Welcome. Full *revised* summary is below. Warning: Chapter contains S&M-ish content. NOTE: Chapters 1, 2, 3 ,4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 24 and 33 have been rewritten. I am working to revise earlier chapters to improve narrative flow. As always, thank you all for your reviews. ~SkywardDiamond

- Part I -

Chapter 1

A Thread is Tied

Awakening from a dream but unable to open his eyes, Link tossed his head. He breathed in. His lungs and throat burned.

He had no idea where he was. In kind with his voice, his memories eluded him.

Confusion of the most unsound sort was beginning to overcome him. For reasons unknown, he felt overrun by feeling.

The barriers between pain and pleasure were becoming more and more blurred with each passing second.

At first, the sensations that crept over his skin felt like pins and needles. The feeling that his head was being crushed within a vice nauseated him. He felt as if his body had been torn apart, only to be rebuilt to a state of unrest. He felt dissonant, as if his body needed...something.

But a pleasant feeling gradually began to override his discomfort. Was his body simply rebelling against the pain, or was it something else...?

The pressure against his head started to resemble the gentle lay of a hand more than a constricting grip. His limbs began to tingle. He started to notice the hard floor beneath him.

"Midna…" Link whispered, thinking that the subtle caresses must be her doing. No one else had any reason, nor any right, to make him feel this way. The picture of her beautiful face - her bright auburn eyes, her full red lips, her lustrous ginger hair - flashed in his mind. He would have smiled if it were not for the pain. He tried to open his heavy eyelids.

"Midna, what're you-?" he tried to say as he started to raise his arms from the floor. He found that they wouldn't budge from where they lay, however.

He sought to lift his arms one more time, but failed. Shocked, he opened his eyes. He glance at his surroundings, confused. A high stone ceiling came into view.

He began to piece together an unsettling realization -

He was bound to the floor. Struggling, he pulled against the restraints around his wrists. His breathing sped up. Alarming thoughts raced through his mind.

Then, a blissful shock coursed through him. He jerked and coiled, his mouth dropping in amazement at how wonderful it felt. His jumbled thoughts became even more confused.

Realizing that nothing was holding his feet, he bent his knees and pushed up, fighting his binds. His arms were pulled so tautly, however, that he couldn't move more than a few inches.

Without warning, more pleasurable waves washed over him. Squinting his eyes, he tried to will it away.

He turned his head to the right. What was he seeing? Furniture? Several large, dark shapes were set about the room. He twisted his neck to the left; another stone wall, five feet away. Further down he saw a bright, active fireplace - the only source of light in the dark room.

Where am I?

Link turned his gaze to the ceiling. He flexed his fingers in restiveness.

He was tied down and alone - why? - alone, yet his body was reacting as if someone was touching him. Not just touching, but massaging, placing within him a rather gratifying feeling.

Still, he saw and felt nothing near him.

Then, a tingling sensation shot through his limbs. It warmed him, slowly blanketing his whole body.

The feeling wasn't sexual in nature. But, being an erogenous creature, he had to admit that it felt...quite good; perhaps too good.

His eyes tapered and his breathing sped up. This time, though, his reaction was not due to fear alone.

He pulled against his restraints once more. Bending his neck to lift himself, he raised his shoulder blades from the floor. The bottoms of his brown leather boots scraped the ground.

His voice dysphonic, he tried to call out to someone, anyone, in this bewildering place. But speaking was too painful. He needed water, badly. With his throat strained, he gave an agonized cough. He thought about the water stashed in his pouch.

At the same time, he was unable to ignore the strange feeling of excitement that was growing inside of him. It was developing into something disturbing.

Still battling the shackles he tossed and turned in a desperate attempt to escape. His anger was building. He couldn't call for help, or even comfort himself with his own words. He felt helpless. Utterly helpless.

He refused to resign himself to this. He tried countervailing the sensations, disassociating his mind from his physicality. He hunted for refuge deep within his thoughts. But he quickly discovered that he couldn't focus on anything beyond the here and now.

What's happened…? Where am I…? His mind was hopelessly fuzzy, yet he was beginning to recall something -

He remembered making his way down a long corridor. And then a void… But there had to be more than that.

As he groped for an answer, he gasped, sensing the soft tickle of fingers against him. He twisted as it intensified. He gnashed his teeth as it turned into an incredibly enjoyable spasm. His heart thumped. He arched his back, breathing hard.

He almost felt as if… He felt as though he might…

His eyes broadened as he found his body tilting further and further toward that state of completion which it craved. How could this be happening? Nothing was touching him.

And who had put him here?

Tears of frustration threatened to erupt. His muteness was maddening. He felt feverish and drained. Worst of all, his strength was so lacking that he found it difficult to resist what his body wanted.

He reprimanded himself in his head.

"What is this?" he forced himself to say. His throat was far too painful to eke out anything more. He looked around, hoping for an answer, even if it came from some sort of crazed…

And then he remembered him - the one from the hallway.

Link started to panic. Did he bring me here? Is he going to kill me?

His eyes shut again as he turned his thoughts inward. Memories of what had invaded his mind back in Skyloft were returning. The voice that he had heard in his head and in his dreams…

Somehow he knew what he had been dragged into.

He's trying to...break me…

"Zelda…" Link whispered, flinching. Every word was like a knife through his throat.

Had he really been dragged into captivity by a madman? He shut his eyes and concentrated, breathing deeply. Keep it together, keep it together...

He felt so lonely, so hopeless. But he couldn't give up. Biting down on his lip, he made a commitment to fight whatever this was, tooth and nail.

Out of nowhere, energy exploded inside of him, catching him unawares. He pulled so hard against the iron that it nearly sliced into his skin. He gritted his teeth and stared straight up. With a growl and a whimper he squirmed, feeling wonderful and terrible at the same time.

Small, rattling moans escaped from him. He started to lose his breath. Pressure was building. The prospect of release taunted him. He wanted to shout obscenities. He wanted answers. What he didn't want was to lose it.

Maybe I should just -

"Is the highly revered, superbly equable hero truly about to lose his control?"

Link's eyes popped open at the sound of the smooth, deep voice. He looked around. His heart beat faster. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing. The only noise he could make was a dejected exhale. Turning his face to the right, he spotted a tall figure as it emerged out of nowhere. "I'm rather enjoying your writhing. Don't stop on my account."

Link swallowed, appalled. The figure was not just tall, but unnaturally so. Link stared in horror as the man approached.

Illuminated by the soft glow of the flames, the man stepped into the light. Seconds felt like hours as two feet slowly neared, halting just inches from Link's face.

Two pristine white boots; loose-fitting trousers of a similar hue, detailed with diamonds; a perfect, muscular form covered with pale linen; a thin golden belt, housing a large red diamond on the right side, wrapped neatly around a trim waist; red cascading down.

Terrified, Link didn't move.

Looming over him, the man of enormous stature looked down with dark eyes as huge and black as pits. He wasn't moving. He just stood there, hovering and smiling. Link started to shake.

The pale man began to lower himself onto one knee. Link shied away as much as the chains would allow, unable to take his eyes off of him.

Whatever form of life this man was, Link was certain that he had never seen anything like it before.

Leisurely, as if to observe a rare, skittish animal, the man placed his gloved hands to the floor. He lowered his head.

More afraid than he had ever been, Link found it impossible to look away. The man's pure white hair dangled only inches above, not quite concealing the black diamond beneath his left eye and the periwinkle crystal earring in his right ear. Link heard a soft, malicious chuckle.

"You made it far too easy for me, sky child. You truly did. Finding you incapacitated like that, I didn't even have to lift a finger to subjugate you. It was simply delightful." Link gaped. The man's voice was strangely silky.

"Don't bother trying to mask the fear on your face, sky child," he said, low and grizzly. He placed a hand under his chin. "Not only is it flowing out of you like a river, but it's painted all over your terrified little mug." He leaned down, placing two pale lips against Link's ear. The young man stiffened even more. "And besides that, the scent of it has filled my olfactory senses to bursting."

Emphasizing the last word, he grinned. Link turned his head away, not only hearing the punishing words, but feeling them.

"What's the matter, sky child? Do you have an aversion toward words such as bursting, exploding and erupting?" Link reluctantly looked at the man. His face reddened.

A lock of blond hair fell across his blue eyes. The man brushed it aside, smirking as Link flinched violently.

A startled gasp melted into several sharp breaths. The touch felt electric.

The man's grin stretched further. "Are you wondering what's happening to you, my off-color hero?" Link simply stared and shook. "Is my panache, my unmatched sense of style, my overpowering influence really leaving you so terrorized that your ability to speak has all but disappeared?" The man leaned in so closely that Link saw his petrified reflection staring back.

"Am I really so beautiful that you have no words left?"

Wide-eyed, Link couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Thinking you've gotten yourself into a rather scabby situation? Well, I'd certainly have to agree with that. Right into the frying pan."

Link lay silently. He wondered where the Goddess Sword was, feeling guilty for not heeding Fi's wise advice to take better care of himself in the woods.

"I'm sure you're wondering where I pulled that familiar phrase from," the man said, the devilish grin still on his face. "As much as I relish the idea of leaving you crawling in the dark like a gormless fool, I know that to remain too secretive would hinder my own efforts." Link gaped, trying to understand. "I took it from you, sky child. Whatever a demon wants, a demon gets."

Link tightened up.

The man sat on his heels. He leaned forward again. "I'm not going to disclose every one of my secrets to you, however. Not yet. And as I'm sure you've probably deduced by now, I'm also well aware of why you can't speak. It's just as well, because had your voice not escaped you tonight, I more than likely would have cut your tongue out with the sprawling amount that you typically wag your yap. As much as I enjoy a good groveling session, and as much as I am dying to listen to your distressed, euphonious screams, now is not the time." His brow came up. "And I think that you'll find me to be keenly perspicacious and impressively more au fait with your knowledge and experiences than anyone has ever been. Including yourself."

So much was being said, but Link was finding it too difficult to listen. The pressure within him was still there, itching to be displaced. He wanted relief. He needed it.

"Do you realize how outright limited your language is in describing pain and suffering? It's regrettable to say the least. The Hylian language has no means whatsoever to give pain, and agony, and screams, and suffering their due glory." Link held back a groan. "Why are screams so wonderful you ask? They are extemporaneous. Oftentimes involuntary. Something that breaks through that barricade of control as external stimuli forces itself onto one's frangible body; such as something that causes agonizing pain."

The demon sat up taller, lifting his arms. "Screams of joy - uninteresting. Screams of pleasure, while a bit fascinating in their own right, are not my favorite. Screams of fear, however," he said with excitement growing in his voice, "those tickle me. But screams of pain..." He chortled, rubbing his hands together. "There is simply nothing more melodious to my ears." He cocked his head.

Link was sure that this must have been the worst monologue in the history of the world.

"Well, how rude of me. Amidst all of this excitement I seem to have forgotten my manners. I haven't introduced myself yet. How deplorable of me." Link's ears perked as he listened. He was eager for information from him, even if it was nothing more than a measly name. The demon lowered once more, lessening the already tight interstice between their faces.

"You may call me…" he began. Link's eyes filled with a mixture of dread and anticipation. "…Your tormentor. Your god. The paladin of this realm who will bring your soul to perdition. The one who has already won this battle long before you foolishly came down to the surface. The one who, whether you like it or not, will teach you what it means to be a real man." He inched closer. "I will leave you so gobsmacked, so gutted, so completely and utterly ashamed of your very person and everything that you've ever done in your pitifully incomplete life, that if you walk away from here, your pathetic compilation of pride will not be following you."

Blenching at the demon's every word as if they were as sharp as shivs, Link's stomach dropped.

The man rose to his feet. "You will experience deference like you never have before. You will respectfully submit and yield to your arbiter on your knees as you beg penitently for your life." He crouched down. "But, when you're not calling me Master, you may call me Lord Ghirahim."

Link blinked a few times as he heard the name. "Demon Lord Ghirahim is my full title. A select few of my companions simply call me Ghirahim." As he leaned in, Link turned away. The demon grabbed his green knight's cap, gripping the hair beneath and forcing his eyes back. Link grasped at the air for something that could help him, but found nothing.

"But you are not my friend, at least not yet," Ghirahim purred into Link's mouth.

The demon's touch, rough and excruciating, felt good somehow. The human grimaced. Ghirahim laughed, dropping Link's head to the floor with a thunk.

"Seeing as though it's a special day for you today, tragic hero, I'll bestow a small gift of knowledge on to you." Rolling his head and breathing unevenly, Link met eyes with the demon. "Youare destroying yourself right now."

With growing enmity, Link listened.

"Oh, it's true that I…dabble in thaumaturgy, if you will. In fact, I am quite portentous in the world of magical arts. It's no secret that I possess enough power to bring you to a mortifying level of capitulation with a mere snap of my fingers. This is precisely why you can't possibly hope to defeat me. But, it's also true that I've used very limited power since your rather fortunate arrival. In other words, I got the ball rolling for you, but as soon as your own twisted little mind caught on, there was no longer any need for my coaxing. Your suffering at this moment is all your own doing. Did you even know that you can channel such sensation from within yourself? Your mind is responsible, not me. I've merely awoken your inner masochistic desires from their hiding place. You and I are not so different, sky child."

Confused and uncomfortable, Link shook his head. Was the demon implying that he was enjoying this? That he wanted it somehow?

"That's not true," Link whispered.

Ghirahim gave him a look of intrigue. "Are you calling me a liar, sky child?" he asked with an eerie calmness. In too much pain to speak, Link nodded.

Ghirahim chuckled. "Like I already mentioned, I think you'll find my knowledge to be surprisingly accurate. But before we begin that rather delectable game, I suppose I should save you from yourself." He held his hands behind his back, waiting, watching.

Wanting relief, Link dragged his heels along the floor, barely able to stand it. His anger was beginning to exceed his physical need.

Just make it stop... Link begged in his head. He fixed his glower on the demon, breathing heavily and getting warmer. He was slipping, but he refused to let it show.

Ghirahim's knowing smile said it all. The demon lifted a hand and snapped his fingers, staring pertly down.

Immediately, Link felt something rush from his body. His pained back sank to the floor as the tension gradually left him. He just breathed for a moment.

"I need my listener unspoiled," Ghirahim told him. Link looked up, trying not to appear as furious as he felt.

"So, why thrust a challenge such as this upon you? Why, for my enjoyment, of course," Ghirahim explained, pouting his lip. "There's something that you really ought to accept as fact so that we can both move on, hero." He bent down. "...I relish your suffering." He shrugged lightly. "I also restrained you to remove the possibility of you chipping one of my nails as I spoke to you. That would've been right irritating of you, boy." He took a seat on the floor. "You will hear what I have to say. Every word." He lowered a finger to the shackle around Link's right wrist, caressing it gently. Link grunted and pulled away.

"Relax, sky child. I'm not going to hurt you. Not yet."

"Why are you doing this?" Link managed to ask, his voice blinking in and out.

"Why haven't I killed you, you mean?" Ghirahim corrected.

"Yes," Link rasped as he stared in the opposite direction.

"Look at me when you're speaking to me, sky child," Ghirahim ordered. Link remained still.

"I said look at me!" Ghirahim hollered. Link jumped. His pulse racing, he pressed his ear stubbornly to the floor.

"The world has little use for a blind hero," Ghirahim threatened. "Must I gouge your eyes out for your impertinence? Do you realize who you're in the presence of, you foolish child?"

"I'm not a child," Link grumbled dryly, trying his hardest not to cough.

"Your upholding of respect for me while you are in my presence is incontrovertible, stroppy child."

"I'm not a child," Link said a bit louder, turning his head. He watched as a grin appeared on the demon's face. Link sighed, realizing he had unintentionally obeyed. His hands clenched.

"Jolly good," Ghirahim said, resting his face in his hand once more. Link huffed, growing tired of the game. Was it ever going to end?

"You're still alive because you have something that I want, my dear hero." The demon's voice was honeyed.

"What?" Link asked.

Ghirahim simply grinned. "All in due time, child. Don't they teach you that patience is a virtue back at your quaint little knight academy in the sky?"

"Where's my sword?" Link asked.

"Again - patience."

"And where is Zelda?" Link asked. He glared.

"Such audacity," Ghirahim said, biting his lip. "She's dead."

The light in Link's eyes fizzled for a moment. "You're lying."

"Am I? Am I!" His voice climbed as he lifted a hand over Link's face. Link cringed and turned away, waiting for the inevitable.

With his eyes shut he heard the demon's soft laugh. Link slowly opened his eyes and looked at him.

"Next time, I really will," Ghirahim said with certainty.

Wary, Link loosened. "...Where am I?"

"Well, you're not in the temple," the demon said. "You're not in the forest at all, for that matter." Link's face went blank. "Like I said, all in due time, sky child."

"Look," Link said, gaining the demon's attention. "I didn't come here to visit you. I came for-"

"The spirit maiden. Yes, yes, yes, I am aware. Haven't we all?"

"She's alive then?" Link asked.

Ghirahim looked down. "You, hero, are exuding far too much confidence for someone in your position." His eyes roamed from one part of Link's body to another. "First, we have the conversation that I've been just dying to have with you. So many wonderful things to discuss with you. Then, I offer you a deal. Finally, we go head-to-head in battle."

"What?" Link asked again, his voice still hushed.

"But you're much too unkempt for my liking," Ghirahim said solemnly, shaking his head. "We really must do something about this." Link looked at him curiously. "You need a shave, sky child. All those days out in the woods must have given you a mountain man mentality. Forest life has not been kind to you."

Link wasn't quite sure what to say. "I just shaved two days ago."

Without warning, Ghirahim grabbed a handful of green tunic and rolled Link onto his side. He gave a small cry. A thieving hand pushed its way into the larger of the two bags on his belt.

"Wha-" Link started to say before he was released with a rough jerk.

Proudly, the demon lifted Link's water jar into the air. "Just what I was looking for," he said with a satisfied smile. He unscrewed the lid.

"What're y-" But before Link could finish, a splash of frigid water crashed into his face, wetting his shirt and tunic. Sputtering from the shock, he coughed and wrestled with the chains. Ghirahim laughed. Still struggling, Link felt the hand plunge into his pants pocket.

"What are you doing!" Link rattled.

"Just looking for something," Ghirahim sang.

"You're looking for something, all right…"

"Voila! And here it is," Ghirahim said happily, holding up Link's razor.

Dripping wet and horrified, Link stared. He groaned angrily as the demon claimed a tuft of his hair.

"I suggest you hold still," Ghirahim warned.

Link's eyes shot open at the sight of the sharp object. In an instant, the blade was brought to his neck. With butterflies in his stomach, he held his breath.

This was by far the most uncomfortable shave he had ever received.

"It is almost farcical how easy it is to break you down, sky child," Ghirahim said as he ran the edge upward. Link winced. "And it's such fun to do it."

"You're not breaking me down," Link said.

"As much as I take pleasure in the idea of forcing you to enjoy my touch, I am very much looking forward to the day when you welcome it."

Link looked around for a moment. "What? I would never welcome your touch…"

"That's what they all say," Ghirahim said as he circled around to shave the other side. "Something special happens when a demon's hand meets human flesh. You've felt it by now."

I can't believe this, Link thought.

"Now we're ready to begin," Ghirahim said, putting the finishing touches on his subject's face. "I couldn't possibly have a civilized conversation with someone that untidy - oops!"

At that moment, fire spread across Link's face as the razor cut into him.

Link cried out, making his parched throat tighten even more. Warm blood streaked down his cheek. It dribbled down his ear, forming a small pool on the stone beneath his head. He gaped, completely aghast.

Ghirahim dropped to his level, licked his lips and ran his long tongue along the bottom of Link's face. The human trembled.

With a deep red staining his mouth, Ghirahim smiled at Link's repulsion.

Savoring the last of the sweet, metallic liquid on his mouth, he sang, "Happy birthday, sky child."

If you're looking for a more adult Legend of Zelda story with a multifaceted plot, then this may be the story for you.

Please bear in mind that this story is for mature teens to adults due to adult situations/sexuality/shounen-ai and yuri aspects/violence/mild language/dark themes/incidents of physical and mental torture/angst.

ALL sensuality is carefully worded to avoid crossing into MA territory.

Thanks for reading. Please review, because as I always say, your thoughts as a reader mean everything. I would love to see your thoughts on earlier chapters, as well. If you can stand the idea of waiting to hit that *next* button to share a comment or two with me, please do so ~_^

::SUMMARY::

This story is an epic-style expansion on Skyward Sword - it expands the world, the characters and the plot. It incorporates (in some form) most elements of the game. Third-person points-of-view used: Link, with some first-person in dream sequences, Fi, Ghirahim, Pipit, Midna, Zelda, and maybe more.

The true war is fought on the battlefield of the mind...

And when that battle is finished, will Link have the will to defeat the one who beckons him, who tempts him, who kindles his desire, who he is connected to by an unbreakable thread of fate?

What will become of Link in his fight against a demon with the power to enslave not only his body, but his mind?

This story begins after Link's first meeting with Ghirahim in the Skyview Temple. But, the hero soon finds that he has been pulled into the realm of demons by none other than the demon lord himself, and his intentions are far from ingenuous.

Just as the restrengthening imprisoned form of the demon king needs the soul of the spirit maiden to be revived, Ghirahim needs something from the hero in order to claim his victory. And he is willing to do anything to get it.

At the same time, Link owes his enemy something, but he has yet to discover what it is. One way or another, Ghirahim will claim what is rightfully his...

In the demon realm, on the surface and in the sky, Link will have to complete - as well as go beyond - the quests in Skyward Sword to reach and rescue the ones with the power to forge a weapon strong enough to defeat the lords of the surface, before they are able to launch an attack as brutal as the one that occurred during the era of the Goddess. If Demise's army wages war against those of the sky states, the surface tribes and the demon realm's resistance, who will prevail?

Expect to see various Zelda universe characters.

As with the Prequel, plenty of humor, and some romance. This fic encompasses a bit of almost every genre.

"Semi-GhirahimXLink" defined: What I like to call "straight-guy-slash". May seem self-contradictory, but it isn't. While there is some GhiraLink in this fic (as well as MidLink), it leans more towards dub-con (though not all). I consider both Link and Ghirahim to be straight in this story. So how can two straight guys be paired? I guess you will have to read and decide for yourself :)

The Prequel to this story is being rewritten. Therefore, it's not *fully* available to reference back to at the moment, sorry! But soon! Go check out the updated chapters, if you wish. My profile contains some notes from the prequel which will help to fill in the gaps for those who haven't read the prequel. You certainly don't need to read the Prequel to enjoy this story.

A zillion-and-one thank-you's and even more chocolate chip cookies to *hairyhen* for being invaluable in terms of being my sounding board, offering some ideas for this fic, and for helping me to avoid stupid mistakes. Even though he is less than smitten with all things GhiraLink, he lends his brainpower anyway. ILOVEYOUTHANKYOU!

Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Legend of Zelda series.