"Sage, what's wrong?" Emily pressed the young Scot. "Please tell me!"
Turning to Emily, Sage said. "Naethin'," he put on a fake smile. "I'm just tired, that's all." Trying to get out of the bed he grimaced in pain and laid back down.
"Good," Link said happily, nodding his head. "Then you will be attending the celebration of your return tonight?" It was more of a statement then a request.
Looking off into space, Sage said. "If I feel the need."
"Sage, what's wrong, really?" Emily said worriedly as she sat down next to Sage on the bed.
"Naethin'," Taking Emily in his arms, he continued. "I just need some time tae think, that's all." His body seemed so cold to Emily. "I'll see ye at dinner tonight." He brushed a lock of black hair from Emily's face. "Okay?"
Nodding her head and giving Sage a half smile she, Link, and Zelda left Sage alone with his thoughts.
After a few moments of silence, a deep evil voice came to Sage's ears. "You are doing quite well, keep up the good work."
Looking around the room and under the bed, Sage couldn't find were the voice had come from. Giving up he lied down again and went to sleep.
******
Waking up with a start, Sage found himself not in his bed, but back in the place were he had been tortured for those five terrible days.
"What, how did I get back here?" Sage heard evil laughter and felt the three pronged whip strike his back over and over again.
"Serve Ganon loyally." A voice said just before Sage sat up in his bed, sweat dripping from his head.
Breathing heavily Sage asked himself out loud. "God, what's happening tae me, am I gaun insane?"
"No, young one, you are quite sane, anytime spent in the presence of Ganon can have anyone question their sanity." Deeana said sitting in the corner. "Come, its time you get ready for the celebration tonight."
Nodding in relief he wiped the sweat from his brow, the voice still ringing in his ears.
******
Music had filled the hall as Sage arrived. As he sat down beside Emily, there were many glances at his bandaged head and wrapped leg.
"Sage!" Perrin said happily, "Welcome back!"
"Thanks, guid tae be back." Sage stated absently.
"You feelin' any better, man?" Link asked, leaning back his chair.
"What's the sudden interest in me all o' a sudden?" Sage said impatiently. "I'm fine, noo, what's tae eat?
'Kill!'
Sage crooked his eyebrow. 'Great, I'm hearing voices again.'
"Are you sure?" Zelda asked.
"Aye!"
'Destroy them!'
Sage ran his hand through his hair, his heart started to beat wildly and sweat started to appear on his brow.
'Now!'
His vision was starting to tunnel and he was getting dizzy.
"Um, Sage?" Perrin asked.
'Serve Ganon!'
With that, Sage shot up from his chair, turned over the table and leaped toward Zelda. His eyes turned red. "Ye must die!" He screamed in a voice that was not his.
Before Sage could get to Zelda, Link shouldered him out of the way. Looking down at Sage, Link commanded.
"What in Ferore's name has gotten into you Sage?" Guests started fleeing the hall, leaving only Link, Zelda, Perrin, Emily, and Sage. "What was that all about?" Leaping up, Sage knocked him to the ground.
Emily ran up to Sage and started shaking him. "Sage! Sage, why are you going this!?"
Sage slapped her in the face . Emily's eyes started to tear up, but not from the pain from the blow. "Sage, what is wrong?!!" she asked.
Slapping her again Sage answered. "By the will o' Ganon, I must kill ye all!" His eyes once again glowed red.
"You have got to be kidding me!!" Link shouted. "You traitor!"
Still standing infront of Sage, Emily was still yelling at him to listen. Then, he put his hands around her her throat. "Must kill." That was not Sage's voice that came from his mouth.
Perrin let out a war cry and charged at Sage and got answered with Sage's fist inbetween the eyes. "Perrin!" Link rushed over to his pupil. "Are you all right?"
Shaking his head clear, Perrin stood up shakely. "We got to stop him, he's going to kill everyone!"
"No, wait!" Zelda said. "Look."
The three stared watching Sage choke Emily. In a strained voice, Emily pleaded. "Sage, its me, Em." His grip didn't loosen. "Sage I know you are in there, somewhere, fight him!" She was starting to black out. "Sage, I...love...you, please...stop."
Sage's face went deadpan, looking into Emily's eyes, he dropped to his knees and started crying into her dress, saying. "I'm sorry." Over and over again. Emily put her arms around him, saying. "Its all right Sage, it wasn't your fault."
This would have been the end of it, but Link noticed something coming from Sage's body. "Um, could someone please tell me what that is?" He said pointing to Sage. Looking over, Zelda and Perrin saw it too.
Coming from Sage's body a black shadow rose up and was about to kill the couple. Running to their aid, Perrin screamed. "Sage, look out!"
Sage tackled Emily as the slash of the shadow creature's sword missed them by centimeters. Turning its head the shadow flung out its arm, hitting Perrin in his chest and flinging him against the wall with a sickening thud, knocking him unconscious.
Finally getting a good look at the shadow creature, Link knew what it was. He had fought a shadow of himself the first time he faced Ganon eight years ago and had nearly lost that battle, if not for the help of his fairy, Navi sacrificing herself by distracting the Dark Link and getting in the way of its thrust at Link.
It looked exactly the same as Sage himself, the Dark Sage did, except the fact that it was all billowing and swirling dark energy, like smoke from a fire with Sage's claymore in his hands. Even the sword seemed to be made by a shadow.
Getting up, Sage told Emily, "Em, gae o'er tae Link an' Zelda. I hae tae dae this meself." His voice was as hard as steal.
"I'm not leaving you!"
"I said NOO!!" Sage commanded.
The Dark Sage smiled hungrily as Emily ran over to the couple holding Perrin's unconscious body on the floor. His mouth was nothing more than a hole in its head, glowing a pale purple, the same as his eyes. Sage drew his claymore.
"Watch it Sage," Link warned. "These things shadow your every move! Trust me on this!"
"Thanks fer the warning!" Sage swung his sword and Dark Sage made the exact move as Sage did. 'Its like fighting me reflection! Well at least I ken what he can throw at me!'
Rolling out of the way from the shadow blade and watching the overturned table behind him split in two, Sage gulped and put his hand to his throat, making sure it was still there. They were both back at it instantly, matching each other's moves perfectly and both scoring some hits to each other's bodies. Sage's body was starting to tire again. Some of the wounds that he had suffered from Ganon had openend, staining his shirt with blood. Sage put his hand on a particurally nasty wound near his stomach, his left eye closed and breathed heavily.
"Hahahahahhahaha, its too easy! You are weak, boy do you actually think that you can defeat ME??" Dark Sage taunted.
Sage charged and the fighting continued fast and furious, sparks flying as the two claymores struck each other. After swinging his sword one last time, Sage's eyes rolled back into his head and he collapsed onto the floor.
"Aww, too bad," Dark Sage said in a false sympathy. "I was hoping that he could have given me more of a challenge!"
By this point, Emily was furious by the way Ganon had possessed her lover's body by this, this demon. She put two fingers to her head and shouted. "THUNDER LIGHTNING CRASH!"
A huge bolt of lightning came from Emily's outstretched fingers and struck Dark Sage and caused him to hit a wall, caving in around him.
"Alright, Em!" Link shouted celebratory. "Nice job!"
"Thanks, Deena taught me that one." She said confidantly, her hands on her hips.
But the celbration was short lived. Dark Sage bellowed and leaped out from under the rubble and landed on his feet with a loud thud. "Aah," The three groaned at the same time.
Walking slowly over to them, Dark Sage stated calmly. "You will find that I am not so easily bested."
As Dark Sage was about to use his shadow claymore, he heard. "Ye ken, ye shouldnae mess wi' me friends like that."
Turning around, Dark Sage faced the real one. Sage's claymore slashed through its body from shoulder to hip. Slumping down, pale blue smoke seeped from the gaping hole in its chest. Vowing revenge in a hissing voice Dark Sage disappeared.
It was quiet for a minute before Emily rushed over to Sage and was taken into his arms. They held each other tightly, Emily placed her head on Sage's shoulder and Sage kissed the top of her head.
"Couldn't have done it better myself." Link said congratulating Sage, putting his hand on his shoulder.
"Thanks, but if it wasn't for that loud mouth o' Perrin's, me an' Em might nae be here right now." He said jokingly to the now awake Perrin.
"Funny." Perrin frowned as he stood up weakly, his nose swollen.
******
"NOOOOO!!!! IT CAN'T BE!!" Gannon bellowed as he slammed his fists down on the table, causing the many objects on it to wobble or fall. "My plan, my perfect plan! Very well then," his voice calmed. "I guess I will have to take the matter into my own hands." His laughter was heard by every creature in his domain.
Turning to Emily, Sage said. "Naethin'," he put on a fake smile. "I'm just tired, that's all." Trying to get out of the bed he grimaced in pain and laid back down.
"Good," Link said happily, nodding his head. "Then you will be attending the celebration of your return tonight?" It was more of a statement then a request.
Looking off into space, Sage said. "If I feel the need."
"Sage, what's wrong, really?" Emily said worriedly as she sat down next to Sage on the bed.
"Naethin'," Taking Emily in his arms, he continued. "I just need some time tae think, that's all." His body seemed so cold to Emily. "I'll see ye at dinner tonight." He brushed a lock of black hair from Emily's face. "Okay?"
Nodding her head and giving Sage a half smile she, Link, and Zelda left Sage alone with his thoughts.
After a few moments of silence, a deep evil voice came to Sage's ears. "You are doing quite well, keep up the good work."
Looking around the room and under the bed, Sage couldn't find were the voice had come from. Giving up he lied down again and went to sleep.
******
Waking up with a start, Sage found himself not in his bed, but back in the place were he had been tortured for those five terrible days.
"What, how did I get back here?" Sage heard evil laughter and felt the three pronged whip strike his back over and over again.
"Serve Ganon loyally." A voice said just before Sage sat up in his bed, sweat dripping from his head.
Breathing heavily Sage asked himself out loud. "God, what's happening tae me, am I gaun insane?"
"No, young one, you are quite sane, anytime spent in the presence of Ganon can have anyone question their sanity." Deeana said sitting in the corner. "Come, its time you get ready for the celebration tonight."
Nodding in relief he wiped the sweat from his brow, the voice still ringing in his ears.
******
Music had filled the hall as Sage arrived. As he sat down beside Emily, there were many glances at his bandaged head and wrapped leg.
"Sage!" Perrin said happily, "Welcome back!"
"Thanks, guid tae be back." Sage stated absently.
"You feelin' any better, man?" Link asked, leaning back his chair.
"What's the sudden interest in me all o' a sudden?" Sage said impatiently. "I'm fine, noo, what's tae eat?
'Kill!'
Sage crooked his eyebrow. 'Great, I'm hearing voices again.'
"Are you sure?" Zelda asked.
"Aye!"
'Destroy them!'
Sage ran his hand through his hair, his heart started to beat wildly and sweat started to appear on his brow.
'Now!'
His vision was starting to tunnel and he was getting dizzy.
"Um, Sage?" Perrin asked.
'Serve Ganon!'
With that, Sage shot up from his chair, turned over the table and leaped toward Zelda. His eyes turned red. "Ye must die!" He screamed in a voice that was not his.
Before Sage could get to Zelda, Link shouldered him out of the way. Looking down at Sage, Link commanded.
"What in Ferore's name has gotten into you Sage?" Guests started fleeing the hall, leaving only Link, Zelda, Perrin, Emily, and Sage. "What was that all about?" Leaping up, Sage knocked him to the ground.
Emily ran up to Sage and started shaking him. "Sage! Sage, why are you going this!?"
Sage slapped her in the face . Emily's eyes started to tear up, but not from the pain from the blow. "Sage, what is wrong?!!" she asked.
Slapping her again Sage answered. "By the will o' Ganon, I must kill ye all!" His eyes once again glowed red.
"You have got to be kidding me!!" Link shouted. "You traitor!"
Still standing infront of Sage, Emily was still yelling at him to listen. Then, he put his hands around her her throat. "Must kill." That was not Sage's voice that came from his mouth.
Perrin let out a war cry and charged at Sage and got answered with Sage's fist inbetween the eyes. "Perrin!" Link rushed over to his pupil. "Are you all right?"
Shaking his head clear, Perrin stood up shakely. "We got to stop him, he's going to kill everyone!"
"No, wait!" Zelda said. "Look."
The three stared watching Sage choke Emily. In a strained voice, Emily pleaded. "Sage, its me, Em." His grip didn't loosen. "Sage I know you are in there, somewhere, fight him!" She was starting to black out. "Sage, I...love...you, please...stop."
Sage's face went deadpan, looking into Emily's eyes, he dropped to his knees and started crying into her dress, saying. "I'm sorry." Over and over again. Emily put her arms around him, saying. "Its all right Sage, it wasn't your fault."
This would have been the end of it, but Link noticed something coming from Sage's body. "Um, could someone please tell me what that is?" He said pointing to Sage. Looking over, Zelda and Perrin saw it too.
Coming from Sage's body a black shadow rose up and was about to kill the couple. Running to their aid, Perrin screamed. "Sage, look out!"
Sage tackled Emily as the slash of the shadow creature's sword missed them by centimeters. Turning its head the shadow flung out its arm, hitting Perrin in his chest and flinging him against the wall with a sickening thud, knocking him unconscious.
Finally getting a good look at the shadow creature, Link knew what it was. He had fought a shadow of himself the first time he faced Ganon eight years ago and had nearly lost that battle, if not for the help of his fairy, Navi sacrificing herself by distracting the Dark Link and getting in the way of its thrust at Link.
It looked exactly the same as Sage himself, the Dark Sage did, except the fact that it was all billowing and swirling dark energy, like smoke from a fire with Sage's claymore in his hands. Even the sword seemed to be made by a shadow.
Getting up, Sage told Emily, "Em, gae o'er tae Link an' Zelda. I hae tae dae this meself." His voice was as hard as steal.
"I'm not leaving you!"
"I said NOO!!" Sage commanded.
The Dark Sage smiled hungrily as Emily ran over to the couple holding Perrin's unconscious body on the floor. His mouth was nothing more than a hole in its head, glowing a pale purple, the same as his eyes. Sage drew his claymore.
"Watch it Sage," Link warned. "These things shadow your every move! Trust me on this!"
"Thanks fer the warning!" Sage swung his sword and Dark Sage made the exact move as Sage did. 'Its like fighting me reflection! Well at least I ken what he can throw at me!'
Rolling out of the way from the shadow blade and watching the overturned table behind him split in two, Sage gulped and put his hand to his throat, making sure it was still there. They were both back at it instantly, matching each other's moves perfectly and both scoring some hits to each other's bodies. Sage's body was starting to tire again. Some of the wounds that he had suffered from Ganon had openend, staining his shirt with blood. Sage put his hand on a particurally nasty wound near his stomach, his left eye closed and breathed heavily.
"Hahahahahhahaha, its too easy! You are weak, boy do you actually think that you can defeat ME??" Dark Sage taunted.
Sage charged and the fighting continued fast and furious, sparks flying as the two claymores struck each other. After swinging his sword one last time, Sage's eyes rolled back into his head and he collapsed onto the floor.
"Aww, too bad," Dark Sage said in a false sympathy. "I was hoping that he could have given me more of a challenge!"
By this point, Emily was furious by the way Ganon had possessed her lover's body by this, this demon. She put two fingers to her head and shouted. "THUNDER LIGHTNING CRASH!"
A huge bolt of lightning came from Emily's outstretched fingers and struck Dark Sage and caused him to hit a wall, caving in around him.
"Alright, Em!" Link shouted celebratory. "Nice job!"
"Thanks, Deena taught me that one." She said confidantly, her hands on her hips.
But the celbration was short lived. Dark Sage bellowed and leaped out from under the rubble and landed on his feet with a loud thud. "Aah," The three groaned at the same time.
Walking slowly over to them, Dark Sage stated calmly. "You will find that I am not so easily bested."
As Dark Sage was about to use his shadow claymore, he heard. "Ye ken, ye shouldnae mess wi' me friends like that."
Turning around, Dark Sage faced the real one. Sage's claymore slashed through its body from shoulder to hip. Slumping down, pale blue smoke seeped from the gaping hole in its chest. Vowing revenge in a hissing voice Dark Sage disappeared.
It was quiet for a minute before Emily rushed over to Sage and was taken into his arms. They held each other tightly, Emily placed her head on Sage's shoulder and Sage kissed the top of her head.
"Couldn't have done it better myself." Link said congratulating Sage, putting his hand on his shoulder.
"Thanks, but if it wasn't for that loud mouth o' Perrin's, me an' Em might nae be here right now." He said jokingly to the now awake Perrin.
"Funny." Perrin frowned as he stood up weakly, his nose swollen.
******
"NOOOOO!!!! IT CAN'T BE!!" Gannon bellowed as he slammed his fists down on the table, causing the many objects on it to wobble or fall. "My plan, my perfect plan! Very well then," his voice calmed. "I guess I will have to take the matter into my own hands." His laughter was heard by every creature in his domain.
