Generations
(Ratings increase to PG13 this chapter - purely a precaution as themes become
darker. Might be language issues in future, too.)
(Disclaimer: Haven't put one of these for some time, so I'm doing so now.
The Legend of Zelda and all associated characters are owned by Nintendo -
I'm just having a bit of fun with them until 'Wind Waker' is released in
the UK - that's May 3, you lucky people everywhere else. Sob.)
--
Chapter 7: Nemesis
--
"What are you?" Link whispered, under his breath. His hand slipped into his
pocket to retrieve his penknife. Not that it would do much good. Whoever
and whatever this was had the advantage.
"I think you can see who I am," his shadowy opponent replied. The voice was
somehow familiar but impossible to place. Not his own, but he'd heard it
many times before. "What's wrong? Afraid? You should be."
"Shut it! If it's a fight you want, I'll give you one," Link snapped, although
he knew it was a sham. "Just let them go, OK?"
"Ah, so you do have a spirit, after all! Fine. If you win, they go free.
But that's a very big 'if'. On the other hand - if you're dead, you won't
know what my master has planned for them... and perhaps that'd be better
for you." It was hard to see, but Dark Link smiled faintly.
"Enough talking crap," his light counterpart spat. "You're the one who wanted
to fight. You come here, then!"
"Certainly."
Silently, Link's opponent ran forwards.
He swore to himself. While they'd been arguing, he'd almost forgotten about
the sword. It was all too obvious now. Hurriedly, he dodged sideways and
dived behind a metal crate. It bent under the sword blow but didn't break.
Dark Link hissed. "You call this a fight?"
I call this staying alive, Link thought, ducking away. Acidic orange
light filtered through a dusty window and illuminated a rusted and broken
pipe lying on the floor. Thinking quickly, he snatched up the makeshift weapon.
At least it would give him something to block the attacks with for a time,
even if it was no more than a matter of minutes. It could still be the difference
between life and death.
He heard a whisper behind him. "You're pathetic, you know that?" The voice sounded even more familiar saying those words. He could recognise his opponent's accent. In the heat of the moment, however, there was no way he could put a finger on it. Link spun around, surprised, but he was far from quick enough to defend himself. He managed to deflect the shadow's attack, but only succeeded in pushing the sword towards his face instead. The weapon's tip slashed a cut across it, just missing his eye. Furious, the pain flooding his system, he screamed and struck out on his own. Dark Link sidestepped it easily. "You disappoint me. I haven't been waiting nearly a thousand years to fight such a weak opponent."
"Yeah?" Say what? "What do you want with me, anyway?"
"Only to see you destroyed. We were created as opposites, you and I. You
were born a hero..." Dark Link spat the word. "I was always intended to be
your nemesis. I've waited too long for this moment!" He circled round, on
the attack again. This time, however, Link was ready. He dodged and rolled
away from the blade of the black sword.
The fight was far from fair. Any injuries seemed to be going one way and one alone. Despite his best efforts, Dark Link was still getting through his crude defences. Link could only grit his teeth and try to avoid or endure the attacks as well he could.
Some hero I'm making here, he thought. If I don't figure something
out it'll be game over for sure.
No... I'm not giving up! This isn't a game! I'm going to get out of
this!
Amid the dust and weak lighting, Link could see a pile of crates in the corner
of the warehouse. Maybe... Throwing the pipe away, he sprinted behind
them. He could hear Dark Link's angry shouts of "Coward! Come here and fight
me!" It didn't matter, however. All he needed was to lure his adversary over.
With a groan of effort, he knocked the heavy stack into Dark Link's path.
Although the shadow managed to destroy a couple, he was caught off guard.
Holding his arms in front of his face, he dropped his sword to the floor
before he realised what he had done.
Seizing the opportunity, Link snatched the dark sword from the ground. Immediately, he wished he hadn't. A feeling of nausea swept over him from where he gripped the black hilt - both physical and mental. In his mind, every bad experience he had ever gone through began to creep out from the depths of his memory.
Dark Link's burning eyes focused on him. "Give that back," he growled.
"You want it?" an uncertain Link said, trying to push the sickening feeling
to the back of his mind. "Come over here and get it!" Wildly, not knowing
what he was doing, Link spun around quickly. The flat of the weapon smacked
into the back of Dark Link's head.
He let out one long yell before he fell to the floor unconscious. His heart
racing, Link's fingers let go of the sword on their own as he looked around.
What just happened? I ... I can't believe it...
I... I didn't... he can't be dead! I can't have...
What now?
The four crystals that had been suspended in the air descended slowly to
the ground, crumbling to dust and vanishing. Their occupants stumbled a little
as they found their feet touching the floor again. They looked around at
each other, confused as to where they were. "Everyone... we've got to get
out of here! Quickly!" Link yelled. Ralph and Mellonie took his advice without
really hearing it, out of sheer relief. Zelda gave her brother one quick
look before he gestured at the door. Lynna, on the other hand, hung back.
"What are you doing?" he asked, shocked.
"What does it look like I'm doing? Waiting for you, of course. Someone has
to. Are you alright?" She looked him in the eyes.
"Do I look alright?" Link responded, snappily, before letting out a stressed
sigh. He blinked, realising what he'd just done. "Sorry. Shouldn't take it
out on you. But... we'd better move. I don't want to wait for our shadowy
friend over there to wake up." Dark Link couldn't be dead, he was sure. It
was nothing more than a feeling, but there was no way he could have been
killed, Link kept telling himself as the recent events began to set in. No
way. I can't have.
Lynna nodded, silent for a moment. "Of course. Let's go. You sure you can
walk? I mean, you look a bit pale, you've been hurt pretty badly..."
"I'm standing up, aren't I? Come on."
They walked away quickly. Their companions were waiting just outside the
gates. For a moment, no one could get his or her words out. It was Zelda
who broke the silence. "What just happened?"
"Your guess is as good as mine," Ralph remarked with a shrug. "I was just
walking along, and something jumps on me. Next thing I know, I'm stuck in
that damn cage."
"Yeah. Same happened here," Mel added. "Wasn't doing anything special, and
poof, you know what comes next. Guess it was the same for you two." The other
girls nodded.
Lynna paused for a second before responding. "Right. But the thing is - why?
What have we got in common? Unless..." She looked across at Link. "Hell.
It has to be. ...They didn't want us. They wanted you. We were just
...bait."
Link's blood chilled. All makes sense, I guess. "Whoever 'they' are."
He sighed. "And whoever they are, they want me dead. It's not like this is
the first time I've been attacked. Zelda, too. Now that you're all involved
- you're probably in danger, too." Letting out a long breath, he closed his
eyes. "I've got to get to the bottom of this."
"We have, you mean," Ralph interjected. "I'm not letting you get all
the credit. 'Sides, you're just going to get your butt kicked without us."
"Same here," Lynna said softly. "I don't know many guys who'd go chasing
after someone yelling. Run the other way, maybe - never go looking."
Mellonie laughed. "And I'm not going to let you two get killed before your
first kiss." Both Link and Lynna turned to glare, and she shrugged in reply.
"It's only the truth."
"My brother would go to pieces if it wasn't for me. No duh, I'm staying by
him."
"Zelda!" Link snapped. "But - well, you know." He blinked. "Thanks, guys.
That means a lot to me. One thing, though, we'd better not tell anyone else.
This is a big enough mess as it is."
A chorus of replies came in the affirmative. The group made their way back
out into the city lights, slowly breaking apart.
"Hey, Link?" Lynna remarked as she started to walk away, her best friend
by her side.
"What is it?" he responded, surprised.
She grinned. "You still owe me an ice-cream."
-
In a deserted warehouse, a shadow moved slowly. A dusty figure slowly got
to his feet, and held his hand to his head. How the hell did I get here?
he thought, sitting back down, weakened. His fingers idly brushed against
the floor as he thought. Last thing I remember, I was, I was... wait -
what do I remember? Who am I, anyway? No. That was wrong. He could vaguely
recall something, halfway between a dream and reality. Fighting something.
Someone. Can't be. Since when do I have a... sword...
"Ahh! Crud!" he yelled, yanking his hand up as a blast of pain shot through
it. Shocked, he sucked on his cut fingers and looked down. He hadn't been
dreaming. That was real enough. Carefully, the youth picked up the shadowy
weapon, dragon-winged, midnight-coloured, with a ruby set where hilt met
blade. It seemed strangely familiar, though he was sure he had never seen
it before in his life. Something he could grab on to. Wrapping it in his
jacket, he slowly stood up and walked out of the building.
Full moonlight shone outside, reflecting in the warehouse's cracked windows
and off the racks of cables and antennas on its top. He paused and looked
around. In the darkened glass, he could see his reflection. Is that me?
he thought, slightly confused. I'm sure I'm not...
No. Wait. It's all coming back now. Yeah - that's right. How long have I
been out for? He looked at his watch for a second. Three days? Feels
like it...
Damn. Parents are going to kill me when I get back. Especially if they see
me with this thing.
(But there's no chance I'm getting rid of it. Finders keepers.)
Cal shook his head and headed for the lights of the city, the last of the fog lifting from his mind but doing nothing to fill in the gaps it left. There was a hole in his life beginning where he had met that stranger. He could vaguely remember starting to follow him somewhere, then it had all gone blank until he had woken up minutes ago. If I ever meet him again...
-
The lights were out in the windows of the Hunters' home when Link and Zelda
walked up the driveway. Zelda couldn't help but keep looking at her brother's
face. "I think you're going to have to wipe that mess away before you go
in, you know. Mum's going to freak out if she sees you like that..."
"Yeah," Link sighed, gingerly touching the painful slash between his eyes.
"You got a hanky or something?"
"Thought you did."
"So much for that plan. We'd better go round the back. Any luck..."
The curtains rustled, and the landing light flicked on. Link swore as the
door opened and his mother's tired voice came through. "Who's there?" she
asked, worried.
"Just us," he replied, hesitantly. "Sorry we're late." Please don't look
out, Mum. You're not gonna like this...
"Us?"
"Me and Zelda. Hang on, Mum, don't..." Link's voice was broken off
by his mother's yell as she looked out on the darkened street.
"What has happened to you, young man?" she shrieked, seeing her son bloodstained
and injured, before stopping herself. Maybe it wasn't his fault, she thought.
But by then it was too late.
"I don't want to talk about it!" Link snapped back, virtually shoving past
and running upstairs. "Leave me alone!" A little sympathy might
be nice? After I just got myself nearly killed?
-
Dark hair falling away from his face, Cal slumped into his pillow. His eyes drifted shut. It had been a close one, getting back in without waking his parents up. He'd be in enough trouble anyway for disappearing - but that could wait until morning.
...A voice talks to him, almost mocking in its soft tones. In a way, it
reminds him a little of Hunter's, although as he listens he can't think just
why. "You've made me fail again," it scoffs.
"Who are you?" he asks, startled.
"I'm you, and you're me. It's as simple as that. And you're that weak part
of me without the courage to do what he knows he must, the part who does
not even understand what he is." The voice pauses. "For your mind is my mind,
from here on in..."
It falls silent. He looks down at his hands - but he no longer recognises
them...
With a cold shiver running down his spine, Cal woke and fumbled for the bedside
lamp. The unexpectedly brilliant light stung his eyes, and it took him a
short while to get them open again. That was... who was... say what? Weird
dream... he thought. Almost involuntarily, he found himself looking at
the backs of his hands.
Somehow, they didn't look right. The colour looked a little strange, as if
an unseen light was casting faint shadows on his skin. His tired mind didn't
manage to register what had happened. It was merely another strange thing
to put alongside his three day amnesia. He glanced over at his alarm clock.
4:39. With a groan, he hit the light switch, and rolled over into a dreamless
sleep.
-
"Link? Link!" Zelda yelled, knocking heavily on the bathroom door.
"Leave me alone! Can't a guy have five minutes to himself?" her brother
shouted back, angrily, over the sound of running water.
"I just thought..." She paused. "I thought you might want to talk."
It was a few minutes before Link finally surfaced, in pyjamas and an old
dressing gown. He looked better just for getting out of his battle-torn clothes,
and his colour had returned to normal. The most obvious relic of the fight
was the cut on his face, clean but still sore - as was most of his body.
"Sorry I snapped, Zel'," he apologized quietly.
"It's okay. Don't blame you," she responded with a shrug. "Guess you just
wanted some time to yourself."
"Yeah," Link sighed, and closed his eyes. "How much longer is this going
to go on for?"
"What?"
Link gestured loosely. "Everything. Monsters in alleyways. Getting myself
chopped up. And you..." He let out a deep breath. "I don't see how you can
stay so relaxed. You were captured by that... whoever, whatever... but you
still seem okay."
"Believe me. It was no fun. But... I know you're looking out for me," Zelda
smiled. "And... Whoever that was, you know, the person who saved me that
time..."
"The one who sent me a present?"
Zelda laughed. "Yeah. Him. I get the feeling he's looking out for both of
us."
Link paused before replying. "If that's the case - where was he tonight,
then?"
For a moment, his sister was silent. "It was just an idea."
-
He had little success trying to get to sleep that night. Any position he lay in seemed to press on some cut or bruise - he hadn't registered a lot of them as he fought, but now they were coming out to haunt him.
...A strange room, full of an unearthly glow. It looks a little like a
scientific laboratory, but more like a wizard's lair. He's not alone here.
There's a figure across the room, though he cannot make out who it is.
Suddenly, the other person looks up. Their eyes meet. "Dad?" Link murmurs,
sure yet surprised. Somehow, his father looks different to how he had last
seen him, and the change is not for the better.
"You can't stop me now..."
"Stop you doing what? Poking the universe?"
"You have no idea..." his father replies, and laughs. Not the sort of laugh
Link would have associated with him - there is a darker quality to the sound.
"You've stood in my way long enough."
"Oh, yeah? You usually don't say 'get lost' in so many words, but it's not
like I don't know what you want," Link replies, sarcastically. "What's with
the change?"
"Do you even know who you are talking to, boy?" The figure he had
thought to be his father lunges forward, the face twisting into that of a
monster as he does so...
Link's eyes opened suddenly, staring into a room illuminated only by his
alarm clock flashing 'four-thirty-nine' forlornly into the darkness. Again
with the weird dreams. There's probably something very psychological going
on here. I could probably look that one up on a book. At least nothing was
trying to beat me up that time - by my standards, that was pretty sane!
But it felt... that didn't feel like subconscious crud. What's going on?
-
Ganondorf laughed wildly as he looked into the gateway. So... this is
where it must begin, is it? Two thousand years since I was sealed away...
nine hundred since I last even saw the light of this world.
It still sickens me... but it will no longer.
This first attack would only be a small one - a trial run. He was still gathering
his strength. Hyrule itself would have to wait.
His eyes were set on a smaller prize - but one none the less valuable. A
map, drawn sketchily from the memories of his body's old owner, hung on a
nearby wall.
The Hunters' home was highlighted in a red circle. He had one shot, and no intention of missing.
I won't let you get away from me again...
--
A/N: At last, I'm back! What? Don't groan... It's been a long time, no see,
I know. Sometimes, you've got to put these things to one side. But this story's
coming back on track once more, and my computer has become a sanctuary for
plot bunnies. Sorry for the delay, but the next chapter is nearly done, so
watch this space...
Big shouts go to Maniac Mosli, Huck, Eruantale, Link0273, Hotaru and anyone
I've forgotten for reviewing, and a special thank you to Naela and Talythia
for beta-ing this chapter.
See you next time...