Chapter 4

Iron Boots and The Water Temple

I walked down the small hill and turned a corner, went up a hill and looked out. The place really was frozen over to the extreme. "Wow.. It's more still than I imagined.." I whispered to my self. Link ran by and went up some steps to my right in a rush. Oh yeah! I followed and stopped behind him. The king of the Zora was there where he sat 7 years ago, frozen in red ice. Link ran around and up to him and tried to cut the ice with his sword. "No use. You need blue fire to melt it." He looked at me, still confused about how all this happened. "Where do I get that?" I pointed to the entrance behind the King.

He walked out the path and I followed soon after. When we got out I shivered. The place was snowing. I'd never seen it before and it was beautiful but now wasn't the time. "Hey what happened to Lord Jabu Jabu?" He asked, standing on the spot where he once got sucked up by the giant fish. "I really don't know but I always assumed he was dead." I walked over to the spot and walked on a ledge of ice and looked down over the edge. Link came up behind me but slipped past the end and grabbed onto me for support. "Wha-!" I managed as we tumbled over, falling into the somewhat cold water below. I closed my eyes and gasped for breathe, gasping underwater. I heard Link call my name and I began swimming to the surface. When I reached up I took a sharp breathe of air, I thought I might die.

I turned to him, angry. "What were you thinking grabbing me too?!" He rubbed the back of his head and apologized. I sighed and swam to an ice platform and got up. I looked at myself, my clothes wet and freezing. "Not good.." I whispered to myself. I stood up and helped Link get himself up as well. "We have to jump these over to the land over there. You'll get something really useful for the next temple, trust me." We went on our way and after entering the cave I told Link how to solve each puzzle, how to capture the blue fire, avoid those annoying things that blew ice, and eventually we were at a room with a treasure chest in it.

I looked around, the room was beautiful. Shining walls, soft snow on the floor, crystals coming from the ground. I found a piece of broken crystal and held it in my hand. It wouldn't hurt if I took it. "Check this out." I heard Link. I turned around. He was wearing boots with iron on the bottom. "Ah,the Iron Boots, they'll let you keep underwater." Is what I wanted to say,but didn't.

Sheik jumped down behind Link from who knows where. "We meet again, Link... If you came here to meet the Zoras, you wasted your time... This is all there is... With one exception, the Zoras are now sealed under this thick ice sheet... I managed to rescue the water princess from under the ice, but... she left to head for the Water Temple... This ice is created by an evil curse... The monster in the Water Temple is the source of the curse. Unless you shut off the source, this ice will never melt... If you have courage enough to confront the danger and save the Zoras, I will teach you the melody that leads to the temple.

"Time passes, people move... Like a river's flow, it never ends... A childish mind will turn to noble ambition... Young love will become deep affection... The clear water's surface reflects growth... Now listen to the Serenade of Water to reflect upon yourself...." Sheik pulled out his harp and began to play a few notes, Link followed with his Ocarina and soon they began to play the melody smoothly. Link stared at his Ocarina like it was the 'Precious'. "Link... I'll see you again..." Link started walking toward Sheik, but he throws down a deku nut and is gone again.

Those were the moments that, for a second, made me think Link was gay. "There's just something strange about that guy.." I coughed twice, hiding the word 'pedo' in between. "Did you say something?" He turned to me and I shook my head. "Let's go, we should unfreeze the king." We went back to Zora's domain and uncorked a bottle of Blue Fire near the king and soon enough the ice around the Zora leader melted. We stepped down so we would be in front of the big fish and waited for him to move. "Oh-- I've come back to life! Was it you who saved me? Don't be nervous!" Link nodded. "It looks like you have a hard time breathing under water. As an expression of my gratitude I grant you this tunic. With this you won't choke underwater." The King handed Link a blue tunic. "Wow, thank you, this will really help me out." I stared at him. "Ah, of course. You're this man's friend are you not?" He asked me. "Uh, actually I-" "Don't be so modest" He cut me off. "A tunic for you as well." He handed me blue tunic too, one smaller than Link's. "Oh, thank you, King."

I held the tunic in my arms and stepped out, eventually getting pulled away by a couple of Zora's.

Link's P.o.V.

I searched around a bit after putting on my tunic, but couldn't find Lota anywhere. Where did she run off to now? I left the King's room and was greeted by Lota. She was wearing her tunic and had similar tights and boots to mine. She was blushing and looked frustrated. "This is so strange! I've never worn such clothes." She said, pulling down the tunic. "Let's just go to the Water Temple already. Play the song." She said, walking to me and grabbing hold of my arm. I played the Serenade of Water and we were warped to Lake Hylia in no time. The place was a bit deserted and it was raining. The only water was that and the water left to cover the entrance to the temple.

She walked to the edge of the little island we were stepping on and motioned for me to follow. I went over and she pointed down at the water. "The entrance is down there. This is a tough temple so I'm coming with you. Put your other boots on, we're jumping." I looked at her, surprised at sudden boldness. I put on the iron boots and put away the other pair. I held onto her hand and we jumped, quickly falling into the water. "Wow! When they say breathe under water they really mean it." She said, I thought it too. This was pretty exciting. "Okay now use you're hookshot and hit that diamond like thing there." I took out my item and shot it at the target. It came loose and came out completely, floating to the surface. Iron bars around the door in front of us flew up and the door opened. I walked in and lead Lota as well, my hand was the only thing holding her down. When we went in I let her go and floated upward, her long hair following slowly after.

I thought a bit, maybe she could use a haircut? I changed my boots again and floated up too. We climbed on the edge of a platform and walked forward, the place was huge and judging by the many floors in the middle of even more water, there were a lot of doors. She looked over at me. "You're future wife's waiting at the bottom of this platform." She gave me a cute and innocent 3-year-old look. I know who she meant. "Not funny." I said looking over the edge. I heard what seems like four pairs of feet stepping behind me and a sudden push. I fell face forward into the water and felt held down. Though I could breath in the water I was scared because I couldn't see what it was attacking me. Maybe it was a prank.

"LINK!" I heard her muffled yell. I felt light again and swam to the surface. She was nowhere to be seen. "Lota! Where are you hiding? This isn't funny, come on!" Navi flew above my head frantically. "Link, I searched everywhere possible! She's nowhere to be found!" I froze. "Everywhere?" She landed on my head in frustration. "All the doors around here are locked. There's no way she's hiding in a room." How was that possible?

Lota's P.o.V.

I felt sore. I only remember trying to prank Link by pushing him over the edge of the water while he wasn't looking but something beat me to it. I saw him fly over before I even touched him but he wasn't surfacing,it was almost as if something was keeping his head down. After that I remembered a pair of red orbs staring me straight in the face. I got scared and tried to run but I was being held, my mouth being covered. I managed to call Link but I wasn't sure if he heard me. My vision had gone black as those two orbs stared down at me again.

I opened my eyes and looked around, my head hurt. The room I was in was foggy and full of shallow water. I sat up and banged my head back on something hard. I turned around and searched. A tree. I looked at it like it was the craziest thing ever. Why was there a tree here? Where was I? I stood up and shook my head. I walked forward to a door(A.N. The entrance door) but when I got close enough I saw iron bars over it. "What the?" I turned around and saw another door across from there. The room suddenly felt familiar but I wasn't sure how.

I ran across the place to the door, iron bars over it too. "What the hell is going on here?" I froze, suddenly realizing why the room felt familiar, why there was a tree in the middle of a shallow watered, fogged up room. I turned around slowly and saw what I wish I hadn't.

There standing proudly against the tree was a dark form of almost grey white skin, black hair, a black tunic and almost blood red eyes. The orbs from before. Dark Link. He looked more solid and more like a person up close like this. Though he was still frightening. "You're hair matches the color of mine and your skin is pretty pale as well, the only thing wrong with you is those emerald eyes of yours." He said, walking over to me, a more seductive and sinister tone to his voice, but he sounded like Link. "I know what you are so just get to the point. What do you want?" He smirked at this and laughed lightly.

I got a bit angry with this. "What's so funny?" I said through my teeth. He stepped closer and smashed his fist inches away from my head and stared down at me. "I know you like Mr. Hero." I stared at him, surprised, my eyes blank. "What did you just say?" His smirk only grew wider. "I said I know that you LOVE him." Before I knew it his head was turned, my hand passing by his cheek. I unconsciously slapped him. "I don't ever want to hear you say such a stupid thing again." He turned to me, furious looking. "I see someone gets a bit touchy to the subject. I'm only stating facts here." I rested my hands at my sides. "How could I possibly fall for someone like him... Please. I'm only here to guide him through the temples, stupid fairy finds it too hard to do it herself!" He stared at me as if examining my face for lies.

"What are you looking at?" I pushed him back. "That's all there is to it. I'm just a stupid shadow to him, a child, a brat, a map.." I spoke the last word in anger. I walked off to the tree and sat down. He looked down at me, no longer looking so angry. "You know how I feel then right? To be a shadow, that is." I looked up at him but showed no expression at all. "It sucks. I hate it." I brought my knees to my chest, he sat down in mid air in front of me.

Dark crossed his arms. "Spit it out already then, what do you want with me?" He smirked again. "With you here the Hero will surely struggle on his way. He needs you to get through this place, it's-" I cut him off. "One of the hardest temples. I know." He groaned. "I thought kidnapping you would be fun. You're boring as hell!" I turned around, facing the tree. "Whatever." I felt a sudden pull on my hair and hit the ground, my back down, the shadow over me. "Don't ignore me brat!" I said nothing. "Do you think this is funny? I can snap you're neck faster than you can blink." I blinked at him, very slowly, just to show that I didn't care. He slammed my head on the ground, letting go of my hair. I closed my eyes, he really is the dark one.

I opened my eyes for a second, he got up and started to leave. I grabbed the end of his tunic, he turned around, he looked furious again. He stood behind me and kicked me on the back, knocking the wind out of me. I coughed a bit. "Stupid girl." I held up my hand to him, holding the shard of crystal I picked up before. "What is it?" He said, snatching it from me. I sat up, leaning against the tree again. "It's a crystal shard I found earlier. It's beautiful isn't it?" He looked at me as if asking what I was trying to get at. My voice, dull and scratchy like, "Even broken away, from a bigger crystal, such a small, neglected piece, can still be beautiful, can't it?" I coughed again and he stared at me strangely again but not angry. "Even the neglected shadow of a person can be a beautiful thing by itself."

He kneeled down to me. "Can I keep this?" I smiled lightly at him and nodded. "Thanks." He stepped away from me and for the longest time neither of us said anything. I stood up and cleaned myself off. "Do you know how I was born?" I looked at him. "All the dark and evil thoughts of the hero. Ganondorf formed them into you." He smirked. "You really do know everything. Ganondorf would be glad to receive you." I stepped back. Was this his plan all along? "But that won't happen." I looked him straight in the eyes, he walked closer to me. "I'm keeping you to myself." He stood before me and put his hand through my hair, moving his head closer to my neck, he bit down on my skin. I sank down to my knees, feeling a long trail on liquid seeping down the side and into the clothes, he fell with me, cleaning the blood with his tongue.

He let go of me and I instantly touched my hand to my neck, a trail of blood at the end of two bite holes. "What did you do to me?" I said, slightly shaking. "I made you my property of course. You are now obligated to do and say what I command of you." I didn't know something like this would happen. I guess I found myself in some serious trouble. "Why do you need me? I-I'm just a human. I can't help you with anything." He lifted me to my feet. "That's what you think." He muttered. "You will tell me how to defeat the hero." I felt sick. "You can't be serious." He nodded in the kind of way that really makes you believe a person. "DEAD serious. But don't worry. I wouldn't dare harm my own property." He said calmly, grabbing me from behind and floating into the air with me on his lap.

"It's strange. I always wanted to meet you but this isn't how I had it in mind!" I tried to get free from him. "Stop struggling." I rested myself back on him, why couldn't I resist? "I'm delighted that I have a fan." He said overly proud of himself. I pushed myself back, hitting myself against him. He let out a struggled groan at this. I stopped moving and tried to forget the sound. "I love the way you did that." He said into my ear. "Shut up, it was an accident, damn shadow." He grabbed me by the face and turned me to look his way. "That's MASTER to you." I looked away from him, he really is a monster. "Why is this happening. It's all that stupid Redead's fault I'm here!" I whispered to myself.

I could feel his stare from the back of my head, he snapped his fingers. I looked at him, he pointed in front of me, I turned around, a crowd of Redeads standing, looming around us. Some curled up, standing, heads down, looking at me. I backed up against him and turned myself so my back was to them, burying my face in Dark Link's chest. "Make them go away! Make them go away!" I muffled into his tunic. "So you hate these things don't you?" I heard about five of them scream their non-existent lungs out and felt the blood in my body run cold. "YES! Get rid of them! Just get rid of them!" I covered my ears and sank almost into his clothing. "Is that anyway to speak to your master?" I said nothing. "WELL?" I shivered. "P-Please make them go away, Master!" I heard him snap his fingers again. "That's what I wanted to hear." I turned around and saw nothing but fog and the barred door."That wasn't so hard, now was it?

I looked up at him, tears pouring down from my eyes. He looked surprised. "Whoa, calm down it was only a joke!" I turned away from him. "Only you have seen me cry. In all my life, you're the only one." I said, between sobs, the side of my head against his chest. "Lucky me." He said with that same tone he had when I first heard him speak. He lifted my chin with one finger and licked my face, cleaning away the tears. "Don't ever let anyone see you as I see you now." He said, right to my face, a serious but gentle look on his face. I felt my face burn up. What the-? "Understood, M-Master..." I looked away from him. If I wanted to live I would have to follow his orders, even if it meant betraying Link. I wouldn't be able to do anything about it anyway. I was and may forever be, shadow bound.

Finally updated! Yay! Two chaps in one day I'll continue soon. High school's getting easy so expect more. Thank you for reading. Please Review and let me know if there's anything you would like to see.