I have to take this moment to extend my thanks to Blizzaga Saga and Redbrush for this story. It was actually the first Zelda story I read on this site, so it's made my day to try my hand at it. Chapters 1-4 and 10-13 belong to Blizzaga Saga while 5-9 belong to Redbrush. My story has only just begun! So Blizz, Red, I hope I can make you two proud with this new take off chapter!

14: Fire of Din

Link's shoulder burned as Samiyah dragged him out of his room. The pain of the arrow still lodged in his shoulder was the only thing keeping him focused on what was happening outside his mind. So many things were whirling around inside him that it threatened to drive him mad.

"I knew we couldn't trust you," Samiyah snapped, "Right from the beginning I knew we should have sent you packing back the way you came. I was so foolish to believe that you were different than any other man I've met!"

"What...are you...talking about," Link muttered weakly, his injuries beginning to take a toll on him, "I've done nothing to - "

He gasped when she wrenched him up to face her, her amber eyes blazing with hatred, "Don't give me that innocent act, Male! You know damned well what I'm talking about!"

Link winced, trying to ignore his pain to try and sort out his thoughts, "I don't understand. I've been in my chambers the meeting let out hours ago!"

Samiyah growled, and began pulling him along, "Is that so? Come, then, let me refresh your memory!"

"I've not forgotten anything," Link argued, "I just don't know what you're talking about!"

Samiyah, glared back at him over her shoulder, "We'll see about that."

Soon she was pulling him down the stone steps that led down to the village, where he saw that most of the Gerudo were gathered, some sobbing, and many crying out like wolfos in a rage. At their center was Aveil. The woman's normally cheerful face had turned to stone, hardened with anger, and confusion.

Her eyes turned on him as Samiyah dragged him to her, and threw him at her feet. "I've brought him, as requested, Lady Aveil, as you commanded."

Aveil looked down at Link as he tried to steady himself, but in his weakened state, it was all he could do to keep himself upright. Aveil cut her eyes to the older woman, "I asked you to bring him to me, not attempt to kill him."

Samiyah shrugged, "I thought it would be better if he was unable to use his sword arm."

Aveil glowered at her, but said nothing as she looked back down at Link, "Explain yourself, Link."

Link looked at her weakly, "I don't know what you want me to explain." He reached up and clutched his bleeding shoulder, "Samiyah wouldn't tell me anything."

"Liar!" Someone shouted angrily, "It must have been him!"

"He's the only male here!" Another shouted.

"Quiet!" Aveil shrilled, returning her attention to him, "Link, I warn you, Oni or not, I will have you staked out under the sun until you are nothing but a shriveled corpse if you do not tell me the truth!"

"I am not lying!" Link shouted hoarsely, "I don't know what in Din, Farore, and Naryru's names you're talking about!"

Aveil narrowed her eyes at him, searching his blue orbs for any hint that he might be lying. But those eyes shone with just as much anger and outrage as she felt in her being. He was confused, and weak...too weak to do what had been done.

Aveil sighed, her anger weakening, "A girl was murdered...and raped." Link stiffened, his eyes becoming wide, "It was obviously done by a male, and since you are the only one in the valley, we thought you might have had something to do with it."

Link's horrified expression turned to an angry glare, "Do you really think so little of me?" Link asked, "You've all made it clear that you desire me for one reason or another, but I've turned down every advance you've made, so why would I resort to such a vile thing when you're so willing to give it?!"

All was silent as his words sank in. In truth, each and every woman present had watched him like a hungry hawk watches a mouse since his coming. He had turned down all advances many had made, even the most desirable of them. If he had wanted any of them, he had but to ask, and they would have willingly given him what he asked for.

Link glared at her again, "How was she killed?"

"Strangled," Aveil said, "Her throat was badly bruised by the time we found her, but it was obvious she had been with a man only moments before her death."

"I'm left-handed," Link told her, gesturing to his useless arm and shoulder, "But even before Samiyah shot me, I wasn't strong enough to crush a ripe grape. My right arm is just as bad, but I can still use it. I will admit that my grip is stronger because it's my shield arm, but it'll be another week before I can use it without the aid of a potion, or even a fairy."

Aveil nodded, "The mark on her neck...it was from two hands, not one." She turned to her sisters, "The man that did this is still running loose! Search the valley!" The rest of the women set out, scrambling around the area in search.

"What about him?" Samiyah asked, point her bow at Link.

"He is innocent," Aveil leered at her, "and you've all but crippled him. Samiyah, you must know by now that he is trustworthy!"

"The one that did this could be a friend of his!" Samiyah roared.

"I have very few male friends capable of doing something like that, save for Daruni of the Gorons, and he wouldn't hurt a fly unless it threatened his people." Link said, smiling weakly, "I'll be fine, Aveil. In truth, I may have done the same in her situation."

Aveil growled, "That doesn't change the fact that you, an embassador of Hyrule, was shot by one of my women. If word of this gets out - "

"It won't," Link said, still smiling, "I didn't tell them how long it would take me to return to Hyrule. I'll just have to take a little more time to heal."

"As you should!" Shouted Abia as she and Gelbooru stalked toward them, both glaring at Samiyah, "What in the name of the goddesses have you gotten into this time?!"

Link smirked, "Nice to see you, too, Abia."

Abia scoffed while Gelbooru knelt and started cleaning his wound around the arrow shaft, "This has to come out," she said, "You'll bleed to death if it doesn't."

Link nodded, "I'll stay still."

"Abia, some help?" Gelbooru asked, and Abia stepped behind Link. Gently, Gelbooru snapped the tip of the arrow off, making Link wince, then nodded to Abia. Grasping the arrow from her end, the younger girl pulled just as Abia pushed the shaft through. Link bit back a shout.

"Din's fire that hurts!" Link growled, swaying from the blood loss.

"Men are such babies," Abia scoffed, giving him a smack on the back which made even Aveil cringe, "I'll bet you've had worse!"

"I have," he grunted, trying to grin, "But I can't seem to remember at the mo...ment." Link's eyes rolled back and he fell onto his side, only to be caught by Abia's slender arms.

"Stupid man," was the last thing his mind registered before he passed out completely.

Aveil sighed, "Get him back to his chambers, and make sure his wounds are tended to properly. Abia, you and Gelbooru will stay with him as his guards while the rest of us try to root out this other man before he tries again." She looked at the older woman, "Samiyah send word the gate guards to double the vigil, no one gets in or out, not even that silly post man!"

Carefully, the two women picked up the young Hylian, and carried him back into the fortress.

Morning came all too soon for Abia, tired as she was from the nights events. Her chin rested on her the palm of her hand as she leaned against the desk by Link's bed.

Link did not move in his bed, barely even breathing. "Stupid man," Abia muttered. What was the point of always throwing himself into danger's path? A true warrior chose his or her fights well, but it seemed Link just chose all of them. It was making her job as his protector difficult.

She let out a long yawn as she kept watch over him. After their escape from the Light Temple, and healing him, she knew of the scars that littered his body. There were many, some large some small, and some that bordered fatal if they still bled. His shoulder wound would undoubtedly add another such scar to his body, bu that didn't mean anything.

He was a beautiful man. That much she knew, even though he was the first man she had met in person. Sometimes she would see a few men passing the valley entrance while she had been on guard duty, but they had not been close enough to see fully. Link made her wonder if all men were so fair. It was one of her thoughts that she highly doubted.

Link was unlike anything or anyone she had ever met. She doubted that any of the others of his gender were so humble, yet so fierce and gentle at the same time, or as patient as he was. Over the time she had known him, she had seen things that would have made her scream in rage had they been done to her, but he took it all in stride.

While she thought of these things, her eyelids drifted lazily down to close, and she was soon sound asleep. This is how Gelbooru found her as she entered the room only minutes later. The sight before her nearly made her laugh. How was she supposed to look Abia in the face ever again when she would always picture her with a line drool running from her mouth while she snored like a stallion?

Link, meanwhile, was sure that he was having a dream. There were no lush forests in the lands of the Gerudo. Yet a forest was where he stood, atop Epona, gazing into a deeper, darker part of a familiar wooded path that he had traveled long ago. A small ball of light floated in front of him, as if beckoning him forward.

Epona moved on her own, following after the light. Link had no control over his long-time friend, only holding onto her reigns as she carried him. Soon the forest gave way to a green field. Across the field lay a small town, a great stone tower rising from its center. Apart from the town was a small farm where he could hear the low call of cattle.

The land, though, suddenly changed to one of a black void. Gone were the green field, the town, and the farm house. In front of him floated the giant face of the Fierce Deity mask. Link wanted to yell, but he couldn't find his voice as he gazed at the mask. Then, to his shock, the mask spoke.

"Soon," said the mask, "Soon you will need me again." The voice was deep, and rumbled like two giant boulders clashing together.

"I looked for you," Link said, finally able to speak. "I could not find you."

"Listen, then," said the deep voice that could only have been Oni, "Let the wolf guide your path back to the place you found me. Climb the tower in which you emerged, to the very top, there you shall learn what you need to know."

The darkness shattered then, dropping away from him and leaving him falling...

Link's eyes snapped open then, eliciting a startled squeak from Gelbooru as she was leaning over him. "Link!" Her startled cry inadvertedly woke the sleeping Abia.

"What? What's going on?" Abia asked sleepily. A groan drew her attention to the man lying down. A small smile found its way on Abia's face at last as he squinted at her.

"Abia? What…" His voice sounded terribly weak to her, which drove a small spike of worry through her chest.

"You're at the fortress." She said soothingly, still smiling her small smile, "They're still searching for the culprit, but nothing's been found, yet."

"How do you feel?" Gelbooru asked

He sat up. "Tired, but otherwise I'm good. My shoulder still burns like fire."

"It should heal as long as you don't hurt yourself," Gelbooru smiled, "I was just about to dress your wounds again."

Abia and Gelbooru sat on either side of him to accomplish said task, close enough that their arms touched. The way he stiffened in preparation for pain told Abia he was not as fine as he let on.

When they finished, he let his arms fall, and due to their position, they came to rest around the women with him. Gelbooru's gasp made him realize what he had done in his tired stupor.

"Ah! Sorry, I…"

"It's okay," she said, and to his shock she held his arm and curled into him slightly. Was she giving him permission to hold her? Abia said nothing.

Experimentally, he pulled both of them closer. With a happy sigh, Gelbooru consented, and Abia relaxed slightly in his hold, so tired from worrying about him all day.

"Thank you..." he sighed. It felt like it had been so long since he last relaxed. He smiled down at Abia, "Why is there drool on your face?"

Gelbooru snorted in laughter as Abia sat up, furiously rubbing her face. "There's nothing on my face!"

"She was sound asleep until a little while ago before you woke up," the younger girl giggled.

Link smiled at her, "Glad to know that I'm so well looked after that you're skipping your beauty rest, Abia."

"S-shut up!"

"She was snoring as well," Gelbooru put in, and Link chuckled, only to wince in pain from his injuries.

Link sobered up quickly, though as he remembered his dream, "Abia, could you send Aveil to me? I need to speak with her."

Abia arched an eyebrow at her, "She's probably still searching the valley. You know that's not a good idea to leave someone like that running around here loose."

Link nodded, "I know, but it's important...I think Oni's trying to tell me how to find him."

Gelbooru sat up in her surprise as Abia knelt beside him, "Oni has contacted you?"

"I think so," Link nodded, "I had a dream about Termina, and the stone tower where I entered the land. Then his mask appeared and told me to climb to the top...I think he wants to tell me something once I'm there."

"But Aveil said you bonded with his spirit," Gelbooru said, confused, "If that's true, then you are Oni, aren't you?"

Link sighed, closing his eyes, "I've been wondering about that for a while now...about a lot of things...I don't know how to describe it. I don't feel...whole...something's missing...something feels wrong!" Growing agitated, Link rose, only to be pushed back down by both women.

"You can't move around yet!" Gelbooru said.

"She's right, you'll reopen your wounds, and then where will you be?" Abia snapped, "If you're really Oni, then you'll be our king! And we do not need a dead king!"

Link groaned from the combined pressure of both women on top of him, trying to ignore the fact that both were giving him an eyeful of there flesh, "I have to get back to Termina! It's the only way to figure this out!"

"That can wait!" Abia yelled, growing angry, "Now stop being stupid before I strip you down and tie you to the bed!"

Link went a little pale, "You wouldn't..."

"And I'd take all your clothes from you," she promised, "Do you really want to walk around the fortress in not but your skin when you know as well as I do what would happen if you did? You're good at stealth, but I doubt you'd last long without boots or pants."

Gelbooru giggled, her face flushed, "That could be fun."

Link gulped, "I'll stay put."

Abia smirked in victory, reaching out to pat his head, "Good boy."

"Funny," Link grumbled as the two women giggled.

Link slept for the rest of the day after Abia and Gelbooru changed his bandages again, some of his wounds already beginning to heal surprisingly fast. Unfortunately, nothing had been found of the murderer. Samiyah continued to blame Link for the girl's death, one way or another, which Link tried to ignore, made easy by his two guardians, who wouldn't allow anyone in to see him save for Aveil.

Telling her of his dream only made her smile, "You truly are his avatar, Link. As soon as you're healed, we will travel with you to this Termina you speak of, and await your return from the tower."

"If you're caught - " Link started, but Aveil only laughed.

"If we are caught, then you're fellow Hylians will have caught the proverbial wild cat that turns about to fight when she is cornered!"

Sighing in defeat, Link fell back asleep to Aveil chatting with Abia and Gelbooru over what had traspirred throughout the day while they watched over him.

It was another day before Link finally realized that he was famished, and hadn't eaten enough to feet a starving cuckoo. With a vigor that put most knights to shame, he gratefully tore into a roasted goat leg that was brought to him. His strength returned in double after he ate, and finally convinced Abia to let him walk around for fear of growing flabby.

It was an unjust fear. Abia mentally took in Link's body each time she had to change his bandages and knew that his muscles were still as hard as stone. Then she watched, amazed, as he pulled a completely new set of clothes from the small pouch he kept around his waist.

"How did you do that?" She put the question to him.

He looked at her as he dressed in the red tunic, "It's something I learned to make in my time in the forest. It's enchanted to hold most anything I have. I even keep my shield in there when I have to."

Abia smiled at the usefulness of such an item, "Do you think you could teach us?"

Link shrugged, fixing his belt, "It's a simple prayer the Kokiri send to the goddess, Farore, asking her to bless a leather pouch with untold space. You could probably ask the same of Din, since she's who you look to."

Abia nodded, his words making sense. She would have to tell Aveil of this later. "How are your injuries?"

"Better than they were," Link said, his arm now hanging in a sling, "I'll be fine when I get a potion into me."

"Perhaps you should just let it heal on its own," Abia said, giving the young man a gentle nudge in the stomach, "I've seen you drink a fair few potions even when you're not injured. You can't possibly survive on them alone for so long!"

Link sighed as he walked past her, "I have for the past five or six years." Abia tailed after him, not wanting to lose him. Link was resilient, she would give him that. After such a beating, it was a wonder that it had only been a day and a half after his injuries. Now he was stretching his legs, and his uninjured arm.

They made their way down to the valley floor in moderate silence where Link gave a small whistle, calling out to his horse. Epona whinnied at him from across the valley, and came galloping at him eagerly.

"Hey, girl," Link smiled as she nuzzled his good shoulder, "Been lonely?"

Epona nickered at him, shaking her mane, and showering him with sand. Abia laughed, "She has not lacked for attention. It's been a long time since we've had a horse here."

Link grinned, "Well, we'll have to do something about that." He said absently as he stroked her neck. "I know someone that raises horses. She even gave me Eopna as a gift since I was the only other person she'd let come near her."

Abia nodded also reached out to pet the mare, "Horses are good judges of character. If she likes someone, then she will let them know, if she doesn't then she will stay away." The mare leaned into her touch, enjoying the attention.

Link smiled happily, "She's been my companion for the better part of my life since I was knighted."

Abia giggled when Epona turned and nibbled at her shoulder. "I've wanted to ask; why did you become a knight if it's caused you nothing but pain?"

Link shrugged, not really knowing how to answer that one. In the beginning, he'd turned to becoming a knight just to keep away his nightmares. After he had been sent back in time for the last time, everything had stayed with him. His items, and his experiences. Then he had wanted to rekindle his friendship with Zelda, only to find that she did not remember him as he did her. She was different now. Not the woman he had know as he had fought Ganondorf. She was a proper princess, never having to worry except for that one moment in time before he had stepped in and proved the guiltiness of the former Gerudo king.

"I wanted to forget," he muttered as he petted Epona's nose, "Even for a Hylian orphan, my life was hard as a child. The training to become a knight helped me forget a few painful memories." He said, thinking back to all the times he'd gone into battle, and the moment when it all ended, and Navi had left him, "I lost my best friend just before I started training to become knight."

The young woman looked down, "That's saddening. Losing a friend is never easy when you're so young..." she said, seeing reason in his becoming a knight at last, "And you wanting to woo the princess had nothing to do with it," Abia muttered under her breath, a small frown adorning her face.

"What was that?" Link asked, not catching it.

"Nothing," she said quickly, "you were saying something about changing the fact that horses are scarce around Gerudo?"

Link nodded, his smile returning, "I would. Malon raises a lot of different breeds, so I'm sure there's one that's well suited for the desert." His memories of his days spent around the ranch as a guard were always pleasant.

Abia gave smile as well, remembering the last horse she had seen other than Ganondorf's great beast. It had belonged to her mother, and had been a sleek, racing beast. The horses of Gerudo had been smaller than Epona, and had less muscle build, making them faster, but less powerful. Still, they could outlast many horses that carried knights in full armor.

As the day wore on, Link's injuries began to bother him, and Abia had to force him back into the fortress before he exhausted himself completely. It wasn't a hard thing to do. Link was already feeling winded from the heat, though he was beginning to get used to it after so long. Samiyah met them in the corridor, only glaring at him, and saving her words. Link sighed at this, there would be no trust from her until the murderer was caught.

When they entered his chamber's he noticed that things had been cleaned while he'd been out. His sword now rested on the bed next to the Mirror Shield and Silver Gauntlets. There's a small mercy, he thought, At least they still trust me with my weapons.

He sat on the edge of the bed, and tried to slip off his tunic, but his fatigue was getting the better of him with his arm still useless. Abia sighed and moved to assist him. "You men are a useless lot, you know?" She snipped, helping him raise the article of clothing, "If this is what it takes to keep a hero of an entire kingdom down, then our people have little to...fear...oh." As Link's red Goron tunic came off, Abia was once again enthralled by his body.

The day had been hotter than usual, giving him a healthy gleam of sweat across his exposed skin. The dim candle light in the room glistened off of him, shadowing his muscles and face.

He caught her gaze, "Abia?" She looked up at him then, his eyes darkened by the shadows.

"I should..."

He reached out to her, touching her arm, "Stay?" His touch was gentle, like a breeze against her skin, but the feeling of his fingers on her arm sent a jolt through, bringing her out of her daze. Abia repressed a shiver that threatened to roll through her.

She looked up at him, "What are you asking me?"

Link withdrew his hand, "Nothing...just your company." Abia felt a fluttering in her stomach, and, for a moment, felt like giving in to his request. Link's eyes cast an almost eerie, yet beautiful glow in the dim light, and she knew that, bar his injuries, he would not attempt to take her. Even if part of her...

The girl blinked, and shook herself, "No," she stepped back, "I should go, and you need your rest if you are to recover..." she gave a curt bow, "Goodnight, Link." She turned and fled the room.

Watching her go, Link sighed. Sleeping next to her, it was easy to forget his nightmares.

Outside his room, however, as Abia brushed past a confused Samiyah, the younger woman was grumbling to herself angrily. "Since when did I start acting like Gelbooru?!" She questioned herself, marching past a few startled whites who quickly ducked out of her way, knowing the woman's temper. "So he's the first man I've ever met! Does that mean I have to feel like this?!"

She turned into her room, the curtains flying out as she swatted them aside and flopped down on her stomach on her bed. She could still feel to the touch of his hand on her arm, and it made her shiver again. "He's touched me before...so why am I feeling so strange now?"

xXx

After what thought to be the midnight hour, he came awake, no longer feeling tire. Ever nerve in his body was screaming at him that something wasn't right. His eyes came open slowly, cautiously searching the room...that's when the blade fell. Link shouted and rolled out of bed as the sword crashed into the mattress.

He rolled to his feet, searching wildly for his sword and shield, only to stare at two red, mad eyes.

"You..."

The shadow smiled wickedly at his light half, "Hello, Brother Dear, I've come to kill you." His voice was high, and reedy, as if laughter was bubbling up from his chest.

"But I killed you!" Link roared, still scrabbling for his blade. Dark Link laughed madly and swung at him again, the blonde boy rolling away once more and knocking his sword over from the side of the bed. He took hold of the blade with his right hand awkwardly, not used to fighting right-handed. Dark Link just laughed louder.

"Oh, is poor widdle Wink hurt?" He jeered, pointing his sword at him, "Want me to make it all better?" He lunged, plunging his sword at Link's chest. He brought his sword up in defense as well as he could, able to knock the strike away from him for the moment.

"How are you here?!" Link barked out, the pain of his wounds flaring. "The Water Temple is safe, and I haven't entered!"

"Tsk, tsk," Dark Link smirked, "Do you really think that I would stay gone after our last fight?" Link's eyes nearly bulged out of his head, "That's right, I'm the same as I was when we first fought!"

"Din," Link swore, "How is this possible!"

"Ohoho, you're much smarter than that, Brother dear," Dark Link laughed, raising his sword above his head, "You won't get any answers out of me that you don't already know!" He struck again, and Link raised his blade. The two swords clashed, sparks flying from the blades. Link's arm went numb with that one strike, the power behind his shadow's blow far more powerful than he could handle at the moment.

He leapt back, fleeing from the black blade, "You're the one, aren't you? You killed that girl!"

Dark Link smiled sadistically, "Oh, yes indeed! It was so enjoyable, too!" Link glared at him, "Oh, don't look so upset, Brother, she quite enjoyed herself...she thought I was you! Hahaha! With it so dark, she only figured out something was wrong when I started strangling her!"

"Bastard!" Link roared forward, plunging his blade at him, meeting the shield instead of flesh, "That poor girl trusted you!"

"Trusted you," Dark Link sneered, "A foolish thing to do when we look so different, eh?" he grinned, "Who shall it be next? That little girl that seems to cling to you so much, or that older one that was in here not so long ago?" Dark Link tapped his chin in thought, then leered at his counterpart, "Maybe I should pay a little visit to your beloved princess?

Link's rage boiled forth, "Don't you dare lay a hand on them!" He raised his blade off the shield, above his head, the metal gleaming in the light. He charged as much manna into the sword as he could, and brought it down. Dark Link smiled, merely raising his shield again, but to both combatants' surprise, the energy from the blade surged out in a deadly arc, crumpling his shield and throwing the shadow against the wall.

The door to his room burst open as Link recovered from his daze and prepared another attack. Abia jumped into the room, her bow string drawn back to full draw. She aimed her arrow where she saw the young man glaring, but nearly dropped the weapon upon seeing the double. "What in the names of the goddesses?!"

"Get back!" Link roared as he brought the blade around again, the energy spiraling out. Dark Link tried to block with his sword, but the blast shattered the blade and sent him flying through the wall.

Samiyah came running in then, her swords drawn, and her glare trained on Link, "What have you done now?!"

"I found your murderer!" Link roared, "Through there!" He pointed with his sword, "Hurry, before he gets away!"

Abia was the first to move, and flitted to the ruined wall, "There's nothing here..." she looked back at him, "What was that...that thing?! It looked like you!"

Link growled and sank to his knees using the sword for a balance. "That...was one of things I wanted to forget." He staggerd back to his feet, "We have to find him before he hurts kills someone else!" Abia darted back to his side to stop him from moving.

"You're in no shape to go chasing after that...that...whatever it was!" Abia snapped, "You're lucky that you managed to hold it off as long as you did!"

"Enough!" Samiyah snapped, pointing both swords at Link, "You will tell me what that thing was, and why it looked exactly like you!"

To her surprise, and Abia's, Link glared up at her, "I'm getting tired of you demanding things of me all the time when you should be after the thing that killed one of your warriors!" He snapped, "As to what it is, it's me! An exact mirror image of me! It has the same strengths and weaknesses as I do, so go his sword first!"

"R-right," Samiyah said, backing out of the room, sure that she had seen something in the Hylian's eyes for a moment that looked like that of a wolf.

Link sighed and looked back to Abia, "I need your help," he said, "And you're not gonna like it."

Abia just shook her head, "I can't do my job properly if you keep jumping into the Bulbo pen."

Link just chuckled, having to lean on his sword to stand, "Sorry to be so troublesome."

Meanwhile, Dark Link let out a mad cackle as he fought down in the courtyard against any Gerudo that came at him. The red-haired, red-eyed shadow was in heaven. Where as Link himself preferred peace, his shadow loved conflict above all. And the women of the Gerudo were certainly giving him that in plentiful supply. Many vengeful women were shouting for the death of their sister, but none had managed to land a hit on the shadow yet.

"Is this really all you've got?" Dark Link asked almost lazily, looking around at the injured warriors, "And here I was told that the women around here were better than the Hyrule guards!"

Out of the shadows stepped Aveil, a furious look upon her face, and her twin blades drawn, "Perhaps you'll find me better sport, Monster." The shadow merely grinned and beckoned her forth, eager to get on with the fight. "Tell me, why is it that you look like my friend?"

Dark Link just grinned again, "Wouldn't you like to know, Little Queen."

Aveil growled and lunged at him, her blades flashing up in an X pattern before crashing down against his shield, in the same motion she sliced across the middle of the shield, pressing her attack, and raised them above her head to bring them back down toward the shadow's head. Dark Link had been surprised by the attack for it had forced him back with the sheer force of the blows, but he was ready for the downward strokes, his shield raised.

Aveil's blades met shield once more, and Dark Link's sword flashed out, grazing her side enough to draw blood. Ignoring the pain, Aveil took her chance as the shadow struck, leaving himself momentarily vulnerable and whipped around, her blades flashing around like a whirlwind of steel between his sword and shield and finally meeting flesh.

Dark Link cursed and staggered back. "You bitch!"

"Only when someone hurts my family," Aveil hissed at him, "Tonight you die, Monster!"

Dark Link staggered back to his feet, the maddening grin returning to his face, "See, that's where you're wrong." He sneered, "Only my original can kill me, and even then, I'm still around." Aveil looked confused, and the shadow just cackled, "Stunning and stupid! I like that!"

"Explain," Aveil snapped, "Why can't we kill you?!"

"Easy," Dark Link's red eyes flashed, "I am everything that is darkness about your beloved Link. He commits no sins, yet I represent all sins, he covets nothing, yet I want all, he loves where I hate, and he lets live those I kill." He laughed madly, "I am everything evil in Link's heart! Everything he cannot except about himself!"

While the shadow threw his head back in laughter, Aveil saw the original coming at him from behind, his sword missing from his hands, yet both arms were spread wide as if to take hold of the doppleganger. Which is exactly what he did.

The gathered Gerudo watched as the injured hero lept and wrapped his arms and legs around his shadow, pinning his arms to the sides. Dark Link screamed in rage as his light-half grabbed him. Link just gave him a weak grin, "Don't you ever stop talking?"

"You bastard!" Dark Link roared, "Release me!"

"I think not," Link muttered, "You've caused me enough trouble for a lifetime." He looked straight at Aveil, "GET BACK!"

Aveil jumped away without hesitation, as did her soldiers. Once they were out of the way, Link began to chant, "Din, grant me thine flames to quell the evils that plague me, and scorch away the beast within!"

Dark Link's eyes widened in horror before Link's voice roared out, "Din's Fire!"

Link had poured all the mana he had left into the spell, which was quite a lot considering his injuries. Link's body began to glow an angry red as flames sprang from his skin and spiraled around him. The shadow screamed again, this time in fear as the flames licked at him. Once, when he was still practicing the spell, it would have formed a dome of flames around him, leaving himself unharmed. But now that he'd used all his strength, the flames shot up around him in a column of destruction, burning everything around him.

The sky lit up with the flames, almost as if dawn had broken early for the valley. Aveil herself was far more horrified than she had been when she'd found out about the murder. Not only did Link just display just how powerful a mage he was, but he'd put himself right in the middle of what was know as the most destructive spell in the lands without restraint!

"Link, you fool!" Aveil screamed at the pillar of flames. "ABIA! ABIA WHERE ARE YOU!?"

"Here!" Abia yelled, and Aveil whipped around to see her, holding half a bottle of green liquid, and looking distraught, "I-I'm sorry...he insisted - "

"Save it!" Aveil snapped, turning back to the flames where she could hear the screams of the two men, one of pain and fear and the other of rage.

Inside the flames, Link was holding out as well as could be expected. He wasn't able to use Nayru's Love at the same time as Din's Fire, all he could do was endure the flames. A destructive spell of this magnitude broke every barrier around him the would have shielded him from the flames, but taking chances with something as foul as his shadow self was out of the question.

Link felt his captive crumble in his arms, nothing but ashes, finally. He let the spell die. The flames receded back into his body.

Abia and Aveil were at his side in moments, "Goddesses, he's burning!" Aveil shouted, "Someone fetch water!"

"Link, can you hear me?!" Abia yelled.

Link's only response was a slow nod before he fell to his knees, his skin steaming.

=x=

Princess Zelda was having a rare moment at night when she couldn't sleep, not even with the aide of potions. Link was the one thing on her mind at the moment. It had been weeks since he had left the castle for the desert, and not a word from him since. She lay in bed, looking up at the canopy of her four-poster, and all she could think about, surprisingly, was the laughing face of the boy she'd known in her youth.

Back then, even though he was training to become a knight, he always made it a habit to stop in and see her just when she needed him. Life, her life in general, was a morbid task in her opinion. Friendships among others, save for political friendships in the courts, were rare. Link had been a breath of sunshine. They had played, and eaten together in the gardens on their rare time off.

Those were her happiest moments.

And then she had turned fifteen. Nothing short of a miracle could save her now. Her father had made it clear to her at an early age that she would have to wed someone of high rank and status. At the time, Link had managed to make himself a high ranked knight in the courts, and it was her hope that he would be the one. But that hope was soon crushed. Nothing short of becoming a grand duke would allow him to marry her.

And so for three years she'd had to watch as Link literally tore himself to pieces for her, and the kingdom, while she had tried desperately to distance herself from him. She couldn't tell him, because, knowing him, he would do something rash, and more than likely get himself hurt far worse than he ever had.

"Can't sleep, m'lady?" Impa's voice said from the shadows. By now at eighteen, she was used to the comings and goings of the Sheikah woman, and remained calm as she sat up, seeing the woman at the foot of her bed. "What troubles you?"

Zelda shook her head, her blonde hair swaying, "I miss him."

Impa nodded knowingly, "I see. Do you plan to finally accept his feelings for you?"

"How can I do that," Zelda asked, "Father would never allow it."

Impa shrugged, "He's all but retire and left the affairs of the court in your hands." She said, "What's to keep you from changing a few laws here and there?"

Zelda sighed, "A princess cannot simply change laws on a whim...no matter how much she wants to."

Impa just sighed, shrugging once more, "All these years, and I have yet to understand royal politics. My people always married for love. No matter what. It's a shame, though, because many in the town would love to see the princess and the hero wed."

Zelda blushed, "But we can't - " A blazing light lit up the room, and both women looked to the window. There, toward the desert, was a gigantic column of flames. "Link!"

Sorry, but I'm ending it here...I love cliffhangers! XD I hope this was a good chapter for you readers! Please don't hesitate to review! I take constructive criticism very well!