demon, that he has done his crimes under duress of drawing this demon's attention, and that he is, in fact, the Hero from legend. If these prove to be true, it may be right to pardon him." He looked to Sahashrala. "What do you have to say about the situation?"
The old man straightened. "I support Link's claim. I researched the demon Veran and saw her myself. Her threat was real and if it wasn't for the actions of Link and the princess you could be dead, Your Highness. I know the soldiers here have taken issue at seeing Link free. I admit it looks incriminating since he attacked the castle – with Triforce magic, mind you – and killed many people. But it was Veran possessing him. I myself sent Zelda to the location where Link could be freed from the demon's hold and saw him emerge, freed, and Veran furious. Having spent time with Link on Trash City – and may I point out I am a learned man – I felt no malevolence from Link. He is just a hurt young man who has been on the run his entire life from the demon. I feel if any of us were in his situation, we may think it best to operate outside of the law, as well."
The king nodded, then turned to the captain who had grown tense over the old man's speech. "Captain Karane, what are your thoughts?"
"I do not like Link," she snapped blatantly, causing Zelda to flinch. "He's reckless, cocky, and has been a plague to the citizens of Hyrule. During his previous trial he was found guilty. The only reason his sentence wasn't carried out is because the Princess stopped it on a whim of hers. What I have seen from then on are only facts, Your Highness. Link escaped prison by kidnapping the Princess, led us on a chase for months, attacked us with magic on the ship back to the mainland, and all the castle guard testify they saw him in the castle planning to kill you." She took a deep breath, the few seconds of silence tense in the room. "That being said, honestly, before that incident on the ship I never saw Link use magic or kill anybody. I found it very uncharacteristic. And I also find it hard to believe that, on his own, he could have travelled from the ship to the castle and back to the island in such a short amount of time. While I feel the law is something that should be strictly upheld, I am not blinded by it. Something strange was going on. And if what Sahashrala claims is true, then perhaps rehabilitating Link back into society is the better option."
"And how do you suggest we accomplish that?" Daphnes asked.
"If he's pardoned I will put in a request for him to be entered into the military ranks. He would be under my watch and we could use a soldier like him."
This statement brought wide-eyed stares from Link and Zelda, surprised at her offer. The king just nodded and turned to his daughter, "Your thoughts on the matter?"
She cleared her throat, bringing her focus back to what she had planned to say. "I saved Link's life from execution because my Triforce piece was telling me to. I didn't understand why at the time. But when I travelled with Link and ultimately chose to go to Trash City with him, I discovered who he was and why he was on the run. I encountered Veran a few times myself and fought her. I saw her possess Link and she admitted it to me – something Link would have no reason to falsely claim. I went into the Demon World and freed Link from there, revealing Veran's true demonic form and battled her over the island. I do not blame Link for wanting to fight his fate to be the Hero. After all, it's only brought him pain. But I think when he stepped up and stopped Veran he fulfilled his destiny, and no one forced him to do it. I know he has the Triforce of Courage, I've seen it used. And I do feel like my claim on that shouldn't be challenged since no one else in this room has a piece of the Triforce. I will stand up for Link and fight for him as long as I have to until he gets his freedom. He deserves it. He's our Hero."
Link was touched by her words. And as the king at last looked to him and asked if he'd like to say anything, he could only think of a few things to say. "Your daughter saved my life in every way possible. I would not have been able to fight Veran or move on from my past if it wasn't for her. I just ask that you consider every side of this story, and that you send soldiers to provide relief to Trash City. They are citizens of Hyrule too and have had their home destroyed by the demon. If the royal family turns its back on them now, in their time of greatest need, you'll never repair that relationship."
King Daphnes' eyebrows shot up, surprised at the statement. A small smile briefly crossed his face before he became serious again. "Thank you all for your input. As the king, oftentimes I find myself having to make decisions about things I do not know much about. So having you three here as witnesses has been invaluable. I find in this case I must defer my decision to others whose knowledge is greater than mine. And I feel that now mercy is best. Link, I do believe my daughter, Sahashrala, and even Captain Karane's statements that support you are the Hero. And I do trust that you are working on turning your life around. I am thankful to hear that this demon who has hunted you has at last been stopped. And I will move forward with the Captain's plan to put you into the military to get you back on the right course. I trust her judgement in keeping a watchful eye on you, and I trust that your skillset will be put to good use. You are to remain at your room in the castle until your rehabilitation is complete. And you bring up a valid point, Link. Relief efforts will be sent to Trash City." He stood up. "My decision is final, thank you all for coming."
Link sat in shock and relief as the king walked out as well as Karane without a word. Sahashrala touched his shoulder with a smile before departing as well. After they had left Zelda leaned over and embraced the Hero tightly, and after another shocked second he returned it.
"I can't believe it," he breathed. "I really thought I was going to prison."
Zelda pulled back, beaming at him. "The goddesses are watching over you, Link. From now on, everything is going to be all right."
He leaned back in his chair, gazing out the window. Sunlight came through in thick beams that pooled on the table. "I don't . . . I don't even know what to do. For so long, I didn't think I had a future. I thought I'd either die young or lose myself to Veran – permanently. But now she's gone, I'm alive, and my crimes are no longer hanging over my head. I have a future now. It's such a . . . strange feeling."
She reached over and held his hand. "You have the rest of your life ahead of you."
He squeezed her hand in return, meeting her eyes. "I wonder what my life will be like, now that I'm free."
"It's going to be a good life."
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THE END
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Update 10/30/18: I am a published author! Go to my profile and the link at the top will take you to my bookstore!
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Well, that concludes that! This was a fun story to write, and I'm glad after all the delays I am finally able to wrap it up. Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed, your words motivated and inspired me every chapter. For fans of my previous Zelda epic, Bright as Night, you'll be excited to know that I have a sequel planned. I've been brainstorming for a few months and hopefully can get that going soon. I'm really excited for the plot that's developing!
Again, thank you all for your support, God bless, and have a great rest of your weekend!
~ Allendra