*Temple of Time*

"HEY! Get your hands off of me, asshole! Why are you holding me back?!" Link had each of his arms gripped beneath Dark Link's, strongarming him in place. The impact of the grab forced Dark's blade to fall from his hands, disrupting the peace of the temple with a piercing clank. Link's strongarm seemed to do little to coerce his shadow into calm.

The detritus that was now Ilia's body lay in a pile of broken bones and puddles of blood. Link did not look at the mess of human limbs that was once his best friend. He thought of Zelda's promise. Though the empty ringing of her words did little for him to acquiesce the reality before his eyes. He kept them closed as he held Dark Link back from his relentless massacre of Ilia's shadow. He could feel his temper beginning to flare at the stress of the situation at hand.

Possible dead best friend. Enormous lack of sleep. Annoying punk ass shadow. Which he couldn't even fault because it was a derivative of himself.

And his Y/N. Whom he missed in a disgruntled and dire manner. His Y/N, whose heart he demolished with the cast of cruelty in his gaze. Link allowed himself, just for a brief moment, to return to Renado's room. To be coddled by the comfort of her body snug beside his own.

For a selfish moment, amongst the calamity of blood, between his own light and his own shadow, Y/N was there. She was in that room, waiting for Link. Waiting to show him where the truth lies.

It was within her lips that drained him of his darkness. Within her kiss that brought him toward the truth. Toward the light.

His momentary indulgence would cost him. Dark Link broke free, leaping down and grabbing his fallen blade in one swift scoop. One of the biggest perks of being a hero was the ridiculous reflexes Link had acquired. Within the seconds it took Dark to retrieve his blade, Link withdrew the Master Sword. Both stood, blades pointed at each other's throats.

"Thinking about that sexy Twili girl, huh?" The grin smeared on Dark Link's face made Link feel the last thread of his temper snap. He refused to let Y/N's name be marred by his shadow's foul, ashen lips.

"Link!" Zelda gasped, causing Link to snap his head around.

"Heh," Dark Link chuckled, retracting his arm backward, readying himself to thrust the sword into Link. A blinding ray of light shot through Ilia's carcass. The immensity of the pillar of light caused Dark to drop his sword, cowering with his head covered.

"What the hell is that?!"

Link ran towards Zelda, catching the slight "o" her puckered lips had formed from shock. As he stood in front of her to shield her, he quickly grabbed the Rod of Dominion from her grasp. In the event that Dark was foolish enough to act up again.

Which he most certainly was.

The whole spectacle took only a moment. The pillar of light seemed to swirl with the destructive force of a tornado's strength. As it whirled around the room, dissipating into the surrounding blackness, there stood something darker than the room itself.

Link squinted, his eyes adjusting to the jarring absence of the immense light storm that had briefly rolled by. He could make out the hard edges of a figure. Its height rivaled that of Ganondorf. Just its silhouette alone was enough to erect the hairs on the back of Link's neck.

With a low, indignant grunt, Link could see the figure hunch over. The grunting turned into agonizing screams as Link watched it morph upward, growing in height once more. Legs erupted on each side.

Two.

Four.

Six.

Eight.

Ten.

Twelve.

Its spiny, arachnid- shaped limbs gently sprouted from the body of the beast, slightly beneath the ceiling. Despite seeing its legs and staggering stature, Link could not make out the body of the creature itself.

Zelda seized Link's shoulder with a deliberate shake. "Link! Look!" Link followed her gloved finger, which pointed towards the ceiling. Like a demented chandelier, eyes began to drop from the center of the ceiling. Glowing pus glossed over them, causing specks of light to dance across the dark floor. Link recognized it as the foul pus that had dripped from Ilia's own eyes. As the tears fell, they were followed by an abrasive sizzling sound. The stench that filled the room caused Link's throat to close. Zelda began to cough from behind him.

"Link," she heaved through the tightness of her throat, "you must retrieve Ilia's body if you wish to save her."

"B-but how will I protect you also?"

Zelda covered her nose with the back of her hand. Her eyes were tearing in response to the malodor that was infiltrating its way into their sinuses. Link looked at Ilia's rumpled body. It lay vulnerable, close to one of the creature's limbs. Another teardrop fell to the floor, causing steam to evaporate into the air.

"Link, you mustn't let those tears hit you. You'll be burned alive. I can protect myself..." Zelda held her hand up in the air, her Triforce brilliantly aglow. A force field captured her then. Zelda was barricaded behind the goddess's light. Hylia was divinely protecting her.

Link couldn't say the same for himself.

Link crept forward, unsure of his next plan of action. He studied the multitude of eyes that were following his every move. He mentally offered Hylia one last prayer.

Hylia, it has been rocky between us. Despite my insecurities and my own demons, I understand now. Please guide my sword as your hero once more.

Please guide my sword so that I may show myself that I am indeed the hero I never perceived myself to be.

Link held his master sword in one hand and the Rod of Dominion in the other. He couldn't hold his shield to protect himself. He kept the Rod of Dominion crossed in front of him in its stead. He buried his nose into the sleeve of his shoulder at the same time. He tried his best to filter out the repugnant odor that now dominated the air around them. He kept the master sword loosely at his side in a non-threatening stance. Dark Link joined him once again.

Their figures marched forward as one.

"What's the plan, Linky?" He asked in his normal jeering tone. As if he hadn't just tried to puncture his throat moments before. Link's eyes narrowed in on another pus drop that fell beside Ilia's head.

If I could somehow get Dark to slash at the limb closest to Ilia and scoop her away from the beast.

Link also knew from the many beasts he faced during Ganondorf's despotism that one of those eyes was not like the others. And whichever eye it was, it would be his ticket to victory. The other issue was that if Link dashed for Ilia, he wouldn't be able to hold her and his arsenal of weapons.

One would have to go.

"I hate that I'm a pet to such an incompetent..." Dark Link was mumbling beside him.

Wait, a pet-that's it!

Dark Link continued his tirade of why he was the superior Link out of the uncomfortable yin and yang they both formed. Link couldn't wait any longer. At the very least, this would get him to shut the hell up so he could concentrate.

It was time to trust himself. To trust his own shadow.

Link's grin reached from ear to ear. He gave Dark a snotty chuckle beside him, "yeah, you are my pet. And do you know what pets do?" He twirled the Rod of Dominion around over his head, getting ready to hurl it in the direction of Ilia. Should the beast attack, it'll be distracted by Dark. At the very least, Link could get Ilia to a safer corner of the room.

"What are you up to? And who did you just call a pet?" Dark Link's red eyes glowered at him in suspicion.

"The one who is going to fetch this!" Link tossed the rod over by Ilia. The beast began to thump its many limbs. As if it were trying to knock the rod out of reach.

But Link knew himself, and he knew his darkness.

"Son of a-!" Dark Link thrust himself forward, sprinting towards the rod. Link purposely gave Dark a running start. He soon followed. Only Ilia was his target.

Splatters of tears began to run from the noxious eyes with greater velocity. As if they were pouring from a fountain. Link had to grab Ilia before the teardrops began to run from its eyes with the formidable speed of a current. In which he was sure he wouldn't be able to dodge. He sheathed the Master Sword, dashing forward into a tumble and stopping right in front of Ilia's crushed body.

"Link!" Zelda shouted from behind the safety of her forcefield.

A cascade of tears was about to engulf him. He grabbed Ilia, bolting out of the way. The crackling of the scathing tears on the floor made Link shiver at how close he was to being hit. He set Ilia down with delicate reverence. He treated her body like a mummy, folding her arms across her chest and tucking her hands beneath her chin. He stared at her unrecognizable face, which had been battered to a pulp. He couldn't bring himself to stare too long at his friend.

Especially because of the searing scream that penetrated his ears. He turned over his shoulder to see Dark on the ground. He was curled in a fetal position, his hands covering his cheeks. Link's eyes frantically searched for the Rod of Dominion. It was covered by Dark's body.

"IT BURNS! LIKE A BITCH, IT BURNS!" Dark Link was kicking his legs back and forth like a toddler having a tantrum.

"CURSE YOU LINK! CURSE YOU AND THAT PRINCESS'S ASS YOU KISS TOO!" Dark got back on his feet, withdrawing his sword. His gaze alone was enough to pierce Link's flesh with its ferocity.

"YOU FOOL!" Link spat. "We have bigger issues right now!"

Dark Link laughed at Link's visible outrage. Link knew this was a risk when he relinquished the rod. But then Dark said something.

Something that was going to make Link the victor in this gruesome battle.

"Relax, Linky. There are no tears where I'm standing. Why don't you come over here and we'll see who the real pet is!"

Huh? No tears... That means then that one of the eyes...

Link couldn't help the smirk that worked itself across his face. His Triforce tickled the back of his hand. Hylia had been listening all along. She just had a funny way of showing it.

His voice was nothing short of sardonic at the next statement that left his mouth.

"Alright, Dark. I accept your challenge. However, I'd like to heighten the stakes. Whoever stabs the eye that isn't weeping first will have an advantage in the duel."

"Go on. I'm listening."

Link took a sharp inhalation of breath. "We fight to the death. Only the one who doesn't stab the eye that isn't weeping... will have to retire his sword."

Link swore, for the slightest moment, that the last sound he may ever hear was the echo of Dark's laughter trapped within the Temple of Time.

Edited: 6/25/23

Ilia has been set free, but at what cost?

With an abomination of a beast threatening to burn Link alive in a river of its scalding hot tears, the bigger fish to fry seems to be his own shadow. Can Link use his darkness to his advantage to seal away the gruesome beast above him and before him?

Or will his own fate be sealed by a devastating duel with his other half? 

Check out my other completed OOT Zelda work- No Woman Beyond