AN~Oh look! Another thing that MiniJen shouldn't even start since she'll most likely never finish it because she has three other stories she SHOULD be working on! Oh well. I got this idea from a post I saw on tumblr the other day, and I just HAD to roll with it since it sort of exploded in my mind! And so, here it is! Now, I feel as though I'm obligated to say that this is not part of the Bound Destinies Trilogy, lest people get confused, and it's just another story spun out of the aftermath of Skyward Sword. Plus, this one won't be anywhere near as lore-intensive as B&S was, though it will be just as angsty, which is great! And so, allow me to give you a few more details…

Genres: Angst, Tragedy, Romance, Drama, and some Action here and there

Setting: Post Skyward Sword, about two weeks after

Characters: Link, Zelda, Fi, Ghirahim, Groose, Pipit, Karane, the dragons, and others…

Shipping: Zelink of course! There may also be some light Ghirafi though…

Rating: T because of violence, plus a few suggestive moments…

PoV: I feel compelled to say that this story is not going to be from a third person review like I normally do, mostly because I haven't written any 1st person in so long. So instead, I'm going to alternate back and forth between Link and Zelda's first person PoVs, which will certainly make this a fun story to write! But don't worry, I'll make it very clear who's PoV it is any time it changes!

Ok, so that's about all you need to know, since I don't really want to give too much of a synopsis lest I give too much away. But before we begin, allow me to say that this is going to be rather short, about 12 chapters or so, so it will be much more manageable for all of us, and something good for me to do in between chapters of L&S and HW. And so, without further ado…

MiniJen Presents…

Between Heaven and Hell

Chapter 1: The Demon Blade

"True strength only comes from knowing your weaknesses!"
-Impa, Hyrule Warriors

Zelda

I told him to keep the Master Sword, and perhaps that was my first mistake.

He will grow to be too overconfident with its continual power in his grasp… the Hylia side of me often says, her vast wisdom assuming that the Zelda half of me knows nothing, but she's wrong. I know Link better than that. He's never been one prone to overconfidence and pride; if anything, he's far too modest, never thinking too highly of himself even though he's accomplished so much. After all, who else could have taken down Demise other than Link? Hylia-I mean, I didn't choose him to be my hero for nothing. He's strong, smart, and brave, all qualities that make him more than worthy of being a hero and he played his part well.

And yet, even though he did fulfill his destiny, I can't help but still feel guilty for how I used him. The Zelda half says that it wasn't me, it was Hylia, but figuring out where the girl from Skyloft ends and the white goddess begins is never easy. All I know for certain is that one of us, either Zelda or Hylia, forced Link to become a hero and go through untold hardship all for my sake. And if that's not considered using someone, I don't know what is.

Two weeks have passed since Demise's downfall and both Link and I are still feeling the repercussions of it. Of course, it's great that the demon lord who almost killed us both and nearly took over the surface is finally nothing more than an awful memory, but on the other hand, a lot happened in such a short amount of time and only now do either of us have time to really recover from it all. Link had gotten beaten up pretty badly in the final battle, something that only made me feel even guiltier upon seeing him stumble his way back into the temple afterwards, bloodied and broken, yet somehow still smiling at me the way he always did, the relief in his sky blue eyes unmistakable upon being reassured that I was finally safe.

It took quite some time and a lot of fairy magic to patch him up, but we finally managed, although he's still recuperating from it all, in more ways than one, and I have to admit that I'm in that same boat with him. The nightmares are frequent and there's been quite a few times when one of us has woken up in the middle of the night in an absolute panic, only to be comforted back into reality by the other. Three nights ago was a particularly rough one that ended with both of us staying awake in each other's arms until dawn, just so we wouldn't have to face the nightmares on our own again.

With all this "healing", or at least trying to, we've been doing, the two of us have barely even been out of the Sealed Temple, which has become something of our new home ever since we decided to stay on the surface together. Monsters are still wandering all over the woods and we both figure that it's better to be safe than sorry. And yet… we've gotten bored. After all, you can only do so much in that old temple after all before it gets stale.

Link was the one who suggested that we finally go out today and after an hour or so of convincing, I finally agreed. It's not that I'm afraid of going out into the woods, which are no doubt brimming with monsters, for my own sake; I'm more afraid for Link's sake. While I know he's skilled and capable, especially with the Master Sword, he's too reckless; he always has been, and sometimes I think he always will be. The last thing I want is for something to happen to him now that he no longer has to throw himself into danger for me, now that both of us can finally be safe and secure and together. But, even though I was apprehensive, I finally did agree to go on a little walk through the woods with him, knowing that the fresh air would do us some good and besides, we both need to start getting rid of the straggling monsters still roaming around in wake of Demise's defeat.

And so we walk side-by-side through the woods in the early afternoon warmth of the day, basking in the uncharacteristic temperatures that may not last for much longer as autumn is already well on its way. We were both engaged in a casual conversation a while ago until I was the one who drifted out of it and into my own thoughts instead, something that Link has come to notice as he realizes that his words are falling on distracted ears.

"Hey, Zel?" he asks, giving me a light nudge on the shoulder. "Are you ok?"

"Huh?" I blink, broken out of my train of thought as I turn to look at him. "Oh, yeah. I was just zoning out a little, I guess."

He smiles good-naturedly, something that I always love to see. "Sounds like something I would do," he says jokingly, and I can't help but let out a small giggle of agreement.

"You still always do that, Link," I say, knowing that he's always had his head in the clouds, and I have no problem with that now as opposed to how I used to be annoyed by it. "Not that I'd have it any other way..."

He laughs warmly and it's so infectious that I can't help but join in. I don't know how, but he always seems to have that sort of effect on me. Only he can make me smile without even having to say a single word, and only he can make me feel like I used to feel before I ever found out that I was Hylia. He gives me a sense of self and security that no one else can, and I know that whatever may come our way in life, I never want to lose that feeling, and I certainly never want to lose him, especially since I almost did once before.

"So, what were you 'zoning out' about?" he asks casually after taking a brief, cursory glance over the surrounding area to make sure there are no monsters hanging about.

I blush a little, but I decide to be honest. "You," I say vaguely, shrugging.

"Really?" he asks, raising an eyebrow though he's still smiling of course. "What about me?"

I giggle nonchalantly, trying to act subtle, though I'm pretty sure I'm doing a poor job of it. "Oh, you know…" I say as I glance away from him, ordering my nerves to stop making me so flustered, especially since I have no idea why I'm feeling like this all of the sudden. "I was just… I was wondering whether or not you're alright," I say, since that is very true. I've been concerned for him for pretty much every hour of every day for the past two weeks and that's likely not going to change anytime soon. "I know you say that you're fine, but I just can't help but worry about you, Link. It's a fault of mine, I guess…"

He takes my hand gently, something that makes my heart flutter even more. "I wouldn't call it a fault," he says with understanding. "I think you worrying about me all the time is a good thing actually. After all, we both know I'm sometimes a little reckless…"

"That's an understatement if there ever was one," I tease, but he simply rolls his eyes at me and goes on.

"Besides, I already told you," he said, moving in the slightest bit closer to me as we walk together. "I'm fine just knowing that you're finally safe."

I melt into a blissful smile upon hearing this, knowing all too well that such sweet sentiments are yet another thing he's so good at. Once again, I'm reminded of that fateful day of the Wing Ceremony so many months ago now, as the two of us were simply flying through the skies. I had wanted to tell him something so badly that day, before I was so rudely interrupted by the tornado that pulled me down to the surface and set all that both of us went through into motion. And yet now, months later, after so much has happened and so much has changed, I see nothing stopping me from finally letting him know, right here, and right now. Nothing that is, except for my own incredible nervousness and racing heart. "Um… Link?" I stammer, swallowing back all of the fear that I'm feeling.

"Yes, Zelda?" he says expectantly, looking over at me with that smile I've come to love so much.

I take in an uneven breath, hoping that I don't sink this ship before it's even set sail. I'm about to go into some long spiel about how I appreciate everything he's done for me, and how I'm grateful for our longstanding friendship, and then finish with how I really feel, but for some reason, that's what starts to come out of my mouth first. "Link, I-"

Before I can blurt out another word, the hilt of the Master Sword strapped to Link's back flashes, something that I see as both an aggravating interruption and a convenient save at the same time. "Hold that thought, Zel," Link says to me patiently as he glances back at the sword. "Yes, Fi?"

Fi emerges from the sword in her usual flourish of violet-blue light, hovering a few feet above the ground elegantly. Though Fi was initially the one who, in following along with Hylia's plan, told Link that the Master Sword had to be put to rest, she didn't oppose or disagree when I told him to hold onto it just in case, at least until we got rid of the rest of the monsters on the surface once and for all. I'm not sure how it's possible, but I think she might have started to comprehend emotions during her time traveling with Link, even though Hylia didn't create her with the ability to feel like humans do. But all the same, the heartwarming partnership formed between the sword and its master was yet another reason why I allowed Link to keep the Master Sword; I just couldn't bear to tear the two apart after all they had been through together.

"Master," Fi begins, giving us both a respectful nod. "I have an important piece of information to report. According to my most recent scan of this area, I have detected a strange presence looming in the deep woods not far the south of our current position. It is stationary, but I recommend taking immediate action to purge the area of it, as the aura I am picking up from it is composed of darkness."

"Must be more monsters," Link says with a serious frown. "I guess I better go take care of it…"

"No," I say, shaking my head as I place a hand on his arm before he can step forward. "We'll go take care of it."

He sighs in slight aggravation, but I can tell he already knows that there's going to be no arguing with me. "Just stay behind me this time, ok?" he asks with concern in his tone. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Well look who the worried one is now," I smirk teasingly and he rolls his eyes again and takes my hand as he leads me towards the source of the darkness Fi was talking about. Conveniently, she lets us know just how far away we are from it every few minutes, and after a while, I begin to feel the presence of something cold and sinister nearby too, my "Hylia senses" as I like to call them sparking up just like they always do when something supernatural is up. After a while, I begin to feel like we aren't just about to face a few mere bokoblins, but I don't tell Link that just yet, since I'm not even sure if I'm right. After all, why worry him for nothing?

About fifteen or so minutes of wandering in a rather straight path, we finally make it to the location that Fi has been guiding us too and I realize that I was wrong after all. It's a clearing in the middle of otherwise thick woods, but there's something incredibly off about it, even from a first glance. Unlike the rest of the lush, green woods, the trees here are brittle, dead and bare. The soul bares no grass or foliage but is rough and empty. And then, there's the monsters. I honestly can't say I've ever seen so many bokoblins all gathered together all in one place before, and yet as we approach as quietly as we can, they don't seem to notice us at all. Instead, their backs are turned towards us as they all seem to be circled around something instead, but the crowd of them is so thick that neither of us can tell what it is.

For a moment or two, Link and I stay concealed in the trees on the edge of the clearing, taking in the decaying sight before us and feeling the disturbing aura of evil pouring forth from it. "What are they doing?" I whisper, wondering why none of the monsters have picked up on our presence yet.

"It looks like they're guarding something…" Link notes with a cautious frown, his hand already on the hilt of the Master Sword. "But what?"

"Whatever it is, it can't be good," I say, biting my lip as I watch Link start to push his way into the clearing.

"Stay here," he says to me, and this time I do listen to him, knowing I'd be no good against so many monsters unarmed as I am.

Before any of the bokoblins even see Link coming, he's already ran about three of them through. The rest of them are quickly in an uproar as they turn towards him with their crude cleavers raised, but it's clear that he's faced this kind of monster many times before. He effortlessly blocks their angry strikes with his shield, and as their weapons bounce off of it, he takes the opportunity to slash at them swiftly, the sharp edge of the Master Sword cutting several of them down in one fell swoop. By now, he has about half of them cleared out, and the rest he takes out in quick succession too. I watch with wide eyes and excitement as he fights, noticing just how skillful he is with the Master Sword in his possession as I'm reminded of Hylia's constant warning once more, but I quickly suppress it, knowing that him having that sword is doing us both much more good than harm.

As the last bokoblin falls by his blade and vanishes in a puff of smoke like the rest of them, I emerge from my hiding spot to join Link, and at last, we're finally able to see what those monsters were apparently guarding.

It's a sword, completely black in color, with thick, serrated edges. It looks like the antithesis of the Master Sword almost, its metal dull and dark instead of bright and glowing, the image of an upside-down Triforce etched into it near its sinister-looking hilt as its tip is buried deep into the lifeless soil. The warning bells go off in the Hylia side of my mind immediately the moment I see this sword, and I look away from it as fast as I can, knowing that she recognizes it, though the Zelda part of me doesn't know from where. But what both sides of me know for certain is that a great amount of dark energy is pouring from this blade, and the aura of it feels eerily familiar.

When I glance away from the dark blade, I look over to Link instead, whose gaze seems to be totally transfixed on the sword. His expression is unreadable as he stares at in intently and as I stare at him myself, I quickly notice that his breathing is barely noticeable and he's completely frozen in place. My eyes widen as I know that this isn't like him, and I'm quick to attempt to draw him out of whatever trance he seems to be in my waving a hand in front of his uncharacteristically cold blue eyes.

"Link?" I ask worriedly, using my other hand to nudge his shoulder. "Are you ok?"

After what seems like ages, he finally blinks and shakes his head, as if to clear it. "Huh?" he asks, placing a hand against his head as he tears his glance away from the sword. "Oh, um… Yeah, I'm fine…" I frown as he says this though, knowing that his voice sounds much less certain than it usually does.

"What… what is that?" I ask timidly, giving a nod to the dark blade sitting a few feet away from us, still bothered by the unseen darkness all around it.

"Demise's Sword…" he says quietly, the expression on his face just as disturbed as mine is as he turns to look at it again. "Believe me, I got beaten up by it to know…" He places a gentle hand against his right side as he says this, most likely still feeling the phantom pain from the gash that was torn across it by the very sword resting before us now.

"I… I don't understand," I say, shaking my head worriedly. "What's it doing here? Shouldn't it be sealed away with Demise?"

Before either of us can come up with an answer to this, the Master Sword flashes once more and Fi comes out again, coming to glide a safe distance away from the dark sword as she gives us another report. "Master Link, Your Grace," she says, addressing us both. "Allow me to provide you both with more information on this sword based on my analysis. Its formal title is the Demon Blade, and as you noted master, it was once wielded by the Demon King himself. It is indeed the source of the dark energy I detected earlier, but as for the reason why it is resting within this clearing, I do not have sufficient data for. I can, however, conclude that there is a familiar, evil presence dwelling inside of this blade…"

Link and I exchange a glance, and it's immediately clear to both of us what the other is thinking based on the fact that both of our expressions are tense and bitter over harsh memories. "Ghirahim…" we mutter in almost near perfect unison, the distaste for the Demon Lord perfectly clear in our tones.

"He can't… come out, can he?" I ask Fi a bit nervously, remembering just how much trouble Ghirahim caused both of us in the past.

"I deduce is a 60% chance that he cannot at the current moment," Fi says eloquently. "However, I am certain that he is still residing inside of the Demon Blade, in the very same way that I reside in the Master Sword. I recommend taking immediate action with this sword, for as you can see, its presence here is causing an unusual reaction in both the natural life and the monsters in the surrounding area, one that may expand if the Demon Blade is left unrestrained."

"So… what should we do with it?" I ask, glancing over at Link as I notice that he's been strangely silent this whole time, having returned to looking at the Demon Blade again with that blank look on his face that worries me so much. "Link?!" I say somewhat forcefully as I take him by the shoulders and force him to turn around to face me, even though he keeps his sights set on the blade for a moment longer before looking to me. "What's wrong?"

"N-nothing," he says a bit absently, shaking his head once more as he closes his eyes for a long moment. "It's nothing."

"Are you sure?" I ask worriedly, knowing that this distant behavior isn't like him at all.

"Yeah," he reassures me, taking care not to look towards the Demon Blade again. "Now, what were you saying?"

"I was wondering what we should do with that sword," I say, nodding towards it, but I don't look at it, lest I direct his gaze there again and throw him into another trance. "It might become dangerous if left as is…"

"Well, we can't just leave it here…" he says with a frown. "Is there any way we can just get rid of it once and for all, Fi?"

Fi seems to ponder this question for a moment or two before shaking her metallic head. "I apologize, Master," she says sincerely. "But I am unable to determine a method of permanently discarding the Demon Blade at this current time."

Both Link and I are silent for a moment or two as we both slowly turn to look towards the Demon Blade again as it rests silently and unassumingly before us. However, we both know that this sword is far from harmless as it might appear to be. I don't know how it's still here on the surface, but I do know that it is a lingering remain of Demise, and because of that, I want nothing more than for it to be gone forever. The only problem is, we don't know how to get rid of it…

"We should take it with us," Link suddenly speaks up after a long moment of silence, his tone still strangely soft and subdued.

"What?" I ask, frowning at him in confusion. "Why?"

He shrugs, but it's clear as he looks away from the Demon Blade again that he's forcing his gaze away from it once more. "Well, you said it yourself," he says. "It might be dangerous to leave it behind. But if we take it with us, we can keep an eye on it and make sure that it doesn't fall into the wrong hands."

I bite my lip, knowing that he does have a point. It would be better if we watched over this dark sword, at least until we can figure out how to dispose of it for good. But at the same time, the aura that it gives off really does bother me, especially whenever I notice how it seems to be effecting Link. "Are you sure?" I ask tentatively, looking over at him worriedly as I notice that he no longer has that empty expression while looking at the Demon Sword.

He nods slowly. "Yes," he says with finality, starting to take a step towards the sword. "I am."

I take in a deep breath, balling my hands up into anxious fists as I watch him approach it. "Link, wait," I call and he briefly stops and turns to face me. "Be careful…"

He responds to my warning with another nod, but he doesn't say anything. I hold my hands over my fast-beating heart as I watch him come to stand before the Demon Blade and stop, his back turned to me as he stares at it for a long moment. I have no idea what the energy put off by it is doing to him, but I certainly don't like it. In fact, that's one of the biggest reasons why I'm so wary of us taking it with us, but at the moment, I don't think we have any other options, unless we want monsters swarming the woods because of it.

With slow, almost hesitant movements, he reaches out and wraps his hands around the black hilt of the blade. However, the moment he touches it, he lets out a sharp cry of pain. I gasp fearfully as I take a quick step forward, before I am quickly repelled by the sudden wave of evil energy radiating from the blade. My eyes widen as I look towards Link once more, a cloud of darkness spiraling out from the Demon Sword as his grip tightens around it and his pained cry turns into a determined shout. He clings onto it tightly as he begins to lift it out of its spot in the ground, clearly having trouble doing so and I can't blame him. After all, that sword looks quite heavy, far too heavy for me to even try to pick up even if I wanted to. The darkness all around us both intensifies as he pulls it out even more, but as soon as its sharp tip is finally freed from the dead soil, it all vanishes at once, leaving the clearing just as it was before.

Both of us are breathing heavily after that experience, but I'm the first to calm down as I look to Link, who's still holding the Demon Blade with both hands, though it's clear from how the long sword is shaking in his hands that he's having trouble with it still. No longer able to take this suspense, I rush forward and run around to stand in front of him, though I make sure to stay a safe distance away from the blade.

"Link?" I whisper waveringly as I notice just how wide his eyes are as he stares at the Demon Blade once more, but there's something else about them too that bothers me, something that disappears as he turns his attention back to me as though nothing happened at all. I just barely see it, but it was there nonetheless.

The slightest hint of dark red tainting his otherwise pure blue eyes.

Well, that's that. I hope you all liked this, since it's sort of artsy and experimental for me to be writing in first person like this. Of course, I have this whole thing planned out from beginning to end, so it's just a matter of me writing it amidst all of my other stories (which I will not stop working on of course!) But, if you liked this and would like to see more, don't forget to send me your REVIEWS! Until next time!