Destined for Calamity (zelink)

Chapter 37

~~~ Hellooo ! Sorry for being late on this upload, been kinda sick these past days. Still wanted to upload so here's a short but sweet chapter :D ~~~

In that harrowing moment, the air seemed to thicken with tension, suffocating me beneath its oppressive weight. A sense of urgency seized me, every instinct screaming at me to flee, to escape the eerie aura that now surrounded us. The tranquil embrace of the night had been shattered, replaced by an unsettling panic that clawed at the edges of my consciousness. Concern tightened its grip around my heart as I searched Link's eyes for any trace of recognition, but found only a chilling emptiness staring back at me. His once vibrant gaze was now cold and devoid of the familiar spark that had once illuminated them, filled with a chilling emptiness that sent shivers down my spine.

Yet, as I continued to stare into his piercing ruby eyes, a disturbing sight unfolded before me. His once steady gaze faltered, his pupils began trembling, followed by a faint bodily tremor, barely perceptible yet laden with foreboding weight. Dread coiled in the depths of my being as I recognized the ominous signs, the encroaching darkness that plagued him, seizing control with ruthless inevitability. Instinctively, I reached out to him, hoping to offer some semblance of comfort amidst the turmoil that raged within him.

As my hands made contact with his, a sudden movement in the periphery of my vision drew my attention away, compelling me to turn towards its source. What I witnessed in that fleeting moment left me utterly astonished. Before me stood a figure, a mirror image of Link, yet veiled in an ominous shroud of darkness, its form ethereal and faded like a haunting specter. Its eyes bore into mine, twin pools of piercing crimson and ashen skin that I knew all too well, reminiscent of my first encounter with Link. A few seconds passed as I looked at it, frozen in confusion and fear, before I finally mustered the courage to speak.

"What are you?" I managed to whisper, my voice trembling with uncertainty, as I confronted the entity before me. The shadowy figure merely smirked, its features contorting into a sinister grin that sent a shiver down my spine.

"I am he and he is I," it replied cryptically, its voice echoing with an eerie resemblance to Link's own. My heart raced with a mixture of fear and confusion, my mind struggling to comprehend the menacing presence before me. This apparition, so akin to Link yet twisted in its essence, seemed to embody the darkness that had plagued our encounters from the beginning. This had to be a manifestation of the malevolent force that consumed him, it was the only theory that made sense.

As I felt Link's hand slip away from mine, I turned my gaze back to him, my heart sinking at the sight before me. His once steadfast demeanor had crumbled, replaced by a visage of torment and agony. His hands clawed at his chest, fingers digging into flesh as if trying to tear free from the darkness that gripped him from within. It was a gut-wrenching sight, a stark reminder of the stakes at hand and the battle that raged within him.

"To end this torture is to submit to one's true self," the entity spoke, its voice weaving through the air like a sinister melody, each word heavy with insinuation and malice. I understood the implication all too well, suggesting a notion that I refused to believe in: for Link to stop this torment, he had to embrace the darkness within him, surrendering fully to its temptations. But I couldn't accept it. I had seen the strength and resilience within Link, the courage that had guided him through countless trials. The very idea that his true self was synonymous with despair, that succumbing to such darkness was the only path to relief was abhorrent to me. It would mean the loss of everything that made Link who he was—a descent into a miserable existence devoid of light and hope.

A surge of anger rose within me, a fiery inferno threatening to consume my senses. The weight of the entity's words pressed down on me like a suffocating blanket, its intentions clear and sinister. Beneath the overwhelming emotions that threatened to engulf me, a fierce and unyielding resolve took root. I wouldn't allow it. With every fiber of my being, I pushed back against the encroaching darkness, refusing to succumb to its seductive whispers. The entity's insidious machinations only fueled my determination to defy its malevolent influence. I would not stand idly by as it sought to ensnare Link in its grip.