Link walked on, his boots sending gentle ripples in the mirror-like water.
At the far wall was a door, bound by chains and locks unbefitting to the ancient architecture around it. Behind him stood the door he came in from, with Navi locked on the other side. She hadn't been fast enough to get through when the door slammed shut. Earlier he had been glad for the silence but now he was beginning to be unnerved. The creepy tree in the middle of the room didn't help and the endless mist only served to cut off his range of vision. But there was something beyond that. Something that made his spine feel weak and his heart had faced dragons, demons and even death itself, but nothing compared to this room. This room without traps or foes- this room which he could not think or fight his way out of.
"The Gods are close here, brother."
Link started and drew the Master Sword. He spun all around, looking for his foe and hopefully escape. "Where are you? Show yourself!"
"Ahem."
It was a cough. Not mean. Not rude. Just annoyed. And it was coming from the tree behind him. Link turned slowly and dropped his sword in shock. It was a silhouette, but not just any silhouette it was...
"Me." Link breathed, hardly believing his eyes.
The shadow looked up at him with lazy red eyes that smoldered with hate and sarcasm.
"Good job Sherlock, would you like a medal or should I just give you your sword back?"
Link winced, it was his voice, perfectly duplicated and yet horribly warped. It echoed around his head and scattered his thoughts like so many leaves in the wind. The creature laughed, it's teeth pearly white against it's shadowy skin.
"Shadow, what is it that you want?" Link asked, rattled. No creature that could speak and reason ever stood in his way before.
"The gods need a puppet. I am what you will become...I am the Hero of Time."
Link snarled and snatched up his sword. "I am the only Hero of Time, the Chosen of the Gods, the-"
The shadow snorted. "You naive fool. What do you think happened to the Heroes before you?"
Link faltered for a moment but regained his composure and charged the shade, screaming. "I am the first and only!"
The silhouette dissipated into smoke, passing through Link as it materialized behind him. "I thought so too, and look at me now."
Link turned, swinging his sword, but it met only air as the smoke filled the air. Confused and angry, Link put his hand to the ground and screamed "Din's Fire!" To his satisfaction the smoke writhed and condensed, sinking to the floor before him. Link watched it, confused. Was it really that easy?
A hand shot out from the mist and clamped itself around his neck, strangling him. The rest of the creature formed around the hand in a swirl of darkness as the shadow moved it's half formed face so close to his that he could feel it's cold dead breath. Oddly, it smelled slightly of spearmint.
"That" It whispered as it dug its nails deep into his throat. "Hurt."
The shadow took its blade and ever so slowly drew it across Link's stomach. Link saw its face form a pleased grin as he writhed in agony mere inches from it. The shade threw him to the floor as he moaned and clutched his stomach. Oddly no blood spilled forth, only a multicolored mist that the shadow breathed hungrily. Even as Link stood he saw the shadow become more solid and real somehow.
"Have you ever been hurt?"The shade inquired coldly.
"What?"
"You've never been hurt, correct? You've never bled, even when they attacked you with blades you were never cut. You felt the pain but there was no mark, right?"
"Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?"
"I thought so." The shadow, looking somehow lighter in color brought a blade to his eyes. "This is the only weapon in the world that can kill you, shadow."
"I am not the shadow! You are!" Link snarled
The shadow arched an ever lightening eyebrow. "Oh yes? Look at your reflection and I think you may see differently."
Link looked down and saw a shadow, its black face twisted in horror with its two gleaming red eyes burning with fear.
"No..." He whispered
"Yes." The former shade said as it brought down the Master Sword for a final blow.
--
A little while Link emerged from the mist filled room seemingly unscathed. Treasure in hand he greeted the little fairy that was floating about his head nervously. "Oh Link! Are you okay? I heard screaming from the other room and I rushed to find a way in but-"
Link quieted her with a hug. "Yes I know sweet Navi. There was a monster but I got past it and came in here." The walls of the room shook and muffled screaming filtered through. Link chuckled good naturedly. "It seems it's still a little angry."
Navi squirmed closer into his embrace, rubbing her cheek against his shoulder. "It's so good to see you here, with me, instead of in that awful room."
For just a moment, under his wet dirty blond hair, Link's eyes flashed a brilliant red before turning to their usual icy blue.
"Yes, it's good to be here."
--
Yeah. This is actually a fanfiction I wrote a loooooooong time ago that still seems pretty good. So I decided to put it up. Heh. Hope you like it.
All characters belong to nintendo.