Chapter 37 – The Voice of My Enemy
Summary: Life goes on in Zora's Domain, but the voice on a Yiga Clan recording yields a clue about an enemy.
"Okay, let's try it again," said Link as Sidon practiced parrying Link's sword attack with a Zora spear. Zoras typically relied almost exclusively on spears for offense and defense. Link had explained how to shift position depending on the angle of attack and quickly thrust back with the other hand after blocking. Then they practiced carrying it out. They alternated sessions each day between spear handling, archery and spear throwing. Sidon was making good progress, Link thought. He was an earnest and determined student, the attack on his father likely motivating him. Sidon did not want to feel helpless should another attack ever take place. After a while Link could see Sidon was tiring and it was time to call it a day. It was almost evening.
"I think that's enough for today," said Link. "You're doing very well, Sidon. We should start practicing spear against spear combat soon. And when you have time, you can also do some target practice on your own with your bow. Being able to aim quickly and get off an accurate shot is sometimes critical. But let's go home now. I don't know about you, but I'm getting hungry!"
"Thanks, Bro," said Sidon. "I appreciate the lessons, and I am feeling more confident now. But I know I still have a long way to go. And I'm pretty hungry too!"
They headed back across the Great Zora Bridge as Sidon's bodyguard tailed along behind them until they were safely back in the Domain. They were acknowledged by the two guards on duty at the end of the bridge. Then they proceeded through the plaza and up one level to where the water pools lay. As they approached the stairs to the throne room one of the Royal Guard named Fandon at the foot of the stairway spoke up.
"Good evening Your Highness and Link," said Fandon. "Her Majesty is in a meeting right now. But if your needs are urgent, you can interrupt."
"No, thank you Fandon," said Link. "Not urgent. Just getting hungry. We can wait."
"Shall I have someone find you when the meeting is over?" asked Fandon.
"Just give us a shout If it's not too much trouble," said Link. "We'll be relaxing in one of the pools here."
So, he and Sidon waited in one of the pools. The water temperature was comfortable, and the water was kept clean through underwater circulation with the fresh water that flowed through the Domain. Link closed his eyes as he floated in the water and relaxed. He was tired too. Besides training Sidon, Link had been pushing himself with his own personal training each morning. He was not quite so fanatical about it as the days after the sword first chose him, but he pushed himself hard. Link practiced what he could on his own, and sometimes he would ask one of the more experienced Zora guards to duel with him. It was selfish of him to think so, but sometimes he regretted the lack of a Lynel on Ploymus Mountain. Those were exciting battles, he thought. He must have drifted off to sleep because the next thing he heard was Sidon calling him.
"Bro, bro, wake up," said Sidon standing alongside the pool. "Sis is done with her meeting, and we can see her now."
"Sorry, I must be more tired than I thought," said Link. He climbed out of the pool and walked with Sidon to the throne room.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," said Mipha when she saw them. "Fandon told me you were looking for me earlier."
"Just getting hungry," said Link. "You free to eat now?"
"Very much so," said Mipha. "My meeting with the Gerudo Ambassador went long. Urbosa's been very thoughtful about sending me advice through her. Anyway, let me get us all some food."
At the insistence of the Royal Guard, security had been increased, and there were more guards on duty at all times now, including two in the throne room itself. Mipha signaled to one of them.
"Gadon, would you mind sending word to have Mila and Midon brought here and have someone ask the market to prepare enough fish and rice for the five of us? And please have them cook one of the fish. Thank you," said Mipha.
"Of course, Your Majesty," said Gadon. He signaled to another guard on duty and conveyed the instructions. The second guard went off to do as asked.
It had been a while since Mipha or Link had time to prepare dinner for their family. It was not that Mipha was above doing it, she was just too busy. And Mipha could see Link was pretty tired by the end of each day also, and it wasn't fair to expect it of him either. So, she had gotten into the habit of having meals brought in, something her father had always done. Now she could see why.
Before the meals were ready, Mila and Midon arrived in the company of two guards, who bowed and left. Everyone then got a hug.
"So, you had fun playing with friends after school?" asked Link.
"Yes, there were five of us playing tag at the lake," said Midon.
"But I heard two of the moms talking," said Mila. "One thought that playing with us made her child more of a target. But the other thought playing with us was safer because of the two guards. In the end, they let everyone play with us. I hope we don't lose all our friends."
"I don't think you will," said Mipha. "People are still nervous about what happened. But with the increased security for our Domain and the passing of time, I think they will eventually feel secure again. In the meantime, we just need to live with some changes."
The food arrived, and everyone sat down to eat.
"How is your training going Sidon?" said Mipha.
"Well I think," said Sidon. "Link has been very patient with me. He's a good teacher."
"And you've been a good student," said Link.
"Muzu was a great teacher for me," said Mipha. "And his feelings were a little hurt when he found out you're not taking combat lessons from him too. I told him you would take some lessons from him next week to get a different perspective, and he was happy. He understands it's a rare opportunity for someone to study under the Hero of Hyrule, but he still wants to help."
"That's fine Sis," said Sidon. "It might be good for me."
After dinner, it was time for homework, and then the children went to bed. Sidon went back to his room, and Mipha and Link had some time together.
"So, how are you doing?" said Link.
"Still busy learning things," said Mipha. "You know the fact father always made time for us made me sometimes think he had little to do. But I realize now it was that his experience made him efficient. He got everything done so he could have time for us. I still have to learn to do that."
"Come in the water with me and relax," said Link.
Link undressed and they both entered the pool.
"Let me try healing you for a change," said Link as he gently massaged her shoulders and upper back.
"That feels so good," said Mipha closing her eyes. "Don't stop."
Link kept massaging her until he noticed she had fallen asleep. Then he gently released her and soon drifted off to sleep himself. It was a quiet night at the Domain.
But though it seemed quiet there also, something was happening to the southwest.
It was an hour or so past midnight in Kakariko Village, and the only sounds were the chirping of crickets and the occasional rustling of apple tree leaves from a passing breeze or the hoot of an owl somewhere in the distance. A crescent moon peeked in and out from behind a bank of clouds, casting only the faintest of light and the barest of shadows. The only noticeable light came from a campfire and four torches that burned near the statue of the Goddess Hylia on the main road together with the occasional blink of a Sunset Firefly. Two Sheikah guards stood at the entrance to Impa's house and kept a watchful eye on everything. As village leader she warranted protection. But the area was empty, and they saw no one.
But there was someone there. A shadow moved slowly and silently along the edges of the buildings, drawing closer to Impa's house. The shadow often paused to gauge the attention of the guards, but they continued to stare idly back and forth at the road. If anyone could see who made the shadow, they would see a man in a Yiga Clan Blademaster outfit. He worked his way around to Impa's house from the rear, again pausing often to check if the guards had heard anything. But they hadn't. Then he climbed up and with practiced quiet opened a small triangular window on the second floor, and slowly lowered himself to the bedroom floor. Impa was sound asleep there, and he tiptoed over to her bed. Then he gently shook her awake. She opened her eyes and smiled.
"You alright, sweetheart?" whispered Impa.
"Yes," said her husband.
Impa's husband, Kalan, was a Sheikah spy working inside the Yiga Clan, a mission that required the utmost skill and courage, and sharp wits too. A single misstep could bring death from the Yiga Clan or any of the Hyrule Royal Family's supporters who would consider him a real Yiga Blademaster. He had pretended to join the Yiga Clan shortly after Ganon's defeat, feigning disillusionment with Hyrule's rule and at a time the Yiga Clan was demoralized, and new members were welcomed. They had taught him their teleportation spells. And he had risen from Warrior to Blademaster earning their trust through the killing of three Sheikah, killings he and Impa managed to fake, the supposed victims being sent far away to live under a new identity. Those three only knew what they had been asked to do, not why or the identity of their supposed killer. Only Impa knew of his mission, a secret her husband's life depended on that she would trust with no one else. His ultimate purpose was to find out about their leader and help destroy them. Along the way, he would do what he could to thwart their activity without compromising his identity.
"Sorry to wake you like this. But I have some important information and thought it worth the risk to come here. The excuse for my visit is a rumor that Zelda is visiting here, and I am supposed to track her down. But too bad the rumor is false. Who starts all these false rumors I wonder?" he said with a chuckle.
"By the way, your two guards outside are pretty useless," he added.
"They're actually pretty good," said Impa. "Not many have your stealth skills though, even among the real Yiga Clan."
"I'm sorry about King Dorephan," said Kalan. "I learned about it too late to warn anyone."
"Yes, I'm sorry too," said Impa. "That hit the Zora's pretty hard, and poor Mipha has her hands full now a lot sooner than expected."
"I knew we, I mean they, wanted to make a statement on the anniversary of Ganon's defeat but I couldn't find out what it was without looking suspicious. So, I waited to hear news of the plan, but by then it was too late."
"The only positive out of it for our side is that by attacking Link's family I think they have kindled his anger. If I know Link he will be pushing himself to get ready for his day of dealing with them. They may regret their choice of victim," said Impa.
"Let's hope so," said Kalan. "Anyway, that's not why I'm here. I inadvertently learned something that may help us if you can recognize a certain voice."
Kalan paused for a moment.
"But let me explain from the beginning. As you know when any of the Yiga Clan is killed their body vanishes. It is teleported back to our hideout. When Ganon was still alive, they could be re-spawned. But since he's gone, when you're dead you're dead now. We Yiga carry a small device which can record people's voices. We use it to learn and practice how to mimic someone's voice if we want to disguise ourselves as them. When the bodies of the four Yiga warriors who attacked King Dorephan arrived in our hideout, their recording devices were recovered and given to me to clean and make ready for re-use. It's part of my job in the technology section when I'm not out on a mission."
Kalan paused again to catch his breath and listen for anything, but there was only silence.
"Before wiping the devices, I listened to what was on them," said Kalan. "And one of the warriors may have inadvertently recorded a conversation of use to us. I made a copy. You'll hear in the recording they are talking to someone who appears to be helping them organize the attack on King Dorephan. The voice on the recording is definitely not that of the Yiga Clan master. From the date, time and location information on the original recording, this took place near the South Lake Akkala just north of the Domain the night before the attack on King Dorephan. I'm hoping you can recognize the voice."
Kalan took out the device and pressed a rune as Impa waited to hear. The recording started to play.
"Are you sure you're ready? Mipha and the children should be at the lake. Dorephan should be alone or with Sidon. Four of you should be plenty to get the job done," said one voice on the recording.
"We will not fail you, Master," said another voice.
Then the recording ended. Impa had jerked her head back when she heard the first voice and now looked stunned. Kalan noticed her reaction.
"It seems you do recognize the voice, is that so?" asked Kalan.
"Yes," said Impa. "All too well."
"And?" said Kalan.
"It is Link's voice," said Impa.
"What! You're certain?" said Kalan in surprise. "That is disturbing news for us if true. But it seems impossible. Why would Link side with the Yiga Clan and against his own family? Link has been their sworn enemy his whole life, and there is a handsome reward for any of us who can kill him. He and Princess Zelda are at the top of our list. It makes no sense."
"No, it makes no sense, but I would recognize that voice anywhere," said Impa. "Could the recording be faked?"
"No, it was the original and unaltered," said Kalan. "I believe it was recorded by accident. It was only because the warrior was killed I even got to hear it."
"If it is Link I wonder if something happened to him within the Resurrection Shrine? Was the Shrine somehow corrupted by Ganon and its effects only gradually surfacing now? Yet I never sensed other than good in him whenever we met. I would need to check with my sister Purah about the shrine. She's the expert on that."
"I still pray to Hylia there is some other explanation," said Kalan. "But what do we do about this?"
"I need to meet with Queen Mipha, and I'll need that recording," said Impa. "And I need to tell Princess Zelda too. I don't look forward to my meeting with Mipha. I know Link is the love of her life and our conversation will be difficult in the extreme. If this is true and Link has betrayed her and contributed to the death of her father I don't know how Mipha could cope. She may have a complete breakdown with two such grievous heartaches. But what else can we do? In the meantime, I hope you can learn more. But please be careful, darling. I want you home safely someday so we can start the family we both want."
"I will and we will, I promise," said Kalan.
They kissed, and Kalan made his way back out the way he had entered. Impa's guards still thought the coast was clear.
Impa got very little sleep that night as she re-played every visit from Link she could recall looking for perhaps some sign she had overlooked. But nothing came to mind. She would swear his heart was pure. She wrote a letter to Purah.
Hello Sister,
I hope your researches are proceeding carefully for a change and you are not getting ahead of yourself as usual.
I have come across something worrisome, and I wonder if you could investigate. Is it possible that the Shrine of Resurrection has been corrupted in some way and its effects slow to surface? I cannot explain the cause of my concern in writing, but we can discuss next time I see you. In the meantime, please think about my question.
Love,
Impa
Next morning, she got ready for her trip to Zora's Domain.
Back at the Domain life went on as usual. The children were in school, Link attended a Council of Elders meeting and Mipha had appointments all morning. Impa arrived about lunchtime and was told Queen Mipha could see her in an hour. So Impa bought some fish and rice at the market and cooked herself a meal. One enjoyable thing about here, she thought, was how fresh the fish was. Finally, it was time to see Mipha.
"Impa!" said Mipha. "This is a nice surprise. I haven't seen you in quite a while."
"Yes, Your Majesty, and let me say how sorry I am for your loss," said Impa.
"Thank you," said Mipha. "But please just call me Mipha. Shall I see if Link is available? I know he would love to see you."
"Um, no," said Impa. "It might be best if we spoke privately."
"Now I am intrigued," said Mipha. "What is it?"
"I have to give you some background first," said Impa. Without revealing the source of her information, she told her about the recording of a conversation between someone and the Yiga Clan warriors who had killed her father. Mipha closed her eyes at the mention of that, but Impa continued.
"So, although I know this may be very painful, I would like you to listen to the recording and confirm my suspicions," said Impa.
"What are your suspicions?" asked Mipha.
"It concerns one of the voices on the recording," said Impa.
"Very well," said Mipha. "I'm ready."
Impa made sure Mipha was seated comfortably then played the recording.
Mipha screamed out when she heard the voice, and both her hands flew to her mouth. Two guards rushed forward with spears pointed at Impa.
"It's alright," said Mipha to the guards. "I had a shock, that's all."
The guards stepped aside but looked none too kindly at Impa.
Mipha was breathing hard, her eyes were on the device. It was Link's voice, no doubt about it, from his intonation to the way he said her name. But how in the name of Nayru could this be true? Link loved her and his family. He could never do something like that.
Are you, are you sure that recording is faithful?" asked Mipha between deep breaths.
"We believe so," said Impa.
"Who is 'we'?" said Mipha.
"I cannot say, but I swear to you my source is reliable," said Impa.
"But how can this possibly be?" said Mipha. "And why would he do something like this?"
"I cannot say," said Impa. "It may be due to some mental damage from the Shrine of Resurrection if it were corrupted by Ganon somehow. He may have even developed a split personality and be unaware of everything he's doing. I've asked Purah to look into it."
"But I refuse to believe Link could do this! To me? To his family? It's impossible," said Mipha.
"But we have to allow for the possibility based on what both of us heard," said Impa. "And I hardly need to remind you that as Queen you have a responsibility to protect your people, whatever your personal feelings may be."
"I need Link himself to hear this," said Mipha shaking her head.
She asked two of the guards to get him. While she waited, she tried thinking back to the time around her father's death. Link had gone out alone the night before her father's death, but he often did that. He said he loved the Domain at night and often took walks. And it was his idea they swim at the lake the next day, but they usually did that too. The guards returned with Link who looked quite surprised to have been suddenly asked to leave the meeting and accompany them, and even more surprised to see Impa there.
"Is everything alright?" said Link. "Impa, why are you here?"
"I need you to listen to something," said Mipha.
Impa played the recording and Link looked as shocked as Impa had the first time she heard it.
"That sounds just like me," said Link. "Who is it?"
"We don't know," said Mipha. "We're just hoping it isn't you."
Link looked like he had been slapped in the face.
"Mipha, how could you think it's me?" said Link. "You know how much I love you and how much I hate the Yiga Clan and even more so now because of what they did to our family. Where did this recording come from?"
Impa explained the circumstances. Then she went on to explain it was possible he was suffering some ill effects from the Shrine of Resurrection that caused him to do things he might be unaware of. They would need Purah's opinion on that.
"So, you think I may have some sort of split personality, and all this time this other side of me has been conspiring with the Yiga Clan?" said Link. "That's crazy. When would I even have time for that?"
"It may be crazy," said Impa. "But I need Purah to check out the Shrine, and until she does, I think we need to be cautious."
"Mipha, you don't believe any of this, do you?" said Link.
"No, I don't believe it, but the problem is I need to think of the welfare of our people. If there is any chance you are unwell somehow and being driven by something you can't control to do these things, then I need to prevent it. So, until we hear back from Purah or find some other explanation I'm sorry, but I need to detain you," said Mipha.
"You're arresting me?" said Link.
"More like house arrest," said Mipha. "You can stay anywhere you like at the Domain, just not with the children and me, and two guards will stay with you, so don't try to leave. I'm sorry, I just need to be sure for everyone else's sake."
With that two guards stepped forward and asked Link to accompany them. Link said he would stay at the inn tonight and the plaza during the day. Then they left.
When they got home from school Mipha explained to Sidon and the children that they needed to see if Link was well and himself, and he needed to be away from home for a while. Mila for one was not happy with Mipha's explanation.
"Does he have some contagious disease?" said Mila.
"No," said Mipha. "It could just be something in his head. But we hope he is fine."
"Then why can't we see him?" said Mila.
"Because we are not sure if or when the disease might affect him, and he might do something he would regret later," said Mipha.
Link was having difficulty coping with this sudden situation. He was happy Mipha believed in him, and he understood it was out of an abundance of caution for her people she was restraining him. But it still hurt. And who was the voice in the recording? He didn't believe he had a split personality so there must be some other explanation. But what? He wandered around the plaza for a bit, then had a light dinner then went to book a bed at the inn. All the while two Zora guards shadowed his every move.
"Link, you're booking a bed here?" said the Seabed Inn proprietor. "Had a fight with Her Majesty?"
Link gave him a look that shut him up, and he completed the transaction in silence. He was not in a joking mood.
Purah received Impa's letter the next morning and was interested in her question. When they had uncovered and restored the Shrine of Resurrection, it seemed untainted to her. But perhaps she should do a more complete check. She gathered up her materials from the laboratory at Hyrule Castle, and the Sheikah Tab Link had brought back with him. She really loved that device! Purah wished she had two of them so she could take one apart for study, but with only one was afraid of breaking it. And she meant to write to Link that her work on the anti-aging rune was going well, the element he had recovered on his journey outside Hyrule seemed to be just what was needed. But one thing at a time. It was a long ride to the Great Plateau, so she had better get going.
As she rode to the Great Plateau, she was thinking about things. Of course, in this timeline, the Shrine of Resurrection had not been used, but Link had used it in his original timeline before the split. So, she could test the shrine in an unused condition. She liked this kind of work!
When she arrived at the site of the shrine the area was deserted. The shrine had been kept sealed for safety reasons, but she was able to open it. She walked in and closed the door behind her. Then she walked back to the rear of the cave and started examining the device and its controls, running tests to see if the code was clean and free of anything unusual. This was fun! She spent the whole rest of the day running tests until it was so late she had no choice but to sleep there overnight. For a moment she considered using the Shrine of Resurrection on herself to test things, but then this was just the sort of reckless experiment Impa would get angry about. She decided to sleep instead.
Next morning, she ran a few more tests, then was ready to call it quits. The shrine was perfectly safe. There was no evidence of any malice or tampering with its function. Impa's fears were groundless, as usual. It was typical of Impa to be overly cautious. Anyway, she had fun. Time to seal up the shrine, head back to Hyrule Castle, and let Impa know her findings.
Impa had returned to Kakariko Village but had first sent Zelda a short note that there was some concern about Link she could tell her in person next time she saw her. But for now, Link was safe in Zora's Domain. Later that morning Purah's letter arrived confirming the Shrine was safe. So, there was no mental corruption or split personality question. Therefore, either Link was betraying them consciously, or something else was going on. She wrote a note to Mipha that they had found no evidence of anything wrong with the shrine. She wasn't sure that would make Mipha feel better or worse.
Link was in his second day of house arrest at the Domain. Things were getting a little awkward. The big mouth landlord at the Seabed Inn had been telling people Link was staying there and of course that started rumors of what had happened between Mipha and him. From what he could hear the stories seemed to sympathize with Mipha. Link was glad when early that morning Mipha finally sent some guards to bring him to meet with her. Perhaps unfairly he was in a sour mood.
"Your Majesty," said Link as he bowed. "Thank you for seeing your humble subject."
"Stop it, Link," said Mipha. "You know I didn't want to treat you that way, but I had to be cautious. Come here."
"Is that a royal command?" said Link.
"No, it's your wife's wish," said Mipha. "Purah says you're healthy and I don't believe you would do anything to hurt us if you are. So, you're free to come and go as you wish." Then she smiled at him. It was the smile that did it. He could never be upset with her when she smiled that way. He rushed into her arms, and they kissed.
"I missed you so much," said Link.
"I missed you too, and I'm sorry I put you through that," said Mipha. "What are you going to do next?"
"I'd like to get to the bottom of who we heard on the recording," said Link. "I hold that person responsible for the harm he caused us."
"But where do you even start?" said Mipha.
"Did Purah tell us where the conversation took place?" said Link. "I could check there. It's been over a month so the trail would be cold but maybe there are some clues left."
"She said it took place by South Lake Akkala," said Mipha. "But whatever you plan to do, please be careful. Now I wish all the more I could come with you to keep you safe."
"I'll be careful, but this is all too uncertain and something I need to do alone," said Link. "And thanks for believing in me. You know I love you."
"And I love you," said Mipha. "Please, please, be careful. I need you now more than ever."
Link headed off to investigate the South Lake Akkala area which was a bit north of Toto Lake. There had been some gentle rain since King Dorephan's death, so Link didn't expect to find much. He wandered around the area. There was a road and a bridge here. And then at one spot on the ground, he saw some evidence of an old campfire. So, someone had camped here. Perhaps the meeting in question? It was not the type of place most people would choose to camp. The Foothill and South Akkala stables were not far away and would be more comfortable. And the Domain itself, of course, was very close. He looked around the area, but there was not much to see. But then he did notice something interesting. There were some horse hoof tracks near the camp. The Yiga Clan never traveled by horse so this was someone else. But what made the hoofprints interesting was the print of the left front hoof. The shoe had evidently broken in one place and left a very distinctive impression. If he was lucky, he could try to track this. It was time to head to Foothill Stables and renew his acquaintance with an old friend.
When he arrived at Foothill Stables, the owner greeted him.
"Are you taking good care of her?" asked Link. "Giving her exercise as I asked?"
"The best care, Sir," said the owner. "Just go see her for yourself."
Link headed to the area the horses were kept, and Epona was already neighing.
"Hi girl," said Link petting her mane and offering her some carrots. "We have some traveling to do together now, like the old days. Are you ready?"
Epona neighed as if she understood him. The owner prepared Epona for riding and Link hopped on the saddle and was off. He would try to follow the distinctive hoofprints as far as he could and see where it took him. But first, he had to ride back to South Lake Akkala and pick up the trail.
It was slow going. The hoofprints would stop for a while where the ground hardened or the weather or other prints had erased them. Then Link had to keep going forward until they picked up again. He was hoping the rider wouldn't realize the problem with his horse and fix its shoe at a stable. But so far, the rider seemed to be avoiding stables and keeping to the road. There was evidence of another campsite along the way and since it was getting dark Link camped there as well. Next morning, he picked up the trail again. At first, it appeared the rider was heading to the Lost Woods, but instead he circled around it. He was apparently heading for the Thyphlo Ruins, an area of perpetual darkness Link remembered from a Shrine and an unpleasant encounter in the dark with a Hinox. But yes, the hoofprints led up to the entrance to the Thyphlo Ruins and then stopped. How could he follow now? The person would be on foot the rest of the way.
"Wait here for me Epona," said Link. "I'm going to do a little exploring."
Link made his way into the ruins and was at once enveloped in darkness. There were some Luminous Stones here and there and a few lanterns lit by fire. He had brought a torch and lit it then used it to light some lamps along the way. He remembered the Shrine was near the center of the ruins and there shouldn't be any Hinox around now. It was quiet and creepy walking through the ruins in darkness, the occasional noise from an animal breaking the silence. Link imagined any animals here must have wandered in by mistake and couldn't find their way out. Few animals would choose to live in perpetual darkness. He picked his way slowly through the ruins lighting lanterns along the way and on his guard. Finally, he reached the center and the Shrine that stood there.
What now? He hadn't encountered anyone or evidence of anyone. He sat down at the Shrine entrance his back against the Shrine having lit all the lanterns in the area. He had an uneasy feeling he wasn't alone but couldn't see anyone. He put out the torch and held his hand on his sword as he glanced around the area around him, all his senses on alert. There was only blackness as he scanned left and right, the Shrine in back of him. Then he squinted and slowly scanned the area again. Wait, he thought. There was something there near one of the trees, something red. He quickly glanced back. Then he saw them clearly. Two red eyes were looking at him. He returned their gaze, and the eyes realized he had seen them. Then he heard a familiar voice.
"Hello Link," said the voice. "So, you tracked me here and found my hideout. How did you do that? Very courageous of you to journey into the dark here. But you were always known for your courage if not your wisdom. Let me introduce myself. My name is Link."
The voice was familiar because it was his own. And as the eyes approached closer and the light of the lanterns gradually illuminated him Link could see it was a figure who looked much like him. But instead his hair was white and his clothes dark gray. He carried a sword, shield and bow much as Link did. But what was striking was his eyes, a sharp red in color. They glowed in the dark. Link drew his sword, and it glowed white. The figure copied him, drew his sword, and it burned red.
"This is not the time for us to settle our differences," said Dark Link. "I have other plans I wish to accomplish. But put away your darkness sealing sword. I have a lightness sealing sword, and I know every combat trick you do. Someday we may battle. But not today."
"Why not today," said Link standing up and advancing toward Dark Link. "I hold you responsible for the death of my father-in-law."
"I am responsible," said Dark Link. "But with Ganon gone the Yiga Clan need a new leader. I think I am perfect for the role. Once my plans with them are set I will be happy to battle you one-on-one. That will be quite an epic battle, the Hero of Hyrule against the Hero of Darkness. But I cannot spare the time to battle you now. I need to go. Until we meet again."
Then the figure rushed off into the darkness. It was hopeless to follow. Link retraced his path out of the ruins, and Epona neighed when she finally saw him emerge. He petted her and soothed her.
"Let's go home, girl," said Link. "We've done all we can for now."
So, he knew now who was responsible for orchestrating King Dorephan's death and whose voice was on the recording. He hoped their day of reckoning was not far off. His motivation to train harder had only been increased. He would have to overcome his evil twin, in effect outfight himself. That could be the toughest test he ever faced. But now he wanted to be home. He missed Mipha, and she would be worried about him.
The journey home went much faster since he didn't have to scan the road for hoofprints. He pushed Epona a bit here and there, and she seemed glad for the extra workout. It really was a little like old times together he thought. He first made his way back to Foothill Stables and boarded her.
"Thanks, girl," said Link. "You never let me down. I hope to ride with you again soon."
Epona neighed and nuzzled his hand. Then he headed back through Ternio Trail and over the hills into the Domain. It was dark by the time he was greeted by the guards and made his way home. The children were just getting ready for bed but they rushed to him, and he hugged them both.
"Dad, you're home!" they shouted.
"Yes, and happy to be here," said Link. "I missed all of you."
"Did you find what you were looking for?" said Mila.
"Yes, I did," said Link. "But my work is not finished yet. Someday soon I hope."
"It's time for bed," said Mipha. "You can talk about your Dad's trip tomorrow."
The two children went off to bed, and Link had a chance to be with Mipha. She reached out, and they hugged each other.
"I'm so happy you're home," said Mipha. "What did you find out?"
"I found out I have an evil twin, an opposite of sorts, and he is the one causing the trouble," said Link. "It was his voice on the recording. I wanted to settle things with him at once, but he wasn't ready and fled into the darkness. But now I know who my enemy is. And I will be ready."
"Let's forget about all that for now," said Mipha as she entered the pool. "I had a long day, and I could use another massage. You were very good at it last time."
"Of course," said Link. "But do you always have to fall asleep afterward?"
"Not always," said Mipha smiling as he joined her in the pool of water.