1.1.1.1 Chapter 10: Bird of the Night
The sky was gray and darkening. Over Death Mountain peak an air of ominous evil stood. The ruins of an ancient castle sat, crumbing more with every minute. At the center, by the head of a staircase, stood a boy, resolute in spirit and sword in hand. He looked around, searching for a dark figure.
Atop a crumbing pillar sat the shadow of darkness. The figure was staring towards the shadowy forest that covered the majority of this land. The hero walked towards it, tense, nervous, but unafraid.
"You have come, young one," the shadow said, not moving its gaze. "Do you see your forest from here? It is dark." The owl spun his head all the way around and glared with a gleeful look of evil malice. "Your friends are suffering, hero. Can you not save them?" he gloated with scorn, turning his clawed feat around on the broken wall, never breaking his intense watch on the unwavering boy. Facing him, the shadow craned his neck towards him, leaning far forward. "You come to defeat me?" he asked with contempt and spite. "Try, young one. Try!"
K'aopira spread his lengthy wings and took to the air. He flapped above Link, circling him. His strong, black wings moved the air. Link sheathed his sword and pulled out his bow, quickly stringing and letting go a straight arrow. The owl ducked through the air, fully evading the quick dart. Link strung another, and enchanted it quickly with light. The owl turned in his path, seeing the sudden glow. Link's arrow careened straight towards him.
The arrow struck the bird of shadow straight on the wing. The light magic flashed, but dissipated, the owl still flapping in the air. A broken arrow shaft dropped to the ground.
"You are weak, young one. Your pathetic light cannot get past my protection of shadow. I hold it tight, and you cannot defeat me. Hooo!" The owl resumed his flying. Link feebly shot two more arrows, but the owl was too quick on the wing to be hit again.
"Hoo hooo hooot!" he called, taunting.
"Navi," Link whispered. "I'm gonna need you help it I'm gonna hit him. See if you can get close."
The fairy fluttered around his head. "I…I…can't. His darkness is too strong for me to approach. We'll need to try something different" Link nodded, in agreement, still watching the bird of the night. Then, he turned and ran away from the circling shadow, ducking behind a fallen pillar. Tucking his bow away, he drew his sword again, its golden blade glinting in the twilight.
"Come back, young one. Hooo! Meet your mortal fate," K'aopira called, gliding slowly towards Link and Navi. The hero's mind raced, running through all the battles he had waged. The owl was nearing his position. [There's never been a battle quite like this,] he thought. Link quickly reviewed all his weapons, straining his mind for a possible way to exploit a weakness. The owl alighted on a halfway fallen pillar nearby. [The light arrows won't penetrate his darkness, and he'll have to be on the ground to reach my sword,] he reasoned. The dark bird began crackling with dark magical energy, his feathers fluffing, building up energy for an evil attack of arcane night.
Link's face brightened, an idea washing over him. He quickly dashed from behind his shelter a few feet, somersaulted, turned, and braced his legs in a kneeling position, body behind his shield.
"Hooo!" The owl's red eyes shone, radiating evil. A black ball of shadow energy grew in front of K'aopira, gained power and burned with darkness. It began to shake and roar with power, and then exploded, sending hundreds of solid black electrical sparks toward Link. The evil magic struck his shield, sending tremors and arcs through the metal, shaking his arm.
And the pieces of evil magic began to literally sink towards the center of the metal circle. A vortex formed on the surface, pulling every bit of the owl's magic into it. It spun into nothing; a bright gleam flashed over the Mirror Shield as Link stood to his feet.
The owl gawked, his glowering glare gone; his face showed as much surprise as a bird's could. Link quickly tossed his shield over his shoulder and redrew his boy. Seeing this, K'aopira regained his composure, and flapped off the perch. Link strung an arrow and aimed carefully.
"Arrows won't work!" Navi screeched from her scouting position.
"Won't they?" Link asked, his idea taking further shape. He speedily muttered an enchantment, and swirls of magic formed over the arrowhead. Link let go; the arrow sang, magic flowing behind it.
The shot was true, and struck in the middle of the bird's back, but K'aopira kept flying. Then the magic spread, and ice crystals solidified over his wings, stopping the flapping. The incapacitated bird fell to the stone-paved ground. Link ran speedily to the chilled form. He drew his blade and swung. Feathers flew through a quick slash-slash-thrust, then Link stepped back and leaped, the sword coming down on the now battered owl.
K'aopira strained his powerful muscles, and his wings broke outward, shattering the icy covering and knocking Link back. The hero swiftly jumped to his feet, unfazed, as the owl took to the air again, not flying as straight or controlled as before.
"Do you feel it Navi?" the boy asked. "The evil force's receded."
"His shadow guard is down!" Navi squeaked shrilly. "Quick! Use the Light, Link!" She fluttered swiftly to the owl. Link dropped his sword, and the metal clattered on the stone as he grabbed his bow and arrow. The brave fairy held constant next to K'aopira flank, and yelled, "Here, Link!"
Remembering a similar experience earlier, the hurt and angry owl spun in mid air and swatted at the yellow dot; she fell. Link's mind screamed of worry, but his hardened instincts already had the dark bird sighted. The owl's unplanned and enraged move had exposed his torso fully. Link cried the enchantment with all of his built up emotions and pure passion against evil. He let go of the brilliantly radiant arrow.
K'aopira mind was clouded with rage at the arrogant child who would strike him. A few lucky hits and a charmed shield would not bury his goals. He brought his head up from watching the annoyance of a creature plunge to the ground to see a white flash, brighter than he had ever seen, directly in from of his eyes. The arrow struck his totally unprotected and unshielded breast and tore through flesh. The powers of light ripped though his body, tearing at the fabric of his evil. The bird spun over in the air, and plunged to the ground, twitching.
Link grabbed his golden blade off the ground, and ran to the downed shadow. He treated the evil creature with careful regard, approaching the motionless form, sword ready.
"You…you've defeated me, young one," the owl struggled to move his beak; the powers of the Sun and all that is good were racking his body with convulsions. "You will not win!" He gasped. "My revenge will not be stopped by my death." He trembled. "You cannot stop the Shadows." He twitched, curling into the fetal position. "Go to the lone island on the sea, if you want to save your people."
K'aopira body began to glow and a fierce light shot out of his eyes. The bird stiffened on the ground, then screeched a pathetic howl of agony. Brilliant beams of light broke through the feathers. The brightened silhouette of the owl dissolved into the light. Link's mind suddenly flashed to thoughts of his noble owl friend who flew the skies of Hyrule, before the evil was cleansed.
His head shot up. "Navi!" Link yelled. "Navi, are you alright?"
"Over here, Link." She fluttered off the ground and towards him. "I think I'm ok."
"Thank goodness. We have to go the sea, and hurry!"
This was not his land; these were not his people. The Hero of Time and a yellow fairy he had met mere days before turned their backs on the battlefield and rushed away.
The sky was gray and darkening. Over Death Mountain peak an air of ominous evil stood. The ruins of an ancient castle sat, crumbing more with every minute. At the center, by the head of a staircase, stood a boy, resolute in spirit and sword in hand. He looked around, searching for a dark figure.
Atop a crumbing pillar sat the shadow of darkness. The figure was staring towards the shadowy forest that covered the majority of this land. The hero walked towards it, tense, nervous, but unafraid.
"You have come, young one," the shadow said, not moving its gaze. "Do you see your forest from here? It is dark." The owl spun his head all the way around and glared with a gleeful look of evil malice. "Your friends are suffering, hero. Can you not save them?" he gloated with scorn, turning his clawed feat around on the broken wall, never breaking his intense watch on the unwavering boy. Facing him, the shadow craned his neck towards him, leaning far forward. "You come to defeat me?" he asked with contempt and spite. "Try, young one. Try!"
K'aopira spread his lengthy wings and took to the air. He flapped above Link, circling him. His strong, black wings moved the air. Link sheathed his sword and pulled out his bow, quickly stringing and letting go a straight arrow. The owl ducked through the air, fully evading the quick dart. Link strung another, and enchanted it quickly with light. The owl turned in his path, seeing the sudden glow. Link's arrow careened straight towards him.
The arrow struck the bird of shadow straight on the wing. The light magic flashed, but dissipated, the owl still flapping in the air. A broken arrow shaft dropped to the ground.
"You are weak, young one. Your pathetic light cannot get past my protection of shadow. I hold it tight, and you cannot defeat me. Hooo!" The owl resumed his flying. Link feebly shot two more arrows, but the owl was too quick on the wing to be hit again.
"Hoo hooo hooot!" he called, taunting.
"Navi," Link whispered. "I'm gonna need you help it I'm gonna hit him. See if you can get close."
The fairy fluttered around his head. "I…I…can't. His darkness is too strong for me to approach. We'll need to try something different" Link nodded, in agreement, still watching the bird of the night. Then, he turned and ran away from the circling shadow, ducking behind a fallen pillar. Tucking his bow away, he drew his sword again, its golden blade glinting in the twilight.
"Come back, young one. Hooo! Meet your mortal fate," K'aopira called, gliding slowly towards Link and Navi. The hero's mind raced, running through all the battles he had waged. The owl was nearing his position. [There's never been a battle quite like this,] he thought. Link quickly reviewed all his weapons, straining his mind for a possible way to exploit a weakness. The owl alighted on a halfway fallen pillar nearby. [The light arrows won't penetrate his darkness, and he'll have to be on the ground to reach my sword,] he reasoned. The dark bird began crackling with dark magical energy, his feathers fluffing, building up energy for an evil attack of arcane night.
Link's face brightened, an idea washing over him. He quickly dashed from behind his shelter a few feet, somersaulted, turned, and braced his legs in a kneeling position, body behind his shield.
"Hooo!" The owl's red eyes shone, radiating evil. A black ball of shadow energy grew in front of K'aopira, gained power and burned with darkness. It began to shake and roar with power, and then exploded, sending hundreds of solid black electrical sparks toward Link. The evil magic struck his shield, sending tremors and arcs through the metal, shaking his arm.
And the pieces of evil magic began to literally sink towards the center of the metal circle. A vortex formed on the surface, pulling every bit of the owl's magic into it. It spun into nothing; a bright gleam flashed over the Mirror Shield as Link stood to his feet.
The owl gawked, his glowering glare gone; his face showed as much surprise as a bird's could. Link quickly tossed his shield over his shoulder and redrew his boy. Seeing this, K'aopira regained his composure, and flapped off the perch. Link strung an arrow and aimed carefully.
"Arrows won't work!" Navi screeched from her scouting position.
"Won't they?" Link asked, his idea taking further shape. He speedily muttered an enchantment, and swirls of magic formed over the arrowhead. Link let go; the arrow sang, magic flowing behind it.
The shot was true, and struck in the middle of the bird's back, but K'aopira kept flying. Then the magic spread, and ice crystals solidified over his wings, stopping the flapping. The incapacitated bird fell to the stone-paved ground. Link ran speedily to the chilled form. He drew his blade and swung. Feathers flew through a quick slash-slash-thrust, then Link stepped back and leaped, the sword coming down on the now battered owl.
K'aopira strained his powerful muscles, and his wings broke outward, shattering the icy covering and knocking Link back. The hero swiftly jumped to his feet, unfazed, as the owl took to the air again, not flying as straight or controlled as before.
"Do you feel it Navi?" the boy asked. "The evil force's receded."
"His shadow guard is down!" Navi squeaked shrilly. "Quick! Use the Light, Link!" She fluttered swiftly to the owl. Link dropped his sword, and the metal clattered on the stone as he grabbed his bow and arrow. The brave fairy held constant next to K'aopira flank, and yelled, "Here, Link!"
Remembering a similar experience earlier, the hurt and angry owl spun in mid air and swatted at the yellow dot; she fell. Link's mind screamed of worry, but his hardened instincts already had the dark bird sighted. The owl's unplanned and enraged move had exposed his torso fully. Link cried the enchantment with all of his built up emotions and pure passion against evil. He let go of the brilliantly radiant arrow.
K'aopira mind was clouded with rage at the arrogant child who would strike him. A few lucky hits and a charmed shield would not bury his goals. He brought his head up from watching the annoyance of a creature plunge to the ground to see a white flash, brighter than he had ever seen, directly in from of his eyes. The arrow struck his totally unprotected and unshielded breast and tore through flesh. The powers of light ripped though his body, tearing at the fabric of his evil. The bird spun over in the air, and plunged to the ground, twitching.
Link grabbed his golden blade off the ground, and ran to the downed shadow. He treated the evil creature with careful regard, approaching the motionless form, sword ready.
"You…you've defeated me, young one," the owl struggled to move his beak; the powers of the Sun and all that is good were racking his body with convulsions. "You will not win!" He gasped. "My revenge will not be stopped by my death." He trembled. "You cannot stop the Shadows." He twitched, curling into the fetal position. "Go to the lone island on the sea, if you want to save your people."
K'aopira body began to glow and a fierce light shot out of his eyes. The bird stiffened on the ground, then screeched a pathetic howl of agony. Brilliant beams of light broke through the feathers. The brightened silhouette of the owl dissolved into the light. Link's mind suddenly flashed to thoughts of his noble owl friend who flew the skies of Hyrule, before the evil was cleansed.
His head shot up. "Navi!" Link yelled. "Navi, are you alright?"
"Over here, Link." She fluttered off the ground and towards him. "I think I'm ok."
"Thank goodness. We have to go the sea, and hurry!"
This was not his land; these were not his people. The Hero of Time and a yellow fairy he had met mere days before turned their backs on the battlefield and rushed away.
