The Legend of Zelda: Blood and Spirit

Chapter 7: No Matter What

"Now," Link began, putting a secure arm around her. "We can start enjoying every minute of it."

Zelda returned his smile as she embraced him once more. "And how do you intend we do that?"

"Like this," the hero said as he pulled her in for another tender kiss.

The couple stayed on their small islet until they decided to return to the surface once more. They spent much of the pleasant, warm day walking through the lush Faron Woods, taking paths that they hadn't before as they strolled along hand-in-hand. They had spent quite a few calm days on the surface together like this before, but now every moment they shared together seemed to be even more special and wonderful. As the day wore on peacefully, the pair took a route that led to the unknown expanse to the northwest of the large forest. They eventually broke into what they initially thought to be a clearing containing a single grassy hill. Upon scaling this hill however, they found something completely amazed them. Beyond the crest of the hill the forest opened up into a vast green field that rolled on in nearly every direction for miles and miles on end. From their excellent vantage point, Link and Zelda could see the full lay of the land and how it connected to Lanayru Desert to the west and Eldin Volcano to the north, acting as a wide crossroad between the three provinces of the surface.

"Wow..." Zelda said in awe as she looked over the landscape. "Its even bigger than Hylia's memories made it out to be..."

"I always wondered what was in between the three provinces..." Link mused as he looked over the wide open area. "But its so empty..."

"Well, people haven't really lived on the surface for generations," the girl said. "But it doesn't have to be empty anymore..." She smiled as she nudged closer to the hero, taking his hand in her own. "If you know what I mean..."

"I do," he smiled, wrapping his arms around her and gazing into her radiant face. He knew well what she was implying: that one day, their life together on the surface would become something much more than what it currently was. It would become a mutual, loving union, and through that union, the two of them would start to repopulate this empty land together. It was a thought that filled the hero with hope for the future, a future where nothing could break through their happiness, not even the threat of corruption. And as he let the idea sink in, Link realized that it was perhaps the best reason he had to keep fighting it. If he resisted and overcame the corruption of the demon, then he'd get to have that future with Zelda. And at the moment, that was the most perfect future he could possibly imagine.

The couple decided to sit on the hill overlooking the field to watch the sunset over the desert to the west. As twilight arrived, the untouched landscape took on a shadowy orange glow as the fading light of the dying day covered both of them in its warmth.

"I'm so glad we decided to stay on the surface together..." Zelda said to Link as they watched the sun sink ever lower. "I love it down here..."

"And I love you..." the hero said warmly as the girl placed her head in his lap and looked up into the skies above, which were painted in a dazzling array of blues, violets, oranges and pink.

"Goddesses, I never get tired of hearing you say that," she said, closing her eyes blissfully. "I love you too, and I'm pretty sure that I always have..."

Link was about to offer a reply when a sudden, very familiar voice pervaded his thoughts with one simple command: "Slay the goddess..." Immediately, the hero knew that this malicious, bloodthirsty voice belonged to Majora, and that the demon was making another attempt at corrupting him, once again at a very inopportune time. As the cold voice of the demon repeated this command over and over to him, the hero forced his eyes to look away from Zelda and instead set them on a tight gaze towards the empty fields ahead, using every once of willpower that he had to resist it.