Unravel | Ghiralink

EINS

Glancing at his reflection on the shield with an unreadable expression, Link sighed almost inaudible. The hero's eyes traveled over his own features, examining his sandy blond hair, his ocean blue orbs, his nose, his red lips, his pointed ears. His expression was scarred with a mix of relief, energy but also, deep sadness, grief, and mourning. Somehow.

He shook his head as he dropped the shield with a loud noise to the ground next to his sword, his hand massaging his temples while hissing quietly. Fi had been asleep ever since he succeeded rescuing her grace, Zelda, out of the cold hands of a certain demon lord and his manic obsession to resurrect his master.

Ghirahim...

The thought of him alone made Link shudder. He was glad that he would never ever have to see him again. He was probably dead, his sword shattered, all over the surface, maybe even melted by the lava of Eldin.

He could never do any harm again. Never again. Never...

Link's mind traveled back to their last fight. It was strangely satisfying to him whenever he buried the sword deeply into Ghirahim's red diamond on his chest, hearing his petrifying scream. He even twisted the blade inside the fragile gem that seemed to mime a human heart. The agony in the demon's all-white eyes was like art to the hero, a sudden urge to lift that sword again, just to lick the bla-

Only as his hand was almost touching the sword that seals the darkness, he realized it... what was he thinking? What- what was he doing?

Link shook his head. Such murderous thoughts in his mind. He wasn't used to that. He withdrew his hand, protectively touching his chest, feeling his racing heart under the numerous layers of clothing.

Maybe... Maybe this was just something that has to come with defeating the epitome of evil.

A sudden bang on his wooden door startled him almost to death. "Link, where are you?" Pipit yelled. "They are leaving today. Don't you want to say goodbye?"

Link heard him leaving as he sighed heavily, this time a little bit louder. After defeating Demise about a month ago, a group of knights was commanded to explore the surface and as soon as it was safe, they should start building huts and houses to make the surface habitable once again.

Now, the first group should move in, including Zelda and her boyfriend, Groose. It was a miracle how they got together just three days after Link's journey had ended.

Link himself didn't really want to go back to the surface. Not now at least. Too many vivid memories were still haunting his sleep every night, a white silky head always playing a huge bloody role.

Maybe one day he will have the guts to follow the knights.

He got up, smoothing down his tunic, as he left his house, not unarmed. It became a habit ever since he finished his quest to always carry some kind of weapon around.

The clinking of metal against metal was heard with every step, as the human walked towards the little group of ten people. Cheering and sobbing were mixing, a strange noise level creating, causing Link to squint his eyes shut for a short moment.

"...will be fine, the guards will make weekly visits to ensure we are all safe and sound" Link heard Zelda's light voice saying surprisingly firm.

Hearing her voice filled him with a lot of different emotions. They hadn't spoken in a long time, which was partly Zelda's fault. She tried to avoid him as best as she could muster. He, of course, noticed that the goddess' reborn was distancing herself from her childhood friend ever since she confessed to him that Link had been a mere chess piece.

It was true, Zelda used him at one point in his journey. But who was he to hold any grudges? It was the part of her that was Hylia after all. Despite this, he would have done the same.

"...Link?" The blonde girl looked up into his face, head turned slightly to one side. He gave her a small smile but remained silent as usual. "Without you, we wouldn't be able to move away from Skyloft. My lifetime I thought I was stuck here, high above the clouds not knowing that there was so much more just... Just right in front of us... All the time... I-... We-"

But Link shook his head once again, sandy strands of hair falling around his face. He took her into a tight friendly embrace, that held so many unspoken words within. He even had to bite some tears back.

'It's okay' He signed a bit sloppily, as she broke the hug. Yes, the legendary hero was selectively mute. Being silent has proven him to be rather useful during his journey.

Words can hurt, after all.

Zelda gave him a smile. "Promise me, that you will visit us, okay?" She asked to which the hero just nodded, tilting his head to the right side.

Soon they all whistled for their loftwings, food fastening on their backs. Mounting them, they waved one last time before leaving for an unknown amount of time.

Link felt like he was struck by lightning. He felt like his purpose of life just left.