Author's notes: Sorry for the pause, I started 'Chaos Over the Sword' and got lost in that, plus I was waiting to see if anyone who read and reviewed the first in the series, 'A Wolf in the Fall of Dusk' would review this one. It's longer then most of my chapters, just over six Microsoft Word pages.
The Five Alone
Ilia screamed, the dark Master Sword had been stabbed through Link's left shoulder, and Link's sword clanked to the ground. Shadow Link grinned, even if he missed his target by I'm not even going to guess. Shadow Link yanked his sword from Link's shoulder, and he fell to the ground, grasping his wound. Ilia's gloves turned gold again, and a flash of light shot from them at Shadow Link. He cried out, grabbed Arty and vanished into whatever shadows there were. Ilia stopped and rushed to Link's side. Ilia looked around franticly.
"Colin! Find some bandages." She barked.
"On the shelves…" Link whispered, and Ilia motioned to the shelves. Colin looked through some things, and unable to find anything, got Midna to help. The Twili princess didn't have to look before passing the bandages to Colin.
"Open your eyes." Midna muttered as Colin rushed over to Link and Ilia. Ilia took the bandages and quickly started bandaging Link's shoulder. Ilia helped Link to his feet, ignoring the Hero of Time's curses.
"Link had a dark version, who would've guessed." Midna commented. Ilia glared at her, and she shut up.
"Arty's missing, and whatever happens to her happens to Hanako… so that puts Hanako at risk." Link growled. Midna looked at the jar Arty had grabbed earlier, and was shocked to see that Shadow Link had completely forgotten the Ocarina of Time. She picked it up and held it up so everyone could see it.
"This is what he said he wanted, but he left it behind." Midna told them. Ilia took the small flute-like instrument and flipped it over in her hands. A knock on the door jolted everyone from there thoughts. Link grumbled and walked over to the door.
"Who is it?" He asked, and the postman's voice rang out.
"It's only me, Mr. Link" Link cringed. "I have a letter from Zelda." Link opened the door, and took the letter before the postman jumped off the veranda and ran off. Link stood there like a stunned mullet for a few seconds (good thing he's not in the author's Japanese class, or he'd get sashimied. XD ) before closing the door and opening the letter, standing there for a few seconds before:
"Apparently one of Hyrule's neighbouring kingdoms has declared war on Hyrule, and Zelda's asked me to join the guards and fight." Link commented.
"You going to accept her offer?" Ilia asked, crossing her arms.
"Do I have a choice?" Link looked at her. "If I don't go, and Hyrule loses, it can be blamed on me. If I go, they can't blame anything on me."
"And if Hyrule wins with you on their side, then you can be called a war hero." Ilia laughed. Link rolled his eyes. "Mr. Link." Ilia added in a teasing tone.
"Shut. Up." Link growled. Ilia nodded.
"Go then. I'll take care of the goats for you. Take care of Epona too; she should be able to go to Hyrule with you by now. She recovers quickly." Ilia told him. He nodded.
"Thanks."
"Oh, if you see any of the Ordonians, tell them we said hi." Ilia added.
"Of course!" Link exclaimed with a smirk, grabbing his bow from the shelves. The four of them went outside, spotting Hanako talking to Demon in the same tongue Arty had been. Hanako glanced up at them as they came down.
"…I must go. There's so much I don't remember, I want to find my memories." Hanako said once everyone was on the ground.
"That's two leaving now!" Ilia sighed. Hanako tilted her head. "Link's been called to go off and fight in a war that just started, and you're leaving too…"
"We'll be reunited soon." Hanako assured her. Link nodded.
"Oh," Midna handed Link the Ocarina of Time. "Show that to Zelda. I'm sure she'll have answers to some of our questions." Link nodded and put it in his pack, before grabbing the Horse Call and calling Epona, who came rushing. Midna sighed. "I'll come with you until you get to Castle Town, just to make sure you don't get stuck as a wolf again." Ilia nodded.
"Good idea, even if it was planned by the Six Sages last time." Ilia commented as Midna hid in Link's shadow. "Has she always done that?" Ilia asked as Link mounted Epona.
"Ever you were kidnapped." He replied. "How do you think she knows so much?" He smirked, then noticed Hanako mounting Demon.
"I'll go with until we get to Hyrule Field, from there I'm going to Kakariko." She told Link.
"We'll follow until you get to the field, as well. Don't think you're leaving without saying goodbye." Ilia commented.
"I wasn't planning on it." Link replied with a grin. Ilia nodded and they started at a walking pace towards the Faron Woods, or more exact, Hyrule Field. They paused when they came to the spring, before silently continuing. They eventually came to Coro's house, spotting the pot of soup. Coro waved, and Link politely waved back. When they came to where Hyrule Field started and the Ordon Province ended, they all stopped.
"I guess this is goodbye." Ilia looked down.
"Goodbye's never forever!" Hanako exclaimed. "Although sometimes I wish it was…" She added under her breath.
"We'll be back soon enough." Link assured Ilia, placing a hand on her shoulder. He then looked to Colin. "Behave."
"You sound like my dad." Colin laughed.
"Well he's not here, now is he?" Link grinned, before nodding. "Bye."
"See ya." Ilia nodded, before Hanako started off towards the east, Link to the north.
Link rode on, knowing it would be dusk by the time he got to Castle Town, and he really didn't want to push Epona too hard again. He found it an easy ride, since there were no monsters in the fields anymore. He paused, and looked back.
"I wonder how many people are saying they'll return home when the war's over… and will die in this war…" He looked down ashamedly. Midna appeared beside him, arms crossed.
"Having second thoughts are we?" She raised an eyebrow. He shook his head.
"Naw." He spurred Epona and Midna returned to hiding into his shadow.
The sun met the horizon as they neared the south gate to Castle Town. Link stopped Epona at the stairs and Midna reappeared again.
"I'll be seeing ya then." Midna waved. Link nodded and said his goodbye before the two parted and he started up the stairs.
"Link! Wait!" Link turned, and spotted a green haired child in green clothing running up the stairs towards him.
"Saria!" He turned. "What are you doing here?" He asked as she caught up.
"You haven't seen any of the others yet?" Saria gave him a puzzled expression. He shook his head. "Oh, well we should see then soon then." The two continued talking until they entered Castle Town, finding the paths strangely deserted. They found a large amount of guards in the town square however, and they pushed their way through the crowd to the castle, where they found Zelda outside the doors, waiting for them. Link bowed and she returned the gesture. Saria bowed awkwardly as well. When the three rose Zelda motioned towards the doors.
"The other Sages are waiting for you." She spoke calmly. Saria nodded her thanks and rushed inside, a figure in a black hooded cloak leaving the castle and coming over to them. Zelda looked to the newcomer with a raised eyebrow.
"Again?" She asked. The figure nodded. "Take your hood off, then." The figure hesitantly lowered their hood, revealing familiar red eyes and black hair.
"Arty?!" Link stepped back. She nodded. "But you, I"
"Saw my unconscious body being carried into the shadows my Shadow Link? Ya, welcome to my world." Arty commented. "Only the fifth time this month… you'd think he'd learn." She added with a smirk.
"I guess you would…" Link muttered as the three of them silently agreed to go inside.
Zelda led them to the throne room, where the Six Ancient Sages (Rauru, Saria, Darunia, Ruto, Impa, Nabooru) were standing around, most of them talking. They all stoped and looked at Link as the three entered. Link nodded politely to them, before Impa, the aged ninja dressed in purple clothing, pulled a familiar sheathed sword from the throne.
"I heard about that traitor Shadow Link's return." She commented, holding the sheathed sword up, before tossing it to him. He caught it with ease, as if it wasn't a sword, but rather a small ball. He unsheathed the sword, looking into the glow of the familiar shining blade.
"Sword of Evil's Bane, the Master Sword." Impa nodded. "It was used to defeat Shadow Link in the Water Temple during the time of the last Hero. As you know, it holds more power then a normal sword." Link nodded in response, sheathing the Master Sword again, and taking his own sword off his back, looking at it for a minute. "I can hold onto that for you, while you wield the Master Sword." Link nodded and handed the sword over to the Shadow Sage before strapping the Master Sword onto his back before the icy voice rang out.
"Someone's still sore." Everyone looked to the shadows in a corner, before Shadow Link emerged.
"SNAP!" Arty cursed. "You followed me."
"Your aura's not hard to track, Hylia." Shadow Link snapped at her, before glancing to Impa with a glare, who returned the look with such. "But no. I came to see why Farore's descendant-"
"You knew?!" Nabooru, a lady in dessert clothing with red hair which was pulled back, held in place with a dull ring, exclaimed. "You knew?!" She repeated.
"My cousin is only Din's descendant!" Shadow Link snapped at the dessert-dweller. The Six Sages all looked to Arty.
"You…" Arty growled at Shadow Link, while Link started feeling out of the loop. "I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU NEVER TO MENTION THAT!" Arty screamed, then paused to catch her breath. "You're not one of us, Shadow. You never will be, ever again." Arty walked up to him, and gripped a silver chain from around his neck. She yanked on it, and Link caught a glimpse of black, before she shoved whatever was on the chain into her pocket. "Make it known that Alec Rune Twilight is dead." Arty then stormed out, leaving a stunned Shadow Link, watching her.
"Who-a who who?" Link spoke finally, looking between everyone. Zelda's reply was a shrug, while the Sages were to busy glaring at Shadow Link, or watching horrified as Arty stomped out. Why didn't he attack her when she got near… he just let her take the chain without protest… and why'd she freak out when he mentioned his cousin? Isn't he just an incantation of darkness? Link pondered all this. Shadow Link growled.
"Fine. Don't expect me to leave next time we meet, but I must hunt now. My bounty is escaping." Shadow Link retreated to the corner. Link dashed after him, but hit the wall a split second after Shadow Link vanished. Rubbing his head, he rejoined the others.
"I wonder… if she realises what she just did." Saria muttered. Link looked over at the Kokiri girl.
"In removing him from her family, which only consisted of the two of them, there's no vow keeping him from harming her anymore." Rauru, an older man in yellow and white robes, told him. Link looked at him.
"But, I though Shadow Link was an incantation of evil." Link objected.
"That's what he became." Ruto, a Zora who appeared to be in her teens, told him.
"He was once a normal Hylian, like you or me." Impa told him.
"Only you're not a normal Hylian." Link replied. Impa rolled her eyes.
"You get the point, Link." Impa glared. "His past, I will not go into exacts. Let's say this though, he betrayed us six, betrayed Hyrule, and became one of Ganondorf's minions. After Ganondorf was killed by you, he became a bounty hunter for the Shadow Hylians, but his main mission," She walked over and poked a finger into his chest, "is destroying the Hero's bloodline, even if it will bring his death." Link stepped back, glaring.
"If this war story is a fake to get me into another one of your ways of discovering what another path in my destiny is, then forget it." He growled.
"The war is no lie." Zelda said sadly, looking away. "The Sages coming were not planned, but somehow they heard of Shadow's return before me."
"Ordon's been abandoned, there's no real way for you to know." Link replied. Zelda glanced at him.
"Say what?"
"Ordon was abandoned. Ordona was weakened badly, and called away by Farore-"
"What did you just say?" Zelda asked as everyone looked to Link.
"Farore, she appeared in the spring and said a few things then left after calling Ordona away." He told them, not understanding how it was such a big deal, since he was Farore's descendant, although that didn't change the fact that she was the Goddess of Courage.
"Farore hasn't been seen or heard from since the Light Spirits were sent to Hyrule." Zelda explained. "For her to appear just because one was weakened… I don't understand it… Even Din's been heard from more, and Din's known to be the silent one."
"Ordona could barely lift her head when we found her." He told them.
"Who's 'we'?" Saria asked.
"Me, Arty, Hanako, Ilia, Colin and Midna, why?"
"No reason." Saria retracted into silence. "Just wondering who else saw her."
Link looked back to Zelda. "So you wish for me to fight." He commented, and she nodded.
"I don't wish it, though. But I fear that if you don't, Hyrule will be defeated. Otherwise I wouldn't have asked."
"What do you mean?" He crossed his arms.
"I mean that I think we're not just fighting normal Hylians." Zelda looked him in the eye. "Or maybe we're fighting beasts beyond our imagination. Our enemies cloud our vision. We know hardly anything. That is why I want you to fight, Link." Link nodded, wishing that he knew more about his enemy, though.
"Alright…" He replied. "I'll fight, as if I have a say in the matter anyway." Zelda smiled, then shook her head.
"No, you don't have much of one, now do you?" She looked at him, before motioning outside. "The guards are already preparing… somewhat… join them. You will leave with the others at dawn."
"You do realise, if we are facing monsters, it'll be a one man team out there."
"And a girl. Arty is going with." Zelda told him.
"Still, only one man." Link grinned before taking his leave and heading out back into town, where guards were everywhere. He looked at the setting sun, knowing that this time tomorrow he'd be on the battle field with the Royal Guards of Hyrule.
Ilia looked over at Colin, who was just returning to her with scraps of food in his arms, with a sigh.
"That's all that's left?" She asked. The Ordonian boy nodded.
"They either took the rest, or it was taken by whoever attacked." He replied sorrowly.
"I hope it wasn't the latter." Ilia muttered, unaware of something moving behind her, until she felt warm breath on her neck, and noticed Colin backing up, wide-eyed.
"Take them." Shadow Link's voice rang out, as his lips formed a smirk. "I wonder what price the Hero of Time will pay to have them released." The last thing either Ilia or Colin saw, was a flash of fur, before everything went dark. The last thing they heard was Shadow Link's laughing, and a scream from Ilia...
