Tempus of Darkness

Part 1: Light

The beasts sniffed the air. The stone was close. Only a day's ride would be enough. The smell of ashes and debris of the village behind them, which was destroyed only minutes before, loomed around the area. Zant will be so pleased.

Link watched the smoke rise up into the sky. Something was going on, but he didn't know what. He shrugged, even if the village next door was destroyed, what could he do about it? "Link, where are you?" He ran down the hill too see the chief of the village waiting for him. The problem with being a mute is that you can't say what's on your mind. That's why Link had cielia a fairy translator that could speak for him. The chief led them into his house; he had some news to tell them.

Zant sat on his throne, his mighty sword held in one hand ready to strike the man in front of him and extinguish his life forever. But he did not. This man could be useful to him, he could watch the castle. The humans did not know it but Zant was bringing a long slow death and soon the land will be engaged in a Tempus of Darkness!

The information in the chief's news was plentiful but still bad. "so, you're telling me that a shadow king named Zant is searching for a stone' inquired cielia "which is hidden in this village".

'but the stone is the only thing is the only thing that keeps a gateway of darkness from opening." the chief continued "if Zant gets the stone then dark and shadows will flood into the world and Zant and his minions would start a kingdom of their own…..in our land!"

A long uneasy pause followed his words. It was only broken after the chief said "I want you to take the stone and go as far away as you can from this village and hide until you hear that Zant is no longer looking for the stone. Link knew that he had no choice but to go.

The beasts paused. The scent of the stone was getting closer, but not by their riding. Someone must be traveling towards them with the stone. In a few moments they would be no more.

Link rode as fast as he could away from the village. The chief had told him that this was his destiny. It had been ever since he arrived at the village with a symbol on his hand left hand. He checked the small rucksack where the stone was to check that it was still safe. But doing this created a perfect opportunity for the beasts to attack. The last thing Link saw, was the stone breaking and then darkness consumed him.

Part 2: Darkness

He awoke in a room with clean elegant curtains and a warm bed. Trying to remember recent events he looked out the window. The trees and the grass were cloaked in twilight and the sun was missing. So this is what the darkness world looked like. He could tell no birds were out and the Shadows were devouring everthing. He turned back to stare at the tapestries on the wall. In a room this fancy he would have to be in…….. The Castle! This is where the royal family lived! His head ached horribly from where he was hit, just touching it made him feel how bad the attack was, but somehow he was alive. He wondered if there is any way to stop Zant. So he could ponder his thoughts he decided to take a walk around the castle. As soon as he got out of the room the ring of swords filled the air. There was a battle going on! Link and cielia ran in all directions, trying to escape the enormous castle, but it was impossible. A man clad in black armour stalked into the castle. This was the last thing he saw because in his confusion Link ran into a wall!

The castle was in ruins. No one except the man in black armour was in it. (Link was as well but he didn't know that) The man was one of Zant's minions. He was the man Zant saved. His name was Scarbonar but everybody else called him Darknut. He hated the job of guarding the castle. But then again Zant had saved his life; he had a debt to pay. He heard faint footsteps in the distance and started to walk towards the sound.

Link awoke under a curtain. It must of fallen over him when he hit the wall. Opposite him was an antique door. "Link…… this is no ordinary door…..there must be something special inside." Admired cielia. Link opened the door. There was a grove inside, it looked like it had not been touched for many years, but he was still in awe of it. He walked further into the grove. Ancient, but wise whispers filled the air, giving the place a mysterious feeling.

In the middle of the grove was a clearing with a pedestal on it. Sticking out of the pedestal was a sword. It was unlike a sword Link had ever seen. It was the fine product of true craftsmanship. The purple hilt had the same strange symbol on it. Link felt as though it had been made for him. He held the sword in his hand and drew it out of the pedestal. It came easily. Link knew that now no one could stand in his way. The eerie silence was broken by heavy, clanking footsteps.

Link ventured out of the grove to find himself face to face with Darknut. In his hand was the purple hilt sword and in Darknut's was his massive black iron long sword. The battle began. Link darted right narrowly avoiding Darknut's blade. As a child Link had been trained with the sword by one of the village's sword masters. Now his skills were put to the test. Their blades met in a shower of sparks. "He's strong!" Link thought. Darknut gave Link another blow to the side. Link had to duck to avoid the huge blade. Giving Link a powerful blow had weakened Darknut by the massive and heavy sword. Link landed three blows to the chest making all of Darknut's armor fall off. Underneath was a black chain mail suit and a hidden scabbard holding a rapier. Darknut threw the long sword at Link and it missed but just clipped Link in the arm. He gave a scream of

pain and unleashed his fury on Darknut. Darknut couldn't block all of these furied attacks with the rapier and caught a powerful thrust in the chest. He fell to the ground, Defeated. He was mortally wounded and could not be healed. But he wasn't dead yet. "you have bested me in fair combat" he said "but Zant will be harder and stronger than any foe you have faced before" he continued, but by his voice Link could tell he did not have long. "the sword you weild, the sword of evil's bane will help you defeat Zant." "But beware of Zant's magic shielding attack if you touch it you will fall, lifeless the only way to defeat it is …..use….the…power…of…..the……symbol….on….your….. He was dead. Link tried to remember his last words but he could not work them out. Use the power of the symbol on your…. Hand?...Feet? He did not know maybe he would work them out on the journey.

Link stayed in the ruins of the castle for a few days to regain his strength and heal is injury. From the maps and charts he found in the war room he worked out that Zant was in Ganon's Tower, named after the Dark Lord that terrorized the Land years ago. He gathered supplies and a horse and set out for Ganon's tower

Part 3: The beginning of the return of Light

He arrived there on the third day of the ride to see a black, pointed and brutal tower. Ganon had made this place his stronghold for his attack against the land. He entered to find a spiral staircase reach all the way to the top. Muttering curses against Zant he began the climb. Half way up he came across a mirror and saw himself in it. He had changed so much from being a lonely farm boy to a man wearing a green tunic of a hero before (which he found at the castle) and holding a legendary sword. He continued his climb, cielia talking to keep him occupied, when he finally reached the top he saw Zant sitting on a throne making him look even more frightening. His eyes were dark orange and held no pupils, his mouth in a twisted snarl revealing long rows of pointed teeth. Apart from his face you could see no more body features because the rest was clothed in a blue and black robe.

"I care not, but any knowledge is worth knowing so, who are you?" He said in a voice so sinister it was like the birds died. Being a mute, cielia had to answer. "He is Link and I am cielia." He raised an eyebrow "and what is your business here human?" cielia answered again "we are here to destroy you and your gateway of darkness and return light to the land." "wrong answer!" Zant's bolt of dark energy moved so fast Link had to throw himself to one side to dodge it. Zant eyes grew red. "I am unbeatable" he muttered.

The background grew red and they were teleported to Link's neighboring village. "you, you did this!" shouted cielia. "ha ha ha, yes and soon, your village!" Link charged with all his strength. His hatred fused together with his strength soon weakened Zant a satisfied amount. Zant's eyes grew blue and a field of blue energy surrounded him. The field was advancing towards him. He knew this is what Darknut was talking about. His

life was flashing in front of him. Right up until the part he found out about the symbol. He knew what he had to do. He raised his sword in front of him so that both

were facing Zant. They grew huge, as well as Zant's eyes. Zant fell to the ground and with the last of Link's strength he ran the sword through Zant. Zant stood up and muttered his final words to Link. "This is far from over. The history of Light and Shadow will be written in blood" "Starting with you!" was Link's response as withdrew his sword from Zant and he collapsed. Link began to walk back to his village. It was over. The Land returned to Light and Zant's body was discarded. Link always kept his sword and tunic safe just in case the land would need him again.

By Mack Heath