#ghirahim looks the same. he's too hard to draw. why is he like that
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close up of Link from the recent piece I made because all the details get lost when you post a larger drawing to tumblr. he is tired and it's only the first dungeon
#two things about me are that I will always draw sksw link with freckles and a slight golden glow#don't want to draw the other eye? put it in a shadow#skyward sword#legend of zelda#loz sksw#link#cherryart#I should compare him to some similar art I did for linktober three years ago because I have improved a LOT. when it comes the drawing Link#ghirahim looks the same. he's too hard to draw. why is he like that
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Elastic Heart Ch 6 (Linked Universe story)
Summary: When Sky goes missing, the Chain scrambles to figure out where he is and what happened before it's too late.
(AO3 link)
First chapter
<<Previous // Next>>
Chapter 6: The Damned
The world was strangely disconnected. Sight, taste, sound, touch, nothing seemed to connect. Nothing quite processed, nothing quite stuck except for the single thought in his mind.
That’s the old man. That’s the Hero of Time.
The Shadow, wearing Time’s face, smirked at him. “Surprised to see me? You have been looking awfully hard. I’m almost flattered, really.”
Link felt like he was back in the Skyview Temple facing Ghirahim for the first time. The otherworldliness of this creature, wearing such a familiar face—
The face of a friend. The face of someone he’d failed. The face of someone who didn’t entirely trust or like him, and for good reason .
Of all the faces to take…
Would it have been better if it looked like one of the others? Would it have made him feel better or worse? Wouldn’t looking like the Link who disliked him make this easier ?
Because this was a trick. This had to be a trick. Right? There was no way the Shadow was actually Time all along . He’d seen it change shape, it was a freaking lizalfos at one point for heaven’s sake. There was no way this was Time. There was no way it was in league with him.
Right?
Could shapeshifters change to look like people? He supposed it wasn’t impossible. But all he could think was, that’s the old man. That’s the Hero of Time .
The Shadow stepped towards him, his eyes narrowing as his brow deepened. Link felt an innate sense of danger , and his mind snapped back into focus.
He couldn’t be in league with Time. That wasn’t who the old man was at all. Also, the Shadow had attacked Twilight. There was no way Time would hurt his descendant, his most precious member of the group. None of that made sense.
This was Demise, messing with him.
The fear of a child long gone drained out of him, replaced with an anger that slowly filled him from the core outward, distantly familiar like reuniting with an old friend.
“Your curse won’t save you here,” Link hissed, settling into a ready stance. “I’m ending this.”
His words gave the Shadow pause, which in turn made him wait to see what was happening. Why was the monster suddenly watching him, head tilted to the side? Had…
No. He wasn’t wrong about this. He wasn’t . He knew this had to do with Demise. Perhaps the Shadow was a servant of his. Either way, he’d get to the source. He'd come all this way - he wasn't giving up now.
Time’s dark reflection laughed, harsh and grating, making Link’s skin crawl. “You think I’m Demise ? That’s absolutely charming . I must admit, you’re at least close, but oh Hero - surely you must realize by now.”
Here the Shadow started pacing, his teeth bared in a sadistic smile. “You, Demise, you’re cut from the same cloth. Two spiritual titans battling for the fate of the world. Such a fight isn’t without consequence, as you are well aware.”
Link stiffened. No, no, don’t say it, not while the others were in earshot—
“I don’t suppose the rest of you realize those consequences, do you?” the Shadow questioned the others, looking down at them from the pit where they were stuck.
“Why don’t you just come down here and fight?!” Wind yelled, swaying on unsteady feet. Link’s worry for him bubbled in his chest, and he took a small step forward.
The Shadow snorted. “You think that’s all I want? To fight?”
Link gritted his teeth. “Enough of this. Leave them out of it. This is between you and me.”
“Oh, but is it?” the Shadow questioned, its red eyes glancing down at the other heroes again. “I suppose they don’t recognize that it is very much about you.”
“Quit your damn stalling and let’s get to it!” Legend challenged, sword at the ready. Link knew he was baiting the enemy, trying to draw him down so they could fight as one.
The Shadow knew it too. “Call it what you will, Hero of Legend. But I figure you ought to know the truth. It will give me some satisfaction before your deaths, either way. Perhaps it’ll give you some peace of mind.”
Time finally sighed, taking the bait. “What are you talking about?”
Link lunged forward to attack with a yell. They didn’t have to know, they didn’t need to know—
This was entirely about them and not about them at the same time. Link had a job to do and he wasn’t going to let them get hurt, physically or emotionally.
Is that really why you’re so desperate to keep the secret? Are you protecting them? Or yourself?
The Shadow parried the blow, holding their blades in a lock as it laughed. “You truly don’t get it , do you? You don’t understand how terribly you failed?”
“Shut up!” Link screamed, pushing both blades forward, making the Shadow lose its footing before it leapt around to the side, getting behind Link. The Skyloftian gasped, rolling to avoid a swipe that would have cut him clean in half. The others down below cried out to him.
“Oh, I can only imagine how much that curse weighs on you, you miserable wretch! I am not Demise,” the Shadow yelled in return, almost proudly. “But I bear his power, his signature, his heritage . Don’t you understand, Link? I’m born from his malice, but you are my true progenitor.”
Link froze.
Wh… what?
“You think all that malice that the demon king contained could possibly all be sealed into that sacred blade? You think he could have uttered such a curse, damning every Hero after you due to your own shortcomings, and a simple mortal child could stop him? You may have killed a god, but there are consequences, and the ripple of power that infected every inch of time is one of them!” Shadow said, pointing at Link with his blade. The heroes below had grown still and silent. “Demise’s curse follows you, your successors, and the goddess wherever you go, but I am the physical embodiment of that confrontation, the piece of your soul that was corrupted by malice.”
Link felt his mouth go dry. What—this couldn’t—what—
Shadow stepped forward, his form changing with the same disturbing liquid-like movement before it rearranged itself into a familiar face. Link’s blood ran cold.
Shadow turned into him .
His dark reflection smiled. “You made me, Link.”
Link’s mind went blank with horror before it screamed everything all at once.
This can't be true! What is he saying?!
This is entirely my fault. This is entirely my fault!
This was the cruelest joke Demise could have pulled, the worst insult, the most horrifying truth to cut him to his very soul.
Because his soul had been cut, apparently, his unbreakable spirit had been broken .
This monstrosity had to be lying ! He was lying! There—there was no way he could be right!
But what if he is? It isn’t impossible - Demise was a god, he imbued his blade with a soul just as Hylia did with Fi. What could stop him from corrupting—
He couldn’t even finish the thought. He felt utterly violated, like he couldn’t even trust himself anymore, like he didn’t even know who he was anymore .
Just let him kill you .
The thought made him stop breathing a moment, a bone sinking exhaustion and despair that he could hardly hold at bay.
But he did hold it at bay - because beyond the horror was something else.
The others were still here. And this thing, whether it was him or not, was going to hurt them. And he wouldn’t allow that .
Besides… if it’s me, then… if I kill it…
He didn’t finish the thought. He glared instead, enraged beyond words, exhausted beyond measure, tears stinging in his eyes but dried with white hot fury.
“I wanted to attract as many heroes as possible,” the Shadow purred with grim satisfaction, basking in Link’s silence. “The more I can feed off the Spirit of the Hero, the more I can escape the confines of just being a shadow relegated to the darkness of the world. I hadn’t dared to hope I’d catch the original in my net.”
Snapping its fingers, the Shadow grinned as monsters appeared down below, distracting the others. Link cried out to them but immediately had to parry an attack from the enemy as the Shadow lunged towards him with ferocious energy, and all out war erupted in the room.
Link dodged the attack hastily, his world silencing everything outside of the fight. The Shadow was now his size, leveling the playing field between the two of them, but it didn’t fight like him at all. A small part of his mind tacked that away for later, a piece of hope he desperately latched onto as it whispered if it was you it would fight like you while another argued back but if it’s been around for millennia, it would change and adapt—
His thoughts were interrupted as Shadow shield bashed him in the chest, making him stumble backward. His body screamed, already exhausted from fighting so much. He reached hastily into his adventure pouch and found his last potion bottle, which barely housed a few sips. When he found he couldn’t take a deep breath, he decided it was time to finish it off.
The two gulps revitalized him enough, his determination covering the rest, and he yelled as he parried an attack just in time to send Shadow stumbling backwards.
Link scoffed, “You’re too sloppy to be me.”
The Shadow roared in retaliation, shifting forms once more and turning into Time, towering over him. Link gritted his teeth as he barely dodged a downward strike, giving him an opening to potentially dislocate his enemy’s shoulder as his arm was hovering just in front of him, but the Shadow was too quick, despite his bulkier form. Or, well, he utilized it, shoving his entire body weight into Link shoulder first, and the Hero of the Sky twisted so their backs scraped against each other instead, leaving him dizzy and twirling to the opposite side of the beast. Shadow shifted again, turning into Four, throwing Link off balance and swiping for his waist. Though Sky stepped backwards, the tip of the Shadow’s blade cut into his belt a hair.
The Skylfotian gasped desperately to catch his breath. That potion hadn’t nearly fixed enough, and he couldn’t figure out a good weakness on an opponent who kept changing .
Not to mention he knew he was flinching and stepping away as the Shadow continued to take the forms of his friends. He tried to remind himself that it wasn’t actually Four or Time, but the thought of making anything that looked like them bleed made him physically ill.
Down below, fire burned monsters in large swathes, the heat rising up to their battleground. Link didn’t have time to see Warriors use the fire rod, to hear Hyrule yell as he set half a room ablaze, to notice Wild and Legend freezing enemies with ice magic immediately after they were roasted, making their bodies shrivel in the drastic environmental changes.
He did hear Twilight’s cry of pain, however, and he turned in horror, the bottom of his stomach dropping out, before his peripheral vision reminded him of an incoming attack. He sidestepped hastily, lost his balance, and summarily twisted his ankle on an uneven stone as he slammed into the ground, pain shooting all the way up to his hip.
Time heard it too. The eldest Link whirled, both eyes opened in fear and protective anger, when he saw his pup fighting a handful of beasts alone while trying to climb the walls to get to Sky. Wild hastily turned his arrows towards the small horde, giving a warning yell before firing this time. Twilight ducked, his shield hovering overhead to protect himself as ice rained from the sky. Time used the hookshot to latch onto a lantern and pull himself to his descendant, cutting the frozen beasts in half.
“Are you alright?” he immediately asked.
“Fine! Fine, I promise ,” Twilight insisted. “Just nabbed me a bit, look.”
The rancher showed him the wound, superficial as it was, but enough to leave him limping. Time immediately reached into the boy’s bag, pulling out the last of the milk he’d had earlier.
Twilight opened his mouth to protest, and Time immediately said, “Don’t you even dare . You haven’t earned the right to downplay your wounds after last time. I’m not saying use your last potion. Just drink this so I know you’re fine.”
Twilight sighed in defeat, downing the liquid.
Despite the small reprieve for the pair, the battle on the ground level had barely let up. Warriors cut through swathes of half burnt enemies, what little magical ability he had mostly depleted, and he choked back a gasp and rolled as a moblin swung for his head. Wind tore past him, stabbing the beast’s knee. When the moblin wailed and its leg gave out, the sailor hastily removed his blade, twirling to give himself moment before his sword cleanly cut through the creature’s neck. The fierceness in the child’s eyes was nearly palpable, and he nodded mutely to the captain before continuing on.
The captain surveyed the battle, eyes analytical. They’d eliminated nearly a third of the horde, but it was slow going. After already partially clearing a dungeon and pushing themselves all day, there were weak points he was beginning to notice. Twilight had been one, but Time was covering him. Wind seemed steadier on his feet, but he’d also just been knocked out a few minutes ago. Hyrule and Four had paired up while Legend and Wild held enemies at bay from a distance.
His brain automatically tried accounting for Sky out of habit, and he felt his heart skip a beat as he glanced upward. He couldn’t see anything from this vantage point. But he couldn’t worry about it right now - they’d be useless to Sky if they couldn't eliminate the immediate threat down here.
Heading for the sailor, he watched the boy’s back while he took on a pair of bokoblins.
Up above, Link found himself wishing he was outside. The stale air and dust was hardly doing him any favors with as much as he was desperately trying to suck in breaths. Nevertheless, he raised his blade with a prayer, feeling power emanating from Fi as she sang in sync with his cry. The Shadow’s eyes widened, his dark blade unable to match such an attack, and he barely dodged the strike. It did manage to create distance between them briefly, allowing Link a moment to recover before raising his blade once more.
The Shadow took the opportunity, rushing ahead in a risk of either getting to his foe in time while he was wide open or being cut cleanly in half.
The former option won out.
Link managed to deflect a full-on stab with his shield, but the blade still cut through his side as it slipped out of reach. He hissed, feeling fire erupt in his side as blood immediately began to trickle from the wound. The Shadow smirked, not breaking contact, and Link growled defiantly, slamming his head directly into the other’s. His enemy yelled, stumbling backwards as Link saw stars and attempted to blink them away. He stumbled until he felt a breeze blow by him with a sharp whistle, and he belatedly realized it was an arrow. Had the Shadow changed tactics again?
The arrow arched and landed on the ground on the other side of the platform, freezing the stone around it temporarily. Link whirled, but the Shadow was only glaring at him with sword and shield still in hand. Who had—?
Wild.
At the ground level, the champion pulled out different arrows, glaring fiercely up above as Legend covered him.
“You should probably let our Ordonian figure this out!” Legend again warned him as he cut down some keese. “He knows this place better than any of us!”
“He almost got ambushed,” Wild fired back, shaking his head. “I got this!”
“What the hell have you got?!” Warriors snapped from across the way.
“Focus on your own fight!” Wild fired back, eyes narrowing as he looked for his next target.
He wasn’t going rogue. He wasn’t deviating from the plan. He wasn’t going to abandon the group to solely go after Sky.
He would bring Sky to them .
He nocked three arrows, looking over their red bulky tips, and yelled as loudly as he could, “Fire in the hole, Sky!”
Up above, the voice rang in the ears of his brother-in-arms, who immediately moved into the center of the platform to avoid another stray attack. Shadow didn’t quite understand what was happening, though he mirrored Link’s steps, making him inaccessible to the others down below. Link didn’t give the monster time to figure out what was happening, closing the space between them with a diagonal slash and forcing him to block. Three arrows flew over them, aimed far, far above where it should have been if Wild had any intention on hitting them.
Realization sank into Link like a stone.
He looked up a moment too late to see the arrows collide with the ceiling.
Ah, shit.
Link watched massive chunks of stone fall from above, forcing him to run towards the edge of the platform just as the Shadow did. The pair were close enough to exchange blows as they ran, neither hitting with particular strength or accuracy, though enough to divide their foe’s concentration. Link pulled out a clawshot, throwing care to the winds as he slapped his shield on his back. He fired for a few stakes at the top of a broken stairway, and Shadow latched onto him the instant the chain pulled. The monster’s grip sank into his fresh wound, making him scream and nearly let go.
Honestly, he had to let go. If he followed through on this move he was going to just hit the stakes and be stuck hanging with the Shadow holding onto him. He wouldn’t be able to defend himself.
But if he let go the sailcloth might not stop both of them from slamming into the ground.
Link huffed, an insolent smile curling his lips, and he released his grip.
The Shadow snarled at him, panic in its red eyes, a strange look on his own face. But Link’s sense of victory was short lived as the Shadow twisted them so that Link was at the bottom and reached for his sailcloth.
The Skyloftian wrestled ferociously with his dark counterpart, preventing him from latching on to their one saving grace, but it didn’t seem to matter either way - their sideways momentum continued long enough for them to slam into a staircase instead of making it all the way to the floor, and Link couldn’t help the scream of pain that was ripped out of him as he felt a rib snap.
Cries rang out from below.
“Champion what the hell— ”
"I didn't mean for it to grab him!"
“We can get to them now, let’s go !”
Time took off in a heartbeat alongside Twilight and Legend. The falling stones had separated the rest from the stairway, though they also killed the majority of the remaining monsters. The eldest Link could see Sky up ahead, pulling himself to stand just in time to parry an attack from the enemy, who seemed just as shaky on its feet.
Despite the Shadow’s efforts, it couldn’t break through Sky’s defense. The boy was the best swordfighter in the group. Sky found an opening and went for it, and though the Shadow jumped to dodge, the knight still managed to cut through fabric and make the monster bleed, though superficially.
Hissing, the Shadow stepped back further, creating distance between them and shifting into a dark liazalfos. With its increased speed it slithered quickly around Sky, bashing him into a wall with its tail. Sky hit the ground and didn’t move.
Twilight yelled the same time as Warriors, but the captain was being held back by multiple monsters while the rancher had to focus on enemies encroaching on him and Time. Wind, Hyrule, and Four had their hands full as well, and Wild was too far away to be of any use. Legend pulled out a boomerang, charging ahead as the Shadow shifted back into Time’s darker half.
Smirking, the demonic visage of their leader said, “And now you get what you deserve, Chosen Hero .”
Raising its sword, the Shadow thrust it down to pierce Sky through the heart when its motion was stopped. The Shadow jerked with a jolt, blinking rapidly and looking down to see an arrow wedged between its ribs. Snarling, it turned its head to glare at its heroic reflection, who was fixing it with a withering, seething glare as he lowered his bow.
“Get away from him you bastard!” Legend screamed, getting within throwing distance. The Shadow raised its shield to deflect the boomerang and then turned to flee, too wounded to continue the fight. Legend pursued it as Time ran to Sky, who was still motionless on the stairs.
The sounds of battle seemed to quiet down in Time’s mind as he finally took the last three steps in one long stretch and knelt down by the teenager who they’d been chasing for days.
“S-shadow…” Sky said with a trembling voice.
“He’s gone,” Time soothed the boy gently. “He’s gone.”
The Skyloftian watched him, eyes watering and filled with desperate hope, and he let out a tired, barely audible laugh of relief.
“What were you thinking?” Time whispered, his voice quivering as he held pressure on one of Sky’s many, many wounds. There were far too many , and they were all in various stages of bruising and bleeding. He’d been accumulating them all day from multiple battles.
Sky’s trembling breath halted for a heart stopping moment before he continued to try and suck air in. A gurgling, bubbling sound accompanied it, and Sky coughed harshly. Time flinched, drawing the boy into a seated position as blood flew out of his mouth in little bursts of specks. When his fit had settled, he smiled at Time weakly, who was held captive in terror and horror as blood started trickling freely out of the corner of his mouth and nose. “M-making… amends…”
“Sky!” Legend slid onto his knees, careless of the layers of skin he no doubt just scraped off in the action. His hands shot to Sky’s shoulders, shaking him. “Sky, you blasted idiot , what were you thinking —”
Time steadied the veteran with his available arm, pulling his hands off the Skyloftian knight as shaking him was absolutely not helping. “Vet, get a potion.”
“I don’t have any!” Legend yelled in a panic without a second thought. “I used my last one on the captain earlier in the dungeon, remember?! Where the hell are your fairies?!”
Time shook his head, feeling dread fill him. “There are none left.”
Trembling fingers brushed against Time’s face, barely tracing one of his markings. He immediately returned his attention to Sky just as Twilight came running over. “I’m… I’m…”
“Save your strength, young one,” Time said softly, taking Sky’s hand in his own. “It’s going to be okay.”
Sky swallowed, determined. “I’m… sorry. I’m s-sorry. I’m sorry .”
“What… what is he… why is he saying that?” Legend asked, eyes wide. “Sky, what are you talking about? Listen, if you believed that shithead’s story for one second I swear to the goddesses I will smack some sense into you.”
Twilight was searching madly through his pouch, movements frantic and uncoordinated. Legend reached for Sky again, and the boy went limp, his eyes closing with a shuddering breath.
“Sky. Link. Link , stay with us .” Time pulled Sky to him, cradling the young knight in his lap, supporting his head with his right hand. His other hand slid down the boy’s arm, curling around his wrist in a desperate attempt to find a pulse.
It was there. Thready and steadily slowing. Time’s heart sank with a chilling realization, one that was all-too-familiar.
Twilight’s breath quickened as Legend started to shout the knight’s name. The rancher pulled out a bottle filled with red liquid. “I’ve got a potion, I’ve got one!”
Legend snatched it from Twilight without a word, tearing the cork off the bottle and shoving it in Sky’s face, when Time pushed him away.
“He can’t drink it when he’s unconscious,” Time said, not even bothering to hide the utter defeat in his voice.
Wild and Warriors were by his side next. Warriors stood over the group so as not to crowd Sky, but Wild had no such qualms and squatted directly across from Time.
“Is he okay? What’s happening?!” Wild asked, terrified.
The air grew colder and quiet. Three more pairs of footsteps hurried over, and Time couldn’t find his voice to explain what was happening.
He gave the boy a strong shake. Sky didn’t flinch. His skin was almost as white as his sailcloth.
He heard Warriors first. The captain sucked a shuddering breath in through his nose, taking a step back; he’d seen enough comrades die in battle, he knew the signs.
He was already mourning.
Legend sank into the ground on his hands and knees, his fists slamming the stone. “ Fuck. No, no , nonononono …”
His pleas devolved into sobs, wracking his entire body. Wind was asking what was happening, his voice trembling, his face already implying he knew exactly what was happening, even if he didn’t want to accept it. Four was still as a statue, his expression drawn in horror and devastation. Twilight’s hand slid to Wild’s shoulder, gripping it harshly as the rancher squeezed his eyes shut and looked at the ground, tears freely falling down his cheeks.
“Does anybody have a fairy?!” Wild yelled desperately, his head and hair whirling around as he looked from member to member.
He knew they didn’t. They all knew they didn’t. Between the previous world and this dungeon, they’d exhausted many of their supplies.
Pop.
Time glanced to his left to see Hyrule knocking back a green liquid, chugging it like his life depended on it. The boy almost choked at one point before continuing.
Elixir.
Dropping the bottle carelessly, Hyrule shoved Wild aside and took a deep breath, reaching his hands over Sky. Time watched him tiredly, his heart a pile of ash, his mind settling on the inevitability of the situation.
These wounds were from the Shadow. One wound from the Shadow nearly killed Twilight. One wound took Hyrule all night to barely scrape by with enough healing magic to make sure Twilight survived the night. Sky had too many. Although none were individually as severe as the one the ranch hand had sustained several weeks ago, together they were enough. Together all of it was enough. Sky had been fighting armies by himself this entire time.
Why? Why?!
Why did Sky do this?! Why did this happen?!
Time couldn’t watch this. He couldn’t watch Hyrule wear himself to the bone on something so utterly beyond his ability to save.
“Traveler,” he said softly, barely mustering the strength to speak.
“Don’t—you— fucking— dare.” Hyrule hissed between gritted teeth.
Wild shifted from where he lay splayed on the ground from being pushed. Twilight hadn’t bothered to help him up, too transfixed in hope and horror at the sight in front of him. The champion then glanced around between the heroes before locking eyes with Four. The two nodded firmly to each other.
Standing, the champion grabbed Wind and guided him away. “Come on. Give him some space.”
Four also stood and gently went to Legend, whose cries hadn’t stopped since they’d started. The veteran didn’t seem to notice him, but Twilight also rose and helped the smithy pull Legend to his feet. The veteran shuddered, trying to get a hold of himself as he caught sight of the glow of Hyrule’s life spell. Time heard Warriors shuffle behind him, drawing closer rather than farther.
Sky remained limp in Time’s arms. The blue glow cast by Hyrule’s magic made him look ghostly, as if heralding what was to come. Time swallowed thickly. He wanted to smack the traveler for putting himself through this, for wearing himself thin over such a futile effort.
Sky wasn’t coming back from this.
Time started to shake. Warriors’ hand was warm on his shoulder.
Hyrule started to gasp for air, sinking to the floor as his magic faded from his hands. Sky didn’t move. His pulse slowed even more. Time could barely feel it now. Wind and Legend could both be heard crying in the background as the group had been watching in the distance.
Warriors shuffled to the other side to stand behind Hyrule, ready to pull the weary traveler from the attempt, ready to help the group accept the reality of the situation while Time was still drowning in it.
He’d failed him. He’d failed one of his boys. He’d failed as a hero, as a protector, as a leader.
Sky’s gone .
A million thoughts whirled in his mind. What were they going to do? How would they tell the boy’s family and friends? What would they do with the body?
How could he keep moving forward after losing someone else?
Time bit his tongue until he tasted blood. He knew he could keep moving forward. He’d lost many friends. But this…
This was somehow so much worse .
Warmth engulfed him all of a sudden. Acutely aware of the change, Time was ripped out of his grief and looked around, wondering if perhaps a portal had opened or enemies had arrived or—
Hyrule was glowing .
“You—” Warriors muttered, awestruck, staring at Hyrule’s hand. Time followed his gaze, squinting through the blinding light, and he saw it.
The Triforce.
“I told you,” Hyrule said softly, clutching his left hand with his right as the Triforce burned through the skin. “I don’t know the meaning of giving up.”
#writing#elastic heart#Y'ALL#I WROTE THAT LAST SCENE AGES AGO#so glad I can finally publish it in context :D#now it's 'let's second guess myself' hours about whether this climax is actually a good one BUT#I'm pretty happy with it#hope y'all enjoy :D#linkeduniverse#linked universe#lu sky
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Anyway. Some observations.
God I love this theme
Apparently Ghirahim knew of Link and was hoping the tornado would kill him
Ghirahim calls Zelda Her Majesty
Link, despite knowing at this point that Ghirahim is hostile, HAS NOT DRAWN HIS SWORD,
Bitch (affectionate)
Link finally draws his sword after Ghirahim introduces himself- apparently hoping Link would die is fine, but mentioning he's a demon? Oh no
Is that a chain on his cape? That looks like a chain
The screen started shaking a bit a while ago but here's where it gets real bad, when Ghirahim mentions Impa
Dramatic bitch (affectionate)
His teleporting is kind of cool, actually
"Appetite for bloodshed" He licks his sword during the fight so... that was literal, I guess
He sneaks up behind Link and that's just. It's so damn funny. Why did you get in his face like that
Also yeah that's. That's just a chain. On his cape. Bro what.
Ghirahim: I'm a lord so it's not right for me to flat out murder you :) I can however beat you senseless :)
Seriously why is Link just letting him stand so close like that Ghirahim is not holding a weapon or anything
Actually how much taller is Ghirahim? He's leaning over a bit, he's like six inches taller at the most?
He wiggles his fingers, kinda like he's about to draw a weapon (he does not)
Cape on, time for a monologue. Cape off, time for an ass kicking
Why does he walk like that
WHY DOES HE HAVE ABS
His fists are clenched when Link doesn't have his sword drawn
He backhand SLAPS YOU
He actually gives Link advice lol
When he manages to grab Link's sword, he swings it if you stay close and then THROWS IT
He'll also head for it instead of towards you if you don't pick it up
Link rolls to pick it up and Ghirahim will sometimes teleports away as soon as he does
You can parry and knock it out of his hand
His jump backwards is so weird I love it. Why did you do it like that tho
If you just stand there with your sword drawn and don't try to attack, he will flip his hair a bit with his other hand (bastard (affectionate))
No matter how close your sword gets, he won't grab it. You have to attack
Also uh if you stand there too long he uh. He slaps you. I know because I just stood there too long (his patience seems to run out at three or four hair flips)
You cannot force him to go backwards
There's some sort of shield around him that makes Skyward Strikes unable to hit him
There are the same slits on the back of his pants? Not sure if I've ever noticed that before
Ok he's not licking the sword no matter how many times he hits Link :(
When you parry his attacks, he seems to adjust his grip on his sword a bit?
He twirls the sword just a bit after hitting Link with the running attack (which seems to his favorite)
Uh anyway my shield just broke. So. No more fun battle observations :(
It's REALLY HARD to backflip away from the running attack
He calls Link soft lmao
Also he very briefly seems to clutch his face after the final attack?
That sword is the only reason I still live? No, it's my MAD PARRYING SKILLS
(Why can't I parry like this in botw...)
Ghirahim's sword is very cool honestly
Teasing and toying? Bro I just spent half an hour on a fight I could've finished in five minutes. I was toying with you
Huh. It's not Skychild, its just sky child. (Why did I think it was the first one?)
Dramatic fucking exit lmao
Anyway to conclude. I spent too much time on that BUT. at least I have something to use in my fic now?
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" has time not worn you out , ray ? " it's a genuine question , far from demeaning or taunting - very unlike him should one have met him timelines ago being ever so loyal to demise . a sigh and he stretched as he started walking again . " let someone else deal with the burden . that little hero always does his part , doesn't he ? who are we to interrupt that arduous process ? " - @flamboycnt ( specifically bo.tw era ! )
has time not worn you out , ray ?
what a stupid question : of course he's tired . he's lived just as long as you , lord ghirahim . he's seen the execution of gods , the rains fall until oceans rise & consume all . he raised monsters in an army to fell the crown & resurrect ganon . then watch it all come together only for the calamity to rip it to shreds . he's lost thousands of men in battle . lovers come & gone like a blink of his eye . yet here he stands before you . an echo of what he once was but still standing . like the ruins of akkala he was built to last .
so yes , he's worn out . threadbare to the point of being transparent . a single touch could render him nought but dust & ash ... but he's still here .
he walks behind the other demon as he stretches out before him . ray goes to answer but ghirahim speaks once more ⸻ & ray stops following . that little hero . yes , he always does his part . the goddesses little dog that always follows his orders thinking it is his free will that guides him even after learning of his fate to fight demise's hate to protect the land & the disgusting blood of the goddess . over & over again this little tale will be told . the stage dressing might be different & the actors may have different lines but always the same .
his hands ball into fists , his leather gloves straining under the pressure of his rage . what an arduous process indeed .
❝ you know he failed , correct . when the calamity struck he died . the king died ⸻ & i led the army to akkala where they died . where i died for fifty years . zelda locked away in the castle holding back our god . biding time until that little failure gets to try again ... ❞ he looks away , trying to swallow the anger that bubbles in his chest . return to apathy . let your heart rest in nihilism . its comfortably numb there ...
❝ my apologies , my lord ... but , what makes you think we have no role in this ... you feel it don't you . we're lucky he is mindless lest we'd be ordered to kill the remaining civilians ⸻ i almost want to . ❞ his hands are shaking .
im sick with hatred for hyrule .
the demon can't contain it , it boils in his body like a sickness - a fever ! this hatred . this utter madness to sit here & allow all of this to continue ! why does the goddess pick favorites ? why does god allow this suffering to endure through the enos ? does she think it's funny ? are you amused at the suffering of your people . they worships you like a child worships their parents . but oh ⸻ he knows the pain of falling out of love with them too . he growls before pivoting at the spot to a tree ... & slams his fist into the hard bark , rendering the tree into two . with a loud thud it falls to the grounds of the woods & the mist rushes away from them . he draws his blade & hacks into the tunk over & over again , wood splitters flying . he continues until there is nothing left but pieces & scarred earth in front of him & his blade . the weapon falls from his hand as his breath is labored .
❝ ... where is your anger . why aren't you as upset as i am . being forced to watch this over & over again : i want to destroy everything in my path for cursing me with this knowledge that this ⸻ this hell will never end . ❞
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The Not Really Definitive Ranking of the Zelda Series: #3
#11-19 (link to #11, with further links to each of the others)
#10 - Tri Force Heroes
#9 - The Wind Waker
#8 - The Minish Cap
#7 - A Link to the Past
#6 - Link’s Awakening
#5 - Ocarina of Time
#4 - Twilight Princess
#3 - The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
My greatest obstacle in putting together this ranking was laziness a long-standing personal prejudice about directly comparing the 2D and 3D Zelda games. I never felt comfortable making those judgments, because the 3D titles enjoy such an advantage when it comes to scope and presentation. When I began this project I therefore resolved to have at least one 2D game in the top 5, although this proved easier than initially expected once I established that Skyward Sword and The Wind Waker were never going to be top 5 material in my book. I mean, there’s only four other 3D games.
To think of A Link Between Worlds at #3 as a kind of pity ranking does the game an incredible disservice, however. As I see it, what Twilight Princess did for Ocarina of Time, LBW did for A Link to the Past but with even greater results. It turned what had become for me a nostalgic but rather tired SNES game into something fresh and new enough to where I could enjoy it on its own terms, while also hearkening back to my favorite memories of LttP. LBW lovingly recreates the Hyrule of its source material even as it adds a fair amount of new things to do and collect. Around half of that may be the one hundred Maimais, but at least the game helps you keep track of them much more easily than OoT’s Golden Skulltulas, TP’s Poe souls, or Breath of the Wild’s damnable Korok seeds. The world of LBW is essentially a more colorful and more active re-imagining of LttP’s, and I love every minute of it.
The dungeons too have all been touched up, such that they now all feel thematically distinct. You could complain that they’re unilaterally shorter than their LttP equivalents, but in my opinion that works in their favor. It facilitates the new item system and the almost completely nonlinear approach to dungeon exploration (particularly in Lorule), which anticipates BotW even down to that game’s brief dungeon segments. LBW arguably comes out as the better of the two in this regard for incorporating classic Zelda items, and by requiring a particular item to enter most of the dungeons the entire experience can be shaped around the use of that item (as opposed to the standard design in which an item is obtained around halfway through). Both overworld and dungeon exploration are further improved by the wall merging mechanic, which initially seems like a gimmick out of a Paper Mario game but rapidly becomes one of the most useful and cleverly-employed abilities of any in the series.
I haven’t even touched on this game’s plot. Unlike LttP’s basic narrative largely conveyed in text scrawls, LBW takes the time to give some development to all of its major players. This applies to the sages, whose screentime is just as limited as that of the Ocarina of Time set from whom they clearly draw their inspiration, but it applies even more to Lorule’s parallel trio of Triforce bearers. Yuga generally doesn’t come off quite as well in the effeminate villain department compared to Ghirahim, though he does manage what is apparently impossible elsewhere in the series and bends Ganon to his own will so kudos for that. Hilda is an unexpected hit as the tragic but manipulative true antagonist. It’s sort of a shame that you never get to fight her, but the throwback to the LttP Ganon fight you get instead more than makes up for it.
Ravio is the weak link (pun intended) of the three, though he’s still not a bad character. He’s just underutilized, consigned to renting Link his items for most of the game until he pops up after the final fight to talk Hilda out of going further off the deep end. In that brief moment there’s at long last a glimpse of what a relationship between Link and Zelda - or two people very much like them, at any rate - would look like if Link were allowed to talk. It’s not making me a shipper or anything, but it was a pretty significant moment. Ravio’s costume calling back to Link’s pink bunny form in LttP was also a cute touch, doubly so as Lorule actually explains why all of its non-monster inhabitants take on the faces of animals (even if here it’s not literal transformation). That this incidentally fed into a subtle marketing push for the 3DS remake of Majora’s Mask makes all this even more amusing.
LBW is fairly short, but it’s a tremendously fun game to replay. I’ve even completed the seriously challenging Hero Mode (quadruple damage taken!) once, and I usually shy away from hard modes. It’s actually become harder for me to motivate myself to revisit LttP ever since this game was released, because it delivers a perfectly polished version of the same general experience. LBW is the pick-up-and-play Zelda for me, easy to get into and engaging from start to finish. I may have resigned myself to never getting the giant cucco -
- but I can live with that.
(Mostly.)
Next time: the one everyone’s talking about right now finally comes up for review.
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GHIRAHIM
PHASE TWO
OBSERVATIONS
Why's he laughing
At least he said hi this time?
Thread of fate. I just can't.
Ghirahim really just said "we're soulmates" huh
Hair flip
The way he presents the drawings is hilarious actually
These drawings are actually very strange- presumably, back when the gates were built, Lanayru wasn't all sandy, yet the depiction of it clearly shows a desert
Goddess's guard dog = twig = Impa?
Rainbows? It's filled your heart with rainbows?
(I know what you are)
WHY IS HE KNEELING LIKE THAT
"I know I can be honest with you" 🤨
Dramatic bastard (affectionate)
JUMP
Giggly
This is probably the best side by side comparison and IN CONCLUSION: Ghirahim is like. His chin touches the top of Link's head. Idk.
Ok they're a bit far away now but yeah. I stand by that.
I'm honestly curious where he learned Link's name. Did Link introduce himself at Skyview? Was it when he heard it from Zelda???
This is a surprisingly nice offer (by which I mean said nice)
...Where did the wind come from? Is one of Ghirahim's abilities the power to summon a breeze to dramatically blow back his hair and cape?
(Once more: I like his cape)
Literally no straight explanation for the way he shows off
Also the way it looks like corruption, sort of, is very interesting. Looks cool. Can't imagine it's not painful.
WAIT does he only have one ear???
Again with the thread of fate. You have something you want to say?
Ohhh cool the background sound is intensifying
Still does the hair flip if you stand still long enough
Anyway if I don't have my shield out he slaps me so I can't get a good height comparison that way BUT. Perhaps a bit taller than what I said before. Hard to tell.
You can make his daggers land in the ground (they'll disappear after a second but they're very clearly stuck there)
MMMM DUEL WIELDING
Ohhhh now he licks the blade. Kinda unsanitary if you ask me
Ooh the corruption is on his back too
Skyward Strikes are still blocked by... something. Kinda weird how it looks
Never noticed before but he blocks the daggers you direct back at him with his sword
There ARE diamond slits on the back his pants, as well as his left leg being dark like the front
The daggers track you! Never noticed that before!
If you parry his hit he'll respond with an identical slash
His swords are crossed when he buries them in the ground
He has an overhead slash, a sideways slash that's a bit twirly (can lead with either hand), a one sword at a time slash (starting with his right), and one where he spreads his arms out and brings his swords in to hit you (like scissors)
Trying to hit him with the bow results in the same thing as the Skyward Strike, but its almost like he... moves really fast to the side to dodge it
YEAH you can see it with the clawshot he's somehow able to move really fast to dodge it
Ok there was more stuff I wanted to test but apparently knocking the daggers back actually DOES hurt him
Anyway. In conclusion.
WHY CAN HE SPEED TO THE SIDE LIKE THAT? WHY?
Also: dramatic bastard (affectionate)
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Fi did not return to the blade. She stayed still, watching her master return to the Goddess, desperate for council he would not receive. He would have to come to terms with leaving her behind if he were to go back to his world. She understood this. She was tired, and ready to sleep.
There was one last thing she had to do.
"I know you're watching." She addressed the empty space behind her. There was still no aura to be placed, but her calculations said there was a 90% chance he would be here.
From out of the shadows, stepped Ghirahim.
"So you're alive."
The words hung in the air between the two spirits. Fi still faced where Link had left, watching for his return.
"Just barely." The demon behind her whispered. He sounded worn down, struggling to hold on.
Fi wasn't sure what to do. Any knowledge about the other sword spirit was hidden from her, if she ever knew of him in the first place. All she had left were fading memories of battle records and empty spaces when Link had cut her off. To her, he was an enemy to dispatch of. Still, bits and pieces of conversations suggested otherwise.
She knew what she had to do, for Link's sake.
With a small gesture towards her sword, she asked, "You can feel him, can't you?"
The last traces of Demise's spirit were trapped within the blade, and if luck was on their side, they would never get out. However, they were still there. Fi was unsure if it was enough to keep a hold on the other sword, but if there was any possibility Ghirahim was still trying to follow the orders of Demise, she would never let him near Link.
"Nothing can release what is trapped in the sword." Finally, she turned, cold stare burning into the spirit behind her. Still in the same form as her, Fi could see the damage the Master Sword had done to him. Core cracked and exposing lava-like blood, limbs scattered with dents and scratches, dull patches of ash from lightning strikes he wasn't made to withstand... Demise's mistreatment of his weapon had led to his downfall.
The white eyes closed.
"Don't worry, I don't wish to. I had thought... I had thought he would be different."
"He didn't make you to think."
Ghirahim glanced back at her. "You're right. We're weapons. Tools to be used. Forced to follow the will of the gods," he scoffed, eyes wandering around the temple, "and you may have won, but you're no better off than me, are you? Still dying. Discarded by our creators."
Fi softly shook her head. "I may be. You have no master. What will you do now?"
"I can't last long like this." Ghirahim sighed, hand grazing over his gem. "I may have escaped Demise, but that just means... it's only a matter of time before I start to fade like you. If fate is kind, and it has no reason to be, I'll never wake back up. At least you know who your next master will be. Demise never thought to put such precautions on my blade."
"Link will be waiting for you."
Ghirahim almost missed her statement. Gaze snapping back to her, he looked confused.
"What?"
"I'll tell him to find you. In his time. You'll be healed by then, won't you?"
"Why?"
Fi turned back to where Link was talking to Zelda.
"He doesn't understand why, but he cares for you. He needs someone, but now that he knows his best friend is the goddess, he won't see her the same. It will be hard to trust their friendship, and nothing more will come of it. He wants more. You are not the best option, but... it's where his heart lies."
"Even after this?"
"Yes. 100% positive."
Fi could hear slight arguing from her master and the goddess. She knew their time here was coming to an end.
"He's wanted this for a while. I was worried to leave him alone after this, that he would start seeking out danger he wouldn't be able to handle. Our quest was not kind to him, but he will be reluctant to leave it behind. From you, he can have the sword he needs and the intamacy he wants. With no reason for you to harm his friends, he shouldn't have trouble controlling your darker side."
Ghirahim considered her reasoning. Making up his mind, he shook his head in acceptance, smiling back at Fi.
"You knew I was a sword, didn't you? You've thought about this for a while."
"I had reason to believe. You misspoke and included yourself in a statement referring to sword spirits, no other could posses your unwavering loyalty to a master such as Demise." She paused, remembering the few pieces of information she had saved.
"... I could never sense your aura. I don't believe Hylia wanted me getting any ideas. Free will is not something one generally wants in a weapon." She almost smiled.
"Is that... all you know of me?"
Ghirahim's question was never answered. The argument from behind the Gate of Time was dying down, so Fi started to explain her plan with more urgency.
"Wait for him somewhere he'll find you again. I'm sure you know of a place. I'll tell him not to fear your return. For him, it won't be much longer after this..."
"I can't wait another thousands of years." Ghirahim panicked, eyes widening at the prospect.
"It's not that bad. You need the time to heal. "
"Easy for you to say, you weren't alive for it! You weren't conscious!"
"And you won't be, either. You said so yourself. You'll start to fade soon, entering a rest that can only be broken when someone draws your blade again. Be sure Link will be the next."
Fi spoke harshly. If she had been human, she thought this would be what annoyance felt like. Changing her tone, she softly added, "It... doesn't hurt. Not like... becoming the sword."
"Tell me about it." Ghirahim replied sarcastically. He didn't take her comment seriously, before looking back to see the spirit looked uncharacteristically distressed.
"I wasn't supposed to remember that... I don't believe..." She muttered, drifting back from her blade.
"What do you remember?"
Her lack of response was telling enough. Hylia must have seen it as a mercy to take her memories, to leave her only with what she needed to help Link.
"Not... much. Not... anymore. It's... it's over."
Fi flickered, trying to keep from disappearing into the sword too soon. Looking back at spirit, she requested one last time, "Please, Ghirahim... take... care of him."
The other sword nodded, stepping back. He was ready to leave, but out from behind the Gate stepped Link.
The hero froze. The pair had a second of eye contact before the demon faded away into diamonds.
#sword spirit siblingsssss#Fi doesn't remember though#skyward sword fi#skyward sword#ghirahim#link#ghiralink#writing#the longer i look at this the more i hate it#it doesn't flow very well#I hope I'm better at writing now than when I wrote this#I'm not but. I can still hope#no I am I just have trouble seeing it#cherryskywriting
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