✦You don't belong here...✦

{24} Death

❖ "We'll do this together. We'll win, Link. We can do this. For Zelda, and everyone we lost," I encourage Link, and he nods. We draw our weapons, and with determination, hope, and fear for the future, we step into the portal, ready to face Demise. ❖

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After we step into the portal, we are blinded by bright sunlight. I expected some dark cave or castle, but this is something different. It's like we walk on water, and there's nothing but a blue sky, with white, fluffy clouds and a shining sun that reflects in the water. If Demise wasn't standing in front of me, I'd say I died and arrived in heaven. Demise stands with his back towards us, and it's like he already expected us, believing that we would follow him instead of running away to live a little longer. Slowly, he turns his head to face us. "Ah, so you've decided to meet your end in battle, after all. It pleases me greatly to see such misplaced valor, humans," he speaks to us. "We're not here to die. We're here to shove some sword up your ass," I growl at him, and Demise doesn't respond, but turns his full body towards us. "Take a moment to appreciate your surroundings, for where we stand shall serve as your tomb for eternity," I blow a loose strand of hair out of my vision. "I would love to look around a little bit and enjoy the view, but thanks to you, I can't. You're totally ruining it," I mock, and Demise grins. "I see you've picked up some of Ghirahim's habits. Well, what can I say? A shame he isn't with us today to witness this little copy of himself," Demise says, while holding up the sword with Ghirahim inside. "So.. He doesn't know what's happening?" I ask, afraid of the answer. "No. He's... What shall I call it... Sleeping. He has no idea he's about to kill the love of his life," Demise says amused. "Ah, well. I see it as his payback for letting me wait so long," he continues, and he turns his attention to Link, before walking around a little bit. "The hate for the gods that has boiled in my veins... You will taste all of it in the bite of my blade," he stops in his tracks. "The only question left is how lang you two will manage to remain standing before I take your lives. Try to keep it a little interesting for me, would you?" I huff, and whisper in Link's ear. "Do you think beating the sweet crap out of him would be interesting enough for him?" I say, and Link chuckles. Demise pays no attention to it, and coninues his speech. He lost me at the first three words, and I look around, pretending to be bored. Demise must have done something, because suddenly, the bright blue and peaceful sky changes. The sky is now brown-orange, and the white clouds have turned black. Link and I prepare for battle, we ready our weapons. "I shall take the Triforce for my own, and the entire world shall be under my foot for eternity!" Demise roars, and that's Link's and my sign to attack. With a battle cry, we storm at the Demon King, ready to fight.

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The battle is long and tiring. In comparison to Demise's height, Link and I are insects. The tall and strong demon doesn't give up, but so do we. We have to win. For everyone. For this land, for the world. We fight like we've never fought before, whenever we fall, we get up again. Our only advantage, is the numbers. Link and I form a team, whereas Demise is on his own. We circle around him like hyena's hunting their prey. Whenever Demise attacks one of us, the other quickly runs around and attacks Demise's back, this way, we hope to tire him enough to defeat him. This strategy seems to work for quite some time, before Demise understands what we're doing. Instead of focussing on one of us, he makes some feints to distract or confuse us, and then he strikes. We manage to dodge most of his attacks, we're smaller, but also quicker. I begin to feel my legs burn, and my arms are tired of pulling the string of my bow over and over to fire arrows, and sometimes, I even loose my focus. I'm not high alert anymore like I was in the beginning of the battle, and Demise seems to notice that my defense is starting to crumble. I can't let him think that I'm becoming weaker with the second! I must stay vigilant. And so, I push my body to the max to remain standing. But after half an hour that feels like three entire weeks, I am too slow. Demise manages to hit me with his sword, and I feel my flesh being ripped open. My armor and clothing immediately start to turn red, and I grab my flank, trying to stop the bleeding. "Selena!" I hear Link call, and I also hear his footsteps running towards me, right into Demise's waiting blade. "No! Link! Stay back! This is what he wants!" I scream, but my words are not as loud as I wish them to be. "But..." Link tries, and I stop him again. "No. You must continue the battle. You must defeat him! You're our only chance left, Link. Don't let everyone down because of me!" I say, before couching up some blood. This is not good. Definately not good. "But I can't let you die here! No, this can't end this way! We're the heroes! We're supposed to win... Good is supposed to defeat evil!" he screams, his voice full of panic. "Since I have some manners and a lot of patience, I shall let you say goodbye," Demise says to Link. "However, do not think this battle is over. I warned you from the beginning that this would be your end. I expect you in ten minutes, to continue this fight," he states before walking away. Link pays no attention to him, and rushes to me. I sit on the ground, and the water around me has already turned red. "Selena, you have to stay strong! We- we can still win this!" Link says with tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry that I called you a traitor, and I'm sorry that I was being an ass to you! I just..." A few tears start to fall, and I grab his hand. "It's okay, Link. You have to do it, now. You have to fight for the both of us! Don't let him win, he doesn't deserve that," I smile at him. "No! No, I won't do this alone!" Link cries, and I grab him by his shoulder. "If you don't fight, then we know one thing for sure, this was all for nothing. Please, don't let me die for nothing, I beg you," I whisper. Link nods. "Y-you're right. But.. You're one of my best friends... I can't lose you! It's just not fair! The good guys were supposed to win!" I sigh. "Life is not a fairytale, Link. Not every story has a happy ending. But this story isn't over yet. You can still decide what the fate of this land will be, but if you don't fight Demise now, this story won't have a happy end for sure," I say, and give him a little push. I feel my strenght leave my body, and I lay down. The puddle of blood grows with the second, and I look Link in the eyes. "Go. Make us proud. And perhaps, after I die here, I can return home, and if not, I've lived an amazing life with you, and all the people I've met here, so I'm satisfied," I whisper, and then, I the edges around my vision start to fade. I feel myself fall to the ground, and in the distance, I hear Link crying and begging for me to stay. But I know I can't. I've learned that once a puddle of blood has a certain size, there's no possibility to survive. "Goodbye, Link," I say with my last breath, before giving in to the darkness.

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xoxo, ZilverSong