Chapter 5

"Link, do be careful." Impa yelled. "It will be dark soon and you can get lost out there."

"Don't worry about me," Link yelled back. "I'll leave a trail for you to follow." Link rode his horse, Epona, deeper into the endless desert, winds howling, and darkness falling. "I have to find her tonight. Get there as fast as possible she may need help that I can't give her." He yelled back at Impa and the guards as he galloped away.

"Damned fool." Impa looked at the 4 solders and physician behind her. " Start camp! We cant get anywhere in this wind, we'll follow Link's trail tomorrow."

Link rode half the night looking for a single cave in the vast area that was widely known as the Dry Hills. Thank goodness that the moon was full; it gave him the extra light needed to see the dark opening of a cave among the pale sand. As link was about to stop he saw a small light on the distance. Epona reared up in terror. "Easy girl… you don't need to worry" he leaned over and rubbed her neck.

The light seemed to flutter around, like a fairy, but it was no fairy and Link new this. The light was much too harsh for a fairy. He drew his bow and readied an arrow. The light fluttered around and then stopped. Link let the arrow fly, and in one quick gesture had the next one ready. The light started coming closer. He rode closer and let loose the second arrow. By now he could see the light had form, that of a lantern. Along with a creature holding it.

"Leave this place," the Poe shrieked. "Go now Hylian, or face my wrath!"

"I have faced far worse then you Poe," Link, aiming his bow, yelled back. "Go back to the underworld you Demon" he fired his third arrow striking true to the emptiness that was the Poe's heart. In one final ear splitting shriek the Poe dropped it's lantern and dissolved, leaving behind a little glowing white flame in the sand.

"Come-on Epona, we've got to find Zelda." He rode past the flame, muttering a Hylian prayer, so the Poe could find peace in the afterlife, and not return.

They rode for hours, the desert looking endless when they saw a hill in the distance. It was no ordinary hill. Instead of sand it was stone, and in the side of this stone hill was an entrance to a cave. "Epona, I do believe we found it." Link said. And they took off at a gallop towards the cave.

It's so dark… I can't see anything… Ohh, my wrists. Zelda awoke sitting against the wall, a sharp pain in her wrists. She tried to put her hands on them but found that chains weighed down her arms. I'm so weak right now, who could have done this to me? Ohh my head. She forced her arms to lift the heavy chains. Her arms fell back down, the chains making a sharp clang agent the silent darkness.

A voice grumbled from around the corner, barely intelligible. "Did ya hear that?" the voice got closer. "I think she's finally awake." "Heh, Too bad. The boss wants her moved to a new cave. He said the copy's complete" another voice added.

Zelda shook in terror. What would happen to her? A faint glow was illuminating the entryway. As it got closer she could feel heavy footsteps shake the ground. Zelda almost started crying when she saw the two 10-foot Moblin's enter the room.

"So, you are awake." The Moblin set the torch in the sconce on the wall. "Well sorry princess… wait, no I'm not." he let out a horrendous laugh as he hit her across the head knocking her out again.

"What did ya do that for?" The second beast asked.

"The Boss wanted her moved and I'm not going to do it while she's awake. Now get her." The second Moblin, doing as he was told, undid the shackles and carried her away.

Link dismounted Epona, "stay here girl, I may need to make a quick getaway." He scratched her ears. She snorted in reply. Who says horses aren't smart he thought to himself. He stopped scratching Epona's ear. He drew his sword and walked into the cave.

Inside it was dark. With no moon to light his way link bumped into the walls quite a few times. " I knew I should have bottled that Poe, I could really use the light." After a long trip down a straight corridor link came across a large stone door. He had to sheath his sword so he could use both hands to open it. Struggling he slowly pushed it open. The foul stench of stale air and dust assaulted his nose, Tentatively he walked inside.

Link found himself standing in a large open cave, illuminated ever so slightly by glittering torches of black fire along the cold stone walls. They cast eerie gray circles on the floor and walls along the length of the cave, like a repetitive pattern of light and dark.

Link walked forward. The stone door crashing closed behind him. "Damn there's no way I can pull that open" He looked back to make sure there was no one behind him. Seeing no one and realizing his path out was closed he continued forward.

On the far end of the cave rose a platform, in a step pyramid style, three steps on each side. Candles and torches surrounded the back and the sides of the platform; they were unlit.

Standing on the platform between two pillars was a figure. Though Link could not identify it in the darkness it seemed familiar to him. He began to walk to it. Keeping his eyes open for any signs of danger.

As he got a mere few feet from the platform an evil laughter began to echo throughout the cave. Link looked everywhere for the source of the laughter.

"Ahh... Old friend, so nice of you to come." A figure jumped from a ledge above Link to the shadow-covered floor. As soon as the figure hit the ground the torches and candles around the platform lit with black fire, revealing the identity of the form upon it.

"Zelda!" Link wanted to run to her but the shadowed figure was crouched before him. An evil chuckle emitted from the dark figure as it began to stand and take form. "Hello, old friend." It said with a sneer. The figure looked link directly in the eye.

He looked almost exactly like link. Yet there were a few differences that where highly noticeable. His eyes were a dark shade of blue, like the sky on a moonless night. His hair was a coppery brown, and he wore a black tunic.

An evil grin spread across Shadow Link's face.

"You Bastard," Link sneered. "What do you want?" he tried not to raise his voice. But there was the distinct sound of hatred there.

"Why… old friend, the only thing that I want." He drew his sword, " is your blood along my blade" His laughter echoed through the cave once again.

Link looked at his sword, and noticed something disturbing about it. It had the same design as the Master Sword only with a blood red hilt and a dark silver blade. The jewel inlayed in the hilt was blue, as the one in the Master Sword was red.

"Admiring my sword are you? A fitting weapon for the death of the great Hero of Time; don't you agree?"

A dark feeling overtook link and he hesitated in drawing his sword. Wasting no time Shadow Link lunged.

Link snapped back to reality in just enough time to roll away form his attacker. He got off the ground and drew his sword. Shadow Link laughed, and charged again. Link kept his gaze on his dark twin and defended himself with ease.

Shadow link backed off.

They looked one another in the eye. Swords ready, they both attacked. Swords Clanged and sparks flew as Link put as much force into each blow as he could.

Shadow Link was slowly being forced agents the back wall, yet Link was beginning to tire. They both knew that if he stopped the offence now that this demon would prevail. Not slowing down Link focused as much energy as possible into one final blow.

Shadow Link attempted to bock it but the pure blade of the Master Sword shattered through his sword and him.

He fell to his knees, bloody and laughing… "This is not over" He slumped over and in a billow of smoke his body was gone. In place of his body, burned into the stone floor were his last words…

This Is Not Over

Link ran to Zelda, still chained on the pedestal. She was still unconscious and he realized that she was being held up by the chains. He cut them with his sword and she slumped into his arms. He set her gently on the ground, lifted her head and brushed away the hair so he could see her face.

Her eyes shot open and Shadow link's voice echoed again through the cave "This Is Not Over Link! If you feel that you are truly worthy of challenging me then come to the darkest cave on Death Mountain!"

The form of Zelda dissipated in a cloud of pink smoke. Link couldn't get away from it and in panicking took a deep breath. He could feel the poison entering his system. He tried to escape, but could get no further then the great stone door. Weakened, he fell to the ground and blacked out.