A/N: We're finally inside the Dark Realm. I had to read a lot to develop this chapter. I hope you like it!
Link felt his hand release its grip on the Master Sword as the light around them dimmed down; Zelda let go of him and they looked around, assessing their surroundings. They were inside a small cavern lit by torches, a stone pedestal, where the Master Sword was still embedded, right in the middle. Link pulled out the Master Sword and immediately noticed something strange, for the blade of the sword was glowing with a pink/purple light through all of its length. He then looked at Zelda and noticed her expression while looking at her, and just then he realized why: both of them had slightly different clothes, darker than the ones they had been wearing before the crossing, and their eyes were now blood-red.
"I guess this is what they were warning us before," said Link. "We have actually changed, but our consciences remain our own."
"I guess the Triforce is keeping us safe from fully turning," said Zelda, looking at the golden triangle in her hand.
"Let's get out of here," said Link. "We better start moving."
They headed toward the exit of the cavern and, when they were outside, they found themselves in a small garden, full of withered flowers and trees, with a dried-up fountain in the middle of it. They walked across it toward the gate that led outside and, when they crossed it, they were now in a grim-looking town, some buildings crumbling and, in general, very similar to Kakariko Village. The sky was covered in dark clouds and a perpetual shade covered the land.
"May I help you?" said a voice behind them. Link and Zelda turned and saw a man eyeing them suspiciously. He was wearing a ragged, dirty cloak and had a battered walking cane in his hand. A sort of mask covered his face, like a grim bunny-face, which only allowed his eyes to be seen.
"Yes," said Link. "Could you please tell me where are we?" The man looked at him for a few seconds, like if surprised, and then spoke up.
"This," said the man, "is the Village of Outcasts, home of the thieves and scum of the former Lorule."
"Lorule?" asked Zelda.
"You come from afar, don't you?" he asked while he stared at them. "This place was once named Lorule, the once beautiful kingdom of the Lorulean Royal Family." He shook his head and looked down. "It's been a long time since they were all killed, slaughtered by their own so-called 'guardian spirit', who managed to control some of the foulest creatures on this land and get hold of the throne."
"You mean Garoth?" asked Link. The man looked at him in shock and stepped back a few paces.
"Don't mention that name out loud boy!" He panted and spoke again. "No, I'm not speaking of the Emissary of Darkness. He left this land long ago; no, I'm speaking of the one who was dead yet is still powerful." He looked at both sides and then motioned them to follow him. "Come, it isn't safe to speak of this outside."
Link and Zelda exchanged glances and followed the man throughout the town. Every now and them, windows were suddenly shut when they passed, ill-looking children ran inside their homes before bolting the door behind them, and one or two men stopped talking to follow them with their eyes before whispering under their breaths. The man reached a battered shack and opened the door for them to enter; they did so and he closed the door behind them before heading toward the hearth and starting the fire.
"Sir, excuse me but, who are you?" asked Zelda. The man removed his cloak and, limping, sat in a patched up chair.
"My family was once of importance in the halls of Lorule Castle, now the Fortress of Darkness. I was once a friend of Princess Hilda, but now I'm nobody." He stared at them for a few seconds and added: "My name is Ravio."
"What happened to Lorule, Ravio?" asked Zelda.
"Oh, no," he said while shaking his head, "Lorule doesn't exist anymore. This is now called by the inhabitants and foreigners as The Dark Realm."
Link and Zelda looked at each other; they had thought that the Dark Realm would be a chamber of sorts, not a parallel world to Hyrule where Darkness had managed to corrupt the souls of its inhabitants and destroy the land. Link noticed a map stuck to the wall behind Zelda and he stood up, getting closer to examine it.
"That's the map of the Dark Realm, former Lorule," said Ravio.
"May I have it?" asked Link, examining it. He realized that it was an almost exact reflection of Hyrule. "It may be useful for me."
"Why? What business brings you here?" asked Ravio.
Link and Zelda stared at each other again. "¿How do we know that we could trust you?"
"Because I'm on your side," he replied, removing the bunny-mask. Link and Zelda gasped, for Ravio looked exactly as Link, except that he had black hair instead of blonde. "I knew from the moment you turned around that you were here to help, and that you come from the other world, Hyrule, the Light Realm."
"How do you know of Hyrule?" asked Zelda.
"I know everything about Hyrule, your Highness," replied Ravio, "for Princess Hilda and I studied our History together. We were only children the day that the Emissary of Darkness came and said that the land of Lorule would fall, and behind him entered the Guardian. Garoth announced that both Hyrule and Lorule were doomed and he vanished before our eyes. The Guardian then held up his sword and slaughtered the entire Royal Family. My mother took me away, she was a counselor of the castle, and we fled together. The Guardian then turned the land of Lorule into the Dark Realm and we have been decaying ever since then."
"What happened then?" asked Link.
"You mean, to me and my mother?" asked Ravio. "Well, she was killed and I survived, what more is there to know?"
"Who is this Guardian?" asked Zelda.
"You should know about him, as he once threatened to destroy your world even before it was created. I guess his real name is that which his servants use, so his name is Ghirahim."
The Soldiers of Darkness soon arrived at the Village of Outcasts, followed by a horde of bokoblins and two large moblins.
"Search every house," said the Captain. "Kill anyone who opposes."
The soldiers started to raid the village and the creatures ran free throughout the streets. People were screaming and swords could be heard unsheathed all around the place. The soldiers had been assigned a mission, and they intended to fulfill it.
Link had just finished storing the map in his satchel when they heard the riot outside. Zelda drew out her sword and Link unsheathed the Master Sword, but Ravio stood in front of the door blocking the way.
"No!" he yelled. "You must fulfill your mission and save both Hyrule and Lorule. I will keep them at bay while you flee south."
"South?" asked Link. "No, we must climb up the mountain! We must defeat the dragon that dwells there!"
"Necroga?" asked Ravio. "You can't access the trail into Death Mountain in your current state. Go south and find a man named Argo; he will be able to help you." He showed them a trapdoor under the carpet on the floor and opened it; it was the entrance to an underground tunnel. "Go, and may the Goddesses protect you."
Link and Zelda climbed down into the tunnel and Ravio closed the trapdoor over them. They ran through the path and stopped when they heard the blast of a bomb's explosion behind them and the whole tunnel shook.
"Ravio!" yelled Zelda, covering her mouth with her hands.
"He did what he thought was right," said Link, grabbing her arm. "We must go, come on!"
They turned around again and started running once more into the tunnel. They ran for several minutes until they reached an opening and got out at last. They looked back and saw that the smoke rising from afar, where the Village of Outcasts had been; Death Mountain loomed over the landscape, smoke rising from within its crater.
"Where do you think we can find this Argo guy?" asked Zelda.
"Ravio said that we should head south, so I'm guessing: if this world is an exact counterpart of Hyrule, then we should be able to find him where Faron Woods is supposed to be, though here it is called," he looked at the map that they had taken from Ravio's house and pointed at the south part of it, "Skull Woods."
"Not a very catchy name," said Zelda. "I wonder how Ravio could refer to Lorule as beautiful, if its locations have such creepy names."
"Well, this was his homeland," said Link. "I'm sure he thought it was beautiful."
"There they are!" yelled a voice behind them.
They turned around and saw several armed men and a few dark bokoblins running their way. Link and Zelda drew out their swords and readied to engage.
"There's too many of them," said Link.
"We should run then," said Zelda.
They turned around and ran as fast as they could, trying to put as much distance as possible from their pursuers. When they realized that running wouldn't help them at all Link turned around, raised the Master Sword upward and charged all his strength in it, the Triforce began to glow and he swung the blade in a wide swing. The energy arc sliced through their enemies and Link saw how they fell on the ground, some dead and other badly injured.
"Let's go," he said, and he and Zelda ran toward the edge of the woods that could still be seen far away.
