Part 8 Gain of One Lost
From the moment Link and Zelda met four years ago they both shared a bond. They were able to know where the other was. They could tell how the other was emotionally feeling, but only to a certain extent. However, this bond could be blocked. Such as the time during the time journey that Link had experienced, where no one in Hyrule knew what had come of the Princess or if she was even alive. Link had doubted from time to time if Zelda had survived the seven years he had not been in the material world. That was what frightened him the most; not being able to know what had happened to his closest friend. However, the day Sheik revealed himself to be Zelda in disguise the bond was active once more. The two never were able to fully understand the nature of their bond, but they had theories. Possibly the Triforce gave the chosen ones of power, wisdom, and courage a bond, or possibly the Ocarina of Time had done something to them when Zelda left the telepathic vision for only Link to hear. Now Link had an idea that it was possible the two were able to feel each other as they could because they had their feelings of love for each other.
Regardless of the bond's mystery of how or why it had appeared, Link needed its power now.
Link was rushing across the smooth, luscious grass of Hyrule fields that he would have stayed and looked in awe upon if he was not currently racing to catch up on the dark advocates. He was barely keeping track of where he was going because he was concentrating too intently on finding Zelda. He reached out with his senses and tried to feel where she was without any success. Finally he realized he needed to stop in order to fully concentrate.
He halted the horse somewhere in the middle of the fields and closed his eyes. He reached out, listening, feeling. After almost a minute of just sitting there he got a result. Out toward Lake Hylia he felt something, though it didn't feel as if it were Zelda. It was strange, possibly Tomi's darkness was trying to cut off the bond to make it so Link was riding blind. This thought worried him, if Dark Tomi was able to cut off the bond what could he be doing to Zelda?
Link quickly turned the horse toward the direction of the lake and began charging through the fields once more. He had to hurry; he couldn't let anything happen to Zelda. If anything did…he couldn't even think of the outcome.
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He finally came upon the two gates that tried to keep everyone of the lake area, but always failed. Except this time when he came upon the gates he saw that they had been blasted to pieces. The few pieces of metal littered the surrounding area. The shattered gates weren't the only sign that Dark Tomi had been there, for there were two skeletal minions standing at the ready guarding the way.
Luckily Link had prepared for any guardsmen that were left standing around. He directed the horse for the creature on the left and continued at the same pace. Before his horse rammed into it, however, Link leapt off its back and flew towards the second one with sword drawn. The minion didn't have enough time to react before Link drove his sword directly downwards through the skull and into the heart, killing it instantly. The armored corpse fell to the ground as Link looked back to see what happened to the other one. The horse had hit its target and kept on running in the same direction as if nothing had occurred. However the skeleton did not let it get too far before forming a ball of what seemed to be black fire around its boney hand and send it flying towards the stallion. Link watched in horror as the flames caught on the horse's flesh and started burning it alive. The horse screamed with agony, running in circles trying to get away from the fire that continued to scorch its way up the horse's spine and mane. It collapsed on the grassy terrain shaking madly with fear and pain until it was motionless and the creature's muscles and bones were burning away. Link threw himself at the animal's murderer and fearlessly stabbed his sword through its armor and into its stone of a heart. Its lifeless body fell to the ground, dead, but Link didn't stop. He followed the minion's body to the ground and stabbed it three additional times. He knew he didn't need to do that but he couldn't stand those who harmed animals. Slowly he stood again and sheathed his sword. The young hero couldn't bring himself to look at the dead animal, but he said a quick prayer for the pore thing and started running for the lake.
Link forced himself to forget about the horse and focus on the threat that still lingered. When he caught sight of the top of the house on the shore of the lake he slowed to a walk. He stopped to catch his breath, clean off his sword, and take a last minute to focus up. When he felt ready, he walked the short distance left.
What he saw did not surprise him, much.
His eyes lay upon the house that had always been there looking over Lake Hylia's waters. It was the most eye-drawing thing, because it was in flames. Link knew he couldn't do anything to cease the fire, he only hoped that the man living inside had gotten out before ending up like the horse.
Not far to the left of the house, standing with his back to Link, stood the black robed Tomi. Link took one cautious step after another approaching Tomi's darkness. He kept a safe distance away before stopping and staring at the back of his enemy's black hood. There he waited.
After a few moments he slowly turned around and directed his glowing eyes at the young warrior. Dark Tomi was identical to his light, except Link could easily feel the evil and malice rolling off of him; he was definitely not the Tomi he knew from the beginning.
"How sweet," The darkness said. "come to save your little girlfriend?" Dark Tomi smirked. Link was not shaken by his words; he wouldn't show emotion to this him.
Link was silent as he got into a defensive position. Dark Tomi laughed full-heartedly. "Ahh, right to business." Dark Tomi said condescendingly. The Black Wizard pulled back his robe slightly, grabbed the handle of his sword, and slowly pulled it out of the scabbard. Light Tomi had been right; the sword looked as if it were alive. Veins ran over the jet black blade and the intestinal-looking handle. It appeared as if the weapon gave off a black aura that could have been mistaken for heat waves from the fire. Before Link could catch more detail on the sword Dark Tomi leapt into battle.
Link was caught off guard but he quickly go it back. Duels with Light Tomi gave Link an impression that he and his darkness were near the same strength and skill, regardless of what Light Tomi had told him, but Link now realized he should've listened more intently. Dark Tomi's sword style was confusing; he effortlessly spun his wrist in circles this way and that causing the blade to appear as a blur in one area one moment and in another the next. The style was evidently used to get the opponent to swing for something that wasn't there and find an opening to attacks or guard. Here and there Link missed the Dark Tomi's blade and was cut on his arm or leg. Eventually he realized that he needed have pure defense if he wanted to get through then strike when the chance was right, just like his opponent.
The two began to sword dance back and forth both clanging their blades together always in defensive manners looking for chances to attack. Mistakably Link became hypnotized by the continuous circular movements of Dark Tomi's blade. Finally Link accidentally didn't put enough force into his block and his sword was knocked from his hand. Before he knew it he was flown back by a force that could have only been a spell. But how did he do that?
Link quickly got to his feet and looked at Dark Tomi with a quizzical look. "What? Didn't my light tell you? I can control spells without needing the command word. I control the magic now, it doesn't control me!" Dark Tomi explained. Without a second of a break the wizard shot lightning from his finger tips that flew straight for Link. Link couldn't move fast enough to dodge; he could only close his eyes and put his hands up in front of his face and wait for the electrocuting pain. But he felt nothing.
Link opened his eyes and looked up. There on the back of his hand, shining as bright as it did during that fateful date he fought Ganondorf was the Triforce of Courage. Link looked beyond his hands and saw a bubble had appeared around him, it was absorbing the lightning as if it was hardly making an impact. Why couldn't he use that ability before? Hmph, another mystery of the Triforce, Link thought as he saw Dark Tomi cease his lightshow. He actually looked impressed, from what Link could see of his face.
"Astonishing. You have the power of one of the most powerful Battle Mages. But your progress is slow and you know not of the true power you could command. If only you had a proper…teacher." Dark Tomi said, putting a thoughtful emphasize on his last word. "You have seen the power of my lightside, boy, and I assure you that I am far stronger than he will even be, or was, hm?" Dark Tomi chuckled. Link got the idea that somehow Tomi's darkness knew that he had killed his light. "How did it feel? Striking down a claimed ally, killing the embodiment of a friend, showing no mercy to Tomi when he was helplessly bleeding on the ground after your first bout, repeatedly stabbing one of my skeletal corpses even though it was already dead. How did it feel?" Dark Tomi asked him and looked as if he really was curious about the answer Link would give.
Link could only stand there. He didn't want to say that all those times were wrong or unnecessary because something in him told him that he liked it. Every time he killed something he felt a little bit of a rush as if he were invincible, but always before that feeling could immerse too far his righteousness kicked in and made him see it as a self defense situation only. He always thought that he was doing the right thing. But what if he wasn't?
"Such actions show a strong darkness, Link." Dark Tomi claimed. "You can feel those feelings any time you want if you come with me. I can show ways in how to become more powerful, kill easier. Do this and I will give you whatever you want." Link's mind was racing. All of this sounded like the best off he had ever heard, but a small voice in his head told him that he knew better than this. It was the voice that he had followed since the day he was born. "Zelda would want you to do this."
What? What did he say? Zelda? That's who he was fighting for, the one he was here to protect. He knew Zelda better than anyone else and he knew that she wouldn't want him to do this. Zelda was his light, his guide through this darkening tunnel Dark Tomi had put him in.
Link looked up at Dark Tomi. "There are two things you should know." Link said. Dark Tomi cocked his head slightly.
"What is that?" The Black Wizard asked. Link smiled.
"You requesting me to join you only shows me that you have seen my power and you are scarred of it. You want me to be on your side so that you don't have to go against me. I know that you wouldn't share your power with anyone, so why would you teach me? There is no reason." Link explained, becoming more confident with every word. Dark Tomi slowly straightened his head and looked at Link with a blank stare. "Secondly, I love Zelda more than anything, so do you really think that I think Zelda would approve and go along with that choice? You better get your persuasion techniques straight. But you won't have time, because I'm going to kill you before you get a chance." Link no longer felt the pulling desire to learn how to become more powerful. He could hear the voice inside him praise him for making the right choice loud and clear. Dark Tomi remained as he was, with such a blank expression it looked as if he wasn't even breathing.
The two stared at each other for a long time. Link watched as Dark Tomi raised his right hand, bending at the elbow, and put it even with his eyes. He held it there for a moment and then loudly snapped his fingers.
In the blink of an eye five skeleton minions appeared around Link springing up from the ground as if they had been hiding there for a trap all this time. Link noticed that he didn't have his sword anymore. He saw it just beyond the circle of Dark Tomi's servants. There was no way he could reach it without getting killed first. Everything seemed bleak, how could he fight without a sword? He quietly cursed himself for not grabbing other weapons before he left the castle. He cursed himself for dropping his sword, cursed himself for not being strong enough, not smart enough. He cursed himself for killing Tomi, the one person who could help him in this position.
Wait. Tomi…that was it.
"You should have given into me; your death would have been less painful. Hmph. You're just like your precious Zelda." Dark Tomi said while shaking his head. Link looked up abruptly with hearing Zelda's name. How dare this heathen even think her name. Link no longer felt any fear, he was confident. He knew he could win, all because of one thing.
Dark Tomi moved his hand in a gesture that meant "Get him" and all at once his minions slowly took steps towards him with weapons in hand.
Link knew this was his opportunity; he had to do it now or never. He shot his hand out as if telling them to stop. Shockingly, two of them hesitated slightly. Link didn't notice though, he was too focused. All he had to do was say the command.
"Daiu-Cogein!" The Chosen of Courage cried. Link only had a split second to see but in that time he saw a flicker of fear appear on Dark Tomi's face. Link never saw what happened while he was blinded by the light surrounding him but he never felt fear. He had never been this sure of victory in his life. He felt something in his stomach, as if he were missing and organ of some sort. Suddenly he felt as if something was be pulled out of his abdomen or pushing out from the inside. It grew so intense that it became painful, but before it got too harsh it had vanished.
Slowly the lights began to fade. He could see the glistening water of the lake, the green grass that blew in the wind ever so gently, the black robe of Dark Tomi, and…something else. When he looked at Dark Tomi's eyes, even through the luminousness, he could see a mixture of surprise and powerful anger. Link turned to where he was looking at and couldn't help but be surprised as well. But Link wasn't angry, his spirits rose higher than they were before. Because standing next to him on the shores of Lake Hylia was Tomi, the last White Wizard.
Light Tomi looked directly at his darkness. "Surprised to see me?" he asked coolly. Link then noticed that the circle of Dark Tomi's minions was gone, not a sign of the armored beasts was left. Dark Tomi's surprise had disappeared; all that was left was rage.
"Why won't you just die?" Dark Tomi spat. His lightside smiled.
"You first." He replied.
End of Part 8
