The Truth

Last warning...If you have any really dark, foreboding music, now is the time to play it. Revolution to the Origin is my recommendation, especially if you've played Phantasy Star Online.

Peach shuddered uncontrollably as she and Link walked into a labyrinth of skulls with only a few lit candlesticks embedded in the walls. It was creepy enough to be a in a place where the walls were made of skulls with glowing eyes, but she could have sworn someone or something was whispering to her. "Did you hear that?"

"I've heard it before," Link said, calm but alert. "The spirits of the dead get kind of chatty around here."

"Shadow Temple…" the spirits whispered. "Here is gathered Hyrule's bloody history of greed and hatred…"

"…You heard that, right?" Peach asked nervously, shuddering again. Link turned around to face her and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Relax," he said, moving his hands up to her cheeks. "You don't have anything to be afraid of while I'm around. That's why Zelda and Impa entrusted me with your safety."

"I can't help it," she said, slowly moving his hands away. "I've been in dungeons, haunted houses, and both the Dark World and the Dark Land, yet this is by far the scariest place I've ever been."

"It's the former Sheikah sanctuary," Link said. "Impa and Sheik's kind of place, don't you agree?"

"…No…" Peach whispered, still getting chills. "I hate this place."

Impa and Zelda crouched low to the ground to miss the timed sweeps of the reaper statues' scythes, which were also invisible. Though they could not see the blades or the reapers, Impa had a sixth sense about tricks that would otherwise require the Lens of Truth to notice. Zelda seemed to know when it was coming as well. Once a blade passed, they got up and trotted a little further toward a passage and ducked another blade.

"So, Zelda," Impa said, as they made another short run and ducked. "How did you keep getting your voice back?"

"I retrieved potions from that old lady's shop in the back of the village," Zelda answered, blushing.

"All that for your voice?"

"No, of course not," Zelda giggled. "I…I just wanted to be able to…enjoy my time with my husband… I…well, we were both terribly sore. It would have hurt for either of us after a night."

"So, you were overdoing it after all," Impa said, as they reached the safety of the passageway. "Then, those small gaps in your otherwise persistent shrieking must have been you catching your breath."

Zelda's face turned bright red. "…More like…holding my breath…"

Impa blushed and awkwardly looked away. "…We're almost there." They went down the passage and reached a dead end with one of those strange designs on the wall.

"If you want to see a ferry to the other world, come here…" the spirits spoke mysteriously.

"Another illusion of a wall," Zelda said.

"Let's go." They both took a step forward and fell through an invisible hole in the floor. They tumbled into a caged area and saw a ladder. Outside the cage, they could see a large boat floating over a strange mist.

"That must be it," Impa said, getting up. "Come on."

"Shouldn't we wait for the others?" Zelda asked.

"The boat will return once we're done with it," she reasoned. "They'll catch up."

Link and Peach stood in a large dark cavern. There was a large abyss down below and many of the paths had led them through self-activating guillotines. Peach was still having trouble getting rid of her chills, even with Link around. It was as if her body was completely adverse to this environment. Eventually, they reached a dead end that seemed to only lead to the edge of the cliff and the abyss.

"Shouldn't we turn back?" Peach asked uncomfortably.

"Take my hand," Link said, holding it out for her. She carefully grabbed on and he walked her onto an invisible platform. "See it's not so bad."

Peach had her eyes closed out of fear and was simply following his lead. After passing over another invisible platform, they reached a door. On the other side, there were fans blowing gusts strong enough to knock them off the narrow platform.

"Since I don't have all my gear, you're going to have to get us across," Link said. He wrapped his arms around her and pointed her in the proper direction. She hesitantly floated across gaps with him, avoiding the wind currents. When they reached another hall with strong gusts blowing everywhere, Link ran through, carrying her as far as he could. When they were blown off, Peach would float them back to the path. After reaching a dead end, Link pushed Peach off the platform to her horror.

"What are you doing!" she screamed, catching herself in midair as the wind blew her through a wall that was not really there. Link was soon blown onto the ledge and pulled himself up.

"See, you're fine," he said. "I told you I'd take care of you."

"Don't do that!" Peach scolded him. "You scared me." They continued through the next door and came upon an empty port and what seemed to be a river of mist.

"Looks like Zelda and Impa beat us here," Link said, nearing the edge to check for sure. The ferry was nowhere in sight. Then, he looked and saw Peach standing just behind him, holding her trembling self.

"This is one trip I probably shouldn't have come on," she said in a shivering voice.

"Are you cold?" he asked.

"I…don't know," she said, frowning and turning her back to the abyss and Link. "I just know I don't want to be here anymore."

Link wrapped his arms around her from behind and said, "Try to hang in there a little longer. It's almost over."

"…What are we waiting for, anyway?" Peach asked, turning toward him. She was growing uncomfortable with him touching her.

"A ferry across the River of the Dead," he said, moving his hands toward her hips.

She tried to give him a hint of her distaste by pulling away from him slightly and shedding his embrace by placing her arms at her side. He responded by moving his hands to her rear. She frowned uncomfortably and turned her back to him, gently trying to break his embrace. As he tightened his embrace around her stomach she whined, "Sheik, I mean Link…"

"Got someone on your mind, huh?" he asked, physically inviting her to lay her head against his chest.

"I guess…I kind of miss him," Peach said distractedly, as Link began to rub her stomach. "He was such a chivalrous, honorable, polite man…" As she spoke, his motions began to move toward her breasts. "Please, stop that," she said quietly.

"…You're probably better than Zelda," he spoke just as quietly.

"Please, don't say things like that," she said, hunching over slightly to discourage him. When, he began to rub them, she spoke, "I mean it. Stop it."

"…Definitely a peach," he whispered into her ear, nearing for a kiss.

"Sheik, I mean Link…" she whispered, leaning her head away from his. "Stop. I don't like that." She relaxed slightly when his hands slowly slid back down to her stomach. She grew more agitated, however, when his hands slid down to her hips once again.

"Come on," he whispered, moving one hand to her rear once again as her trembling became more noticeable. "Zelda won't know. No one has to know."

"She…Link, I…" she began, trying to avoid his gaze, nuzzles, and kisses. When one hand began to stroke her pelvis, she turned around and slapped him, moving away from him. "I told you to stop that! What about Zelda?"

"…I guess you're right," he said, as the boat finally appeared at the port. "I promised to take care of you. Ladies first…"

She watched him carefully as he stepped aside. He had quickly lost a lot of respect in her eyes. Even Bowser was more gentlemanly in her opinion. She turned to look at the boat and how to get on, since the deck was higher than her.

"Up here," he said, standing on a high platform. He pointed to the large stairs next to her.

She sighed and began to climb the stairs. Once she was up, Link hopped onto the ship and she joined him. He played Zelda's Lullaby with a black ocarina on the Royal Family Crest painted on the deck and the bells on the ship's stern rang. The boat lurched forward and floated through the mist She looked over the side to see if there really wasn't any water. Suddenly she was knocked off by the cutting slash of a sword.

"Ah! What are you doing!" she screamed, floating and turning around to face Link. She grew more frightened when she saw him with a bow and arrow aimed at her.

"I said I'd take care of you," he chuckled, letting the arrow fly. The arrow struck her in the stomach and shot her down instantly, sending her into the mist screaming.

Zelda and Impa stood over the final pit, where Dark Impa supposedly lurked. They could barely see down below. Zelda was a little nervous of course, but she noticed that Impa seemed even more anxious.

"Is something wrong?" Zelda asked.

"Zelda…" Impa said a bit somberly, "I want you to know that…no matter what happens…I love you as a friend and as a surrogate daughter."

"Impa…"

"Let me finish…And no matter how this turns out…I forgive you…Light Impa forgives you…Dark Impa forgives you. We both do." Before Zelda could respond, Impa hopped down into the pit. Zelda had no choice but to follow.

They fell into absolute darkness. The ground was solid. The air was dank like the rest of the temple. Unlike the other temples, which were full of malice and hatred, this particular chamber was merely brooding in its atmosphere. Zelda lit her hand aflame and suddenly the room was lit with four purple torches. It was a medium-sized cavern of damp, black rock. To her horror, she saw Impa being strangled by the hand of her dark counterpart. Dark Impa actually looked more like the original Impa. Her hair was short and tied; she had a harsh look on her face; and she wore clothing befitting of a Sheikah warrior. However, her eyes were as narrow as cat eyes.What should have been the whites of her eyes were jet black, making her red pupils even more menacing.The face paint under her eyes was black instead of the usual grey. Most important of all, various parts of her body were oddly covered in black shadow, including nearly half of her face.

"Let her go!" Zelda screamed, rushing to help. She charged her Shining Ray and fired. Dark Impa merely tossed her light counterpart in the way to take the blast.

"I know what she told you, Zelda," Dark Impa spoke disconnectedly, almost as if it did not matter. "You think I am the bad one."

"Of course," Zelda said, helping Light Impa up. "And there's nothing you can say to prove otherwise, so don't bother."

"How can you be so sure she is the better half?" she replied, actually floating toward her.

"Don't attempt to poison her mind!" Light Impa yelled, taking out her knife and running at her. Dark Impa batted her to the side easily and kept her eyes on Zelda.

"You did not answer my question, young lady."

"Don't treat me like a child," Zelda said, raising her sword to strike. "I'm an adult now!"

"Adults put more thought into their actions," Dark Impa said, snatching the sword away and tossing it aside. "Are we sure we made the right decision by banishing our virginity so hastily?"

"…How did you know?"

"You were rather loud," she said as if it were obvious. "I'll thank you to watch your language in the future." Light Impa attempted to grab her from behind, but was tossed over Dark Impa's shoulder and into a wall.

"No more words!" Zelda said, charging another Shining Ray when she was suddenly backhanded.

"I've taken my hand to you before," she warned. Her eyes narrowed even more and she growled in an echo, "I won't hesitate to do so now."

"Don't you dare hurt her!" Light Impa yelled, diving at her. Dark Impa jumped to let her fall and landed on her back. Then, she stepped on the back of her head, forcing her face into the ground.

"Think about it, Zelda. If she is the good one, why is she so weak and incompetent? Would the real Impa have so much vanity as to dress and style herself this way? Would she have stalled in such a cowardly fashion until your arrival before facing a supposed evil? Would she have had as much patience with your moaning and cursing every night?"

"She's not the real Impa," Zelda said.

"So, you see it my way?"

"She's not the real Impa, but she's still the better half," Zelda said, slashing her wrist at her. Dark Impa caught it and then her other wrist, pushing her back against the wall. Dead hands began to sprout out of the wall and held Zelda there tightly. She was still overpowering them in some areas. They bound her legs together while her arms were spread out.

"You're only hurting yourself," the dark one said, summoning shadow daggers into her hands. Without hesitation, she jammed a dagger through each of Zelda's wrists.

"Ah! You bitch!" Zelda screamed as she was effectively beingcrucified. "The real Impa would never do this to me!"

"…I'm not the real Impa, remember?" she said, lifting her limp counterpart. "As for you; this will hurt less if you simply lie still and let me beat you into unconsciousness."

Peach slowly awakened in the darkness. Once she came to her senses, she felt for the arrow still lodged in her stomach. When, she tugged at it, she could not help yelping. That very spot had been bothering her quite a bit lately. It was the spot where she had been impaled, first by Bolt, then by Saria. It seemed that frequent injury there was taking its toll on her. She tugged harder, not bothering to hold back her screams, and finally removed it. Even after healing herself, there was still a nagging pain there.

She rose to her feet and looked around in futility. Everything was darkness. "Hello?" she echoed. "Is anyone there? Please, someone help me!" Her voice echoed into the distance with no reply. Even the spirits were silent here, all except for one.

"You are in the land of the dead," a female, thoughstoic voice murmured. "…Yet you are not of the dead…It is impossible for a mortal to come here…unless…Wan-der-er…Is that you?"

"No…" Peach whimpered. "My…my name is Peach…I…"

"Ah…you are Zelda's companion."

"How do you know her?"

"Both of you have stood upon the edge of my domain…for I am…was…the Sage of Death. Her time here need not come for some time…yet it draws steadily closer."

"Zelda's in danger?" Peach exclaimed. "Link…"

"No. It will not be by his hand, only his doing. The struggle for dominance between the halves of the Sage of Shadow is not going well. Even if you were to rush to Zelda's side, you would be too late. However, you might be able to lessen her suffering if you go back to the village now, for the man she has given herself to is not the hero she knows and her childhood friend of Lon Lon Ranch draws steadily closer to my realm…"

"Zelda…Malon!" Peach whispered.

"Follow the flames of darkness to reach the bottom of the well…"

"Take me back to the temple!" Peach demanded as blackened, barely visible flames appeared. "I have to try to help Impa too!"

"Foolish…For that, you must the journey through an unseen path…It lies before you…Follow your mind's eye…and you will reach the Sage's chamber. Choose it if you dare…but you will be too late."

Zelda was literally pinned to the wall, still struggling to get free. Dark Impa had battered Light Impa mercilessly. Her face was covered in blood and she was barely conscious.

"Why are you doing this to her?" Zelda screamed. "You've already won!"

"Her body is broken," Dark Impa said, "but her spirit is not. She is still sure that you will come through for her. A pity…"

"I won't fail her!" Zelda said through gritted teeth. Particles of light gathered in her palms. The dead hands shriveled away and she fired, vaporizing the shadow daggers in the process. Dark Impa floated to the side to avoid the blast and held her counterpart by the scruff of her neck.

"Don't move!" Zelda said, aiming another blast at her, despite her bleeding wrists.

"If you allow her to absorb me," Dark Impa spoke, "you will deeply regret it. I guarantee it."

"Silence!"

"Think about it. You're a wise child. Which one of us looks, sounds, and acts more like the Impa you know?"

"I said be quiet!"

"Search your feelings…You know it to be true…"

"No! Impa has always loved me…"

"Are you implying that I do not?"

"Of course you don't!" Zelda said, feeling tears come into her eyes. "You tried to crucify me!"

"Dear child…I do what I must to protect you. What harm I do you pales in comparison to the alternative. Meanwhile, this," she said, holding up her counterpart, "will do you much greater harm than I would ever commit."

"That's not true!"

"She has already placed you in unnecessary danger by bringing you to this temple. Had she not brought you here, you would not be bleeding from your wrists. Nor would you be in such emotional pain as you are now. What sort of supposed better half would pit you against what is virtually your mother?" As she spoke, Zelda began to lower her arm as the words sunk in.

"Zelda, please…" Light Impa moaned.

"I advise you to leave this place at once," Dark Impa said. "I will take care of things here."

"Wait…" Zelda said as an idea came to her. "If you're the better half, why would you wait for her to bring me here?"

"…My reasons are my own…" she replied somewhat defensively. "I had sent a less than honorable associate to break her and return her to me, but…" Her eyes widened in shock and she looked up to the entrance as Link appeared. Her voice became demonic once again. "You! You little traitor!"

"Now, Zelda," Light Impa whispered pleadingly. Zelda hesitated.

"What's the matter?" Link said to the dark one, as he dropped down nearby. "Not happy to see me? I made sure she came here, didn't I? I just wanted to make sure to give her the advantage."

"I will make you beg for mercy!" Dark Impa growled, tossing Light Impa aside to confront him. "Aaaah!" A beam of light pierced her and she fell to her knees. "Zelda…"

"You made the right decision, Zelda," Light Impa said tiredly.

"It's not too late, my child," Dark Impa winced. "Strike her down and it will…Ah!" Link pinned her down with his sword.

"Sorry to ask this, Zel," Link said. "But you're going to have to be the one to take her out…"

"What?"

"I'm so sorry, Zelda," Light Impa said. "It's the only way…to break her spirit. I know she seems like a heartless soul of pure evil…but she is still a part of the true me. She does indeed love you…it's just in her own way. She truly believes that she is the better half. She has been counting on you to support her, if at least passively. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?"

"Yes…I do…" Zelda choked, approaching her.

"Do not do anything foolish," Dark Impa warned, unable to move with Link's sword running through her stomach. As Zelda came closer, a hint of panic came into her voice. "You're making a mistake, Zelda…This is not the Link you know! He is an impostor!"

"Your time is at an end," Zelda said as tears rolled down her cheeks. "I will not be consumed by the Darkness." She charged her Shining Ray and fired it into Dark Impa's chest. Dark Impa made no sound and lay flat on her back. Light Impa limped over to her and placed her hand over her face.

"Zel-da…" Dark Impa whispered. "…I forgive you…" She turned into a black mist and flowed into Light Impa.

"Our mission is a success," Impa smiled, fully rejuvenated. She looked like a mix of the two. Her hair was down, but there was still a small ponytail in the back. Her sleeves had disappeared and she had black gloves. Her dress had been reduced to a white loincloth, yet she wore her usual black shorts underneath. Strangely, her stomach was bare. Zelda was a bit confused to see her looking more like the Light Impa.

"Why do you look that way?" Zelda asked.

"Because I've finally beaten my dark side," Impa smiled. "Thanks to you."

"You mean…"

"The Impa you knew is gone forever," she said triumphantly. "Now, I can begin phase two."

"But…how can you be the wrong Impa?" Zelda asked. "The Darkness lost…"

"I tricked you, silly," Impa giggled in a way the old Impa never would have. "I might as well explain the truth to you…You see, dear, all of the Sages, including myself, have been trying to stop you. After all the things you've done to wreck Hyrule's stability, how can you blame us?"

"But…"

"Don't bother lying any longer," Impa said in a humored fashion. "We've all talked and decided that something had to be done. So, we set up a little war as a distraction. It kept the people from asking questions. It kept Ganondorf at bay. And it placed a spotlight on you. You see…you are the reason the war started."

"No, that can't be!"

"Oh, but I'm afraid it is. It was a loosely organized effort to get you. Of course, we all didn't agree. Saria, Darunia, and Ruto merely wanted to kill you…"

"You're just like the others…" Zelda said, stepping back.

"Don't jump ahead, now… Everything I told you about being split into two beings was more or less true. My two selves did not particularly like the idea of having you killed, so Darunia forced us to stay here and protect the village by sending a lava flow at it. Ruto started the flood to make sure no one would escape easily. And Saria…well, I suppose she was the ringleader of that little clique. The other three of us had our own plans, though. As the Sage of Shadow, my main concern as of yet is Rauru."

"He's the only one who hasn't tried to kill me! Why would you want to…?"

"Four months away and your manners go down the drain," Impa sighed. "As I was saying, Rauru is the one who sent you on this false journey to rescue the Sages. He knew full and well that the first three would try to kill you. But it all fit perfectly into his plan. You see, whenever a Sage is destroyed, the others grow more powerful. It's a sort of ancient compensation mechanism instilled by the Goddesses. That is probably why you had more trouble with Ruto than Darunia, who needed assistance from Saria. That should also explain why your final fight with Saria was so tough. Did you catch all that?"

Zelda was too absorbed in her words to respond.

"Hmm…Well, anyway, none of us really expected you to kill all three of them, even though it works to our advantage and my relief. We were simply expecting to thrive off of the energy from the powerful Sage of Time, defeat Ganondorf, and return Hyrule to peace. But now that you've gotten this far, I'll bet the old man's getting greedy. He's probably expecting us to kill one another, leaving only one other Sage. Thus, my plan is to end his life and, perhaps later, Nabooru's. With that much power, I'll be able to take down Ganondorf myself."

"Isn't that his job?" Zelda asked, pointing to Link.

"Forgot all about me, didn't you?"

"Where is Peach?" Zelda asked.

"Dead," he said casually.

"What! How!"

"I killed her," he smiled. "Pushed her into the River of the Dead on the way here…after giving her a good feeling up of course."

"That was unnecessary," Impa rolled her eyes humouredly.

"Link…How could you!" Zelda cried. "This isn't like you at all! You shouldn't even joke about…"

"I'm not joking," he smirked with narrowed eyes. "Her breasts were nice and supple, not flat like yours. And what a peach she has on her. Almost as squeezable as her funbags. Never felt better ones than those."

"Even mine?" Impa asked.

"Yours are bigger," he nodded, "but hers are better."

"I suppose that's what I get for breastfeeding," Impa smiled lightheartedly.

"You…and you…!" Zelda said, beginning to breathe too hard for her own good.

"Oh, don't think about it too hard, Zelda," Impa said. "He only slept with half of me, the Light half."

"Yeah, Darkie was a total ice queen," Link chuckled.

"Opposites attract I suppose."

"But we're married…" Zelda whimpered. "And she's my nanny!"

"Well, we did it before you took down the barrier," Link said. "Darkie summoned me to take her out…but Light and I agreed that it would be better for both of us if we just went at it in bed."

"This isn't happening…this isn't happening," Zelda whispered to herself repeatedly, grabbing her head.

"Well, there was yesterday where I had to sub for Zelda," Impa reminded him. "It left me a little tired afterward, but nobody was going to get any sleep with Mr. and Mrs. Dark Link making so much noise."

"Dark…Link!" Zelda said, growing dizzy and sick. She doubled over and began to heave, covering her mouth.

Link suddenly turned completely black except for his now red eyes. "This is who you married. Impa, you wouldn't believe some of the stuff she had me do. I thought I was a pervert, but sheeze!"

Zelda finally vomited on the black floor and cried at the same time.

"Poor baby, now you're getting sick," Impa said. "Don't worry. Impa's going to take care of everything. You just stay in Kakariko with your hubby and let me take care of the rest. No more Sages trying to kill you and no more Ganondorf." A blue light appeared on the floor and Impa stepped into it. A blue crystal surrounded her and she floated up into nothingness, supposedly going to the Chamber of Sages to kill Rauru.

"So, should we start here?" Dark Link asked his wife, "Or would you prefer the comfort of the bed?"

Zelda took one look at him and emptied her stomach on the floor.

"Uh…yeah," Dark Link said, stepping back. "I'll be waiting for you at our house." He sunk into the floor as a shadow and disappeared, leaving Zelda to sob there.

Zelda could not believe things had gone so wrong. She was having dry heaves now, with nothing left to regurgitate. Once she gathered herself a bit, she gritted her teeth and played the Nocturne of Shadow on her lyre. Once it was complete, she took her sword in her hand and disappeared in a flurry of purple sparkles.

Moments later, Peach arrived via a paneled wall. "Zelda? Are you there?" She cursed herself for not listening to the spirit. She did not want to be in this place any longer than she had to, so she rushed back through the paneled wall.

A/N: It's not over yet...