The Legend of Zelda: Zelda's Honor

Chapter 56 - A Piece of the Goddess

"Hey! Listen! Stay with me Link!" The little voice drifted through the air.

His eyes fluttered open, rapidly blinking away the rain pounding onto his face. He turned his head to see a blue glowing light beating towards him. He wanted to reach his hand out for the radiant globe of luminescence, but he couldn't manage to lift his arm up from the soaked ground. All he could hear was the roaring of the Hunger as it swung its cavernous, clawed hand at Saria. She was whizzing to and fro, kicking it in the face before zipping off out of its reach. An inner courage sustained her fury as she assailed the ineffectual demon. Its speed was no match for her lithe movements.

"Navi?" Link croaked disbelievingly. "Is that really you?" He coughed violently, blood spurting from his lips.

"There, there, it's going to be all right Link." The little fairy landed gently onto his chest. Kneeling down onto her shins, she grasped his face in her hands and laid her head on his cheek. "I've missed you so much Link, I'm sorry I left so suddenly when I did." Tears began streaming down her tiny face.

"I never...hated you for it." Link rasped, in-between deep, gasping breaths.

Her salty tears still dripping onto his skin, she wailed, "All Kokiri live forever with their fairies, a product of the gift given to them by Hylia. I was uncertain about the Great Deku Tree's command to become your fairy Link but over time I grew to appreciate you, respect you and love you. But I couldn't bear the thought of you dying and leaving me alone without a partner forever and ever!"

Link looked at her shining body out of the corner of his eyes, turning his head hurt too much. "I'm sorry...to disappoint Navi, but I think I am dying."

Navi rose up from his cheek and looked at him sternly, "Link! This is exactly what I've been waiting for!" Receiving the expected response of confusion on his face, she pressed onward, "I left you looking for a way to become one with you. Every fairy can do this with their Kokiri. It is a natural part of what they are. A single blessing handed down by Hylia to protect the Kokiri should something bad happen to them. However, there was no documentation on how it could be done and if it was even possible with a Hylian!"

Link smiled at her single-minded determination to be with him forever, "Can...it be done?" He wheezed, more blood dribbling down his chin.

She nodded vigorously. "I traveled to the far corners of this land, to the very heart of another realm that I dare not speak of here. It was there in that perpetual twilight that I found the secrets of the blessing we were bestowed. You had to die Link, to be on the cusp of the afterlife before my soul could find its way inside the hole that has now opened up within yours. I'm scared Link, I don't know what will happen when we merge. I don't think this has happened ever!"

A tear came to his eye, "You did...all that for me?" She bowed her head in affirmation and brushed his cheek with an affectionate kiss. "I trust you Navi." Link rattled, blood slowly filling up his lungs. With one final gasp, he closed his eyes.

Taking a ragged breath, Navi stood up on his chest and found the right spot where his heart would be. She laid down on her stomach and pressed her face up into his tunic, hearing the last slow beats of his heart. Tears flowing unendingly, she whispered, "I will always love you Link."

Closing her eyes she gave herself over to the energy within her. She could feel it release into the ether and latch on to Link's departing soul. Her little frame gasped as it locked onto his spirit and brought them together inside of him. She no longer felt her body dissolving into his chest. Blinding light surrounded the two souls bounded together in final matrimony. Link gulped in his first breath of new life, burning warmth broiling inside his heart. He could feel Navi's loving essence flow throughout his body, down his limbs and into his mind. She was with him forever until death claimed them both. Moving his toes, he could feel new vitality in his legs, miraculously reattached via Hylia's blessing.