Legend Of Zelda Fan Fiction ❯ The Return ❯ Souls ( Chapter 8 )

The Return

 

Chapter 8

 

Souls

 

 

Link continued to walk easily up the steep slope; the clanking of his iron boots against the wall the only sound around, aside from Malon's cheerful humming. Link hasn't said a word since they started climbing. He was in long bouts of contemplation and shifting eyes. He was looking for something, what, she wasn't quite sure, but something he had to be ready for.

 

The tune she was humming was the song Link had been playing on the roof when she found him. She found its beat quite easy to follow, but had a strong and tough rhythm. She had dubbed it `Our Song', and began humming it in such a low key, she wasn't even sure she was singing it. A caw was heard and Malon began to look at her gently falling surroundings. They were very high up, incredibly high up, like they were climbing a mountain. Link seemed undeterred to continue climbing, not even a bead of sweat dropping as he climbed up, still perpendicular to the ground with Malon sitting on his stomach.

 

“Have you made this walk before?” she asked him suddenly, thinking about how hard the climb must be.

 

Link, gently waking from his predatory watching, nodded. “Yes I have made this climb many times before. Although I never had a passenger, especially one with as shapely an end like yours.” He smirked and raised one hand to rest on her lower back.

 

She blushed slightly and giggled. “What are we looking for up here?”

 

“The place where the two worlds meet, where the souls journey to the next world. We need to see a warrior woman before she passes over. I have some things to ask of her.”

 

“It's the Gerudo who just died, isn't it?” Malon asked attentively.

 

“Yes, Lia. She was a swordswoman like no other; Maria wouldn't hold a candle to her. You or I would seem like a mere gnat against her. I want her soul in the mask, or at least train me, so I can win this tournament and get my vacation. “

 

“You really do want nothing but to relax, don't you?”

 

Link's smile vanished completely. He didn't just wanted to relax, he wanted to be safe. He nodded.

 

“What's that?” Malon asked, pointing up to a big gaping hole in the wall.

 

“The entrance to the land between worlds.” Link smirked big. There would be a fight to enter, he knew there would be, and he never lost.

 

The walk soon went over the lip of the cave, and the two felt a sudden chill, like a frosty wind blowing over dripping wet bodies. Then they felt suddenly warm, like a fire had burst to life a good distance away. The feeling of the soul field. “Halt.” A spectral voice came out of nowhere, Malon's eyes searching, as she was let down from Link's body.

 

“It's the guardian of the sages. The beast of hell, Unicorn.” Link said, slipping off his boots so his feet were flat on the sparkling crystal clear floor. In any direction you could see eternity. A swirling mass of blacks and blues and purples, with specks of white and brown. “We aren't leaving Unicorn. We have business with a new soul.”

 

“You mean me?” A harsh, but feminine voice sprang to life, and a woman materialized from the ground. The fiery red hair and aqua blue eyes where a thing of beauty, accentuated by the dark, earthy tones of her skin and sharp, defined features. “Link. It's been a long while since we last talked. When we met you were but a boy.” Even though she was in her late thirties when she died, she was an incredible beauty.

 

“I need you to train me.” Link said firmly, his eyes locking with Lia's.

 

The spectral figure fully formed, her feet pressing the floor and she laughed out loud. “It's a little late for me to train you now isn't it?”

 

“No. You have a choice. Go to the afterlife, or spend it in this mask and have the hope of inhabiting another body after I pass on.” Link held out the wooden fierce deity's mask.

 

Lia grimaced and smacked the wooden hunk out of his hand. “How dare you think you could lure me with a promise of another life? I have done no evil; I am all set for the afterlife.”

 

“I was hoping to make a trade in return for the training.” Link went to one knee, as a sign of respect for the swordswoman. “I need your help to survive. I need your skills.”

 

Lia sighed and looked at Malon, fidgeting with her lower lip and rubbing the edge of the skull kid's hat in her hands. “I cannot train you boy. I can only grant you entrance to the land of the between. Maybe someone there can help you.” She put her hand under his chin and lifted his head so he looked her in the eye. “Come.”

 

She turned swiftly, Malon chasing after the two moving warriors. A random portal opened up in space and they walked through like a door. Inside was a marble room, where white portions gave way to dark gray and black. The room seemed to stretch for forever, with a series of columns that made up the actual walls. “So why does your survival depend on my training you?”

 

“I have a trial in my life to go through. One this mask has told me I have to go through.” He held up the fierce deity's mask.

 

“Why are you letting the mask boss you around?” Lia didn't even look back.

 

“It has something I want…no, need.” Link said with hatred dripping from his voice.

 

“Well I cannot help you, but he might be able to.” Lia stopped suddenly and Malon's eyes grew wide and she went silent from her humming at the sight before her. A brilliant owl stood there. A white chest fluffed up against dirt brown feathers. An odd pattern on the owl's face, making it seem like it had two sets of eyes.

 

“It's been a long time Link. Too long.” The owl spoke, both sets of eyes focusing on the three souls. “I see you already knew about our new guardian.”

 

Lia merely kneeled and nodded. “Owl. I am here to train. I need to get stronger, fast.”

 

“It's you…” Tatl breathed out as she stared in awe at the feathered deity.

 

“Well if that's how treat an old friend, I may just not help.” The owl seemed to laugh a hooting laugh that echoed through the long white room. “I have a way to help you both. But it has its dangers.”

 

“She's not in this.” Link stepped in front of Malon, seeming to shield her. “She has no reason to be put in danger.”

 

Malon gave a look of annoyance and pushed past Link. “I am in. I will not be a damsel in distress.” She stood firm, the brim of her hat covering her eyes.

 

“Well the fire in your soul is certainly enough to light his.” The owl's large wing swung around to point to Link, who stared at Malon with a look of wonder and admiration, his eyes flaring with desire.

 

His hand rested on her shoulder. “Are you sure? Once you do this, there is no going back, normal will never be anything you can ever get back.” He whispered to her. She shot him a look that said `just try and stop me'. Link only nodded and gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

 

“What can we do?” He asked, looking the owl straight into the pair of eyes on top of his head.

 

The owl waved its wings harshly and two small pebble-like things fell from the wings. “Those are seeds of life. Given to me by Farore, they are what cause life and strength to run through a lifeless body. But to get the energy to grow and sprout, they need energy in return, hence the incubation period for women. The second hand energy source is why it takes so long. For you two, it could be a matter of days before the second source sparks and grows.” The owl turned and floated toward the back of the room. “Just swallow the seeds and you'll be back in bed.”

 

“But we weren't in bed!” Malon called out.

 

“You will be soon.”

 

The two picked up a seed each. One was a cool robin's egg blue, and the other a deep crimson with shimmering flecks of gold and orange. Malon swallowed the crimson one while Link downed the blue one. The world began to spin around them and Malon lashed out to grab Link's arm for support. However, Link himself, was falling too. Black surrounded them as they fell to the ground.

 

~~~

 

“I must protest to this relationship.” A voice said from next to them.

 

Link's eyes shot open and his arm lurched up to grab the fist and twist it harmlessly to the side. Scott had tried to punch him in his sleep. And he figured out why as a gentle yawn erupted from his chest. Malon was asleep there with her hat hanging over the post of the bed. She was in a night gown and Link was in his trunks. “Whoa. What a trip.” Link said and held his head as he sat up too fast. Low blood sugar in the morning.

 

He felt pretty good for waking up in a makeshift bed. Excited and eager even. Malon sat up and twisted her head from side to side and a loud snapping sound was heard as she cracked it. “Nice.” Link said as, faster than anyone knew, even faster than he normally was, he twisted another fist out of his line of fire.

 

“Scott! What are you doing?” Malon asked as she just realized Scott's angry presence.

 

“Nothing happened Scott. We were out for a walk, last I remember.” Link feigned a scorching headache and he shot a subtle look at Malon to pay along.

 

“Owwww…” Malon moaned out as she clutched her head. “Scott what was in that food last night?”

 

Link, still holding his face out of Scott's line of view, smiled at Malon. Good idea. The smile conveyed. “Are you trying to kill us. We weren't doing anything to cause this scorching headache. “

 

Scott knelt by Malon and felt her forehead. She felt warm to him. “You do feel warm, perhaps you should stay with me today.” He offered his cousin.

 

“No, we have to get going.” Link said.

 

“I will not put my dear cousin in danger over some journey for a fish!” He shouted at link.

 

“He is right, we do have to go. Link I expect you and Malon ready to leave in an hour.” Chari corrected in a calm and cool voice. He gave Malon's body a passing glance as he walked out of view. Link's eyes narrowed in distrust and anger.

 

“Scott. If you must fight me, then do so when I am on the way back. Until then, train hard and maybe you will have the skills to beat me.” Link pulled on his tights and grabbed his white tunic and hat, Tatl floating about his barren chest while he walked out of the room. Outside the room, his boots were sitting snug against the wall, and he slipped them on.

 

The copper toned young man turned to Malon. “Now Scott, I need you to get out. I have to change.” She said with a slight tone of warning in her voice.

 

Scott left with a look of defeat and confusion. She slid out of her nightgown and saw herself in a mirror on the wall. Her chest felt bigger. Hefting the globes in her palms, she felt the unfamiliar weight, like they were bigger and rounder. They didn't hurt, they felt bigger though. Scrutinizing her figure more in the mirror, she felt along her sides and stomach. Her hips, they curved more and felt softer and rounder. It was like her body was changing on her.

 

She shook her head, just her imagination. Dressing herself, she found her breasts had gotten bigger, they jut out more, her dress covering less, and her cleavage showing more. She twirled her hair with the hilt of her sword, restoring their curl until she could get her hands on the heat rock in Epona's pack. Plus she needed to bathe. With Link again. She smirked at the thought of that.

 

Link stood by Epona and Tatl, his chest bare to the hot sun. He was pulling on his tunic when he noticed something. More definition to his body, his stomach was no longer only flat, but it held the signs of true abdomens. The six portions of his stomach seemed to appear out of nowhere. His scrawny arms held more muscle than he ever knew, like his body was defining itself. What a wonder it was. He finished pulling over his tunic and sat up on Epona.

 

Malon soon walked out and Link was in awe at the strange, but alluring aura around Malon. “Ready to go lover?” She asked at Link's staring. The blonde haired puppet nodded and gulped. He pulled Malon up onto Epona and kicked the horse off to the carriage with Chari and the group in it.