interlude dream; nought can deform the human race

[tapferkeit]

WARNING for some gore! May talk about brainwashing in the comments, so if that makes you uneasy, proceed with caution.

Also placeholding! Tags will come later. I just wanted to get this up.

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[thehandofwisdom]

[A sharp gasp might alert Link to her presence behind him. It took her a while to find her bearings in this new dream, but she doesn't miss that mercy strike. Nor does she miss the telltale sound of another approaching enemy.]

No...

[It's whispered as she turns to look, worry clear in her eyes. She doesn't want him to have to keep going through this.]

[tapferkeit]

[He’s already stood, and is about to turn to face the Iron Knuckle when he hears that “no”. He whirls around, eyes wide.]

Zelda? But -

[The Iron Knuckle smashes its axe in a sidewards strike. Link is too close for the deadly blade to catch him, but he’s winded by the thick, iron handle and is thrown back several feet. The air explodes out of his lungs and he lands beside the dead figure of the previous Iron Knuckle

[thehandofwisdom]

[She cries out when he is hit, but like in the past, she is unable to do anything to help. Even though there's no wall of fire separating them, she still cannot move towards him. It isn't until he stumbles towards her, out of breath, that she is able to think. She studies him, recognizing in his face the Link she should have sent back in time, not the one who had the opportunity to grow up with a normal childhood.

That can't be right. She heard him say so himself. He's grown up, properly this time...

She reaches out for him.]

Link, this isn't real. We have to... [Do what? She doesn't know to stop this...illusion? Dream? It feels so real.] We have to stop this!

[tapferkeit]

[He wipes his mouth on his shoulder and then nods to her.] I know. I need to... get by them, then I can face him. I have to. It's what I have to do.

[thehandofwisdom]

But you don't have to do it alone. [Not this time at least, whatever this time is. She turns to look at the Iron Knuckle, her expression growing determined.] If you just disarm it, perhaps I can break the spell on the Gerudo.

[Perhaps, perhaps not. It's worth a shot, right?]

[tapferkeit]

[He looks surprised. He'd been told - but that didn't mean it had to be the case, right? So he nods.]

Okay. I can do that.

[He sets his feet and then springs off to fight the Iron Knuckle. He drops and rolls around its back, but the angle is off and his sword only hits air. The golem turns on its heel and hoists its axe, but he's somersaulting backwards and not in the place it was before.]

[thehandofwisdom]

[She honestly has no idea whether this is going to work or not, but she'll hope. She watches him fight intently, waiting for the moment she'll need to use her magic.]

[tapferkeit]

[He dodges into the range of the axe and then ducks under the swing to get to its back. He slices at the armour. And then leaps away again. He gradually lures the Iron Knuckle away from Zelda, darting and slashing and retreating over and over. Eventually, the outer armour falls off.]

[thehandofwisdom]

[She can see the shape of the Gerudo now that the outer armor is off, and she decides that it is a good time for at least a first attempt. She places her hands in front of her, calling upon all the power she knows to break enchantments, directing the energy at Link's opponent and praying that it works somehow.]