Free to Love - A Zelda x Link Fanfiction

LXVII: Phantom Sensations

Zelda's Perspective:

All I could remember was Link pulling me outside, through the nearly-deserted Gerudo Town square, his grip so tight on my wrist that I could barely even feel my hand anymore. I stared at the sky as Link dragged me, both in fascination and overwhelming fear.

"W-What the--?" I cried. The sky had gone crimson, darker than the deepest red I had ever seen, with heavy dark clouds swimming through the sky. The moon was so suddenly bright in the sea of darkness above, almost pure white and full when I could see it clearly. With the many dark clouds, the moon almost constantly appeared as a dull gray, though.

I felt sick. I stumbled, but Link didn't notice, only pulling me harder. I could barely keep track of the movement of my feet, barely able to catch myself as he stopped abruptly. Were those the stable doors? I couldn't see very well.

My stomach swam, tying into knots and I felt bile rise in my throat. I could tear my gaze from the sky and the desaturated moon. Why did it feel so familiar? My hands automatically found something to hold onto, grabbing onto my biceps as my body began to shiver. It was so familiar! Why was it so familiar?

My knees buckled. It was like an itch at the back of my brain. I bit my lip, my head beginning to pound and throb in agony when I suddenly remembered. The scenes played behind my eyes, hitting me like a punch to the gut. I was barely aware of me collapsing to my knees, the pain of the gravel digging into my skin so dulled.

It was the visions, the visions from before. I hadn't seen them in so long. I had only seen them once at Purah's, but the memory shocked me to the core. It was blood. The blood on the stone. I remembered. My last vision of the blood focused on the few splatters of it on cobblestone, dripping through the cracks and down into the darkness. Now, I could see more, albeit I wished I hadn't.

Blood. There was so much blood. I stared at my hands in the vision. They were covered in blood, smeared, and dripping from my palm, covering my skin down to my elbow. I was wearing my white dress, the dress I was wearing today, but it looked nothing like the dress today. I wouldn't even call it white. It was red. All red. My lap and torso were covered in blood. The entire front of my dress was smeared with it.

My legs were covered in mud, turning a sickening crimson because of the blood that dripped from my dress. My stomach panged in agony, a phantom sensation of hot agonizing pain.

"It's almost time!" I howled the words, feeling hot tears drip down my face. I could barely focus on the reality around me. I could only feel the thin layer of sweat that covered me, the phantom blood still slick on my hands, and braying in the distance. "Link, it's almost time!" My words were piercing and sounded like they came from a dying animal. They hurt my own ears, the noise echoing in my head.

"Link! Link!" I was full-on sobbing now, my entire body trembling. My neck ached from staring up at the sky but I couldn't tear away. I felt like I was in a trance. I barely felt Link hoist me up, pulling me onto one of the horses, his body behind me.

I couldn't see it. I only felt it barely, like my entire body was numb and I only felt the pressure of his torso and arms securing me to the horse. My eyelids felt heavy. I was going in and out of consciousness, but so quickly I couldn't tell what was a dream and what was real. My only indicator was the sharp nip of the wind on my face, which I only felt somewhat thanks to my numbed state.

"Zelda! Zelda!" Link's voice sounded so distant. I wanted to hold him, but I could only focus on my own sensations. I could still feel the ghost pains, the stabbing in my stomach, and the warm slick blood on my hands. "Talk to me, please!"

I sobbed sharply, eyes barely managing to focus on the blur of the ground underneath Epona's feet. My hands shook as I grabbed onto her mane. Link's hands were shaking me, holding me securely but still pulling me against his chest frantically.

"What's happening? Do you know what's happening?" he shouted over the wind.

I gasped sharply, nausea rising in my throat. "The end! It's h-here, I can feel it!" I shouted, howling through the air. My own words rang in my head and I wasn't entirely sure it was my own words at this point. "He's s-so close! The Calamity! The Calamity!"

He might've urged Epona to gallop faster. I couldn't tell. The words were still repeating in my head as I sunk into a long bout of unconsiousness.

The Calamity. The Calamity. The--