mysteriousguy898: Lol... wait, what do we get if we feed cows dead cows? Also, the Biggoron sword quandary might be answered sooner than you think. Well, since Halloween is coming up, I'm sure we will have a lot of chocolate to feed the cows for testing purposes. I've been too busy to test out the hypothesis lately.

HeroAlexa249: Hopefully Ivan will not disappoint you. I almost had him witness the kiss, but the problem is that he'd probably figure out who Shadow really is a lot sooner than he should (and get ticked off about the kiss, of course.) I enjoyed writing that kiss scene and was really looking forward to writing it (and it was the first thing I wrote for that chapter.) :).

Just a guest: Pot smashing IS fun thought. And... uh... yes?

Guest: I don't know if I will do a Wind Waker fic. I do have some ideas in mind if that were to happen, but I'm kind of already balancing a lot, and I'd rather finish what I've been working on at the moment. I know that Tetra would still be in that AU.

I have to confess that this temple never scared me, so it's kind of reflected through Zelda. Ivan on the other hand... yeah, sorry buddy. This isn't going to be your day.

Chapter 11: Face the dark

We returned to the temple of time, but we were still shaken after that episode in the well (or the encounter with the Great Fairy, depending on who you asked.).

"Well, we got to meet the bogey man in the flesh." Ivan sighed. "If the well was bad, then I can only imagine what the Shadow Temple's like."

I crossed my arms in thought. "Ivan... when we encountered him, did you hear the drums too, or was that me?"

"I did." He replied. "Why?"

"...I don't know. I'm just wondering if it will affect me as an adult. I wanted to just stand and listen to it, but then I remembered the song Shadow played, and I was able to break free from the spell."

"That or your mind is a lot stronger than with most other kids." Ivan pointed out.

I turned to the Master Sword, which was in the pedestal. "I wish I could have enjoyed being a kid again, but we have things to do." I admitted. There was so many reasons why I wouldn't grab that sword again, but everything inside me was saying to keep going.

I grabbed the hilt of the sword and pulled it out of the pedestal.

-7 years later-

The instant we returned to the future, I could hear a familiar instrument and when the light faded, I glanced around until I saw Shadow strumming on his harp.

"Hey princess!" He chirped. "I thought I'd check in on you and make sure you got back."

"Thanks?" I was a little surprised to see him there in the temple. "Why aren't you at the village?"

"Oh, I had things to do, and stuff to collect." Shadow noticed Ivan and waved as he put his harp back into the mirror. "Hey there!"

"Hey." Ivan tried to sound somewhat enthusiastic.

"So anyway, I did myself a favor and got myself a backup weapon." Shadow continued. "Y'all want to take a look?"

He reached back in the mirror and pulled out a very long blade with a blue handle. He held it out in both hands and gave the sword a very proud grin. "I had the biggoron on Death Mountain make it for me. You don't want want to know the lengths I went to to get this thing: trust me." He shuddered.

"May I?" I held my hand out.

Shadow handed the blade to me, in exchange for the Master Sword. The larger blade was as heavy as it looked, and it required both hands to hold it up.

"Whoa!" I tried swinging it around. "I couldn't wield this thing!"

-Shadow's POV-

Ok, why did my hand feel as if I stuck it in a fire pit?

I glanced down to see that the Master Sword was burning my hand to the point of producing smoke.

...Wait a minute. I hadn't gone THAT far, had I? Evil can't touch this blade, so why was it hurting me?

I quickly stuck my hand in the sunlight that came out of the window and almost regretted it the second the pain worsened upon contact. Hey, I had no clue what was going on, and I didn't want them to think that I was on the wrong side.

-Zelda's POV-

"I think I prefer the Master Sword." I held the larger blade out for Shadow. "It's lighter, and I don't fell as if I'm going to fall over. Plus, as odd as it sounds, I'm kind of attached to it."

"Sure." Shadow accepted his sword back. He examined the hand that held the sword for a moment, before he rested the edge of the blade against it, so that he could get a proper look at it. I could have sworn that his hand looked like it was smoking, but it might have been my imagination.

"So how was the past?" He asked.

Ivan took over for me. "The biggest let down and my worst nightmares in one combined. The Great Fairy was not what I was expecting and I think we caused a paradox. Also, why would the Sheikah put the lens of truth with Bongo Bongo in the well?! Oh yeah, we also encountered him, along a bunch of other freaks of nature in that well, and got scared to death!"

"Huh," Shadow thoughtfully glanced up to the ceiling "I should have asked Impa about the lens."

And then, as if to test Shadow, Ivan added. "Also, we met Kuromori, and I think Zelda developed a crush on him."

At that instant, Shadow sharply turned his head towards us and his hand slid down the blade hard enough to leave behind a black trail of what must have been his equivalent to blood.

"IVAN!" I yelled. "What the heck?!"

"Come again?" Shadow asked.

"It's nothing!" I quickly protested, although I was really embarrassed by this whole thing. "I really appreciated his help, that's all! He sealed the well back up when we were done!"

"Yes I... suppose he has a way with women." Was it my imagination, or did Shadow sound exactly like Ivan when he was annoyed about how I interacted with Link and Aiden?

"Is that blood?" Ivan asked, in reference to the black stuff on Shadow's sword.

Shadow looked at it and replied in a really stiff tone. "No, it's ink: I had a bottle of ink in my hands."

"Suuuuuure." Ivan wasn't convinced. "Come on Zelda, we got a Temple to find-"

"Hang on a minute!" Shadow stopped Ivan. "Just... just wait until nightfall before you go in that Temple. I'll give you a hand!"

-Kakariko Graveyard-

Not only was it still raining, but I was still giving Ivan a dirty look as we waited by the entrance.

"Why did you tell him about Kuromori?" I asked as I finished eating a small candy that I bought while waiting for nightfall to come.

"Just testing some theories." Ivan merely replied.

"What theories?"

"Look, I don't trust Shadow as much as you do. I'd elaborate, but this isn't the time."

"HEY Y'ALL!" We turned to see Shadow running up towards us. "Sorry about-"

"Ok, first things first." Ivan began. "What's the story behind this temple? If Bongo Bongo went there, then it's going to be exactly like the well, right?"

Shadow gave Ivan a thoughtful look, before he grabbed my wrist. "Hold onto her- were going up over the graveyard."

"...Oh no." Ivan realized. "That trick again?!"

"Yup!"

Ivan grumbled as he held onto my hair. Seconds later, I found myself engulfed in darkness and felt my body fly forward, before it was suddenly thrown up several feet into the air and leapt over something, before I came to an abrupt stop.

"Ugh." Ivan groaned as the darkness fell back from us and reformed back into Shadow, who only rolled his head around and cracked his neck.

I looked around to find myself in a small cavern, filled with a large ring of unlit torches, a podium with a fire emblem, and a large door with a Sheikah eye upon it.

"Well, here you go." Shadow stepped away from us. "Welcome to the Shadow Temple. One of the most bloody and notorious places in all of fair Hyrule."

"...Bloody?" Ivan's voice almost squeaked.

"According to legends, this temple was both a prison and a place of execution against criminals and enemies of Hyrule in the past wars. It was set up almost seventy years ago, by m-" Shadow paused "by members of the Royal Family who preferred the quick approach. And yes, it's supposed to be like this graveyard, but much worse."

All was quiet.

"What is it with the Royal Family and the Sheikah?!" Ivan was disgusted as well as terrified. "Goddesses, do they all have to be so macabre?!"

"Hyrule hasn't had a solid past you know." Shadow told Ivan. "You can't handle a kingdom without making a few enemies."

"I'm going to hate this place!" Ivan let out a frantic, sarcastic laugh. "I want this over with!"

"Also, there should be a pair of hover boots hiding inside the temple that might come in handy. You'll know them when you see them."

"There better not be any re-deads in there!"

"Use Din's Fire to light all the torches and you're good to go." Shadow walked away to a corner of the cave. "I'm just going to be in a safe zone, away from the fire."

I walked to the podium and stood upon it. "Now what?"

"Imagine fire surrounding you, and throw your hand down to the ground."

I held the crystal out in front of me and I imagined a nice campfire, or a fire in a hearth inside one of the houses I had visited. The crystal became warm in my hands, and as I imagined the fires increasing to a large blaze that could melt away the frozen Zora's Domain, I bent over and slammed my hand and the crystal inside it to the ground.

A wall of fire spread out of me and expanded outward as it lit all the torches in it's path. Once all the torches were lit, the wall of fire vanished, and the door creaked and moved upward.

"Nice!" Shadow praised as he walked back to me. "You got some potential for magic in you!"

"Gonna hate this place, gonna hate this place, gonna hate this place." Ivan chanted as I got off the podium. We made are way to the door, but just before I passed all the torches, I felt a hand firmly grab my wrist.

"Zelda-" I turned to see Shadow: he seemed surprisingly troubled and even a bit afraid.

"Yes?" I asked.

"I... if you don't want to face Bongo Bongo alone, I'll go with you." He told me. "I thought I lost you for good after he almost killed you in the village."

"You'd go with us?" I asked in surprise.

Shadow slowly nodded. "I mean it. I-" He stopped and sighed. "You deserve better than this. This place should be like a paradise for someone with my abilities, and you should get all the help you need."

I did want his help, but something inside me said that perhaps I could manage just fine without him. Plus, I needed to face Bongo Bongo and get over whatever fears I had left.

"I appreciate your concern." I smiled with confidence. "But I think can handle it. I already faced Bongo Bongo twice and I've survived an encounter with Ganondorf. At the end of the day, this guy is just another monster that I'll have to face; Plus, I got Ivan, right?" I grinned at my companion.

"Heh, heh hehhhh." Ivan nervously laughed.

Shadow smirked. "I suppose so." He let go of my wrist and took a few steps back. "But in all seriousness... just be careful."

"I will." I smiled and waved as I went into the darkness of the Shadow Temple, with the reluctant Ivan by my side.

"I mean it- be careful!"

-Shadow Temple-

The second we approached what was obviously a fake wall that depicted a grinning creature, that was when I felt a little unnerved by what we would face.

"The Shadow will yield only to one with the eye of truth, handed down in Kakariko Village." A quiet voice echoed.

"Ugh..." Ivan moaned as we passed through the wall. "Well, I guess we already- ah darn it!" Ivan then cursed as we made our way through the chambers. "We should have used the lens of truth on Shadow!"

"Why?"

"If he's a shapeshifter, than he has to have a real form." Ivan explained as we entered a maze with skulls, with the lens of truth in my hand to guide us through what we couldn't see.

"One who gains the eye of truth will be able to see what is hidden in the darkness."

"What the creepy disembodied voice said. What I'm saying is that it might help us figure out if Shadow can really be trusted or not."

"Shadow Temple... Here is gathered Hyrule's history of greed and hatred."

I shuddered. "I wonder if it's referring to the Triforce."

I had no idea what had happened in Hyrule's past, due to my ignorance of the world outside of the forest. What sort of horrors had occurred to lead to the creation of this temple and the well?

I went through the hidden wall- only to find a re-dead in the next room.

"OH FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!" Ivan yelled.

-three minutes and one fight later-

"What is hidden in the darkness.. Tricks full of ill will... You can't see the way forward."

"NO FREAKING KIDDING, WISE GUY!" Ivan sarcastically yelled.

"You know, your commentary is killing any creepy vibes that this place has." I pointed out.

"GOOD!"

That of course changed when we found another hidden room.

"Oh no." Ivan groaned when we ourselves in a familiar chamber with a set of hands sticking out in the ground. "Not this again."

I saw a dark path on the ground when I used the lens of truth. "I wonder if I drive him out with a bomb."

"No, no, no, NO!" Ivan panicked. "Remember what happened last time?!"

I went to the spot, and avoided the hands in the process.

"Zelda, please don't-" I took a bomb out. "NO!"

I glanced up. "No whoopsies?" I frowned at Ivan.

"NO! NO WHOOPSIES!"

"Well... I suppose I-" I deliberately dropped the bomb from my hands. "Whoopsie!" I chuckled.

I made a run for it and watched as the explosion of the bomb brought forth the ugly face monster from the ground.

"Hey there!" I grinned as I held my sword out, while Ivan made scared noises. The monster approached me and let his head drop when he lowered his neck- only for me to let him have it with my sword.

"My sword is tasty, isn't it?!" I laughed.

It took less time for the monster to collapse and ultimately fade away, (but I did put the lens to good use) until a chest fell to the ground.

"How can you laugh that thing?!" Ivan asked me.

"I don't know, maybe it's my nerves getting to me." I confessed. "That or he's not as scary to me as an adult." I made my way to the chest and pulled out a set of boots that had a yellow thing around the toe area and little wings.

"These must be the hover boots." I decided. "What exactly do they do?"

Minutes later (after solving another puzzle) I was able to test them out by jumping in the air, where I found myself hovering for about two seconds, before I fell to the ground.

"Lame." Ivan commented.

"I don't know..." I turned to see a huge gap between where I was and what looked like the tongue from a monster that formed a doorway on the other side of the room. I noticed a sign post that was to my left and read it out loud:

Only one who has sacred feet can cross the valley of the dead.

"Welcome to the Shadow Temple: here we have disembodied spirits, a monster that can extend it's jaw when it wants to eat you, invisible walls, an escapee from the well, and a sign post." Ivan commented. "I swear, if I see a cow or a scarecrow in this place-"

I ignored Ivan and he almost had a heart attack as I walked across the open air and had to make a quick leap to reach the 'tongue' of the monster.

"Are you trying to turn me into an old man?!"

"Well, on the bright side, we know that it worked." I told him.

-A few rooms later-

"What is this?!" Ivan asked as we came into a room that had two figures in the center that spun around and each swung a scythe out around the room. Also, there were lots of beams on the ground and a silver rupee placed here and there.

I immediately figured out what to do (based on past experiences) and ran for the rupees.

"ZELDA GET BACK HERE!"

I hummed to myself as I maneuvered my way around the room to collect each rupee and crawled on my stomach when the scythes were getting too close, so that I could avoid them.

-a few rooms later-

After navigating a corridor filled with skutullas, I had to dodge some guillotines ( thanks to my impeccable timing skills) and entered another corridor.

"Wait." Ivan hesitated. "I sense something... really off about this corridor."

I ignored him and continued my walk until I saw an open space at the other end of the corridor, with even more guillotines.

"You know, I'm wondering if they altered this place, to keep intruders out." I said. "This place isn't fit for anyone to navigate, if you think about it."

"Uh... Zelda?!" Ivan panicked was he heard a strange rushing sound.

"What?"

"RUN!"

Ivan's warning came too late- I felt something like a hand grab me around the waist and torso and I screamed as it lifted me up into the darkness.

-Ivan's POV-

"ZELDA!" I screamed, but the damn hand monster had taken her up into the darkness in the ceiling.

"OH GODS, WHY?!" I panicked. "WHERE DID SHE GO?! I DON'T WANT TO BE IN HERE BY MYSELF!" I laughed like a maniac. Great! Just great! What the heck could I do now?!

I heard the ominous rushing sound and I looked down to see a shadow growing under me.

...I'm so ****ed, aren't I?

I felt something grab me and I was lifted up into the air- all the while I was screaming like a little girl and I was pretty sure that I was that close to not needing to use the bathroom anytime soon.

-Zelda's POV-

The hand dropped me all the way back to the beginning of the temple.

...Freaking fantastic.

I shuddered when I remembered how disgusting the touch of that hand was, and I began to worry for Ivan. I didn't see him, and I had a bad feeling that he was on his own.

Seconds later, I heard frantic high pitched screaming and looked to see a miniature version of my captor drop from the ceiling and let go of my companion, before it rose back up into the dark.

"I DON'T WANT TO DIE I HAVE TOO MUCH TO LIVE FOR!" Ivan screamed. "I HAVEN'T EVEN FIGURED OUT THE REASON BEHIND ALL THE ILLOGICAL STUFF IN ALL OF HYRULE!"

"IVAN!" I snapped and swatted him as gently as I could. I knocked him back a bit, but at least I was able to shut him up.

"What the- OH THANK FARORE!" Ivan cried as he flew to me. "I thought I was going to be stuck in that place by myself!"

"And me?"

"...Yeah, I was worried about you too." He admitted.

"Thanks." I smiled. "Well, now we have to go back."

Ivan was silent, before he let out a tremendous cry of frustration that almost shattered my ear drums. "I HATE THIS PLACE!"

-later-

Despite Ivan's protests, I was able to brave my way through the temple. I had to agree with him that I thought that most of the... 'puzzles' involving spikes were a bit much.

"If they wanted to torture people here, than I could see why." Ivan then sarcastically added. "Congratulations people of Hyrule: I'm not going to be able to sleep at night, knowing how messed up you guys are!"

"I suppose this might be why Bongo Bongo went here." I frowned at the memory of encountering him in the well. "But why did the seal weaken? Did Ganondorf have something to do with it, or was it us?"

Neither of us liked that idea.

"The sooner we get to him, the better." I vowed.

Sometime later, we came to a chamber where a large boat with bells at it's front was resting in what looked like a purple fog river within the catacombs of the temple.

"Ok, I have to admit, that's impressive." Ivan sounded less afraid, which was a relief.

Of course, when we got on the boat and saw the familiar Triforce mark on the deck, he went back into his rant mode.

"WHY DOES THE LULLABY HAVE TO BE USED IN THESE TEMPLES?! ESPECIALLY THIS ONE?! WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE ROYAL FAMILY?!"

I couldn't think of a way to reply to that, so I went ahead and played the song. In response, the bells on the boat rang out, and the boat itself began to bob up and down as it took me into a tunnel.

A tunnel filled with what reminded me of the spirits of poes, but only much more menacing.

"...I'm not going to comment on that." Ivan firmly told me, before a set of stalfoes got on the boat on either side of me. I yelped in surprise, but I already had my sword out in response to the sudden ambush.

I wish I could say that I made quick work of them, but I didn't, and what was worse was that I got so distracted that I didn't see where the boat was going, and by the time it stopped, it began to tremble.

"ZELDA THE SHIP IS SINKING! GET OFF OF IT!" Ivan frantically screamed.

I wasted no time. I saw a 'port' on the other side, and I jumped right off the boat and onto the stone ground, just as the boat sank into the dark depths below.

"Holy... mother..." I panted as I glanced at where the boat used to be and shuddered. "Th-that was close! Thanks Ivan!" I glanced up at the fairy, who was trembling.

"This place is out to get us." Ivan's voice trembled. "It wants us to join the rest of it's victims..."

"It looks like it." I admitted as I got up. "But we're going to make it. We'll find Impa and we'll get out of here."

"And Bongo Bongo." Ivan pointed out.

-a few rooms later-

"Oh come on!" Ivan complained as two wooden walls with spikes on them began to close in on us.

-the room with the spinning jars-

"Hey Ivan!" I grinned as I tossed a bomb up and down in my hand. "Ten rupees says that I'll get each one on the first try."

"Logic says that you'll miss at least five times." Ivan reluctantly betted against me. "And you owe me twenty rupees.

Neither of us won, but it was still pretty fun.

-outside the boss room-

"So, let's recap." Ivan began. "We just went through what is most likely the biggest torture chamber in all of Hyrule, which also likes to drive home the themes of death and complete despair. We have yet to see Impa in this temple, and I am assuming that Bongo Bongo is close by."

"I suppose." I shrugged.

"So why have you been so calm about all of this?"

"This place does creep me out," I confessed. "But after so many monsters and traps, I guess this place isn't as scary as it should be to me. I'm more afraid of what would happen if I don't survive."

I turned to the door and opened it to reveal a room with just a huge hole in the ground. I was reminded of when I faced King Dodongo and I realized that I would have to make the leap once more.

"You can't see jack down there." Ivan shuddered. "I think we found where drummer man is hiding."

I walked over to the hole, when Ivan quickly stopped me. "Wait- what about what happened last time? Bongo Bongo knew who you were, thanks to the time traveling incident. What if he tries to-" Ivan trembled.

I turned to look into the darkness; I remembered all too well what Bongo Bongo did to me, as well as the spell he seemed to cast over me.

"I am a little scared." I admitted. "But if I can't face this challenge, than I can't face Ganondorf."

I almost took another step before Ivan let out "WAIT!"

"Look." He began. "You need the eye of truth for this guy right? Can you use it with your sword and shield?"

"I suppose not." This was a dismal thought, so I put my shield away for safe keeping.

Finally, I took a leap breath and leapt into the darkness.

The descent felt like it would go on for ages, and I began to wonder where I would fall, or if I would die upon impact. Luckily, I hit something bouncy like that made a 'pat' sound, and I tumbled to my knees with an 'Omph!'

I felt something strange and almost familiar under my fingers as I got up to my feet. As if it were a beacon, the circular surface I stood upon was yellow, with eye patterns upon it. Or was it a blue surface? I felt as if my mind was playing tricks on me after I made that fall.

Everything else was complete darkness.

"Where are we?" I asked as Ivan flew beside me.

I heard that 'pat' sound and I was suddenly lifted into the air for a good couple of feet, before I could land on my feet again.

I remembered that 'pat' sound.

And before I knew it, I saw a pair of grayish, grotesque hands on each side of the surface. One of them began to hit the surface again, and this time I didn't fly up.

Pat, pat, pat.

Pat, pat, pat.

And then I realized what I was standing on: a big drum.

He lured them with his mighty drum, which was greater than any church bell- with each pat and slap, the drum lead them down the well!

PAT!

This time I was sent flying up.

"ThE LiTTlE GoLD hAIRed GiRL HAs SurvIveD? BuT tHEn AgAIN I shOULD nOt ExPEct LesS oF thE OnE ChILD WhO eScAPed FroM mE!" Bongo Bongo's sinister voice called out to me."I SeE thaT yOU DaRe to FAcE mE!"

Pat, pat, PAT! Pat, pat, PAT!

"Where is Impa?!" I yelled as I tried to make out what was in the darkness in front of me. Who was the owner of the disembodied hands?

"I fiNAllY VaNquIShEd thAt TrOUBleSomE SheiKaH! sHE gOT wHAt sHE dEServEd!" Bongo Bongo sounded triumphant at this victory. "tHeY All wIlL PaY! ThoSE sPinElEss lApDOGs oF tHE LoaTHsOme RoyAl FaMIly! I CuRsE ThEiR bLooD tO DAmnaTiON!"

And that was when my opponent revealed himself: a muscular body whose torso hung from the ceiling. It had stubs at the end of it's arms and what I swore was supposed to be bones sticking out of them.

But the worst part of all was that there was nothing at the end of it's neck, except for what looked like a huge red eye with things that not only reminded me of flower petals, but also moved in and out. I shuddered when I saw that eye looking right at me, but it was nothing compared to what he almost screamed out.

"ThEy CuT mY HaNdS oFF aND ToOk mY hEaD! ThEy uSeD OnE oF mY aLL seeING EYES AgAinSt me, WhEN I tOoK mY RevEnGE uPOn tHEir SPawN!"

I could only stare in horror after hearing this revelation.

"uS deNodnAba AiLyH neHw, AiLyH eVRes oT eUnItNoC eW DluOhS yHW?!"

He then vanished into the darkness, but his hands continued to beat against the drum as they rotated around me. Unfortunately, each pat sent me flying and I was unable to focus on just what to do.

"I think you'll need the bow for this guy!" Ivan yelled. "Give me the lens!"

I handed it over to him mid-'flight'.

"I wIlL sOoN dEvouR yOu anD CoNsUme the LiGhT ThAt HiDeS iNsIDe yOU!" Bongo Bongo swore.

"The what?!" I asked, but he sent a hand out at me and I was forced to duck it.

"SsnKrAD Fo LaoLC eHt nIHtiW seDIh oHW yOb Eht eDiSnI tHgiL eHt eKIl TsUJ!"

I quickly got my bow out and made myself ready when Bongo Bongo's hands were stationary. Before he could attack me, I shot an arrow to his hand, which turned blue upon impact.

"HtcIW yOu!" He cursed as he shook his hand.

"If you'd cut the mumbo jumbo out, then maybe I'd be offended by what ever you just said!" I snarled as I readied another arrow.

Moments later, I was able to land a hit.

"Ok, he's in the view!" Ivan lowered the lens in front of my eye, and I could see Bongo Bongo.

"i LoOk iNtO youR eYEs, aNd sEE trUTh!" He taunted me."SraEF rOuy Ees I!"

He charged at me, but I was ready and aimed an arrow into his eye.

He let out a monstrous cry, but I quickly took the Master Sword out and let him have it. With each swipe, his eye twitched, as did his whole body, until he finally regained his strength and moved back.

"YoU ArE AfRaiD ThAT YoU wILL diE anD ThAT aLL yOu SacRiFiCed wAS aLL fOr NothING." He told me as he continued to beat his drum. "I sAw yOUr EyEs sEvEn YearS aGo, lIttLe GoLd hAIreD gIRl! YoU fEaR deFeAte aNd thE KiNG oF eVIL HimSelF!"

"SHUT UP!" I yelled as I tried to send an arrow to his hand and missed.

"YoU aRE aFRaiD ThAT yOU wiLL haVE tO lEAVe yOUr cOmpAnIon'S SiDE aND sHE WILL bE All ALONe." He continued. "HeR pUrPoSe Isn'T LiKE tHAT oF thE kOkiRi, iSn't It? ShE wOnT nEeD yOu bY hEr SiDE tHrouGhoUT hEr WhoLE exisTEnse!"

I quickly realized that he was now talking to my companion and in a bout of stupidity, I lowered my bow in confusion and glanced to Ivan. "What does he mean?!" I demanded.

I noticed almost too late that a hand was going to snatch me up, and I had to make a run for it.

"DeRtAH fO noItAnRaCni eHt oT sSetsiM SOUiceRP rOUy eSol LLiW uOY tHAt diArFa eRA OuY!" He continued on as I tried to hit him.

I turned and quickly landed an arrow into his hand. It didn't take long for him to reveal himself and repeat attacking him in the eye/ neck/ did I even want to know anymore?

Without warning, I felt that now familiar sensation of something grabbing me and a quick pressure went against my torso and chest as everything inside me was squeezed in.

"HaD tHe SheIKAh nOT aPPeaRed, I woUlD hAVE fInIshED yOU oFF, agES agO!" My opponent cursed. "AnD nOw I'lLL fInIsh WhAt i STArteD, LiTTlE GolD hAIrEd gIrL!"

I felt something inside me snap.

"I'm not a little girl anymore!" I yelled as I swung my sword into one of his fingers.

Bongo Bongo howled, but his grip on me tightened up.

"I have come too far to be killed by you, of all monsters!" I swore as I repeatedly stabbed him in the hand until he finally lost his grip, but I swung my sword out at his fingers for a good measure as I feel onto the drum.

I felt a strange warmth on the back of my hand, and my body began to recover as if my rib cage wasn't almost fractured just moments ago, but I ignored the sensation as I rushed ahead and ignored what discomfort I could still feel.

"I wILL NOT be FORgoTtEN!" Bongo Bongo swore. "I'LL lIvE on In mEmoRy-!"

"SHUT UP!" I yelled as I let my sword have at what was the monster's 'face.' Over and over, I attacked him, as if I had a greater strength that was dormant inside me. "You are just a story in the end! A scary story to scare off children!"

I never stopped until he finally arched back and went silent.

"I cUrSe YoU All!" He shrieked and frantically beat the drum.

I backed away to join Ivan's side, as Bongo Bongo let out his final curse as he slowly turned dark. His hands were flat and stiff, while the main body twitched and writhed.

"DeeRG dnA dOOLb ruOuY fO aeS eHt NI denWorD eB fleSti ELurYH dnA nrEdlIhC ruOy Fo LLa yAM!"

The demon drummer slowed his music to a halt and the 'pats' ceased, until he finally turned black and fell onto his drum. His body dissolved into the black darkness I once saw in the village, until it faded away into nothingness.

It was then that I glanced down at my hand: there, on the back of it, was the mark of the Triforce glowing in a brilliant golden light.

"Wh-what happened?" Ivan asked nervously. "That mark-"

"I don't know." I confessed as the mark then faded to nothing and I put my sword away. "My hand felt warm and then I..." My voice trailed off as the blue light made an appearance.

"OH FARORE!"

I turned in time to see the lens of truth fall to the drum as Ivan shrieked "The lens of truth was one of his eyes?! No wonder they didn't tell us why it was down in the well with him! Oh Gods, we were looking through a body part this whole time!"

"Calm down Ivan." I held a hand out for him as I bent down to put the lens of truth away. "It's disturbing, but I couldn't have done it without you or that trinket."

"I had enough of this place! I want to get out of here and never come back here ever again!" Ivan continued. "And if someone tries to drag me back, I'll beat them over the head with something blunt!"

I laughed. "I'll keep that in mind."

I went to the blue light, but as I did, a chorus of voices rang out in joyous triumph:

"News shines through the shadow o'ver the dell! Ol' Bongo Bongo is sealed up nice and good, in the deep, dark WELL!"

Shrieks of childish delight and giggles echoed around the both of us.

"And I hope it's for good this time." I muttered as we entered the light.

-chamber of the sages-

Right before us, on a purple medallion, was Impa.

At first, she didn't say a word, but then she smiled and held an arm up in the air over the one that was crossed against her torso. "I expected that you would come, young one."

"Impa." I managed to smile. "It's good to see you again."

"Thanks a lot for putting us through the well and the Shadow Temple, lady!" Ivan snapped.

"Ivan, shut it!" I snapped before turning back to Impa. "Please forgive him: he gets scared easily."

"I understand that you had to endure much horror." Impa reassured me. "We Sheikah have served the royalty of Hyrule from generation to generation, and we have been willing to hide in the shadows, as well as keep them at bay from the light. The monster you faced was once one of our own, until he lost sight of the purpose of his duty, as well as it's greater rewards."

"He told me what happened." I bit my lip. "He wasn't happy about his punishment... and he boasted to me about his defeat over you."

Impa dropped her hand as a frown of regret crossed her face. "Even the best of us have wavered on the path that we take for the greater good. He just went too far off the path, and I had no choice put to put an end to him, for the sake of Hyrule." She then changed the subject.

"On that day seven years ago, Ganondorf suddenly attacked and Hyrule was forced to surrender. As you know, his target was the Ocarina of Time, and my duty was to get the prince out of his reach. On that horrible night, I saw you as a child... but now you have grown into a fine young woman." She smiled again. "Despite all that has happened, I am pleased to see that you found the strength to persevere, unlike the one who you had just defeated."

"Oh that's right!" I gasped as I remembered. "Link! Impa, please tell me!" I pleaded as I clasped my hands together. "Where is he? Is he safe?"

Impa paused.

"The prince... has done things that have gone against my approval. He has tried to do what he can for Hyrule, but..."

I felt my heart stop as I felt a fear for Link that was greater than to anything in the well or the Shadow Temple. "What happened?" I demanded.

"I am not at liberty to tell you." Impa shook her head. "When the time comes, you will meet face to face, and he will explain. That will be when we, the Six Sages, will assist you in Ganondorf's defeat."

"I see..." I was disappointed that she couldn't just out right tell me the truth.

"I do have a request." Impa told me. "Link will need the aid and protection that I can no longer grant. Can you do this for me?"

"Of course!" I smiled as everything turned white around me and Impa vanished from sight.

"Please look out for him!"

-Kakariko Graveyard-

Ivan and I found ourselves out in broad daylight, and the sun was finally escaping through the storm clouds and covering the once dreary land with a light that I had missed when I was in the temple.

"Oh thank you Din, Farore, and Nayru!" Ivan praised the heavens. "Never again!"

"Well... it's over." I glanced to Ivan with a smile, but then I frowned. "But... what did Bongo Bongo mean when he was talking about me having a different purpose from the Kokiri?"

"Well..." Ivan sounded uncomfortable. "I mean, I'm supposed to guide you to save Hyrule, so you won't need me anymore when it's all over-"

I just shook my head. "Ivan, you do realize how important you are to me, right? I have my entire trust in you, and I believe I've said several times over that I am glad that you have stayed by my side and helped me fight off my inner demons."

I went over to the wooden fence that separated the temple from the graveyard and climbed over it. "Plus, we can say that we met Bongo Bongo face to face and defeated him to all of the villagers! You also helped me, so you should feel good about facing him, despite how much of a scaredy fairy you were the whole time!"

"Oh yeah!" Ivan became chipper at this thought. "Heh- I guess you're right!" He then realized what I called him. "Really? Again with the 'scaredy fairy' nickname?"

"Sorry." I grinned. "I couldn't resist."

I was able to leap off the fence and fall into a couching position to the ground, before I began to run out of the cemetery, with Ivan by my side. "Alright!" I began. "After we boast to the villagers about what we did-"

"And become part of a creepy nursery rhyme."

"-we'll have to figure out our next destination!" I concluded. "Now where is the last temple and where can we find the sage?"

-Ganondorf's Castle-

A lone Gerudo female of twenty three years glanced though the glass stained windows of the chambers with lifeless eyes. She was dressed in orange silk that clung to her curves and pooled around her feet, while her arms bore multiple gold and jeweled bracelets and arm bands, in addition to the gold around her neck, and the jeweled headpiece in her hair.

She felt as if she were a center piece for some grand delusion, and yet she knew that in the end, she was only a minor detail.

"Is it not to your liking?" A deep voice asked from behind.

The woman turned to see Ganondorf: he looked more like a beast than a man, with his hair grown out into an untamed mane. His eyes, of course, looked more animalistic than his appearance, and could only guess the reason behind it, if she hadn't already figured it out.

He approached the woman and as he reached a hand out and traced his fingers over her shoulders, she couldn't tell if she was shuddering in disgust or shivering out of a hidden thrill (to her great discomfort).

"I used to look up to you when I was younger." Her voice sounded weak, but he could hear the fire in it. "I thought you would change our lives for the better, until I saw the greed and blood lust hiding in your eyes. You were after more than peace and prosperity." She spat.

"So none of this is to your liking?" Ganondorf cupped her chin and forced her to look up at him. "Do you really find this change of fortune unfavorable?"

"I would rather die than espouse a boar in a man's skin!" She hissed. She knew what she said would grant her a fate worse than death, but she didn't care anymore. Death would be preferable, but if there had been a way to save the rest of the Gerudo from their ruler-

Ganondorf let go of her chin. "What a shame." He almost sounded disappointed. "Your rebellious nature doesn't deserve to be wiped clean, but it hasn't played in your favor since the day you planned to betray your king."

"Ganondorf." Two voices crackled from the door frame.

The girl's fire died and was replaced with cold horror as she heard them coming.

"It appears our puppet refuses to cooperate with you." One of them chuckled.

"Perhaps she would rather be a lifeless doll again?" The other laughed.

The woman made as if to escape, but it was too late: as if something inside her was triggered, she became stiff, and her eyes became glazed over, as if in a trance.

"She's fit for carrying out your lineage, and yet she'd probably burn this chamber up with you still in it!" The red hag on the broom crackled.

"Why are you two here?" Ganondorf calmly demanded as he looked over the now lifeless woman who was, in truth, his favorite of all the women of his tribe, as well as the most amusing. "I was enjoying my time with Nabrooru, until you barged in uninvited."

The two let out a horrendous laugh at this. "It didn't look like you got far enough!" One of them crackled.

Ganondorf was getting annoyed at the intrusion. "Tell me why you are here, before I-"

"We have an idea on how to get the mouthy shapeshifter." The blue hag gleefully spoke out.

"The little bugger will be caught under the sunlight and be burnt to ashes yet!" The red hag cheered. "He's been all too helpful towards the little girl. We should force him under the light and make him cast off his shadow to reveal what his true intentions are!"

Ganondorf thought for a moment.

"Go on."

-Outtake-

The joke that you knew was coming

He reached back in the mirror and pulled out a very long blade with a blue handle. He held it out in both hands and gave the sword a very proud grin. "I had a biggoron on Death Mountain make it for me. You don't want want to know the lengths I went to to get this thing: trust me." He shuddered.

"May I?" I held my hand out.

Shadow handed the blade to me, in exchange for the Master Sword. The larger blade was as heavy as it looked, and it required both hands to hold it up.

"Whoa!" I tried swinging it around. "I couldn't wield this thing!"

"YOU LITTLE LYING FOOL!" A very angry voice rang throughout the room.

"...What the Din?" Ivan asked.

"YOU PROMISED ME THAT YOU WOULDN'T USE ANOTHER SWORD! AND LOOK WHAT YOU ARE DOING NOW! I BET YOUR BALANCE IS OFF BECAUSE OF THAT THING, ISN'T IT?! THE SIZE DIFFERENCE DOESN'T EVEN WORK IN YOUR FAVOR! SUCH CHEAP CRAFTSMANSHIP!"

"...I sense logic and rationality being thrown out the window again." Ivan said.

"I think I can smell my hand turning into roasted flesh." Shadow glanced to his smoking hand. "...That... shouldn't be happening, should it?"

All the while- for whatever reason- I began to feel as if I needed to fear for my life.

Well hey there again, you crazy old witches! :D I admit that the possible Ganondorf/Nabrooru dynamic intrigues me and long time ago, I almost considered having Nabrooru be the bad guy and Ganondorf be the sage of spirit. I even started writing something about that, before I gave up.

Next chapter will be a bonus chapter, but it will be different than the others I've done. It's going to be more of a short story than a gag chapter.

Well... I guess I met my goal and finished this before the end of this month... and with that, I hope yOu gUys hAve A hApPy HaLLoWeeN!

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