A/N: Yay, I got the chapter finished! I won't waste you're time with an author's note today, so here's the next chapter!
Disclaimer: Zelda? Nope, still don't own it.
A Visit from a Shadow and a Princess
When we got back to my house, I called my parents and asked if Jake could stay over. They said that they had to stay at work for some overtime and wouldn't be home until late, and they actually preferred if I had a friend over until then. So, after hanging out watching TV for a while and eating some dinner, we all packed into my room for bed. I set out an extra sleeping bag for Jake right next to Link's, and we settled in for the night.
We kept a light on, not wanting to take any chances of being unprepared if Link went crazy. Jake had agreed to stay awake and keep the first watch for any signs of Dark Link's reappearance. After our exciting day, Midna and I fell asleep almost immediately, and despite his best efforts to stay awake, Link soon succumbed to the exhaustion as well. Unfortunately, Jake was also worn out too, and he fell asleep shortly after Link did.
I was woken up by the sound of someone shuffling around the floor. I opened my eyes and sat up, to find Link walking slowly across my floor to the door, trying not to disturb Midna or Jake.
"Link!" I hissed, and he whirled around. Just as I suspected, it was not the Link I knew.
"Shut up, you stupid girl!" he whispered back to me, his red eyes gleaming. He took a step towards me, accidentally stepping on Jake's toe.
"Ouch!" he exclaimed, jerking awake. He looked up and saw Dark Link glaring down at him. "Crap!"
"Midna, come up here," I said, picking the sleepy imp up off the floor and sitting her on the bed next to me as Jake jumped up, grabbing the baseball bat we'd found earlier.
"Mmm . . . what's going on?" Midna asked, rubbing her eyes. I pointed to Jake and Dark Link facing each other warily. Dark Link had a calculating expression on his face, while Jake was trying not to look scared.
"Now, honestly, what do you expect to do with that?" Dark Link asked, gesturing to the baseball bat in Jake's hand.
"Uh, well, I was gonna hit you with it, if you tried to attack anybody," Jake replied, and Dark Link smirked.
"Oh yeah? You think you can even tap me with that thing?"
"Well . . ."
"Let's see you try, shall we?"
"Fine!" Jake's expression turned determined.
"Hey, be careful!" Midna said quickly, looking concerned. "Remember, Link is still in there somewhere! You don't want to hurt him!"
"Don't worry!" Jake reassured her. "He'll be fi-ah!"
He yelped as the bat was caught in mid-swing. Dark link sneered at him and twisted the bat, making Jake let go as his arm was twisted with it.
"You are an idiot," Dark Link said. He turned and started to come towards me and Midna, but Jake blocked his path.
"Ugh, how many times must I tell you to leave me alone?!" Dark Link yelled, swiping at Jake. He hit him with such force that he flew into the wall and slumped to the floor, knocked out. I could see a small trickle of blood sliding down his head.
"JAKE!" I yelled, jumping up and running over to him. I heard Dark Link laugh as I examined him. The only visible injury I could see was a small cut in his head and it was already starting to clot, so I stood up and turned back to Dark Link.
"Midna, do you know how to get Link back?!" I asked as she floated over to me.
"Ha, too bad for you!" Dark Link laughed. "As long as I'm here, he's not coming back!"
"I think I might be able to do something . . .," Midna said, biting her lip. We started backing away as Dark Link came towards us.
"Well, then do it!"
"But it might hurt Link!" I glanced over at her, and her face was a mask of indecision. "You saw what I did to Zant before, right? With my hair? Well, I think I might be able to push Dark Link out of Link's body the same way, but I'm not sure if it'll kill Link in the process!"
"Yes, if you try anything, it will hurt your precious Hero! Ha!" Dark Link said. I stopped walking when I realized I was backed up against the wall. Thinking of no better solution, I quickly tried to dark under Dark Link's arm, but he caught my hand and held on.
"Ow! Let go!" I yelled as he tried to pull me towards him.
"I don't think so!" he said, smiling evilly.
"Midna!" I called, and I felt her grab my other arm and attempt to pull me free. Dark Link started to grimace at the strain and grasped on tighter, so tight that his nails actually made a gash in my hand as I wrenched it free.
"Alex, are you okay?!" Midna asked, looking at my hand. It was bleeding steadily, but it wasn't too deep.
"Midna, just try whatever you have to," I told her, starting to back away again.
"But, what if-"
"I don't want to risk hurting Link either, but if it's the only option we have, you gotta try it! Is there any other possible thing you can think of?!"
"No . . ."
"Then try it! I'm sure Link will be fine!"
"But . . . okay, fine." Midna floated around to the front of me, making Dark Link pause to stare at her warily.
"What are you gonna do?" he questioned. Midna just narrowed her eyes and snarled at him. I moved out of the way as her hair turned into what looked like bright, orange tendrils.
"Wait- don't!" Dark Link exclaimed when he realized what Midna was going to do. She ignored him, and the tendrils shot forward. Dark Link tried to dodge them, but he wasn't fast enough. They shot straight through him, and he screamed. Midna clenched her teeth and held her place, and soon what looked like a shadow seemed to fall out of Link's back.
Midna released Link's body, which slumped to the ground. We ran over to it, and I noticed an exact replica of Link, entirely in black, laying a few feet away.
"Link? Link! LINK! Oh, goddesses, please be okay, Link!" Midna said as I helped her lift him into a sitting position.
"Unh . . . Midna?" Link questioned, opening his ice-blue eyes. Midna and I sighed with relief, and Midna threw her arms around him, nearly knocking him over.
"You're okay!" she said, and Link patted her on the back and smiled at me. We suddenly turned as we heard someone growl behind us.
"No! Goddesses damn it!" Dark Link cursed, standing up and looking at himself. He lifted his gaze and snarled at us. "This is all your fault!"
He took out the sword that was strapped to his back and pointed it at Midna, who had floated out of Link's arms.
"Leave her alone," came Link's voice from behind me, and I moved out of the way just in time for him to run past me and slash at Dark Link with his sword, but his counterpart blocked the blow.
Midna and I ran over and pulled the still unconscious Jake out of the way as Link and his doppelganger battled. The fight lasted for a few minutes, with each of them getting scratched and nicked here and there. Just when it seemed like no one was going to win, Dark Link made a thrust at Link, leaving himself wide open. Link dodged the thrust and stabbed at Dark Link, hitting him square in the heart. He screeched and dropped his sword, falling to the ground.
"NO!" he yelled, swiping at Link's feet as black mist started to pour out of his chest. Link jumped out of the way and came over to us.
"Shouldn't you finish him off?!" I asked, as Dark Link attempted to crawl towards us. Link smiled at me without humor.
"Don't worry- he's already done for."
I looked back at Dark Link as he gave up his crawl and collapsed onto the floor, breathing heavily.
"Damn you, Link!" he screamed, reaching out his hand as if he could wrap it around Link's throat. "I will defeat you someday!"
"You just keep tellin' yourself that," Link said, crossing his arms in front of him.
Dark Link made an un-human screeching sound, and then he gasped and let his arm fall to the ground, his ruby eyes closing. He slowly started to dissolve into black mist, which soon dispersed into the shadows and out of my door.
We all stood there for a moment, trying to process what had just happened.
"Hey, what happened to Jake?!" Link said suddenly, noticing Jake leaning against the wall where we'd moved him.
"Oh, Dark Link knocked him into a wall and knocked him out," I explained as Link rushed over to him. "He was bleeding a little, but I think it stopped now."
"Yeah . . . yeah, I think he'll be okay," Link agreed, examining the cut on Jake's head. Just then, Jake groaned and opened his eyes.
"AH! Oh my god, Dark Link! Get away!" he screeched, trying to smack Link in the face when he saw him standing over him.
"Jake, calm down!" I said, grabbing his arms and holding them still as Link moved out of the way. "He's back to normal! Dark Link's gone!"
"Really?!"
"Yeah, Link's perfectly fine," Midna replied, and Jake sighed with relief.
"Whew . . . hey, what happened to your hand?!"
"Did you get hurt?!" Link asked, grabbing my hand and looking at the cut.
"Yeah, Dark Link scratched me a little, but it's fine- it already stopped bleeding, see?" I held up my hand so it was easier for him to see it.
"Dammit," Link muttered, letting my hand go. "I hoped no one would get hurt, but look what happened . . ."
"Hey, it's okay," Midna reassured him, putting a hand in his shoulder. "You did good. Everyone's safe, including yourself!"
"Yeah, I guess so . . ." Link still looked upset.
"You guys are sure he's gone?" I asked, and Link and Midna both nodded.
"Ninety-nine percent positive," Link said, and I smiled at him.
"Then I know what'll make you feel better!" He looked at me, confused. "Let's go downstairs and have some ice cream! I think there's some in the freezer."
Link's eyes instantly lit up.
"Ooh, do you have cookie flavor?!" he asked, bouncing up and down a little bit. We all laughed, glad that he was back to normal.
"Yeah, I think so," I told him, and he squealed and clapped his hands together.
"Yay! Can we go eat some now?!"
"Yeah, of course!" I stood up. "Let's go!"
"Woohoo! Ice cream! Ice cream!" Link chanted, jumping up as well. Jake and Midna followed suit, and soon we were downstairs in the kitchen enjoying a well-deserved snack of ice cream and coffee (for Midna, of course).
As we talked and laughed, we were completely unaware of who was waiting for us just outside the house.
* * *
After our snack, we went back up to my room to try and get some sleep. Just as we were settling in, I heard something hit my window. I went over and opened it, and saw Zant standing outside, smirking up at me.
"Zant!" I exclaimed, and Link, Midna, and Jake immediately ran over to peer out at him.
"Hello!" Zant called, waving at us.
"How did you find us?!" Midna asked, and Zant laughed.
"It's not that hard to follow you- you're not that sneaky," he replied.
"We weren't trying to be sneaky," I informed him.
"Whatever," he said. Then he laughed again. "So, how's your new friend, Hero?"
"You mean Dark Link? He's dead," Link said flatly, and Zant's smile faltered.
"Geez, you didn't even give him a chance to fight, did you?"
"Why the heck would I do that?! He was trying to hurt my friends! In my body, too! I wasn't just gonna stand around while he did who knows what to them!"
Zant clicked his tongue, annoyed.
"I thought that idiot was stronger than that," he muttered.
"Zant, what are you doing here?" Midna asked, and he looked up at her.
"Well, I came to check on Dark Link, but I also wanted to tell you that I don't need your help anymore." He smiled again, his wide eyes making him look completely insane. "I found a way back!"
"What?!" the four of us exclaimed in unison. Zant shrieked with laughter and darted off into the woods.
"Do you think he's serious?" Jake asked as we stared after him.
"I don't know . . .," Link said. He pushed himself away from the window and grabbed his sword and shield. "But do we really want to take any chances?"
"Let's go," Midna agreed, floating over to sit on Link's shoulder.
"You guys can stay here if you want," Link said as he swung his legs over the windowsill, ready to jump.
"Are you crazy?!" I exclaimed. "We're coming with you!"
"We're not gonna let you guys run around with Mister Psycho out there," Jake added.
"Thanks," Link smiled. He slid off the edge and dropped to the ground. Jake and I went over to the window as Midna floated off of Link's shoulder.
"You can jump, Alex," Link called up to me. "I'll catch you." He held out his arms as I slipped off the edge. I landed safely in his arms and he set me on my feet. Jake soon joined us, and we turned towards the woods.
"Ready?" Link asked, glancing at Midna, Jake, and I.
"Ready," we agreed. Link nodded and we started walking, following Zant into the dark forest.
* * *
We walked through the forest for what seemed like hours, following a path of broken branches and smooshed-down leaves that Link and Midna were positive that Zant had made. Finally, Link held out his arm and we paused.
"Everyone go slowly and quietly from here on out," he instructed us. "We don't want him to hear us coming."
We started moving again, at an almost agonizingly slow pace, until we came to a fairly large clearing. We stopped and hid in the shadows when Link spied Zant standing in the middle of the area. As we watched Zant, I also looked around the clearing. It seemed very familiar for some reason, even though I know I hadn't ever been this far into the woods before.
"Hey! Are you guys just gonna stand there, or are you gonna come out here?!" Zant suddenly called, spotting us. Link stepped out of the shadows, Midna still on his shoulder, but he motioned for Jake and I to stay put.
"You said you found a way back," Link said, pointing his sword at Zant threateningly. "Tell us."
"Really, you can't figure it out yourself just by looking around this place?! You really are stupid!" Zant laughed. Link snarled and thrust his sword forward, stopping when the blade was centimeters from Zant's throat. Zant just smiled.
While this had been going on, I'd been wracking my brain to figure out where I'd seen this place before. The huge trees, the beams of moonlight that fell through the branches, the pedestal that Link, Midna, and Zant were standing on . . .
All of a sudden, I realized where we were.
"Link!" I exclaimed. "Look by your feet!"
Link glanced down, still keeping a watchful eye on Zant. His sword wavered slightly as he saw that he was standing on a pedestal with a hole right by his feet, just big enough to fit a sword into.
"Th-the temple of time!" Link gasped.
"Took you long enough," Zant muttered, and Link's gaze snapped up to him.
"Is this really the temple of time?!" Midna asked, and Zant looked at her.
"If it wasn't, do you think I could use this place to get back?" he replied.
"How do you get back?!" Link and Midna both yelled in unison.
"Now, now, no more questions," Zant said, pushing Link's sword away with his hand. "I really must be getting back to my palace."
Midna snarled at him, but just as Link made a move to step forward, Zant thrust a bolt of energy from his hand, making him and Midna fly over to where Jake and I were standing.
"Whoa! Are you guys alright?!" Jake asked as we bent over them. Midna floated up, seemingly unharmed, but Link held his head and had to sit back down as soon as he tried to stand up.
"Goodbye you two!" Zant said, and we all looked over at him. He smiled, and with a laugh, he took a black sword out of seemingly nowhere and pushed it into the hole in the pedestal. The sword started to glow, and a black and green portal opened in midair.
"Have fun being stuck in this realm!" Zant shrieked, and with one final insane giggle, he grabbed the sword out of the pedestal and dashed towards the portal.
"NO!" Link and Midna exclaimed, rushing after him, but they were too slow. Just as they reached it, the portal closed and the clearing returned to normal, Zant's laugh echoing through the trees.
"What . . . what the heck just happened?!" I asked, as Jake and I ran over to Link and Midna. They turned to us, and I was surprised to see them smiling.
"What's with the smiles?!" Jake asked. "You just got left behind!"
"Yes, but he forgot that I have a sword, too," Link said, holding up the Master sword. The blade glinted in the moonlight.
"So, we finally found a way back, even with the game smashed," Midna remarked, sounding like she didn't believe what she was saying.
"Yeah," Link agreed, and they both stared at the pedestal. After a moment of silence, I cleared my throat.
"So . . . does that mean you guys are going to leave now?"
"Well, that is what we've been trying to do," Midna said, but I could hear a hint of hesitation in her voice.
"Can't you guys stay for a little longer?!" Jake asked. "I mean, if you go now, you won't even get to say goodbye to everybody!"
"What if the portal only works now?" Link said, looking sad. "We might only have one chance."
"Aw, come on, dude," Jake pleaded, but I shook my head.
"No, let them go," I said, and he looked at me in disbelief.
"You just want them to leave?!"
"Of course not!" I frowned at him. "But, after all, they're technically not supposed to even be real, let alone be standing here, talking to us. They don't belong in this realm; they belong back in Hyrule and the Twilight Realm."
Jake was about to reply, but he thought better of it and held his tongue, looking at the ground.
"Thanks for understanding," Midna said. "Trust me, we really don't want to leave you guys behind, but we have to go back. I have to save my realm, and Link has to protect Hyrule."
"Just see if it works, okay?" I said, looking at the ground as well. "Before I start having second thoughts."
"Okay," Link said. We all watched as he lifted up his sword and stuck it in the pedestal. It started to glow, just as it had done with Zant. However, this time a white portal opened up, and Link turned back to us.
"Well, I guess this is-"
"Link, look!" Midna exclaimed suddenly, tugging on Link's sleeve. We glanced at the portal and gasped as a figure stepped through it. When she was fully through, the portal closed behind her.
It was a girl, about Link's age, with chocolate-brown hair and sky-blue eyes. She was wearing a long, white and purple dress embellished with ornate gold patterns, and her slender arms were covered with long, white gloves.
"Zelda?!" the four of us gasped, and she smiled.
"Hello, Link," she said in a voice that was soft but with an underlying ring of authority. "Hello, Midna."
"Wha . . . how . . . I don't . . . hi!" Link stuttered, not being able to find the right words to express his shock. Zelda laughed.
"I'm glad to see you two are alright," she remarked. We all continued to stare at her, until I spoke.
"How did you get here?" I asked, and she glanced at me.
"Through the portal, the same way Link and Midna are going to come back," she replied.
"But . . . what are you doing here in the first place?" Midna asked, frowning. "I thought last time we disappeared you didn't even notice we'd gone!"
"No, that is true, but I got a visit from some . . . friends, shall we say." A hint of a smile played at her lips as her eyes quickly shifted to Jake and me, and then back to Link and Midna. My forehead wrinkled as I tried to figure out what that meant. "They informed me that I needed to be in the temple of time, and that the Hero would open a portal that I could use to come into this realm."
"But why are you here?" Jake piped up. "I mean, if you knew Link and Midna were going to open the portal, why didn't you just wait for them to come back?!"
"That answer is for another time," Zelda said, smiling at him. "But for now, I have another thing to tell you." She gestured around the clearing. "You all realize we are in the temple of time, correct?" We all nodded. "And you all realize that the temple of time can transport a person to anytime at all, if they have the power to use the temple correctly?" We nodded again. Zelda looked around at everyone, before her eyes settled on me.
"Alex, I am sure you have wondered why exactly Link and Midna came to your particular house when they were transported to your realm, correct?"
"Yeah, that question crossed my mind once or twice," I replied, and the Princess of Hyrule chuckled softly.
"Your house was built on top of the foundation of part of the temple of time," she said. We just looked at her.
"So . . . does that mean we're still in Hyrule?" Link asked, trying to make sense of what she was saying.
"We've been in Hyrule the entire time?!" Midna exclaimed, clenching her fists in agitation.
"Calm yourself, Midna, I did not say that," Zelda told her, and Midna relaxed a little bit. "I would not exactly call this place Hyrule anymore, but, yes, this is where it once stood. You see, Hyrule used to exist here, many, many, years ago, until it fell into ruin. The people left eventually evolved into the people you see today, like Alex and Jake. This is the future of Hyrule."
Link and Midna stared at her, openmouthed, too stunned to speak.
"So, Hyrule actually exists? Or, existed?!" I exclaimed. "It's not just part of a game?!"
"Of course not," Zelda replied, looking a little offended. "If it didn't exist at some point, how in the world do you think Link and Midna would have been able to get here?"
"But, you said it gets destroyed," Jake said, and Link made a weird choking noise.
"How?!" he gasped.
"I do not know," Zelda replied grimly. "Nor do I have any desire to know. However, I am positive that it comes long after our time."
"So, because this used to be the temple of time in Hyrule, that's why we came to Alex's house?" Midna asked, and Zelda half nodded.
"Well, that is part of it. There is another reason, though, one more important than that." When she paused, everyone held their breath, wondering what she was going to say. She walked over to me and took my hands in her own.
"Alex, you are more special than you could have ever realized," she said, looking into my eyes. "Though Hyrule died out long ago, some of that ancient blood still remains in the people today. But, some people's blood is more unique than the others'." She bent down slightly, so she was level with me, never taking her eyes off mine. Then she said those words that I would remember for the rest of my days.
"Alex, you are Link's descendant. You are the next Chosen Hero."
A/N: Ooh, cliffie! Betcha didn't see that coming! I'll try to get the next chapter up as soon as I can!
