Ocarina of Time Chapter 34
Link scrambled to dry land, the mask falling from his face and clattering onto the polished stones. He pushed himself to his feet just as a tingling sensation spread across his neck. He gasped, clasping his hand to his neck to reveal smooth skin where there had been gill slits moments before.
Link clutched the smooth stone wall beside him, feeling wretchedly ill, his breathing ragged from his hurried swim. He must have accidentally swallowed some of the tainted lake water, judging by the horrid taste in his mouth.
Steeling himself and catching his breath, Link glanced about at the interior of a dimly lit cave. There were two spheres of flickering light hovering on either side of the doorway, casting a blue glow upon the arcane runes and carvings etched into the cavern walls.
He turned his eyes to the doorway, which lay beyond an alcove inside the stone jaws of an eel-like creature. Two tiny fins protruded from behind the creature's mouth, and there was a frill around the beast's neck, its small sapphire eyes watching the temple entrance in an endless vigil.
As he examined the statue, Link noticed tiny specks of blood leading towards the eel's mouth. He felt a chill that had nothing to do with the icy waters from which he'd emerged.
Ruto?
Judging by the small size of the stains, her injury was only mild.
I better find her quickly, Link thought, sincerely hoping Ruto hadn't come to any more harm. This entire plan to retrieve the medallion had been a disaster, and as far as he knew, the remaining Zora were scattered. They should have been right behind him, but as each precious second passed, nobody emerged from the water.
He was alone.
Where are they? he wondered.
With time already running short, he'd have to make a decision. He could either wait, and risk Ruto's life, or venture alone without any knowledge of the temple's layout. If it was as vast as the last two temples, his chances of finding Ruto in time were slim.
I probably have as much chance at finding Ruto as they do, Link thought. There was no way to know where in the temple she was. If he found her before the Zora, there was less chance of Dark Link massacring them as he had upon the lakeshore. As he recalled the sight of the dead, mercilessly cut down by the red-eyed demon, Link made up his mind. He'd search for Ruto alone.
Link pressed forward, unable to ignore the growing unease in the pit of his stomach. He was so very alone. Even in the darkness of the Dodongo's Cavern, trapped between ravenous reptiles and a wall of rubble, Navi had still been there with him.
Navi can't help you now, he thought.
At that, he wondered if the other Sages could still communicate with him. He whispered their names, a hushed sound echoing off the walls as he did so. Nothing... Perhaps he was too far from their temples, or perhaps his proximity to the curse was preventing them from communicating with him. The morpha was in here too, and he had no way of knowing where. It had beaten him to the temple, and Link did not know how long he had until the creature regenerated. Was the source of its strange powers in here too? Like the crystal that Ganondorf had so cruelly thrust into Volvagia's neck? Finding it was the key to stopping the morpha, or so Link hoped.
Ruto first, Link reminded himself. He'd deal with the morpha later. For now, he had to stay alert and rescue the Zora queen. That was going to be easier said than done.
The room beyond had been beautiful once. A soft blue light lit the interior, seeming to come from a rectangular pool of water, its basin paved with a dazzling display of coloured stones that formed a mural. Tiered steps led down to the pool and water gushed from the mouth of a beast carved from stone. Link noticed none of these, his eyes fixed upon a trio of dead Zora. One was slumped against the wall, a hand clasped against four deep gouges along its abdomen in a futile attempt to staunch the bleeding.
Are those claw marks? Link stared in terrified fascination before tearing his eyes away from the grisly sight. More slaughter awaited him; there was Zora blood splattered along walls like some morbid painting, the once bright murals that sparkled a dozen shades of gold and blue now splattered crimson. To his right, another Zora had a gaping hole in its side, as though something had been gorging on its insides.
What could have done that?
This did not look like the work of Link's doppelganger. A third Zora was reaching out towards a spear he would never grasp, its tip stained a bright green. There was more of the greenish, almost yellow, liquid splattered on the floor. Link faintly recalled Ruto mentioning that something other than the morpha had attacked the Zora, but he couldn't remember what.
Gulping at the idea that something else was lurking nearby, Link carefully examined the room, half-expecting to find some other sign of the ones who had defiled the temple. Four doorways awaited him, and though he had no idea which one would lead him to Ruto, he took the first one on the right. Hopefully, he could find his way through the temple quickly, and though he knew Ruto would not approve, he used his sword to mark his passage. He was careful not to damage any of the reliefs along the walls, knowing that doing so would definitely upset the Zora.
He stepped out onto a wooden bridge that ran over a pool of water. Ramps extended down into a basin where statues lined the walkways. Each figure was set into an intricately carved alcove, and among them, Link could make out marine creatures with ghoulish faces. Each of them sat on a small stone bench with a rich decor of offerings that ranged from glittering rupees in pots to jewellery.
Link didn't spare more than a momentary glance at the statues, for there was more blood on the bridge, with green splotches leading straight towards a door at the far end of the room. At least one of the creatures that had attacked the Zora was injured. Hopefully, that meant one less to deal with. Heart pounding in his chest, Link unsheathed his sword, immediately noticing the glowing gemstone within its hilt. Did that mean Dark Link was close or was something nearby?
Pushing open the gilded double doors in front of him, Link froze at the threshold. Green blood stained the cold blue stones, pooling around the corpse of a serpentine creature. Its sinuous body vaguely resembled a two-legged dragon, but the tusks protruding from either side of its mouth, and its arms ending in long webbed fingers set it apart. Its muscular arms and long claws and bespoke a terrible strength, more than capable of causing the carnage Link had seen.
What sort of abomination is it? Link wondered. Was it even native to Hyrule? It vaguely resembled some of the creatures that decorated the temple's walls. Each of the carvings- those not dedicated to scenes of worship or decorations of marine fauna, had told a story of monsters that the Zora had fought and triumphed over. Had Ganondorf placed the creatures here as a form of mockery? It was idle speculation, and with no way of knowing for sure, Link quickly returned his attention to the task at hand.
He continued through the next several rooms, finding nothing that seemed out of the ordinary. Four rooms later, he came to a chamber that featured a series of five obelisks jutting out of a pool of water. There were runes etched into their surface, and the benches surrounding the obelisks suggested that they were a place of reflection. Link walked past them, and as he approached the edge of the passage, he became aware of a strange slurping sound on the edge of his hearing. Something else caught his attention too- an all too familiar stench that made his gut turn to ice.
Blood.
The stench grew heavier as he approached the door. Steadying himself, and gripping his sword tightly, the amber gem glowing brightly, he pushed the heavy frame. It swung open, revealing a most grisly sight.
The Zora on the other side was very dead, the flesh of its abdomen was torn open, its innards spilling out onto the floor. The serpentine creature gorging on the poor Zora's guts ignored Link, but after just a few cautious steps, it sensed him.
With impossible speed, the creature spun to regard him with its large black eyes. It hissed and sprang like a snapping serpent.
Having expected the creature to be slow and clumsy on land, Link barely responded in time. He let the beast's claws scrape against his shield. At the same time, he swung, chopping his sword straight through the monstrosity's arm, severing it. The monster hissed, wriggled back, and then shot a cloud of noxious green mist towards Link. Though most of it struck his shield, a tiny drop struck him just below the eye. White-hot pain flared across his cheek, and Link staggered back, resisting the urge to drop his shield and wipe away the venom.
Link retreated just out of reach of the monster's limbs. Having encountered Deku Scrubs in the forest before, he knew the dangers of a creature that could spit poison. This hurt far worse than Deku Scrub venom and Link had no doubt it could blind him.
Sensing an advantage, the serpentine beast followed Link, raising its head to spit again. Its claws raked Link's shield, slamming into the metal frame with such force he stumbled and fell.
Link desperately rolled away from the creature. He came to his knees, just in time to see the creature raise its head. Not wanting to be sprayed with the nasty toxin again, Link seized the element of Fire, willing its power into his veins. The flames danced in front of him, and the monster shrieked a guttural scream as the fire engulfed it. The beast stumbled forward, clawing the air with its remaining arm. The noxious stench of its burning flesh was overwhelming, but Link managed to silence the beast's terrible scream with a quick thrust to the neck. Even then, he feared he was too late, for there was no doubt those terrible cries would have carried far.
As the creature's death rattles faded into silence, Link stepped back, and in doing so, he tripped over the remains of the Zora. He was down before he could think to break his fall, falling beside the half-devoured Zora. Seeing the scattered entrails and desecrated corpse up close, Link cried out in horror. Tearing himself away, he scrambled to the far end of the room and vomited all over the small statue of a deity. Eyes watering, throat burning, Link grasped the altar with trembling hands.
Taking in a few gulps of air, Link looked at the deity he had accidentally thrown up on. It resembled the head of a fish with long fins protruding from its neck on either side. He wondered just what Ruto would have thought of his accidental sacrilege, but quickly dismissed the thought as the stench of death became overpowering. Breathing deeply, he left the room - entering an adjoining chamber adorned with writing along the walls. Once he was far enough from the smell that he was sure he wouldn't retch, Link fell back against the wall, breathing heavily.
Maybe I should have waited for the other Zora. He very nearly considered doing just that, but then remembered Dark Link's warning. He had no idea how much time was left, but he was sure it wasn't long.
No, he couldn't wait. Waiting for the Zora to attack Dark Link would be as good as sentencing them to death.
Resolute, Link took a deep breath and kept going.
Entering the next room through a side passage, he arrived in a hall that was divided into two tiers. There were two dead Zora at the foot of the stairs leading up to the upper level. Three of the strange serpentine monsters lay nearby.
The muffled sounds of someone yelling caught his attention and Link quickly ran up the small flight of steps to the upper tier. Here, at the far end of the room, was a Zora statue seated cross-legged before a shallow pool of water. It sat upon a bench richly decorated with carvings and symbols that Link did not recognize. The statue seemed to be gazing down at the figure lying before it on the bench- a figure in tattered robes.
Ruto lay bound and gagged and seemed more angry than frightened.
"Ruto!" Link stepped towards her, relieved to see she was still as vocal as ever, which meant her wounds weren't serious. Either that or she was doing an exceptionally good job at pretending she was fine.
Link didn't make it far before common sense took hold. He looked around the room for any danger. Ruto was still trying to speak, but he couldn't understand a word she was saying, although he did pick up the word idiot, albeit muffled.
"Ruto," Link said, walking quickly towards her, a little puzzled as to why she was angry. "Hang on."
Abruptly, Ruto abruptly stopped trying to speak and her eyes went wide. Battle instinct taking hold, Link spun around, sword at the ready, but there was nothing there.
"What?" he blurted.
Then...
"I knew you would come," Dark Link's voice sent a chill through Link's spine. Link's eyes fell on a nearby pillar as the demon stepped out into the open. "You are so predictable," he sneered mockingly. "Of course, it helps when I am you."
"You are not me, demon," Link spat in defiance.
Dark Link smirked, "On that, you are wrong, Hero of Time. The darkness inside of you sustains me, and as long as it exists, so will I, but you're right, we are different. You walked right into my trap without a second thought, whereas I would never let myself be fooled by something so... obvious."
Link ground his teeth at the demon's mocking tone, watching warily as it stepped slowly closer, completely at ease. Link wanted to use the Fire Medallion there and then, but he wasn't sure how long he could wield it without succumbing to its debilitating effects. The doppelganger circled him, stepping in close, regarding him, its sinister smile was gone, replaced by controlled, cold malice. It was an effort to hold Dark Link's unflinching stare, and Link's mind screamed for release as those red eyes bore into his soul, burning with hatred.
Dark Link tilted his head from side to side, as though measuring Link, a predator waiting to pounce. "Tell me, Hero of Time, why do you fight? Is it for a princess who fled her kingdom the moment it fell? A princess who cannot protect her own people?"
Link circled, trying to block out the words while finding an opening to slip his sword through. His attempts were hopeless; Dark Link deflected every thrust and jab with effortless ease, as if he knew Link's thoughts before he'd even committed them to action. Was that even possible?
Dark Link smirked as he deflected another stroke of Link's blade, amusement flickering in those glowing red eyes.
"Do you fight for your Goddesses?" Dark Link asked. "They will destroy Hyrule. They will drown their own people beneath the waves! Do you think they are benevolent? Do you think they even care about your world? It is but a star in the sky to them. Just one world amongst countless others. Your efforts will be for naught and Hyrule will fall. My master has seen your future. He alone can save Hyrule from its doom!"
Link did not reply, not believing for a moment that the Goddesses would do such a thing. It made no sense. Why would they do that after putting him- not to mention everyone else- through so much pain? No, the demon was trying to distract him. Link knew he couldn't let that happen; any misstep now, any mistake, and that black blade would be slicing through his throat.
Dark Link was dissatisfied by his silence. "You are weary. I can see it in your eyes, Hero of Time." The title dripped with mockery. "So many have died around you. So many placed in harm's way because of you. You led Ganondorf to the Triforce. You doomed your world. You are no hero. Do you think the two Sheikah care about you? You are but a piece in their war against Ganondorf. A puppet pulled on strings by a puppeteer. And those Goddesses you so blindly serve? You are their tool, an instrument of their will to be broken and discarded."
Link drove his sword forward, desperately trying to ignore Dark Link's comments, but each one was like a knife burrowing into flesh. His memories were like old wounds, and with Dark Link's every word, they bled anew. Link recognised those words. They were an echo of his own bitter thoughts, but that didn't lessen their sting. He had told himself the same things over and over again, ever since drawing the Master Sword. The beast inside Link stirred, sniffing in anticipation at the growing tempest.
Focus, shut it out. Link reminded himself, trying to maintain his stance.
The candle flame in Link's mind flickered as though buffeted by a gust of wind. His attempts to empty his emotions into the flame were failing, and his hands shook in a barely contained rage. Forenz had taught him that anger might help him, but it was also reckless. Dangerous.
Dark Link was still unsatisfied by the lack of response; a hint of annoyance crept into his voice. "What do you think will happen if you defeat Ganondorf? Hyrule's monarch might give you a nice parade and lots of wealth. A title perhaps? Or will you be sent to live out the rest of your days alone? An unsung hero, forgotten by time. Lost forever, with only the shadows and the terrors of the night as your constant companions. Is that what you want?"
Each word continued to bore into Link's mind like tiny poisoned barbs. Sweat beaded down Link's forehead and he tried desperately to concentrate, trying to remember how to counter the demon's every step.
Don't rise, don't rise.
Link's mind was screaming at him to lash out. He wished Navi were with him. She could have distracted him.
Seeing that its efforts were beginning to work, Dark Link smiled. It was an unpleasant grin, twisted and triumphant. "All your life you have lived a lie. You were told you were a Kokiri, but you were abandoned by your parents, a helpless babe left in the woods to die from the elements. Don't you see? Your parents meant to kill you."
He was lying. Link's mother had been trying to save him from those who would do him harm. Saria had said as much. He tried to remember the words they exchanged the last time they met in the Sacred Realm.
A faint ghost of a smile painted Saria's face, teary eyes sparkling with life. "Despite her wounds, all your mother cared about was that you were safe. She loved you Link, and so do I."
Doppelganger and hero, light and shadow, their swords clashed in a clamour of steel. With a quick dash to the side, Link brought his shield up. Dark Link's obsidian blade scraped along the surface of the sturdy frame. Link's movements became fluid, almost instinctive as he stepped from one movement to another. Onward he pressed, trying to force Dark Link towards a pillar. Anything to put Dark Link on the defensive and cause him to stumble. Link looked for something that might give him an upper hand. He knew he would tire long before Dark Link would.
Can he even tire? Link wondered. It wasn't an encouraging thought.
"Jasper, Mido, the Great Deku Tree, Saria. You saw them die, you failed them," Dark Link hissed. "They died because of you."
"Jasper, Mido, Saria, the Great Deku Tree," Dark Link repeated. "Their deaths were your fault."
Saria isn't dead.
"Jasper, Mido, Saria-"
Ignore him.
"Jasper, Mido, Saria, the Great Deku Tree, you failed them, you killed them-"
Link's temper flared, and at that moment, something inside of him snapped and the chain was broken. The beast inside of him roared.
"Shut up!" Link snarled. His attempts to hold onto the memories he and Saria shared were shattered, broken under Dark Link's onslaught.
"So, you're not mute then? I was beginning to think something might have happened to your voice. Monologues are rather tedious," Dark Link jabbed his sword forward, and Link swept it aside.
"Jasper, Mido-" The demon's mantra continued, Dark Link's eyes grew wild with a frightening malice.
I have to end this.
Link tried to focus on channelling the elements, but he couldn't concentrate, and the Flow eluded him, slipping like water between fingers.
"Jasper, Mido, Saria-"
"SHUT UP!" Link roared.
Dark Link sneered, and Link pushed forward, hacking and slashing madly, heart pounding loudly in his ears. His arm ached as each blow struck sword or shield. He snarled, throwing himself forward.
It only took one mistake. One savage attempt to hack the demon's head from its shoulders left him exposed. Some small part of Link recognised the error, but by then, it was too late. Dark Link's sword cut through his tunic and chainmail, slicing right across his abdomen.
A line of white-hot pain seared across Link's torso. Before he could scream, Dark Link's shield came slamming towards his face, knocking him backward, winding him.
Link didn't remember falling, but he was on the ground, his sword clattering somewhere beside him. As the demon's black blade swung down for one final blow, he rolled out of the way and tried to get to his feet. Dark Link's sword landed hard against Link's hastily risen shield. The impact sent him falling onto his rump. Link tried to reach for his sword, but the demon kicked it out of reach, head cocked in amusement.
"Your friend was right. Anger makes you reckless," Dark Link observed mildly. "But then, you were never a good listener were you?"
Vaguely, he could hear Ruto screaming. It was a strange, muffled wail. Link tried to scramble to the pillar just behind him, intending to use it for support. Dark Link watched him reach for his sword and struck him across the face. Spots danced across Link's vision. His head connected with cold stone and blinding agony exploded across his face. Grunting in pain, Link pushed himself into a sitting position, nausea and dizziness almost overwhelming him.
Dark Link regarded Link and then cast an irritated look over his shoulder at Ruto. "Silence Zora! It will be your turn soon enough, and I will not be kind."
Dark Link rose his blade one more time. "Courage alone won't save you, Hero of Time. You are impulsive, reckless, emotional, and chaotic. Hardly traits to inspire. Hardly the traits of a so-called hero. They will be your undoing."
There was a sudden CLINK followed by a squelching thud. Dark Link's eyes went wide, one hand reaching for the metal barb of a spear-like weapon that was protruding through his chest.
"And this will be your undoing."
With a loud click, the chain retracted, and the spearhead was wrenched out of Dark Link's chest. The demon slumped, falling sideways, revealing Link's rescuer behind him.
"Finally! I thought he'd never shut up," said a Zora from beyond Link's vision. It sounded like Grop.
"Link? You're hurt," Link recognized another voice through the haze clouding his vision. Though most of her features were hidden behind a helm, he could see the worry in her eyes.
"Lutara-" he rasped, looking up. The weapon the Zora was holding was an odd polished blue cylindrical contraption made of metal, a barbed spear-like end poking out of the front of it. Link had never seen such an unusual instrument before.
"It's not dead," Link moaned, struggling to speak, tasting blood in his mouth. The two Zora stepped forward to help him.
Lutara frowned, re-aiming her weapon. With a faint hiss and a click, the mechanism that stopped the weapon from firing prematurely disengaged, and Lutara kept it level with Dark Link's heart. Something made her eyes widen in disbelief, and Link quickly saw what it was.
The wound in Dark Link's chest was closing, knitting shut even as he watched. Link struggled to pull himself to his feet, not noticing the Zora behind him as they freed Ruto from her bonds. Dark Link's eyes opened and looked up at him, red eyes aflame, an odd sound rising from its throat.
It was laughing.
Link's head exploded in a sickening pain. It was like his head had been split in two. The Zora who'd come to his aid cried out in horror and backed away.
"What happened to his eyes?" Lutara asked, appearing suddenly uncertain. In her shock, she didn't fire her weapon. "They're red!"
Link answer her; the pain in his skull was unbearable. A cry of agony seared Link's throat, and all he wanted was for his torment to end.
Please, Goddesses, let it end!
The pain was beyond endurance.
Dark Link was laughing. Then a voice broke through the pain, profound and foreboding.
"KILL THEM!"
Realizing there was another presence in his mind, Link panicked. This was not the gentle melding that came when he touched minds with Volvagia or the Great Deku Tree. This was far more sinister. Somehow, Dark Link was trying to take control of his mind.
"No. I won't let you!" Link thought fiercely.
He could sense Dark Link's malevolence. The demon's anger coursed through Link's veins and he realized he was no longer in full control of his body.
"KILL THEM ALL!"
Link didn't remember moving his arms, but now his palms were raised towards the Zora.
What am I doing? Link thought, alarmed. He did not want to hurt them. Yet something was telling him to do just that.
"What's wrong with him?" Lutara gasped.
"He's possessed!" Grop said, "We may have no choice but to kill him."
"No!" Someone had ungagged Ruto. "Step away from him, Grop!"
"My Queen, that thing will kill us all!" Grop argued.
No, Ruto. Link wanted to yell, but he could not find the words through the pain. Grop is right. I am a danger to all of you. Zelda can find another way. She would have to. At any moment he would unleash a torrent of fire upon the very ones he was trying to help.
"KILL THEM!"
No. I won't harm them. Link screamed back. Fire coursed through his veins, its power invigorating him, flooding him. He turned his attention to Ruto, raising his hands higher. He could still feel the demon's presence growing stronger and stronger. He wanted to lash out, but at what? The Zora? Something told him to do just that. All he had to do was kill them and all this would end. No more pain. Yes. Kill them and it would all be over.
But I don't want to... Link thought, his voice but a tiny soul lost in a storm. It was the voice of a child. A child lost in the forest. Alone. So very alone. I don't like hurting things, not unless I have to. Saria says it's wrong... I didn't even want to be a hunter. Not at first. The Great Deku Tree insisted on it.
Memories came and went as Link desperately tried to fight for control, but all he could think of was the pain.
"Link, it's me, Ruto! You can fight this, Link! Fight it!" Ruto's voice was surprisingly calm, but he could hear an edge of fear in those words. "This isn't you!"
At the same time, one of the Zora jumped in between the altar and Link while spears swung level with his chest.
Ruto glared at Link's doppelganger, hands on her hips, eyes full of outrage. "Can't you do anything to stop that thing?" she demanded of the others.
"Not while they are melded, your majesty. I fear it will kill them both," Lutara said. "Trying to break it by knocking either of them out might not be a good idea either. He is at the mercy of whatever that demon is."
"DESTROY THEM!" the demon beckoned. "Or would you sooner be a slave to destiny and the machinations of time? I can stop it, but you must OBEY ME!"
"I say we kill him if he so much as unleashes a spark," Grop suggested.
"No," Ruto snarled, "Did you not hear me the first time?"
"My Queen, there must be another way without the boy," Grop argued. "He knows it."
Link squeezed his eyes shut, as Dark Link screamed at him to obey. The pain was beyond anything he had endured, beyond imagining. He tried to cling to a memory, tried to force himself to retreat from the pain, but he didn't know how.
Saria. Help me. It hurts so much.
If he died, he would never see Saria or Navi again. He would fail them.
No.
Flames danced on his fingertips.
A faint light caught his attention. It was the Master Sword, the amber gem glowing brighter and brighter, warning them of the present danger. Seeing the blade sent a small jolt through Link and he grasped Light, letting the element fill him. The pain intensified, as the light fought against Dark Link's presence in his mind.
I have to live.
Images flashed through Link's mind. Visions of the suffering he had seen caused by Ganondorf. The refugees, the Gorons, the Kokiri, and the Zora. All who called Hyrule home suffered under Ganondorf's rule. He lost count of how many times he saw Mido, Jasper, Saria, and Zelda die. As more twisted perversions of his memories swept by, consciousness threatened to fail him.
Saria let go, and Link felt pain lance through his heart, afraid he might lose her again. It seemed a foul twist of fate that they would soon part ways after their lives had been so cruelly drawn apart. He was looking into her eyes, wondering why it had to be that way, why he had to be the Hero of Time.
"Why me Saria?" he asked.
"Because it could be no one else. The Goddesses chose you because they knew you could do it. I believe you can. The only person you need to convince is yourself."
Another memory of Saria and himself in the Sacred Realm.
I am the Hero of Time, he thought.
He could not let Dark Link beat him. He had to fight. He had to stop Ganondorf.
This had to end.
Link drew more Light until he was sure it would be dangerous to consume much more.
I am the Hero of Time, he repeated, screaming in defiance at the creature trying to destroy him.
No! Dark Link screamed. Another prickling pain was burning on Link's left hand, and he was aware of a new power surging through him. It felt almost peaceful compared to the raging tempest that was Fire. He looked down at the gauntlet on his left hand and saw a symbol illuminating its surface. It was the Triforce, one of the triangles glowing more intensely than the rest.
Odd. He was certain that had never happened before.
Then everything went cold, and he left the Water Temple behind.
An endless plain of water stretched out before him, silvery mist swirling slowly above its surface. Above, there was nothing but a grey moody sky. Link stood there, blinking in confusion. Aware that his wounds no longer troubled him, he looked down to find he was wearing his Kokiri garbs and carrying nothing save the Master Sword and shield.
I'm dreaming. If this was a dream, it was a rather peculiar one. He was standing ankle-deep in cold water, the ground beneath made of solid stone. Turning his attention to his surroundings, Link spotted a tall dark shape ahead of him, looming tall from the mist that clung to the water. Stepping closer and unnerved that he could hear nothing but the sloshing water that splashed beneath his boots, Link soon realised what he was looking at. A blackened tree stood in the centre of a small island, its bony limbs burnt, twisted and barren. Something about it felt wrong.
What is this place? Link wondered, stepping onto the island.
A sudden sense that he was being watched alerted Link to the imminent danger. Something caught him, spun him around, and in a rapid motion grabbed his throat and thrust him against the dead tree. A cold hand clenched against his windpipe, choking him in its iron grip. Red eyes stared unblinkingly into his own as Dark Link slowly dug his fingers into the flesh of Link's throat.
The Triforce mark on Link's hand was glowing, and Dark Link looked down at it in surprise, his eyes widening in disbelief.
"Impossible!" The demon sounded afraid, but Link couldn't work out why.
There was a blur of motion and what Link perceived to be a ball of brightly coloured fur crashed straight into Dark Link with a frenzied snarl. Link slammed into the earth. He rolled, falling into the icy water. He rolled to his knees, clutching his neck, and gasping for breath. He looked up to see what had attacked his doppelganger, hardly aware of how cold the water was.
Dark Link's attacker was a wolf. Not the ordinary kind of wolf that he'd seen accompany Saria but one with bright golden-yellow fur. One of the forest spirits, perhaps? No, Link had seen them, and this looked nothing like one of them.
Dark Link screamed, holding his arms over his face as the wolf pinned him to the ground. In a swift motion, it knocked his arms aside and snapped its teeth onto his neck. Then, with one shake of the wolf's head, Dark Link's neck snapped with a horrible crack. The screams went silent, and all that was left were the loud, angry growls of the wolf as it made sure its quarry was dead. Apparently satisfied with its kill, the wolf looked up and turned its head towards Link. As the golden eyes fell upon him, Link felt a strange sense of familiarity. He knew the creature but could not say how or why. The wolf perked its ears up, regarding Link with a look of intense curiosity.
Link knew a wolf's cues well enough to know when it intended to attack or if it was wary. The wolf gave no such signs, looking at Link as though it were greeting an old packmate. He got up and stepped back onto the island, unable to quite shake off the intense feeling of wrongness that pervaded the air. The wolf trotted towards him until its wet nose nearly touched him.
"Well met, chosen of Farore."
Link gasped, sure that the wolf had just spoken in his mind.
"Who... are you?" he asked.
"I am a spirit bound to the Triforce of Courage, a being created by the merging of one's consciousness with the Triforce. Your sword was made in a similar fashion. When the Demon King touched the Triforce, his lust for power caused it to split, and the Triforce became a part of you."
Link did not recall Rauru mentioning this. Now his mind was completely numb.
"How come I've never seen you before?" he asked.
"Because you had not awakened the Triforce of Courage, nor could you until you accepted that you are Farore's chosen- The Hero of Time."
The wolf stepped forward, and he could hear its breath, its golden eyes searching his own.
"To become the Hero of Time, you must conquer your fear. You fear the darkness within you, the voice that tells you to doubt yourself and whispers nameless fears into your mind. That same darkness took hold when you believed a dear friend of yours was dead. You must conquer it. Do that, hold onto the light within you, and you can stop the ones who threaten your world. Believe in yourself and in your strengths."
The Triforce symbol on his hand was glowing again, prickling uncomfortably as the wolf stared at it. Then it took a step forward as Link watched in confusion.
"How do I do that?" he asked, wishing the spirit, or whatever it was, would speak more plainly.
"You already have what you need. You just need to use it. Go, The Triforce of Courage will protect you. You need not fear being possessed again."
With that, the wolf nipped him, Link cried out in shock, drawing his arm away.
"Ouch," he exclaimed. "What was that for?"
"To remind you of who you are."
Link didn't understand, but he inspected his arm, noting the red puncture marks on his skin. Then, the wolf rose onto its back legs, placing its paws on his chest. Its muzzle was mere inches from his face.
"Be warned, the spirit within the Triforce of Power was tainted by one of the Ancients. When the three pieces are reunited, the balance between light and shadow will be restored. Until then, your world will not know peace. Go. I will be with you until your task is done."
The vision faded, and Link felt the cold touch of the Water Temple's tiled floor return. Muffled voices sounded from around him, confusing and muddled.
"Is he alive?"
"Yes. I'm not sure what that thing did to him. He sort of just collapsed like he was having a fit. I thought he was dead for sure."
That thing? Did they mean his shadow?
Was it still alive? Link opened his eyes. He reached for his sword so that he could leverage himself upright.
"Easy, Link," came Ruto's soothing voice from beside him. Somebody pushed her away, much to her irritation, and three spears swung level with his chest.
"Is it you?" Grop asked.
"For goodness sake, Grop. Do those eyes look red to you?" Ruto asked.
"Well, they are not glowing anymore, my queen," Lutara said. "That's a start... I hope."
Link was unsure as to what they were talking about. His attention was focused solely on the creature beside him. Dark Link lay listless, seemingly dead.
Then the demon's fingers twitched, mere inches away from its blade, and the Zora cursed. The demon leapt up with frightening speed, flicking one spear aside, and avoiding Lutara's attempt to skewer it.
Link had seen his doppelgänger twitch before it jumped, and this time, he was ready.
Mustering what little strength remained, he lunged for his sword, gripped it tightly, and slammed the blade straight into the demon's chest.
Next Chapter
Reviews
   Lord Darth Yoda chapter 34 . Nov 30, 2014Wow. You did all that and still managed to leave Morpha as the next threat. Enjoyed the stuff with DL, reminded me of the Harry-Voldemort connection. Great job.
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