A/N: Sorry! The site wouldn't let me upload the chapter, I don't know why. It just now let me, so here! Sorry it took so long!

Chapter Twenty-One - The Darkened Room

I was plunged into total and complete darkness, or at least it seemed so. I could see myself and my stuff, but everything else was black, as if it absorbed all light. I had an eerie feeling that the walls and floor were trying to absorb whatever kept me visible. Trying to shake the feeling, I walked forward until I reached what I figured was the center of the room. As I walked forward, however, I thought I saw something move behind me. Spinning around, I saw two giant red eyes near the door from which I had entered.

"Welcome, Link, to my Room of Darkness. Here you will see what it's really like to live amongst shadows. Now, I believe you have something of mine, and I want it back."

As I stared in shock, Dark Link suddenly appeared from the darkness and filled in the body that the eyes belonged to. I drew the Master Sword and glared at Dark Link.

"Just give it up! This time I plan on finishing you once and for all."

"Link, when will you realize that your efforts are in vain? I cannot be killed while you live. The only way to defeat me is for you to die, and then I'd still live until someone struck the fatal blow. Considering that no one has matched you in swordplay, I doubt that would ever happen."

"Fine then, turn Hyrule back and run away for a few hundred years and I won't butcher you. Deal?"

"No deal. Now, I believe that you have something that's mine."

I felt the wrenching from my pack moments before I connected the dots. I tried to stop my bag from ripping, but instead the bag tore open anyway and the dark sword shot from it to Dark Link, who grabbed it and walked toward me.

Dark Link and I circled around each other, each of us waiting for the opportune moment to strike. I found the first opening, lunging toward Dark Link, my sword biting through Dark Link's partially existing form, causing Dark Link to wince and pull back. This gave me yet another chance for attack, which I developed into a long string of moves. Pretty soon, though, Dark Link managed to gain the upper hand and push me back. Each cut, tear, and gash reverberated through me. Channeling the pain into my fighting, I pushed for the offense again, forcing Dark Link to defend.

It went like this for what I perceived as several hours, though it could have possibly only been a few minutes or possibly even days or weeks. I had lost all track of time, as well as track of anything else. All that mattered was my sword as it cut through the air and sliced deep into Dark Link. Blood flew, though all light seemed to be sucked out of it as it fell from us. I knew only that I could not lose this time. If I lost, all of Hyrule would be gone. All the Kokiri would vanish, the Deku Tree would wither and die, and Zelda and Elissa would be exposed to the Dark World in its purest form. Neither would live long, even if they did find some sort of shelter. Here in the Dark World, even the best of allies fell into the worst of enemies. I knew from experience that in the Dark World, the Zora Domain not only housed the Zora, but their evil cousins as well. The Zola, as they were called to distinguish them from their Zora relatives, were one of the few races to willingly help Ganon. The Gorons, though, were no longer in the Dark World, in a way. During Ganon's first imprisonment, they were the only race to refuse him and because of this, he turned them all to stone. Sadly enough, Darunia had probably suffered the same fate once entering the City, falling under Ganon's endless curse. The Hylians, however, had a small settlement, but they had been reduced to thieves, much like the Gerudo had been. The Gerudo had befriended Ganon instantly, so there was no question what would happen to Zelda and Elissa there.

I once again turned to the offensive, causing as much damage as I could to Dark Link, who for once seemed to be weakening. The fight once again dragged on.

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I could feel each blow now. My strength was gone. I had been reduced to fighting off of sheer anger for Dark Link. As Dark Link parried yet another blow from me, he laughed, though I could hear the straining in his voice.

"What did I tell you? I can't be beaten as long as you're alive."

I grunted, trying to hastily tie up a plan that very well could be my last. "That may be so, Dark Link, but I swear to you that I'm not willingly leaving this room until you are dead. You will fall, even if I have to take you down with me." I gathered every last bit of strength into his arms and swung the Master Sword sideways.

The Master Sword was too far to actually reach Dark Link, but to play along, he rose up the darkened sword to block the seemingly feeble blow.

It turned out that the energy that I had drawn together was just enough. The Master Sword cut across the Dark Master Sword. There was a sudden rush of wind as the Dark Master Sword drew the air around it toward itself. With a soundless explosion, the air shot away from the broken sword, shattering it further. I felt the shattered pieces drill into me, burning as they drained energy from my overdrawn body. A bright white light filled the room as I felt my grasp on life fade.