Another crack appeared on the black ice-like egg, splitting off the first like how the nature of a bolt of lightning was to fork across a stormy sky. More blood-coloured light spilt from the black cocoon and Link took a few steps back. The orb… pulsated, like a demon's heart: blackened with hate and disease. With each pulse it grew in size and its cracks multiplied. His instincts as a knight warned him to be prepared, and his senses as a living spirit informed him that a dark and ancient magic was at work. The Hylian's eyes glanced at his sword, which seemed to vibrate faintly in his grip. Link narrowed his gaze and once again wished that he still had access to his full spiritual awareness. If he had, then perhaps he'd have a better understanding of what was unsettling his sword's spirit so extensively. The Master Sword's eternal gleam was shining bright, as if absorbing the bright sunlight of the day. If Link believed it to be true, he could almost say that the blade was in its own manner preparing for the battle against the darkness they faced.
The knight dared to take another step back, followed by another. He gritted his teeth at the steeply increasing pressure of power emanating from the orb. More cracks were spreading across the sphere's surface, and still it grew.
When the sphere had grown to the size of a small house, Link's eyes darted towards the shore. He furrowed his brow at what he saw. Just great. Emerging from the gentle rolling waves of the tide were more spheres of seawater. These were still clear, not blackened like the one growing around Dark Link, and within each was the form of a Tulul warrior. Their long bodies, with their humanoid torsos and fish-like tails, wore aquatic-styled armor: with bones, scales, and coral. Each Tulul bore spears or tridents in their grasps, with their webbed-digits armed with two-inch claws. The spheres glided, rather than rolled, out of the ocean. However, rather than breaking upon the beach to render the water tribesmen to be as helpless as fish out of water, the spheres sprouted crab-like limbs that allowed the spheres to walk out onto the hot black sand. Was this a demonstration of their own waterbending abilities? Or… was someone else allowing them to accomplish terrestrial transportation?
Link leapt backwards a few more steps up the beach to put more distance between himself and the encroaching Tulul. Dark Link's black sphere, now as large as a Castle Town manor, was covered with a myriad of interlocking and criss-crossing cracks that shone with the ominous crimson light. Whatever was about to hatch from within, was going to be enormous. The Tulul and their traversal water spheres were emerging from the ocean in droves and steadily were making their way up the beach and towards Link. Glancing between the Tulul and his main focus of the throbbing giant black sphere, Link steeled himself for the barrage that he knew was coming.
Both from Dark Link and his comrades.
As if on cue, the light shining through the orb's cracks brightened with intensity. The black orb swelled like an overripe black grape as the light increased further, pushing the sphere's surface coverage to its limits. Link shifted his hold on his Hylian Shield and tensed his muscles for battle.
Any moment now…
The knight's attention shifted to his right and the large Tulul that was headed right for him. Link smirked when he heard a series of thunks, four to be precise, that resounded against the ocean's breeze. Keeping his gaze fixed on the orb on the brink of bursting, Link saw in his peripheral streaks of blue through the air that announced the arrival of the Twilight's war projectiles. Midna had not said what would happen once the spheres were launched, only that Link should trust in the aim of the queen's warriors. Link trusted Midna, so he held his ground, even as the Tulul advanced on him.
One after another, the four Twilight spheres came in contact with the beach and the unfortunate Tulul in their seawater vehicles. One sphere landed directly on the Tulul that was aiming its trident at Link. Upon impact, it burst with a brilliant blue light. The Tulul screamed in agony, but their pain was cut short. The domes of Twilight light quickly collapsed inwards, condensing in size and colour, until a dense dark orb the size of a large marble remained. This marble then exploded into Twilight black particles that dissipated under the Light World sun. The three other orbs met their marks, and more Tulul that had ventured too far up the beach met the same fate as their comrade who dared get too close to Link.
The knight smirked at the magical technology of the Twilight. His admiration quickly evaporated with severity as he frowned when another explosion consumed the beach, albeit much more cacophonous. Dark Link's crack-riddled egg had finally hatched. Black shards of shell-like ice were flung in every direction like bolts from a giant crossbow. The missiles that struck the watery orbs of the Tulul disintegrated in a flurry of glinting tainted ice particles: rendered harmless. Link grunted as he lifted his Hylian Sword and dropped to his knee to protect himself as a few shards struck the face of his trusted shield. Each impact felt as strong as an Ordon Goat charge at full sprint and made his arm numb once the barrage was over.
Black smoke filtered through the air and shrouded the area where the giant orb had stood with obscurity. Link peered over the top of his shield and glared. The miasma was thick, he couldn't quite see his enemy. Where the vapours wafted with the ocean's breeze, a dark form of a gigantic beast could be discerned. A great and ferocious growl erupted from the drifting dark fumes and a pair of large red eyes appeared and pierced through; the eyes stared directly down at the Hyrulean Knight. Link stood and resumed his stance to confront the monstrous beast. Whatever nightmarish form Dark Link had taken, Link would face head-on and handle with the determination of a hero. The Master Sword shone brightly in his hand, ready to fight as well. More Twilight orbs exploded around Link, destroying any Tulul that endangered him or travelled too far up the beach. Link ignored their explosions and took a couple steps towards his large adversary; the blasts stirring his hair, but not his nerve.
A gust of breeze finally parted the thick smoke to reveal the monster that Dark Link had become. Link recognized the form instantly. The knight had, after all, fought the beast for an entire week in the Underlayer, and again after the avalanche. Now the form had been mutated and engorged by dark ancient magic. The wolf was gigantic, with its size rivaling the Dark Beast form of Ganon that Link had battled alongside Midna six years ago in the throne room of Hyrule Castle. Dark Link's wolf form had become burlier, shaggier, with its fur appearing more wild and matted, marred with an oily sheen that heightened the monster's grotesque and sickly facade. A thick mane framed the wolf's great head, with its maw agape and globs of dark drool dripped from between the beast's huge fangs. The size of the wolf's paws alone could easily crush Link if given the chance. The beast's great weight submerged its feet into the black sand, hiding the wolf's deadly claws from view. Yet, the knight remained undaunted when the wolf took a massive step closer to him.
Link had faced Ganondorf and defeated him. He was confident that he could win against this overgrown mangy wolf who had dared to lay a hand upon Zelda. The giant wolf growled, baring its fangs down at the lone knight, and Dark Link narrowed his red-glowing at him. Link maintained his determined frown even when the wolf bit at the air with menacing intention, barking a ferocious growl, with grim foam dripping from its muzzle.
The hero scoffed.
"Look at you… nothing but a mindless and dumb animal. Heh! And you dared claim to be my reflection?! Pathetic-!"
If Link was trying to goad the beast into attacking first, he succeeded. The sounds of the beach and the explosions of the Twili orbs disappeared and all Link heard were the growls of the wolf he faced.
The wolf lunged and Link leapt away, spinning in the air to slice at the wolf's cheek. Howling with fury and pain, the beast snapped at the swordsman who backflipped out of his reach once more. As soon as his boots met the sand, Link slashed his sword downwards to release a burst of power to strike the wolf's hairy flesh. Wincing from the sacred light, the black wolf turned its head away and blindly struck at the man with his massive paw. Nimbly avoiding the attack, Link grunted when he quickly had to sidestep lest he be cut down from a Tulul's thrown spear. Narrowing his eyes, Link glared at the approaching water-being before having to leap away when he saw the incoming Twili orb coming to destroy the nuisance. The explosion was blinding, forcing him to look away. Link turned back to Dark Link and his breath hitched, before quickly bashing the edge of his shield into the striking wolf's nose. Leaping into the air, Link flipped forward and developed a slicing helm splitter to cut the beast's nose right down the middle. Landing on the monster's head, Link spun to slice at one of the great crimson's eyes that glared at him, but missed. Frowning at the error, the knight jumped from the wolf's head a second before the beast tried to shake him off.
Falling to the sand, the knight rolled forward to distance himself from the wolf, before pivoting as he stood to face his assailant. The beast released a forced yelp of pain. Black blood flowed from his split nose and where the oozing droplets landed on the sand, the liquid seemed to bubble and sizzle. The demon suddenly dove blindly, snapping its teeth, to try and crush the man with his jaws. The Hylian warrior easily dodged. Seeing an opening, Link thrust his sword into the open wound upon Dark Link's cheek, striking bone, before he slashed his blade free with a spurt of black wolven blood to follow. Whining like a whipped dog, the wolf's anguish turned into rage. Growling into the air, the wolf released a pained howl that was ear shattering. Gritting his teeth against the sound, Link stepped back, but through his narrowed vision he could see the wolf's demeanour begin to change. The creature's dense mane began to waver with a dark aura and swelled in volume with malicious power. Link gritted his teeth and he lowered his stance defensively, ready to defend or leap away.
Sheik narrowed their eyes at the spectacle of Light versus Dark.
Knil… Sheik could see how the aura of ancient magic permeated his form, cloaking him like a thick shroud of doom. His presence… had completely changed. Whereas Dark Link was a being of shadow, he wasn't wholly evil. This wolf, however… Was the beast even aware of itself? Did it retain its memories of self? Or had it truly become a senseless creature of darkness and death? Watching the beast raise its hackles that writhed like tendrils of a malignant kraken, Sheik was at their limits of being a bystander. The Tulul had managed to get much too close to Link and he couldn't afford being distracted when facing such a heinous beast. The Sheikah sisters stood on either side of Sheik, offering their lives as protection if required, and would follow their command into battle without hesitation. The tentacles of the wolf squirmed and lengthed, targeting Link, and Sheik made a single sound. In an instant, all three Sheikah vanished from their solemn vigil.
Vahlymor and Balin were standing a few feet away. The Noruidians were busy organizing the Twili warriors and their war machines, but glanced at the sudden disappearance of the Sheikah. An exclamation from Arvid drew their attention back to Sir Link's battle. The prince watched with his hollowed expression the three forms of the Sheikah dashing forward with impressive speed. Wasn't the plan for Sir Link to fight his dark counterpart on his own? The Sheikah flitted around with their remarkable speed, avoiding any Tulul in their way, before utilizing their skills and blades to deflect the tentacles that had sprouted from the back horrid beast. With the Sheikah flanking him, the Hyrulean Knight resumed striking at the wolf's maw. The flashes of his legendary blade appeared to keep the monster at bay, the prince observed. Glancing at Balin, Vahl signalled for another wave of Twilight orbs to be launched. He had to protect his comrades from his kingdom's sworn enemies. If any of them were injured or felled in battle, Queen Zelda would be upset and he would hate for her to feel unhappiness if he could help it.
The arrival of the Sheikah did surprise Link, for about a second or two. He quickly accepted their assistance when one of the Sheikah sisters, Adla he thought, sliced one of the demonic tendrils in two. This enabled the knight to deliver another attack unhindered to the wolf's shaggy leg. Link darted away from yet another snarled bite of retaliation from the giant wolf, but the man was quickly realizing that this hack and slash tactic was not going to work. The wolf was just too large and it was going to take too much time and energy on Link's part to even slow the beast down. Even with the Sheikah's help, and their efforts with keeping the Tulul and wolf's tendrils at bay, Link knew that he was not going to be able to keep up this pace forever. The wolf was wearing him down, bit by bit. The heat of the day was starting to bead sweat upon the man's brow and his calves were beginning to burn from the constant sinking of the fine black sand. If Link was going to end this, he was going to have to think of something quick.
Link growled with frustration when all of the wounds he had inflicted on the wolf's body began to heal, the wolf's flesh melting together around the wound like tar filling a crack. Fuck. Whatever power that Dark Link was given clearly included regeneration. Fucking perfect…
With the cuts vanished, a series of rolling, thunderous growls began to resound from the beast's throat. Link narrowed his eyes up at the monster's face when he recognized that his dark counterpart was laughing at him. The wolf gave the Sheikah no recognition at all, seemingly content with them occupying themselves with fighting any nearby Tulul or the wolf's black mane tendrils. They were like flies bothering a bull: barely a nuisance worth acknowledging. The wolf's attention was solely on the green-clad knight and with a beastly grimace he showcased his dagger-long teeth. His intentions were clear. Once again the wolf came at him with one of his giant legs, trying to slice the knight to ribbons with his gnarly claws. Link jumped away, before tucking and rolling to the side, only to spring up with a delicate spin to back slice the leg's tendon. The wolf howled with agony and backed away a step. He raised his injured leg, the wolf reaching down to lick at the wound, before he whined and growled in fury.
Link flicked his wrist to rid his sacred blade of any of the beast's blood before he smoothly returned to a ready stance, daring the wolf to attack. He expected for the wolf to strike with a bite or to try and gouge him with his claws or entangle him with his tendrils. Link expected some trick that Dark Link had already shown to be capable of. However, Link grunted with faint surprise when the wolf suddenly leapt high into the air, at least thirty feet, even briefly blocking the hot midday sun. The Hyrulean Knight gasped and backflipped back when the wolf suddenly came crashing down on its two front legs, driving its paws deep into the sand, and sending an earth-rocking shockwave that caused the man to stumble with his landing. Barely able to recover, the wolf once again took to the air. Twice more the wolf tried to squash the nimble knight, jumping up high before diving down, creating sizable craters in the relatively even beach.
The Sheikah could only glance at the wolf as it leapt once more into the air and tried to crush Link. Sheik wanted to go over and help Link, but couldn't as the trio were already pretty occupied with keeping the Tulul away from the hero. However, unlike the attempts before, Link was ready for the wolf's next pounce. Once the beast struck the sand, the knight dashed forward, the Master Sword held before him and he was focusing power into the blade. With a mighty leap off of the raised lip of the newly formed crater, Link jumped through the air, yelling fiercely, before skillfully delivering a jump strike into the wolf's left leg. The surge of power exploded the flesh around the blade, cascading sacred light into the cursed beast. Grunting, Link drove the blade down through the meat of the wolf's forearm, lengthening the wound, with all of the force and weight he could muster. A pained scream filled the air. Most of the mortals in the vicinity, including the Tulul, were forced to cover their ears to hide them from the terrifying yowl of the injured animal. Dark Link lifted his leg and nipped at the parasite impaling into his flesh, but was too slow. Link had already dug his boots into the wolf's fury to kick the Master Sword free from the beast and send himself back into the air, narrowly avoiding the monster's bite.
Arching his back to backflip as he sailed through the air, Link intended to land back on the sand to face the wolf once more. That was his plan. He thought he had enough time to do so, but was quickly proven wrong. Beyond enraged by Link's jump slice stunt, Dark Link thrust his head forward with supernatural speed and finally caught the falling hero with his teeth. Gasping, Link twisted in the air to try and avoid the beast. His eyes snapping wide, Link bared his teeth before screaming out in pain when he was caught. The beast's teeth dug into his right arm, pushing the magical material of his Hero's tunic to its limits. Blood began to pool around the teeth as the monster tried to clamp its jaws shut. Letting out another scream, Link knew that the only thing stopping the wolf from completely biting off his arm beside his magical tunic, was his Hylian Shield that was lodged between the monster's fangs. Neither were going to last for much longer. Fighting through the blinding pain, Link raised the Master Sword to stab at the wolf's nose, trying to make the cursed dog drop him.
Instead, the huge wolf began to shake his head, violently. Crying out, Link lost his grip on the Master Sword. With an anguish gasp, he vaguely watched the sword careen through the air only to impale the sand some twenty feet away from the wolf. A circle of glass formed around the blade, purified by the Blade of Evil's Bane, and deterred nearby Tulul away from the sacred weapon. Without his sword, Link knew that now he was in real trouble.
Alerted by Link's screams, Sheik's eyes widened upon seeing the knight in the wolf's jaws and being shaken like a dog toy. Rushing forward, the reborn Sheikah leapt up onto the wolf's back, sprinting up to the beast's head. Without slowing, Sheik plunged both of their Sheikah blades into the wolf's left eye. Howling with pain, the beast shook its head with such force that Sheik was thrown down to the sand, but Link was also released. The knight fell roughly to the sand below, landing with a pained grunt. In terrible pain with his right arm mangled, the man had to quickly roll away to avoid the beast's stomping feet. Adla and Malia instantly appeared at Sheik's side to protect them.
"To Link!" Sheik ordered, and the sisters charged forward towards the fallen knight.
Seeing the sister's appear at the knight's side in an instant, Sheik took the opportunity to look around to try and locate the Master Sword. Catching sight of the legendary blade, Sheik dashed forward, leaping to spin headlong through the air and avoid a Tulul's thrown spear, before continuing towards the sword. Saved by the sisters, Link gritted his teeth against the pain in his arm. He suddenly found himself several feet away from the rampaging giant wolf who was still half-blinded. With one eye shut against the pain, Link glanced between the faces of Malia and Adla, with the elder sister already cutting a strip of cloth from the knight's crimson cape to bind the man's arm. His Hylian Shield was bent and its metal was torn: unusable. Malia skillfully cut through the shield's straps to free the man's now-useless arm from it. Sucking in a breath to stop himself from calling out when Adla tightened his dressing, Link focused on the pain to fuel his adrenaline. Daring to look away from the bucking and wild wolf, Link frantically looked around and found Sheik standing by the Master Sword.
"Wait! Stop! Don't!" he called hoarsely, reaching his left arm out to try and stop the Sheikah from trying to draw the blade from the sand. He wouldn't be able to! He'd be repelled by the sword's barrier and-! Link's breath caught in his throat when Sheik easily drew the Master Sword from its glassy beach pedestal in a quick and smooth motion. "Impossible…" Link mumbled, dumbfounded, before grunting with pain as Adla tied another strip of his cape's cloth around his bleeding arm.
Squinting through the pain, Link couldn't look away from the stupefying scene displayed there on the beach. It should've been impossible, yet there was Sheik, standing unaffected, with the Master Sword in his grip. Link blinked at the image, but his pain-riddled mind couldn't wrap itself around how this could be possible. Were all Sheikah able to wield the sword? It's not like Link had ever tested something like this. With some effort, Link forced himself to sit up and Adla assisted him without a word. His left hand gripped his injured right arm and his breathing was heavy and hoarse. During this time, Dark Link had regained the use of his eye and his leg had mostly healed itself. With both of his eyes working, the beast had caught sight of the Master Sword wielding Sheikah and bared its teeth at the new threat. The wolf's great red eyes glared down at the lone Sheikah, appearing to study Sheik, before growling threateningly. Perhaps Dark Link took some sort of offence to the fact that Sheik could wield the Master Sword, or maybe it was simply the fact that they dared to face him. Whatever his reasons, the giant wolf snarled, bloodthirsty, before charging at his new prey.
Malia moved to rush to Sheik's side, but Adla held her sister back. They had been ordered to protect Link and would remain doing so, at least for the time being. Link, however, grunted and tried to move to stand. The knight faltered, falling back to his knee, and could only watch as Sheik spryly dodged the creature's attack. The Sheikah warrior spun in the air to unleash a wave of energy from the sword from their spin attack. Link could hardly believe his eyes. The giant wolf matched his Light World's counterpart's surprise and flinched away from the surprise energy attack. The beast swiped a paw in a weak attempt to strike his agile target. Sheik was too quick, leaping and arching through the air, disappearing and reappearing due to their superior Sheikah techniques and speed. Again and again the Sheikah struck at the wolf, blasting him with energy bursts from every angle. Was Sheik buying Link time? If so, the knight couldn't just sit there and let them risk their life. His arm was bound, the bleeding had stopped or at the very least slowed. Fine, he could still fight with only one arm, he'd done it before after all. Besides, his left hand was his dominant hand anyways.
Malia dashed away to quickly dispatch a nearby Tulul, bursting its water bubble and slicing the water being's throat. Dark turquoise blood spurted from the wound even before the creature fell to the sand, with Malia sprinting away to distract another. Another wave of Twilight orbs exploded, though noticeably further up the beach. The Tulul were advancing and more and more were still exiting the ocean. If Link didn't do something quick, his comrades would soon be overwhelmed or driven back.
Forcing himself to again try and stand, Link sucked in a breath as Adla assisted him before shouting out a word in Sheikah. Malia looked back at her sister before turning towards the wolf. Sheik once again dodged the brute's fangs and sliced the Master Sword down the creature's cheek, exactly as Link had done minutes before. Just as the Sheikah was about to leap away once more, a flurry of tendrils erupted from the wolf's mane and shot towards Sheik. Cutting through most of them, a couple managed to wrap around Sheik's ankle and wrist, yanking the fleeing Sheikah out of the air. Malia shot forward and Adla instantly abandoned Link's side. The knight staggered but remained standing. Clutching his arm, Link watched as the sisters rapidly slashed at the wolf to try and free their brother. Link knew that he had to help, but how? With his right arm useless as it was, he couldn't use his bow, so that left him with-
Adla or Malia screamed in fury and Link looked up and gasped. All he could do was watch as Sheik was suddenly thrown to the ground, hard. Sheik still held the Master Sword, but was trapped by the increasing mass of tentacles that were wrapping around their struggling person. Malia and Adla were unleashing their full Sheikah fury in an attempt to free their brother. The wolf ignored their efforts and promptly stepped one of its huge paws on top of Sheik, clearly threatening to crush them. The knight scowled and stepped forward to try and help. He had to do something! Anything! And quick!
An idea popped in his head and he reacted on instinct. No time to doubt himself. Reaching his left hand into his magical pouches, Link withdrew the Gale Boomerang. In a fluid moment, he turned and saw the next round of Twilight orbs launched into the air. He mentally locked onto two of them before glancing at the giant wolf, and threw the boomerang. The weapon spun through the air, creating a small tornado as it travelled along the path of its master's choosing. The whirlwind picked up black sand as it spun, dying the twister black, before catching the two Twilight orbs out of the air before they reached their targets.
"Adla! Malia! Get back!" Link shouted, as his black tornado with the bluish lights of the Twilight orbs spiralling within, made a beeline towards the giant black wolf.
The Sheikah sisters glanced towards him before seeing the whirlwind coming towards them and quickly jumped to safety. The beast had his focus on his trapped query, but the sudden absence of his assaulting Sheikah caused the wolf to pause. Turning his giant head, the wolf's eyes widened a second before the tornado collided with his side. The Gale Boomerang returned to Link and he caught it as a bolt of pain. Ignoring his arm, the hero's gaze was locked on the twin domes of blue light that were consuming the majority of the large black wolf's body. The force of the blasts had thrown the wolf onto its side. The monster howled with agony when the Twilight bombs began to collapse in on themselves, giving Adla and Malia the opportunity to rush in and cut Sheik free and drag him away from the wolf.
The pair of Twilight domes shrank to the size of marbles, just like all the rest that had been launched. When they exploded into Twilight particles, the large wolf was rendering a whimpering mass with most of its torso and half of its hind leg having been completely erased. Rather than organs and innards, the wolf's body was just a black void, with small tendrils already extending to begin to repair and regenerate the missing mass. Seeing that they had a minute or so, Link went over and knelt down next to Sheik along with his sisters. Adla met his eyes and gave him a nod of thanks.
Sheik was semi-conscious and there was blood dripping from the side of his head. Judging from their pained expression, they were in a considerable amount of pain after having been stepped on by the wolf. Rage filled Link and he reached over to take back the Master Sword that Sheik had steadfastly held onto. The moment his fingers touched the Sheikah's fingers, Sheik's eyes snapped open and he moved to defend himself. Adla and Malia held him down, the elder Sheikah soothing him in their language. Malia once again had to leave her siblings' side to protect the trio from Tulul. Sheik's narrowed gaze met Link's. Upon seeing the knight, Sheik immediately stilled and settled back down, releasing the sword. Link gave him a nod and took hold of the Master Sword. The knight stood to once again face the regenerating wolf and put himself between the beast and the fallen Sheik.
Already the hole in Dark Link's side had nearly healed and the beast was trying to return to its feet. Its eyes blazed a brighter red and his endless growls reverberated through the air. Angered at the pain that Dark Link has caused, Link was not going to stand by any longer while the wolf healed. Raising his sword above his head, power surged through the blade and its ethereal gleam brightened under the bright day's sun. The wolf bared its fangs at him, a wounded animal backed into a corner, but Link didn't care. Without remorse the hero sliced his blade down and released a powerful Skyward Strike. The blast of power struck the wolf in the chest, forcing him back, and causing him to collapse back onto the sand. Link already had his arm raised again, charging another Strike, which he unleashed on the beast as it struggled to get up. He raised his arm again, his hair wavering around him and blood dripping from his arm, but Link was determined to cut the demon wolf down.
From their place on the sand, Sheik watched the back of the knight standing there, protecting his Sheikah comrades, and how he raised his sword a third time. Sheik saw the resolve in his statue, but noted the blood dripping from his chewed arm. There was no doubt in Sheik's mind that Link was prepared to die if it meant that Dark Link was destroyed. Sheik couldn't let that happen. Not again… not so soon after Link was revived. Gritting their teeth, Sheik began to sit up and Adla was torn between helping them and making them lay back down. The Sheikah resigned to assist Sheik in their mission. Sitting up was a strain, but Sheik did so without complaint. Holding their ribs, Sheik gazed up at the assaulted wolf and how it howled in agony as yet another Skyward Strike struck its mass. Link would continue his assault until either the wolf's regeneration expired, or he did. Sheik knew this. This was why they had taken it upon themselves to try and wear down the wolf with the Master Sword, in addition to allowing Link a moment to get his wound bound.
Lifting their arm to shield against the glare of the sun, Sheik paused when a flash of red amongst the wolf's fur caught their attention. Squinting, Sheik focused on the dark fur of the wolf's right ear. The wolf moved again and there was another sparkle of red. Sheik subtle gasped when they realized what they were seeing. It was a tiny earring, probably outfitted with a ruby: the same one that had been gifted to Dark Link while buried under an avalanche. In that instant, Sheik knew what they had to do to save Link. The wolf growled viciously, his wounds deep and squirmed with hundreds of tendrils. The monster crouched to prepare to attack the knight, who was preparing another Skyward Strike to keep the beast at bay.
That is until a voice, full of desperation and indignation, cut through the air.
"KNIL! You are a LIAR!"
The wolf froze, becoming a black statue. Link frowned at the beast's reaction, rousing him to glance aside to see Sheik. The Sheikah was kneeling, holding themselves to contain their pain, and was glaring up at the wolf. Sheik glanced at Adla and wordlessly the Sheikah reached down to help her brother stand, which Sheik did with some effort. Once on their feet with Adla supporting them, Sheik continued to glare up at the wolf. Meeting his crimson's eyes, Sheik raised a hand and pointed a finger accusingly up at the wolf. and shouted once more.
"You are a liar, Knil! You have broken your promise and in doing so, have lied about always telling the truth!"
The wolf finally moved and leaned forward to regard the accusing Sheikah. It moved its jaws and spoke with a deep and destructive voice.
"YOU DARE CALL ME A LIAR?! WHO ARE YOU TO SPEAK TO ME IN THIS WAY?! HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT NAME!?"
While he would never admit it, Link was just as confused as Dark Link was. Knil? What was that? A name? Dark Link… had a name? Since when?!
Adla looked at Sheik, her visible eyes creased with viable concern, but Sheik refused to look away from the wolf. As if answering the wolf, Sheik reached up and pulled down their stealth mask, revealing his blood smeared face, before quickly reaching up to remove his turban. The moment that Sheik's headcovering was flung to the sand, the Sheikah began to shine with a light that rapidly consumed their visage, forcing the wolf to squint against its brightness. Lasting only a few seconds, the light died and then it was time for Link to freeze.
"No…! Zelda?! How-?! No!"
The wolf's eyes widened and the creature began to shake before visibly shirking away. Zelda, her hair no longer white and her features having regained their femininity, once again pointed up at the wolf and the beast flattened his ears pathetically.
"You swore to me that you would never hurt me, Knil! But you have! You have broken your word and are a liar!"
Link, faltering with his stance and lowering his arm to disarm his Skyward Strike, looked between Zelda and Dark Link. The huge wolf continued to stare wide-eyed down at the Sheikah outfitted Hyrulean Queen and Link could see that he was… shaking? Was Dark Link… afraid? Ashamed? Or just stunned by Zelda's sudden reveal? If so, why? And what was this promise Zelda spoke of? And, seriously! What the fuck was up with the name Knil?! When had that been established!? Zelda certainly hadn't told Link about any of this, but clearly it was important enough if it had stopped the beast in his tracks.
Out of nowhere the wolf raised his head and began to howl. The sound was full of remorse, sad, and lonely. The sound struck Link in the chest and even he was taken back by the feeling of regret that echoed in his ears. Link knew it was regret even if he wasn't in his wolf form himself. How? He just… knew. Link would always dismiss the connection between Dark Link and himself, but that didn't mean that one wasn't there. The knight took a few steps back, unwilling to believe that wasn't some sort of trick, and stopped when he stood by Zelda's side. Glancing aside at her, Link narrowed his brows when he saw the sadness in Zelda's eyes as she watched the giant wolf mournful howl. Only after a few more seconds did the woman finally look over to meet her knight's gaze and Link frowned.
"What are you doing here?" he asked sternly, looking back up at Dark Link.
Zelda responded by reaching over to graze her hand against his limp right arm. Lifting her fingers to touch his blood that was smeared upon her skin, Zelda whispered back, "Fighting at your side. Protecting you as you have protected me."
Link's chest tightened and he clenched his teeth, but he dared not look back at Zelda. He wordlessly stepped in front of her and Adla, with Malia watching from a distance and was continuing to protect their backs. Dark Link continued to howl his sad song and his fur began to fall away from his hide. Or, perhaps melt away was a better way to describe what was happening. The wolf's form wavered and unstabilized, with icky blackness beginning to puddle beneath his paws. Link lifted the Master Sword and gestured for Adla and Zelda to step back. He also took a few steps back the more the wolf liquified until it had become a morphing black mass that was gradually shrinking in size. The ink merged with the black sand of the beach, leaving a large area that was darker, like an oil slick, blemishing the fine sand. When the last of the wolf's mass melted into the sand, all that remained was Dark Link, on his knees, with his head bowed.
Zelda gasped behind Link, but he ignored her plight. Her concern for the fiend was unfounded and misplaced. The knight raised his sword and readied his stance, ready to face his dark counterpart once again. Dark Link remained where he knelt with his hands resting palms-up upon his thighs, his white bangs hiding his downturned face. Frowning at the villain's pathetic form, Link lifted his chin and called out to him.
"Hey! Stop with the pity party! On your feet and fight me! If not, I will cut you down where you are… Knil."
Link couldn't stop the disgust from seeping into his voice as he spoke the ridiculous name. Zelda shot him a surprised look, but her gaze was quickly caught when Dark Link slowly lifted his head. Link's serious, no nonsense expression was mirrored identically by his shade. Gone was Dark Link's snark and arrogance, for the expression looking over at them was of a man who was empty inside. His crimson eyes locked onto Zelda, his gaze sad and full of regret. Link's blood boiled and he took a threatening step forward.
"Zelda…" Dark Link muttered, his voice haunting and raw. "Forgive me. I… forgot you could do that little trick of yours. But, I guess, that was a different time… a different Zelda… I forgot. But I… I will always love you, no matter the era, the timeline. I am sorry that I hurt you." A slow blink divulged the depth of Dark Link's remorse, before he creased his brow and shifted his eyes to meet Link's. "Our deal is broken. She's coming," he warned simply, his expression hard and grave.
If Dark Link wished to say anything more, his time had run out to do so. A series of hands with long digits and sharp nails suddenly emerged from the oily sand to clasp around Dark Link: covering his eyes, his mouth, his throat, and binding his hands. He offered no fight, like he had no energy to even try
"Knil!" Zelda called out, daring to try and step forward but was held back by Adla. The queen could only watch as her dark knight was pulled down into the sand, like being dragged underwater. Dark Link, calm returned to the beach.
The Tulul had ceased with their progression up the beach and were positioned in a rough encirclement around the Sheikah and Hyruleans, though the tribe offered them a wide berth. They seemed to be waiting for something or someone. Malia had backed up to be closer to her sister and Zelda, prepared to defend their backs if the Tulul continued to advance towards them. The bombardment of the Twilight orbs had also ceased, and Link hoped that that wasn't because their comrades had run out of ammunition. He assumed the stalemate was an opportunity for the prince to observe and see what the enemy was going to do next rather than waste valuable projectiles.
"Look over there! In the water!"
Link followed where Zelda was pointing and instantly dropped back into his defensive stance. Standing there amongst the gently rolling tidal waves, about fifty feet from shore, stood what looked to be a woman.
The woman looked to be levitating a few feet above the water and where a wave was high enough to possibly reach the woman's feet, the water looked like it broke upon an invisible barrier rather than reach her body. Gliding silently forward, the woman's features became more clear the closer she got to the beach. She was a tall woman, as tall or taller than even Adla, and her skin was deeply tanned with what looked like a greenish tinge. Her hair was a bright red, tied back in a long ponytail that nearly reached the ground, with the sides of her head shaved and the top of her hair tied into an ornate headpiece or diadem. Two long bangs framed her narrow face and upon her forehead was situated a large two-toned jewel: half ruby, half sapphire. Some men would call her beautiful, with her strong features, full lips, muscular stature and full bosom. Her face was dominated by a pair of thick and serious red brows that were angled to accentuate her amber eyes framed by emerald eye makeup. Her luscious lips were painted in a bright blue, which contrasted her vibrant red hair perfectly. Her muscular frame was garbed in elaborate yet revealing armour, gilded in golds and rubies, that showcased her large cleavage, strong abdominals, and strong arms. Intricate golf tattoos cascaded across the woman's exposed skin, while her legs were sheathed in free flowing garments that lightly billowed with the ocean's soft breeze. She was barefoot and wore gold bangles around her ankle and wrists. Behind her floated a pair of what could be deemed as wings, but they were formless appendages, with one made with what looked to be unnatural ice and the other live fire.
Link cared not for how the woman looked and he definitely did not find her beautiful. All he cared about was the fact that whoever this woman was, she most certainly resembled the Gerudo, giving credit to what Midna told him and Zelda, and more importantly that in her right hand she carried a large black sword. The weapon was significantly larger than the Master Sword and was nearly completely black in colour. However, Link narrowed his eyes at the notable red aura surrounding the blade, mirroring how his own sword's blade shone with sacred blue light. The hilt of the black sword resembled that of the Master Sword in shape, with both guards of the sword resembling wings, but the black sword's looked more demonic in nature. The grips of the hilts were both imbued with a similar criss-cross pattern and both had a jewel inlaid into the sword's guard. The Master Sword bore a golden jewel and the emblem of the Triforce upon its forte, while the black sword bore a blood red ruby and a reversed Triforce that faced its wielder.
There was little question as to the identity of this menacing blade: the Demon Sword of Demise.
Link's fingers tingled upon the hilt of the Master Sword, that had begun to shine brighter and almost hum at the corners of his mind. The spirit of his blade seemed to recognize the dark sword and a warning grew into a whisper near the edges of the knight's senses. He needed to be careful. The sword was more than it appeared…
The woman set foot upon the beach and a small smile played upon her blue-tinted lips. The Tulul squealed and clicked in their spheres of water across the beach, bowing their heads towards the woman and lowered their weapons. Whoever this woman was, it was clear that she was the one who commanded the water tribe.
Link tensed in his stance when she moved her arm to point the tip of her blade towards the beach. The woman lowered her hand until the sword just touched the darker stained sand. Instantly, droplets of inky oil began to bubble up from the sand and were absorbed into the sword. More and more of the tar-like ooze splotched onto the dark blade, before becoming one with its metal. All the while, the woman stared at the pair of Hylians and Sheikah with her unrelenting smile.
"Answer me this, wielder of the Demon Sword of Demise: are you the one behind all of this? The one pulling at Dark Link strings and the crafter of the Atishokull?"
Link's tone was final throughout his questions. He was not going to play any games and he wanted answers.
The woman smirked at his words before beginning to laugh. Her mirth was unsettling and her amusement coaxed Zelda to step closer to Link's side. The Hyrulean Queen could almost see the darkness radiating from the woman, like a tangible black cloak that was rippling around her imposing figure. When the last of the oily residue was sapped from the sand, the woman ceased with her laughter and positioned the sword in front of her. She placed her other hand upon its hilt, and set the sword's tip into the sand. Zelda narrowed her eyes as the image. Something at the back of her mind brushed her memory with familiarity, but she couldn't pinpoint why.
Arching her prominent brow, the woman shifted her gaze from Link to meet Zelda's and finally spoke.
"Queen Zelda… you should train your dogs better," the woman quipped, a smirk playing on her lips. "They shouldn't forget their manners when addressing their superiors."
Link growled under his breath and brandished the Master Sword, ready to cut the woman down where she stood. However, he stopped when Zelda placed her hand upon his arm. He blinked at her with a frown when she stepped forward to respond to the woman.
"Without knowing your identity and title, how are we to know how to properly address thee? You appear to know who we are, so we await your introduction."
The woman continued her smirk and tapped one of her fingers, heavily laden with jeweled rings, upon the pommel of her sword. Seconds ticked by and the woman continued to stare at Zelda. The Hyrulean monarch met her gaze undaunted and held herself with the air of regality and power that naturally was a part of her composure. Link and the Sheikah, on the other hand, were primed and ready to fight and were only waiting for Zelda's given signal.
Finally the woman gave a scoff and her eyes flashed with hidden intentions before she spoke.
"I suppose that it has been some time since I've had to formally introduce myself. After all, my servants have all simply been referred to as Goddess or Divine Lady. You know, titles of those varieties. The mongrel you know as Dark Link referred to me as his Mistress, but my name… well… that is something that I have not divulged in… many, many years…" The woman trailed off, almost thoughtfully, but she was clearly just stringing them along and enjoying the spotlight, indicating a vain nature.
Zelda could sense how much Link was restraining himself from commenting, and a slight squeeze from her hand upon his left arm warned him from giving in to any of his temptations. She knew that he would bite his tongue, but she also knew that the man was wounded and not in the best mood to idly stand and endure his enemy's monologue.
"Are you saying that you have forgotten your own name?" Zelda inquired with a slightly stronger tone.
Link knew what she was doing and it made his smirk internally. She was trying to goad the woman into giving them what they want by provoking her vanity. Judging how the woman scoffed and rolled her eyes, the man knew that his queen had struck a nerve.
"Forget? I could never forget who I am! And after we are through here… neither will you." The woman grinned wickedly as she added, "Too bad none of you will make it off this island alive."
The woman's demeanour shifted and Link stepped in front of Zelda protectively. The knight had had enough of this witch's games.
"Tell us your name! Now!" Link demanded. "Tell me, so I can tell your Gerudo sisters which name they must erase from all memory before the Goddess of the Sand!"
While he might not be fluent in Gerudo, he knew enough that his meaning would reach the woman's ears and the gravity of his words. For the Gerudo, the sands of the desert were ever changing, but the Goddess of the Sand remembered all. However, for those deemed unworthy or cursed in the eyes of the tribe, like Ganondorf, their names were "erased" in the presence of the goddess and no other Gerudo would ever share the same name as the accursed again. It was the tribe's method of damnatio memoriae.
The woman's eyes widened before she glared at the Hylian man and hissed through her teeth.
"How dare a voe speak to me in the sacred language of the sand!" she declared vehemently with venomous undertones. She raised her black sword and pointed its tip threateningly at the Hylians and Sheikah.
Zelda, unfazed by her knight's outburst, regarded the woman and said, "So it's true. You are a Gerudo." The queen understood exactly what Link had been trying to do and, as always, she was proud and appreciative of her knight. "Tell me, are you the one known to history as the Twinrova? The combined form of the Gerudo sorceresses, Kotake and Koume?"
The Gerudo looked back at the queen and frowned, lowering the Demon Sword back down to her side.
"Gerudo I am. As for the Twinrova… I am, but also, I am not. As much as I hate to admit it, I owe those witches my life." The Gerudo paused to scoff with disgust, as if the memory of the Twinrova brought a sour taste in her mouth. "Neither Kotake or Koume is my name, but it was they who spirited me away so far from the sands of the goddessland to this barren kingdom of salt and water."
The fiery and icy wing-like forms on the back of the woman increased in size as the Gerudo reached up to touch the dual-coloured jewel upon her forehead. The gem flared with light, enveloping her with streams of fire and ice, and the woman lifted into the air to float back over the tidewaters. Gaining speed, she quickly gained distance until the Gerudo was a small figure in the distance, hoving over the water. Even with the distance when she spoke, her voice echoed strongly and was carried through magical means to be heard as if she remained right in front of them.
"The Twinrova… are within me! Know my name and tremble before me! I am Kagameera! Successor of the Twinrova, Queen of the Tulul, and sister… to the true king of Hyrule! Ganondorf Dragmire! And I WILL have my revenge against you, Descendant of the White Goddess, and her bastard-of-a-dog Hero! You, who murdered my brother and king!"
Kagameera lifted the Demon Sword of Demise over her head as her fire and ice powers spiraled around her in rings of forbidden magic. The waters beneath her began to churn and darken, rising up higher and higher, changing in colour, and quickly turning into a colossal wave summoned by the witch's dark might. Link glared at her and snapped his head towards Zelda, his expression serious and final.
"Go! Get out of here! I'll hold her off! Adla! Malia! Take the queen back up the beach! NOW!"
The Sheikah instantly set their hands upon their liege, wordlessly accepting the knight's command to protect her. However, Zelda shook off their hands and turned towards them.
"No. I will remain here. Go up to Vahlymor and tell them to take cover. Go!"
The Sheikah sisters nodded to their queen in unison, before taking off up the beach, nimbly avoiding the Tulul who remained in their bowed positions.
"What the-! No! Come back!"
Link scoffed and glanced at Zelda incredulously before glaring back up at Kagameera.
"Why, Zelda?! WHY?! Premature death is not something I want you to experience, yet you seem to welcome the notion!"
The Hyrulean Queen stood serenely, almost calmly, at her knight's side. Before them, Kagameera was hovering in the air offshore, laughing triumphantly, with the Demon Sword held aloft and her great wave of blackened water ever-building behind her. Clearly she intended to drown them with her black tsunami, and Link knew that even if they tried to run, he and Zelda that is, that the witch would probably have just released her wave earlier before they made it halfway back up the beach. The longer the pair of Hylians stood there, facing their fate, the longer the Gerudo sorceress was going to savour her moment of perceived victory.
Zelda met Link's dubious expression with a smile. He gave her a look of pure bewilderment and he worried that she had hit her head when Dark Link had attacked her as Sheik. The queen moved to his right side and tenderly took his injured right hand with her left, his blood smearing upon her slender fingers. Zelda searched his eyes with calmness before she faced the towering wave of water.
"This is just like my nightmare, Link. It has all come true. First I saw you, dead, upon a stone table, with a black blade impaled into your flesh. That was your death at Knil- Dark Link's hand. And now, here I am, on a beach of black sand, wearing the garments of the Sheikah and facing a wall of black water." Zelda lifted her chin and her brunette hair waved around her. The queen's confidence filtered through Link's concern. She turned to him and smiled once more before she said, "Together we are stronger, and together we can defeat her! We were victorious against her brother, and we will be so again!"
Link smirked back at her, her smile ever-infectious, and used all his might to half-enclose his fingers around her.
"How can you be so sure?" he asked, looking back up at Kagameera.
Narrowing his brow, the knight raised his left arm once more to mirror his enemy. The Master Sword's blade glowed as bright as it ever had before, charging its sacred light, and rivaling the red aura of the Demon Sword of Demise. The two swords seem to resonate with opposing pulsations, like they were communicating or perhaps were competing in a sword's equivalent of a pissing contest. On the back of Link's hand, the emblem of the Triforce began to shine upon his skin in response to their dire situation.
Zelda tightened her right hand into a fist of determination.
"The Hero of Time showed me that it could be done. If he could accomplish it within a dream then you, Link, as a Spirit and a being of the Light World, will surely be able to stand by my side and hold this wave back with me. You are strong and you, my knight, have always given me courage."
Still hovering over the drained waters of the shallows, Kagameera's malevolent cackle filled the air. Her long red hair whipped wildly around her like a possessed snake and her fire and ice wings had grown into full huge wingspans.
"GANONDORF! MY BROTHER! MY KING! I GIVE YOU YOUR REVENGE!" she screamed and she swung down the Demon Sword, laughing maniacally, and unleashed a pulse of pure red energy that was absorbed into the black tsunami. "DIE FILTHY HYLIANS!"
With a thunderous roar, like the growl of an enormous beast, the massive amount of black water began to stampede forward. The wall of water was well over fifty feet high. Its sheer volume had sapped the tide from the shore, draining the waters back from the shoreline back towards the shallows. With surprising speed, the savage oceanic force surged towards shore. The Tulul remained unmoving and why should they? As beings of the ocean, a watery assault would do them no harm.
Lightly squeezing his hand, being mindful of his injuries Zelda faced the threat of the descending wave of water. She raised her right hand, ignoring the pain in her body. Her own piece of the Triforce began to shine on the back of her hold, brightening to rival Link's. With the wave mere seconds from overwhelming them, Zelda turned to face Link and met his solemn eyes. He looked at her with such credence, such love… She knew now how much she loved him and in that moment, she wished that they had been able to spend more time together. Zelda knew that even if she were wrong, and they were about to meet their end, that dying by his side would be a fine way to die.
In the midst of the chaos, Link recalled what the Hero of time had told him years ago in the Temple of Time before his mentor truly crossed over to the Realm of Spirits...
"My advice to you Link is… If you find love, a love so strong that you would do anything to see her happy even if it meant that you leave her, you may be faced with the decision to tell her the truth of your feelings or not. While there may be consequences for either choice, know this… I still wish that I could have told her, looking back on it now, just so that she knew the truth even if it made no difference... The truth is one of the most powerful forces there is, Link. Remember that. Truth... and love."
"I love you, Zelda," he spoke unexpectedly, his voice barely audible over the deafening roar of the wave. She knew what he said however, she could tell by the movement of his lips. It would seem that he had chosen that moment above all others, as they faced certain doom, to answer her declaration of love. Her expression softening, Zelda leaned up to press her lips against his. Their final kiss. She released his hand to wrap her arm around his waist to hold him as close to her as she could, just as the massive wave swallowed them both.
An unintentional scream escaped Zelda's lips and she tucked her head against Link's chest. Her hand remained raised as the light of the world was extinguished and they were engulfed into a booming void. Somehow the knight found the strength in his ruined right arm amongst the chaos to lightly wrap around his queen's waist. This slight touch was enough to coax Zelda to peek her eyes open, and blinked in relief at what she saw. Her knight, Link, the Hero Chosen by the Gods, stood cloaked in light cast by the barrier created by both of their pieces of the Triforce. The man wore an expression of strain and heroism, facing the dark with eyes narrowed and steadfast resolve. Held aloft in his left hand remained the Master Sword, which radiated like a beacon of hope in the darkness, and perhaps its blessed light also aided in fending off the darkness fuelled water.
The tidal wave looked to be encircling them, the water swirling round and round their dome of pure light, creating a whirlpool with the queen and knight in its eye. Faster and faster the water spun, pressuring the dome, threatening to crush the sacred light of the Golden Goddesses. Blood was dripping from Link's arm to create a crimson stream down Zelda's body but either the man didn't care or didn't know. He could, however, feel his physical strength beginning to wane. His mortal vessel already was strained by having to contain the light of a spirit and now he was facing weakness from blood loss. All the same, his left arm remained raised with the Master Sword and the wound inflicted by Wolf Dark Link was only evident by the creases in the man's face: cracks in his mask of bravery. He had to outlast the weight of the water. He had to protect Zelda. He had to wait for the opportune moment…
"Zelda! Just-! Just hold on!"
The knight's shouted words of encouragement were a mere whisper compared to the thundering bellow of the mass tonnage of water surrounding their sanctuary of light. His words were for his queen, but they were also for himself: forcing his will to fight through the growing darkness at the edges of his vision that was starting to get blurry. Zelda looked into his face, seeing the exertion in the man's eyes, the paleness of his skin, and how hard he scowled into the nothingness. Unwrapping her left arm from around him, Zelda shifted her position to stand in front of him and lifted her hand to grip his left wrist, helping him bear the weight of the sword. She winced, her body aching something terrible, and she was sure that at least two of her ribs were bruised, maybe even broken. Still, she would help him, both spiritually with the Triforce and physically with her strength.
"Zelda…" Link whispered, his chin by her left ear, with his right arm falling from her waist to rest limply at his side.
"She's coming!" the queen replied, peering through their light barrier. Zelda wasn't sure how she knew, but she could sense it: the evil of Kagameera was coming closer.
Link nodded his head and stood as straight as his failing strength could muster. Trusting in Zelda's word, the knight tried to steady his breath and focus. He could feel beyond the frayed edges of his senses that there was a danger growing in his mind, telling him that their enemy was approaching them. It was like a tinkling sound he could hardly hear, like a lone wind chime in the midst of a hurricane. If it wasn't for his blood loss, the hero might have recognized that it was the spirit of his sword who was warning him of the advancing threat.
Sure enough, within moments of Zelda's warning the waters parted before them. The turbulent waters flowed inwards on either side of the opening to continue its attempted consumption of their barrier. Once again the blue sky of the day shone down on the pair of Hylians, releasing them from their drowned world of gloom. Framed by the sun itself, hovered Kagameera, whose appearance had dramatically changed during the few minutes of separation. The Gerudo's skin had darkened, becoming a reddish brown and her amber eyes had become a ghostly white. Her long red hair was wrapped around her neck and her expression was one of pure rage and vengeance. Bellowing with dissatisfaction, the Gerudo lifted her sword above her head before swinging it down and dove towards the pair.
"You will DIE, Queen of Hyrule! I WILL GAIN THE POWER OF THE WHITE GODDESS!"
The woman's voice suddenly changed mid-sentence, turning dark and deep. Deadly and masculine. Link did not dwell on this sudden tonal change, instead narrowing his brows and readying his attack. This was the opportune moment he'd be waiting for. With Kagameera flying towards them, her face distorted with murderous intent, Link's voice built in his throat until he yelled.
"Get down!"
Without hesitation, the queen released Link's arm at his command and fell to her knees, keeping her right hand raised. In one fell swoop, Link sliced the Master Sword down and unleashed all of his sword stored energy. The blast was massive, charged by the dual power of the Triforce of Courage and Wisdom. Seeing the huge crescent of blue light flying directly at her caused Kagameera's expression to break and she tried to stop her flight path. Arching her back and flailing her arms to slow her descent, the Gerudo witch was too slow and had been flying too fast to save herself. The Skyward Strike struck across the witch's chest, slicing through her torso from beneath her right armpit, up across her collarbone, and through her left shoulder. The strike remained in the Gerudo's flesh, flaring with power, and Kagameera's scream of agony filled the air. With his attack unleashed, Link lost his footing and sank to a kneel. He managed to keep the Master Sword raised defensively, but his arm shook with effort, and the light of his Triforce dimmed. Zelda, with her hand still raised, scurried back to press herself protectively against Link's body and stop him from possibly falling forward.
Kagameera continued to scream, her body twitching, and she seemed paralyzed by the blazing pure light of the Master Sword that was embedded into her torso. As if on its own accord, her arm bearing the Demon Sword lifted and pointed at Zelda's protective barrier. The pair of Hylians were, after all, still being swarming by thousands of pounds of black seawater. All the witch had to do was burst their goddess-given bubble and the pair would drown or be swept away. Zelda glared up at the black sword and she saw its red aura intensify, the blade building its own charge. Link adjusted the Master Sword to be in front of Zelda, his body leaning against hers, and he frantically wracked his brain with an idea of how to get her out of their dire situation. When he couldn't think of any, he prayed to the goddesses that Zelda's barrier would hold.
The Demon Sword of Demise glowed with a crimson red as Kagameera was frozen in a distorted and haunting expression of torment: her white eyes wide, her mouth agape, and her body limp. Only the arm holding the sword was raised and it was steady, focused, and full of deadly intent. Without another word or warning, the Demon Sword released its beam of red energy, and it struck Zelda's barrier.
And shattered it.
In the milliseconds before the pair were engulfed in the torrent of black seawater, Link hugged his left arm tightly around his queen and she clung to him. Both closed their eyes and awaited the water to crush them.
It never came.
What did come… was a pair of arms that encircled them both and together the queen and her knight fell away into light.
A/N:
Muahahahhaa! I have done it!
11,000+ words in... 5 days? Who cares! Chapter 28 is DONE, with a grand total of over 20,000 words!
It proved to be a very wise choice on my part to split this behemoth into two parts, because as soon as I submitted Part 1 I was bitten (like Link) with a writing bug. I've planned out Chapters 29 and 30 step by step, and the Epilogue is also outlined. I can see the FINISH LINE! I will reach it! I will be working on Chapter 29 ASAP so I don't lose this writing fever.
As always, I love hearing from you folks! Just remember that I'm always open for constructive critiques, but please don't be mean just to be mean. If you don't like my story, that's cool, just remember to be kind :3 This is a fan's labour of love, after all!
Liking the story so far? Feel free to leave a comment/review, and/or my DMs are open to suggestions and questions.
More to come! Stay tuned and stay classy, folks!
Cheers!
~Sheik