Linktober 2023

Day 10, Zelda

She was always beautiful. In ever lifetime, in every body, in every form, she was beautiful.

Tags: Zelda/Link, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Major totk spoilers, endgame spoilers

He ate the stone.

Link was already tired, the sages behind him were reeling. Tulin had vomited. A child shouldn't be in a place like this. Link had a pang of guilt for dragging him into this.

The transformation was horrific. When Link saw what happened to Zelda, when he transformed, despite the tears and grief and guilt the one thing he thought coherently was she's so beautiful . But this creature was born of hatred, every bit as terrible as Calamity Ganon's improvised form.

"Get back!" Link shouted at the sages. "Run!"

They were hesitant. They'd already done too much. Link screamed over the noise. "Leave! Now!"

The last thing he saw were their backs turned, hightailing it out of the cavernous space.

Link was swept up in jaws of gloom. It sunk into his already weak skin, yet he couldn't feel it. A fresh dose of adrenaline coursed through his blood anew, letting his body forget the pain of the battle he just fought. The dragon flew through the chasm under the castle, into the sky above. The castle crumbled further from the force of it.

Link tried to get free of his jaws, but to no avail. One thought, one foul move, and it would all be over. The jagged teeth cut through his tunic, through his skin.

A roar split the air, and it wasn't from the demon dragon holding him. Link looked, blinking against the wind to see the Light Dragon flying for them.

Zelda.

The demon opened his mouth to attack, and Link fell through the air. But he could only watch as the Light Dragon swerved, avoiding his jaws. She was so much smaller than him... but Link knew she was strong.

The Light Dragon dodged the maws of the demon and dove. For a spilt moment, Link and the creature made eye contact. And he saw his Zelda. He saw her.

Is she still in there?

As if she knew where he was, she dove for him, catching him in her mane. Link held on for dear life, shaken to his core.

"Thank you, Zel."

The demon gave chase. They ascended so quickly Link got some altitude sickness. The skies shook with the force of the roar that came from the demon.

It was chaotic, and loud, and every time Link landed on the demon dragon to attack the weak points the gloom seeped into his skin, sapping his energy, his strength. The master sword hummed and pulsed under his touch with every swing, but didn't break, didn't falter. The glow stayed, true and pure. When the demon flung him off, Zelda was there to catch him. Her own magic seemed to restore, to give the strength that was taken back to him. He jumped again, each time, somewhat restored. The sky turned red, the air became poisoned, the gloom was thick.

And Link was on the demon's head, the tear on his forehead nearly broken. One swing and...

The earth shook. The clouds trembled. Link drove his sword into the glass, shattering it.

The dragon reeled, sending Link flying off again. Zelda was there, and with a thud that might've broken something, he held onto her head. He tried to stand, to watch the carnage.

Light and gloom erupted from the body, the dragon reeling and coiling. Link watched with not an ounce of pity or regret. He watched with satisfaction and held himself tall despite the sharp pains in his body, so many, he could hardly pinpoint a source.