Chapter 7:

Link vs Lucifer Morningstar Part 2:

The Meaning Of Courage

It was hard to watch for both sides of the fight.

The second fight of Ragnarok featured Link from Hyrule, the most courageous hero. His opponent was none other than the devil himself.

Humanity knew to cheer for their hero, and the gods knew to root for Lucifer, but in that exact moment, no one could help but to stare in abject horror.

The agony that shrouded Lucifer's voice, the abject viscerality of his screams, it was painful to watch.

A dreadful silence was only interrupted by infrequent wails and howls. Lucifer clutched his right shoulder like one would after being shot in the shoulder, except it wasn't his shoulder or arm that had been hit. A once beautiful night black wing had been severed and had fallen to the ground.

The devil was crying.

Link watched, his face was a porcelain mask. However, what was clear to everyone watching was Link's chivalry.

His sword was not aimed in Lucifer's direction, instead he was waiting patiently for his opponent to recover and continue the fight.

Brunhilde was screaming inside her own head to finish Lucifer right here and now. There had never been an opening like this, and it would be unlikely Link would ever get an opportunity like this.

But Link didn't. He drank a mysterious potion and kept on guard, but didn't move in for the kill.

Kill him. Kill the devil. KILL HIM NOW! Brunhilde bit her lip in disgust. Any other of her fighters would have finished the fight, but the single fighter that was the most fit to fight the ultimate of evil, was too good to do that.

"Hehehehe," Loki chuckled, breaking the silence. His face contorted into an inhuman smile.

Next to him the two crows on Odin's back moved their looks of horror from the devil to the god of Mischief.

"What's so funny?" Huginn asked, flabbergasted.

Muninn bowed his head, "The angel has lost his wing!"

Loki rubbed his hands together and leaned forward on his throne, moving his face closer to the conflict below.

"No no nono," Loki wagged his finger. "You don't get it."

A black feather materialized between the god's fingers. "Lucifer has been holding back this entire time."

"Holding back!?"

"Didn't you notice?" Loki dropped the feather. Slowly it fluttered toward the ground. "Lucifer froze Link 2 times, once after he fell from above, and then the second time during the frontal assault. Both times Lucifer could have easily snuffed out the hero's breath. He didn't."

"He's prideful," Hermes noticed. "Too prideful to fight full force."

"It's why he fell after all," Zeus's marbles stared cruelly at the fallen angel. "He refused to follow the plan. He's a stubborn rebel, isn't he?" He laughed. "But everyone has his breaking point, and I think Lucifer just about reached his."

Lucifer finally rose from his position. His shape was out of balance because of his missing wing and he was leaning over to the left. Blood was dripping down his practically naked body, tarnishing the perfect muscle with divine blood.

The devil's eyes were red with tear stains yet another emotion boiled inside the fiery pits.

Rage.

"LUCIFER IS NOT FINISHED JUST YET!" Heimdall announced at last. "IN FACT, I WOULD SAY HE LOOKS MORE THAN READY TO CONTINUE THE FIGHT!"

"Do you have any idea who I am?" Lucifer bellowed.

And before the sentence was finished the devil had disappeared from view. Only to materialize only inches away from Link's face.

With his bare fist he punched forward.

Link barely managed to raise his shield in time. A shockwave erupted as the shield could barely withstand the force of a single punch.

"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT I'VE SEEN?" Another punch was thrown Link's way.

Link managed to block it but the impact was so enormous he was sent flying backwards.

Lucifer was already on him before Link had even landed.

"THE FIGHT HAS TURNED INTO A BRAWL! THE DEVIL IS PUNCHING HUMANITY'S HERO BARE FISTED!"

Not good. Link thought as he could see another punch being thrown his way.

In a split second Link pulled out his hookshot and aimed at a wall on the other end of the arena. He pulled the trigger and was pulled towards the wall just as Lucifer's fist hit and shattered the ground.

The punches were barely aimed and had no technique, it was just rage, and it was all Lucifer needed.

Link pulled out his bow right as the devil sped towards him. He didn't aim, he just released the string as soon as he had notched an arrow.

Lucifer was in his face again and slapped the arrow out of the air.

Mistake!

The ice arrow exploded as it was hit and a blue chunk of solid ice wrapped itself around Lucifer's fist. Link moved back as the devil was suddenly stopped in his tracks, pulled down by the weight of the ice. 3 more arrows hit him and ice covered 3 of the 4 limbs.

"LUCIFER HAS LITERALLY BEEN FROZEN IN PLACE. IS THIS HUMANITY'S CHANCE?!"

How long would the devil remain immobilized? Link had no idea, but whatever he'd do, it had to be done fast.

Link pulled out another item.

"LINK HAS YET ANOTHER ARTIFACT FROM HIS HOMELAND! DOES HE EVER RUN OUT OF TRICKS AND TOYS TO PLAY WITH?"

Link lovingly brushed against the artifact. Nostalgia overwhelmed him for only the briefest of moments.

It was a smooth clay tablet. Despite its simple looks, it was incredibly ancient, and it was one of his most powerful weapons. It had helped him survive in the wild after Hyrule had fallen and the land was left in ruins. Now, it would hopefully help him pull through again.

In a split second it happened. In one smooth motion Link jumped forward and swiped across the tablet. Golden chains materialized from thin air, at the same time a blue bomb covered with runes appeared below his feet and dropped down next to Lucifer.

Lucifer screamed and flames formed around his arms, scorching the ice away. However the golden chains kept him down.

Link swiped across the tablet and a weapon materialized within his hands. The Savage Lynel Sword. A sword that once belonged to a mighty foe that roamed the wild.

Before he could use it however Lucifer broke through the chains with a scream, cursing them to shatter, then he grabbed Link with his hand, holding him up in the air.

It was almost comical. The one winged angel holding the young hero by his throat.

Link brought down the sword but Lucifer caught it with his bare hand mid swing. With a single twist of his wrist he pulled it out of Link's hand and tossed it away.

"I am getting tired of your tricks!" He pulled the Hylian Shield from Link's arm and threw it away.

Link tapped the button on his tablet.

The bomb underneath them exploded in a cloud of blue energy. A sharp sound tore through the arena. Both Link and Lucifer were flung away at the same time.

Link hit a half broken pillar and slumped over.

On the other side Lucifer crashed through a wall before skidding to a halt.

Heimdall coughed as the smoke blew across the battlefield. "COugh COUGH! I AM STARTING TO THINK THAT THE HERO LINK JUST LOVES EXPLODING HIMSELF!"

However, Lucifer Morningstar was barely harmed. As the fire bellowed around him he straightened himself. Flames danced across his body in almost beautiful patterns. Cuts and bruises decorated the devil's body, yet the devil didn't show any signs of slowing down.

"I am Lucifer Morningstar," he said as humanity's hero lay down. His voice was low, yet audible to every soul in the arena. "I was there when Cain killed Abel."

The image of a brother smashing a rock into a skull flooded Link's mind.

"I have stood in the mist of mustard gas, I have seen holy wars and have seen the masses starve to death."

More terrible images flooded Link's mind. It wasn't just his, in that moment, all of humanity could see it.

Trenches filled with bodies, bombs raining from above, a house of skulls in the jungle.

"Those are the people you're fighting for." Lucifer said with disgust.

Lucifer let out a sigh. "You will die, Link, don't die for the people you owe nothing to."

The devil turned around, deeming the fight as good as over.

"No…" Link said, speaking for the first time the entire fight.

The angel turned around.

"You are willing to fight for them?"

Link looked at the audience.

For a split moment he saw the people of Hyrule. The guards, the people of Termina, the people from crescent island, the Gorons, the Sheikah. How many had he met across his many journeys?

But they weren't there, and when he blinked they were replaced by a crowd of strangers.

Yet, he did know them.

He had lived multiple lives. Seen the same kingdom fall, rise and fall, over and over. The sea swept away history, evil had reclaimed everything or simple hubris had rotten the throne.

New faces, new people, yet the same mistakes were made everytime.

Yet, each time he was called upon he also found friends. He found people that had no power, and yet managed to be brave. He found innocents, people that aspired for a brighter future.

This fight in Ragnarok was just another cycle. Maybe there were monsters amongst them, but as always there had to be heroes.

Slowly Link got up from his slumped position. His body hurt, his Sheikah slate lay shattered next to him. His shield was stuck in a temple wall near Lucifer.

Link felt blood falling down his face. His shield arm felt numb from resisting all the blows. The realization that he was slowly running out of tricks dawned on him. Yet, he couldn't back down.

Not now.

Not ever.

The hero rose again.

He felt the eyes of the audience on him. He gave them a smile and waved with his free hand, showing he was still ready to fight.

"Let's go!" Göll pumped her fist in the sky.

Humanity cheered.

"Come on!"

"You got this!"

"The devil's bleeding. Finish him!"

"You're almost there!"
"All of humanity is rooting for you!"

"HUMANITY'S HERO IS NOT AFRAID OF THE DEVIL! NOT AT ALL!" Heimdall yelled.

"Brave but foolish," Zeus murmured. "Can't believe that little runt actually still fights."

"Well courage and foolishness are rather close to each other," Hermes chuckled. "It all depends on the outcome."

Link pulled the Master Sword from its sheath again and raised it, pointing the blade towards its target. The ultimate evil.

As the audience roared, Link looked inward. Faintly inside the sword he could feel her spirit. Even though her presence was faint, he still felt better. He wasn't alone in this fight. The sword has been sealed off evil for a long time. It had fought evil in many shapes and forms.

The words he had heard a long time ago rang through his head again.

A sword wields no strength unless the hand that holds it has courage.

Giving up would be easy, deciding that these strangers were not worth it would be easy.

A symbol on Link's hand began glowing. The Triforce of Courage.

The Master Sword began to glow.

The air became frantic around the hero as ancient power from a long forgotten kingdom and culture fueled the blade once again.

"Oh my," Loki laughed. "This is about to get even better!"

Come on, you got this. Brunhilde looked at her hero. He appears strong, but that sword of yours, it can end him with a single strike.

"I see," A weapon materialized within Lucifer's right hand. It was a spear.

"Longinus," Hermes remarked.

"You could have killed me, but you didn't. For that I will give you a fair duel." The devil stabbed the spear in Link's direction.

"BOTH FIGHTERS HAVE AGREED TO A FAIR DUEL." Heimdall spoke, "I CAN NOT BELIEVE THIS. THE DEVIL CHALLENGED HUMANITY'S FIGHTER AS AN EQUAL."

"Pride and courage," Göll muttered.

Lucifer and Link looked at eachother. A silent understanding was reached.

Both fighters nodded and stepped forward, Link blade's light breaking through the smoke and Longinus scraping over the floor.

The devil stepped forward.

Link took a step closer.

People roared, cheered and screamed. Gods kept their eyes peeled and leaned forward.

Lucifer struck first.

Link deflected the blow with the flat side of his sword and then slashed the Master Sword in front of him.

It scraped against Lucifer's shoulder, cutting out a chunk of flesh.

Lucifer spun forward and his spear almost stabbed through Link's thighs.

Link stepped back, to create more space, but Lucifer's spear managed to cross that small distance within an instant like a viper and pierced his shoulder.

Pain flashed white but Link clenched his teeth and moved away.

One hit. He needed one hit, and her spirit would finish the devil off.

He saw an opening and he moved forward. At the same time Lucifer struck.

The clock stopped ticking for a single second.

Angels from above and demons from below gasped.

And in that moment, the thing no one saw coming, happened.

The Master Sword- the sacred blade that had helped the green clad hero a dozen times. Had slayed ancient evil, dragons, beasts, monsters and saved the Kingdom each and every time- broke into pieces.

The blade shattered as the tip of Longinus cut through it like butter.

Suddenly Link was only holding the handle of the sword. His blood turned into ice.

How? Link pondered, numbly as pain dulled his senses.

"I am afraid you've been misinformed." Lucifer closed his eyes for a second. Humanity's hero fell over. "They call me the ultimate evil. The demon," Lucifer chuckled slowly before sending a glare towards the gods. "The gods like it that way, humanity likes it that way."

He turned his eyes back to Link. "You came here expecting to fight evil, but you know what? Although they love to blame me for all sin, in the end the truth is that I don't send anyone to hell. They send themselves." Lucifer scoffed. "I don't spend my time sitting on people's shoulders and telling them to do evil." He turned his eyes to the gods. "All I wanted was free will."

Lucifer pulled the spear out of Link's chest.

"I am not the evil you were looking for."

Lying on the ground, Link couldn't help but to look up at the devil. A soft, almost unnoticeable smile was on his lips.

His final words were not heard by anyone but Lucifer himself.

The devil nodded back gently and knelt down. He closed the hero's eyes.

"You're free now."

Heimdall put the horn to his mouth, his hands were shaking. "The second round of Ragnarok goes to Lucifer Morningstar."

Link vs Lucifer Morningstar

Time: 6 minutes, 6 seconds

Winning Attack: Stab through the heart by spear

Winner: Lucifer Morningstar

A/N I have wanted to write this chapter for a long time, but couldn't find out the right characterization for Link and Lucifer, but I feel pretty satisfied with what I have right now. I am probably putting in too much effort for all of the 20 people that read this lol.

Look, I just love thinking about these scenarios.

SO uh, please review?

-CaptainMoonShine-