Wild did not dare to catch a glimpse of the Hero of Legend's retreating form. He could not - he is not worthy to gaze upon truer-than-life heroes like the Veteran. He is not one of them, yet the questions that the red-clad hero left in his wake had shaken him to the core. What if…what if he was wrong all along? The Champion wanted to laugh at that wishful thinking, but his throat did not want to cooperate. It was as if his body, thoughts, and soul - himself - were being pulled apart to clashing sides, and he could not differentiate what was true or false.
"Well now, if it isn't my friend, the Hero of the Wild."
Wild's head snapped up, and his blood went cold. Right in front of him stood his shadowy likeness. Dark Link, who he had spoken once on a puddle of muddy water, had appeared in a tangible and Hylian-like form. The very same being that he was warned about many times in his dreams now loomed before him like a wall of darkness.
The Dark Hero frowned at the Champion's slumped form. "You looked terrible." He knelt and reached out to cup the hero's cheeks, and Wild flinched at the contact. His freezing touch was a contrast to the gentle caress against his skin.
"Did the heroes harass you? Who was it? Was it the Hero of Legend?" Dink clucked his tongue as he brushed the blond fringes off the Champion's face. "He might come as a soft-hearted person inside a prickly shell, but he trusts little and could hold a grudge. Goes to show how badly Hylia messed him up in his quests."
"W-What…you…?" Wild swallowed the lump in his throat. He jerked away from the Shadow's touch. "W-What are you doing here?"
Dink's eyebrow furrowed in displeasure at the sudden distance. The Champion felt a chill run up his spine at how easily the Shadow wore the same face as if it was just a simple shirt. "Have you already forgotten? I am everywhere. Wherever the heroes are, I am there. I am a part of them. One that they cannot run away from."
"Then, why…?" The Champion's conversation with Twilight earlier reminded him of the danger before him. He shook his head and hauled himself up to his feet. "This isn't right. I shouldn't be chatting away with you like this. You're our enemy."
"Our?" Dink chuckled amusedly. "You're starting to sound like them." He rose and dusted his trousers. "It seemed you had acclimated yourself too well with them to the point you're starting to think like them. It makes me sad that my only friend had started to think of me as a monster to kill."
Wild's throat felt like sand. "We're not friends."
The Dark Hero gasped dramatically and placed a hand over his chest. "Now, you wound me!" He pouted like a child whose favorite toy was taken away. "What a shame it is, especially after I painstakingly prepared a gift for you."
Wild blinked at him owlishly. "What gift?"
"Curious?" Dink grinned at him. There was something feral with those sharp white teeth. Are his teeth like that too? The Shadow placed a finger over his lips as if to hush him. "You'll see it later. I made necessary arrangements to present it with pomp and grandeur that will put even the Hyrulean Royal Family to shame. You won't be disappointed."
Wild's eyebrows furrowed together. He did not like the sound of that. His hand slid to his hip for his Sheikah Slate, only to grab air. He gritted his teeth in frustration - he had forgotten that he had left it with Wind. He has nothing - no tool or weapon to defend himself should his dark doppelganger decides to murder him right now.
"Now, now. I won't hurt you." Dink seemed to read his thoughts and spread his arms wide. "Look, I'm unarmed. We're on even footing here. If you want to punch me, go ahead. I won't stop you."
Wild frowned. He might be reckless, but he is not dumb to play right on the Dark Hero's hands. "Why are you here? Why did you show yourself to me like this?"
Dink tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Well, for one, you seemed to have an itsy-bitsy fear of drowning." If the Shadow noticed him flinch, he did not show. Instead, he inclined his head innocently. "I'm concerned that if I appeared to you like before, I might trigger it. Aside from delivering my gift, I'm just here for a chat."
"A…chat?"
"Yes, yes!" The Dark Hero nodded eagerly. He reminded Wild of a puppy to its owner. That is, if the said puppy was a black hellhound with bloodred eyes that could shred him to pieces at any moment. "It's been a while since I talked with my friend, and it's the first time we see each other like this. Won't you do that for me?"
"I…" Wild faltered and took a step back. "I can't. I have to return to the others. Twilight would be looking for me right now. I don't want him to worry."
"You have a good relationship with the Hero of Twilight. I'm quite envious." Dink peered at him beneath ashen eyelashes. "Too bad the same couldn't be said with the others."
Wild stilled. Dink took that as an opportunity to step closer and pat the Champion's scarred cheek. "Am I wrong?" His thumb pressed tiny circles on the leathery skin as he lowered his voice. "Tell me. Have you thought about my offer? Unlike Hylia, I don't make empty promises. I can grant your deepest desire and give you your freedom. I will even make you the sole hero in the legends if you want. All of Hyrule will know your name. You'll be its savior, one that the generations to come will praise. There'll be no need for you to mingle with these murderers. After all, you're not like them."
Wild suddenly felt restless, like a vigilant wolf who had finally met its match. Every muscle in his body was taut, ready to pounce at a moment's notice. He grabbed the Shadow's wrist and scowled at him. "What are you saying?" The Champion demanded. "They're heroes chosen by the Goddess! Not murderers."
A throaty chuckle rumbled in Dink's throat. "You said you're young, but I didn't expect for you to be this naive." He wrenched his arm away and sized him up. "Did you know that the reincarnations of Ganondorf that the heroes fought were Gerudo? Well, most of them. Just like the Hero's Spirit, the vessel of the God Demise's hatred is subjected to the same cycle. Whenever Ganondorf appears, Link will too. It is an endless cycle, and let me tell you. It gets boring after the third time."
The Dark Hero gestured at him. "Now, here's a question for you. If Ganondorf was Gerudo and Link killed him, wouldn't that make the hero a murderer? Taking one life in exchange for saving many does not change the fact you killed a man. It still desecrates the gift of life given by the Golden Goddess Farore. Not to mention, it is against the laws of the land. Nevermind that they're heroes chosen by Hylia, the blood of a man they had slain stains their hands. Even the youngest of the heroes, the Hero of Winds, is a criminal."
"That's not true!" Wild clenched his fists. "Wind isn't -"
"Tsk! Tsk!" Dink wagged a finger. "How ignorant. It is easy for you to say that since you never killed a man. The Ganondorf you slain is a monster. Calamity Ganon is simply a manifestation of Ganondorf's malice and hatred. Even the Yiga that tirelessly hound you undeservingly gets to see tomorrow. On the other hand, that foolish leader of theirs," He shrugged uncaringly. "Well, it's his fault for getting himself killed. He shouldn't have crossed you in the first place, isn't that right?"
"Then again, I shouldn't worry you about such trivial detail. If I were you, I would be more concerned about what Hylia has planned for you." A knowing smile played on the Shadow's lips. "She isn't finished playing with her current toy, after all."
The implication of that statement felt like a punch in the gut. "Are you…" The Champion's nails dug on his palms. "Are you saying that Hyrule will be in danger again?"
Dink threw him a pitying look. "You ought to learn from the Hero of Legend. He isn't called the Veteran for nothing." Then, his smile parted to a grin. "I got to say. His mental fortitude doesn't precede his experiences. He's such easy prey. Just a few measly words are enough to push him to the edge."
"What are you…?" A sense of dread draped over Wild's shoulders like an old friend. "What do you mean? What did you do?"
The Dark Hero raised his palms to appease him. "Now, now. I didn't harm him if that's what you want to know." His words and expression, however, betrayed his actions. "Let's just say I accompanied him a few times in his loneliness and planted some…ideas in his head. If he follows through with them, that's his fault for listening."
"What ideas? What -"
Then, it clicked. Wild might have known the heroes for just two months, but he had come to learn their habits and peculiarities surprisingly quickly. Unlike his successor, Legend is not a wanderer. The guy would rather bite his tongue than go out without a map. Lately, however, the Veteran had been going into patrols more frequently than usual. Every time he returns, he is oddly withdrawn. Legend does not banter as noisily with the others as he used to. He also tends to be snippy to anyone who shows even a smidge of concern over it.
Everyone chalked it up to him adjusting to the sudden change in the team's dynamics, but it is not the case. Someone else had been manipulating and messing with Legend's mind behind the scenes when he was alone with no one else to take notice. The signs were obvious, almost mocking him. The Veteran's growing hostility and unusual behavior lately - it was all Dink's doing. Why did Wild not realize it earlier?
"You're a quick study." Dink licked his lips. "Mmm…I like that expression. It makes me want to play with the Hero of Legend a bit more."
The thought of Legend or the others hurting because of this guy made Wild's imaginary hackles bristle. He snarled at him. "Don't you dare -"
"Or what? You're going to kill me?" Dink sneered. "Can you even do that, Champion? Do you have the guts to accomplish that?" He gestured to himself. "Can you kill the Hero of Legend?"
Wild watched in horror as Dink's scarred face melted and dripped like melted wax. The skin tore off, revealing the muscles and the grinning skull hidden underneath. A liquid as dark as tar gushed out, and the Champion felt bile rose from his throat at the gruesome sight. He had skinned and chopped animals he had hunted before, but this? Even if his body is not his, witnessing this is beyond horrifying.
The darkness surrounding them slithered and latched itself on the Shadow. It enveloped him, and from within the shadowy cocoon, Wild could hear the cracking of bones as they reconstructed into a form smaller than the Champion. He recognized the outline of the hat akin to all of his Hero's sets and the Pegasus Boots that emerged from the liquid darkness. Gone was his doppelganger. Instead, the likeness of the Hero of Legend now stood before him.
The newly transformed Dark Hero spoke with the voice of the Veteran. "Will you kill me? Betray everyone's trust? You're already on thin ice as it is. What do you think will happen if everyone discovers you're the reason they're tearing themselves apart?"
Wild felt as if cold water was dumped on him. The truth behind that rhetorical question sent a shock through his veins, and he flinched away from the Shadow. He nearly stumbled as he backed away out of Dink's reach. However, the Dark Hero lunged forward and grabbed his arm.
"Don't run." Dink's nails dug on the burnt portion of the Champion's skin. "We still have time before your present arrives. Don't you want to listen to me praise how helpful you are to my plans? Don't you want to know what I planned after we successfully divided the heroes?" He leaned in and whispered next to his ear. "I'm sure you'll like it."
"N-No…" Wild struggled against the Shadow's crushing hold. "I-I don't! Shut up!" He shouted. "Let me go!"
Dink, however, did not budge. Instead, he tightened his grip, and Wild cried out in pain. "I initially planned to kill them all, but when Hylia sent you to their ranks, I decided otherwise. I'll let them live and kill them later, just for the sake of seeing the delicious despair in your face. A perfect mockery of the Goddess who had chosen you all."
The Dark Hero grabbed the Champion's face with his other hand and forced him to look at him in the eyes. "Tell me. Who do you think I should save for the finale? The Hero of Winds? The Hero of Hyrule?" Then, his grin grew wider. "How about the Hero of Twilight? He's like family to you, right? Much more important than the others."
NO NO NO! Wild shut his eyes and shook his head. He wanted to scream. The Champion knows that Dink was trying to get in his head. He knows he must not listen to his words, fight back, and get to safety. He has to run back to the others and warn them. Twilight had promised they would help him no matter what, and he wanted to place his faith in that.
"Or would it be better if it's the Hero of Legend? After all, he's someone who you failed to protect from lil' old me."
Wild's struggle ceased at those words. He felt his heart twist painfully. Failed…He had…
The real Link's final moments flashed in his mind. The scars that swallowed nearly half of his possessed body felt raw as if he had just been struck by a Guardian Stalker's beam seconds ago. Sorrow, anger, pain, and regret stabbed ruthlessly in his chest. It is worse than when the Master Sword burned him - it hurt so much that Wild felt he was choking.
Had he failed Legend…?
Wild knows he should not feel these emotions strongly like now. It is not his! Yet, it felt as if they were his all along. Tears prickled at the corners of Wild's eyes. His knees felt like they would collapse anytime now, but a faint tug in his soul urged him to hold his ground and look. He shakily lifted his gaze and saw Dink's expression.
"Beware of the Shadow," The voice of the younger Time in his dreams urged desperately. "Beware of the Dark Hero. He is everywhere. Never. Ever. Let him in!"
Wild's breathing stuttered as he gazed upon his desperate face reflected in those red eyes. He looked weak and helpless, yet his company showed no shred of sympathy. Instead, cruel glee decorated the Shadow's face - Legend's face - as he reveled in the Champion's misery.
"I am the culmination of their fears, their repressions, and their darkest desires - the existence which they desperately try to bury and forget."
Ah. Now he understands. This is what the younger Time from his dreams meant. This is what he was told to beware of. This is why Dink is the Dark Hero - why he is called the Shadow.
"Cub, listen." Twilight's words earlier echoed in his head. "You're far stronger than the Shadow takes you for."
Dark Link is wrong. He did not fail Legend. The Veteran is still alive. There is still time to wrench him out of this asshole's influence. This impostor before him is neither Legend nor will ever be him.
The fear and anguish he felt a second ago were overcome by a fury that had been prowling restlessly beneath his skin. A part of the Champion - the him that had grown tired of being scared - had finally snapped. He did not need to ask what Dink plotted for the eight heroes. He already knew that the Dark Hero would not extend to them the same courtesy he had given him.
"Let go."
"Oh?" Dink raised an eyebrow. "You want me to let you go? Why don't you make me, hero?"
"It is Dark Link's mistake for underestimating you like this."
A fist found its way on Dink's face as Wild punched him with a burst of strength he rarely unleashed. The Shadow was forced to let go and staggered back a few feet. His hands found his face and felt something wet and sticky. When he looked down on his palms, he saw blood. It trickled down from his nose and to the loamy soil beneath his boots.
The Dark Hero looked up to the hero with a hiss, only to freeze. His eyes widened at the sight before him. The face riddled with hopelessness earlier had hardened to a stoic soldier that not even a trace was left. Despite that, those blue eyes were a furious maelstrom that had started to wreak havoc.
"Hah…ha…haha…HAHAHAHA!" Dink's laughter broke through the growing silence around them. "So, the cub has finally walked out of the den." He wiped his nose as he appraised the hero with gleaming eyes and a manic expression. "Yes! I like that expression! Has that Twili mutt rubbed on you?"
A guttural growl rumbled in Wild's throat. The sound was nowhere near Hylian and more like an animal. His bright blue eyes swirled in a deeper shade of blue as they glowed in an unnatural green-gold.
"So dangerous, so feral, so wild! Makes me want to throw you a fresh bone." Dink grinned wickedly. "How do you want us to celebrate? Should I serve you one from the Hero of Legend on a silver platter?"
"DARK LINK!"
Wild roared and lunged at him - his momentum sent them stumbling on the ground. His bruised knuckles connected against Dink's left cheek. The Shadow's skin rippled from the impact, distorting the fake Legend's face for a second. The former snarled and retaliated by kicking him on the stomach. The Champion reeled away in pain, and the Dark Hero struck back with a blow of his own.
Wild coughed and spat out blood on the ground. Dark spots danced in his eyes for a second, and he barely had time to roll away when Dink pounced at him. He tried to stand up, but the other grabbed him by the baldric. Wild twisted around and sank his teeth on the Shadow's bare arm.
Dink howled in pain and released the hero. Wild swept his leg under him and sent the Veteran's doppelganger toppling on the ground with a sickening CRACK! Before Dink could recover, the Champion pinned his knee on his chest and punched him square on the face.
"HOW DARE YOU!" Wild bellowed as his voice reverberated together with another. "How dare you, Dark Link! Leave him! Leave Legend alone, you sick bastard! I won't forgive you if you hurt him! I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!"
Dink snarled at him and seized a fistful of the hero's hair. Wild yelled as pain gripped his scalp as the Dark Hero pulled down harshly. He reached down to claw at his face, but the latter grabbed him by the exposed neck and slammed him down. The Champion nearly blacked out from the impact when something dug on his chest and brought him back to the waking world.
"You should've just accepted my offer, Hero of the Wild." Dink hissed as he loomed above him in the same position he was in moments ago. His hand wrapped around the scarred hero's throat. "I really like you, you know. More so than the other Links. It is such a shame you have to be so self-righteous like the rest of your predecessors. If only you weren't, then things wouldn't have to go this way."
The Shadow lifted his free hand. The darkness coalesced on his palm and solidified into a dagger. Wild clawed at the blackened hand choking him. He tried to wriggle his body free and kick Dink off him to no avail. His strength has started to leave him, but a part of him knew that the Dark Hero would not let him fall unconscious. Dink would want him awake and aware of whatever he had planned for him and the others.
"Want to know a dirty little secret?" Dink pressed his knee harder on the hero's chest, causing Wild to gasp in pain. He leered at the agony on the scarred hero's face, leaned in, and whispered. "You have the Hero's Spirit."
The Shadow drew back and traced the cold tip of the blade on the hero's scarred cheek. "The incarnation of the Goddess didn't tell you because she didn't want you to feel bad. After all, a hero with a fragmented Hero's Spirit is nothing but a broken doll waiting to be thrown away."
LIAR! Wild wanted to scream. He did not want to listen to more lies coming from the doppelganger's mouth. He will not be swayed by his words. Not anymore! Black blood had soaked the inside of his fingernails and dripped on his tunic. The Champion's desperate struggle had slowed down, but the wrath in his glazed eyes did not diminish a bit.
"Shall we test if I'm lying or not? Let's see if Hylia or the Master Sword will come to your aid. If they let you die, well," Dink twisted his grip on the dagger and raised it above the Champion's chest. His red eyes were crinkled in morbid delight. "I'll just give my gift to the Hero of Twilight, and you can just blame them and yourself at your grave."
NO NO NO! Wild urged his body to move and fight back - anything - but it would not respond to his muddled thoughts. He prayed desperately to Hylia or whoever goddess bearing witness to now. Please please please! He cannot go like this! Dink will hurt the heroes so please help him -
"Nighty-night, Hero of the Wild."
Wild could do nothing but watch the blade drove down towards his heart. He did not dare to close his eyes - he will not give Dink the satisfaction of seeing him despair until his last breath. He waited to see the dagger embedded into his heart and feel physical pain like no other…
…But it did not come. There was a flash of metal from his right, and an arrow embedded itself on Dink's wrist. The Dark Hero bellowed in pain and dropped the dagger, which dissolved back into the shadows. The hand gripping the Champion's neck loosened, and the hero urged himself to gather the last dredges of his strength and kicked the Shadow away.
Wild rolled on his knees, his body heaving and coughing as air forced itself into his lungs. He barely heard the clanging of metal running towards his side over the ringing in his ears. Someone desperately called his name, but he felt detached from his body. The world spun beneath his fingertips. When he tried to look up, all he saw were black, gold, and grey. Despite his addled mind, Dink's voice cut through loud and clear.
"So, you've finally come…Hero of Time."