The Shadows Within
By Joel Ainsworth
Prologue
As the moon rose high in the sky, and all was quiet and dark and still, a frigid gale blew across the silent town of Hylia. Signs above inn doors creaked, leaves on trees blew and ripples moved across the surface of the river. It blew past the town and along the winding path to Hyrule Castle, the great stone building overlooking the town, bathed in the pale light of the moon. It blew silently into one of the towers on the south wall and drifted over somebody sleeping silently.
"...Zelda..."
The girl did not stir, but heard the voice in her dreams. It was a quiet yet shrill voice.
"...Zelda..."
She tried to reply, and heard her own voice echoing in her mind, but she felt weak and did not reply like her normal self. "...Yes...I am here..."
"...I am...the Puppet Master..."
"...Who...what is happening...who are you..."
"...Zelda...seek the shadows within..."
"...The shadows within..."
"...Death will come to your people soon...a fast deadly wave of death and destruction that none will escape...you must stop it..."
"...Stop it..."
"...You must destroy the heart of evil...in the fortress of darkness..."
"...Where is the heart of evil..."
"...Find the shadows within Zelda...find the shadows within..."
The girl bolted upright in her bed, breathing heavily, sweating, eyes wide and ears alert. A wind blew around her round room in the tower and then disappeared as if it left through the window. She looked around fearfully, and ran to the window. All was still. She walked slowly back to her bed and cautiously lay down.
...The shadows within...
By Joel Ainsworth
Prologue
As the moon rose high in the sky, and all was quiet and dark and still, a frigid gale blew across the silent town of Hylia. Signs above inn doors creaked, leaves on trees blew and ripples moved across the surface of the river. It blew past the town and along the winding path to Hyrule Castle, the great stone building overlooking the town, bathed in the pale light of the moon. It blew silently into one of the towers on the south wall and drifted over somebody sleeping silently.
"...Zelda..."
The girl did not stir, but heard the voice in her dreams. It was a quiet yet shrill voice.
"...Zelda..."
She tried to reply, and heard her own voice echoing in her mind, but she felt weak and did not reply like her normal self. "...Yes...I am here..."
"...I am...the Puppet Master..."
"...Who...what is happening...who are you..."
"...Zelda...seek the shadows within..."
"...The shadows within..."
"...Death will come to your people soon...a fast deadly wave of death and destruction that none will escape...you must stop it..."
"...Stop it..."
"...You must destroy the heart of evil...in the fortress of darkness..."
"...Where is the heart of evil..."
"...Find the shadows within Zelda...find the shadows within..."
The girl bolted upright in her bed, breathing heavily, sweating, eyes wide and ears alert. A wind blew around her round room in the tower and then disappeared as if it left through the window. She looked around fearfully, and ran to the window. All was still. She walked slowly back to her bed and cautiously lay down.
...The shadows within...