War of the Fairies

by Split Infinitive

Link leads a motley crew of miscreants on a search for a cure for his wife, the fallen Princess Zelda. The cure,though,happens to be slap bang in the middle of a warzone.

13. Betrayed

13 – Betrayed

As soon as Link's hand touched the cold metal skin of the Boss Key he knew that he'd be taking the final leg of this journey alone. Crouching at the foot of the stairs, the Shadow Lord of Castleton glanced over his shoulder and saw that a shimmering liquid curtain now separated him from the rest of his party. Where – and when – the cunning little thing had come from he didn't know. All he did know was that he was in one place while the other mates and loves, their shapes blurred and indistinct, were behind the opaque barrier.

Scooping the Key up with one hand, Link stood, sighed and looked up. A thrill ran through his entire body, his heart tingling pleasantly as a result. This was it. This was the end.

Behind the double-doors up ahead he would, no doubt, find the Treasure, the Guardian and most likely the little love Navi, too. More importantly, though, was the fact that he was just inches away from getting what he needed to cure the Princess. The thought made his heart throb with anticipation some more, and he had to let out a deep breath just to steady himself. He was going to cure her. He was going to rescue her, hold her in his arms protectively and taste everything about her that made her so sweet. He ached just thinking about it. And, then, just so he could he see her smile again, he'd bring her to the forest so that she could lie in the sun and laugh and laugh and laugh.

And she deserved it. She deserved it because, despite all his noble intentions, deliciously fiendish though they were, and his somewhat haphazard manners, she was everything he was not – she was good. In this wretched world of the cruel, the cold and the utterly selfish, she really was truly good.

That's why he loved her.

The Shadow Lord's footsteps rang out as he began to climb the stairs. His resolve was firm and his mind set. His thoughts flickered back to an old dust-stained text he'd studied long ago named 'The Secret of Secrets.' The author opined that the one in control of himself would find everything in the world at his behest. And the one thing Link had desperately tried to learn from his time with Zelda was to gain control of himself. All he had to do was trust.

It would be a lot easier, he mused, if there weren't so many bleedin steps to go up. He let out another breath, checked his sword, then continued to trudge upwards, the hem of his cloak whispering against the marble stairs. He took one step, every fibre of his being wishing that there were another, quicker way to do this. He took another step, a current of energy suddenly running through him –

and, bewildered, Link found himself floating once again, just as he had been in the revolving corridor. The breeze caught him and he floated up to the double-doors. As his boots came to rest upon the ground Link felt the tingle wash off of him, leaving nothing but a faint stirring, a stirring of something – or someone – familiar, who just happened to be waiting beyond the doors.

The lock fell to the ground with a clatter as the Shadow Lord inserted the Boss Key. He hesitated a moment, uncertain, then pushed open the double-doors. They parted with a slow creak.

Inside the new, somewhat darkened chamber Link noticed three things – a fully-laden banquet table at the far end, a strange glowing opal, larger than a man, glistening as it sat to one side and, just above him pressed close to the wall, a tiny cage where inside fluttered –

"Navi!"

"Link?" The Fairy peered out from behind her bars, blinked, then slowly let herself begin to grin. "Link! It's you!"

"Indeed it is, love," he replied. "Just wait there and I'll have you out in a jiffy. That Fairy Queen's got you in a right pickle, innit?"

"No, Link!" Navi cried, suddenly alarmed. "It's not the Fairy Queen, it's-"

A figure stepped into the light. The Shadow Lord glanced up, the shimmer of his sword being drawn cutting into the silence. Link blinked, eyebrow raised, as he got a clearer sight of the newcomer. "Well," the Shadow Lord said, pondering. "You're certainly not me, and I would wager that you're probably not that blighter Dark." Link's eyes narrowed. "So who are you, then?"

"In my world," the newcomer replied in slow measured voice as he clasped his hands behind his back, "I am the Last of the Links, sent back in time to atone for my sins."

"Ah," the Shadow Lord replied. "A descendent of mine, is it?" Link held out his arms and grinned. "Son!"

The Last Link let out an irritated breath. "No..." he said. "This is not my world. I came here through that portal," he nodded at the glowing opal, "and here I only exist physically within my own mind. My powers are immense –magnified more so by your presence as we seem, strangely enough, to draw upon the other – though I am strongest here in this chamber and have only a miniscule influence in the world outside. Worry not, I will remedy that soon enough." His eyes flickered. "This world, this Hyrule; there's subtle differences between here and my world." He licked his lips, as though in anticipation. "Let me explain: here in your world, all the Guardians – the witches Twinrova, for example - are still trapped within their Temples despite your travelling back in time. In my world, they are dead. I killed them. Completely. I enjoyed it, too." His mouth curled into a cruel smile. "I think I'll enjoy it here as well." He paused as his eyes, filled with scorn, traced Link up and down. "I knew you were coming, 'Shadow Lord', through the mental connection we both share. Perhaps you have felt it? No? Nevertheless, I know what you want, and I know you're too late." His smile became a sneer. "For, you see, I've only come here for one thing...and I have found it." Pure hatred shone through the man's eyes. "You...are obsolete. You will die at my hands."

"Tell me, mate," the Shadow Lord replied, unfazed. "Do you always reveal your plans to everyone or are you just very very lonely?"

The Last Link pierced the Shadow Lord with a look of pure contempt. "I would advise you not to be so glib." His eyes grew cold. "And as for being lonely...you are about to discover that that particular state is far from being my own."

"The Fairy Treasure of the Ancients," the Shadow Lord said, ignoring him. His eyes darted, examining his surroundings, as his hand gripped the hilt of his sword. He was going to be ready. "You happen to know where it is, mate?"

"I do," the Last Link replied. "But I assure you that that is the least of your worries. And, I promise you that you will lose today without a fight."

An icy finger of disquieting unease prodded the Shadow Lord's heart. "What, perchance, are you talking about?"

A thin smile spread across the Last Link's face once again. He turned to a darkened corner of the chamber. "My sweet?"

The lithe form of Princess Zelda, dressed in her Sheikah outfit, slipped out of the shadows.

His heart soaring, the Shadow Lord brightened instantly, a grin flying automatically to his lips. "Love! You're here! But how-?" The Princess gave him a cool look, then stepped over to the Last Link's side. Something dark gripped the Shadow Lord to his very core. "Love?"

"As you can see," the Last Link sneered, "I have everything that I came for." He took one last look at the Shadow Lord, savouring the utter shock blossoming on the man's face – he looked as though something deep within him had snapped in two – then gazed down at the Princess.

"Love?" the Shadow Lord gasped, the muscles in his throat taut. "It's me...it's Link."

Zelda wrapped her arms around the Last Link's neck, her fingers lacing together as they, ever-so-briefly, tapped his collar. The Shadow Lord's eyes grew.

"She's mine now," the Last Link said softly. "She's chosen me, haven't you, my sweet?"

Zelda smiled as she let her head come to rest against the Last Link's chest. "I have, my love."

The Shadow Lord fell to his knees, his face a mask of such pure misery that the Last Link had to stop himself from laughing out loud. "But," the Shadow Lord gasped, his body and voice both betraying the sheer depth of his defeat, "I came all this way just for you, love."

"I'm afraid," the Last Link said, "that I give her all the she needs, all that she dreams of...all that you didn't. I give her the pure, unconditional love that she's been searching for – yearning for - all her life."

Zelda, her eyes aglow, gazed up at her new paramour. "If I hadn't have met you, I'd never even have known what love truly was."

Trembling, the Shadow Lord's eyes snapped shut. "Don't you realise that I came all this way?"

The Last of the Links could literally taste the sweetness of this victory on his tongue. He stroked the Princess' hair – stealing the man's wife and then parading her in front of him was the most exquisite form of torture that he could inflict on anyone. And, besides, that's precisely why he'd been 'punished' – for the trifling little 'crime' of indulging in mental and physical torture. The fools. He was the Hero of Time – they owed him their lives! He could do anything that he pleased! And, yes, he had felt a smudge of guilt for a while, but that was before fortune brought him here. That was before he found his true love.

The Shadow Lord, his whole body sagging with despair, looked up at the two of them. "I'm your husband...don't you remember?" Desperation clawed at his voice. "I'm your husband."

A haughty look on her raised face, the Princess gave the Shadow Lord a hard stare. "I believe, sir, that you are gravely mistaken."

Again it looked as though something had been torn out from inside the Shadow Lord. It really was delicious, the Last Link thought. "So," he said, pulling the Princess even closer as they both gazed down at the pathetic wretch. "I will now be the Hero of this world, and Zelda will be at my side. Do you admit defeat?"

"Without her..." The Shadow Lord's eyes glistened. "All the things I do, all my bluster, all my cockiness...it was all an act...it was to hide the fact that I can't live without her." His voice broke. "I just can't."

The Last Link cocked his head to one side. "Is that what you want me to do?" His voice was a harsh whisper, solitary like the song of the wind in the depths of the desert. "Kill you?"

"No, Link!" Navi cried, rattling her cage in panic. "No!"

The Shadow Lord let his head drop. When he spoke, his voice was a trembling wreck, the remains of a once strong and vibrant man. "Without her love, I'm already defeated. Finish me now, my life is at an end."

"Then, so be it." The Last Link grinned. "Ha ha ha! Ha! Ha Ha!" He paused to softly kiss the Princess on her forehead. "I told you that you'd lose without a fight."

At a gesture from the Last Link's hand, the Shadow Lord lifted off of the ground, his limbs dangling like a puppet with its strings cut. Finally succumbing enough to let free with a throaty laugh, the Last Link flicked his fingers, sending the Shadow Lord screaming through the open doorway, tumbling head over heels. The double-doors slammed shut behind him, his scream ending with a sudden gurgle. Far above, Navi the Fairy slumped against the bars of her cage. "Nooooooo..."

"Children!" Zelda cried, grinning as the little ones darted out of their hiding places. Her arms wrapped around them and buried her face in their hair. "Don't worry...it's all alright now."

A gaggle of giggling children clinging to her, the Princess let herself be pulled into the Last Link's embrace. His body sagged in relief. Over. Really over. No more running, no more hiding, no more loneliness. There was only one now. There was only him. He snapped his fingers and crimson sunlight poured into the chamber, filling the room with a homely glow. "I'd watched that man, that 'Link' for a long time," he said as he guided the Princess away from the little ones. "Evil, nasty man. I'm sure he expected to die in a blaze of glory – ha! Real life was a lot more cold to him."

Zelda closed her eyes and sighed. "I'm so proud of you," she said. "If only you could rid the world of all men such as him."

"But enough about him," the Last Link said, their footsteps ringing out against the marble floor. "Ah...this feeling I have now. This excitement, this electricity...I wish I could capture it in a bottle. It's all that matters, one could surely get intoxicated to it." He took in a deep breath. "I feel like I'm floating, I feel wanted, loved. Yes...that's it...it's real love, that's what it is."

The Princess smiled. "It must be."

They walked slowly onwards into the sunlight, children dancing around them, laughter, sighs and giggles floating in the air. "Now, I believe," said the Last Link ,"we need to prepare for the wedding."

Zelda twirled out of his embrace, her eyes twinkling as she grinned. "Wedding!" she cried, almost squealing. "It has to be big!"

The Last Link laughed. "My dear..."

"And with flowers, lots of them," the Princess went on, almost bursting with excitement. "Red roses are my favourite. Or pink carnations." She thought this over. "In fact, pink anything."

The Last Link shook his head in mock-despair.

"And the children can help," Zelda said. "It will be so grand."

The Last Link favoured her with a tolerant smile. "I was hoping for a more modest affair, my love."

"Oh," the Princess said, her mouth sagging. "Please." She leaned forward, resting one palm against his chest. "For me?"

Smiling, the Last Link sighed. "For you...anything."

The Princess stood there, radiant, a crown of sunlight circling her head, her eyes large, her smile broad.

"And so it ends," the Last Link said. "Now that we have each other and the children, now that I am poised to be the Hero anew, we can live happily ever-"

"There's just one tiny little thing," Zelda cut in, her voice echoing as she twirled one strand of her hair around her finger.

"What is it, my sweet?"

"Oh..." The Princess, looking coy, cast her gaze down. "Nothing."

"Oh, come now," the Last Link replied. "You wouldn't have mentioned it if it were nothing."

"Welllll..." Zelda said, smiling as she looked up into the Last Link's eyes. "It's just the Treasure that he wanted...I'd only wish I'd seen it. I'm sure it must be shiny and nice and beautiful."

"You are nice and beautiful."

Zelda looked coy once again. "You say the most wonderful things. I feel so...so...so..."

"Loved?" the Last Link said softly.

The Princess smiled at him. "Loved." She looked away, deep in thought. "How did I not meet you before?"

"Fortune hadn't favoured us until now." The Last Link took in a deep breath. "And now that it has...I will do anything for you."

Zelda tilted her head to one side. "The Treasure? I'm sure, as soon as you build for me a palace, I can find a lovely place to put it."

"Is that all, my love?" The Last Link smiled down at her wide-eyed face. "I have it right here...but you don't need to trouble yourself with it. It's nothing."

"Oh, please," the Princess said, almost jumping up and down like a little girl. Her lashes fluttered. "For me?"

The Last Link sighed theatrically. "How can I resist such purity given form as yourself?" His hand darted into his tunic, rummaged around, then pulled a tiny oak chest free from his belt. "This is it."

"It's..." she said. "I can use it. I can put it in my chambers – it will look so small and delightful."

"It's yours."

Gasping, her mouth open in surprise, Zelda stared at him in disbelief. The Last Link grinned. It brought such sweet joy to his heart to make her so happy. He prodded her with a soft voice. "Go on."

The Princess bit her lower lip, then gently took the treasure chest from his hands and stepped back. Seeing the bliss on her face, the Last Link wished he could capture the moment and forever lock it inside his heart.

"Thank you," she breathed. She took another step back. Giddy, the Last Link was sure she was about to burst into tears. His arms tensed, ready to comfort her – and, who knows, perhaps the comfort could lead to something a little more...warm? And if she resisted, of course, there was always torture. The Last Link grinned again as Zelda looked up once more and opened her mouth. "Thank you so very much." Her hand snapped shut around the treasure chest and, with a glint in her eye, she pursed her lips together and let fly with a short, sharp whistle.

The Last Link blinked, confused. "What are you-?"

With a resounding boom that sent the children running in shock, the double-doors flew off their hinges, careened off the walls and then spun to a sudden stop. The Last Link looked up, shocked. Framed in the open doorway, his cloak billowing around him, stood the Shadow Lord of Castleton, his eyes closed in serene contemplation, his face grim.

"No..." the Last Link breathed, striding towards the intruder. "It cannot be. That's just -"

The Shadow Lord's eyes flew open and his mouth split into a wicked grin. "Ah," he said, holding up a hand. "Allow me, mate. You're about to say this: 'Impossible! You were defeated! I killed you!'" Link's eyes shone. "To which I can only say this: 'No! I can't live without her! Without her love, I am defeated! Finish me now, my life is at an end!'" Link chuckled, shaking his head. "I cannot believe you fell for that, mate!"

The Last Link bellowed with rage, picked up his speed, and ran straight – into the Shadow Lord's fist. Flying head over heels, the Last Link soared backwards through the air, screaming all the while, then ploughed into the banquet table, food, cutlery and dishes spinning out of his path as he slid from one end to the other. Tumbling off the edge, he landed in a heap, gasping for breath. "Princess Zelda..." he whispered as he staggered to his feet. "My love! Come to my aid!"

The Princess voice came to him. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry, I do apologise." The Last Link looked up, and gaped as he saw the Shadow Lord's twisted grin mirrored on the Princess face. "Did I give you the impression that I actually liked you?" Her grin instantly transformed itself into a mask of anger. "Let me just remedy that misconception." She stepped down hard on a bent silver platter, sending it spinning straight up. Plucking it out of the air with both hands, she swung around and smashed it straight into the Last Link's face, throwing him back into the middle of the room.

"I...I am betrayed," the Last Link breathed. Slowly he pulled himself to his feet once again and glanced ahead - there was the Shadow Lord, grinning – then glanced behind - there was the Princess, her arms crossed and her eyes blazing. He snarled, then snapped his hand into a fist. In response to the gesture, the banquet table shuddered once, twice, then split into a million tiny sharp-edged darts, a wall of wooden needles that curled up into the air. Responding to a flick of the Last Link's wrist, the darts all turned to face the Shadow Lord.

The Princess snapped her ahead around. "Children!" she cried, her voice commanding. "Hide!"

The Last Link opened his mouth to speak – but the Shadow Lord got there first. "Ah," he said. "Allow me again, mate. You're about to say this: Fool! Do you not realise that this is the very mind of a Link? And, as such, I have complete mastery of every single atom in this room! Ha ha ha ha! Ha! Ha ha!'"

The Last Link bellowed again and, with another flick of his wrist, sent the darts screaming in towards the Shadow Lord. Link stood his ground, his cloak billowing once more, and folded his arms across his chest as his grin grew just a notch wider. The darts began to spin, their razor-edged tips glowing with molten heat. Link threw back his head and cackled in response. He felt no fear, no anger, nothing except the dizzying sensation of being in total control of himself. The darts bore down on him growing larger and larger in his line of sight, larger and larger and – at the last possible moment, he snapped his fingers and the two double doors slid off the floor, flew into the air, then smashed into the oncoming hail of darts, exploding into a cloud of splinters. One single doorknob, polished brass glinting in the light, spun out from the churning mass and, with pinpoint accuracy, changed course in mid-air and cracked itself against the Last Link's brow.

"You forget two things, mate," the Shadow Lord said as the Last Link, rubbing his head, stared in bewildered incomprehension. "Number one – 'fool' isn't really that much of an insult. I mean, everybody in your line of work uses it, and mate, take a good look at me, I'm not exactly cut to the heart now, am I? I'd suggest you expand your vocabulary a little. You may want to try a little extra reading'" He winked as the Last Link gaped in muted shock. "And number two – since this is, as you say, the mind of a Link and, as you mentioned, we have a mental connection, then all the fancy little powers that you have – floating in mid-air is one that I just picked up on the fly - I also have, too." He snickered. "Life really is unfair, isn't it?"

"Then," the Last Link said, pulling off his hat and rummaging inside. "I'll just have to take a more direct approach won't I?" He pulled a curved scimitar from the hat and held it up so that the sunlight could gleam off of it. "Ha ha ha! Ha! Ha ha!"

The Shadow Lord, feeling himself totally at peace, twirled his blade into his hand. "Oh, jolly good."

The Last Link ran, then rolled, then sprang up and then – now face-to-face with the Shadow Lord – swung in with a cut aimed for the head. The Shadow Lord met the blow the easily, his blade flying up to block as metal ploughed into metal. The Shadow Lord shoved his opponent away, stunned him with two elbows to the jaw, then split his tunic with a graceful thrust to the torso. Link whirled, bringing his blade around for a follow-up, but this time his opponent was too quick – sparks flew as the two swords crossed in the air.

Twirling aside, the Last Link disengaged, then crouched, swinging again, this time aiming to take the Shadow Lord's legs out from under him. The Shadow Lord leapt, made reality ripple with just a suggestion from his mind, and turning in mid-air, he bounced off a wall, corkscrewed over the Last Link's head, landed behind him, spun his opponent around and then sent his blade slicing through the man's chest. The Last Link staggered back with a yell, his hand flying to the blood seeping through the front of his tunic.

The Shadow Lord, his face hard, watched with detached amusement. "Don't," he whispered, stepping forward, "ever," his voice gained a razor's edge of anger as he closed in on his opponent, "touch my wife again." His arm snapped up, aiming one last blow for the head -

The strike never hit home – the Last Link gave a small mental push and flung the Shadow Lord away from him. His cloak tangling around his limbs, Link found himself spinning as he flew, another wall looming up in his vision. He grit his teeth, wrapped his cloak around him, and let his mind reach out. Reality rippled again and his velocity decreased, slowing, slowing, slowing – with the gentlest of touches, he landed on the wall in a crouch. He looked up, saw the Last Link bearing down on him, scimitar at the ready, then coiled his muscles and launched himself from the wall.

Slitting the air apart like a spinning arrow, the Shadow Lord of Castleton drove on towards his opponent, then slammed straight into him, sending the Last Link flying. His opponent slid across the floor, rolled, then sprang back into an attack. He swung for Link's head; the Shadow Lord whirled into a duck. Snarling, the Last Link rode the momentum, then lunged in with a thrust; the Shadow Lord leapt into a back flip. Striding forward, the Last Link brought his scimitar around for another strike on the Shadow Lord's head – Link ducked, the blow missed and then, still crouching, the Princess Zelda leapt onto the Shadow Lord's back, disarmed their mutual enemy with a swift kick, then sent him crashing into a wall with a second.

The Last Link's head snapped against the marble, dazing him, before he slid to the ground in a heap. Above him, Navi's cage swung wildly from side to side. It creaked as it was buffeted by all the commotion – then snapped open with a ping. Navi flew straight down, her face twisted in anger. She hovered in front of the Last Link's face. "Hey!" she said cheerily. Her expression of anger turned into the wild grin the Shadow Lord and Shadow Lady excelled in. "I'd just like to say that, personally, I don't believe that violence really is the answer to anything." Her tiny hand curled into a fist."But, in a case like this, it would make me feel really really good."

There was a tiny slap.

A muted scream followed.

Another slap.

A groan of pain.

"Ouch," the Princess muttered under her breath. "I think I hurt my foot."

The Shadow Lord brushed dust from his hands. "Nicely done, love."

A slap.

A howl.

"Don't mention it," Zelda replied. The two began walking side by side. "The poor fool – I pity him. He was under the impression that a handsome face and some excitement were all that I wanted. He actually thought that the most powerful of magic was enough to completely wipe out years and years of marriage."

"Ah," said Link. "Not too smart, then, despite the rather dashing name."

Slap.

Scream.

"Here," said the Princess. "Take this." She threw him the tiny treasure chest of the Ancients.

"Thanks, love," said Link. "I must say that I liked the way you tapped his collar. Nice signal."

"Yes," she replied, secretly pleased at his praise but smiling modestly anyway, "I'd thought you'd get that."

It was, the Shadow Lord mused, something the two of them had devised after the countless diplomatic trips the Princess had had to make over the years. Usually the Ambassador of whichever foreign state they happened to be in would sidle up to the Princess during some fancy-do, waiting until she was dancing with her husband – and so distracted – to besiege her with requests. Link had gotten tired of the whole charade and had almost lost his temper many times. It was then that the Princess would, while in his arms, tap him on the collar – a sign for him to go along with whatever she was saying to the Ambassador no matter how ridiculous it sounded, to go along with it because they both knew that, so long as they curried the Ambassador's favour there and then on the dance floor, she'd be able to get the advantage later during the real negotiations.

Slap.

Sob.

"That's the kind of thing," the Princess went on, "that this impostor of a man truly couldn't fathom."

The Shadow Lord grinned. "You weren't in the least bit tempted, then? He is devilishly handsome, if I may say so myself."

"Not really, " she replied, still smiling. "I suppose his magic did have a small effect, but it was no match against the memories of your little tantrums."

"Nothing ever is." Link laughed. "You alright, then?"

Zelda sniffed. "Oh, you know, if it wasn't for the poison coursing through my veins at this very moment, I'd be the very picture of health. You?"

"Can't complain."

"I suppose you were just passing through and thought you might rescue me when you had a bit of free time, then?"

"As usual."

"Oh."

"I am a bit hungry, though."

Slap.

Gurgle.

"Link, you did remember to give the Castle workers their annual gifts, didn't you?"

"Yes, dear."

"And the alms to the orphans on Spire Road?"

"Yes, dear."

"And I do hope you remembered to take out the junk from the dungeons, it really was beginning to take on a rather unattractive odour."

The Shadow Lord had the grace to look suitably sheepish. "Yes, dear."

Slap.

Whimper.

Link gazed at the Princess, one corner of his mouth turned up in a lop-sided grin. "I missed you."

The Princess lips twitched, as though she wanted to resist a smile, but found that she couldn't. She grinned back at him. "I missed you, too," she whispered. Her eyes widened as he reached for her, and she stepped back. "No, Link." Seeing his hurt look, she softened her words. "I want to, but I'm not here – at least, not completely, not like how you and Navi are here. I'm back in Castleton with the children." She gestured at the tiny huddled faces that gazed out from the darkest corners of the room. "I don't understand it myself – I'm not sure how he could touch me in this world - but you have to hurry, we don't have much time."

Disappointment lined the Shadow Lord's face, but he understood. "I'm on it, love."

Zelda looked down at the Last of the Links one last time, her eyes brimming over with pity. "Magic..." she whispered, shaking her head. "I wonder where he got the idea that he could use magic. I certainly don't have any magic to make someone fall in love."

The Shadow Lord coughed awkwardly. "Oh," said Link, his voice suddenly softening. "I think you do."

The Princess glanced up at him, saw the intensity of his gaze, and smiled in response.

Suddenly clearing his throat, the Shadow Lord walked over to his fallen opponent. "Just one last thing – um, Navi, if you could just desist from that for a moment, if you'd be so kind?"

The Fairy looked up, startled, her tiny hand frozen in mid-slap. "Sorry."

Grabbing him by his collar, the Shadow Lord dragged the Last of the Links to his feet.

"Link," said Zelda, her hand flying to her chest as her emerald eyes grew wide. "You're not going to kill him, are you?"

"Well, he certainly deserves it, you must admit, love," he growled. Seeing the earnest look she was giving him, Link let himself smile. "No," he said. "I'm not." He pulled the sagging form of the Last Link to the opal portal. Ghostly images flashed in the jewel's skin – a million different Links, a million different Zeldas, some happy, some sad, some in battle, some at peace. Focusing on one particular world – one where there existed a strange mystical place known as 'The Gate', the Link there appeared to have a tattooed face and, as past and present merged, it turned out that the Queen Zelda would eventually lose a hand – the Shadow Lord dragged the Last of the Links to the portal and leaned in close. "Perchance here in this new world you'll have a little time to reflect on your actions." The Shadow Lord flashed him a quick grin, then shoved the Last of the Links through the opal portal.

The whole chamber exploded into pure light. Blinking, the Shadow Lord waited for the dark spots to fade from his vision. He looked around. The chamber was gone. The opal portal was gone. Navi floated around his head, bewildered herself. On the floor, twitching and unconscious, was the Fairy Queen. Nowhere could the Shadow Lord see his Princess. She was back in Castleton after all.

The sound of running footsteps reached them. Link glanced up, saw the rest of his party and-

"Naviiiiiiii!" Hawthorne shot past his head and slammed into Navi with a fierce hug. They rolled in the air, giggling and crying at the same time.

"We saw everything," Simon said, out of breath.

The Shadow Lord raised an eyebrow. "Everything?"

"Mostly everything," Excellent Radcliffe replied, smiling as she gave Link an odd look.

"I say," Mr Red said. "Jolly good show, what?" He peered down at the Fairy Queen. "Where did she come from, hmm?"

"I don't know," Link said, trying to make himself heard as Navi and Hawthorne squealed in delight at their reunion. "I suppose she was in there all along. Only popped out when her master was conveniently dispatched of." He flipped the time crystal into his hand, his lips thinning as he saw the second hand half-way between eleven and twelve. "We don't have much time. We need to get out of here."

"I'll take you out." It was Excellent, still smiling. She shrugged as Link's gaze fell upon her. "At least as far as the exit to Killyjanmaro."

The Salvage Hunter and the Shadow Lord held each other's gazes for a moment. Link smiled. "Thanks, love." He motioned to the others. "Let's move out."