SPECIALIS - :Deal with the Devil: [40]

All eyes settled on the dying woman, and Jacqueline was barely breathing, but still had strength and a stubborn will to live. Link shook his head, "I was a fool not to realize what had been happening to you, Jacqueline...those moments where we found you, passed out, along our journeys...I didn't realize that they had been harming you."

She shrugged meekly, "Neither did I...I didn't see Ghirahim's plans until they had kicked me in the ass..." She coughed and Link sat her up gently, giving her better space to breathe. The sword had been secured around her abdomen through ripped articles of clothing and the last of the bandages; minimal bleeding was occurring, but it wouldn't stop. The damage was permanent, and either she would bleed out before her time, or die from the shock the magic had on her body. Either way, she was a lost cause. Link tightened his grip on his friend's hand. Fi nodded, "Miss Jacqueline was transformed and crafted by the Darkness' intentions to make a new minion capable of going between dimensions; having corrupted sacred power is still sacred power, and with her mind fully under Lord Ghirahim's control, she could be sent to this time period without fail."

Link looked up at Impa and Zelda, confused, "If that's the case, then how come you both aren't dead? I thought Ghirahim wouldn't leave any of you alive." Zelda nodded, "He wouldn't...but Jacqueline would." Impa nodded, "The last of the memories will reveal to you what had occurred before your arrival, shortly after..." Link looked up at Fi, and Jacqueline nodded. For the final time, Fi took them to the past, to once and for all reveal what had caused the bizarre scenario.

~~~~~~~~~Recent Past: Three Days Prior to Present~~~~~~~~~~~

Zelda and Impa suddenly turned as a noise emitted from behind them. The gateway was opening and allowing something in, however it hadn't opened completely. Zelda watched from the stairway as Impa approached the Gate, sensing something was amiss. The Gate opened, and Impa ushered Zelda backwards into the large slab-like doors that were opened to her now. "Your Grace, make haste! This is your only form of protection; the Servant of Darkness is coming!"

"Impa, what about you? I cannot leave you here to deal with Ghirahim alone--you haven't even recovered since your last encounter!"

The woman looked back at Zelda, "Regardless, it is my sole duty to protect you from all harm. Whatever the cost, Your Grace." Slowly, yet surely, Zelda made progress up the stairs, lingering to see what fate would become her cherished companion. Even with the weight of the universe on her shoulders, she would not abandon Impa. The cost would be too great in shame and loss if she did nothing but stand by and watch. "If you can't protect me, there is no use in trying to defend me, Impa," she said coolly, "I am staying."

"By the gods--" Impa hissed and tried to urge the spirit maiden up the stairs and into the doors, but the Gate was fully open and allowing something to pass through it. Whatever escape that would have been made was lost to them, now. Impa turned to face their dark pursuer, and she raised her hands, ready to fight regardless if she would lose.

What they saw was something they didn't expect, and yet was meant to be. The figure raised their head and gave them a look that spelled nothing but death for the future. It took one step forwards, and then another, and finally, it opened its mouth and hissed. "...Zelda...." Zelda looked fearfully at Impa, and the protector felt such waves of darkness radiating from the figure.

All was lost.

The figure sauntered forwards, its torso and limbs too thin and long to walk normally. It unleashed a scream, chilling the spirit maiden at the heart and causing her to gasp in fright. Impa placed up a magical barrer, holding the creature at bay. "Your Grace! Flee to the inner sanctum, now!" Zelda couldn't move, as she could only marvel at the monstrosity of unseen eyes. She called to her friend, "Impa! I cannot leave you--come with me!" Impa attempted to maintain the barrier as best as she could against the screeching, clawing monster. "It is my duty to protect you, Your Grace--at any cost!"

"I forbid it!" Zelda lifted up her harp and a great beam of golden light flushed through the barrier, reinforcing it and keeping the creature back. Impa retreated to stand directly in front of the spirit maiden. "What is that creature...it has the mark of Ghirahim upon it; how did he locate our position so quickly..." The both of them watched as the barrier began to falter again, the creature's strength seemingly endless. It sliced through the magic and crawled up the stairs like a prowling wolf, jaws open wide and salivating black ooze upon the ground. Zelda blinked, "It is in immense pain..."

Without warning, a blue shape shot from the Gate and glowed with a great, golden light. It struck the monster in the back and caused it to fall. When the light dimmed, Fi floated behind the creature, assessing it with unblinking eyes. "You are safe; she has her mind again." Impa narrowed her eyes and Zelda raised a hand to her mouth. "You cannot possibly mean--" The creature groaned and began to raise its head; the third eye sealed shut, forced closed by the golden light for the time being. Even with locked eyelids and closed eyes, it seemed to sense where Impa and Zelda were. "...How...did I get here...?" The voice was changed, but the signature was unmistakable. Zelda approached it, and Impa held her back. "No, Your Grace! We do not know if it will strike again! It is clearly here to kill you!"

Zelda gently brushed Impa aside, "No, Impa...she won't attack me. Fi said she has her mind back." Fi nodded, "My apologies for risking your chances of survival, Lady Zelda. Miss Jacqueline still has her mind, however I cannot risk wasting the sacred power she imbued me with before she transformed." Zelda looked up, "How many times did she give you her power?"

"Two intervals occurred where she gave her power to entrust it to me, so that I may keep it safe and use it to assist in turning the tide of battle, Lady Zelda." Zelda looked back down at the monster as it stood up, wheezing in slight pain with each breath. "....How do you feel?" Her voice was soft and quiet, and the monster looked down. "...It is...cold...it hurts so much.....please make it stop..."

Zelda looked up at the beast, "I know it hurts...this is horrible, Impa...Fi, what happened?" Impa placed a hand on Zelda's shoulder, "I believe we all know what occurred, Your Grace, as do you...we must face the fact that the girl is lost, and the false spirit maiden is fulfilling her purpose even now." Zelda blinked back sensitive tears and looked at the creature that had once been called 'Jacqueline'. The creature looked at Zelda, "...Please...kill me..." Zelda burst into sobs in front of the false maiden; even if a reincarnated deity, she was still human. Impa looked to the beast, "We cannot do that; should we slay you, all of the corrupt energy will go back to the Imprisoned, and all that we have sought for will be fruitless."

Fi nodded, "That is affirmative; we cannot do anything that would compromise Miss Jacqueline's state. This is unfortunate, as we cannot do anything to relieve the pain she is currently in." Zelda looked to the monster, "I'm not sure what to do--anything we hope to do in our current circumstance will utterly fail this world in the end." Impa looked at the inner chamber and began to climb the stairs. "There is...a possibility that if we can wait for the Chosen to reach this place before Jacqueline loses control, then we can give this world a future."

Zelda stood up and nodded, "Yes--Link will be coming, and with the Goddess Sword, he will be able to--" Impa shook her head, "Not in that manner, Your Grace; the blade must be blessed in order to purify evil. I suspect that you will be unable to perform such a task, with Lord Ghirahim's presence defiling the temple." Zelda sighed and looked down, crestfallen, "Yes, but I don't see another option." She looked over to Fi, and the blue figure floated close to the monster. "A current hypothesis is being formed, Lady Zelda," she answered. She floated around the monster, which watched Fi whenever she came into view. "Diagnosis complete; theory states an eighty-percent-chance of success that enough time can be used against Lord Ghirahim's influences, should all sacred power contained within me be used to forestall all attacks from Miss Jacqueline."

Impa stood forward, "If all of the remaining power from her is used up, there won't be enough for Her Grace to keep the future intact; she will only have enough to bless the blade, as she has already used up some of her own to keep Jacqueline from attacking us earlier." Fi continued to calculate as Zelda looked worriedly at Impa. Answers were low on supply. The creature looked up at the spirit maiden, "....Deception..."

Zelda blinked and looked up, "What did you say?" The monster stood up, "...Trick...falsify...Do not hold me back by using the power..." Impa narrowed her eyes, "Are you saying we must release you now? That is out of the question." The creature turned to Impa, "...No...All of us falsify...when Link comes..." Impa blinked and exchanged looks with Zelda, and the spirit maiden spoke up, "I'm afraid we do not understand, Jacqueline."

The creature inhaled, and the two braced themselves for another shattering scream. It didn't come. "...Out of control, I will be forced to attack Zelda...safeguards must be placed to prevent me from killing...however...it must appear that I am not Jacqueline...I want to die..." Zelda was about to protest at the final comment, however Impa politely held her from saying it. She looked at the monster, "So you are saying that you must have a brief moment of control to, not only deceive the Chosen, but to also deceive those that are controlling you, by making it appear that you have killed the spirit maiden but not in truth?" The monster nodded and Zelda looked to Impa, "Tricking him...? Why would..."

"The Chosen has sought after you ever since you fell from Skyloft, Your Grace; his ties to you are strong. If he senses you are in danger, he will stop at nothing to protect you. Even lay down his life; the Darkness also wishes to kill the Chosen, as it did once before, and we cannot have that happen again. If Jacqueline were to bargain with the Chosen to allowing Your Grace to live, there is no guarantee that he would see through such deception; he would blindly lay down his arms to make sure he held up his word, however the enemy does not keep promises except ones on their own agendas; Your Grace and the Chosen would be killed in this time, and with no future for the world and the Surface."

Zelda looked back to the beast, "So you must trick both Link and Ghirahim into believing that I'm dead, and while Ghirahim would blindly turn his eyes away in victory, Link would hold nothing back against you...."

"...Fuckin'...genius..."

"He could kill you, Jacqueline..."

The monster looked up, and the broken hollow voice replied, "...I want to die...It must be this way..."

"And meanwhile, I have to pretend that I am dead as well...but..." Impa nodded, "I can conjure up an illusion for you, Your Grace; while Jacqueline is still in control and fakes your death, I can create the illusion of your corpse...apologies for phrasing it that way, Your Grace." Zelda nodded, however reluctantly following through with the plan. She looked back at the monster, taking one of its claws and holding it. "I wish there was more that I could have done to prevent this...if I'd known this is what Hylia--what....I...wanted, I would never have done this to you. Please...forgive me for what is going to come." The beast didn't reply, and Zelda sighed, "I understand..." She looked to Fi, "I already have a plan to seal the barrier on the Imprisoned, so all that needs to happen is the blade needs to blessed, and then the Chosen can continue on his way to gathering the golden power necessary of saving this world. It is our only chance."

Impa's eyes had never left the beast, and she narrowed her eyes at it. Before she could say anything, it turned its head to her. "...I do not belong here...You are right...I am destroying this world...I need to disappear...." Impa blinked and rethought her choice of words. She sighed, "I know you are no longer human, Jacqueline, and I am pleased you have found wisdom in my words along this quest...however, we will help you in whatever way we can so that you may be free." Fi looked at the beast and it whimpered. The blue figure turned to Zelda, "Your Grace, time is drawing near, and the passage of time is irrelevant here; Master Link is approaching."

Zelda sighed, "Then it is time to get into our places." She looked up at the false maiden's form, "Thank you for everything."

The beast paused, "...It's been nice..." It raised its head, ".....Lying to Link again...It will be painful..." Zelda placed her hand on the shoulder of the creature, and it looked down at the spirit maiden. "Even though you've known him less than half the time I have, I know you care about him. I'm sorry for what we're about to do to him, too...it's likely he won't listen to a word we have to say." The beast growled low and pulled on a cluster of its hair, running its claws through the strands and catching on a few gnarls. "...He'll listen to you....He won't forgive me..." Zelda grinned skeptically, "I doubt it; there were rare times when he'd get so mad he wouldn't talk to me for hours! Why do you think he wouldn't talk to you? You're doing so much for all of us...giving...so much for this world...Goddess, I am so sorry, Jacqueline..."

It shrugged feebly, "He loves you...He won't be hard on you; if I die, you won't have to." Zelda blinked, "Well....I don't know, since we're both friends--" A claw rested on her shoulder and Impa snapped to attention, her hand on her blade and ready to intervene, however there was no danger to be had. Zelda looked up into the locked-shut eyes of the beast. "I never had a chance to begin with, even if I wanted to love him...I admit that now...I don't belong here....He belongs with you......" Zelda sighed and held the monster's hand, "So that's why you seemed so hostile at the beginning, when we met...I honestly wanted to be friends with you, but you seemed so distant--it was exciting when I found out that I had a twin. Well, not really a literal twin, but someone so similar to me...and then when I found out why, I was so angry..." The beast cocked its head in confusion and surprise, and Impa mused, "Her Grace was indeed very upset with how events came to pass; she has a very soft heart, even in the presence of imminent destruction." The beast looked to Zelda and said nothing, taking its hand away and sitting on the steps. It looked up at the blue figure, "Fi...how long do I have left?"

"Not long, Miss Jacqueline; a few minutes at most, and then we cannot afford to use more sacred power." The monster nodded slowly and motioned its hand inward. "Fi...Make sure you wake me up to give Link an edge on the battle...I'll stop myself from attacking and give him a freebie..." The blue figure nodded slowly, and the beast sighed out deeply, looking at the Gate. "Now all we can do is wait...Zelda, come with me." Zelda nodded, and the creature rose with her. It stopped next to Impa, towering over her and almost twice her height. "Impa..."

"Yes?"

"I'm going to have to hurt you a little...and I may enjoy it more than I like.." Impa smirked, "I can understand that is the human aspect speaking to you. That is good--I will do whatever I must to protect Her Grace." The creature turned to Fi, "As soon as we're ready, you need to go back to Link..." Fi nodded and headed for the Gate, and the beast went with Zelda into the far side of the inner sanctum. The creature hit Impa roughly, drawing small amounts of blood along the arms and allowing Impa to smear it over her front while she gave Zelda a crackable vial of non-lethal paralyzing venom, which would only petrify her for a few minutes in the small amount it came. Impa went to the stairs and positioned herself, and Fi floated forwards, away from the Gate somewhat.

"Are we ready, Miss Jacqueline?"

"Yes...We are ready."