I can't praise Matt enough for helping me: thanks for letting me
steal..err..borrow some of your ideas! *kisses Matt's feet*
Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda or any of its characters, but this story was my original (and Matt inspired) idea.
Zelda's eyes filled with tears as she moved slowly to the ridge of the pond and sat down. Li gazed at the man before him, curious.
"Where is the Master Sword, Zelda?' Zelda sat and said nothing, staring at the ground. "I warned you, I tried to tell you." Link sighed and shook his head.
"You...you're him, aren't you?" Li inspected him closely. The look on Link's face was not a welcoming one.
"Yes, I am he." Link turned suddenly and grabbed Li by the collar of his tunic. "You touched the Sword, didn't you?" Link looked deep into Li's eyes, searching, but Li only stared stupidly back at him. "Did you touch it when you were angry? Did you?!" Link still had a hold of Li's tunic, still searching for something in his eyes.
"I uhh..." Li couldn't think, couldn't speak.
"Yes, he did." Zelda interjected. Link let go of Li and turned toward her.
"I warned you," Link said again. "I know you remember, because you're the only one who does remember everything that happened in my past life." Zelda looked hurt. "I tried to tell you, Zelda, but you didn't listen."
"I- well, how did you expect me to believe such a thing? It's impossible! You can't actually be trying to tell me what I think you are. I won't believe it."
"First of all, it is not impossible. I witnessed the thing myself. And secondly, I'd start believing if I were you." He got a far off look on his face, remembering something, then looked at Li. "...The demon is within him now..."
"What? A demon? I'm kinda lost here.." Li said as Link turned back to face him and let out a bitter laugh.
"Friend, you are more than lost. Come. Zelda, you too. There is much to be told."
Li knelt down on the floor and reached under his bed. Pulling out the sheathed Master Sword, he stood up and handed it to Link.
"Whatever you do, don't touch it anymore." Link unsheathed it and examined it, the blade glittering in the lamplight of the room. It was still somewhat light out, but growing dark rather quickly.
"I still don't understand what's going on here," Li sat down on his bed while Link sighed in despair and glanced at Zelda, who said nor did anything.
"It's completely transferred into his body. There is nothing left in the Sword.." Turning to Li he said, "I'm sorry, young friend. But all hope is lost."
"Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on?!"
"It is a long story, but do not worry. I shall tell all."
"You don't even know who I am. Aren't you going to even ask?" Link raised his eyebrows and looked at Zelda, then back at Li.
"Well, I can certainly presume that you're one of my descendants, seeing as how you look exactly like me. Save for the hair and eyes...and seeing as how this could only have happened to one of my kin." Li looked at him utterly confused. How could he know...?
"And you're...ok with this?" Li questioned.
"Well, no. I am not. By bringing you here, Zelda has awoken one of my most dangerous enemies."
"I swear I didn't wake anyone up...and I'm definitely not an enemy. I really didn't have a choice in this matter-"
"That I know, it is not your fault. But listen to me, and you will soon understand."
[ Link proceeded through the door and entered into a large, open room. At first he thought he was outside, but looking up, he could see a ceiling covered by the mist. He stood on a ledge leading out into a vast lake. There was an island in the middle, and he could see a door on the other side. Making sure he had his Zora Tunic on, Link prepared to step into the murky waters. Placing his foot out and expecting to fall into the lake, he found that the water barely came up over his foot. "How convenient," he said to no one. Once past the island, he was just about to reach the opposite door when he heard a metallic sound behind him. Recognizing the sound instantly as a sword being drawn, he tensed up and spun around. On the island stood a dark figure, whom Link could not make out, with a sword and shield. Almost instantly he heard a very high pitched tinkling sound, and knew his faery was trying to communicate with him.
"What is that, Navi?"
"Oh my, oh my! Link, that is Ganon's most evil creation! Be extra wary of him, Link!" Her bell like voice rang into his ears.
"But who is it, Navi?" Link asked again.
"Ooh!" Navi flitted around, panicky. "It is Dark Link! You must conquer yourself!"
"Oh goodie, a new challenge." Link said sarcastically and advanced toward the island.
He approached Dark Link with his Sword pointed, but the dark elfin did not budge. A creepy smile formed on the elf's lips, and as Link came closer the smile turned into a grin.
"I have been waiting desperately for this moment. I will tear your soul to shreds!" Dark Link let out a nasty cackle, and Link took the opportunity to strike. The dark one reacted immediately and mirrored Link's every move, making it hard for Link to succeed. The elfin was as precise and swift as Link was. This demon was his exact opposite! 'You must conquer yourself..' So that's what Navi meant.
The demon was getting more blows in than Link was, and frankly, Link had had just about enough.
"Yeeaaaaarrrg!" Link lunged at the dark elfin with all of his might, anger swelling up in every corner of his body. Dark Link just sidestepped and grinned at the raging Hero. Link turned and breathed heavily, the anger and frustration almost unbearable.
"This will only make me stronger, you fool. Just when you think you have won, that is when I will conquer." Dark Link hissed at the Hero and beckoned him to come forward. "Come and get me!" Link screamed at the top of his lungs and charged at the dark demon who just stood with arms outstretched, waiting...the tip of Link's blade drove itself deep into the demon's stomach, and Link could feel the hatred and anger pouring out of his body and into the Sword. Dark Link flashed an evil grin and whispered softly, "Your hatred blinds you...and your anger has just destroyed you."
"I don't think so." Link twisted his Sword violently. "You're dead." All of a sudden a streak of pain ran up Link's sword arm and he watched in agony as the dark elfin seemed to disappear. His body became mist and it floated in circles around Link, then faded into his Sword which started to jerk violently. Link yelped at the pain and tried to control the Sword with all of his might, sending his magic and energy into it, telling it to calm down. Then there was a beam of light, and a big, wooden chest appeared on the island before him. "Just what I came for," Link sighed as he wiped the sweat off his brow and proceeded toward the island once again.]
"It took me my whole second life to figure out exactly what Dark Link meant...and had done. I was so stupid, the truth was right in front of me, and I was too dumb to notice."
"...Your whole second life? What?" Li questioned him.
"After Zelda sent me back, I had all the time in the world to think about my adventures. The course of history was changed, and Ganondorf was stuck outside of the time flow. He was no longer a problem."
"But how?"
"Time is a strange thing, young friend." Link sighed and felt the cool metal blade of the Sword, then sheathed it and set it on a table next to Li's bed. "But that also means that this Sword, the Master Sword, is unaffected by time. It is..shall we say...left out of the loop. So whatever happened to it, happened. Trying to alter the past or future will not affect what was. It will forever remain the same." Li almost fell off the bed at his words.
"Are you telling me-"
"Because the Sword is an element in time travel, it is not affected by time. Therefore, when I fought Dark Link and he placed his curse upon this Sword, his evil resided there even after I returned to my own time. It did not alter the circumstances." He sighed again and hung his head. "Like I said, it took me my whole second life to figure it out. By then it was too late."
"You just said 'resided', as in used to...where does it reside now?" Link motioned for Li to come forward. Li got up off the bed and walked over to Link, who put his finger on Li's chest.
"Here."
"No!" Zelda shrieked and came running to Li's side. "You must be mistaken. This whole thing is ridiculous!"
"Is it, Highness? What I say is the truth, and you know it."
"Then how? How is it possible? The Sword would not have allowed such a thing!" Zelda started to tear up again, and Li just stood there, staring at nothing. His eyes were narrowed and his face was cold and grim.
"Part of what you say is true, yes. The Sword would not allow such a thing, to an extent. Dark Link was able to put his magic inside, but it was dormant. The Sword was too powerful for him to overtake, and so he remained un-dead within it." Turning to Li, who still stood glazed over and motionless, he said, "Your anger has revived it. Tell me, when you held the Sword, at any point did you feel a pain run through your arm?" Li suddenly came back to reality and a concerned expression swept over his face.
"Yes...yes, I did. I was mad at Zelda for what she had done, and I lost control."
"That is when he transferred into your body." Link scratched his chin. " 'Your hatred blinds you'...The Sword felt your hatred, and its power was deflected. That was Dark Link's escape."
" 'And your anger has just destroyed you'." Zelda whispered softly. Then, looking back at Link, she said, "Why didn't he revive himself at any other time when you still had the Sword?"
"Think about it. He needed me to get Ganondorf out of the picture, so he could take over. He wanted new meat, someone more vulnerable. He found that someone. Only a descendant of mine would have been able to do this, because only they can wield the Master Sword, and only they can channel their energy into it." Li still stood there, shaking his head. "Now, he will take over our friend's body, slowly. The more he expresses his anger, the more powerful Dark Link will become. He feeds off evil intentions...It is what he's made of." Li closed his eyes at the spoken words and fell against the wall. Slumping down, a look of despair and inevitability was apparent on his face and he let out a deep sigh.
"So...I am the host of evil. That is who I've been seeing in the mirror; in my dreams. My true self." Li gazed up at Link. "Why didn't you destroy the Sword?"
"I would have tried..." Link took a deep breath, and glanced at Zelda. Zelda's eyes widened and her face became an expression of true guilt. It tore at her, and she sank to the ground also.
"I have done it again," she sobbed. "I have destroyed what I care about." Li got up and walked over to Zelda. Sitting down next to her, he put his arm around her.
"Of course you didn't."
"Yes I did. If only I had listened to Link, if only I had let him get to the Master Sword. But how was I to know? Destroy the Master Sword? It was unthinkable! It might have affected our lives for the worse."
"Yes, and after Zelda sent me back, the Sword was locked safely behind the Door of Time again. When I figured it all out and told Zelda...." Link dropped his head and looked at the ground.
"You can say it Link, I know what I did." Zelda put her head in her hands.
"By the Goddesses..." Li said in wonderment. "That's why you sent him away. You were afraid he'd do something to the Sword, and that's why you went after me. You brought me here to protect it from him."
"You catch on quickly, friend." Link said to Li.
"Are you nuts? What made you think I'd be able to defend anything from him? And why didn't you freak out when he showed up?"
"Because the moment she saw your reflection, she believed. Though she didn't want to. And you're right, she was nuts for thinking a pipsqueak like you could take me on in combat." Link flashed a playful grin at Li, who just shook his head. "Sorry. I realize that now probably isn't the best time for jokes." Li got up and walked over to Link.
"Link?"
"Yes?"
"Why had I been dreaming of Dark Link before all of this happened?"
"...You had?"
"Yes."
"I...don't know..."
"Maybe I did have magic inside me. Maybe I could foretell the future. Only I was too stupid to realize it."
"Not stupid....would you really have expected all of this to happen? To be brought into a whole new world, a completely unimaginable fantasy?"
"No."
"Neither would I. Neither *did* I...." Link laughed as he remembered his childhood...both of them. "My best friend used to tell me the same things. She would tell me that it was impossible to have known my destiny, because I used to think I could have changed it." He sighed and laughed again. "She really did believe me. Oh Malon..." Li's face got frantic all of a sudden and he slapped his forehead.
"Oh crap! Malon!" He didn't take a second glance before he jetted out of the room.
"Noo!! Li!!" Zelda jumped up and started after him, but Link stopped her.
"No, let him go. He has to do what he has to do...he seems like a righteous person, and I'd bet anything that he knows his fate. He won't let it get out of control, and if he does, I'll be there."
"What do you mean? What is he going to do?"
"I don't know, Zelda." She sighed and rested her head on Link's shoulder.
"I'm so sorry I caused all this trouble."
"Zelda, don't blame yourself. It will only trouble you deeper. I have forgiven you, and you need to forgive yourself....and that goes for everything." He lifted her chin and gave her a small wink. She sighed and stared at the doorway. "Zelda..."
"Hmm?"
"Defending the Sword from me wasn't the only reason you brought him here, was it?" Zelda looked at him.
"What do you mean?"
"You know exactly what I mean. You have a thing for him, don't you?" Zelda sighed and shrugged her shoulders.
"....yes."
"But....he doesn't exactly feel the same way, does he?"
"I don't think so. The first time he told me about his dreams, I knew they were of Malon." Link raised his eyebrows and stared at her.
"What?"
"You heard me." Link smiled. So, the good taste does run in the family..he thought.
****************
Ooh boy, the end is near. *sigh* Who knows what'll happen? Well, if you like this one, please review (even if you didn't like it). Your reviews will inspire me to post the final chapter soon, so...start writing! Tootles.
Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda or any of its characters, but this story was my original (and Matt inspired) idea.
Zelda's eyes filled with tears as she moved slowly to the ridge of the pond and sat down. Li gazed at the man before him, curious.
"Where is the Master Sword, Zelda?' Zelda sat and said nothing, staring at the ground. "I warned you, I tried to tell you." Link sighed and shook his head.
"You...you're him, aren't you?" Li inspected him closely. The look on Link's face was not a welcoming one.
"Yes, I am he." Link turned suddenly and grabbed Li by the collar of his tunic. "You touched the Sword, didn't you?" Link looked deep into Li's eyes, searching, but Li only stared stupidly back at him. "Did you touch it when you were angry? Did you?!" Link still had a hold of Li's tunic, still searching for something in his eyes.
"I uhh..." Li couldn't think, couldn't speak.
"Yes, he did." Zelda interjected. Link let go of Li and turned toward her.
"I warned you," Link said again. "I know you remember, because you're the only one who does remember everything that happened in my past life." Zelda looked hurt. "I tried to tell you, Zelda, but you didn't listen."
"I- well, how did you expect me to believe such a thing? It's impossible! You can't actually be trying to tell me what I think you are. I won't believe it."
"First of all, it is not impossible. I witnessed the thing myself. And secondly, I'd start believing if I were you." He got a far off look on his face, remembering something, then looked at Li. "...The demon is within him now..."
"What? A demon? I'm kinda lost here.." Li said as Link turned back to face him and let out a bitter laugh.
"Friend, you are more than lost. Come. Zelda, you too. There is much to be told."
Li knelt down on the floor and reached under his bed. Pulling out the sheathed Master Sword, he stood up and handed it to Link.
"Whatever you do, don't touch it anymore." Link unsheathed it and examined it, the blade glittering in the lamplight of the room. It was still somewhat light out, but growing dark rather quickly.
"I still don't understand what's going on here," Li sat down on his bed while Link sighed in despair and glanced at Zelda, who said nor did anything.
"It's completely transferred into his body. There is nothing left in the Sword.." Turning to Li he said, "I'm sorry, young friend. But all hope is lost."
"Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on?!"
"It is a long story, but do not worry. I shall tell all."
"You don't even know who I am. Aren't you going to even ask?" Link raised his eyebrows and looked at Zelda, then back at Li.
"Well, I can certainly presume that you're one of my descendants, seeing as how you look exactly like me. Save for the hair and eyes...and seeing as how this could only have happened to one of my kin." Li looked at him utterly confused. How could he know...?
"And you're...ok with this?" Li questioned.
"Well, no. I am not. By bringing you here, Zelda has awoken one of my most dangerous enemies."
"I swear I didn't wake anyone up...and I'm definitely not an enemy. I really didn't have a choice in this matter-"
"That I know, it is not your fault. But listen to me, and you will soon understand."
[ Link proceeded through the door and entered into a large, open room. At first he thought he was outside, but looking up, he could see a ceiling covered by the mist. He stood on a ledge leading out into a vast lake. There was an island in the middle, and he could see a door on the other side. Making sure he had his Zora Tunic on, Link prepared to step into the murky waters. Placing his foot out and expecting to fall into the lake, he found that the water barely came up over his foot. "How convenient," he said to no one. Once past the island, he was just about to reach the opposite door when he heard a metallic sound behind him. Recognizing the sound instantly as a sword being drawn, he tensed up and spun around. On the island stood a dark figure, whom Link could not make out, with a sword and shield. Almost instantly he heard a very high pitched tinkling sound, and knew his faery was trying to communicate with him.
"What is that, Navi?"
"Oh my, oh my! Link, that is Ganon's most evil creation! Be extra wary of him, Link!" Her bell like voice rang into his ears.
"But who is it, Navi?" Link asked again.
"Ooh!" Navi flitted around, panicky. "It is Dark Link! You must conquer yourself!"
"Oh goodie, a new challenge." Link said sarcastically and advanced toward the island.
He approached Dark Link with his Sword pointed, but the dark elfin did not budge. A creepy smile formed on the elf's lips, and as Link came closer the smile turned into a grin.
"I have been waiting desperately for this moment. I will tear your soul to shreds!" Dark Link let out a nasty cackle, and Link took the opportunity to strike. The dark one reacted immediately and mirrored Link's every move, making it hard for Link to succeed. The elfin was as precise and swift as Link was. This demon was his exact opposite! 'You must conquer yourself..' So that's what Navi meant.
The demon was getting more blows in than Link was, and frankly, Link had had just about enough.
"Yeeaaaaarrrg!" Link lunged at the dark elfin with all of his might, anger swelling up in every corner of his body. Dark Link just sidestepped and grinned at the raging Hero. Link turned and breathed heavily, the anger and frustration almost unbearable.
"This will only make me stronger, you fool. Just when you think you have won, that is when I will conquer." Dark Link hissed at the Hero and beckoned him to come forward. "Come and get me!" Link screamed at the top of his lungs and charged at the dark demon who just stood with arms outstretched, waiting...the tip of Link's blade drove itself deep into the demon's stomach, and Link could feel the hatred and anger pouring out of his body and into the Sword. Dark Link flashed an evil grin and whispered softly, "Your hatred blinds you...and your anger has just destroyed you."
"I don't think so." Link twisted his Sword violently. "You're dead." All of a sudden a streak of pain ran up Link's sword arm and he watched in agony as the dark elfin seemed to disappear. His body became mist and it floated in circles around Link, then faded into his Sword which started to jerk violently. Link yelped at the pain and tried to control the Sword with all of his might, sending his magic and energy into it, telling it to calm down. Then there was a beam of light, and a big, wooden chest appeared on the island before him. "Just what I came for," Link sighed as he wiped the sweat off his brow and proceeded toward the island once again.]
"It took me my whole second life to figure out exactly what Dark Link meant...and had done. I was so stupid, the truth was right in front of me, and I was too dumb to notice."
"...Your whole second life? What?" Li questioned him.
"After Zelda sent me back, I had all the time in the world to think about my adventures. The course of history was changed, and Ganondorf was stuck outside of the time flow. He was no longer a problem."
"But how?"
"Time is a strange thing, young friend." Link sighed and felt the cool metal blade of the Sword, then sheathed it and set it on a table next to Li's bed. "But that also means that this Sword, the Master Sword, is unaffected by time. It is..shall we say...left out of the loop. So whatever happened to it, happened. Trying to alter the past or future will not affect what was. It will forever remain the same." Li almost fell off the bed at his words.
"Are you telling me-"
"Because the Sword is an element in time travel, it is not affected by time. Therefore, when I fought Dark Link and he placed his curse upon this Sword, his evil resided there even after I returned to my own time. It did not alter the circumstances." He sighed again and hung his head. "Like I said, it took me my whole second life to figure it out. By then it was too late."
"You just said 'resided', as in used to...where does it reside now?" Link motioned for Li to come forward. Li got up off the bed and walked over to Link, who put his finger on Li's chest.
"Here."
"No!" Zelda shrieked and came running to Li's side. "You must be mistaken. This whole thing is ridiculous!"
"Is it, Highness? What I say is the truth, and you know it."
"Then how? How is it possible? The Sword would not have allowed such a thing!" Zelda started to tear up again, and Li just stood there, staring at nothing. His eyes were narrowed and his face was cold and grim.
"Part of what you say is true, yes. The Sword would not allow such a thing, to an extent. Dark Link was able to put his magic inside, but it was dormant. The Sword was too powerful for him to overtake, and so he remained un-dead within it." Turning to Li, who still stood glazed over and motionless, he said, "Your anger has revived it. Tell me, when you held the Sword, at any point did you feel a pain run through your arm?" Li suddenly came back to reality and a concerned expression swept over his face.
"Yes...yes, I did. I was mad at Zelda for what she had done, and I lost control."
"That is when he transferred into your body." Link scratched his chin. " 'Your hatred blinds you'...The Sword felt your hatred, and its power was deflected. That was Dark Link's escape."
" 'And your anger has just destroyed you'." Zelda whispered softly. Then, looking back at Link, she said, "Why didn't he revive himself at any other time when you still had the Sword?"
"Think about it. He needed me to get Ganondorf out of the picture, so he could take over. He wanted new meat, someone more vulnerable. He found that someone. Only a descendant of mine would have been able to do this, because only they can wield the Master Sword, and only they can channel their energy into it." Li still stood there, shaking his head. "Now, he will take over our friend's body, slowly. The more he expresses his anger, the more powerful Dark Link will become. He feeds off evil intentions...It is what he's made of." Li closed his eyes at the spoken words and fell against the wall. Slumping down, a look of despair and inevitability was apparent on his face and he let out a deep sigh.
"So...I am the host of evil. That is who I've been seeing in the mirror; in my dreams. My true self." Li gazed up at Link. "Why didn't you destroy the Sword?"
"I would have tried..." Link took a deep breath, and glanced at Zelda. Zelda's eyes widened and her face became an expression of true guilt. It tore at her, and she sank to the ground also.
"I have done it again," she sobbed. "I have destroyed what I care about." Li got up and walked over to Zelda. Sitting down next to her, he put his arm around her.
"Of course you didn't."
"Yes I did. If only I had listened to Link, if only I had let him get to the Master Sword. But how was I to know? Destroy the Master Sword? It was unthinkable! It might have affected our lives for the worse."
"Yes, and after Zelda sent me back, the Sword was locked safely behind the Door of Time again. When I figured it all out and told Zelda...." Link dropped his head and looked at the ground.
"You can say it Link, I know what I did." Zelda put her head in her hands.
"By the Goddesses..." Li said in wonderment. "That's why you sent him away. You were afraid he'd do something to the Sword, and that's why you went after me. You brought me here to protect it from him."
"You catch on quickly, friend." Link said to Li.
"Are you nuts? What made you think I'd be able to defend anything from him? And why didn't you freak out when he showed up?"
"Because the moment she saw your reflection, she believed. Though she didn't want to. And you're right, she was nuts for thinking a pipsqueak like you could take me on in combat." Link flashed a playful grin at Li, who just shook his head. "Sorry. I realize that now probably isn't the best time for jokes." Li got up and walked over to Link.
"Link?"
"Yes?"
"Why had I been dreaming of Dark Link before all of this happened?"
"...You had?"
"Yes."
"I...don't know..."
"Maybe I did have magic inside me. Maybe I could foretell the future. Only I was too stupid to realize it."
"Not stupid....would you really have expected all of this to happen? To be brought into a whole new world, a completely unimaginable fantasy?"
"No."
"Neither would I. Neither *did* I...." Link laughed as he remembered his childhood...both of them. "My best friend used to tell me the same things. She would tell me that it was impossible to have known my destiny, because I used to think I could have changed it." He sighed and laughed again. "She really did believe me. Oh Malon..." Li's face got frantic all of a sudden and he slapped his forehead.
"Oh crap! Malon!" He didn't take a second glance before he jetted out of the room.
"Noo!! Li!!" Zelda jumped up and started after him, but Link stopped her.
"No, let him go. He has to do what he has to do...he seems like a righteous person, and I'd bet anything that he knows his fate. He won't let it get out of control, and if he does, I'll be there."
"What do you mean? What is he going to do?"
"I don't know, Zelda." She sighed and rested her head on Link's shoulder.
"I'm so sorry I caused all this trouble."
"Zelda, don't blame yourself. It will only trouble you deeper. I have forgiven you, and you need to forgive yourself....and that goes for everything." He lifted her chin and gave her a small wink. She sighed and stared at the doorway. "Zelda..."
"Hmm?"
"Defending the Sword from me wasn't the only reason you brought him here, was it?" Zelda looked at him.
"What do you mean?"
"You know exactly what I mean. You have a thing for him, don't you?" Zelda sighed and shrugged her shoulders.
"....yes."
"But....he doesn't exactly feel the same way, does he?"
"I don't think so. The first time he told me about his dreams, I knew they were of Malon." Link raised his eyebrows and stared at her.
"What?"
"You heard me." Link smiled. So, the good taste does run in the family..he thought.
****************
Ooh boy, the end is near. *sigh* Who knows what'll happen? Well, if you like this one, please review (even if you didn't like it). Your reviews will inspire me to post the final chapter soon, so...start writing! Tootles.