Chapter 28: Allies of the Goddess
The brilliant mid-morning sunshine glistened upon the dew resting on the grass of the wide fields, a peaceful summer's breeze blowing through them. Despite the potential destruction that the land faced at the hands of the Dark Interlopers, it was, at least for this moment in time, still safe and beautiful. It was now clear to both sides of the ongoing conflict that whoever controlled the Triforce controlled the surface. If it remained in the care of the goddess and her hero, then the surface would remain full of light and life. But if the golden relic were to fall into the hands of the Interloper leader and her followers, the land would certainly fall into chaos and darkness for all time.
Across the vast landscape strode a lone figure, her back turned on the forests she had emerged from and her sights set upon the hidden village to the northeast. Her long, ground length white dress followed the soft wind gracefully, as did her long raven locks as she traveled across the field at a steady pace, her destination clear. And while the expression on her face was calm and placid, her raging thoughts were anything but.
The goddess of Termina had never been one to let her emotions get the better of her; that had always been a fault of her twin sister, even before she was reincarnated as a mortal. But even Terminus, upon revisiting the land of Hylia, a place that she hadn't been too since her sister was still immortal as she was, couldn't help but let her reminiscent feelings overtake her. This was once the place where she would walk side by side with her dear sister, where they would exchange tales of their respective domains, and where they would spend warm quality time together. There was no denying that in the ancient times of peace, Hylia and Terminus had been quite close, as close as any sisters could be. But as the threat of evil fell upon both of their worlds, the twin goddesses found that a rift had been torn in their tight-knit bond, one that came about because of the heavy responsibility that they both bore to their lands. And when Hylia discovered that there was no easy way to defeat Demise and Terminus found that there was no simple way to destroy Majora, the rift that stood between the two of them grew even wider.
Terminus sighed as she continued walking, closing her eyes as the distant memory of the last meeting she had with Hylia before she gave up her immortality entered her mind. Though it had happened centuries ago, the day was still as clear as ever to the goddess of Termina, just as it always would be.
To say that Terminus was overjoyed to see Hylia when she spotted her twin entering her land was an understatement. Her shoulders had been burdened lately from the recent appearance of the wicked demon Majora and the goddess of Termina knew that her once-noble people were already starting to be swayed by its corrupting ways. Her heart ached for them, and she knew that if she were to ever win their respect and dedication back, she would have to do something about the unraveling situation soon. However, as she saw her beloved sister quickly coming to meet her upon the empty fields of Termina, Terminus smiled, for she knew that Hylia understood her woes well for she had been having plenty of her own recently.
"Hylia!" Terminus greeted her sister warmly as she ran towards her, her sacred gown flowing out behind her. "It has been many days since we have met last! What brings you to my land now, my dear sister?"
The golden-haired goddess's expression was somewhat morose as she joined her sister in a fond embrace. "It has been too long, Terminus," Hylia said softly. "I have much to tell you…"
"Oh, yes!" Terminus nodded insistently, hardly even noticing her sister's melancholy. "How does your land fare in the battle that is raging within it? Has it finally come to an end?"
"It has…" Hylia glanced down as the ground at her feet. "The Triforce is safe with my people and it will remain so for a time… The demon king has been sealed away along with his wicked followers…"
"Ah, that is reliving news to hear!" Terminus smiled, but it faded when she saw that her sister took little joy in this victory. "But, my sister, I see that you are still troubled? What is wrong?"
Hylia sighed as she struggled to hold back her pressing tears. "In the midst of the war… I… I chose a hero for myself," she began, hoping that her heart wouldn't tear apart at the seams simply from bringing this up. "I entrusted him with the fate of my land and he did not fail me, but… he met his end at the hands of the demon king and he passed from this life…"
"Oh, Hylia…" Terminus said with sympathy as she placed a consoling arm on her sister's shoulder. "I am so sorry…"
"He was an honorable hero…" Hylia said with a small, distant smile on her face as she found herself caught up in memories of her fallen champion. "Courageous and loyal. Willing to stand against all manner of evil for the sake of his people. And it was that noble ambition and heroic drive that I… I found I had become enamored with…"
"You were… in love with a mortal, Hylia?" Terminus asked with a frown, wondering how such a thing could even be possible. It was true that the goddess of Termina had a strong love for all of her people, but she could never imagine having a romantic desire for one of them.
Hylia nodded as a tear finally slipped down her cheek. "Our love was unprecedented…" she said quietly and mournfully. "It was against the will of those above us, and perhaps that is why it could not survive… But, I have decided that I will not let his sacrifice for me and my land be in vain. Never before have I known something as precious and pure as the love between me and my lost hero… And I know that I never will find something like it again. His strong heroic spirit must not be lost to the ages, and neither should the tender love that we shared. Which is why…" The goddess drew in a deep breath, dreading what she knew she had to tell her dear sister next. "Which is why I have blessed his spirit to survive and be reborn in a new era and… and I shall be reborn alongside him, as a mortal."
"What?!" Terminus exclaimed in shock, knowing that if this happened she would be effectually losing her sister. "Hylia, what are you thinking? How will your land survive if you will not be around to ensure its prosperity?"
"My land will still prosper," Hylia said calmly. "The seal that I have placed on Demise will not last for all time. It will break one day and when it does, I must ensure that he can be defeated once and for all. Only the might of the Triforce can do this, and as you know, unlike mortals, our kind cannot yield its sacred power. My hero had the spirit of someone worthy to use the power of the Triforce for the good of my land, an unbreakable, pure spirit that cannot be swayed by evil as other mortals can. I have never seen such bold strength and gentle kindness as the kind that fills the spirit of the hero. It must live on throughout all ages, no matter what."
"But that does not explain why you must be reborn as a mortal alongside him!" Terminus said, growing distraught with her sister for this sudden, reckless decision.
Hylia gave her a small, rueful smile. "I will be reborn with him to atone for the wrong I have done him in his past life," she said. "He had suffered much, much more than I had to for a war that was solely my charge. If I am born alongside him, then I will be able to experience the same pain that he, and all other mortals, feel, both inside and out. I will truly be able to fight alongside him for the sake of my land. And not only that; this is the only way I can see to make our love survive, the only chance that it has to blossom in a new era."
"And what about you?" Terminus asked with bitterness in her tone. "What will happen to you when your soul becomes mortal?"
Hylia frowned as she finally realized that her sister was becoming upset over this. "I will not lie to you, Terminus," she said with a sigh. "When I transfer my soul to a mortal, I will lose all of my memories of this life… When the time of destiny for my hero and I is at hand once more, I will regain some of them, but not all. I do not know if I will find my memories of our time together or not, but know that they are memories that I desperately do not want to lose. They are amongst my most treasured."
The golden-haired goddess placed her hand on the goddess of Termina's shoulder in consolation, but she was quick to turn away from her in anger, hating that in the midst of all of the grief she was already going through for her land, she was about to lose her only sister as well. "Terminus, I am sorry…" Hylia said with sincerity, hiding her tears to be strong for her sister. "If there was any other way I could do this, then I would, but for the sake of my land, I feel as though I must. This is not goodbye forever, I promise. We shall meet again someday."
Terminus sighed as she closed her eyes, feeling warm tears stream down her cheeks. "Then go," she said resolutely, knowing that nothing she could say would change her headstrong sister's mind. "I wish you luck in your mission, my sister… May we meet again one day…"
Hylia wanted Terminus to say more in parting to her, knowing that it could be some time before they would see each other again, but she simply sighed in sadness as she turned to return to her own land. "Goodbye, Terminus…" she said softly. "May you one day understand why I am doing this… But until we meet again, I wish you luck as well. I love you, my dear sister… Do not forget that…"
Terminus could hear as the sound of Hylia's already soft footsteps faded into the distance and she let out a sobbing sigh. "Goodbye, Hylia," she whispered in burning grief. "You love-blinded fool…"
A single tear slipped down Terminus's cheek as she tried to push this sad memory away. She hated how cold she had been to Hylia on that day, simply out of her own anger and desperation not to lose her companionship. There were few things that she regretted more than how she had acted as her only sister gave her a sincere, heartfelt farewell. That bittersweet parting had haunted Terminus for countless years, and it still did even now that the two of them had finally reunited after so long. Thankfully, Zelda seemed to have not gained Hylia's recollection of that last goodbye, but Terminus knew she would never forget it and that she would never stop being guilty because of it.
Maybe it was because the remorse of what had happened between the sisters on that day that persuaded Terminus into coming to aid her sister in the struggles she now faced. Or maybe it was the empathy and understanding of the pain of losing a hero that Zelda was most likely going through because of her own doing, but the goddess of Termina knew that assisting her sister in this new war was more than necessary. Now that her own land was safe for the moment, Terminus knew that it was only fair that she helped bring peace to Hylia's land. And perhaps it would finally help to ease the guilt and regret that had been stirring her heart for the past several centuries.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Zelda asked Link as she worriedly watched him pace around their bedroom, completely avoiding her eye contact as he kept his gaze locked on the ground at his feet.
"No," the hero said succinctly, his thoughts still racing from the intense nightmare he had just woken up to moments ago. "I'll be fine. Just give me a few minutes." He sighed tiredly as he realized that probably no amount of time would be able to make things fine again. Ever since he had been freed from his captivity under the Interlopers several days ago, his rest had been anything but peaceful. Every time he slept, he would be visited with some new horror, whether it came in the form of the painful cruelty of corruption, torture, or even losing his wife in a variety of gruesome ways. And because of them, Link was feeling quite weighed down with exhaustion, which certainly wasn't helping him as he slowly recovered from his wounds.
The girl frowned at the hero's continued stubbornness, knowing that it was just a front he was putting on for her sake. "This has happened three nights in a row now, Link," Zelda said as she rose up from the bed to step over to him. "So obviously you're not fine. I've let you by with not telling me everything long enough. Remember what we agreed on: no more secrets. Tell me the truth about everything that happened and don't hold back. No matter how bad it is, we can get through this together."
"I don't think this is the sort of thing I can just get through, Zel," Link said with a sigh as he stopped pacing and ran a hand through his snow-white hair. "You don't know what happened down there."
"I know that they hurt you, obviously in more ways than one," the girl said with sympathy for him. "And I know that I probably will never be able to truly comprehend just how hard it was for you, but if you let me know about it all, then maybe we could at least shoulder some of the burden together."
"I don't want to upset you," he said defensively, though really the root of his hesitation came from the fact that he didn't particularly care to revisit the pain and misery he had experienced within the dark stone walls of the Interlopers's stronghold. He already had to relive his agonizing tenure as their prisoner each night in his nightmares; the last thing he wanted to do was to share those moments of weakness with his wife.
"You won't upset me," she said as she took his hands in hers. "I won't think any less of you for anything that they did to you. In fact, I promise that I won't cry if you don't, ok?"
"I'm not going to cry," the hero said quietly, glancing away from her in embarrassment over the pity she was showing him, most likely because he had already exposed his fears and remorse to her anyway. "Are you sure you want to hear all of this?"
"Yes," Zelda said firmly, nodding her head as she gave his hands a reassuring squeeze. "Everything."
Link hesitated for a moment, trying to figure out how he was going to put all of the pain and torture he had went through into words but before he could say any of them, the front door of their house burst open. The hero breathed a quiet sigh of relief at the opportune interruption as he wordlessly headed out of the bedroom to see who the intruder was, the girl following close behind him.
Sheik had completely disregarded knocking as she entered into Link and Zelda's abode, her mind still swimming in confusion and curiosity over the mysterious visitor who had just arrived in the village. They had not said much upon their sudden appearance at the town gates, only bothering to say that it was of the upmost importance that they meet with the couple immediately. Though the Sheikah leader was normally skeptical by nature, she found that upon meeting this stranger, she had no reason to not trust them. And after all, her sharp instincts had never failed her before.
"There's someone here to see you," Sheik said to Link and Zelda the moment the two of them entered into the front room. She crossed her arms and frowned as the two of them stopped for a moment, noticing the apparent rush in her tone. "They said it was very important."
"Who?" the hero asked, taking note that the Sheikah leader refused to give him eye contact once more. The two of them had hardly spoken to each other at all since his return, though for what reason, Link wasn't really sure. He guessed that it was most likely because of the manner of their parting before he had surrendered, and the fact that Sheik had let him go on an unexpected kiss rather than a mere goodbye.
"If I knew who it was, don't you think I would have told you?" she asked a bit too harshly, though she didn't glare at him as she normally would have. "She didn't give me her name, but she seemed harmless enough. Well-meaning even, which considering the company we've been forced to keep lately is saying something."
"She?" Zelda asked, exchanging a wondering glance with Link.
Sheik sighed in slight aggravation as she started to exit the house. "Just follow me," she said.
The couple was quick to comply as they both wondered who could have come to the village to see them. Certainly it wasn't any of the Skyloftians; their camp was situated so close to Kakariko that their appearance within the village wouldn't be so significant. In fact, since their migration to the surface, many of the sky folk could often be found wandering the streets of Kakariko right alongside the Sheikah themselves, a sign that they were clearly settling into this new frontier. And even more than that, Zelda had made it a point to go visit her father within the camp every evening, ever since she returned to the village from rescuing Link. Under the excuse that he was still recovering from his wounds, the hero had not accompanied her on these short tips, mostly due to the corruption and how it had changed him physically. He didn't want any of his lifelong friends and neighbors to view him any differently because of it and for that reason he had made the girl promise not to tell anyone about it. Zelda herself had not really told her father or anyone else for that matter too much about the events of the past month or two, since it was such a difficult circumstance. She did a rather convincing job of hiding all of the grief, anxiety and pain the entire situation had caused both her and Link from everyone, and she only told her father a little more than the rest, including the fact that her and the hero had eloped. Like any attentive father, the headmaster had been awed and shocked at this news, but his surprise was quickly replaced with warm tidings of approval for his daughter's union. Much to the girl's delight, Gaepora gave his blessing to the young couple, stating that he had always expected Link and Zelda to marry one day, though he had been disappointed that the ceremony had not been held within Skyloft. Zelda gave him the rather poor excuse that her and Link had just been so madly in love with each other that they found that they had been unable to wait any longer, though the real reason behind their rushed nuptials had been much more dire. But nonetheless, all of the former residents of Skyloft seemed to be much more oblivious as to the real severity of the situation the surface was currently in than the Sheikah, who were all well aware of their rebellious banished brethren. Sheik took no risks with her people, and so she made sure that Kakariko was well guarded day and night, to ensure that it would be kept safe from any form of Interloper attack. One society had already been destroyed in this war; it would be just too much of a loss to have another one burn to ashes.
Before Sheik, Link and Zelda even made it to the village entrance, the girl noticed the white-garbed figure standing a ways off in the distance near the gate. With a gasp of sudden delight, Zelda rushed forward, not even bothering to explain anything to the hero or the Sheikah leader. The visitor, upon noticing the girl racing towards her, placed her earlier regret aside as she started hurrying towards her as well. The two young women met in a warm, sisterly embrace, their joyous smiles undeniable as they reunited.
"Terminus!" Zelda exclaimed happily as she parted with the Goddess of Termina. "It's so good to see you!"
"It is good to see you as well, my dear sister," Terminus smiled kindly. "I have missed you much since our last meeting."
"So have I," the girl said as her smile faded slightly upon remembering the heartbreaking revelation she had been faced with the last time she had seen her sister. "So, what are you doing here, Terminus? I thought you were busy watching over your land."
"Well, Hylia-I… I mean, Zelda," the goddess of Termina quickly corrected herself, remembering that the mortal girl standing before her was still every bit her sister as she had been years before. "My land of Termina is now at peace thanks to you and your hero, though I feel guilty, for the peace that my domain now knows was bought at too high of a price. And so I have come to your land to repay my momentous debt and aid you in this new war being waged here in any way that I can. It is the least I can do after… well, you know…"
Zelda nodded gravely as she glanced towards Link, who was still heading towards the two sisters along with Sheik. Terminus followed her saddened gaze and let out a soft gasp upon seeing the hero. She was only able to look at him for a moment before forcing herself to glance away, her heart filled with grief upon seeing just how much he looked like the Fierce Deity now. She forced the bittersweet memories of her own hero out of her mind as she approached him, surprised that he had lasted out the corruption for so long.
"Hello, Link," the goddess of Termina said, her voice gentle yet at the same time tight and formal as she surprised her guilt over what she had indirectly caused. "How are you?"
"I've been better," the hero said truthfully as he mustered a small smile for her, noticing her anxiousness.
"I would imagine so…" Terminus said as her saddened gaze drifted to the ground. "Again, Link, I cannot apologize enough to you for all of this. No doubt you have suffered much more than even my own hero had and yet you still remain, still unbroken by Majora's corruption. Your spirit is certainly strong, for most would have submitted to the demon's control within the first few days. I wish I could tell you that you will not or that you have passed through the worst of it, but as you have likely guessed, it will only become more unbearable from here. I fear that you have so little time left, but you deserve so much more than this…"
"Its fine, Terminus," Link said resolutely, knowing that what was happening to him was in no way anyone's fault at all.
"But it's not fine," the goddess frowned as she shook her head, letting a small tear finally fall in pity for his plight. The fact that he was being so kind over what she had brought upon him only made her feel more guilty over the entire situation, and she would not let the blame for it go unclaimed. "Your fate has been twisted, your destiny distorted, and it is all my fault. You may claim that it is not, but all three of us know that it was I who blindly sent you into a battle that you could not win and I made the situation even worse by trying to keep it all hidden from you, Zelda. I have torn a great rift between the two of you, and it is that alone that is my greatest sin."
"You didn't tear any rift between us," Zelda said reassuringly as she wrapped her arms around her hero tightly, as he did for her in return. "We've decided that we're not going to let this, or anything else, tear us apart."
"That's right," Link affirmed with a nod. "We're going to stay together though all of this, right until the very end, no matter what happens."
Terminus was stunned into silence by the couple's mutual calm manner over the miserable situation they were in. Despite the fact that their circumstances seemed hopeless, they found hope nonetheless in simply being near each other and it gave them peace and solace in the face of this great adversity. She had never seen such devotion before and she was certainly awed by it, but she said nothing to Link or Zelda about it at the moment, for there were other matters at hand.
The subject of the tragic fate of the couple was unceremoniously dropped as Link and Zelda introduced Terminus to Sheik and filled her in on a few more details of what had happened since the last time the girl had met with her sister some weeks ago. As Zelda chattered excitedly with Terminus, the goddess of Termina couldn't help but feel her own spirits lift as she saw that, despite the fact that the love of her life was being torn from her in such a cruel way, she had not lost the vibrant light that Hylia herself always used to bear, even in the most miserable of moments. Certainly, this mortal girl was her beloved sister and nothing less.
"So how do you plan on helping us out, Terminus?" Zelda asked after telling her all that she had observed about the Dark Interlopers and their magic.
"Ah, I am glad you asked," Terminus said with a wide, genuine smile. "Of course, I will lend my own powers, as ancient and withered as they are, to your cause, but I know that we will require more assistance than what I alone can supply if we are to win this war. And so, I have enlisted the aid of some old friends of ours on the way here. They're waiting right outside the village and I know that they are certainly eager to see you after so many years, my sister."
The girl frowned in confusion, though she had a vague idea as to who the goddess of Termina was referring to. The four of them started heading towards the village exit, but Terminus held Zelda back for a moment as Link and Sheik went on ahead, hoping to speak with her sister in privacy. The girl gave her a confused look as she grasped her arm to keep her in place, but fortunately for Terminus, the hero and the Sheikah leader seemed to take no notice that they were lingering quite far behind.
"Terminus, what is it?" Zelda asked her sister, wondering about her strange, sudden insistence on speaking to her alone.
"Hylia… Zelda," Terminus began earnestly, correcting herself once again. "I believe I finally understand now. It took me centuries to do it, but I now know that you had been right all those years ago."
"Right about what?" the girl asked, raising an eyebrow at her.
The goddess of Termina sighed as she glanced away from her mortal twin, hoping to hide her shame but devoting herself to honesty nonetheless. "You most likely do not remember this, but I will never be able to forget it. The last time we saw each other before you became a mortal was so long ago now, and on that day, you told me of your plan and why you committed yourself to doing it. When I first heard of your ambitions and motives, I thought that they were outlandish and foolish. I couldn't understand why you would ever want to give up eternal immortality for one lifetime of a mortal man's love. That is… until I fell under the same spell that you did. The all-too brief time I had been able to spend with my own hero were some of the happiest, most beautiful days of my entire existence. Nothing can compare to the feelings of pure love and joy that I felt when I was with him, and I have never felt a greater grief than I did on the day I lost him. And if I thought it would bring him back, I would gladly do what you did and step down into the stead of a mere mortal for his sake, just so I could be with him once more. And yet, now that you and Link are facing the same plight that I and my hero did, and you are unable to make such a sacrifice for your hero again, I find myself bewildered once more. You both know what is going to become of your love, and yet you are at ease with the fate that he is going to succumb to. You have both accepted it, and in this acceptance you both stand ready to defend this land together one last time before you are driven apart. Your heart is certainly stronger than mine, my sister, for when I was in your position, I was driven to the very depths of misery themselves and many days I find myself still standing there, wondering where to go from here. Yet your love for him, your love for each other is so strong that it refuses to be torn apart by mere corruption or war. It is a love that will not be rent by separation or destruction, but will survive beyond this one mortal lifetime. Its passion, purity and beauty will echo throughout the ages, and though it will ultimately end in tragedy, it will live on into history, like no love ever known."
Zelda smiled as a stray tear slipped down her cheek, taken in by the beauty of Terminus's words. She didn't even have to question that what her sister was saying was absolutely correct. Her love for Link was so strong and so sure that even after his demise, she would treasure it in her heart for the rest of her life, even if she had to live that life without him. "Terminus," she said in a voice that was almost a whisper. "Do you think… Do you believe that we'll be together in another life? That even though we're being torn apart now, Link and I could be together in a different way, centuries from now?"
Terminus frowned with pity for her sister, already knowing the answer to this question. "Oh, my dear sister…" she said with empathy, taking Zelda's hands in consolation. "I wish with all my heart that I could tell you that you will, that the two of you would both be reborn someday and find love in each other once more, a love that would last and be free from such ruin, but… I cannot. As you most likely know by now, once the Spirit of the Hero within Link is finally broken, it cannot be restored. Unlike your sacred bloodline, his spirit will not be revived in a new era. Instead, he will exist as the demon's soulless, immortal servant for eternity, robbed of his free will, his memories and his very identity."
"So… we won't meet again?" the girl asked softly and sadly, withholding her pressing sobs to keep them from bursting forth.
"No," the goddess of Termina said, shaking her head with a sympathetic frown. "I am afraid not… I am so-"
"Don't say it," Zelda said firmly, holding up a hand as if to stop those words she hated to hear more than anything else. "I… We'll be ok… Somehow… Even if it's only for a little while longer…"
Not wanting to crush the few remaining shreds of hope that her sister clung onto, Terminus simply nodded solemnly but as Zelda started to catch up with Link, the goddess of Termina stopped her once more upon noticing something that she hadn't before. The girl frowned at her sister once more, wondering why her eyes were so tensely wide and her face paled, as if she had just discovered something shocking, which she certainly had.
"Zelda…" Terminus said in quiet awe, the slightest hint of grief in her voice. "You… You're…" She swallowed, unsure of how much the girl actually knew about this and so she decided to start with a question that was simple enough. "Does Link know?"
"Does he know what?" Zelda asked in complete confusion, having absolutely no idea what her sister was walking about.
The goddess of Termina was cryptically silent as her gaze slowly moved from the girl's face to her stomach, staring intently as Zelda followed her line of sight. At first she didn't get it at all, but the moment the realization dawned on her, it hit her harder than anything had before in her life.
"No…" the girl whispered, her eyes growing wide with an unspeakable fear. "No… I… I can't be… We only… It was only a few nights ago that we…" She stammered, unable to finish any of her statements in her stunned state of mind. On the outside, she was frozen with shock, but on the inside she was in a distressed panic as her mind raced for answers and comforts that would not come. "Are you sure?" she asked Terminus, taking a brief glance in Link's direction as he continued onto the gates, completely oblivious to the revelation that everything had just changed in an instant.
"I am certain," the goddess of Termina said gravely, knowing that this news had been the last thing that her sister could have ever been prepared for at a time like this. "I can sense it. It is small now, barely even formed, but it will grow. They all do."
"I… I can't believe this," Zelda said, feeling lightheaded and lost. In truth, she should have been elated at this news, she should have rushed to her husband to tell him and let him in on what should have been a very happy event. But considering the circumstances the couple now found themselves in, this occasion was anything but joyous. The very thought filled the girl with dread and fear as all of the repercussions of what had been set in motion a few mere days ago filled her mind. Her heart broke as she realized what would be lost before it all even came to fruition, namely, the life of the hero partly responsible for it. "I… I just don't know what to do… How will I do this without him…? He won't even get to see-" She cut herself off, knowing that it was too painful for her to even say it out loud as she finally managed to choke out a small sob.
"I am deeply sorry for this turn of events," Terminus said with sympathy as she drew her frightened sister into a comforting embrace. "This certainly changes the situation entirely, though for good or bad, it is hard to say. I know that it may seem difficult that you will have to face this alone, but at least you will no longer have to be alone once he is gone…"
"Terminus… I… I can't tell him…" Zelda whispered as she pushed away from the goddess of Termina and wiped her eyes dry. "If he found out, then he'd only put himself through more pain for my sake and I can't let him do that anymore. Please, promise me that you won't tell him."
"You have my word, my sister," Terminus said solemnly. Since there was really nothing more the two of them could say at this point, they walked on in silence, both of their hearts heavy for everything that was entirely out of their control.
The sisters caught up with the hero and the Sheikah leader just as they reached the outskirts of the village bordering on the field. Terminus took the lead as they headed out into the open landscape, only for the four of them to find that nobody was there. Before anyone could say anything to question this however, three large blurs of color sped across the skies above their heads: one blue, one red and one yellow. Zelda took in a gasp of surprised delight when she recognized the three majestic beings gliding through the air from a time long past and with a wide smile she stepped out further with Terminus to meet them as they landed from their flight.
"The dragons…" Sheik said in awe as she saw the three fabled guardians of the surface with her own eyes. The three dragons, Faron, Eldin and Lanayru were known in Sheikah legends as great beings, tasked with the protection of the land below the clouds by Hylia centuries ago. They were scarcely seen by anyone, and so to meet with them face-to-face was certainly an honor. And so like any loyal Sheikah would, Sheik immediately lowered herself on one knee and bowed her head in respect to the dragons, though they took no notice of her as Zelda and Terminus approached them to speak with them. The Sheikah leader remained in this reverent position until she heard Link laughing quietly beside her. "And what, may I ask is so funny?" she asked bitingly, glaring up at him as he gave her an amused grin.
"What are you doing?" he asked her, still smiling lightly as he looked down at her.
"I am paying homage to the guardian dragons," she said pointedly. "And you would too if you knew what's good for you."
The hero rolled his eyes at her as he crossed his arms. "They're just the dragons," he said, remembering back to his encounters with each of them during his first quest upon the surface. "None of them made me bow to them the first time I met them." He paused for a moment however, upon remembering the persnickety, often hot tempered manner of the Water Dragon. "Except maybe Faron," he added with levity in his tone, hoping to ease the prolonged tension that had been between him and the Sheikah leader for too long now.
However, it was to no avail as Sheik simply rose to her feet and frowned, glancing away from him as she motioned for him to join his wife in addressing the dragons. She said nothing to him as he gave her one last glance before going on ahead, but every part of her wanted to finally truly speak to him again, forgetting that the kiss had ever happened so the two of them could just move on and be friends again. Even if what she wanted for them to really be would never happen, no matter how much she dreamed of it. Once again she was reminded, as she saw him rejoin his wife and slip his hand into hers, that he was never hers to lose and it had always been that way and always would be.
The trio of dragons lowered their heads in respect as Zelda stepped up to them, instantly recognizing the young mortal girl as the ancient goddess that they had dutifully served for centuries. "Your grace," they all three said in unison to her, honor and respect for her clear in their deep voices. The girl smiled at them in return, filled with Hylia's fond memories of her loyal guardian dragons and their faithful service to her in the past.
"Faron, Eldin, Lanayru," she warmly addressed them each by name, as if there had not been the course of several centuries to separate them at all. "It's good to see all of you again."
"It is quite pleasant to see you once more too, your grace," Lanayru said, his strong voice rumbling like the thunder he controlled. "We have waited many centuries for your return. It's good to see that you are still as lovely as ever."
Zelda blushed and giggled at the compliment as Faron spoke next. "The moment Terminus called upon us and said that you needed aid, we did not hesitate to respond," she said haughtily, crossing her arms as she grinned confidently. "We've known of the dire straits that the land has been in for quite some time now. Those pompous 'Dark Interlopers' as they call themselves run rampant across our territories like they own the surface and everything on it, spreading their dark power throughout it and causing chaos… Such foolish, petty nonsense! Do not fear, your grace, for once the plan that we devised is put into action those rebel Sheikah will prove to be nothing more than a sour memory."
"In truth, it was not just Terminus that requested our aid for you, Hylia," Eldin said as he directed his gaze to the blue heavens above. "Right before she called upon us, we received a command from the three on high themselves to come and assist you by driving this evil away from these lands…"
Zelda frowned in slight confusion, not entirely sure of who he was talking about. Terminus took note of her wondering and gave her a succinct answer. "The golden goddesses," she said, as if it were obvious. "Din, Nayru and Farore. Do you not remember them, sister?"
The girl nodded, recognizing the names of the beings who created the world and all that was in it, though she didn't remember ever meeting them face-to-face, even if she was certain that Hylia must have at some point. But all the same, she didn't bother to question it any further as she turned to the dragons once again. "So, what's your plan?" she asked them, deciding that in the impasse that they were currently at with the Interlopers, any idea was a good one.
"The power that the Dark Interlopers wield in the Fused Shadow is a great one," Faron began, ire for the rebels showing in her tone. "However, as you have likely guessed, if that power were to be taken away from them, then they would become just as weak as any mortal out there. Their claim on the Triforce would be for nothing, for they would not have the ability to obtain it. So, it's clear that eliminating the Fused Shadow is our first goal."
"Once their power is stripped from them," Lanayru continued. "We shall divert the Interlopers to my domain. There, the three of us will create a gateway to a realm of darkness, a place befitting their kind that will serve as their eternal prison for the crimes that they have committed against this land and its inhabitants. They will never be able to return from this realm, for as we know well of you, Hylia, it is far from you to put anyone to death for even the most brazen of wickedness. Therefore this plan is both effective for stopping the evil influence of the Interlopers as well as merciful to them despite all that they have done."
"That's brilliant…" Zelda said with a small smile, knowing that she really didn't want to see anyone, not even any of the Interlopers, die in this war. "I think we should go through with it, as soon as possible. What do we do first?"
"As Faron said, the first step is to get rid of the Fused Shadow," Eldin said. "But we doubt that they will relinquish it so easily. And so we fear that something that you have been trying to prevent for centuries is about to break out: war."
"The only way to stop the Interlopers now is to face them on the field of battle," Lanayru said. "It will be violent and destructive, but if we do not act soon, the opportunity may not present itself again. By distracting the Interlopers in a great battle, a small force may be able to invade their fortress and steal their dark relic away from them, before they can use it to cause any more harm."
Seeing that this plan was a good one, the girl agreed to consent to it, as did the hero and the Sheikah leader. They all talked strategy for quite some time, deciding to enlist the aid of a large force consisting of the Sheikah warriors and the knights of Skyloft to help their cause. They planned to be the first to strike against the Interlopers in less than two days, so that they would gain the upper hand over them and hopefully push them towards the desert as they sought out the Fused Shadow once again. Once all of the devising was through, everyone started to head their separate ways to spread the word of the oncoming battle to both the Sheikah and the sky folk so they could prepare for it. However, Zelda lingered behind to speak with the dragons for a few more moments as Link, Sheik and Terminus headed off, mostly confirming final battle plans with them as she used to in the old days of the war with Demise. It was only after the dragons were sure that the hero was out of earshot however, that they turned the subject away from the war and onto another matter that was just as grave.
"Your grace," Faron said in a voice that was much more subdued that her normal, proud one. "You should know that we are quite aware of the darkness infecting your hero. And while there are few mortals I hold in high regard, I think it's safe to say that he is quite the exception."
"All three of us owe your hero much, Hylia," Lanayru said, stroking his cloudy beard. "If it were not for him, I would have died from a grave illness and I could not thank him enough for saving these old bones."
"Your hero worked hard to save this land," Eldin said with the same amount of respect for Link that the other two dragons were showing. "The demon king would have certainly conquered all if he had not arisen to the trials that you set in place for him. And it is for that reason that we all deeply wish we could help him in his own plight in return."
Zelda frowned and shook her head morosely. "There's nothing that can be done to help him now…" she said softly, reminding herself that this cruel fact that true. "He's going to be corrupted no matter what. There's nothing that can stop it…"
"Actually…" Faron said hesitantly. "There is one way…"
"What?!" the girl exclaimed excitedly, her blue eyes wide and hopeful. A large smile spread across her face as she knew that whatever solution the dragons were about to propose to her, she would willingly do anything to see it through. If it could save Link and ensure that he would remain with her for years to come, she would gladly do anything at all without a second thought. "What is it?!"
"Your grace…" Eldin said with a frown. "It is not what you think… This method… Well, there is a reason why we initially withheld it from you. Are you sure you want to hear it?"
"Of course!" Zelda said impatiently, knowing that whatever their reservations about it were, they had to pale in comparison to how terrible it would be if she lost her hero to an eternity of corruption.
The dragons exchanged a nervous glance as they began. "There is but one thing than can purge your hero of the corrupting force that infects him," Lanayru said gravely. "It is the sacred power of the heavenly light arrows that your wield. If you were to strike him in the heart with one of those, it would certainly free him from the demon of Termina's clutches once and for all."
Zelda took in a gasp as she realized that the solution to this problem had been in her hands the entire time. Hylia had spoken true when she had told her that her bow and arrows were the light to banish darkness itself, which meant that it was certainly capable of banishing the corrupting darkness that filled Link. It was so very simple, and yet, something still bothered her about it. "If I do that… then he'll be free…" she said cautiously, glancing down as she tried to think this all through. "But then what will happen to him afterwards?"
"We will not lie to you, Hylia," Faron said with a hint of sadness in her tone. "While the holy light of your arrows will purify him, the moment the immortality that the demon has placed upon him leaves him, he will certainly die, just as any other mortal would."
"No!" the girl exclaimed in newfound desperation. The small burst of hope that she had felt upon hearing the first part of this revelation was immediately crushed as she realized that there was no way she could possibly do such a thing to Link. Even if she were to lose him to corruption, she couldn't possibly take it upon herself to end his life just to chase it away from him. She loved him too much to even try.
"The choice of what you will do is ultimately up to you, your grace," Eldin said as all three dragons inclined their heads in respect to her once more as they prepared to leave and start putting their ends of the plan into motion. "But we wish both you and your hero the best of luck nonetheless. Farewell."
The trio of dragons rose up into the air and parted majestically, each one flying off to their respective domains and leaving Zelda alone to ponder on both of the startling revelations that had been imparted to her within a few hours of each other alone. She felt as though the weight of the world rested on her shoulders, and in a way it did. It was her charge alone to protect the surface, no matter how much the hero tried to claim that it was his burden instead. And even beyond that, she felt as though his fate had just been placed into her lap and she had no idea what to do with it. She could watch as Link slipped into corruption for eternity and spend the rest of her own life alone, bereft of his comforting love, or she could take matters into her own hands and free him from his intense suffering but watch him die a agonizing death all the same. No matter what she did, Zelda knew that one thing was painfully clear: it was fate's design that she was to lose her beloved hero either way and there was nothing, absolutely nothing, that could change what fate had in store.