Alright, new story time yay! Yeah uh, this one's going to be a little dark, sorry about that. Hope you like.
Link sighed.
"Watch out!" Called the familiar high pitched female voice of Navi the fairy. He could see well enough thank you very much!
CLANG!
The Shell Blade bounced against his Hyrulian Shield and fell back. Cowering inside it's shell before turning around and opening its tough shell wide enough to expose the tender flesh inside. One shot with the Hookshot was enough to rip the muscles and kill the creature. It split right in two, unable to hold itself together without those muscles to do so. That was the last of the ones that had fallen down from that trap sprang when he hit the crystal.
Sometimes, Link wondered if these things had any thoughts, any feelings. Something that made them slightly more than soulless monsters.
His musings were interrupted by the muffled-by-water sound of the second gate sliding open. Link made his way over, the iron boots still feeling odd as he moved slowly underwater. Breathing like a fish would, through magic gills that were apart of the deep blue tunic he wore. Glancing up, the blonde saw the water end at the top, where he could finally breath normally again and get these Goddess forsaken boots off. The magic that Navi used to store them when needed came into play and Link gently floated up. Wary of more enemies. But there were none. Only an empty room, save for single wooden chest. The sight almost making him cry. He would have to put the boots back on sooner rather than later.
Opening the chest revealed a small rusted key to some door in this thrice-accursed temple. Sighing regretfully, Link turned back towards the pool and leaped inside, calling up the magic to place the iron boots on to drag him down once more. Walking out and again taking them off to float up. Goddess he was tired. Link had been traversing this particular temple for five days. The constant attack of reappearing monsters, the chill of the water that the tunic did not keep out, the traps, Navi's constant nagging and too late warnings, food rationing... It was all finally getting to him. Even the Hero of Time got tired and testy after so long under such conditions.
Floating up... up... up... up... One could almost fall asleep in this. This gentle rocking of water... And he just might. It wasn't like there was a possibility of drowning. Not in the Zora's tunic.
"Hey! Listen! Wake up!" Navi. Again.
Link sighed out bubbles. What a funny feeling to go along with the annoyance he felt at the fairy. Sure, sometimes she was useful. But most often just a conscience that he would rather ignore. But as always, he listened. Waking up and dragging himself out of the chilly water and onto the floating brown platform he had stood on not too long ago. With a small jump, Link was across to the door, opening and closing, listening to the bars slam down behind him. Doing and hearing this as if in a dream. Too tired to really care any more. He had to keep going after all. Had to destroy the boss monster like Ruto asked. Which that had nothing to do with her delusions of marriage, but everything to do with saving his homeland.
Another sigh. It seemed his life was one sigh after another these days.
Sigh...
To the left he went. A floating platform, like the one from the room before, waiting in front of a locked door that the rusty key no doubt belonged too. Another jump into the water and a few strokes were enough to get him to the other side, pulling himself onto it and unlocking the chains.
A room with a geyser and crystal-switch. Gee. Wonder what he was supposed to do here? Link went to stand on the small water pillar, (The sensation of water pushing at his feet feeling strange.) And yanking out the Hookshot to aim at the crystal. Only to have a Tektite to land on him and tear it's nasty fangs into his shoulder.
Link cried out and threw the spider thing off him, ignoring Navi's once again too late warnings. Slashing at it. The flat side of the Master Sword's blade slamming into it, knocking it back a foot or two. Another swipe, this time with the sharp side, was enough to cleave the Tektite in two, like with the Shell Blade. Unlike the clam creature however, it's four legs splitting off before it dissolved into the now-familiar emerald flames.
Navi landed on his shoulder for a moment, only able to heal the wound to were it would not bleed so much, or hurt enough to impair him. Then back in his hat she went. Link rolled his beautiful blue eyes, wishing he could have someone that could actually help him fight. Once more he aimed his Hookshot at the crystal and took the shot. A clear ringing filled the small chamber and the geyser's push at the bottom of his feet grew stronger. Lifting him up and through the planned square hole in the ceiling. Quickly jumping off before the water pillar lost strength and sank back down. Going through yet another door that had bars slide right into place as soon as it closed. Damned temple.
There was a Tektite waiting on the ledge a little below him and a little away from the niche in the wall where he now stood. A familiar Triforce symbol was etched into the wall, the simple melody of Zelda's Lullaby causing the magic of the temple to activate again and the water to rise once more. The brown platforms moving up until they fit into the snug spaces. The unfortunate part was that the Tektite now had the water to stand on. But Link moved fast and skipped right over the thing. Unwilling to waste any more energy.
Jump... Stroke, stroke... Chinking opening chains... Temples could be so predictable at times. Though would also always be unpredictable, for the next room was a very strange one. On the other side was a waterfall, with platforms that had targets moving down with the water. While on his side there where two brown ones that stayed in place. Killing the two Keese on either side of the frame, the hero jumped down onto the first, sliding a little as he landed on the slippery side before ending up where he needed to be. He moved to the edge, trying his Hookshot to see if he could make it. No, too short. Down one more. That was better, and worse. By having to go down one more, he was closer to falling into the black pit below.
What was down there? He had seen a few of these in other temples, but they didn't seem to lead any where. Perhaps they were bottomless? But musings digress. The 'Hero' had a job to do. Using his Hookshot, Link went up the platforms fast, almost like a dangerous game on and of stairs.
At the top and in another niche, a locked door. Good Goddess. Why? What sick twisted son of bitch could possibly come up with this torturous temple structure? Thank the Three he had an extra key! Like all the keys found so far, it opened the rusting chains and allowed him inside. Inside was yet another puzzle. Was this to ever end!? Three Tektites on the water covered floor, a red crystal in the middle of the room, and three odd statue heads on three ledges around the room.
Oh the fun of puzzles that could could possibly kill him...
Link whipped out his bow and quiver from the magicked pack he wore and shot the Tektites. Two shots were needed to kill them. Then an arrow to the red crystal, which changed color to blue. Clanking sounds started up, and Link tensed, but it was only the pillars being pushed up, and he could use them to get across. The first was simple enough, Hookshot to the first and land safely. The second, he hit the now blue crystal to turn it red once more and sink that pillar and use the target on the wall to get across. Climbing over the head to shoot the switch again after standing on the raised flooring. Again shoot, get to the other side. Shoot, get on top of the head. Shoot for the last time and ride the pillar as it rose.
On the top, two more Tektites. Easily defeated in two swings each. Spikes with a Like-Like behind them, as easy, but much more repulsive. Link took a couple steps back. The mucus-colored pulsating blob disgusting him with just it's looks. Not to mention the memories of actually being inside one. Horrible. All slimy and dark and pressure from all sides as it tried to dissolve him. Just awful. Link held back a shudder and knocked an arrow. Aiming at the Like-Like, a little above the spines. Three shots and it was dead. Collapsing in on itself and drying up to leave a small yellow-green stain on the floor where it once stood. Disgusting things. The Hookshot was needed again, a target on the ceiling for him to use.
Then he stood in front of the next door. Finding himself too exhausted to take those few steps to the open it. "Navi," Link croaked. Voice raspy from disuse. "A rest." He begged. His companion sighed, but bobbed up and down, her nod.
"Rest Link. You will need it for whatever comes next." By the Three that was an understatement. Poor boy was running on auto pilot, had been for nearly two hours now. Link sat against the left dragon-ish statue, facing the one on the opposite side, one hand resting on the hilt of his blade so he could instantly fight back if attacked in his sleep.
The young hero slept for only four hours. Too nervous (and uncomfortable) to sleep any longer. Feeling slightly refreshed, Link ate a breakfast of dried rabbit meat before standing, stretching and finally opening the door.
On the other side of this one, he thought it was a room, even though there seemed to be mist in place of the walls. More water on the floor. And, all the stranger, a dead tree stood in the middle of this seemingly endless room on a barren mound of sand. Navi flew out to the tree, Link lagging behind in case of enemies. Nothing. Just a little dark brown tree on white sand. Link moved on, perplexed. He was starting to really hate puzzles and the unknown. The tree was halfway through the room, crossing the other half to a barred door was enough to make Link more suspicious about the tree.
He turned around, and froze.
For staring back at him, was himself.
Only... It wasn't him at the same time. This.. this parody of a reflection looked like him, (even down to the same hat!) but the coloring was all wrong. Everything was an ashy gray to pitch black- save for two glowing crimson Sheikah-like eyes. The outline was blurred to a point where it seemed to be a ghost. Or a shadow. He was obviously a creature that Ganondorf made. But... was it truly an he; with thoughts and feelings? Or was he an it; a mindless killing servant?
"Who are you?" Link asked hoarsely. Cautiously taking a few steps closer.
The man/creature cocked his/it's head to the side curiously.
"Who am I...?" He repeated. Or was it mimicking? "I am your darkness."
A chill crept up Link's spine. Surely even Ganondorf would not be so god-minded as to rip an essential piece of his being and give it life of it's own.
"Your shadow."
Another chill. A colder one. Yes, Ganondorf was apparently that heartless, and more.
"And do you want to be you?" Link could not help but ask. What was it like to be brought into a world where you had no place? Link could almost understand that feeling.
The shadow paused. He was thinking. Actually thinking? Or something else...?
"I know nothing of wants. I only know what I am told by my creator."
"But if you could, what would you want?"
"..." He seemed confused. How could he know what he wanted if he didn't know what a want was? Link was going to give up, when his shadow spoke once more.
"To know love...?"
Startled by this innocent and indefinitely sad answer that seemed more of a question, Link was not prepared for the strike. He just barely brought his sword up to parry the blow, and then react out of instinct with a low slash. Which in turn was blocked by his shadow. The two exchanged more swings, neither gaining an advantage as they tended to strike at the same time, blades coming together with a metallic clang and thrown back again by the force behind them. At least until the darker Link jumped up and came down to pin the blade when Link slashed sideways at him. The blonde tried to yank it out from under black booted feet, but the shadow was faster in landing a blow. His dark blade biting a deep wound in the his counterpart's shoulder - which was still sore from the Tektite bite. Link cried out and stumbled back up on the sand. Desperately trying to escape, but the shadow then slammed him against the dead tree, pinning the hero. Wrapping an ashen hand around his throat and adding pressure until Link had to stop struggling as his vision started to darken and he could no longer breathe. Navi rushed over to save her partner, but was batted away easily into the sand by the shadow, being knocked out by the same blow.
For a thing that was mostly transparent, it was surprisingly substantial.
Link tried to use this opportunity to escape, but that failed as the other once more pressed him into the tree until Link stopped. The blonde gave up then. He let his head rest on dry bark, closing his eyes and waited for whatever this twisted thing was going to do. Maybe it would just kill him, maybe call Ganondorf, maybe it would- Lick him!? Blue eyes snapped open and he stared at the shadow man in shock as he watched an ashen tongue lap up the blood flowing from his shoulder.
"S-stop!" Link whimpered. It felt so strange. Being licked by his darker half. Why was he even doing that?
"Why?"
The poor hero blinked. Was it just him, or did it sound more... solid? Link's deep blue eyes found the creature's red ones. And he seemed more, for lack of a better word, there. Before he had looked like a shadow given depth. Not anymore. He had silvery hair that rivaled the rupees that could be found around in some of the temples, skin that was as pale as moonlight, and soft looking light pink lips. (Wait what?) Was it.. had it been the blood?
"I-it does not f-feel right." Link stammered.
"I have never tasted anything before. I was curious. Still am." More licks followed these statements, and Link was helpless to stop the now deep-red tongue. All he could do was squirm underneath the strange sensation. At least the wound was getting cleaned... sort of. Eventually it was over, but still his shadow held him. For a few moments, nothing happened. Suddenly weight was taken off his throat and sharp nails dug into his abused shoulder, causing more blood to run. Link cried out and began thrashing again, the shadow putting a quick stop to that like the first two times. A groaned, 'Stop' was dragged from his throat when the shadow man started licking once more. (Did his blood taste good or something?) It's tongue felt almost like a cat's. Slightly dry with an almost rough feel. That tongue was moved away again as his shadow lifted his head to stare at Link. Crimson eyes once again catching his own cerulean blue ones. Link then noticed something, they did look even more alike now, but there were some subtle differences. The angles on his face were sharper, more defined, thinner lips and longer lashes, the corners of those red red eyes upturned to give him an almost feline look. And such smooth pale skin. Words from before came back to Link, 'I have never tasted anything before' How sad. The being obviously had intelligence, a possible capacity for kindness, and here he was, stuck in a magic room with nothing and no one.
"Link..." Came a weak voice, distracting him from those deep eyes and odd thoughts. Navi! How could he have forgotten her!? She was awake again, trying to rise off the white sand to save her friend. Link began trying to throw off his shadow's grip to go help her. Should not have done that; for it struck him hard across the head, leaving the hero unconscious and in a crumpled heap on the ground. So he didn't see the former shadow pick up the struggling fairy and rummage through Link's magical pack, finding an empty bottle to put her in for the time being, then putting the now full glass back inside the bag. Then returning to the hero. Rolling the boy onto his back and laying down on top of him, arms resting on his, and face hovering slightly above the other's. It may have seemed strange to anyone else, but to the shadow it made sense to do so. If Link wasn't pinned down properly he would try to leave. And if he tried to leave, he would have to be killed... Ah, those blue eyes were opening again to stare into red once more. Link could barely breathe with him laying like that, but it was preferable to having nails dug into his aching shoulder.
They stared at each other for a while longer. Until Link could no longer bear the silence.
"Why have you not killed me yet?" Was his whispered question.
"You fascinate me."
Well, that was not the answer he was expecting. The blonde tensed as the his former shadow began shifting, but he only moved down a little and rest his head against Link's chest.
"What are you doing?"
"Listening to your heartbeat."
"Why?"
"I don't have one. I was wondering what one sounded and felt like."
Surprised by another sad answer. Not have a heartbeat? How was he alive then? Ever so slowly, often pausing, in case the dark being tried to break his hand or something, Link raised his hand to place two fingers on the jugular vein. Just as the other said, he had no pulse. Link let his hand fall back and stared at the illusioned ceiling. Utterly shocked, confused, and definitely sad. His shadow lay there quietly breathing in and out with Link, even though he surely didn't need to do that either. Actually, this felt... nice. Comforting in a way. Almost without Link noticing, the strange being picked up the fallen hand and began idlely running his fingers over it. Testing the joints, exploring the fingers and the leather covered palm. He really was fascinated by him, if these actions were anything to go by. Still...
"If you are not going to kill me, then what are you going to do with me?" Perhaps he was just a glutton for punishment.
"I don't really know." Link looked down in surprise. What did that mean? "I guess keep you here. If you try to leave, I'll have to kill you, which I don't want. Though, I'm still not sure what a want is. So keeping you here is the only option that would make everyone.. Happy I guess."
Oh... So that's what it meant.
"... Do you have a name?" Link asked, changing the subject. Maybe if he learned a bit more about his shadow, the hero could convince him to let him to continue his quest to save Hyrule.
"Name?" Of course.
"I will take that as you do not have one."
"What's a name?"
"A name is a word or words by which an entity is designated and distinguished from others." Almost the exact definition of 'name'. "My name is Link."
"Link...? I didn't get a word of that."
Link couldn't help it, he chuckled a bit at how much more child-like he was than Link himself. He thought for a second, trying to think of a simpler explanation. "A name is a word that is given to you at birth, it is a word that everyone will always use to call to you." Better?
"Oh, I get it now..." Better. "I'd like to have a name."
"... How about Itzal? It means shadow."
"Itzal... I like it." The newly named Itzal lifted his head to beam brightly at Link. Receiving a tentative smile in return.
"Itzal, do you think you could let me leave? I have something I need to do for..." The hero trailed off as the shadow man looked up and frowned at him.
"You can't leave. If you try I'll have to kill you." The darker sighed, he had already explained this after all.
"Why would you have to?"
"I was ordered to by my creator. I'm actually supposed to kill whomever comes in here, but so long as you don't leave, it will be ok." Itzal said in a very final tone, laying his head back down to listen to his heart some more. Leaving Link to try to think of another way to convince the shadow. It hit him as he watched the darker male rise and fall with his breathing.
"Ganondorf is not your creator. I am." Just as Link thought, his counterpart looked up in complete confusion. Giving Link the chance to sit up, and, before Itzal could try pushing him back down, Link spoke again. "He barely gave you a physical form. You have one thanks to me. You did not have a name. I am the one that named you. You probably did not think much before you met me either. He might have brought you to this here, but I am the one that made you what you are now. I created you because of this." Link's heart was pounding, hoping that this far-fetched half-hope would not be for nothing.
It seemed to be working, since Itzal did not immediately shove him back down. "And as my creator, what would you order me to do?" Asked the seemingly amused shadow.
"I would not order. I would ask that you let me leave, and for you to to come with me." Red eyes blinked at him, confused and uncertain. Link smiled kindly and took hold of the young man's hand, giving it a comforting squeeze. Itzal blinked again, looked at those gentle blue eyes and made his decision.
Itzal stood, picking himself off and pulling away from the blonde. Leaving the young hero almost dazed at the sudden loss of contact. Swiftly and silently like that shadow he was, Itzal moved towards the little, digging his clawed nails into the flesh of his palm until it bled. Link watched from his place on the floor as his counterpart drew an arcane symbol on the black bark. The tree and the illusions faded away into nothing almost the moment he finished the symbol.
"How did you know to do that?" Link asked in slight wonder.
"I dunno, I just knew it." Itzal shrugged. Link, finally realizing that he was still sitting in cold water, stood himself and attempted to squeeze the access water from his tunic. He knew it was futile, since he would only get soaked again, but it gave him something to do with his hands for the moment.
Link smiled with relief and headed towards the now open door, listening to Itzal's almost silent footsteps following before opening, only to realize that Itzal was not behind him anymore. The former shadow was still standing a third of the room length away from the door, watching Link go with nervous eyes.
"What is wrong? Come, it is time for us to leave." The hero called to him with a reassuring smile. Then it faded somewhat as a thought came to him, "You are leaving with me, right?"
Itzal blinked, surprised, then nodded slowly, but did not move from the spot. Link moved towards him once more and held out a gloved hand with yet another soft smile. Hesitating, Itzal took hold and let his original gently tug him out of the only place he had ever known...