Seashells | BotW

Chapter 13 -

T.w.
Character Death
Suicide/Mention of Suicide
Blood

3rd Person POV

Link stumbled clumsily into Zora's Domain, sighing contentedly as the water surrounding the Shrine under the Domain covered his legs. It was nighttime, so very few of the Zora were awake aside from Sidon, who was standing in front of Mipha's statue. Link limped over to him. Sidon smiled down at him, but his smile quickly faded when he saw the condition Link was in.

"Link, my friend!" He called, kneeling next to him. He was breathing heavily and blood dripped from his mouth. He was still covered with malice.

"Sidon, listen to me," Link said quickly. "I didn't want you to see me like this, Sidon; I really didn't." His voice shook. "But this malice is going to kill me." Sidon's eyes widened with shock.

"..what do you mean?" He asked.

"When I was fighting the Calamity, it hit me with some kind of spike, it was covered with malice, and now that malice is taking over my body. Eventually, it'll take over my mind, and I won't have any control over myself, and then I'll die. That's how this works; once Ganon is dead, everything he's corrupted dies with him. The malice is corrupting me. Ganon is dead now. I am going to die with him." He unsheathed the Master Sword and held it in his shaking hand. ".. I really don't want you to be here right now. Please, Sidon.. I want to be alone." Sidon hesitated, but stared at Link.

"You're going to kill yourself, aren't you?" He asked. Link opened his mouth to speak, but stopped himself.

"I don't want to hurt anyone- " Sidon gripped Link's wrists and pulled his hands away from him.

"Link, look at me," Sidon demanded. "You are not going to die." Link choked back a sob.

"I will if I stay like this.." he gestured to the malice on his body, "for too long." He pulled his hands out of Sidon's grip.

"I don't want to live in a world that you aren't in, Link," Sidon cried. Link sighed softly.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I'm going to die either way; I don't want to hurt any of you." Sidon gasped, trying to grab Link's hands again, but Link quickly stabbed the Master Sword into his own stomach. He gasped and began breathing heavily. Sidon grabbed his shoulders and pulled him closer, cradling him the best he could. He brushed Link's long hair behind his ears.

"You're going to be just fine, Link," he said. Link groaned quietly and roughly pulled the sword out of his body, dropping it on the ground and collapsing into Sidon's arms, smiling weakly.

"Zelda told me that 100 years ago.." he chuckled. "How'd that work out?" Sidon went pale and he hugged Link softly.

"I swear, you're going to be alright," he whispered.

"Maybe," he said quietly. "But, whatever happens.. I'm glad it's happening with you here. I'm glad you're here with me.." Sidon's eyes filled with tears and he choked back a sob. He layed Link on the ground and pressed his hand against the stab wound on his chest. He looked up when he heard someone rushing across the Great Zora Bridge.

"Prince Sidon!" Zelda called as she ran. Sidon's heart raced and he smiled softly at her. Zelda quickly knelt down to Link's wounded body as soon as she got close enough.

"Hey, Zelda.." Link groaned out weakly. His voice was raspy and shaking.

"What happened?" She asked, pressing her hand, which was glowing with a soft yellow light, against his chest, too. Sidon took a deep breath in and exhaled sharply to calm himself down enough to speak.

"He said the malice covering his body would take over his mind and then kill him," Sidon explained. "He said he didn't want to hurt anyone, and he stabbed himself with the Master Sword." Zelda nodded, her hands shaking now.

Sidon stood and backed away, unable to see Link now. He heard Zelda talking to him, saying reassuring things like 'you're going to be fine,' and 'I promise you're okay.' Sidon anxiously tapped his foot on the ground. Eventually Zelda stopped talking to Link. She sighed and looked up at Sidon.

"Prince Sidon..." she wiped her eyes. "I'm so sorry. He's gone." Sidon exhaled, staring at the floor. He took a moment to process what she was saying. He nodded. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He wiped the tears from his eyes and tried to stop himself from crying.

"I understand," he said, concealing his grief. "Will you please talk to Bazz and discuss the preparations for a proper burial? I can stay here with him." Zelda nodded and dashed away. Sidon sat next to Link's body and brushed his hair back again,so it wouldn't cover his eyes.

Link was covered with blood; it dripped from his mouth and it had pooled on the ground underneath him. One of his hands was resting on his torso, the other on the smooth, bloody marble floor. His hair was a mess, and it was obvious it hadn't been cut in a very long time. His clothes were ripped and the malice on his back was burning through them. He had gained quite a few scars since Sidon had last seen him.

"Prince Sidon," he heard a firm voice behind him. "I have received news that you wanted to see me immediately." Sidon sighed and turned around.

"Yes, hello, Bazz," he said. "And Zelda. Bazz, we must discuss something." Bazz knelt next to him and looked down at the deceased Hylian in front of him.

"..oh, my," Bazz said under his breath. "Is this what you wished to speak about?" Sison nodded softly.

"Yes," he said sadly. "We must talk about burial preparation." Bazz nodded.

"Of course, Sidon," Bazz said, his voice shaking. "I can speak to Kayden about it. He's done burials for Hylians before." Sidon nodded.

"Good, go speak with him, please." Bazz nodded firmly and stood, rushing inside the Domain and disappearing behind a blue wall. Sidon looked down at Link and frowned. He felt Zelda's hand on his shoulder, and she sat next to him.

"I'm so sorry, Prince Sidon," she said to him. Sidon smiled slightly at her.

"Please," he said, distracting himself from the obvious moment. "Just call me Sidon."