Shadow of the Dead, Chapter Four
Wrenching her arm suddenly, Midna broke free of her captor's grasp and floated up to the ceiling. "Link, snap out of it! Please!" But the hero only stood, that otherworldly smile still plastered to his face. His sword hung loosely in his hand, and his eyes stared up at Midna. Subconsciously, she tried to float higher, only to be stopped by the stone at her back. She had by now at least guessed what had happened. Somehow, Link was being controlled by that Poe. And Midna had no doubt that after it used the hero to kill her, it would destroy Link as well. She had to stop it somehow. But what could she do? Right now she didn't dare get close to him, for fear of his sword.
Staying near the ceiling, she watched as Link advanced toward her, making no sound as he walked. That was odd. The chainmail-wearing Hylian always had a musical clanking following him around. But now, he was as silent as the dead.
She felt a shiver pass through her as he stopped below her, his ghostly gaze boring into her. Once more she tried to reach him. "Link, please listen to me! You have to fight this thing. I know you can! Please, Link!" The possessed hero only stared at her, and her voice fell silent. Then, much to her surprise, the Hylian began walking again.
He's . . . leaving? Midna thought as he stepped over to the doorway they had entered only minutes before. The stone wall was still pushed back to reveal the hallway, complete with the metal chain lying forgotten in the dirt.
A hollow feeling filled Midna's stomach as she watched the green-clad hero step over to the wall on the right. He raised his hand carefully, placing his slender fingers on the rough stone, and it was only a moment later that she realized what he was doing. "No, stop!" she cried, zipping forward along the ceiling. But it was too late. With a low grind, the wall at the entrance began to move back into place, making shadows creep into the darkening chamber.
Desperate now, Midna flew at the rapidly diminishing gap, readying her magic as she did so. She could not let that wall close. She grabbed the wall with her hair, exerting all of her strength against it. Finally, the wall slowed its advance, but its deep rumbling still echoed through the bowels of the prison.
Taking his hand off of the wall, Link turned his gaze on the Twili, but she was not paying attention. All of her power was being spent holding the wall. I just . . . have . . . to get Link . . . out of here, she thought as she struggled. Midna knew she could not hold the wall long, but it was their only hope.
"Aaaahh!" Midna's trailing cry broke through the rumbling as she felt a fiery pain down her back. Her concentration broke, and the wall slammed closed, sending her crashing tot eh ground once more. Pain shot through her, momentarily blinding her. But she did not have time to be stunned.
Pushing off with one arm, she rolled quickly to her left, not stopping until she hit the wall. The master sword rang out hollowly as its point slammed into the stone. Link came up from his one-kneed croch, both hands still grasping the sword's hilt. His fire-lit eyes scanned the near darkness impassively, searching out his prey.
Midna huddled against the wall, fear and pain turning her mind into fog. She could feel a slow oozing down her back. Link had hurt her, as impossible as it sounded. No. It was not Link who now wielded the master sword. It was the creature, the phantom inside who had taken hold of him. If there was any way of destroying the spirit, Midna would have to chase it away, out of Link, before it could do any more harm.
Pushing herself to her feet, she concentrated on gathering her power for an attack. The one who was not Link advanced toward her, sword held low and ready. Midna kept her focus. She knew this fight would be far from easy.