New Horizons - A Skyward Sword Aftermath Story

Chapter 26 - Fairies

Thud.

...

Thud.

...

Thud.

The deafening sounds of the whistling winds made Link's heartbeat difficult to listen to, but Zelda could hear that it was slowing down rapidly. She grabbed his wrist, and felt for his pulse. It felt like an eternity between each interval.

The girl desperately tried to peer through the thick snowstorm, to see if there was any hope of resolving this: a house belonging to a solitary resident, a traveller, any of their friends... anything at all!

Nothing. It was just her and the miles of snowy mountains that surrounded them.

Whimpering quietly, Zelda gently combed her fingers through her love's hair. The colour of his skin was fading turning a sickly pale, and felt ice-cold to touch. The terror she felt made her start gasping for air, but it felt like there wasn't any. It felt like the world was spinning. Her hyperventilating was uncontrollable, and soon, she felt faint.

Suddenly, something flashed before her eyes.

An image. She blinked, and saw it again.

It took a moment for her to recognise what she was seeing.

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Laying down in her arms was a boy who looked just like Link. Clad in green... Green hat, sword in hand... but, his hair was longer, and parted differently. A thick red shawl was draped around his neck.

Looking around, the two of them were in the ancient town again. Flickering flames danced around them. Vast stone walls came crashing down one by one. Thick smoke fogged their surroundings. Bodies of beasts and allies alike laid piled on top of each other.

Returning her attention back to the boy, Zelda gasped in horror. Large, deep gashes across his torso gushed with blood, trickling down, soaking the grass beneath them. His grey, lifeless eyes were rolled to the back of his head; cold, pale lips parted slightly.

The girl let out a choked sob upon looking at herself: her white dress now saturated with splatters of red.

She trembled as she slowly removed herself from the boy. She watched silently as the thick, dark blood from her soaked hands dripped onto the floor.

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Slowly, Zelda came back to reality, her eyes flooded with tears she didn't even know she was creating. Just as the pain felt like it couldn't get any worse, she leaned over the boy, doubled over from the agonising pain in her chest.

She began to dwell on the vision just saw. As she continued to sob, a rush of fury began to run through her veins. She squeezed her jaw shut painfully tight, and harshly dug her nails into her palms. This was all her fault.

It was her fault that he was the boy she no longer knew.

It was her fault for making him endure so much trauma and hardships, especially at such a young age.

It was her fault for giving in to her desires, and trying to create this new life with him that just isn't meant to be.

It was her fault for luring him in, for making him love her, for making him sacrifice everything for her.

Demise is gone, or at least for now.

He had done his service.

She doesn't need him anymore.