INEVITABLE DEMISE

WARNING: THIS FANFIC IS QUITE DEPRESSING AND ULTIMATELY TRAGIC IN NATURE. CONTAINS MULTIPLE CHARACTER DEATHS.

Please bear with my rather rudimentary use of archaic English for this fic, especially during Demise's dialogue sections. Most of the dialogue has been altered significantly for the story.

The use of semi-archaic word forms befits the time during which Skyward Sword takes place, being set centuries (at least) prior to the other games of the series.

And now I give you…

CHAPTER ONE: A HOLLOW VICTORY

Link had accomplished the impossible. He had entered the Demon King's plane of existence and fought him in a duel to the death. Only by the power of the divine Master Sword and his own indomitable courage tempered by the favor of the goddesses was he able to persist against the impossible odds during his stand before Demise.

Once the duel began, Demise spoke in mockery, "Look around thyself, Hero. Drink it in..." Link did so as Demise continued, "For this shall be thy tomb for all eternity!" With that, he made a wild slash at Link, which he dodged just in the nick of time.

As their duel progressed, Demise summoned a great storm above them and sent forth lightning. Link had to nimbly dodge Demise's lightning attacks while trying to respond with his own, and eventually he scored a hit. The Demon King roared and spoke once more, "At least thou art valiant."

Link's mortal body was not immune to injury however, as the Demon King scorched him with a lightning bolt and then savagely slashed at his stomach with his wicked sword. Demise stood proud and began to gloat, "Ha, for all thy valor thou art but a frail mortal. Prepare thyself for oblivion!" He raised his sword for the killing blow.

Link noticed the sword, and while ignoring the lancing pain that erupted through his body, deftly dodged the attack and quickly smote the Demon King with a lightning-infused strike from the Master Sword in the name of Zelda, the one he loved. The divine power of the Master Sword sent purifying light into the body of Demise and stripped him of his demonic power, and he roared in agony as it did so.

Soon afterward, the brilliant light faded and Demise remained as but a shadow of his former self. The demon's "hair" was no longer glowing like hellfire and he had become unsteady enough that he had to support himself with his sword.

Demise, his power broken and life ebbing away, stood before Link, "I hail thee, O champion of mortals. Thou hast fought like no mortal or demon I have ever known, and by thy valor my power hath come to naught. Take solace in the fact that the girl thou hold so dearly hath been restored anew."

A weak smile crawled across Link's face upon learning of Zelda's salvation. He held his hand over the gaping wound on his stomach and noticed that it flowed freely with bright red blood.

Demise continued ominously, "But know this… the shadow of my hatred shall forevermore follow those who bear the blood of the Goddess and the spirit of the Hero. Thy progeny shall know darkness and despair when my undying hatred is reborn anew. But as for thee, allow me to give a parting gift..."

As the Demon King finished his statement, he laughed evilly as he dissolved into a black cloud of spiritual energy which was then absorbed into the Master Sword. Link immediately felt a sharp pain erupt through his body and his vision began to waver, but he remained alert enough to notice that the empty realm at which he had fought the Demon King had begun to wither into nothingness. Right when it seemed that Link would suffer the same fate, he was transported back to the mortal plane by the power of the Triforce.

Link's victory was not without cost, for his injuries were great and the pure evil from the sword of Demise had leached its way into the Hero's body like some fell venom. His end seemed inevitable.

"LINK!" a frantic Zelda shouted as she ran toward Link's bloodied form standing next to the pedestal on the dais opposite from the Gate of Time. Groose, Zelda, and Impa had journeyed to the Temple of Hylia to await Link's return from his climactic fight against the Demon King. However, nothing had prepared her for what she was about to behold.

As Zelda approached the dais where Link stood, she noticed that his body was caked with blood and he sported a wicked gash across his stomach that bled freely. His face had also taken on a deathly pallor. As soon as Link looked toward Zelda, he suddenly collapsed to the stone floor with an echoing thud.

Zelda yelped in fright and ran at full speed toward Link. She promptly knelt beside him and quietly prayed, "Goddesses, please spare him from this agony, for I cannot bear to helplessly watch as death draws near." Zelda noticed Link's glazed eyes, "Link. I... I love you." He did not react.

Zelda's declaration of her love came as no surprise to her companions for they've always known that there was something between them. A brilliant orb of light spontaneously appeared from nothing and passed into Link's body, which then began to glow with white light. Miraculously his flesh began to knit and color returned to his skin, and after a few minutes in this state he opened his hazel eyes and beheld the angelic face of his love. Zelda burst into tears of happiness and relief and hugged Link tightly.

Link weakly whispered, "It is done." His eyes closed once more as he fell into a deep sleep.

Another brilliant orb of divine light appeared before them and a chorus of three distinct voices began to speak in unison within Zelda's mind.

Hail and take heed Hylia, for the Hero's respite will not last long. The foul evil that lurked within the sword of Demise hath seeped into his mortal body.

Zelda mentally asked the spirit, "What do you mean?"

The corruption of the Demon King's sword shall slumber within the Hero's body for a time, but like the passing of the seasons, it will inevitably return and his soul shall sicken and fall into darkness everlasting. The Hero's mortal body and soul will not survive this process. Over time, his injuries will return of their own accord and the Hero shall feel life slipping away slowly but steadily as the end draws near.

The spiritual light disappeared as quickly as it came, and the room dimmed in response. Tears issued forth from Zelda's eyes once the realization had sunk in. Link, her love, was destined to withdraw into a bleak existence before his death. The hour of his doom was hidden from her though, perhaps as a small act of mercy from the Goddesses.

Fi materialized from the Master Sword and examined Link as Zelda looked on. The sword spirit looked towards Zelda and spoke the words she dreaded to hear, "The Goddesses are correct. I have detected that the Master's body holds a great evil within, though it is dormant for now. By my calculations regarding his condition and the magnitude of his injuries, there is an 80% chance that Master Link will expire by the end of this season."

Less than a month remains until that time.

Zelda looked up at Fi with watery eyes, "Is there any way to rid him of this evil?"

"I suspect not, for the evil is now intertwined with his soul. Based on current data, the divine power that he received just a moment ago served only to suppress it, not to purge it."

Fi's statement now hit home as Zelda began to sob uncontrollably. Link's face was passive and his eyes remained shut during this entire conversation, which indicated that he had descended into a comatose state.

Impa knelt beside Zelda and rest a hand on her shoulder as Groose loomed above them both. Impa quietly announced, "The time has come for your Grace to return to your time." The Sheikah's voice took on a reassuring tone as Zelda continued to sob, "Weep not young one, for his great deeds shall be set forth in song and poem by our peoples forever. Even as the inexorable flow of time wears on through the eons and the World itself changes, his deeds shall never be forgotten." Slowly Zelda's face perked up at Impa's words and Link began to stir.

Fi appeared once more and surmised, "There may be a solution."

Zelda was now becoming desperate, "Anything is preferable to standing by as Link fades away."

"By virtue of the Master Sword and myself inhabiting it, the corruption may be slowed and its manifestation delayed to an extent, which would allow the Master a period of rest."

Immediately Zelda caught on to what Fi was intimating, "The Master Sword would stave off the effects of the corruption lurking within?"

"Temporarily, yes." Fi disappeared back into the sword as she finished.

Link grasped the hilt of the Master Sword to prop himself on as he unsteadily stood up, with Groose supporting him as he did so. Impa dashed up to them and insisted, "You must make haste! The Gate of Time will not remain active forever." Link now was more alert but he still couldn't walk, so both Groose and Zelda guided him toward their positions for their passage through the Gate.

Zelda looked back toward Impa and pleaded, "Wait! I have something for you. Please take it as a memento of my eternal thanks and friendship." She removed one of her blue bracelets and gave it to Impa, who gently took it and put it on her wrist. Zelda now looked dismayed.

"Do not fret, your Grace. We shall meet again ere the end of my days." said Impa, reassuringly.

Impa raised one hand to the Gate and in response the great silver gear turned black. The familiar portal then formed from the black void that covered the gear. Everyone assembled and stood still as the portal began to pulse with white light, which caused them to close their eyes in response.

Before they knew it, they felt an ice-cold breeze blowing about them, and the musty scent of moss-covered stone filled their nostrils. Zelda was the first to open her eyes and notice that they were back in their own time. Everyone looked back toward the Gate of Time and helplessly watched as it wavered and disappeared into nothing, presumably severing the temporal connection between them and Impa.

Zelda quietly said her farewells to Impa and looked at her companions. Groose's usual upbeat demeanor was now sullen, "I'm going to miss her." Zelda was about to reply when the hunched figure of the old woman they met a while back appeared in front of them. Both Groose and Zelda gave gasps of surprise but the old woman did not react.

Zelda was about to speak when the old woman began with an soft voice that quavered with age, "We meet again your Grace. Now I stand before you once more at the end of my days, as I've foreseen all those years ago," Zelda cocked one eyebrow, "I still bear that which you had given me as a token of remembrance." The old woman raised one hand and the robe's sleeve fell back to reveal a hand withered by time. Zelda gasped in shock when she saw what was on the old woman's wrist... which was the blue bracelet as it appeared when she gave it to Impa.

Zelda could barely contain her joy, "Impa! I am so glad to see you again."

The ancient Sheikah revealed her face and smiled warmly at the three, and spoke once more, "I have been awaiting your return for what seems to be an age, your Grace. It is by my power that the Gate has remained here over the years."

Groose was agape, "You've been here all this time? What did you do to occupy yourself?"

Impa smiled at Groose, "I have spent most of the time meditating. With enough focus and concentration, not to mention tranquillity, you will notice that the count of years becomes irrelevant."

Groose scratched his head and Zelda gave a chuckle as she remarked, "I doubt Groose will be doing that any time soon." The forced humor she displayed did not dispel her inner depression though.

Impa's face now became serious, "There is another thing that you must be aware of..." Zelda's jovial expression instantly disappeared and her face became graven with anxiety and anguish, "Once Link's condition becomes terminal, you must use the Master Sword to banish the evil before it escapes."

"How?"

Impa looked downcast, "I have not the heart to tell you. You will know when the time comes." Just as Impa said that, Link collapsed into Groose's arms, but he was unconscious by the time Groose caught him. Zelda's body began to convulse with raw emotional turmoil at that frightening sight.

"Please!" Zelda was now in the depths of despair.

Impa began to glow with a soft white light that seemed to scintillate from her robes. She said softly, "My time is at an end, my purpose of remaining in this world now fulfilled."

"No..."

"It is for the best... I am but a shadow of my former self and my end has long been delayed. Now I shall know the peace of death. My blessings to you and farewell, your Grace." Impa's face now looked relieved as she vanished. Both Zelda and Groose began to grieve her passing while Link remained in his comatose state.

Groose quickly regained his composure and held Zelda's attention, "Let's get away from this place and return to Skyloft." Zelda simply nodded in agreement. Groose nodded back and stooped to gently pick up Link and carried him as they made their way to the exit.

They walked out of the Temple of Hylia with heads hung in sorrow and stood outside in the warm sunlight. Groose gently set Link down on the mossy stone and whistled for his Loftwing. Zelda glanced at Link and then whistled for her own Loftwing.

Groose's Loftwing came first and he wordlessly mounted it, and once he was on he looked back at Zelda, "I'm certain that Link's Loftwing will come. As you know, these guys have like a sixth sense." He gave a forced chuckle in an effort to lighten Zelda's spirits, but her expression remained somber and despondent. Without saying another word, Groose took off for the sky.

Just as Groose left, Zelda's Loftwing descended from the clouds and landed on the stone floor without a sound. Zelda sat down on the floor beside Link and let his head rest in her lap. She looked up at her Loftwing and began to sob once more.

Is this my destiny? Am I to live on as an empty shadow of regret and misery once my love passes into the cold embrace of death?

Zelda's solemn reverie was interrupted by a loud squawk from the sky. She gasped and saw a crimson shape descending from the clouds. It was Link's Loftwing.

I hope you've liked reading this, as the fic gets more depressing from here.