The Legend of Zelda: Wisdom and Courage

Chapter 8: Real Or Not Real

The storm had finally ended, but the roar of the crashing thunder still echoed throughout the seemingly endless void. The watery ground shook underneath the hero's feet as he watched with his sword still held aloft as the demon king slowly picked himself up from the fatal blow that had just been dealt to him. With a furious shout, the ancient king of monsters buried his dark blade into the reflective floor and in less than a moment, it vanished entirely. Unsure if this arduous battle was truly over, the hero continued to observe anxiously, clinging onto his sword and shield for dear life, as if they were the only things that could sustain him amidst the heavy wounds he had received in battle. He was exhausted, covered in both the cold water covering the ground beneath him and the crimson blood from his own injuries, as the paralysis that he had suffered from the last electrified blow the demon king had managed to land on him was still wearing off. He knew that if he didn't find some means of recovery soon, he would quickly bleed out and die before he even got to really revel in his victory over this great evil, before he ever got to see her again…

However, despite his heavy wounds, it was clear that he had, by some miracle of the gods, brought down the fell, dreaded demon king, a feat that had been deemed near impossible. The monster's piercing red gaze bore down upon the young hero with nothing less than absolute hatred as he futilely tried to recover, but the hero did not flinch under his gaze. He stood strong before the abomination despite his bleeding, broken body, his mighty heroic spirit proving enough to pull him through and provide him with the courage he needed.

"Extraordinary…" the demon king muttered in anger between gruntal, heavy breaths. "You stand as a paragon of your king, human. You fight like no man or demon I have ever known. Though this is not the end. My hate… never perishes. It is born anew in a cycle with no end! I will rise again! Those like you… Those who share the Blood of the Goddess and the Spirit of the Hero… They are eternally bound to this curse. An incarnation of my hatred shall ever follow your kind, dooming them to wander a blood-soaked sea of darkness for all time!" Upon uttering this curse, the king of demons threw his head back in one final, crazed laugh as he began to dissolve into particles of darkness. The sacred sword that the hero held began to glow in a heavenly light as he lifted it skyward, and the remains of the demon king were quickly drawn to it.

As the darkness that composed the now-vanquished demon king vanished inside of the blade, the spirit of the sword spoke to the hero, her melodic, gentle words soothing him more than anything else could have at the moment. "I have confirmed the eradication of the demon king. His residual consciousness has been absorbed into the Master Sword… and is now sealed away."

The hero let out a relaxed sigh as the world around him began to turn a warm, comforting white. Before he let the pain of his pressing wounds claim him and drag him into the peace of unconsciousness, he allowed himself the calming relief that came along with the incredible realization that he had succeeded. After months of toil and turmoil, he was finally finished. He was done. It was over.

It was finally over.

But the truth was… it was only just beginning.

"Link…" the sound of a soft, familiar female voice was the first thing that reached the unconscious hero's ears as he slowly began to ease his way into awakening. Upon hearing the gentle voice calling out to him, he immediately forgot completely about the strange, vague dream he just had, as well as what happened in the forest, and instead devoted all of his slowly recovering energy into opening his eyes. And when he finally did, he took immediate comfort upon seeing the beautiful face that was mere inches away from his.

"Zelda…" he sighed contentedly as he gave her a tired smile, one that she returned warmly as she tenderly placed her hand against his cheek. Encompassed and slightly entranced by her soft touch, Link hadn't even bothered to notice the strange darkness of the room he was in; the only thing he could really focus on was Zelda as she gave him a sly, almost flirtatious grin as she leaned in even closer to him, taking one of his hands and guiding it so he had his arm wrapped around her slender waist.