[ "And when you're face to face with your end, it feels like standing on a cliff overlooking the water, knowing that you have no choice left but to jump."
As Zelda stares at the Light Dragon, who stares at the princess in return, the cold fingers on the back of her neck curl themselves around her throat. She feels a familiar pressure beneath them, one that has woken her up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night repeatedly. A lump that she cannot swallow no matter how hard she tries, lodged in her throat at exactly the same spot where her secret stone rests against her neck.
"The waters are dark, and you have no idea what waits for you below the surface."
She feels the urge to swallow over and over again, trying to force down that phantom lump. It's not there, she knows it's not there, because she can feel her chest rising with panicked breaths. But when she looks into those rainbow eyes, she feels it-- the last moments of Princess Zelda.
These aren't Zelda's memories. They're her's, the Light Dragon's. Despite being a creation of Zelda's dreamotion, she is based on Link's memories. And Link, somehow, impossibly, saw Zelda's memories through the tears shed by the Light Dragon all across Hyrule.
This is how it all ends. A noble sacrifice, the Master Sword clutched in her hands. Cold. Alone. Frightened.
"But you can accept what's happening."
Zelda takes one hesitant step forward, then another, and another, rushing across the field towards the Light Dragon. The dragon lowers its head to the princess, allowing Zelda to see clearly the Master Sword lodged at the center of her forehead, her golden mane curled around it like centuries of overgrown vines.
This time, the lump in her throat is no longer a phantom feeling-- it's emotions and tears welling up as she regards this beautiful, heartbreaking creature.
"That's when you close your eyes, take a breath, hold the memories of those you care for close...and jump."
She extends her right hand towards the dragon, unable to keep from trembling, until her palm connects with its head.
--Which she immediately draws back with a gasp.
She was expecting cold, hard scales, but the dragon's head is... soft. Downy, like feathers.
Nothing like she expected.
Zelda returns her hand, running her palm over the dragon's soft down. Then, slowly, she leans in and presses her forehead against it.
The Light Dragon is warm, radiant with the feeling of the sun on your skin, and there's something in its presence alone that feels so soothing. All of the princess's fears, all the coldness, the lump in her throat and the way she can't forget the feeling of choking on her secret stone-- it all washes away.
Zelda buries her face in the dragon's fur and weeps. The Light Dragon, in return, leans in ever so slightly.
This moment of peace will not last forever. The fear will return, the coldness, the loneliness, the feeling of the stone lodged in her throat. Even knowing that the waters on the other side are gentle and warm, the princess must still leap off the cliff someday. That act itself will be terrifying; the dragon has confirmed as much with her memories.
"Everything dies, but it's not an ending. It's just making room for new life to thrive."
Zelda pulls away from the dragon and straightens, finally turning to where Alastor now stands. He's... changed. Not quite his human self, but not his demon form either. Something in between, some kind of harmony between two distinctly separate beings.
That. That is what she wants. Not the power to control the Light Dragon, but the serenity to accept it as her eventuality. Not just Zelda's death, but the dragon's birth.
And in a way, Princess Zelda will never die. Not completely. Who she is, the sum of her memories and her undying love for her kingdom, will live on in the Light Dragon.
Zelda doesn't have any words for Alastor. Nothing she can think of feels sufficient. So she simply nods her gratitude, smiles from her place beside the dragon.
๐
As Zelda stares at the Light Dragon, who stares at the princess in return, the cold fingers on the back of her neck curl themselves around her throat. She feels a familiar pressure beneath them, one that has woken her up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night repeatedly. A lump that she cannot swallow no matter how hard she tries, lodged in her throat at exactly the same spot where her secret stone rests against her neck.
"The waters are dark, and you have no idea what waits for you below the surface."
She feels the urge to swallow over and over again, trying to force down that phantom lump. It's not there, she knows it's not there, because she can feel her chest rising with panicked breaths. But when she looks into those rainbow eyes, she feels it-- the last moments of Princess Zelda.
These aren't Zelda's memories. They're her's, the Light Dragon's. Despite being a creation of Zelda's dreamotion, she is based on Link's memories. And Link, somehow, impossibly, saw Zelda's memories through the tears shed by the Light Dragon all across Hyrule.
This is how it all ends. A noble sacrifice, the Master Sword clutched in her hands. Cold. Alone. Frightened.
"But you can accept what's happening."
Zelda takes one hesitant step forward, then another, and another, rushing across the field towards the Light Dragon. The dragon lowers its head to the princess, allowing Zelda to see clearly the Master Sword lodged at the center of her forehead, her golden mane curled around it like centuries of overgrown vines.
This time, the lump in her throat is no longer a phantom feeling-- it's emotions and tears welling up as she regards this beautiful, heartbreaking creature.
"That's when you close your eyes, take a breath, hold the memories of those you care for close...and jump."
She extends her right hand towards the dragon, unable to keep from trembling, until her palm connects with its head.
--Which she immediately draws back with a gasp.
She was expecting cold, hard scales, but the dragon's head is... soft. Downy, like feathers.
Nothing like she expected.
Zelda returns her hand, running her palm over the dragon's soft down. Then, slowly, she leans in and presses her forehead against it.
The Light Dragon is warm, radiant with the feeling of the sun on your skin, and there's something in its presence alone that feels so soothing. All of the princess's fears, all the coldness, the lump in her throat and the way she can't forget the feeling of choking on her secret stone-- it all washes away.
Zelda buries her face in the dragon's fur and weeps. The Light Dragon, in return, leans in ever so slightly.
This moment of peace will not last forever. The fear will return, the coldness, the loneliness, the feeling of the stone lodged in her throat. Even knowing that the waters on the other side are gentle and warm, the princess must still leap off the cliff someday. That act itself will be terrifying; the dragon has confirmed as much with her memories.
"Everything dies, but it's not an ending. It's just making room for new life to thrive."
Zelda pulls away from the dragon and straightens, finally turning to where Alastor now stands. He's... changed. Not quite his human self, but not his demon form either. Something in between, some kind of harmony between two distinctly separate beings.
That. That is what she wants. Not the power to control the Light Dragon, but the serenity to accept it as her eventuality. Not just Zelda's death, but the dragon's birth.
And in a way, Princess Zelda will never die. Not completely. Who she is, the sum of her memories and her undying love for her kingdom, will live on in the Light Dragon.
Zelda doesn't have any words for Alastor. Nothing she can think of feels sufficient. So she simply nods her gratitude, smiles from her place beside the dragon.
The sun sets on Hyrule and the dream ends. ]