Following the advice of Biggoron, I've decided that chapters will from now on range between 5000 and (approximately) 8000 words in order to put less strain on the eyes (yours and mine).
Because of this, chapters will be added approximately once a week, twice if I'm lucky.
(And for those of you who aren't anime savvy and/or have poor logical or reasoning skills, "Kage" (which is not pronounced "cage") is Japanese for "shadow" and "no" means "of".)
Efficiency, efficiency and efficiency are three vital qualities which I severely lack, for now. If you have patience, words shall grace your screen more often. (I'm surprised that my editor is the only person who hassles me about these things, he appears to be quite fond of this story. After all, it is a masterpiece :))
Also, it would be wise to note that I prefer to post the story first, send the copy to the editor and then post the revised version later for the sake of time. We have very little contact with each other because he has football practice on weekdays (don't laugh, he's smarter than most) and I have fencing practice three times a week. Us being in contact with each other for more than an hour at a time occurs only when the planets align.
I can't believe I just spent $390 on equipment for my feet. Two pairs of shoes, arch supports ($250+) and shock absorbers. But I'm not complaining, give me my fencing shoes and I'm a freakin' speed demon.
Disclaimer: I paid for my Nintendo 64, Gamecube, GB pocket, GB color, GBA, replacement GBA (lost the first one) and GBA SP. If I owned Nintendo or the Legend of Zelda, those systems would have been free gimmicks, wouldn't they?
"Tell me, how long did he fare?"
"I was toying with him. You're lucky that I was, he'd be dead if you hadn't sent me that message."
"I know, looks like our true opponent has more plans for him than I previously anticipated."
"Any idea what this Triforce thing is?"
"As with all lands, empires and shrines are built to worship and protect sacred objects or deities. In this case, the Triforce happens to be just that, the peak of strength itself that lends the wielder powers far beyond comprehension and imagination of most."
"So just how powerful is it?"
"Its power is reflected by the user."
"So the stronger the wielder is on their own, the greater the Triforce increases said spirit?"
"Precisely. Exponentially."
"Jesus, wish we had known about this thing earlier."
"Don't allow greed to overtake you."
"Of course not, sir."
"Let's just see if he can pass his little test."
…
Link awoke surrounded by iron bars. He sat up within his cell and grimaced in pain as his broken ribs ground against each other. He reached into his pockets and was disappointed to find nothing.
"About time, I have no idea what he's talking about."
Link stared up and saw his previous opponent draped within the shadows. He was back to his original size as he leaned against the base wall of the stairwell.
"Kyou? What're you doing down here?"
"Kyou? Man, you're even dumber than you look." The man stepped from the shadows, and what Link saw made him freeze.
This man looked almost exactly the same, but his entire body was pitch black and his eyes and mouth were lacking of any pigment, entirely white.
"You may refer to me as Kage no Gekido," he said coldly.
Link's face turned pale, "The shadow of Kyou Gekido?"
Kage no Gekido closed his eyes and smirked, "Bingo."
"But-"
"Relax, I know as my person does, we shadows are simply opposite sides of everybody, or we are mirrors reflecting them entirely. Regardless of how dark a person's heart is, everyone has a shadow. Even the most evil of men have even darker sides," Kage no Gekido said as he leaned back against the wall and stared off at nothing.
"But what are you doing here?" Link asked, scratching his head.
"I serve Kyou Gekido, that is my purpose," he said, still refusing to meet Link's gaze.
"The only shadow I've ever seen in person besides yourself is my own. Why does mine not follow my footsteps?"
"For one, you are not as black hearted as those who have gained control over their own shadows-"
"So the level of darkness in a person's heart determines their control over their shadow?" Link asked, certain that he understood.
"That's only one side of the coin, the other half is determined by the level of strength, will and belief in oneself. For example, if one person is entirely empathetic, compassionate and loving, than one's demeanor is that of light. And if that person solely believes that how they act and what they do is correct, then such it is decreed that this person has complete control over their shadow. This form of shadow exists within one's personal spirit, matches their thoughts and actions to precise levels."
Kage no Gekido drew up two diagrams and pointed to the one to Link's left. It was a white silhouette with a question mark above its head.
"If however, one doubts one's own actions and thoughts, the shadow gains power over their master, eventually overcoming them entirely and consuming their mind and body. This is an example of darkness consuming light."
He snapped his fingers and pointed to it. Instantly, blackness rose from underneath the picture's feet and completely engulfing it.
This time, he pointed to another silhouette with a question mark over its head, but this one was colored darkly, "As with light, those who doubt the dark action and thoughts they perform are entirely consumed as well."
Kage no Gekido snapped his fingers; the diagram faded away.
"Lastly, those who are absolutely certain in their dark deeds have shadows who do not simply mimic their actions, but actually amplify those thoughts even further."
"So even though shadows may be tamed, if the person ever doubts themselves, the shadow gains control. And if the person has complete command over their confidence, the shadow will either obey or intensify those thoughts?"
Kage no Gekido nodded, "Exactly. And in some cases…"
"What?"
"The person even gains control and gives the shadow form."
Link was silent.
"Kyou Gekido, Hebi Suterusu and Kage Ochisuita all have or have had complete control. Although I have a free will, I am bound to perform actions that lie within my master's bidding. If I even think about rebellion, he could simply banish me to nothingness."
"Wait, you said 'have or have had complete control'. What did you mean?"
Kage no Gekido sighed, "Kage Ochisuita took his shadow's power's far beyond normal comprehension. He actually willingly completely detached himself from his shadow. This shadow, known as Kage no Ochisuita, the Shadow of Shadows roams the world completely unbound by his previous master. Kage no Ochisuita is of his own constitution, and Kage Ochisuita cut the strings over his puppet for only a single purpose."
"And what would that happen to be?"
"Kage Ochisuita is nothing short of a bloodthirsty warrior who has spent his life searching for worthy opponents. When he enters battle, he leaves nothing less than pure chaos within his wake. He alone dictates the outcome of conflict. He intentionally allows his opponents to attack him head on simply to see how much damage they can inflict upon him."
He paused, "…But to be honest, I actually have no idea why he chose to do so. I don't have all of the answers."
"He sounds pretty crazy."
"Oh contraire, he's actually quite calm and light-hearted, at least half of the time…"
"How so?"
"His mind reacts differently to every situation. Assuming his mind is safe is sprinting headfirst into the lion's den."
"You mean Kage has split personalities?"
"In a sense, yes. Although his different attitudes function separately, they are indeed all the same person."
"Characters for every situation…"
Kage no Gekido nodded, "And not only is he as powerful and intelligent as they come, the things he can teach you are beyond phenomenal, assuming that he's actually willing to do so. He's the only reason that I truly exist. Although I am nothing more than an assistant, I am alive."
Link paused. The memory of his search for Navi finally jumped back into his head.
"So where's this "fairy black market" I've heard so much about?"
Kage no Gekido frowned, "I'm insulted, we're not common criminals. We're simply a group of wanderers who seek to find true strength, some of us more than others. Like Kage as to Hebi for example."
Link glared at him, "So why are you keeping me in this cage? And where's all of my equipment?"
"I can answer that."
A familiar voice trailed down the stairs as a slim figure entered the room, "Hey there, cutie."
"Hebi? What are you doing here?"
"She's the one who decided it would be fun to strip you down and take all of your things. Calling her thorough is an insult, be grateful you still have your hair."
"Although there really wasn't much else to look at…"
Link looked over Hebi's shoulder to see a silhouette in a very similar shape of her own, and with a color palette the same as Kage no Gekido.
"Actually, she's the one," Kage no Gekido said coldly.
"Kage no Suterusu?" Link asked.
"My, somebody's actually not as dumb as they look. I'll give you credit, little boy," she said cynically.
Link gulped. If Hebi was fierce, than Kage no Suterusu could probably rip tear him apart faster than fire through paper.
"So, tell me why you took all of my stuff."
"Because somebody upstairs has big plans for you and wants to see just how capable you are," This was the last thing Link heard Kage no Gekido say before he spun around and slammed a button on the wall, removing the floor from Link's cell and sending him plummeting downwards.
"Aw, I was just getting started playing with him a little," Kage no Suterusu teased.
"Be quiet. I have my orders."
"Please, hon, call me Sune-ku," Kage no Suterusu said erotically, bending forward slightly and leaning towards his face.
"Jesus, leave me alone, you're almost as annoying as her. I've got work to do." Kage no Gekido said as he turned around and walked up the stairs.
"Although we are technically the same person, is there any particular reason why you're following him?"
"Speak for yourself, I may be your shadow, but I have my own thoughts, you know. I suppose I flirt with him because you secretly like Kyou yourself."
Hebi blushed, "I do not! He's an inconsiderate, sarcastic bastard!"
"So is Kage, yet you tend to flirt with him a bit more than anybody else. Although he certainly is far colder."
"I can't imagine why, I'm considered A-plus material." Hebi said.
"I suppose the men will just have to do about their business. Or at least try, it's our job to distract them."
"Amen."
…
Link sat up and rubbed his tailbone. Looking out into the distance, Link saw nothing but darkness through the stone-encased corridor.
Picking up a board of wood from the floor, he split in half the long way, placed its edge along the wall and struck it against the stone, hoping to get enough friction in order to get it lighted.
It did nothing.
Link tried again.
Still nothing.
Link looked at the end of the stick, then stumbled backwards as the flames nearly caught his hair.
Awkward, who's ever heard of a stick that lights itself?
Pointing his source of vision down the hall, Link slowly began to walk. His ribs weren't in nearly as much pain as he thought they would, but he'd definitely have to avoid bending over for a while.
Stumbling to his balance and struggling through the corridor, Link raised his guard whenever he heard even the slightest noise from dripping water to the simple sounds of nature. Having broken bones tends to shake one up a bit.
Forcing himself calm, Link sat, closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. Making sure that he blocked out all distractions, Link focused his mind on the task at hand.
Calm oneself, and one shall emerge victorious.
Think rationally and assess the situation.
React appropriately and use force when necessary.
This was the code of the Hylian knights. It was one which Link had heard long ago. Whilst sneaking into Hyrule castle to contact the princess, he had stumbled into one of the castle's many corridors and saw into a meeting hall of knights.
Never had he seen such discipline and focus in their eyes.
He had listened to the chant used to ready them for battle and had used it on several occasions. It came to him a surprise that he only remembered it just now.
Standing up, Link crouched, raised his fists and took a deep breath. Clenching his left hand, Link launched a single straight punch forwards into the air. Immediately afterwards, he shifted his weight and struck forwards open handed with his right fist.
Withdrawing his fist, Link performed a half-back flip, landing on his hands and launching himself upwards legs fully extended. Righting himself, Link transferred the momentum into his legs and lunged forwards with a powerful straight.
Standing straight again, Link took another deep breath, opened his eyes, picked up his torch and broke into a sprint down the hall.
…
Link's first trial began the moment the stone wall fell from the ceiling behind him and blocked off his exit. He looked around carefully, prepared for an ambush of any kind.
When none came, Link barely eased himself and walked forwards.
The chamber rose far above Link's head, the ceiling lost from visibility by the dank lighting from the torches that sat within depressions within the stone that surrounded the edge. Putting out his torch and putting it into his pocket of infinite storage, Link walked into the eerie room.
In the middle of the room stood a pillar in the shape of a corkscrew. Link ran his fingers over it, but couldn't figure out its significance.
Figuring that he'd find out later, Link looked upwards and saw a passageway about twenty feet overhead. Stomping the ground, Link prepared to jump and grab onto a handhold in the wall.
The pain in his stomach stopped him halfway through the air and resulted in Link meeting a hard collision with the floor.
What Link did not expect, however, was the floor bouncing a few inches below, then immediately returning to its initial position. Intrigued by his observation, Link jumped into the air and stomped down upon the floor. Rather than meet his force, the ground simply sank a few inches, then immediately spun back upwards to its original point.
Confused, Link paced backwards and felt the floor rotate downwards.
Now understanding the concept, Link turned around and sprinted. Granted, his horizontal positions remained fixed, but with the floor, Link descended through the cylindrical chamber until the floor would drop no farther.
Looking around, Link looked for any kind of passageway or door. As soon as he spotted one, he looked in through its direction.
Inside was an indescribable darkness, a seemingly mocking, chilling and haunting corner of everybody's mind that beckons them, and repels them simultaneously.
Link took one step forwards and immediately jumped backwards as flames sprang from the floor, almost catching the tips of his boots.
Link looked in again and felt an unfamiliar chill run down his spine, one colder than the densest ice seeping into one's soul.
Shuddering, Link turned right and sprinted to take the base up a few floors.
I'm getting the hell out of here!
…
"He's been blocked out by the southern gate?"
"Affirmative, sir."
The man laughed, "Interesting, haven't heard many of these incidents recently. Inform me of his progress later. I look forward to hearing of him failing miserably."
…
As soon as the base refused to raise any farther, Link looked around the walls and spotted a thin metal pole jettisoning from a space in between the stone blocks.
Jumping up to the bar, Link grabbed onto it and pulled himself up. As he stood upon it, he prayed that it would not give way to his weight. He then crouched and launched himself towards the next shaft and grabbed on.
Realizing that he was moving far too slow, Link shifted his weight behind him, swung forward and used the momentum to spin over and under the bar until he had enough speed to send himself upwards any farther.
After several minutes of the same process, Link reached a platform that jutted from the walls and led to another doorway. The difference from the last one, however, was that this one led to a room so bright that it could blind one in a matter of seconds.
Shielding his eyes, Link took his torch and pushed it though the doorway. As he had not expected, flames shot up and blocked his path.
But Link noticed that they did not give off a resisting heat, but rather a warm one that Link felt comfortable near. The closer he pushed his hand, the more he had the temptation to touch the beautiful flare. As his hand finally came into contact with the blazing energy, Link felt no pain.
Withdrawing his hand, Link saw no burns or marks, which would indicate any sort of injury whatsoever. Mustering up his courage, Link closed his eyes and jumped through the flames.
When he opened his eyes, he saw a truly calming sight. What he saw reminded him of the interior of Majora's imagination.
When Link had fought against the spirit Majora three years ago, the giant moon summoned by the demon had sucked up the mask and Link along with it. Rather than enter the physical insides of a mass of rock, Link had found himself, along with his fairy partner, Tatl in a vast meadow of healthy grass and bright flowers surrounding a gorgeous tree. This was the mind of Majora, a spirit who had long ago forgotten hatred and power, but held only the impulses of a child, to be remembered, to have friends, to have somebody to play with.
The only residents of this imaginary world had been five children. Four of which Link had observed playing a game with each other, and each wearing a mask equal to the monsters which had taken control of the four temples Link had endured in order to spare the land of Termina an ill fate.
Completing the trials presented by each child, Link had given up all of his treasured masks and finally come into the presence of the single child who sat withdrawn underneath the protective branches of the magnificent tree.
The child, sensing Link's loss of power, granted him a single mask. The power contained within this carving sealed the soul of a ferocious god, one whose power was simply unheard of, indescribable even by legend.
The fight between the Fierce Deity and Majora had been over before it started.
When Link had removed the mask, he had literally felt the incredible amount of power rush from his veins back into the wooden mask.
It made Link shudder to realize just how powerful one could become if one looked in the right places.
But the field Link stood in gave him a warm, calming feeling, one that he had truly missed.
Even having no duties of battle back home, Link had always been at work.
And now was the time that Link could take to sit back and rest.
"Are you always so foolish, young warrior?"
Link Jumped backwards in a somersault/back flip maneuver and tensed his muscles.
"What do you want with me, Kyou Gekido?"
"Relax, I'm not here to kill you, yet," he said calmly as he looked down at the grass at Link's feet and gently pushed up his glasses. His form was back to that of when Link had first seen him. He was shorter and his muscles did not bulge nearly as much, but he was no less intimidating.
"What do you mean, yet? Haven't you lunatics messed with my life enough already?"
Kyou Gekido shook his head and sighed, "Once, again, another ignorant soul fails to see past deception and understand one's true intentions."
Link cocked an eyebrow.
"Tell me, how often do you face opponents as strong as ourselves?"
Link thought for a moment, "Almost never, really."
"And why do you think we always beat you to within an inch of death, yet leave you with just enough energy to survive?"
Link shrugged.
Kyou smacked himself in the forehead, "In the name of all that's logical and significant, think!"
Link said nothing.
Kyou sighed and reached for his scythe. Link tensed himself again and gulped. Fighting unarmed against an opponent as skilled as his own was suicide.
Rather than rush straight at him full force, Kyou swung at the grass. Link watched in amazement as the grass simply bent underneath the sharp, curved blade and swayed with the wind that blew from nowhere.
"This meadow represents the purity of heart, unbreakable passion and the gentle strength of justice. But it also represents innocence and naivety and foolishness. Tell me, were you not rejected by the southern gate?"
Link nodded.
"The door far beneath us leads to a blazing inferno, one only a sick, demented sadistic masochist could enjoy. It represents infinite power, the will to endure and vast knowledge. But it also represents lust, sorrow and rage."
"Wait," Link said, "you said that the darkness below is represented by knowledge?"
"Innocent souls rarely know the truth. Naivety comes from ignorance."
"And greedy souls rarely know compassion," Link retorted.
" 'Tis true, each side has its strengths and weaknesses. And you are simply one of the few to have even seen this place, consider yourself lucky."
"And why exactly am I here?"
"Hey, I don't have all of the answers." Kyou immediately slammed the tip of his scythe into the ground. Within instants, the handle bent parallel to the blade and shortened. The blade, in turn, grew in length until it represented a sword of its own.
Kyou snapped his fingers, from the air was created a katana, which fell to Link's feet. Link picked up the blade, placed its sheath in his belt and
Kyou turned his left foot sideways, moved it back two feet, crouched, raised his back arm behind his head and pointed his blade directly at his opponent.
"En guard."
Link unsheathed his weapon, raised his sword arm and charged forwards.
Smiling, Kyou parried his attack and jammed his blade through Link's abdomen. As soon as the guard of his weapon touched Link's flesh, he retracted his blade and hopped back to avoid Link's swipe.
Link clutched his stomach and was surprised to see no blood.
Kyou smirked, "This blade follows my whim. If I wished to hurt you, so it would have been done. This is a test of endurance."
"Does the weapon I wield do the same?"
Kyou laughed, "Foolish boy, you couldn't hurt me if your life depended on it."
Enraged by his arrogance, Link ran forwards and thrust his blade directly forward. Kyou simply jumped back and avoided the action completely.
Picking up his momentum, Link moved forwards again and attempted to strike Kyou with his elbow. Kyou simply blocked this attack with the flat of his blade.
"Nope, even being sneaky isn't going to help you this time."
Kyou pushed Link backwards. As he struggled to regain control of his balance, Kyou jumped into the air and smacked Link across the face the flat of his blade.
Link brought his blade underneath and attempted to strike his opponent from underneath. Kyou simply shifted his weight in the air, knocking the weapon from Link's grip and shoving his blade into Link's hand. He immediately shot down his foot onto Link's fingers and sandwiched them between his shoe and the ground.
Link chopped at Kyou's ankle. Kyou withdrew the blade and jumped back.
Once again, there was no blood. The only thing damaged was Link's dignity.
Rising from his position, Link charged again and swung horizontally. Kyou jammed the tip of his blade into the ground and let Link waste his energy. Rather than make contact with his own steel, however, Link moved his blade upwards and slashed downwards instead. Kyou simply turned on the handle of his weapon and kicked Link in the spine, sending him skidding across the field.
Link stood up and coughed. He wiped the dirt from his face and cracked his knuckles.
"Calm yourself, your actions thus far have been nothing but foolish."
Link sighed underneath his breath. He sat down, closed his eyes and took several deep breaths before tensing his grip on his blade.
"Relax, it is far too immoral to attack an opponent in meditation preparation," Kyou said as he snapped his fingers. Within his hands materialized a small cup of steaming tea.
"If you ever begin to feel sick in the middle of a battle, I strongly recommend a clear drink, like water, juice or tea to expel the toxins from your system. Battle is a physical and mental game on several planes."
Kyou blew across the rim of the cup gently, took a sip and sat down.
"Whenever you're ready…"
Link listened to the gentle rustle of the leaves by the wind of unknown origins. It did not bother him that he did not know how it was produced; the effects of the element were soothing, nonetheless.
Reciting the Hylian Anthem within his head several times over, Link felt his breathing slow to a stable level with his heart rate and felt his body ease its tension.
The moment he had calmed himself, Link slowly stood up and withdrew his weapon.
Rather than charging this time, Link cautiously made his way over to Kyou's position and raised his weapon.
"Ready."
Before he could react, Kyou dropped his cup and moved so quickly that he disappeared from sight.
Link spun around and swung his blade, hoping to find a target. What he felt was a sharp kick to the back of his head.
"Don't assume, trust your senses."
Link got up, rubbed his skull and ran forwards. Rather than slash wildly this time, Link focused carefully and thrust his blade directly in front of him.
Seeing Kyou react as he had expected, Link brought down his weapon, jammed its tip into the earth, used its position to build up momentum and smashed Kyou's glasses with the base of his palm.
Kyou stumbled backwards. In only a few moments did he gain his stature. He stood calmly, brushed of his arm and waved his hand over the grass, which held temporary shelter to the shattered lenses. In a flashing instant, the eyepieces reconstructed themselves and flew back to Kyou's face.
"Silly me, I made a single assumption. One moment."
He lifted up his foot and brushed off the bottom of his pants, applied pressure to the top of his nose, closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"Good. Connect two more attacks and I'll let you pass."
Link didn't hesitate. Pulling his weapon from the ground, Link righted his balance and advanced.
Within moments was the calm silence of the wind split with the echoing clashes of metal to metal.
Link saw his opponent's moves and acted accordingly.
Overhead slash, parry, thrust, counter-parry, horizontal slash, parry, disengage, riposte. The two titan's blades connected time and time again.
Beat, circle. Parry, counter, dammit!
Link played the bout through his mind and felt each clang pass through his body until he saw Kyou make an overhead slash.
An opening!
Link immediately deflected the incoming assault by raising his blade over his head and swung horizontally.
"Wrong."
Kyou immediately picked up the transferred energy from Link's defense, circled the blade around to the left, knocked Link's attack out of the way and struck Link's head with the back of his right ankle.
Link skidded across the grass.
As his body slowed, Link looked at the green sprouting from the ground and immediately realized his mistakes.
Sway with the wind.
Placing his hand into the dirt, Link immediately slowed his skid and jumped upward back towards his opponent. Kyou swung his blade directly overhead. Link evaded the attack to his right and ducked to avoid the next attack aimed at his head.
Kyou launched a powerful Kick to Link's stomach.
Link grabbed his foot and muffled his power.
Kyou immediately responded by throwing another kick to Link's head.
Link reacted by grabbing Kyou's ankle and throwing it upward, Sending Kyou's feet over his head.
Kyou simply landed on his hands and pushed back, sending a third kick to Link's face.
Link held up his hands to grab his foot.
Kyou retracted his extended leg, pushed out with his other leg and smashed into Link's ankle.
Before Link could react, his opponent launched a powerful open-handed punch to his abdomen, causing him to stumble backwards and land on his backside.
Kyou stood up, took of his glasses and cleaned them with the bottom of his shirt, "Don't assume, you're simply going to fall into a trap."
Link stood up, wiped off his tunic, pulled his weapon from the ground and threw it directly at his opponent's head. Kyou immediately dodged it and charged.
Link smirked.
"Kaitengiri!"
Even without a weapon, the spinning force of Link's forearm connected with Kyou's skull and sent him crashing to the ground.
Kyou stood up and sneezed, "Tricky, unexpected. You're learning. But tell me one thing."
"What would that be?"
"Is it really necessary to tell you're opponents what you're about to do?"
Link's smile faded. He'd have to break out of that habit sooner than never.
Kyou held up a single finger, "One more and we're done."
Rather than attack straight on, Kyou sheathed his blade and raised his hands. Palm up, he stared at Link with a determined focus.
Link planted his weapon in its holster. Raising his fists, Link prepared for his next, and hopefully final trap.
Kyou sidestepped his way around the field slowly while Link rotated accordingly, refusing to allow him to strike unexpectedly.
"Not too bright, are you?" Kyou asked, pointing at Link's feet.
Link looked downwards and noticed nothing. He looked up at Kyou to retaliate when suddenly it hit him full force.
Not only had Kyou gained the upper hand by higher altitude, but he had also taken advantage of Link's gullibility and thrown in an attack when he was distracted.
Shifting his weight behind him. Kyou threw a devastating punch to Link's jaw, launching him at least five yards into the air.
"Relax, but focus. Any distractions will be the death of you."
Link got up and smirked behind his hand. Kyou had given away a little bit of information that would certainly work against him.
Kyou immediately rushed him, launching a flurry of strikes that Link could hardly see, let alone counter effectively.
Link felt the pain rush through his body and became aware of his opportunity. It was almost as if Kyou was purposely giving him an opening.
As a strike connected to Link's face, he reeled back in pain, but held steady just enough to see Kyou readying himself for a powerful straight punch.
Immediately turning his feet sideways and turning his body behind his right arm, Link caught Kyou's punch within his left palm and pulled it back to absorb the momentum and minimize the pain.
Kyou immediately counteracted by sending another punch for the side of Link's head with his free arm.
Using his empty hand, Link captured this attack as well and prepared himself.
Kyou, sensing the lack of timing, pulled in a crude counter.
Kyou's knee connected with Link's abdomen.
But the pain in that area was minimal as the burst of a loud crack like rock striking rock rang throughout.
Link grimaced as the pain in his forehead shot through the rest of his body. Kyou clutched his forehead and fell backwards.
"Game."
Kyou stood up, shook his head and said, "Crude, but effective."
Link smiled, but stumbled over, dazed. Nobody had ever told him how much a headbutt could hurt in more contexts than one.
"Your focus and temper control are mediocre, but your stance, reactions and speed are certainly above average. Refine your style and you'll certainly be a dangerous man."
Link said nothing.
"Questions?"
"Why?"
Kyou smiled, "You may not be very quick, or very bright. But you figure things out sooner than most. Time will bring answers."
Link rubbed his forehead and groaned. An enormous lump had made residence on Link's face.
"But I do have some questions that you could answer," Link said, taking his mind off of the deformation.
"Shoot."
"First, are you going to repair or replace my weapons?"
"I am able, but first you'll have to demonstrate to me why you need them so."
"And when shall I have the opportunity?"
Kyou closed his eyes and shifted his head downwards, "Patience, in due time."
Link slumped his shoulders.
"Second. Would you mind telling me why you chose to fight me as you are now? Wouldn't it have been much easier for you to stick with the style that you're accustomed to?"
"To tell the truth, I don't like things being easy. Takes all the fun out of things."
"But-"
"Calm down, you're not going to be facing many opponents as experienced as ourselves. You can take down the small fry that you happen to crash into more often than not."
Kyou snapped his fingers. Two small cups of tea materialized near Link's feet and into Kyou's hand. Kyou took a deep sip and sniffed.
A sparrow flew out from the branches of the tree and settled on Kyou's extended finger. It looked around, craned its neck towards Kyou's face and chirped.
Kyou lifted his hand and led the bird away as it flapped its wings and flew off into the infinite distance.
"Darkness sees the lies that the Light overlooks. Light sees the truths that the Darkness neglects."
"Remember these words, they shall lead to true understanding."
With that, Kyou turned on his heel and walked away. Link looked up and saw that he was already gone.
Link knelt down, picked up his cup and took a deep sip. He enjoyed the warmth that poured down his throat and through his system. It made him feel alive again.
He fell back into the grass and watched the clouds dance gracefully upon the virgin sky. He breathed in deeply the uncontaminated air and took his time to reflect. He was not in the best of moods, but it was as good a time as any to improve himself. Ignoring the pain in his stomach from a lack of nourishment, Link closed his eyes and allowed himself to relax.
After all, realizing just how much you have to learn isn't exactly a gentle wake up call.
Calm oneself, and one shall emerge victorious.
Think rationally and assess the situation.
React appropriately and use force when necessary.
