...Hah hah. Hah hah hah... -Flips a few calendar pages- Hey there. It's been glances at the calendar THREE YEARS! Imagine that. -clears her throat- Erm yes. I might as well get this out of the way as soon as possible, eh?
-Swivels her chair- I am terribly sorry. Last time it was a year and a half, this time, I broke the record and doubled it. For that you have my deepest apologies. -bows deeply-
And so now, back on topic, eh? A sort of cliffhanger I left you all hung up on last time. Here we go. If you have the kindness to read, please have the kindness to respond. If you respond, please keep angry notes on how you want to strangle me for making you wait so long to a minimum. -sweats- I said I was sorry okay?!
Link and all Zelda related topics belong not to me. But you should know that already, considering this is posted up on Fan Fiction net.
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Chapter 10
"Shadow!!"
The glowing red eyes arced their way over toward me, a smile suddenly spreading across his lips. "That was extremely inconsiderate of you Link. You barge into my castle, steal my guest and expect to escape here. And calling in my own subjects to rebel against me, especially during a one on one fight." He lifted himself in the air until he hovered well above our heads, his lips parting into a grin. "That's unfair, Link. Where's your honor, ah?"
I stepped forward, bringing my sword up. My eyes darted up to where Shiek floated in the air, entangled by threads that extended from Shadow. "Let her go, Shadow."
He leaned forward, suddenly bursting into laughter. "'Let her go, Shadow.' Let her go! You shame me! Come now, do you honestly believe that, after having my guest back from your interruption, I would simply release her as you demand?" He flicked his wrist, amusement dancing clearly in his eyes.
Shiek let out a yelp of shock as the dark threads expanded, completely enveloping her in a black sphere. I felt my heart skip a beat. "Shiek!!"
Arran stepped shakily beside me, his eyes widened with shock and all that familiar resolve and mischief wiped clean off of his face. His eyes were locked upon the sphere, his lip trembling. "Y-Your Majesty!"
The corner of Shadow's grin quirked the slightest bit, a flare of anger sparking in his eyes. "She is so precious to you and to her kingdom." He lifted his hand, fingers curled upward as if holding a cup. "I don't know why I hesitate to kill her!"
I felt my heart lodge itself in my throat just as his fingers clenched tight, the black sphere flashing a bright red, expanding violently and instantly contracting into a tiny ball. "Zelda, no!!" I screamed. Arran beside me had broke into a terrified shriek, his hand flying up to grip his hair. He screamed the princess's name frantically, urging for her to respond. And the entire time, Shadow was shaking with uncontrollable laughter.
It took me a split second before I realized he was merely playing with us. "You bastard!" I took several steps forward, bringing myself closer to Shadow, but he simply hovered further away.
"That's it! That is the reason I haven't killed her!" The dark sphere expanded once more to it's original size and Shadow pointed accusingly at me. "That face! That look of hatred! It suits you far better than do your mindless heroics, running around the countryside waving your sword at everything that bites. For what? For the sake of the people who could've cared less for you to begin with?"
Arran staggered around me, his head arced up to the ceiling. He didn't seem to even hear anything that Shadow had said, his entire form trembling. "Princess Zelda! Your Majesty, speak to me!"
Shadow's eyes flashed with anger, his grin dropping off his face. He swept his hand to the side, a flash of black lightning sparking out and striking Arran on the chest. He was knocked clean off his feet and thrown to the opposite wall, falling down into a heap on the ground. I spun around. "Arran!"
"Hero of Time!" I turned, glaring at Shadow. He returned my glare with his own, what amusement that he had gone now. "I am here to claim your beloved kingdom. For that, the Princess Zelda must die." He hovered over toward where the pool of water filled the center of the room, floating down so that his toes just touched the surface. "But before she does, I will see you struggle. You will fight me with all of your power to save your precious Zelda, and when all that strength is gone, you will know despair!"
He spread his arms apart, the water flattening out and frosting over, racing across the floor of the room and coating the walls. With a flash of icy blue light, they froze over into glistening mirrors, lining the walls. I stepped back, readying my sword and shield, my heart pounding. Shadow spread his feet, plates of stone forming up to cover the empty space left behind by the pool of water, and stood. One hand reached down to his side, drawing his jeweled sword slowly. He let the sword ring long in the room as he held his blade horizontally before him, that cynical smile creeping back onto his face. "Our little duel was interrupted before. I should hope that we'd be able to play it out to the end this time. Now, show me that Bane of Evil!"
He lifted his sword, swinging it into position before leaping forward at me. His sword flashed a brilliant light as it clashed with mine, pushing me back one step before he swung his sword for two more strikes.
I blocked one with my shield and parried the second, taking one small step forward to put my shield up to his face. In one strong blow, I swung my shield against his chest, knocking him away.
Shadow stumbled back, regaining his footing, but didn't seem to resume attacking me. He let out a laugh, wiping the side of his mouth where a speck of blood was. "You have improved. Maybe I should bring myself up to the challenge huh?" His eyes glowed with delight.
I felt the corner of my mouth quirk into a smirk. "Afraid?"
"Hardly!" Shadow flourished his sword, a swirling black aura enveloping it. He brought it up to his face, the dark blade reflecting mine, and then leapt backwards. He hadn't gone even a few inches before his entire form disappeared, the air wavering like water. The mirrors surrounding me suddenly blackened, plunging the entire area into darkness.
I felt my entire body tense. I could hardly see in front of me, the faint glow from my sword and an eerie light cast off by the ice on the floors, but aside from that, nothing. Where was he going to come from?
I was answered all too soon. And not even answered at that. Glowing red eyes appeared in the mirror straight across from me. And then another set beside it, and yet another. Did he replicate himself?! I didn't have time to think anymore.
The eyes moved, a glint of silver as a sword was brandished and all the eyes zoomed toward me. I couldn't protect myself from all of them! I brought up my shield and braced for a hit from all sides, but received nothing. A sword flashed out from my side, brighter than the rest. No time to block it with my shield—I swept my blade up, a ringing clash echoing the room. Was that him?!
His sword hovered in the air above him, struggling to regain control over his weapon. I took the chance and swung a horizontal slash at him. My sword swept straight through his black tunic, his entire form shimmering before dispersing. Before long, the room was in darkness all over again.
I straightened myself once more, my entire body shaking with adrenaline. My back felt so vulnerable! Should I move toward the mirrors?
Movement from beyond the mirrors caught my eye again. A figure hovered there, one hand raised into the air. A ball of black lightning sparked into existence. He swept it at me, the ball streaking through the air and...
Stopping? I felt a split second of confusion, and then an explosion of searing pain in my backside. I screamed out, my mind blacking out for a second as I flew through the air, slamming into the ice and sliding all the way to the mirrors. Lightning crackled around my body. Was I hit? From behind? I struggled to right myself, feeling the numb in my muscles weakening ever so slowly. My eyes locked with myself in the mirror, a figure moving slowly toward me just beyond. Wait... Was that Shadow?
Footsteps now, thundering toward me. I jerked up, turning my body just in time to see a blade swing down at my face. Instinctively, I brought up my arm to block. The blade made contact with my gauntlet, the vibration of the strike shaking through my entire arm.
My eyes locked with Shadow's, feeling the strange nostalgic sensation of staring into a mirror.
"Get up, weakling!" Shadow shouted in my face.
My other hand patted the ground until it found the familiar handle of the Master Sword and I swung it at him. He leapt away from me, my sword missing completely. I righted myself as quickly as I could, but Shadow had already disappeared once more. I couldn't help but feel intensely frustrated. How was I expected to combat an opponent that refused to show itself?!
I put my back to the mirror, my eyes scanning along the walls for movement. Again, I spotted Shadow racing along the walls beyond the mirrors, running toward my left. I readied myself, watching him suddenly change direction, leaping toward the mirror that divided reality and reflection. He emerged in full-sprint, rushing me from the front. Was he just a copy, or the real thing?
His sword flashed, clanging into my shield—So easily? I whipped my head around, a flash of black as a sword was thrust toward my left side. I jerked to the right, feeling the startling sensation of cold iron slid against my ribs before spinning around, bringing the Master Sword in a haphazard slash. The figure vanished, and the sensation of cold was quickly replaced by slivers of warm liquid.
My eyes darted to the mirror behind me, the only thing left to look at after my target vanished. There, even if for a brief second, I saw it again. A figure, a skeleton completely wrapped in serrated black and red garments, a sword in hand with a jewel encrusted hilt wrapped in bony fingers. It moved, as if drawing back its sword before the image shimmered and disappeared altogether.
I let out a curse. That's him! That was him!! That had to have been him! He must be hiding behind his mirrors, letting his copies attack me. How can I get to him? Can I... I turned, seeing Shadow in my form once again making his move. It was better than nothing.
Shadow emerged from the mirrors once more at full-tilt, sword risen up to his face with intent to impale. I drew my bow, and rolled to the side just as he neared me. In one fell-swoop, I had steadied myself on one knee with an arrow notched, turned not toward Shadow, but the mirror he faced. The skeleton had shown itself again, in the exact same pose as Shadow was. Without a moment's hesitation, I fired the arrow.
It sliced through the air, right past the Shadow copy's face and struck the mirror with a dull thud. The skeleton behind it jerked as if struck by my arrow and I heard Shadow's cry of surprise echo inside the room. Shadow's copy shimmered before disappearing as the skeleton within the mirror locked eyes with me.
"Smart one, aren't you?" his voice growled. The skeleton disappeared once more, leaving just a cracked mirror with one of my arrows stuck in the ice. And that gave me yet another idea.
The darkened room suddenly became alight with sparkling black lightning. Shadow appeared in each of the mirrors, arms raised with a great ball of lightning hovering above him. The air seemed to crackle with the sheer energy, and I knew that it probably wasn't going to be just one shot fired at me. What else could he feel but threatened that I had found out his secret? "Why don't you just die?!" I scanned the room, heart pounding in my head. There!
All the figures launched their magic. I broke into a run, seeing that several of the orbs of electricity had indeed blown forward through the mirrors, all flying toward me. In a last ditch effort to dodge, I leapt forward into a roll. I felt the heat of the bolts singe me as they flew past, exploding into a shower of smaller bolts as they slammed into the ice. I rolled up onto my feet, directly in front of one mirror, sword drawn. The skeleton beyond the mirror jerked, no time to react. "You—!!"
I swung my sword as hard as I could into the mirror. It splintered, shattering the image, but the sound of breaking glass came from behind me. I spun around.
There, laying in a shower of glass shards, was the skeleton, completely dazed. An image of myself, of Shadow flickered on and off as he struggled to get up on one knee.
This could not have been a better chance! I broke into a dash, gripping both my sword with both hands. I saw Shadow lift his face to me as I neared him, leapt and came down with my sword.
Sparks flew, Shadow just barely lifting his sword into place. I couldn't let him recover! I lifted my sword from the deadlock, nearly making Shadow lose whatever balance he still had and came forward with two more strikes. He teetered back, and I swung upward, harder this time.
Our swords met, but my strike had far more power to it. I pushed his blade up and out of the way, almost throwing Shadow to the ground. I stepped forward, not even bothering to swing my sword. I balled my right fist and swung it at his face.
The edge of my shield smashed into his cheek as the punch connected, Shadow twisted mid-air and thrown back. His sword fell from his hands, and I leapt forward.
Shadow turned, no time to grab his sword. With a battle-cry, I thrust my sword forward, aimed straight at his chest.
...
-Head bobs with the action, some epic battle music playing- What, gotta have that epic battle. Of course, if this was really in a game, you'd have to strike way more times that Link did here. But for the sake of entertainment, nah. :D