Bring me to Light

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Power of the Heart

Link leaned heavily on the banister to the steps, watching Sheik as he took out the fire keese that were diving towards him. To be honest, Link was amazed they were actually there in the first place, since he and Sheik and killed them when they had last passed through this way…why did they feel the need to replace the other fallen monsters? Surely there were other places they could inhabit?

The Hylian shook his head. It wasn’t really worth thinking about, but has mind had an annoying tendency to be pedantic over insignificant details, something that Sheik had commented on more than once. Not that the shadow warrior was any better for it.

Speaking of said warrior the blonde was pacing down the steps, wiping flecks of blood from the blade of his dagger, throwing away the piece of torn bandage that he was using to clean it. He looked down at the Hylian as he approached the bottom of the steps, eyes catching the elder man’s. Link turned away quickly, breaking the eye contact and blushing profusely.

“Are you feeling alright?”

Link glanced back at him, face still turned away despite the fact he knew Sheik could see his blush stained cheeks.

“Uh yeah,” he chuckled nervously, running a hand through his hair “Just the heat, y’know?”

Sheik nodded. “If you say so.”

Link rolled his eyes in his usual manner, before hefting the megaton hammer that was leaning against the wall next to his leg, slinging it over his shoulder and over balancing slightly as he staggered to the pillar that blocked a door.

“I really hate the faces on these things,” he commented, swinging the hammer up over his right shoulder.

“They’re…not the most pleasant of expressions or designs, true. But then, the Gorons are not as gentle or as subtle when it comes to decoration as other races.”

“No kidding,” the Hylian replied, before smashing the bottom block out of the way before jumping back. The blocks above fell a level as the bottom block smashed into the stairs, crumbling from the impact.

“And Goddesses doesn’t that feel good.”

“Very nice Link, now continue so that we can free the last Goron.”

“Whatever you say boss.” He gave a salute with two fingers before proceeding to smash the remaining blocks away, clearing the path to the door.

Dusting himself off, Link slotted the handle of the hammer through a belt loop.

“You’re going to fill those up one day.”

“Well it’s not my fault I need to carry so much stuff is it?”

Sheik shrugged “You don’t have to bring everything you obtain.”

“Just because you travel light.”

The Sheikah smirked then tapped Link on the shoulder and pointed to the door. “We shouldn’t keep him waiting.”

“Couldn’t it be a her? You’re just assuming it’s male.”

“Well…”

“Aha! You can’t tell either.” Link pointed a finger triumphantly at Sheik as if had just proven a major point.

“No, I can’t. I will hang my head in shame…after we’ve freed this Goron.”

“Sounds good to me.”

Link stepped forwards, placing his hand on the handle and twisting, pushing the door inwards. It creaked lowly, stiff metal hinges complaining at the movement like an OAP, only just opening enough to allow the two men access if they slid in sideways.

It was another dark corridor, lit by only dimly flickering torches, but somehow it was miraculously cool and Link sighed in relief, stepping up to a rusted metal switch and depressing it with the aid of the megaton hammer.

Metal gates rolled smoothly into hidden slots in the walls, allowing the huddled, shuddering Goron on the floor to leave.

Sheik crouched next to it, tapping the floor to get its attention.

“Get up, you’re free to leave.”

Beetle black eyes raised, poking out from an otherwise impenetrable ball. “I am?”

“Yes now hurry and go.”

The Goron stood slowly before recognising Link, making a beeline for him, arms outstretched. “Link! The legendary Dodongo Buster! I knew you’d save us.”

“That’s…uhh…quite alright but uh…Sheik! Sheik helped a lot too you know? You should show him your gratitude.”

Link pointed a slightly unsteady finger at the other blonde, his body turned away from the Goron and slightly huddled as if it would ward the creature off. Unfortunately, the Goron read neither the fact that Link didn’t want to be hugged, nor that there was another person who had helped free him. (Or should that be her? Or it?) Instead, it continued to stomp over to the now terrified Hylian, grabbing him in a crushing embrace and sobbing out words of gratitude.

Sheik leaned against the wall, one foot flat against it, watching the scene and feeling a pang of pity for the poor hero who was now gasping for breath. On the other hand however, he was glad it wasn’t him and it was…he had to face it… really quite amusing.

A small crack echoed in the cave and Link let out a small squeak. A second later, the Goron released him, thanked him and his partner once again, turned, bowed to the Sheikah and left, leaving the poor Hylian lying on the floor, gasping in pain.

Sheik approached him, kneeling by his side as he struggled for breath, studying the Hylian as if there were something he was unsure about before sliding his arm beneath his shoulders and helping him sit up.

“Thanks but…” Link clutched at his ribs in pain “how come…you don’t…” the words were broken by heavy panting as he tried to draw more air into his squashed lungs “…get overzealous…hugs from…limbed rocks?”

“I am a Sheikah and he knows it would not be appropriate to act towards me in such a manner.”

“Wonderful.”

“…Are you injured?”

Link shook his head “I don’t think….so…ribs ache a bit but….nothing serious.”

“Except an inability to breathe.”

He nodded, offering a smile, continuing to draw painful lungfuls of cool air into his body.

“I’ll retrieve the key to the dragon’s room while you’re recovering,” Sheik stated, standing from his position next to Link and sidling over to the ornate blue and yellow treasure chest. Tapping the lid from its almost sealed state he lifted the lid, flinching away from bright yellow light before holding up the small gold and ruby key for the Hylian to see.

“I don’t understand why those chests…are so big.”

“Dramatic necessity.” Sheik replied, tucking the key into the bandages wrapped around his wrist.

Link snorted before testing his ribs with a light chuckle, seeing if they could cope with it. They could. Just.

“Are we taking a break?” the older blonde asked after a moment of silence and Sheik nodded, sitting on the floor, his back pressed against the wall. Link crawled over to sit beside him a second later.

“Y’know…” he began conversationally “You still haven’t taught me the Bolero of Fire yet.”

Sheik smiled at the almost childish way Link requested the lesson, hiding it behind a guise of a casual comment.

“No, I haven’t,” he pulled out the small golden harp from…somewhere and Link regarded it dubiously for a moment before shaking it off. “Problem?”

“No I was just…where the hell do you hide that thing? Your outfit is skin-tight.”

“You don’t want to know.”

“Uh…Ok….ew is the appropriate response to that I think….so should we get on with the song?”

The Sheikah chuckled, the sound muffled by the mask that covered his mouth and nose and positioned the harp.

His fingers immediately settled into their correct positions on the strings and Link watched, almost entranced as they moved creating music that flowed smoothly from the instrument. The tune was fast, light, jaunty, the Sheikah’s fingers dancing over the strings as he played it a second time for the hero to pick it up.

Link grabbed the ocarina, rushing it to his lips and following the tune damn-near perfectly, eager to please the Sheikah through his fast learning and the notes entwined like spiritual entities, weaving together in patterns of heart and passions and friendship.

‘It is something that grows over time…a true friendship, a feeling in the heart that grows even stronger with time, the passion of friendship will blossom into a righteous power and through it you will know where to go…this song is dedicated to the power of the heart.’

Sheik let himself go into the music, the notes washing over him the words ingrained into his mind as deeply as the music itself…and though the words were designed to inspire Link to aid the Sage of Fire, he couldn’t help but relate the situation back to himself and Link.

The notes trailed off, dispersing into the still air of the almost cavern-like hall they were in. Link slowly pulled the ocarina away from his lips and looked to the Sheikah who still had his eyes shut, a peaceful expression playing over his face. From what Link could see anyway.

He stayed silent, not wanting to interrupt the moment, seeing the Sheikah so peaceful and relaxed…it was perhaps the first time that he had truly seen it.

Eventually the Sheikah opened his eyes, putting the harp away as he stood up and looking to the Hylian who was trailing a finger idly against the ground.

“Are you ready to continue?” Sheik asked, breaking the silence.

Link looked up and nodded “Yeah…just…Sheik?”

The younger man tilted his head slightly in question. “I just…wanted to thank you.”

“For what?”

Link shrugged “Nothing, everything…I don’t know it just feels like I owe it to you. You’ve taught me so much already and we’ve only know each other for a few weeks…”

“What have I taught you that you didn’t already know?”

“You’ve taught me to believe in myself, that I am the hero of time and I can fulfil my duty and….you’ve taught me that there’s some good in this world.” He looked up deliberately to stare straight into his companions eyes “…and that it’s worth fighting for.”

Sheik nodded and knelt next to Link “Then let’s go and fight for it.”

Smiling, Link nodded and stood drawing the Master Sword. “Let’s go.”

--

“Whoo! And I thought the rest of the temple was hot,” Link commented, wiping his brow as they entered the dragon’s lair. The door slammed shut heavily behind him and Sheik, a reminder that this was going to be a battle to the death.

The chamber was large and empty, the steps they stood on, a small stepping stone and the large, rock arena that stood in the centre of the room the only objects present.

Red light danced up walls and the pillars embedded into them, flickering from the scorching lava below, the only form of light in an otherwise black room.

“I’m guessing I have to go over there,” Link pointed at the platform and Sheik nodded.

“It would seem logical.”

Hesitantly, with Megaton hammer in hand, Link stepped forwards before jumping onto the stepping stone and then onto the main platform. Sheik followed, waiting on the stepping stone set in lava.

Looking around and waiting for something to happen, Link took a few small paces towards the centre of the arena, noting in the large, lava filled holes that seemed to have been dug into the surface by huge gouging talons.

“Sheik? Is it me or is it getting hotter in here?” Link turned to look at the Sheikah, noting with alarm that the simmering lava had started to roil and bubble, casting a perfect scarlet up the walls…almost as if they had been painted with blood.

A second later, Sheik cried out in alarm. Link spun without thinking to face the other man, already running back towards him. The platform was sinking, fast and Link skidded to the edge of the ring, catching Sheik as he threw himself off the stone.

Although ‘sinking’ wasn’t really the correct word. ‘Melting’ was more appropriate. Fire was licking up the side of the pillar, turning it molten before Link and Sheik’s eyes as the two men sat on the floor, watching it as it slid beneath the lava’s surface.

“…I think the phrase rhymes with ‘clucking bell’,” the Hylian stated, pulling the Sheikah up as he himself stood.

From somewhere far beneath the lava and deep tremor ran around the room, intensifying as whatever was causing it awoke and grew angry. Subconsciously, Link stepped in front of Sheik, picking up the megaton hammer he had dropped and clutching it in shaking hands.

Flame and rock erupted in front of him, an unearthly sound somewhere between a roar and a screech splitting the air as something forced its way free of the lava, as if being born.

Link couldn’t tell what it was at first. A bizarre bulbous, ridged shape, pushing itself into the air, yellow and red rivulets of lava running over it, obscuring all features save for two large glowing green crystal like eyes. Something liquid and somehow fire followed, long and thin, snake like. Oiled with magma it slid cleanly into the air, giant droplets of fire falling and pounding into the surface below, hissing and smoking as it melted pockets into the rock.

It had to be at least 20 foot long, and once it was fully free, Link could see clearly what it was.

“Scared?” Sheik asked, almost timidly, from behind him.

“Put it this way…smell it? I’m sitting in it.” He made a gesture to his backside to explain his point.

The Sheikah would’ve laughed had he not been in a similar state.

Bizarre, thin arms that had to be 5 feet long themselves snatched at the air, gleaming talons slicing, it’s large eyes fixed on them as it circled over head, its mane of fire trailing behind it. It arched up into the air, twisting sinuously, its body seeming as supple and liquid as the molten rock that bubbled below.

It turned in the air suddenly, plunging down towards the platform, letting out that bizarre roar again, the noise deafening the two men who stood a few meagre feet away, the heat from the creature scorching exposed skin as it breathed a jet of fire over their heads.

This close, Link could see it clearly…black mask of bone and horns, ridged scales…fire roiling inside its body, patterns playing under thick skin somehow visible.

With a hiss, it slid under the lava within the platform, the flaming liquid failing to burn its skin. When its tail had disappeared under, Link turned back to Sheik.

“What the hell is that?!”

“That would be Volvagia, the subterranean lava dragon.”

“…Shouldn’t that be a sub-terrestrial lava dragon?”

Sheik stared back, by some miracle, not worried by the increasing magnitude of the shaking of the chamber, his eyebrows furrowed.

“Stop being incorrectly pedantic and fight it!”

“Sir, yes, sir….permission to scream like a three-year-old-girl first, sir?”

“Denied.”

“…Fair enough.”

As if that conversation hadn’t just occurred Link spun to face the hole where the dragon had disappeared, eyes scanning the area around him for any sign of the over grown lizard.

“There!”

Link was running for it before the word had fully left Sheik’s mouth, eyes locked onto the fire that was beginning to spurt from the furthest central hole, throwing himself into a skid so that he could reach the hole faster.

Its head burst from the hole faster than the Hylian could have anticipated and he slammed his foot to the floor, causing him to be flung up into the air. He drew the megaton hammer back and slammed it down as he descended towards the roaring creature, head tilted up towards him, mouth open. The massive hammer head smashed into the black skull just behind the right eye and the creature let out a strange warbled roar as it collapsed, its thin arms giving out under the impact sending its jaw crashing into the rocky floor.

Link drew the Master Sword without a second thought, megaton hammer in his right hand and he slashed at the join between its head and neck, trying to find a weak spot.

With another warble of pain Volvagia reared back, fire erupting from the thin wound that the sword had caused, throwing its mane around before plunging back into the lava, like a swimmer sinking into water.

His heart was pounding in his chest, reminding him of that 30 seconds that seemed like hours back in the room with the chasing fire, and he felt adrenaline shot through his veins, charging him. His breathing sped up as his eyes scanned the other the holes for any sign of the dragon, chest heaving, sweaty fingers gripping the handle of the Master sword and hammer so tightly that his knuckles were pure white.

From the sidelines Sheik watched anxiously, his heart beating as fast as Link’s his eyes locked onto the hero. Every instinct was telling him to go to the Hylian and help, to do anything so that the boy didn’t have to fight this monstrous evil on his own…but he couldn’t. If he did, Link wouldn’t be able to claim the full title of Hero of Time when all was said and done.

The chamber rumbled violently to such a degree that Sheik stumbled. Volvagia had risen from one of the hollows its body twisting as it rose straight into the air, Link too far away to do anything to stop it from its climb into the air and it was shaking rocks from the room as it soared, its snarls shaking horse sized boulders from the walls and ceiling.

Link had turned, was sprinting towards the edge of the arena that Sheik stood be. The Sheikah trotted back a few steps, stumbling when a rock pounded into the ground in front of him, shaking his sure footing loose and he slipped over the side, fingers catching onto the lip of the ring, body colliding painfully with the rough rock wall.

“Sheik!” The cry was panicked, but he could barely hear it above the crash of rock and roar of dragon. Heat seared his skin as he hung, feet slipping against an area that had been conveniently worn smooth – most likely by someone who had hung here before falling and being consumed by the bubbling liquid below.

He managed to pull himself up a little, arms folded and resting on the ground in front of him. Through smoke and heat haze he could see the blonde haired figure of Link racing towards him, dodging sideways smoothly to avoid the flaming boulders as above them, Volvagia writhed in the air, turning and aiming for Link, its talons outstretched.

The hero turned to face it, standing tall as it flew towards him, borne on invisible forces, its tail flicking agitatedly, like a cat waiting to pounce on a crippled mouse...waiting for the opportune moment. Except that Volvagia wasn’t the cat here, Link was, and the dragon was his prey.

Link stretched his right leg back, pushing down the back of his leg into the floor, his left leg planted forwards, knee bent and perpendicular to the other foot.

He looked as if he were about to smash a ball out of the field in game of baseball.

The hammer was leaden in his hands, his eyes and skin were burning, heart pounding furiously now, his breathing tense and heavy as the dragon approached, its mouth hanging open.

‘Wait for it….wait for it.’

Sheik watched in horror as Volvagia gained on the man that was so tiny by contrast, his breathing completely halted in that moment when it was just 3 feet away from him.

And then the Hylian’s mouth snapped shut. His face hardened in concentration as he swung the hammer with what had to be all his might, sending it crashing into the black mask. The creature skittered in the air, thrown off course by the force of the swing, its head rammed out of the flight path, body following, rolling in the air as it fell to the floor, the force shaking more rocks from the roof.

Link all but threw the hammer aside as he drew the Master Sword, rushing the creature, jumping into the air to avoid the swipe of its talons, slashing the blade across bare skin where red scales had flaked loose.

It hissed, reared back, whipping its tail around, slamming it into the ground where the Hylian had just landed, knocking him off his feet.

Link choked as air rushed out of his lungs, the dragon looming above and he rolled painfully out of the way as its tail slammed into the earth again. He hunched forwards, putting all his strength into the move, pulling himself to his feet and using the sword as leverage to push himself up, turning instantly as a claw swiped at his head. He ducked, feeling the claws whistle through the air overhead and he back flipped, getting the dragon in his sight, watching as it arched its back, looking like an overgrown cobra as it gathered flame along its tongue and sending it raging towards him.

His eyes widened and it was all Link could do to drop to his knees and pull the shield in front of him in an attempt to protecting himself from the flames.

They slammed into the shield with the force of a hurricane, heating the metal as he pressed his shoulder to the inside of it trying to steady the barrier against the inferno and he cried out as the steel glowed red, burning easily through the Goron tunic as if it were paper, eating away at undershirt and skin. Tears sprang to his eyes, evaporated a second later by the heat as it continued to eat away at the flesh of his shoulder.

It stopped suddenly and Link pitched forwards, looking up to see the dragon slithering backwards like a snake, making for the lava below, its face turned towards him If it had had a face that could show expressions, he would’ve seen confusion and fear, the fiery lord not understanding how its prey was still alive after its frankly exhausting attack. Injured, certainly, but alive, in pain and angry.

Volvagia reared its body back, ungainly now that he was grounded and at this point he wanted nothing more to go home into a hot bed and lick his wounds clean. The Hylian had other ideas though.

“Link! Don’t let him get back into the lava, if you do he…”

Too late. The dragon had rolled off the side of the platform, sending the lava roaring up in a red cascade.

Link ran to the edge, staring over at where the creature had fallen, replacing the shield on his back and grasping the megaton hammer he had reclaimed tightly. His shoulder burned, but he couldn’t leave until the dragon was dead.

He burst from the molten rock in an apocalyptic display. It rained from him, heavy droplets falling, coursing down his body like water as the crest of fire blazed down his back burned brighter. The fall into the lava had invigorated the dragon, giving him new strength to use against the weakened hero and green eyes gleamed with the thrill of the fight.

He lunged for the Hylian, jaws snapping, tail propelling him through the air as his prey darted out of the way.

Volvagia snapped his head to the left, sending tendrils of fire flying towards Link like whips, swiping across his chest and he recoiled….but only for a second.

Link ran forwards, blind instinct to win propelling him on, until he caught a glimpse of horrified red eyes watching him…and instinct to win turned into the instinct to protect, the will to shelter the Sheikah taking over and Link jumped, throwing himself towards the body of the dragon, knowing that this could easily be the end.

If he overshot, he would plunge into the lava, burn and drown in the sludgy liquid.

It seemed an eternity, like the jump in the proximity fire room, a moment that boiled down to make or break. And his hand was hooking under a protruding scale, jerking his body to a stop in its flight, snapping him backwards to land heavily on the dragons back, the scale wrenched free of skin.

He snapped his head around, the weight on his back unfamiliar and frightening, an intrusive, violating presence and there was his prey, straddling him like one of those deer-like animals they called a horse. The blade, an instrument he only knew caused pain was clenched in a fist and raised high above a spray of yellow hair, the prey’s mouth open in a scream of violence.

Volvagia bucked, writhed, throwing rolling motions down his body as he arced into the air, trying to dislodge it, but its limbs were firm around his sides, clenched and unrelenting.

He snapped his head around again, jaws snapping and arms snatching at the killer that sat upon his back, too far out of reach, back unable to bend further as bones grated and he turned away, bucking his back, feeling it leave him with the force of the throw and he roared triumphantly, exaltedly as he plunged for the pit of lava, his home.

But it ruptured his back a second later, a thin sliver of metal pushed deep between bones into his core of fire, disrupting it, sending it spiralling out of control as it burst out and consumed him. The blade fell away from parting bones as his fire licked along his body, and he had never known this pain before, never understood this sensation they called ‘burning’ until now.

He no longer cared about the prey, though he caught sight of them, pressed together as they watched him die, horror and fear written over their faces even now and if his jaw would have allowed it, he would’ve made that expression that the two-legged wingless creatures called a smile.

Triumphant in death, he roared, losing to the only creature in the land that deserved to beat him…and the creature, though small and seemingly insignificant had beaten him well.

Fire roared, flames consumed and heat reigned. His body broke, fell away from his mind until there was no more to keep him alive, and he fell back into his – hopefully- eternal slumber where he had existed for three thousand years before the Ganondorf man had awoken him to this world of pain.

Link held onto Sheik as Volvagia was consumed, watching as the dragon let out an exultant roar as it burnt in its own flames, falling apart as bones blackened and fell, one by one.

Its skull fell, final and heavy, slamming into the ground as a black hunk of bone. Sheik squeezed slightly at his waist, helping him stand, steadying him against the burning pain in his chest and arm. He limped forwards, his leg cracked from the fall from Volvagia’s back, and it was only with the help of Sheik that he could bend to examine the black mask, running his finger along the ridge of eye and forehead.

“You seem to have taken this battle hard.” Sheik commented, steadying Link as he swayed slightly.

“Yeah….I don’t know why but…in the end it seemed to have a bit of humanity in it…like it wasn’t just a dumb animal.”

“Perhaps you’re right.”

“…perhaps.”

Transferring his weight to his left leg as he carried his right, relying on Sheik to guide him to the Master Sword, and the Sheikah reached down and picked it up for him, stopping as he lifted the blade and bending back down, bringing up a red scale with the sword. He handed them both to Link.

“You should keep it…as a memento of you achievement.”

Link nodded, smiling, tucking the scale into his tunic, sliding the sword into its sheath. Leaning heavily on Sheik, he limped forwards into the ring of light, glad to have the Sheikah at his side.

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Hope you enjoyed it, now onwards to the next chapter.