1Chapter 4: Tina's Rescue
Darkness. Nothing but corpses lying around a huge white flame. Link looks on in awe. He turns around to run when the bodies rise and start to screech. Link is overcome. He shrinks down and starts to shake when, out of nowhere, comes a cry of Link. Then light returns.
Link found himself awake again. He was standing up with sword and shield in hand. He looked around and doesn't see Tina or the horses. Then he heard a scream again. It must've been Tina! He ran in the direction from whence it came. Link ran on into the sunset finding nothing but a cold trail. He wouldn't let anyone else die like Epona had.
He ran, not thinking about what he might encounter. At noon, his high physical endurance gave out. Link, finally feeling the weight of the world collapsed. He had never pushed himself that hard before. But being Link, he got back up and started running again. All he could possibly think about is Tina. Was she still alive? This thought pushed his will beyond the edge. He ran, for many more miles before coming upon a village. Here, exhausted, blind from rage, he fainted into a dreamless sleep. If there he had one of the dreams filled with terror, his soul might've been crushed.
All was black for what seemed like years. He could hear voices, but couldn't see anything. Where was he? What had he done that made collapse? What happened to Tina? Link awoke at this last thought. He was covered with sweat lying in a soft bed. He glared around at the people around him. No Tina. She was still missing.
" Young man, you gave us a scare there.", an old women said with a smile fit for a thousand men. All Link could do was glare at her. Then, he thought, why not ask these people if they had seen Tina. They all thought. They did see a monster carry a girl up to the mountain peak. Link leapt with joy. So, Tina was at the peak of the mountain. He pushed through the crowded room and out the door. He began to run up the mountain side. It was basically, a giant pile of rocks. Actually, he was more crawling than anything. It was hard to keep his footing.
Halfway up the mountain he heard another scream. Then, some strange creatures fell from the sky. They were just like the dark beast he had slain back in the forest. With a mighty leap he unsheathed the Gilded Sword and sliced right through the two monsters. They shrieked and then regenerated. Link looked puzzled. He slashed and hacked at the creatures. Why wouldn't they die? Then it hit him. Why not use the Fierce Deity's Mask? After all, it was a dark magic encasing a strength equaled by none other.
He put the mask on with hesitation. True, this mask was powerful, but took a great toll from Link. Sometimes, it would take over his body, just like Majora's Mask had done the Skull Kid. The monsters continued getting stronger. Link finally gave into the temptation and put the mask on. He let out a mighty scream that echoed throughout the mountains. Link was no Oni Link once again. He swung the mighty sword at the beasts and they fell to the ground as their blood poured from their bodies. They disappeared with another shriek.
He took the mask off and continued running up the mountainside. The screams continued from Tina louder and quicker from each other. Link began getting worried that she may be dying. When he got to the top he would make the beasts pay. He ran and ran up the ever sloping mountain striking down more and more monsters. As he got to the peak, the sky turned black. What was this? Lightning the color of blood poured from the heavens. Link looked around and saw Tina lying on an alter. She was still breathing, but barely. Link ran over to her.
" Link", she managed to say with effort, "Run." He looked behind him and saw a huge monster just like before except that this time, it was blood red. Link unsheathed his sword once again he thrust pointlessly at the beast. The monster wasn't being hurt at all! Link, finally feeling rage enough, put the Fierce Deity's Mask back on once again. Oni Link swung his huge sword at the beast. It cried out in pain and then spoke.
" Despite your efforts, I will take this girl as an offering to the dark one. He hungers for a wife." Oni Link, feeling the limit of his rage, unleashed a huge wave of energy and the monster fell to the ground, not quite dead.
" I see you possess great strength. Or rather is it that mask? I tell you what, you give me that mask to take back to my master, I'll let you have the girl back. Oni Link thought. He had no care of the girl, but his counterpart Link did. He took off the mask returning his spirit back to it. Link was left standing holding the Fierce Deity's mask. He handed it over to the feral beats and it disappeared into the shadow.
Link ran over to the alter and picked up Tina. She was wounded badly and so he decided to carry her back down to the village. He walked ran as fast as he could in fear that she might die. At the bottom of the mountain he walked into the village looking for a doctor. Finally, he stumbled upon the inn he had awoke in earlier that day. He kicked open the door and walked inside.
The people had been there before had left and returned to their homes. He went to the innkeeper. When she saw him she screamed for help. Soon the village medicine man came and treated Tina back into a normal state. The doctor then spoke to Link.
" Did you save this girl? You must possess a strong will to go up that monster infested mountain just to save her. Since I am the medicine man of this village I am greatly respected. I have the privilege to enter the sacred temple on the Peak of the Gods, the mountain you were just on. I usually go there on a regular basis, but it has become a place of evil. For centuries, it housed a great darkness incased in a stone. It is said that this stone is one of three that will allow the hero to gain entrance to the Grove of the Goddesses. Sorry I got off point there. Since you have such great courage, I wanted ask a favor to ask of you. Could you go to the temple and destroy the evil there?"
Since Link had to go there anyway he shook his head yes. Tina finally awoke and shook her head too.
" I'm going too. Come on Link, let's go to that temple." Link and Tina ran out the door, Link with sword in hand, and Tina with her bow in hand.