This chapter was extremely hard to write for some reason. I just felt so terrible for Malon, and yet I couldn't come up with enough ways to torment her. Poor, poor characters...
Ah well. If you don't like this chapter, you'll probably like the next one. But I've said too much! (Seals lips)
Your Spirit Chills Me to the Core
It was the sound of muffled voices that woke her. They weren't close by, probably in the next room or downstairs even. Malon rolled over in her bed, pulling her blankets up higher, reveling in the warmth. She inhaled deeply and began to drift back to sleep.
Rise and shine, little Malon. Malon's eyes snapped open. Sunlight poured in through the window, impeding her vision. With a wide yawn, Malon sat up, a hand over her eyes to block the excess light, and looked around in a sleepy gaze. Sunlight? She had overslept?
Without warning, images began assaulting Malon's mind; memories of the previous night, accompanied by that terrible, derisive laugh. Malon sprung out of bed, searching frantically for any sign of the Shadow.
Outside, a small bird warbled a pretty little tune. Malon brushed a hand through her mess of hair, pushing it out of her face, and opened her window. It was morning, and a beautiful morning at that. Not a single cloud in the bright blue sky. The sun shone strong and warm. The fresh morning dew on the grass below left a clean scent in the air. A few small birds had perched themselves to sing their praises to the Goddesses for such a blessed day.
And the Shadow was nowhere to be found.
"Was it all… just a dream?" Malon wondered aloud. It had to be. The last she remembered was standing in that field. She had never gone to bed. So then waking up in her room, tucked in her warm blankets, obviously was proof! All but a dream… a nightmare.
It was over. There were no evil spirits. She was safe. The farm was safe. Her father and Ingo were safe. "Oh, father!" Malon smiled, remembering the muffled voices she had heard earlier. They were probably arguing again, but trying to keep quiet so as not to wake her.
In an exceptionally cheery mood, in spite of how she had overslept, Malon slipped into her plain cotton robe. Briefly, her eyes caught sight of a flash of green. Malon stopped, finding a stain on the robe's shoulder.
"That's odd. A grass stain? I rarely wear you outside, how'd you get so dirty?" But Malon paid it little mind and simply wiped at the stain, until it was clear it would not come clean, and shrugged it off. Her jovial mood unhindered, she skipped to her bedroom door and opened it a crack.
Sure enough, she could see Ingo and her father at the table, having a hushed argument. Curious, even more so of the fact that her father was up so early, Malon listened in.
"I'm telling you, Talon. She's been behaving very strangely." Ingo said, insistently.
"It's probably just a womanly matter." Talon said with a wide yawn. "I'm going back to bed."
"Bed?" Ingo leaned back in his chair, accusingly.
"Did I say bed?" Talon said with a nervous laugh. "I meant I was going back to work…"
"Regardless of what you said, I'm serious here!" Ingo leaned forward, spreading his hands out on the table and lowering his voice to the quietest whisper he could manage. Malon had to strain to hear. "I was out at dawn, tending the field, when I found Ms Malon; asleep, wearing only her nightgown."
"Well when people sleep, they're usually in their nightgowns." Talon said loudly, good-naturedly.
"Hush up!" Ingo snapped, pulling Talon down lower to the table, so he could hear him better. "You didn't let me finish. I found her asleep, wearing only her nightgown, in the field."
Malon gasped, her heart skipping a beat in her chest. It hadn't been a dream. Everything that she remembered, that awful nightmare, was all real. Malon felt suddenly light-headed and had to grab on to the door to steady herself.
Talon sat straighter, looking quite baffled. "The field in the middle of the horse track?" Ingo nodded. "Now why would she do that?"
"I don't know." Ingo said, seeming relived to finally have gotten through to the big lummox. "I tried to rouse her, but she would not wake! It was freezing cold out there too. Her robe was strewn out nearby, but for some reason she wasn't wearing it."
She didn't have her robe? But Malon distinctly remembered putting it back on. Had the Shadow removed it and then left it lying in the field? But why? What did he gain by leaving her more exposed to the elements that she already had been?
"Now that's just silly." Talon replied, still too loudly. "I think if she'd gone through the trouble to bring her robe, she'd at least have the sense to wear it."
"That's my point!" Ingo sighed, hiding his face in his hands. "It doesn't make any sense!" He looked up at Talon, who seemed to be trying to form a thought. "It gets worse."
Malon's grip tightened in anxiety; one hand on the door, the other on the knob. Worse? Worse how?
"My rake," Ingo continued, "was lying out on the field next to her." Talon gave him a blank look. "Listen, Talon. If you ever did anything for your own ranch, you'd know I never—ever—leave any of my tools out. Malon must have unlocked my tool shed and, Goddesses know why, fetched the rake herself before wandering out to the middle of the field in the bleak hours of the night."
Talon stared an Ingo credulously. He paused for a moment, seeming to strain very hard to absorb all this information and formulate a reply, before responding. "I do too do something around my ranch! I make milk deliveries!"
"Talon, you idiot! That isn't the point!" Ingo stood, surrendering, and stormed out of the house.
"Geez. Touchy!" Talon stood lazily, wandering off to the haystack in the corner, and promptly fell asleep.
Malon could only stare vacantly at the spot where Ingo and Talon had been sitting mere moments ago. So then, Ingo hadn't forgotten the rake? And her father certainly hadn't touched it; Malon doubted the man could even unlock the tool shed. Then that left only one possible culprit.
Somehow the Shadow had broken into the tool shed and stolen Ingo's rake. But why?
Malon gasped at a sudden revelation. Last night, the Shadow had turned his back to her. Only then had Malon noticed the rake. In defense she had tried to stab him, but when she lacked the strength to actually do so he had been disappointed. It hadn't made any sense to her then; he had even gone to such lengths as impaling himself when Malon failed to do so.
Malon suddenly understood. He had set it all up. The Shadow had left the rake in a convenient location, purposely made himself appear vulnerable by turning his back to her, and then taunted her, egged her on. He had wanted Malon to skewer him.
He had wanted to scare her, to demonstrate his invincibility. And he had succeeded.
She was afraid. Malon had never known fear such as this. It was an unreal, untouchable fear, but it had a face and a voice. It was all the evil from superstitions and bedtime stories, the darkness and the unknown; manifested in a tangible, imaginable form.
Malon realized she was contradicting herself, but she couldn't do anything about it. It wasn't a matter of rational thought; it was a matter of emotion, and such matters do not care for reason or consistency. All Malon knew for certain was that she was afraid unlike she had even been before, and she couldn't tell anyone…
About an hour later, Malon was dressed and ready for the day. She hadn't had time to bathe and, considering what happened last time, she really didn't mind putting it off.
She made her way downstairs, having finally convinced herself that the Shadow was not going to burst from concealment to eat her face off, and, blowing a kiss to her sleeping father, went outside.
The warming sun was a comfort to the troubled farm girl. It really was a beautiful day. With all that had happened, she had forgotten. Malon took a deep breath of the morning air to calm herself and entered the barn.
Ingo was there, tending to the cows. He stood straight when he saw her enter and asked if she was feeling alright. Malon smiled half-heartedly, assuring him that she was alright, and picked up an empty bucket from the corner.
"Are you sure?" Ingo asked again as he placed a recently filled bottle of fresh Lon-Lon milk on a crate shelf and strapped it in.
"Yes." Malon said, quickly thinking up an excuse. "I seem to have been sleep-walking lately." She forced a laugh, but it came out incredibly fake. "Thank you for watching out for me."
"Of course, Ms Malon! Think nothing of it." Ingo replied. "Just as long as you don't make a habit of oversleeping. I'd hate to see you take after your father." Ingo rolled his eyes at the mention of Talon. "Useless."
"His heart's in the right place," Malon said sweetly, "even if his work ethic isn't."
Ingo nodded in assent. "Well then, if you're feeling better, would you pack up the milk delivery for me while I take the cows out to graze?"
"Mhm." Malon answered, a little too eagerly. Ingo regarded her oddly, but then opened the barn door and let the cows out, following behind them.
Malon exhaled, dropping the act. Hopefully Ingo wasn't too suspicious, as that could be problematic. On the other hand, the Shadow had yet to disturb her today. It was wishful thinking, but perhaps he had forgotten about her? Malon shook her head, deciding it was better not to think about it.
She took the milk bottles Ingo had just filled and began to place them in their designated crate. It was a special, shelved crate, with leather straps attached to keep the bottles from tipping over or breaking in a collision. The crate had only five sides presently, one side uncovered so that Malon could store the bottles. Ingo would come and nail the sixth side in place later. In the meantime, it was Malon's responsibility to make sure the bottles were securely fastened. If not, the entire shipment would be in jeopardy; and that was a risk the poor farm could not afford.
It took all morning to finally strap in every bottle. Malon took extra care to make sure every single one was fastened snugly and securely. There'd be no mishaps with this shipment. Wiping her arm over her brow, Malon stood back and admired a job well done.
Her labors completed, Malon picked up the bucket she had held earlier and went out to fetch the horse's water, as she had intended to.
The water pump was outside, near the horse track. Malon made the trip with ease now, but she knew it'd be much tougher once the large bucket was brimming with water. Enjoying the effortless walk while it lasted, Malon took in the soothing kiss of the sun.
She arrived at the water pump sooner than she would have liked. But work was work, might as well get it over with. She placed the bucket under the spout and began the toil away. Getting water out of the pump took a great deal of strength. Malon had to place all her weight on the handle to push it down, and had to lean back as she pulled up. Once up, once down, one spurt of water. Malon clenched and unclenched her hands to release the tension and soothe the sting. This was not her favorite chore.
By well into the late afternoon, Malon had finally filled the bucket to the brim. Her hands and arms were aching from the effort, but Malon didn't complain. If anything she was relieved. The Shadow had not yet troubled her and Malon began to believe that maybe he really had decided to let her be.
"If he's gone I swear to the Goddesses," Malon grimaced with the effort of lifting the heavy bucket, "that I'll pray everyday and often!" With difficulty, Malon finally managed to haul the bucket back to the barn. The horses were out now, so Malon placed the bucket back in the corner where she could get it later.
"Hmm, a metal bucket. How… conventional." said a mocking voice above her. Malon looked up to find the source. The Shadow sat on edge of the barn loft, looking down at her derisively. "Not to mention shortsighted."
Malon bowed her head, playing with her fingers nervously. "What do you want?"
The Shadow leapt from where he was sitting, floating down weightlessly, and landed with grace. Even after he stopped moving, Malon noticed his hat continued to float, the tip dissipating in the air. He smirked at her for a moment, and then moved away as if completely disinterested in her presence.
"What do I want?" he echoed, as if asking himself the very same question. He glided over to the other side of the room, picking up a bucket identical to the one Malon had just hauled in, examining it.
Malon turned to leave, thinking that perhaps he had his own agenda and was not interested in her, but his voice interjected.
"Pay attention!" He snapped, turning to face her. "I'm trying to help you."
"Help me?" Malon fought the urge to scream. If he wanted to help her, he should just leave her be!
"Yes, now shut up and look here." He lifted the bucket, crossing the room, towards where Malon had left the water-filled bucket. "These buckets are identical in outward appearance. And yet you keep them as far away as possible from one another. Why is that?"
Malon opened her mouth but no answer would come. The truth was she didn't know why. Biting her lip, she shrugged.
The Shadow scoffed in annoyance. "You're not even trying!" He dipped a grey hand into the bucket he held and splashed a handful of the contents into Malon's face.
Malon wiped the greasy substance out of her eyes, spitting in disgust at the taste of it in her mouth. "Oil!"
"That's right, oil." the Shadow affirmed, placing the oil-filled bucket next to the water-filled one. "Lamp oil no less. The type of oil one uses to light fires. And still some fool decides to store the oil in a bucket identical to the one where they store the water." He looked back and forth between the buckets, his arms akimbo, shaking his head in disapproval. "Do you see the problem with that?"
"Well, I…" Malon didn't know what to say. The truth was she didn't see the problem at all. In fact, she didn't even understand why he was telling her this in the first place!
The Shadows whirled around to face her, adopting a chiding tone. "Imagine there's an emergency and you are in an urgent need of water. You run in to fetch the appropriate bucket, but it's dark so you can't see what's inside. You're nervous; you're not thinking clearly enough to think of checking the contents. So you grab whichever bucket is nearest you and rush out, only to utilize the contents and discover you chose the wrong bucket. But by then…" he grinned sadistically, approaching Malon and leaning close to speak into her ear, "it's too late."
The barn door slid open loudly. Malon spun around, all traces of the Shadow now gone, and saw Ingo entering. He seemed to be in a foul mood, and frowned when he caught sight of Malon.
"Ms Malon, did you or did you not securely shelf the milk bottles?" He asked as he approached her, seeming greatly bothered.
"Yes, of course I did." Malon replied, confused.
"Well I just tried to load one of the crates into the wagon, and the bottles toppled over! There's milk all over the floor! What a complete waste!" He exhaled sharply in irritation. "We can't afford this, not now."
"I'm sorry Mr. Ingo, but I'm certain I secured every bottle." It didn't make any sense. She had painstakingly taken the time to make absolutely sure that every single last bottle was perfectly strapped in.
Ingo read the truth in her eyes and nodded, pursing his lips in aggravation. "I know, you work hard Ms Malon. I suppose the straps were worn in that crate. Old leather sometimes snaps out of place." He sighed, looking to the ground and shaking his head. "I suppose all I can do about it now is build a new crate, then." He faced Malon once more, hands on his hips. "Are you absolutely sure the rest of the crates are secure?"
Malon peeked behind Ingo, where the rest of the crates stood. They were just as she had left them. "Yes, I'm certain."
"Alright then. Truth be told, I…" Malon didn't hear what truth Ingo was telling. His voice faded from her mind as she noticed the Shadow materialize, floating next to the stacked crates. With a mischievous sneer, he hooked one finger under a leather strap, plucking at it absently.
"No, don't!" Malon yelled. Ingo took a step back in surprise, and turned around to see what she was looking at. But the Shadow had disappeared, just as quickly as it had come.
"Is something the matter?" Ingo asked, turning back to Malon.
"No, it's nothing…" Malon breathed, relief flooding over her. "I thought I saw something, but it was nothing." She looked back to Ingo, trying to seem unfazed. "You were saying?"
Ingo cleared his throat and repeated himself, but once again Malon heard not a word of it, for the Shadow had reappeared beside the milk crates. Deftly, he undid the strap on the top shelf. Malon gripped her skirts, mentally begging him not to do this.
The Shadow grinned at her, continuing his path down the shelves, loosening every strap, careful not to tip a single bottle.
"And I think it may be because of your age…" Malon caught only a fragment of Ingo's speech as her vision flickered to him pleadingly, the back to the crates. "Ms Malon, are you alright?" Ingo asked, genuinely concerned. "You suddenly went very pale."
Malon's attention returned to the thin man, and she stuttered out a response. "N-no. I mean, yes. I'm fine. No, nothing's wrong. I just… do you want me to check if I tightened the straps enough?"
"No, no. It's fine." Ingo replied dismissively. "I trust you; I just wanted to be sure."
"No, I really think I should readjust the straps." Malon said. "I mean, if you're unsure." She added quickly.
"Well, did you secure them correctly the first time around?" Ingo asked, eyebrows raised.
"Yes, definitely." She had worked so hard, why deny it?
"Then I'm sure there's nothing to worry abou—" Ingo was cut off as the crates shook slightly, it seemed of their own volition, causing every last milk bottle to come tumbling down. The glass shattered as it made impact with the dirt floor, which soon found itself lined with milk.
Ingo turned slowly, incredulously, and took in the sight before him with mounting rage. If it wasn't enough that the ranch was already doing poorly financially, and that the month's shipment to Kakariko was ruined, Ingo had a powerful hatred of an avoided or lazily done job. It was the sole reason he couldn't stand Talon.
"Please!" Malon pleaded, seeing how Ingo's fists clenched. Ingo did not even turn to face her, but continued to stare down at the liquid white mess incredulously. "I can explain."
"You can, can you?" inquired the Shadow, only loud enough for Malon to hear, suddenly appearing beside her. "I hope you don't mean to tell him about me. You will find it does not agree with your health."
The Shadow vanished again, evaporating into black smoke, as Ingo turned around. He was red in the face with umbrage, looking like a balloon filled with too much hot air.
"Alright then." Ingo said between clenched teeth. "Explain."
"I…" but before she could say another word, the Shadow materialized above Ingo; holding a rusted knife in his hand. "That is…" With every syllable, the Shadow let the knife slip just a little bit more. Malon followed the tip of the blade, down to where it would land if he let go. The Shadow meant to drop the knife into Ingo's head if she told.
"That is what?" The words exploded from Ingo's lungs. Malon wasn't frightened of Ingo, but at the moment she was frightened for him.
"You're right—there's no excuse!" Malon jabbered quickly. "I don't know what I was thinking. Those straps were much too loose! I take full responsibility and I'm very, very sorry." She looked up at the Shadow, who with the flourish of the hand made the rusted knife vanish. Malon closed her eyes, exhaling in relief.
"Ms Malon?" She opened her eyes with a gasp, realizing how strange she must be acting.
"Yes, forgive me." Malon smacked her lips together, trying to ignore the Shadow hovering above them.
"Ms Malon, I think you're unwell." Ingo said, his anger fading, replaced with genuine concern. "Perhaps you should go inside and fix yourself some tea. Take some time off." The Shadow cocked an eyebrow, intrigued by Malon's ability to dissolve anger, and disappeared.
"You're right, Mr. Ingo." Malon replied, following suit. "I'm probably just a bit overworked. A good nap and I should be all right."
"Let's hope so." Ingo said, escorting her out of the barn. "And don't you worry about the mess; I'll take care of it. You just rest."
"As you say." Malon agreed, retreating to inside the house.
Her hands were shaking as she filled the kettle with water and lit the stove top. While the water boiled, she busied herself with placing tea leaves and sugar in a chipped porcelain cup. Had she done something wrong? Why would the Shadow do something so vindictive without reason?
Malon placed her cup on the table and stood beside the stove, watching the kettle. She could not take her mind off what had just happened. What the Shadow had done not only affected her, but the entire farm. Her father, Ingo, the horses, cuccos and cattle… their livelihood all depended on this ranch. If it went under, what would become of them? Did the Shadow even know the extent of the damage he had done?
"You seem distracted today." said a voice beside Malon, causing her to jump in alarm. "See what I mean?"
"Why are you doing this?" Malon whispered, refusing to face him directly.
"Every time with the questions." The Shadow said in annoyance. "It's getting old."
Malon stared down at the floor, wishing it would just split open and swallow her up. She wondered, if her wish was to be granted, would he still pursue her?
"Malon!" Talon said with a yawn, stretching into wakefulness as he entered the room. "Are you making breakfast?" He eyed the kettle hungrily, as if not realizing that kettles were only to boil water.
"It's more like dinner time, father." Malon replied questioningly. The Shadow was still next to her. Why wasn't her father acknowledging him?
"He can't see me from this angle." The Shadow answered her unspoken question. "Shadows deceive the eye that way."
"Breakfast? Lunch? Dinner? Dessert? Whatever you're making," Talon said, adopting a pitiful look, "you'd share with your poor, hungry father. Wouldn't you?"
Malon tried to explain that she was only making tea, but he already had his hopes up and she hated to be the one to shatter them. "Father, I…"
"Tell him no. Tell him you're making tea. And that he can't have any of it." The Shadow whispered in her ear, his words dripping with contempt. "Tell him to make his own. That you hate how he doesn't pull his own weight."
Malon looked to the frowning Shadow, then to her smiling father. She didn't want to defy the Shadow and risk his wrath, but she couldn't speak so cruelly to her own father!
"Tell him he's a fat, slovenly waste of space." the Shadow sneered.
"I…"
"SAY IT!" the Shadow bellowed in her face.
"You're a fat, slovenly…!" the words spilled out of her mouth before she could even think to stop them. By the time she realized what she was saying, she had already begun to say it. Better just to finish the insult, then, and avoid the Shadow's wrath. "…waste… of… space."
It broke her heart to say it, even worse when her father's face fell. His usual air of jolliness dropped, leaving only an empty middle-aged man. Satisfied, the Shadow departed.
Talon turned away from her, expression crushed, and walked towards the door.
"Father, wait!" Malon called, starting after him, but the piercing sound of a kettle over-boiling drowned her words. I forgot the kettle! She ran back to the stove, grabbing the kettle's handle immediately. However, she forgot that metal conducts heat and that she should always lift a kettle with a cloth or oven-mitt. The hot metal burned her hand. Malon drew back, not releasing the handle in time, causing the kettle to tumble off the stove and into the nearby haystack.
The hot metal ignited the dry straw, a fire coming to life in mere seconds.
Talon stopped, gaping at the fire in shock.
Ingo burst into the house, having seen the smoke from outside, and was the first to react. He removed his shirt and used it to beat at the fire, trying to douse the flames.
Water… a voice inside Malon's mind suggested. Hurry, before the whole house is up in flames! Without a second thought, Malon darted out the door and into the barn.
The sun was setting, illuminating just enough to make out little more than just the shapes of objects inside. Malon hurried to the corner where she had left the water-filled bucket, only to find it adjacent to an identical one.
No! Now she remembered! There were two buckets! But which one was the water bucket, the right or the left? Malon wove her fingers through her hair, ready to pull it all out. For the life of her, she couldn't tell which was which! And there was no time to just stand there thinking about it.
"If I recall correctly," the Shadow offered, sitting on a fallen crate, "the left one is the water bucket."
Malon glared at the Shadow. How could he be so calm at a time like this? Her house was burning down! She looked back at the buckets, making a decision. He was a master of deception, she would not trust him. So she grabbed the right bucket and sprinted out of the barn, across the space to her home, and ran inside.
Ingo was still beating at the flames, to no avail. Malon nudged him aside and splashed the bucket's contents onto the fire.
The flames increased, rising high, and spread onto a wooden beam in the wall. It had been oil…
"Malon! What are you thinking?!" Ingo yelled, shoving her aside and resuming his futile attack on the fire.
"I'll get the water!" Talon shouted.
"No, you moron!" Ingo retorted. "Water will spread the oil and make the fire worse!"
Malon sat, her legs splayed out at her side, where she had fallen. She could only stare at the dancing flames as they devoured her house, the only home she had ever known. It was the home her mother had kept.
What would happen to them now? They couldn't afford to build another house. And even if they could, where would they live in the meantime? Where would they sleep? In the barn or the stables, with the animals? Like animals?
She couldn't hear Ingo ordering for them to evacuate, or Talon's panicked screams. For her the world was silent, dead. Malon looked up at the smoke, billowing from the tips of the flames. For a succinct moment she thought she saw the smoke take shape, forming into the Shadow. He smirked down at her smugly, knowingly, as if saying I told you so.
"Please." Malon said, though she could not hear her own voice. "Please, stop this. I'll do anything you want. I'll give you my unwavering loyalty, I swear it!" The tears ran down her cheeks in steady streams.
The smoke thickened with the flames, obscuring the Shadow, until Malon could no longer make him out.
"Wait!" Talon said, as if hit by a sudden epiphany. "Flour! Flour will absorb the oil!" He ran over to the cabinet, swinging it open, and retrieved a jar of flour. He hurried back and opened the jar, dusting the flour over the flames. Sure enough, the fire died down, until finally it was low enough for Ingo to douse it with his shirt.
Talon and Ingo stood over the charred mess, panting from their exertions. "How… did… you… know… about… the flour?" Ingo asked between breaths. "You… don't… know… anything!"
"I don't know!" Talon doubled over, clutching his stomach as he tried to catch his breath. "It just… came to me…" he stopped, swallowing, "all of a… sudden."
Malon said nothing, knowing full well who had whispered the idea into Talon's ear without him even noticing it.
Night had fallen. Ingo was sound asleep in his small shack near the stables. Talon snored loudly in his bedroom. Malon always found it interesting how her father could sleep so deeply at night, when sleeping was all he did during the day.
But then again, Malon had little else to do but mull over her own thoughts. She could not find sleep. She knew, somewhere, a dark shadow was watching over her. He had tormented her, shown inconceivable insight into her mind, and proven his dominance. Malon could not fight him, and she knew she could not fight him.
Goddesses, help me. She clutched her mother's brooch, seeking comfort. Outside, two red glimmers flashed in the darkness, and vanished. He was beckoning her.
Fighting to keep her fear at bay, Malon thrust her arms into her robe and laced up her boots. If he was waiting for her, she'd rise up and meet him. Strength, Malon, strength.
Back to the horse track she went, the grass and gravel crunching underneath her feet, the cold nipping at her cheeks.
The field was different this night. It was dark, foreboding. The moon was but a sliver in the sky, providing only scant illumination. In the center of the field, waited an empty wooden chair. He had left it for her, Malon knew.
She approached it without hesitation. True that it might be a trap, but if he wanted to ensnare her, he hardly needed a chair to do so. Malon sat, the chair creaking even under her slight weight, and folded her hands in her lap. She waited.
A chill ran down her spine and she knew; he had arrived. She did not check behind her. Instead she waited patiently until he walked in front of her, arms crossed and unamused.
"So tell me," he said, his eyes glowing in the gloomy depths of the night, "are you always this easy to sabotage or am I just lucky?"
Malon faced him, awaiting whatever method of torment he had planned, but said nothing.
"What, no questions?" the Shadow asked, intrigued by her unusual silence. "No why are you doing this? or what do you want?"
Malon's gaze did not falter, still she did not reply.
"I tried to warn you about the bucket." the Shadow continued, striving to incite a reaction. "And I tried to tell you to take the left one. But you're just bent on destruction, aren't you?" he was blaming her, trying to anger her or make her defensive.
Malon met him with silence.
The Shadow snarled, infuriated. He did not take well to being ignored. Stubbornly, he lunged at Malon's shoulders, shoving her backwards, and sent the chair to the floor.
Malon fell on her back, against the chair, her legs above her still in seated position. She cried out in surprise and the Shadow sneered, triumphant.
He paced around Malon; stopping to look down at her like a predator does his kill. Callously, he placed his boot on her cheek, pressing her face onto its side.
"Now you understand." he stated spitefully, pressing her face into the damp ground. "I own you. You are my toy. When a toy refuses to work for its master, it is broken. And what does one do with a broken toy?" Malon kept her silence. The Shadow growled low in his throat and removed his boot, bending down to shout straight in her face. "One disposes of them!"
His breath was hot against her face, so different from the chilled, incandescent black smoke that billowed from his form. Malon winced, but remained quiet.
The Shadow's breathing became labored, enraged. Why wouldn't she respond to him?! He wrapped his hands around her throat, meaning to strangle her until she reacted, or died, whichever came fist, but stopped. Something had caught his eye.
Instead of choking her, his hands slid down to the brooch clipped onto her scarf, stroking it only slightly, before he pulled his hands back.
"Quite a lovely pendant you have there." he said, taking hold of the back of the chair and pushing it upright.
"It was my mother's." Malon said softly.
"I didn't ask!" the Shadow snapped, inwardly successful for having drawn a reaction out of her.
Malon stood, taking a few steps away from the chair, and faced the Shadow directly. "You can't have it." she said, covering the brooch protectively with her hands.
"I can have whatever I please!" the Shadow retorted. Malon did not argue, fearing he would snatch away the brooch to prove his point. But the Shadow made no move to steal the brooch, and instead settled before her; pointing to the windmill. "Board it up." He commanded. "Every window, every crack, until no light can steal its way inside."
"Why?" Malon asked, innocently enough.
"Because so is my will!" the Shadow gave the farm girl a glare of admonition. He would not tolerate her misgivings.
Malon considered her options. If she randomly began boarding up buildings, in addition to already nearly burning down her house, Ingo and her father might very well send her to an asylum. On the other hand, she couldn't oppose the Shadow; Goddesses knew what he'd do to her. The Goddesses…
"Well?" the Shadow was growing impatient.
Malon gripped her skirts, knowing the risk with what she was about to do. But the Goddesses would protect their devoted followers, wouldn't they? Wouldn't good always conquer evil? Malon muttered, bracing herself for his reaction.
"What was that?" the Shadow inquired intolerantly.
"No." Malon said, keeping her eyes level with his.
"What?" his voice was strained with barely suppressed rage.
"No." Malon repeated. "I refuse! In the name of the Goddesses, you have no power over me!" she cried, clasping her hands together as she normally did in prayer. "Hear me Din; smite this heathen who dares spoil your sacred land! Heed me Nayru; strike down this skeptic who dares break your laws! Listen, oh Farore; slay this fiend who dares abuse the life you lovingly created!"
The Shadow's expression grew grim. He took slow, fuming steps towards the insolent little farm girl, with every intention to smother the prayers and chants out of her. Then, suddenly, he froze and gripped his chest in apparent agony.
Malon took note of his reaction and gained courage, her voice strengthening as she called to the heavens. "In the name of the Goddesses three, take down this spirit if evil! Back to the black depths from whence you came!"
The Shadow collapsed onto the floor, thrashing about.
"Creature of darkness…" Malon spoke the final words poignantly, "you have no power here."
The Shadow roared in defeat and exploded into black smoke. Malon breathed in relief. She had done it! She had banished him back to void! Though her body was too tired to do more than stand as it did, her spirit rejoiced!
Until she noticed something that chilled her spirit to the core…
The black smoke had not dissolved into the air. It hung in the air, darkening, thickening, coming closer and closer. Malon's jaw fell slack as the smoke reformed. Unfeasibly, the Shadow stood before again, unscathed.
"Just kidding." he said, bursting into a fit of terrifying laughter. "Did you really think it would be so easy?"
Malon shook her head, taking one, two, three steps back. It couldn't be! She had invoked the Goddesses themselves! Why hadn't they helped her?!
"Don't tell me you actually believe all that nonsense!" The Shadow said, a vicious grin spreading across his face. "You do!"
Malon took two more steps back, still refusing to believe what was happening. It was a nightmare. It had to be! There was no other explanation! She turned to flee, but a rough hand seized her arm, whirling her around to face him.
"Three golden Goddesses? Come on! Your religion is all lies!" his eyes burned, more hotly than the fire that had ravaged the crook of her home. "And just to prove it to you…" he twisted her arm, bringing it behind her back, and held it there, daggers of pain shooting through her arm. Malon screamed. "Let's see them save you now." the Shadow laughed again, twisting her arm further.
She did not think anything could save her now. She was going to die, she was certain of it! Nothing could possibly hurt so much without killing you.
But then, miraculously, a golden light really did shine down upon the field. Malon felt the grip on her arm release.
She pulled away; quickly enough to catch the Shadow's face contort into an expression of dread, before he disappeared.
Malon cradled her throbbing arm, looking up towards her salvation; the sunrise. A new day had dawned, driving away the spirits of the night.
Zequistis Free Spirit:(Gets all fangirly over Shadow Link with you) I'm glad you like my Shadow Link! He's a bit darker than most people write him, which I always found strange since he is Dark Link. But anyway, I'm so excited that you like my story! I can't even tell you how happy that makes me!
shadowsasuke: Another fellow girl gamer! (Salutes) There aren't many of us, we have to stick together! Thanks for the add to your favs! I'm so glad you like my story! I hope you like how it all pans out...
little-chibi-girl: (Looks around shifty-eyed) Huh? Me? Steal you line? Never! Uh... look over there! A three headed monkey! (Runs off, only to be dragged back by Shadow Link) Fine, be that way. Yeah, I have to admit that line was inspired by yours. But it was just such a Shadow/Dark Link thing to say! And don't worry, I promise to finish this story! I already have in mind how each of my chapters are going to be. Thanks for the support! I really apprciate it, especially from great fanfic writer like you!
Spiritual Stone: (Sniffs after reading your review) R-really? You really like it? (Hugs you) Thank you! Oh, I told Shadow Link that you love my version of him. He threw shoe at me, insensitive jerk! But that's why we love him. And I was happy to review your story! It was really quite good! I love how human you made the characters and (stops before I repeat my whole review to you again.) Anyway,thanks for continuing to read and review my story! I still love your penname...
CrazyCat95: (Blushes) Aw, thank you! Well, here's another chappie! Hope you liked it.
Topaze Fire: A thesaurus you say? Shadow Link! Take off your tunic so I can check for a thesaurus! (Shadow: What the hell is a thesaurus? Is it like a dinosaur? And I'm NOT taking off my tunic for you fangirls! Not after what happened last time) Damn, he's smarter than he looks. Oh, and his issued regarding Link are just beginning. He really doesn't like his fairer half, AT ALL. By the way, I love your reviews. They always point out what I'm doing right so I can apply it for the next chapter! As for the chapter titles, they're actually song lyrics to a song I've never heard. I happened to find the lyrics online by coincidence and thought "Hey, this fist perfectly!"
The Legend of Soul Emblem: Muahahaha. I update fast because I'm evil! Not really. I just seem to be on a roll with this story! And no problem with the help! Anytime! Well now we know want he wants Malon to do. But what's really going to happen.
adrian-air-fire: Was this fast enough? I hope so! I was up late finishing this chapter --'. Wonderous? My story? My, I didn't think this story would be so well received! Thank you so much! I can't even begin to explain how happy reviews make me!
