The Legend of Zelda: The Dream Walker
Chapter 9
"Competition"
By MEGAMANX411

When Link returned to Inoa, he was stopped by another group of people congregating outside of someone's home. Link went to Septimus' house to get to the botom of the matter.

"Septimus!" Link shouted as he entered the home of the scholar. "What's going on?"

Septimus shook his head slowly.

"Myra, one of the elderly residents of Inoa, has fallen ill from the dream sickness. But something else is troubling me."

Link cocked a brow in curiousity.

"What??" he asked.

Septimus looked both interested and concerned.

"Someone has come to the village, claiming to have the same powers as you," he replied.

Link didn't sound shocked at the statement, but actually somewhat relieved.

"The same...as me?" he asked. "Well, that's good! Now more people can help against the nightmares. We shoud go over there and help too!"

Septimus nodded happily.

"Alright, I'll take you there," he replied, motioning for Link to follow him.

Link and Septimus rushed over to Myra's house, and noticed that many people were around her bed. Including the person Septimus spoke of, who was a girl, perhaps the same age as Link, and also had the scar on her forehead. She had long ears like his, but Link doubted she was from Hyrule. Link approached the young girl.

"Hello," he said happily, extending a hand. "My name is Link. I've heard from my friend Septimus that you're here to help Myra. What's your name?"

The girl gave Link a strange look, and appeared rather cross.

"My name is Meia," she replied coldly. "And I'VE already cured this woman. You're far too inexperienced to dreamwalk, from the looks of it, and apparently, others from this village agree."

Link reeled back a little at the snappy comeback, not expecting to be chewed out on his first enounter. He tried to make light of the situation.

"Well, thank you for helping Myra!" he responded. "Your help is appreciated."

Meia narrowed her eyes.

"You're really clueless, aren't you?" she asked, crossing her arms.

Link didn't exactly care for her tone of voice, but decided to not say anything impolite.

"Excuse me?" he replied.

"There's more evil afoot," Meia continued. "And I'm going to find it."

Link and Septimus left Myra's house, and by then, it was dark. Link had found out that Meia had recently traveled to this village from far away, and was staying at Myra's house apparently. And Myra still hated Link for what happened to Nadia, so things with Meia were bound to get worse, Link reasoned. Septimus shook his head in disgust.

"How self-centered can you get?" he muttered.

Link just smiled at his scholar friend.

"Just give her a chance, we don't know her yet," he replied. "And besides, she's on our side....right?"

Septimus breathed heavily and shut his eyes.

"Let's hope so," he muttered.

Link headed back to Jess' house.

"Hey Jess," Link said happily as he approached the old man.

Jess looked a bit shocked to see Link.

"Oy!" he shouted. "Where you been, my lad?"

Link remained rather upbeat.

"I had traveled to the coastal cave today to explore," he began. "Then I stopped at Myra's house, because I heard she was sick."

Jess nodded approvingly.

"That was very kind of you, lad," he replied. "Is she fine now? Did you save her?"

Link shrugged, and shook his head.

"She's quite alright, but it wasn't me who saved her. It was Meia," he added.

Jess' curiousity picked up at the mention of this newcomer.

"Eh? Who's this Meia?" he asked.

"She just moved to Inoa," Link replied. "She can dreamwalk like me, I guess."

A wave of relief washed over Jess.

"Oy! This is good, you know what I am saying?" he responded happily. "Anyway, you should probably get some rest Link."

Link nodded in agreement, and he slowly made hisway up the stairs, promptly yawning as he did so.

"Yeah, I think I will. Thanks Jess. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Jess responded.

Link headed upstairs, and went to bed. The words Meia had said to him remained in his thoughts as he slept. In the middle of the night, Link awoke to the sound of some inhuman cry. He couldn't tell what it was. But it definitely wasn't something human or familiar in any way. All of the sudden, Kline came crashing down from the roof, and landed on Link's bed. Link rolled out of bed in the nick of time to avoid being struck.

"Good night Link!" Kline announced happily.

However, this particular glee sounded more malicious than whimsical.

"I was just out for a stroll....I kept thinking of tasting your lifeblood!"

Just then, Jess came upstairs.

Jess was completely stunned at this turn of events.

"Oy! What's going on up here?" he asked. "Kline?!"

In response to Jess' questioning, Kline jumped off the bed and out the window. Jess looked at Link, and muttered something.

"Kline...he didn't look human," he whispered worriedly. "His eyes..."

Link shot a glance back at Jess.

"Stay here Jess," Link said in a serious tone. "I'm going outside to investigate this."

Link headed outside in the dark, and was greeted by Septimus. Link was stunned to see his friend to be awake at such a late hour.

"Septimus!" he shouted.

Septimus shushed Link, and then informed him about something he heard.

"Link! I heard some strange noise in the middle of the night!" he cried. "Then I saw Kline running around the village!

Link nodded in confirmation.

"There's something wrong with him," he agreed. "Let's have a look around the village. We need to find him."

Septimus nodded back.

"Agreed," he replied. "Let's go."

Link and Septimus weaved through the houses in search of Kline. They saw him outside of Wendel's house, but Kline ran away in a hurry. Then he came by another home. Septimus and Link came from both sides, but Kline was too quick. Then by Myra's and Meia's house, and once again, Kline was too agile. Septimus had an idea, so hethen lightlytapped Link's shoulder.

"Link, go back to Jess' and get some sleep,"he began. "I'll talk to you in the morning...I have a plan."

Link went back to sleep at Jess' house, nervous that Kline would return. Link couldn't exactly rest easy with some inhuman creature on the prowl. When morning finally came, Link eagerly rushed out of bed to see Septimus. However, Jess stopped him on his way out.

"Mornin' Link," the old man said with a smile. "Septimus stopped by, he said he knew what to do about Kline. You should go see him."

Link nodded, and was grateful that the old man was so helpful in the matter.

"OK, thanks Jess," he replied, and with that, he was out the door.

Link walked over to Septimus' house, and was greeted by the scholar himself. Septimus saw Link enter, and eagerly walked up to him to discuss his plan.

"OK, I have an idea. I saw Kline return to his home not too long ago. And considering he was out all night, I assumed he was going to sleep. But to be sure, I checked. And I was right! Link, don't you see?" he asked.

Link got the idea, and he suddenly tensed up as the inspiration coursed through him.

"You want me to enter his subconscious so I can see what's wrong with him?" he replied.

Septimus nodded, visibly proud of his deduction.

"Exactly," he responded. "But we must move quickly."

Link and Septimus hurried to Kline's house, and silently opened the door. Link slowly crept over to Kline, and began to prepare himself to enter Kline's dreams. Link made the jump, and Septimus steadied his slack body. Link appeard in a world covered in snow, and he saw a tall tower in front of him.

"Kline must be in there...." he muttered as he gazed up at the tall tower.

Link made his way through the tower, and walked up through dozens of staircases, until he reached a rather strange room. There were many different ice columns scattered throughout the room, and some switches on the floor. Link took a look around the room, noting the switches, and how easy it was to shove the blocks of ice.

"Hm...maybe I have to activate all these switches?" he thought aloud.

Link stepped on each switch individually. Nothing happend. Link thought for a moment.

"They must have to be activated simultaneously.. I got it! Push this one forward...this one to the left...this one this way...and..."

As Link muttered his plans, he shifted the ice blocks into position, and then wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"That should do it..." he muttered to himself.

All of the sudden, platforms taking him to the next level appeard. He walked up, and saw Kline in a room by himself. Kline was kneeling on the ground, clearly in pain, and seemed to be frightened out of his wits.

"Kline!" Link shouted. "Are you ok?"

Kline shot a glance back at Link, his face full of worry.

"H-help!" he cried,

A gigantic creature descended behind Kline. Its head had rows of spiky teeth, and was fairly distorted in its body shape. Its hands had long, bloody claws. And out of its chest was a huge mouth, with layers and layers of sharp, jagged teeth. It had no legs.

"What monstrousity is this?! Did you dream this Kline?" Link shouted.

Kline shook his head quickly.

"No! Help!" he shouted.

Link didn't know what to do. He wanted to try to contact Septimus. He tried with all his might to contact him.

"Septimus!" he shouted. "If you can hear me, help me out!" Link shouted.

Link shouted out the description of the creature he faced. Septimus heard Link, and quickly grabbed a book nearby. He started flipping through the pages, until it came to one describing the very demon Link had informed him of. Septimus tried to contact Link.

"Link!" he shouted. "Be careful! That's the Soul Eater! If he eats Kline, his soul will be lost forever, and you will perish along with him!"

This just wasn't Link's day.

"Oh great!" he muttered.

Link quickly grabbed Kline by the arm and ran the other direction, but the door he intended to escape through became locked, and the creature began to inhale through its chest. The vortex began to suck in Kline and Link! Link reached into his pack.

"I hope this works!!" he shouted as he eyed his secret weapon.

Link threw a bomb backwards, which was sucked into the Soul Eater's chest. It exploded inside of the monster, and it looked as though it was in great pain. And really, really mad. Link ran up to slash it while it winced it's eyes, but he quickly retreated back. He rushed Kline to the back of the room. Link was then pulled in by the Soul Eater's vortex, and he couldn't pull out a bomb in time!

"Aaahhh!!"

Link was just about to be sucked into the chest of the Soul Eater, but he slashed upwards, causing the beast to close up, and Link quickly backed up in time to avoid being swallowed. He prepared his Earth Scroll. Link read the parchment, and then raised his sword. Link recited the spell, and dozens of huge boulders appeared out of nowhere and struck the Soul Eater many times over. It's body became battered, bruised, and bloody.

But it still wasn't dead.

Link gritted his teeth from feelings of both anger and worry.

"Oh no...I think I'm in trouble!!" he shouted as he eyed the approaching monster.

Link then heard Septimus' voice come through.

"Link!!" he shouted. "You must leave now!!"

Link didn't want to leave, he couldn't leave Kline there, but in reaction to Septimus' plea, he almost left the dream involuntarily. Link abruptly left Kline's dream, and Kline stood up on the bed. He was screaming and shouting, writhing in pain. Link rushed Septimus outside.

"Septimus!" he shouted. "Get to safety! Warn everyone else!"

Link remembered the dream he saw earlier. He remembered Kline's transformation. Kline bursted throug the roof of his house. He was no longer Kline. It was exactly as Sybill predicted.

"A.....werewolf..." Link stammered, taking a few steps back.

Kline came down off of the ceiling, and rushed at Link with amazing speed. Link sidestepped, but Kline's claws grazed his side. Link grabbed the wound, but he didn't have time to worry about that. He needed to concentrate on Kline's movement. Link readied his Master Sword. Then, he noticed that all of the townspeople congregated outside of Kline's house, near the fight. Link eyed the audience with concern.

"What are you doing here?!" he shouted. "Go away! Get to safety!!!"

Kline took advantage of Link's unawareness, and ambushed him from behind, slashing him in the back. Link yelped in pain, and quickly turned around. Kline was out of sight. Then, he heard someone scream.

Kline was rushing at one of the townsfolk! Link quickly rushed over, and thrust his Master Sword through the werewolf's chest, piercing it completely. Kline pulled himself off of the sword, and grabbed his head. He began to scream and pulsate. He couldn't seem to contain himself any longer, the pain coursing through his body was unbearable.

He reverted back to a human.

Link bowed his head in sadness, as the townspeople muttered comments.

"Kline was the strongest man in the village. If this happened to him, it could happen to anyone..." they muttered, voices filled with sadness.