Link Meets His Darkness

Book 3: Attack of the Innocents

Note: This is another story also posted on a site called North Castle by myself. I hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 1: From the Shadows

In the shadows of Death Mountain, a figure rises from out of the darkness. Its dark form meshes with the shadows around it. A ghostly voice is suddenly heard. "It is time" the voice moans. The figure seems to turn to liquid as it moves about. It seems to be a living shadow. It slithers its way through the rocky terrain on toward Goron City. As it reaches the city in the heart of the mountain it begins searching amongst the citizens, like a cat stealing up on a mouse. It is searching for a vulnerable mind. It spots its victim over by the Goron shop and slithers toward him. "Noro!" shouts a voice from within the shop. "Don't forget to bring back rocks, brother. I'm starving." Noro walks away, sullenly. "Noro do this, Noro do that. Noro tired of being lackey!" As Noro walks, he suddenly stops. His eyes open wide as something seems to enter his body. He then hears a cold voice in his head. "Give your mind to me. I promise to you that you will live in glory, forever."

"Who say that? Show self!" Noro says, frightened. "I am within your mind, Goron. Give me your mind. You'll never have to work again."

"Who are you?"

"Call me Dark Link. Now, give me your mind, so you can be free." Noro complied and began shaking, violently. The Goron shop owner stepped outside. "Noro? What you doing?"

Suddenly, Noro stopped shaking and wheeled around to face the Goron. When he spoke, his voice was different. It was cold and hard, with a tone of darkness. "Shut up, you fool. I'll not take orders from you! Stand aside, I need to see Darunia."

"What you go see Big Brother for?"

"None of your business, idiot. Get out of my way!" The Goron was terrified by Noro's tone and hurriedly stepped aside. Noro then sauntered over to Darunia's room. He entered where Darunia, now grey and old, sat down on the floor. "Brother Noro. Good to see you. Can I help you with anything?"

"Silence! The only way you could help me is by dying!"

"Noro! What's gotten in to you? What happened to your voice?"

"Shut up and die!" Noro picked up a hammer hanging on the wall. He ran forward and brought it down on Darunia's head. The old Goron didn't have a chance. In his old age, he was incredibly vulnerable. He was dead before he hit the ground. "Well, that's a good start. Now, time to escape." Noro suddenly disappears in a cloud of smoke. Link, the Goron named after the hero, Darunia's son, came in. "Father? What's all the- father!" He ran to Darunia's side to check his vital signs. None. The Goron patriarch had been murdered. "Father! Who did this to you?" Link wept as he knelt next to his dead father. The shop owner suddenly burst in. "Where Noro? He been gone for- Big Brother! No!"

"Someone has killed him, Ura. Who could've done it?"

"I not know. Wait! Brother Noro! That who! He say he need to see Big Brother, now he dead!"

"That's impossible! Noro was always so loyal and obedient. How could it be?"

"Noro had voice change. Voice was bad. Seem like he was not Noro."

"What? How could that have happened? Well, we'll figure that out later. I guess, since I'm the patriarch now, I'm in charge. Ura, go and inform King Link of Darunia's demise. Tell him we need a full scale investigation. We are Sworn Brothers so he will send someone, if not come himself. Go now, quickly!" With that, Ura the shop owner left, leaving Link with his dead father. "It's starting again. Even after 20 years, evil is not yet gone from this land. I will find out what happened to you, father. I will not rest until your killer is brought to justice."

In the castle courtyard, two young children play. They are playing tag. They are a boy and girl who have become strong friends. "You can't catch me, Marcus!"

"Betcha I can, Laya!" The boy chased after the girl as fast as he could. She ran hard toward the castle's moat. She suddenly stopped at the edge of the moat. However, the boy continued on toward her. "I've got you now!" When he nearly reached her, she stepped aside and he went flying past her, and fell forward into the moat. He came up to the surface, fuming. "That's not fair!"

"Is to" giggled Laya. Prince Marcus swam to the edge and pulled himself up. The ten year old boy was furious. "You're all wet!" teased Laya. "I'll show you!" He grabbed her and shoved her hard into the moat. When she came up to the surface, the ten year old redhead was laughing. "It's not funny!" yelled the prince. She pulled herself out of the moat and walked slowly over to him. "Guess what, Marcus?"

"What?" he said, irritably. She tagged him on the shoulder. "You're 'it'!" she then began to giggle even more. "Hey! You can't tag me! You're not 'it'!"

"Yes I am. I was 'it' when you grabbed me." He was just about to move forward to push her again when he heard a stern voice from behind him. "Marcus. What do you think you're doing?" The blonde boy turned around to see his father's imposing figure towering over him. "Um... we're just playing tag, father."

"That didn't look like tag to me. And why are you both all wet?"

"Well, she made me fall in the moat, so I pushed her in and-"

"Pushed her? Oh, Joran won't be happy to hear that."

"Don't tell daddy, King Link. It was an accident!" Laya said.

"Was it, Marcus?"

"Yeah, it was. I just kind of fell in, and accidentally pushed her on the way." Link smiled. He knew his son was lying to him, but he couldn't resist the charm of the young prince. "Well, all right. I believe you. Now, to your room with you. If you don't get out of those wet clothes, your mother will give you a scolding." Prince Marcus quickly turned and left. He said goodbye to Laya before leaving. "Now Laya, I'll take you back down to the ranch. I'm sure your parents are waiting for you." She nodded and left walking beside the King of Hyrule. I was making my way up to the castle, on my new horse, Eldina. I named her with the goddess Din's name because of her fiery red coat. My old horse, Honor, was old now and I cared for him in the stable. I reached the castle and dismounted Eldina. "Stay here, girl. I'll only be gone for a minute. Be good now." I walked across the drawbridge into the Castle Town Market. I walked toward the courtyard and spotted Link and my daughter walking toward the town. As she caught sight of me, she ran forward. "Hi daddy!" She said, wrapping her arms around my waist with a wet hug. "Hello, my girl. Why are you all wet?"

"Oh, I and Marcus were playing in the moat." I looked up at King Link who nodded his head in reassurance. "Hello, King Link. Did she behave herself?"

"She did, just as always" he said with a wink. "Also, enough with formalities, Joran. In twenty years, you still haven't gotten that."

"Sorry, Link. Old habits die hard, I guess." I had too much respect for Link not to call him king. I wasn't the only one he told not to be formal, though. Anyone who tried to call him something like 'my king' or 'sire' or 'my lord', he always told them "My name is Link. Remember that. Enough with the formalities." He was the most down-to-earth king in the history of Hyrule. As we talked, we heard a voice from inside the town call above the noise, toward Link. "King Link!" came the cry. It was a Goron, he had been running, and it was evident that he was tired when he reached us. "King Link. I have news. Big Brother Darunia is dead! Big Brother Link says we need investigation. He was murdered!"

"What? Darunia murdered? Have you any idea who did it?"

"Brother Noro did it. He disappear. He not himself. He have dark, evil voice. Not right. Noro not like that."

"Dark, evil voice? How?" Link thought about it, then a frightening thought came to him. "No. It couldn't be. If it's what I think it is, we're all in trouble. Go and tell Link that I will be there as soon as I can." The Goron quickly left and headed back towards Death Mountain. "What's the matter, daddy?"
"Nothing, Laya. I just need to talk to Link. Go find Eldina, I'll meet up with you. And remember Laya, be careful."

"I'm always careful, daddy." I watched her the whole time she walked until she was out of sight. Ever since Kiel had died two years earlier, I had been extra protective of my family. While Kiel was old, it still hurt me, bitterly. I blamed myself for not being there to protect him. There was nothing I could've done for him as he got sick, but it still didn't sit right with me. I felt somehow responsible, and it tore into my heart. I turned back to Link. "Joran, I think I know what's going on. Once you get Laya home, will you come with me?"

"Of course, Link. I'll always help you. But, what do you think is happening?"

"I'll tell you later, Joran. Just get your daughter home and come back here." I could hear the urgency with which he spoke. I immediately did as he asked. I went down to where my daughter and horse were waiting. We both climbed on her back, and rode off toward home.