Golly, looks like we've got our longest chapter yet, huh? I nearly split this one up, but ultimately I'm glad I didn't because we're finally about to hit the big time skip and this is the last chapter before that happens. So with that out of the way, let's finally bring the Phantom Hourglass arc to a close, huh? Let's get started!
Chapter 8: Amber
The quest to obtain the remaining two Pure Metals goes smoothly enough, all things considered. There are still plenty of treacherous temples to traverse and even more of Bellum's monsters to stand in the way, but with the power of the spirits on his side, Link manages to overcome each of them. Linebeck lends his support in whatever ways he can, keeping his ship stocked up on potions and supplies in the very likely event that Link ever needs them. It isn't lost on anyone when the captain begins nagging Link less for returning to the ship without any treasure and more for coming back with any number of new cuts and bruises.
With all three Pure Metals in hand, the group seeks out Zauz the blacksmith. They can only assume Oshus must have paid him a visit before they arrived, because he's already well aware of their mission beforehand. Using his skill in the forge, he uses the Metals to craft a beautiful blade with the power to take Bellum down once and for all: the Phantom Sword. And much like almost everything else he's found within this strange world, as soon as Link feels that sword's weight resting in his hand, it rings hauntingly familiar to another sword entirely. A sword long since lost to the bottom of the sea, still buried deep in the skull of the man he'd slain with it.
With the sword and the spirits in tow, there's no further obstacles standing in their way. They finally make their return to Mercay Island, a solemn journey steeped in silence that hangs heavy even as they disembark and make their way toward the Temple of the Ocean King. None of them wants to think about, much less talk about what awaits them inside of that temple.
Thanks to the curse, the air surrounding the temple has grown thick with the looming stench of death and decay. Linebeck resists the urge to gag when they approach it, instead placing his focus in mirroring the calm composure Link is wearing. It's a front, Linebeck knows it is. But if it's the only thing standing between the poor kid and breaking down like he did on the S.S. Linebeck several nights ago, then he might as well keep it up.
They come to a stop just before the threshold of the temple. It's only then when Linebeck hears Link draw in a sharp, unsteady breath. His hands are both shaking, one reaching for the sword on his back, the other for the hourglass tied to his belt. His eyes are wide as he stares into the dark entryway ahead of them, as if he's anticipating Bellum to come rushing out to attack them at any second. He just about jumps out of his skin when Linebeck settles a hand on his shoulder.
"You know," the captain throws on a casual air, hoping to break at least a little of the lingering tension. "It's not too late to turn back, if you want-"
"No," Link quickly cuts him off. He takes in a deep breath, squaring his shoulders as he looks up at Linebeck with all of the seriousness of someone dead set on saving the world. It's a surprisingly fitting look on him, Linebeck thinks. "I told you; I'm not giving up."
Linebeck stifles a smile, trying to hide just how strangely proud he suddenly feels. The feeling quickly passes when Ciela pipes up to tease him again. "It's not too late for you to turn back if you're scared, Linebeck."
"Tch, who said I'm scared?" Linebeck perches his hands on his hips. "Besides, you really think I'm gonna miss out all of the loot that's bound to be buried away in that place? Not a chance, sparkles!"
"Suuuure," Ciela smugly calls his bluff. "That's what all this is about. The treasure. Couldn't be because you actually care about us, could it, captain?"
Linebeck clears his throat at the knowing looks Link and all three of the spirits are sending his way. "Nope," he lies through his teeth. "Not in the slightest. In fact, I couldn't care any less."
Link can only smile, easily catching the real intention behind the captain's words. "Thank you, Linebeck," he says warmly, earnestly. "For being here. For doing this with me. For… well, everything."
Briefly, Linebeck returns his grin, at least until he decides to continue saving face in front of the fairies again. "Yeah, yeah," he ruffles the boy's hair, just like he had that night on the boat. "Don't get all sappy on me yet, kid. Save it for after we put that Bellum guy in his place, ok?"
"Ok," Link nods, still smiling. "I guess we might as well get started then." He turns back to the temple, feeling much more confident than he had before. He knows he has the captain standing beside him to thank for that too; because regardless of how utterly terrified he is at the thought of facing Bellum again… at least he won't have to face him alone.
Almost as soon as they step foot inside of the temple, Link pulls out the Phantom Hourglass and turns it upside down. Its power surrounds the tiny group in a halo of dim, protective light, meant to keep them from feeling the effects of Bellum's curse. With the Sands of Hours that they'd gathered from the temples, there should be more than enough to get them through the awaiting labyrinth. And hopefully, through the battle to come at the end of it.
Bellum must be able to sense their presence. It would explain why there seems to be so many more monsters than there'd been the last time Link was here. Along with those monsters are the Phantoms themselves, lurking around nearly every turn. For as powerful as it is, the Phantom Hourglass doesn't shield or hide them from the possessed knights. That's where the Phantom Sword comes into play; no other weapon can conquer the otherwise invulnerable sentries, but with the Phantom Sword in hand, Link cuts through them with ease. At least, he does as long as they don't spot him first. Linebeck makes sure that doesn't happen, offering himself up as a distraction while Link attacks them from behind when they aren't looking. It's a risky maneuver, but a rewarding one that works well in taking care of any Phantom they happen to cross paths with.
They make a solid team as they carve their way through the temple's maze-like floors, and for a while, Link starts to wonder if maybe this might be possible after all. Last time he was here, he had nothing but the fleeting remains of his largely lost strength and a mysterious voice to guide him on his way. This time, he's come prepared, with a sword in his hand, three spirits on his side, a captain keeping him grounded, and an hourglass sparing him from a deadly curse. He's ready for this, he thinks as they plow through the temple's lower levels. They're ready for this. They could survive, they could win, they could save this ocean and everyone in it.
And then… Link can go home. Back to all of his old friends… without any of his new friends by his side. Something tightens amidst the hope rising through his chest when he thinks about that. It's a feeling that only grows each time Ciela encourages him or Linebeck flashes him a wry, supportive smile.
Goddesses above, how is he ever going to be able to leave them behind?
He doesn't have much time to consider the future when he realizes they're making the final descent into the temple's basement. The thought of going back down there, into the darkened depths where he'd been kept in a stoney prison for an entire year, is almost enough to make Link sick. It's only when he feels the Phantom Sword's weight on his back and Linebeck's hand on his shoulder that he finds the strength he needs to press onward to the end.
To where Bellum waits within the shadows for its most coveted prey to return.
The basement is dark and deathly quiet, with only the sound of their footsteps echoing through the lofty chamber. Linebeck sticks close to Link, both of them scanning the room anxiously for any sign of the demon they've come to slay. Only to find seemingly none at all.
"Huh," Linebeck finally breaks the silence, easing up just a bit. "Doesn't look like anyone's home. M-maybe it just decided to call it quits and left while it still had a chance?"
"I wish," Link scoffs. He draws the Phantom Sword, allowing the gentle light emanating from its sacred blade to chase away some of the surrounding darkness. "Bellum!" he shouts, wincing at how his voice cracks with just the slightest hint of fear. "Come out already! We're here to-"
"Oh, I know well why you're here, boy…"
Bellum's voice is just as soft and twistedly insidious as Link remembers it being. The mere sound of it sends shivers down his spine, to the point that he doesn't even hear Linebeck's frightened yelp when he hears it too.
"The Ocean King, fool that he is, has tasked you with eliminating me," Bellum laughs from its unseen vantage point. "But in accepting his call, certainly you must know… you have sentenced yourself to death. You may not have much Life Force left lingering within your soul, child…"At last, Bellum decides to make its appearance. It emerges from the shadows high within the room, its long tentacles keeping it tethered to the chamber's pillars as its massive amber eye stares down at the group gathered before it. "But I will savor every last spark of it as I watch the life drain out of your eyes, once and for all!"
"Oh, Din," Linebeck whispers, paling at the sight of the massive monster above them. "That's the thing we're supposed to kill?"
Link only has time to nod before two of Bellum's tentacles swerve down toward them. He manages to ward the one aimed at him away with merely a flash of the Phantom Sword, but Linebeck isn't so lucky. He seizes up in fear when the tip of a tentacle skims the side of his face, as if the demon is inspecting him from a distance.
"What's this? You brought along another morsel for me to enjoy? How thoughtful of you…" Greedy hunger practically drips from the demon's tone as its tentacle starts to slowly coil around Linebeck's neck. "Perhaps I'll devour this one's Life Force first, as an appetizer, before moving on to the main course…"
"Leave him alone!" Link moves faster than Bellum can anticipate, slicing the Phantom Sword clean through the tentacle trying to trap Linebeck. Bellum pulls back at this, surprised, but not daunted. The mocking laugh that echoes through the chamber is proof enough of that.
"Do you really think that frail piece of metal can harm me?" The demon lurches in closer, to the point that the glow of its eye completely engulfs Link and Linebeck alike. "Do you really think those weak spirits of yours can do anything to help you? Do you really think that loathsome hourglass can protect you from my power? Do you really think, you poor, pitiful child, that you are strong enough to stand against ME?!"
At this, Bellum lashes out, countless tentacles shooting out of the shadows. Link cuts through as many of them as he can, though Bellum is able to regenerate any of its lost limbs just as quickly. All the while, Linebeck hangs back, crouching down behind the boy as he trembles in fear he doesn't even try to hide now.
"Uh, y-ya know, kid, this is a bit more than I bargained for when I agreed to come with you!" he calls over the din of the demon's attack.
"Well, it's kind of too late to head back to the ship now!" Link shouts in between his frantic swings.
"Don't worry!" Ciela chimes in, flying upward alongside Leaf and Neri. "We can help!"
All three spirits pulse with power, activating each of their respective strengths to give Link a much-needed edge in this fight. Neri is first, using her magic to conjure up a sturdy shield of solid energy to block Bellum's continuing attacks. Leaf darts down next, hovering over the Phantom Sword until bright orange flames coat its blade. Ciela tops it all off with what may just be the biggest goddess-send of all: she stops time.
Or at least, she stops it for Bellum. In an instant, the monster freezes in place, its tendrils stuck where they are in mid-air as its angry roars are sent into silence. Link marvels at it for a moment, remembering Faron doing something similar right after she helped him break free. He doesn't have time to figure out if that's a coincidence or not before Ciela pulls him right back into the present.
"Now, Link!" she cries, clearly under some kind of strain from the sheer amount of power she's pouring out. "Hurry!"
Link does as she says, running forward as fast as his legs can carry him. He makes good use of Bellum's frozen tentacles to gain some height, climbing up one and then making risky jumps between them to get on the demon's level. He knows he doesn't have much time; Ciela's power won't keep Bellum at bay forever. So he makes the most of the time he does have by landing a heavy slash on the lower half of demon's body as soon as it's in his range. He's about to land another blow, this time straight across Bellum's eye, before the beast suddenly begins to move again, at just about the worst time possible.
He only barely hears the warning Linebeck shouts to him, but he has no chance to react to it. As soon as Ciela's spell fades, all of Bellum's tendrils go flying on reflex alone, including the one Link is standing on. As a result, he's tossed high into the air, the Phantom Sword slipping out of his grip despite his best efforts to cling onto it. Bellum quickly regathers its bearings and takes advantage of what it sees. Link can do nothing to stop the tentacle that comes slamming into his side, sending him crashing hard into the nearest wall before falling just as brutally to the ground.
"Link!" Linebeck shouts, on his feet in an instant. From his spot on the floor, Link looks up, his vision spotty as pain laces through his entire body. He only briefly notices Linebeck running his way before he becomes aware of something else entirely. Namely, the broken glass stabbing into his thigh, glass from the–
From the Phantom Hourglass.
He darts upright with a gasp, eyes widening in horror as he takes in the sight of the Hourglass' now-shattered remains. Golden sand spills out from its ruined glass sides, and any semblance of power drains straight out of that blackening sand as soon as it's exposed to Bellum's corruptive curse. "Oh no…" Link desperately tries to catch the sand, to salvage one of the only things capable of protecting him here.
But in the end, it slips straight through his fingers, along with any sort of hope he might have once had of making it out of here alive.
"Link," Linebeck finally reaches him. The spirits aren't far behind, though their wings beat a bit slower as they work on recovering the power they just expelled. "Are you–" The captain stops short when he spots what's left of the Phantom Hourglass, laying in a messy pile of broken glass and scattered sand surrounding Link. "Shit," he swears under his breath. "That… that's not good."
Link looks up at him, fighting hard against the tears already starting to surface behind his eyes. He can't fall apart here, even though one of his final few saving graces already has. He needs to stand, needs to fight, needs to–
He needs to be stronger than he is; so much stronger than he ever has been before. Stronger than he knows he'll ever be able to be. And that's exactly the problem–it always has been, right from the very start.
"Look out!" Ciela suddenly shouts. Her warning ultimately comes seconds too late, however, as one of Bellum's tentacles appears as if from nowhere, harshly throwing Linebeck out of the way. Another tendril hones in on Link, and before he can even try to slip away, it tangles itself tightly around his torso. It pulls him up off the ground, away from the shattered Hourglass as it carries him closer to the beast. On the ground far below, Link only barely spots the Phantom Sword, still lying uselessly on the ground, the only other thing that might've helped him here now much too far out of his reach.
"This was the best you could do? Truly?" Bellum taunts, its golden eye gleaming in twisted delight as it stares at the helpless boy in its grasp. "The great 'Hero of Winds', so-called savior of the Great Sea, one of Farore's beloved Sons of Courage? Don't you see now that all of that is meaningless? Any strength you may have once possessed was merely an illusion, any courage you held, a lie."
By now, Link can't hold his tears back any longer. He can't even manage to put up a struggle as frozen with fear as his entire body is. His breaths come out in short gasps he can't keep up with as the demon tightens its hold on him, crushing his lungs. His already surging panic erupts to entirely new levels when the tip of another tendril lightly lands against his chest–against his soul, poised and ready to tear whatever's left of it out.
"It's just as I told you before: you're not a hero, you never were. You're nothing. But you already knew that," Bellum whispers, very likely the last words Link will ever hear. "Didn't you, Link?"
He does know that. He's known that for a long time now. Every day since he's awakened within this world has been filled with constant reminders of just how much of a failure he truly is. Every wound he's sustained has reiterated his weakness, every sleepless night has echoed his shame. Every second he's spent struggling to restore what was stolen from him has only led to even more suffering. And even now, even after fighting for so long and coming this far, he knows he's not enough to stop any of this. He knew that it would end exactly like this from the very beginning. He knew from the second he agreed to this quest that it would ultimately end in his death. He knew his fate and had come to terms with it more times than he could count.
So then… why is he still so scared of that fate all the same?
He's felt this before, a deep, searing sort of agony that reaches all the way down to the core of his being. He gasps, falling slack in Bellum's hold as the demon begins to take away the final few sparks of Life Force he still has left to spare. It won't be long now, he manages to think between the ceaseless pain engulfing him. It may have taken Bellum a year to drain him of the bulk of his Life Force, but it'll probably only take minutes for the beast to devour the rest of it. With those minutes all too swiftly ticking away, he forces his fear out of his mind, instead opting to focus on something far more pleasant.
He wrenches his eyes shut, picturing the faces of all of the friends he's made between his ocean and this one alike. He pictures Aryll, waving up at the seagulls, blissfully unaware of the brother she'll never see again. He pictures Grandma, stirring a pot of soup for a grandson who will never come home. He pictures Tetra and her crew, setting a course for distant lands without their newest member in tow. He pictures Ciela, Leaf, and Neri, rallying together for the hero who ultimately failed them. And, he pictures Linebeck–
Linebeck, who just ran one of Bellum's tendrils straight through with the Phantom Sword.
"Hey!" he shouts, furious. He's not the best with a blade, but he can wield it well enough to cut through another one of the beast's tentacles. "Let the kid go, you overgrown squid!"
As focused as Bellum is on its prize, it hardly pays the captain any mind outside of swatting at him with one of its lower tentacles. Linebeck narrowly dodges it, letting out a frustrated shout as he glares back up at the beast and the boy dangling limply in its grasp. "I said let him GO!"
He hurls the Phantom Sword, largely without thinking, much less aiming. By the time he realizes just how dangerous of a move that was, the sword is already sailing through the air. By some miracle, it doesn't hit Link; instead, it cleanly slices through the side of the tentacle wrapped around him. Bellum reels back, caught off guard by such a direct attack as its grip on the boy loosens, allowing him to freefall toward the ground far below. Linebeck rushes forward, arms open to catch him, only to fall to the ground himself when Link lands in them.
"Kid!" Linebeck props the barely-conscious boy up, desperately shaking his shoulders. He keenly notices that he's paler than he should be, colder too, but he's still breathing, still alive. Though he won't be much longer, if Bellum has anything to do about it.
Except now, Bellum's focus isn't on Link anymore. It's on him.
"You…" the demon growls, its eye narrowing down at the captain. "How DARE you?! You will not deny me of MY prey, no one will–not even the golden three themselves! In fact…" Something slips its way through the malice filling the beast's tone, something that scares Linebeck stiff far before the tentacle comes in to snatch him from behind. A frightened scream escapes him as Bellum drags him in close, its golden eye staring straight through him, as if it's searching for something. Whatever that something is, it finds it far too quickly for comfort.
"Hm… yes," the demon purrs approvingly. "Such a frail, fear-ridden soul. I've devoured so many similar souls in the past, and I could do the same to yours just as easily. It would take mere seconds for me to kill you, and yet…"
"Uh… y-you're not going to because I'm just so darn charming?" Linebeck attempts, flashing a nervous smile at the horrific beast before him.
"No," Bellum laughs, amused. Linebeck lets out a small, relieved chuckle of his own, though any trace of levity dies when he hears what the demon has to say next. "I'd much rather use you before I end you. You may have come here to protect that boy, but I can promise you this: his life will indeed end today. And who better to end it than the cowardly captain he's put so much trust in? Who better to kill a 'hero'... than one of his closest friends?"
"What-" is all Linebeck is able to get out. Bellum's grip on him tightens, practically suffocating him as even more tentacles emerge to entrap him. They keep coming until he's all but covered by them completely, only barely able to gasp out a smothered cry for help that only the spirits really hear. His voice is ultimately silenced, his senses stripped away from him just as swiftly as any semblance of control over his own body. His consciousness is brutally shoved away into the deepest depths of his mind, locked securely in place as something much more sinister takes control in his place. Something intent on destroying the very boy he came here to try and protect.
When Link slowly starts to awaken, the room is in a state of utter chaos. The spirits fly around frantically, trying to reignite their powers in a desperate attempt at stopping Bellum's plans, even though each of them already knows it's far too late for them to help Linebeck now. Link, however, is still trying to piece together exactly what's happening as he stares up at the captain caught in the creature's clutches. He watches, frozen with fear, as a dark aura surrounds them both, his stomach lurching when he hears Linebeck let out one final, futile scream from beneath the demon's tendrils.
The darkness continues to grow until it overshadows everything in sight. Neri is only just able to create another barrier to guard Link from it, but Linebeck isn't so lucky. Not only does the demon's darkness enshroud him, it enters him, sealing Bellum's claim on its new vessel. And it's only as the shadows start to clear that Link can finally see that's exactly what Linebeck has been forced to become.
As soon as he catches his first glimpse of the captain, he practically forgets how to breathe. The spirits similarly still in the air, sharp gasps spilling out of each of them at almost the exact same time. Initially, Link thinks Bellum has summoned another Phantom, one clad in much studier, sharper armor than any he'd ever seen before. But then, he sees a head sticking out of that armor–bereft of a helmet–a once tanned face turned a sickly purple pallor, once sharp green eyes now nothing more than empty voids of white.
Slowly, Link stumbles to his feet, swallowing a sob when he notices that the demon's tendrils are tightly tied around each of the captured captain's limbs, like strings tethered to a puppet. Because as far as Bellum is concerned, that's all Linebeck is now: a vessel, a puppet, a pawn meant to ensnare its ultimate prey in the cruelest way possible. Bellum had used the faces of his friends and family against him before. But this time, it's different. This time, it's horrifically, inescapably, unbearably real.
"L-Linebeck…" Link chokes, reaching a trembling, helpless hand out to the captain. If Linebeck can somehow hear him, he doesn't show it. Instead, he lumbers forward, speaking in a mangled, malicious mix of the captain's voice and the voice of the demon controlling him.
"Look what you've done now, Link…" he says coldly, accusingly. "This battle was only meant to be between the two of us, and yet, you dragged an innocent man into the middle of it anyway, all because you were too weak to face me yourself. And now, your poor friend here is the one paying the price for that weakness, for your mistakes."
"I-I…" Link somehow speaks up as he begins to back away from the demon's approaching puppet. The Phantom Sword is far out of his reach, not that he'd even think to use it anyway, not now, not against Linebeck. "This is… I-I didn't think…"
He swallows hard, forcing himself to speak coherently, despite the tears prickling at the corner of his eyes. "Linebeck," he tries appealing to the captain, refusing to even acknowledge the demon controlling him. "I-I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry! If I'd know this was going to happen, I would have never let you come here with me!" Despite his best efforts to keep them at bay, the tears have finally found their way to the surface, and once they start, there's no stopping them. "I didn't want you to get hurt!"
"Well, it's much too late for that," Bellum sneers, its voice taking a clear edge over Linebeck's. "After all, how can someone who can't even save themselves possibly hope to save anyone else? And here you thought you had a chance at saving an entire world." The demon laughs, and the fact that there's still so much of Linebeck's voice in that laugh is enough to make Link trip, landing him on the ground mere feet away from the monster determined to destroy them both. "How delusional can you be, 'hero'?"
The captain reaches a gauntlet-covered hand down, easily snatching the boy up by the throat. The spirits dart forward to try and intervene, only for one of Bellum's tentacles to swiftly swat them away. "Your soul may have once been strong, but I fail to see what else anyone sees in you that makes you worthwhile in the slightest," Bellum mocks, forcing a vicious smirk onto Linebeck's face. His grip around Link's neck tightens, to the point that the boy is quickly struggling to breathe, despite his best efforts to free himself. "This man, the Ocean King, even the Goddess of Courage herself… they all went to such great lengths to keep you alive. And for what? For nothing."
Spots start to overtake Link's vision as his lungs beg for all of the air Bellum isn't letting him have. He doesn't even notice when a long, deadly sword appears in the captain's free hand until the demon draws its tip dangerously close to his face. "They should have let you die," it tells him, and even if he could speak, Link knows he wouldn't argue with it. How can he now, at the mercy of someone who's senselessly suffering solely because of him? "You should have let yourself die when I first captured you. It would have saved everyone foolish enough to give you so many second chances the trouble of watching you fail over and over and over again."
A strangled cry slips past his parted lips when the demon's sword skims the skin of his cheek, just below his left eye. Odd, he somehow manages to think, he would have thought a beast like Bellum would go for a fatal blow through his chest rather than his head. It eerily echoes how he'd taken Ganondorf down what feels like a lifetime ago now; he'd almost find it ironic, funny even, if it wasn't so unspeakably imminent.
"There will be no more second chances, not this time," Bellum whispers. Linebeck's empty eyes flash with a kind of hatred that the captain could never hope to claim as his own. The kind of hatred that's meant to kill. "This time, that last bit of light inside your soul will be extinguished. This time," a sickening grin splits wide across Linebeck's face as one of Bellum's tendrils drifts in, once again landing almost gently on Link's chest. Goddesses forbid the demon doesn't get what it wants from him before it finally finishes what it started well over a year ago now. "You're mine…"
Link doesn't care about that; he's so far out of it by this point that he's barely even listening to a word Bellum is saying. But in his final, few fleeting seconds, he still reaches a shaking hand out to the possessed captain, rasping out one last broken apology through his raw, ruined throat. "L-Linebeck… I… I'm sorry…"
With that, he closes his eyes, hangs his head, and waits. Waits for Bellum to siphon the last bit of Life Force out of him, waits for its puppet to shove its sword straight through his skull. He waits for death to finally catch up with him after running from it for so long.
And yet… that's not what happens.
Bellum's sword suddenly slices upward, cutting Link clean over his closed eye. He cries as he's abruptly released from the captain's hold, falling to the ground as blood begins pouring from the wound ripped across his face. But despite how painful it may be–and oh goddesses, is it ever–it doesn't matter anywhere near as much as what's happening in front of him.
The possessed captain stumbles back, yelling in both of his mismatched voices. He grips the wrist of his sword arm, pulling hard against the tentacle trying to drag it back into place. The apparent struggle becomes even clearer when Link notices his eyes, still largely white, but nowhere near as hauntingly empty as they'd been before.
"...Linebeck?" he questions, but his injured throat doesn't allow it to come out as anything other than an incredulous whisper. Somehow, the captain still manages to hear him all the same.
"L-Link!" he shouts between gritted teeth. Whatever fight he's putting up against the demon must be a brutal one; the strain of it is practically written all over his unnaturally pale face. "H-hurry! You… you've gotta–AUGH!" He can't get much more than that out as Bellum viciously tries to overwhelm him again. A new tendril appears, locking itself around Linebeck's neck with frightening speed. Its hold over its vessel is slipping, that much is clear. And if it can't control the captain, then clearly, it sees no use in keeping him alive any longer than it already has.
But Linebeck is fighting even still. And if he's fighting… then Link will too.
His breath hitches in panic, his mind racing for some way, any way to stop this. A spark of hope shoots through him when he spots the Phantom Sword, still lying on the ground just past the struggling captain. If he can just make it past the demon's reach, if he can make it time, then maybe–
As if an answer to his unspoken prayers, Ciela suddenly glides into the space between him and Linebeck. She lets out a surprisingly fierce shout as she unleashes her power over time once more, this time, freezing both the captain and the demon alike. Her wings tremble as she works hard to maintain her spell, though she still manages to turn back to Link all the same. "Go! Save him!" she pleads, practically on the verge of tears. Link doesn't think twice about listening to her–he never does anymore. "You can do it, Link! I know you can!"
Link's not so sure he agrees with her on that, but he doesn't have time to doubt himself now. He forces himself to his feet, running for the Phantom Sword, for the only thing that can finally finish this. Even once it's safely in his hand again, he doesn't dare stop, not even for a second. He runs, not back toward Linebeck, but toward the demon who had made the mistake of bending him to his will and using him as a tool for its murderous malice. His face is still bleeding and the air hasn't fully returned to his lungs yet, but Link doesn't care. Rage and adrenaline fuel him while guilt and grief push him onward. But as he leaps up onto one of the demon's frozen tendrils, as he makes his way every closer to the vile beast's amber eye, only one thing runs through him. And this time, it isn't fear.
He makes his final perch on top of the demon's body, raising the Phantom Blade high above his head. He screams, furious, as he plunges the weapon straight down into Bellum's exposed eye. It quickly snaps out of Ciela's spell, its tendrils lashing out in pained panic as it lets out a wordless, agonized roar. Despite the beast's freedom, Link doesn't let up. Instead, he lands another brutal blow across the demon's eye, and another, bringing his blade down over and over and over again. Bellum's black, ink-like blood sprays over him, but he ignores it, just as he ignores the demon's continued screams. After how many lives this abomination has destroyed, it's only fair that it feels even a fraction of the suffering it's caused across so many centuries.
"S-stop!" Bellum begs, of all things. Link nearly stays his hand when he hears that out of shock alone. "P-please, O Hero of Winds! Spare me and I will release your captain! I will even let you and your friends walk away from this place with your lives, I swear it! Just please, let me-"
"Let you live?" Link asks, disgusted by the very thought. "So you can kill even more innocent people? So you can destroy this entire ocean?" He brings his sword down again, just shy of slicing through a tentacle that tries to stop him. "I knew a man once–a monster–who wanted to do all of the same things you do. And you know what I did to him?"
"...Yes," the demon's voice softens, as if resigned to its fate. "You killed him…"
"No," Link practically hisses. He has blood on his hands, he knows that. But he also knows the one life he ended saved so many others. And so too, will the life he's about to end. "I did much more than that. I made sure he would never hurt any of the people I care about ever again. And now… neither will you."
With this, he brings the Phantom Sword down one last time, far harder and far faster than any of his previous blows. Bellum lets out a piercing cry as its tentacles slip off of the pillars, sending it crashing toward the ground. Link rushes off of its dying body, but not before cutting through the tentacles still tethering Linebeck to the monster. He doesn't know if what he's just done will save or doom the captain; all he can do is pray that it's the former.
Link lands clumsily, his injuries finally catching up to him as he presses a hand to his injured eye. Still, from his spot on the ground, he watches in solemn silence as Bellum finally falls. Its screams soon echo away into silence as its body grows still. Its tendrils slowly evaporate into nothing more than lifeless black dust first before whatever's left of it follows. The Phantom Sword draws that dust in, safely sealing Bellum's last remains away once and for all. It's only once he's sure that the demon is fully, truly gone that Link allows himself to fall backward onto the floor.
He only gets a moment's rest before Ciela's bright voice rings through his ears. He groans, but manages to crack his uninjured eye open to see her hovering over him. "Oh, thank the goddesses, you're ok too!"
"Too?" he questions, lifting his head. He can barely make out a familiar cobalt coat-clad shape lying still on the ground some distance away. The sinister armor may be gone, but that doesn't mean the captain is entirely in the clear yet. "Linebeck-"
"He's fine," Ciela assures. "We checked. He's just resting, like you should be."
"You don't have to tell me twice," Link laughs, lying back down again. He closes his eyes and focuses on simply breathing, on letting his body calm itself from the beating he'd just put it through. His eye will need patching up soon–he's not even sure he'll ever be able to properly see out of it again. But for just a moment, he's content to let himself rest, to let silence reign, to let the storm that's been hanging over him for the past year finally, finally pass.
"See?" he hears Ciela whisper as she settles in to sit on his chest. "I told you you could do it."
He takes pause at this, in sudden awe of himself. He'd told himself many times over that he couldn't do this, that this was where and how he was going to die, that there was no hope for him or for this ocean. But now…
Now Bellum is gone. Now, the World of the Ocean King is finally safe. Now…
Now he can go home.
"...Yeah," he mutters tiredly, smiling as he lets that thought lull him into the first peaceful sleep he's had in months. "I guess I did."
When Link eventually awakens, he does so as slowly as he first slipped into slumber. He's initially thrown off when he realizes he's lying on an actual bed instead of a bunch of crates. Even more surprising yet is the swath of bandages wrapped securely around the left side of his face. The fact that he can catch a hint of dull light from beneath them is a miracle—proof that he hadn't lost his left eye after all.
He knows well who he has to thank for that. And for so much more along with it.
It's only as he climbs out of bed that he recognizes he's in the captain's quarters of the S.S. Linebeck. There's no way to tell how long he's been out for, but it must have been quite a while if Linebeck managed to carry him out of the temple and back to the boat. If Linebeck had even been in any sort of state to do that after what he'd just been through.
The spark of fear that rushes through Link is short-lived as he begins climbing up to the main deck. He can already hear the captain's voice well before he even sees him, arguing with Ciela as if nothing had happened. As if they all hadn't narrowly escaped certain death.
"I'm telling ya, sparkles, that oversized Octo was no match for me," Linebeck smirks from his spot at the helm. Aside from a few bandages covering up various bumps and bruises, he looks no worse for wear, to the point that Link starts to wonder if he merely imagined Bellum possessing him. He's not so sure he'd believe it even happened at all if Linebeck didn't bring it up himself. "There's no demon alive that can take control of a strong-willed powerhouse like yours truly."
"Oh, don't get such a big head over it," Ciela huffs from her perch on the captain's shoulder. Leaf and Neri relax on a nearby railing, perfectly content to enjoy the show. "So you broke free long enough for Link and I to finish Bellum off. Big deal."
"Uh, try huge deal," Linebeck counters. "I not only gave the kid the perfect opening to take that thing down, I saved his life to boot. I think I deserve an entire hull full of treasure for that alone, not to mention everything else I've done on this little adventure. So," his teasing smile softens just the slightest bit when he finally meets Link's wide-eyed gaze. "When are you gonna pay up, kid?"
By the time he reaches the helm, Link finds he can't keep his surging emotions at bay any longer than he already has. Relief and gratitude alike overwhelm him as he rushes for the captain, catching him off guard with a tight, tearful hug. At first, Linebeck isn't quite sure how to react to the boy sobbing into his stomach, until Ciela makes a point of clearing her throat, silently telling him to hug Link back. He does so, albeit a bit awkwardly, unable to hide the smile slowly creeping back onto his face.
"Yeesh, kid, what'd I say about getting all sappy?" he jokes. "If anything, you should be throwing a fit over what I did to your face. It's probably gonna leave a pretty nasty scar, ya know."
"I'll take that any day over-" Link cuts himself off sharply, not even wanting to say such a frightening thought aloud. "I'm so glad you're ok. A-and I'm so sorry that you-"
"Hey now," Linebeck pulls back, kneeling down to the boy's level. "You already said you were sorry." Link starts at this, surprised that Linebeck had been able to hear anything when Bellum had been in control. "You don't need to say it any more; especially since what happened wasn't your fault. I knew going into that temple was risky, but I still did it anyway."
"For me," Link mutters, guiltily glancing away.
"...For you," Linebeck agrees, gripping his shoulder. "You know, I wouldn't put my neck on the line for just anyone, much less fight off demonic possession. But for you? Well… what can I say? You've grown on me, I guess."
Between his fading tears, Link can't help but laugh. "Yeah. You've grown on me too, 'captain'."
The warmth of the moment is suddenly shattered as the boat begins to violently rock against the suddenly unsettled sea. Link and Linebeck struggle to maintain their footing against it, forced to rely on the ship's railing as they peer into the ocean, half-expecting a sudden monster attack. With Bellum gone, however, there are no monsters left upon the land or the sea. The deity emerging from the depths has already made sure of that.
A white whale leaps out of the waves, larger than even the S.S. Linebeck as it crashes back into the ocean, drenching the entire ship in a heavy spray of seawater. Linebeck lets out a swear as he wrings the water out of his coat, only for shock to overtake him and Link alike when the whale slowly resurfaces right beside the S.S. Linebeck. "What in the name of Nayru is-"
"Grandpa!" Ciela suddenly shrieks, delighted.
Leaf and Neri chime in immediately after. But exactly what they shout throws Link and Linebeck through even more of a loop than the whale floating only a few feet away from them did. "The Ocean King!"
"...What?" Link and Linebeck gawk in almost perfect unison.
"Yes," the whale somehow speaks, and sure enough, its voice is Oshus's, albeit a bit deeper and stronger as it rumbles across the open sea. "This is my true form, restored to me now that Bellum has been vanquished. For that, I thank you, Link, and you too Linebeck. If not for your shared courage, this sea would have fallen into decay and desolation. But now, its future is secured. Never again will Bellum rise to threaten this world and its people."
"Great, yeah, awesome, whatever," Linebeck says, crossing his arms. "But now that you're all… powerful and uh, whale-ish again, I think there's a certain promise you made to Link here that you still need to make good on."
"...Linebeck," Link starts, surprised. If anything, he'd been expecting the captain to ask the Ocean King for a reward for himself. A reward that would have been well-deserved after what he went through thanks to Bellum. But instead, here's Linebeck, making demands for someone else for a change. If that isn't a testament to just how much their time together has changed the captain for the better, Link doesn't know what is.
"Don't get it twisted, kid," Linebeck shoots him a knowing look. "I'm only asking 'cause you haven't shut up about going home since you stepped foot on my ship. If I never hear you whining about how homesick you are, it'll be too soon."
Of course, Link sees through his ruse just as easily as Ciela does. "Aw, Linebeck, you're going soft on us!" she giggles, even as Linebeck insincerely swats at her.
"Can it, sparkles!" he huffs. "I just want to have my ship all to myself again, is all!" He drops his voice down to a mutter, glancing away from the group as he rubs the back of his neck. "Even if it'll be a little too quiet without you nuisances around…"
Link sighs, smiling sadly. "I'll miss you too, Linebeck," he says, knowing that's what the captain actually means. Despite the stoic front he likes to put on, Linebeck is remarkably easy to read.
Linebeck turns his nose up, but doesn't protest further. There's so much more Link wants to say to him, but between all of the emotions starting to run through him right now, he can't quite find the words. So instead, he turns back to the Ocean King, deciding that now is as good a time as any to claim the prize he's fought so hard for and finally won.
A prize that might still be far further out of his reach than he thought.
"Ok," he begins with a small, hopeful smile. "I guess… I'm ready to finally go home."
The Ocean King is silent for a moment, its large eye staring at the boy before him before it closes and a long, sad sigh slips out. "Yes… that is what I promised you, isn't it? And yet…"
"And yet… what?" Link asks, suddenly worried. He has every reason to be too, when he hears what the Ocean King has to say next.
"Though Bellum is no more, the damage he has wrought upon this world was indeed great, and in many cases, permanent," he explains. "I may have resumed my true form, but it appears as though much of my power has still yet to return to me. I could not have anticipated this turn of events when I made the promise to send you back to your world. And now… it brings me immeasurable shame to say that promise is not one I believe I am able to fulfill."
Just hearing that alone has Link feeling like a knife is digging into his heart. But the answer to the question Linebeck poses is what ultimately ends up running that knife straight through. "So… what are you saying, old man?"
"...I'm afraid I cannot send Link back to the world from whence he came," the Ocean King says softly, sadly. "I am deeply, truly sorry."
With just a few words alone, the ground beneath Link's feet is completely pulled out from under him. He hardly hears the spirits' chorus of shocked gasps, nor does he hear Linebeck erupting in anger at the Ocean King. All of the captain's furious shouts and swears are lost on the boy standing stiffly beside him. He stares at nothing, his breathing shallow and his chest aching with perhaps the worst pain he's ever felt before, pain that far surpasses any wound he's ever sustained. He wants to cry, to scream, to fall to pieces like he has so many times before. But instead, he simply stands there in silence as his hopes shatter all around him, as his dreams begin to die, as reality slowly starts to set in.
He can never go home. He'll never see the waves of Great Sea again, never step foot on Outset's familiar shores. He'll never share another fond embrace with his sister and his grandmother, he'll never sail again with Tetra and her crew. He'll never know anything even remotely close to the life he used to dream of having, a life spent alongside his family and friends, a life he'd nearly lost so many times simply trying to create it.
This must be a joke, a sick joke from whatever cruel whim of fate that had landed him here in the first place. He fought for so long, and for so hard, for only one thing and one thing alone.
But in the end, it's the one thing he isn't able to have. Everything he'd been through, everything he'd done… it was all for nothing.
At some point, the Ocean King disappears beneath the sea again, letting out one final, remorseful apology as he does. Leaf and Neri fly after him, but Ciela remains, unwilling to leave now. Linebeck is still fuming as he sets a course for Mercay, largely leaving Link be as he lingers by the railing, staring out at the sea. They make landfall within the hour, and as soon as they reach the port, Link all but rushes off the boat, unable to look at the ocean–so painfully familiar and unfamiliar all at once–any longer.
He ignores Linebeck and Ciela shouting after him as he runs through the island's seaside village with no real destination in mind. He darts through crowds of people, tears stinging at the corners of his uninjured eye, but they don't fall, not yet. Not until he's made it deep into the island's forest, until his grief finally tears its way out of him full-force.
He screams, one hand digging into his hair while the other unleashes his sword from its sheath. He swings it wildly, angrily slicing through the surrounding underbrush as if it were the demon who brought him here or the king who failed to take him back. It's senseless violence, he knows that's all it is, and what's worse is that it doesn't even help. He's still just as heartbroken as he eventually lets the blade slip out of his grip, exhaustion overtaking him as he slides down to the forest floor. Sobs overwhelm him as he pulls his knees to his chest, craving the comfort of family and friends that he wanted so badly to be with again. Family and friends that will now always be worlds away.
He wonders what they must be thinking, whether or not they believe that he's dead or missing or if they even care. He tries to imagine their lives going on without him; he imagines his grandmother passing away without her grandson by her side, his sister left to grow up without her big brother to care for her, a captain and her crew fruitlessly searching for a land they may never find.
And… he imagines himself, stranded here while they all move on without him. Except he doesn't have to imagine anymore; because that's exactly what's going to happen whether he likes it or not.
He doesn't know how long he sits there alone. The forest around him is quiet save for the sounds of his own soft weeping. His tears refuse to let up, even when he hears footsteps approaching through the nearby trees. He doesn't even have to look up to know exactly who's arrived to take a seat on the ground next to him.
Just like that night on the boat, Linebeck stays silent for what seems like ages. Link doesn't acknowledge him or even Ciela as she settles in to take a seat on his shoulder. There's nothing either of them could say or do to fix this now, nothing that could make him feel even remotely better.
Still, that doesn't mean they aren't about to try.
"So," Linebeck finally says, letting out a long, tired sigh. "That Ocean King's one lying son of a bitch, isn't he?"
"Linebeck!" Ciela shrieks, mortified that he'd say something so blatantly blasphemous.
"What? It's true," Linebeck shrugs. "He promised Link that he'd get him home, and then he backed out of the deal only after he got what he wanted from the kid. That's pretty scummy if you ask me. I mean, I've left plenty of folks with the short end of the stick myself, but this? Making a kid put his life on the line to fight an actual demon only to leave him empty-handed when it's all said and done? Tch, it's a whole new level of wrong."
"It's not Grandpa's fault!" Ciela protests, but even then it comes out almost halfheartedly. "He wanted to help Link, but he just… can't. So…"
"So I'm stuck here," Link sits up a bit, his voice low and bitter and raw from screaming. "For the rest of my life."
Linebeck and Ciela exchange a glance, neither of them sure on exactly how to proceed. There's no right answer here, no good solution–no solution at all, really. How can such a hard-won victory be so easily tainted by such a seemingly small, yet crushing blow?
"Well," Linebeck ventures as carefully as he can. "Is that… really all that bad?"
"Yes, it is," Link shoots back, thinking that much should be obvious. "The promise of being home again was the only thing that kept me going through all of this. It's why I kept fighting no matter how hurt or afraid I was. Now that it's gone, I… how can I…"
He trails off, agonized by it all. By how pointless all of the pain he'd been through really was, by how any semblance of purpose has been stripped from him in one fell swoop. By how the goddesses certainly must hate him to have taken his friends, his family, his future away from him like this. He lets out a quiet moan as he buries his face away again, forlorn to the point that he can't even bring himself to cry any more than he already has. "What am I supposed to do now?" he wonders softly, miserably.
Linebeck ponders the question for a moment or two. Eventually, a small smile creeps its way onto his face as he decides to start by calling the boy's bluff. "So what, you're gonna give up then? Just like that?"
"What else can I do?" Link returns, his voice barely audible.
"Ugh," Linebeck rolls his eyes. "Who knew teenagers could be so dramatic? Look, kid," he rests a hand on the boy's shoulders, prompting him to look up at him. "It's like I told you before: who's to say the old man was ever your only way of getting home? There's gotta be something or someone else out there that can get you back; you just haven't found it yet. So…" He rises to stand, grinning down at Link as he extends an inviting hand out to him. "What do you say we look for it together?"
It's a generous offer, one that Link can't believe just came out of the captain's mouth. And yet, the smile on his face is a sincere one, and he doesn't pull his hand back even when Link questions him about it. "What about having your ship all to yourself again? I thought… you wanted to get back to treasure hunting."
"Eh, solo-treasure hunting is kinda overrated," Linebeck admits. "I've kind of gotten used to having a cabin boy around to help me out. Although…" he strokes his chin thoughtfully as his smile widens just the slightest bit. "Maybe a first mate might be even better."
"...Wait, you're serious?" Link asks, completely caught off guard.
Linebeck nods, and though he tries his best to play it off, the meaning behind his proposed promotion is still completely clear to see. ""Now, I'm still not gonna pay you or anything, and you don't even have to say yes, but I just figured you'd be better off coming along with me instead of sitting in some forest crying your eyes out. But hey, if that's what you wanna do, who am I to stop you?"
"...Linebeck, I… I don't know what to say," Link shakes his head, still staring at the hand the captain is offering him.
"You should say yes!" Ciela whispers excitedly from her spot on his shoulder.
"Well… yeah, of course it's a yes," he finally accepts the captain's hand, letting him pull him up to stand. "It's just…"
"Hey, you don't gotta explain it to me, kid," Linebeck's smile softens, turning a touch more sympathetic. "I know sticking around here isn't exactly what you hoped for, but… at least you won't have to be here alone, right?"
"...Yeah," Link finally manages a smile himself. There's still so much sadness weighing it down, but something else manages to slip into his still-aching heart despite it. Something that almost feels like hope.
"That's the spirit," Linebeck grins as he begins to make a beeline back to the port. "Now come on, kid. There's an entire ocean for us to explore–all over again."
Link's more than ready to follow him and Ciela back to the boat, back onto the sea, back to another new adventure entirely. And yet, something stops him short. Namely, a certain strip of scarlet fabric and every single thing that strip means.
From the moment he first stepped foot on the ghost ship, Tetra's scarf has hardly ever left his neck. He'd worn it proudly every step of his journey, through dungeon crawls and fearsome fights. Each time it'd been damaged, he'd carefully repaired it; each time it was soiled, he washed it as gingerly as he could. Because despite how distant home may have seemed, he thought he was going to make it there eventually. And once he got there, the first thing he had planned on doing was making good on his promise by returning that scarf to who it truly belonged to. Just seeing that scarf tied back around Tetra's neck again would make it all worth it, certainly. Just being by her side once more would set everything that had gone wrong right.
At least… that's what he'd thought. Until the promise of home, the promise of her had been ripped right out of his hands.
An entirely new wave of grief washes him as he thumbs the well-worn fabric. He'd already felt iffy about wearing it when she first gave it to him, but now… wearing it feels downright shameful. His fingers tremble as he hurriedly unties it, letting it rest loosely in his open palm as the gentle sea breeze flows through its hanging ends. He doesn't deserve to hold onto it, but he can't bear to part with it, to merely discard it as if it isn't one of the only pieces of home he still has left to hold onto.
The last thing that will ever connect him to her.
He wants to keep that connection for as long as he can, however painful it might be to maintain it. Maybe that's why, as opposed to tying the scarf around his neck again, it finds a new home wrapped around his belt instead. It's a way to keep Tetra close, but not too close. A way to hold onto his fondest memories of home without letting them suffocate him from the inside out.
He has a feeling they will anyway, even as he takes a deep breath and sets off after Linebeck and Ciela. After all, memories, much like the ocean's waves, have a way of carrying even the strongest of swimmers out with the tide.
And as far as Link is concerned, he's already been pulled out to sea and left to drown.
Next time around, I think its time for us to finally check in on Tetra again... Don't forget to leave a REVIEW please! Until next time!