Across the Ocean
By Dominus Princeps
A.N., Sorry for the long update, dudes! I was on Spring Break in Belize (which is in Central America for us cartographically-challenged Americans).
Chapter Five
As soon as Medli's feet touched the ground in the Shadow Temple, she was chilled to the bone. The place was dark, dank, and generally unpleasant—and this was just the antechamber.
"Ugh...this place gives me the creeps," Tetra shivered. Link shook his head and walked for the door. Medli and Tetra followed quickly after him, not wanting to be left behind in the creepy dungeon. They walked down a long, steep ramp until they hit level ground. It was dark, and the sound of creaking stone caused Medli to yelp in fright.
"Don't worry about that, Medli. It's just the rocks in the walls," Link said reassuringly, taking her hand.
"I know, Link...but now I see why people were afraid of the Sage of Shadow," the Rito gulped. Tetra sighed and looked around.
"Well...it appears there's only one door here," she stated, walking for the door. It appeared out of place, as it had an ornate handle, along with stained glass windows in it. Tetra walked toward the door, screamed, and fell through the floor.
"What the hell?" Link gasped. He let go of Medli's hand, and crawled toward where Tetra had disappeared. He gasped as he felt a hole in the floor...but there was visible ground!
"Link!" Tetra's hand grabbed his wrist. Link pulled her up.
"Lucky I grabbed the edge...hate to find out how far down that hole goes," Tetra shivered. Medli sighed in relief.
"That's really weird...it looks like there's floor there..." Medli said. Suddenly, she felt a strange pounding in her head.
"Uhhh...I've got a horrible headache," Medli groaned. Then, she gasped. There was a voice...
The all-seeing Eye...the seal of Verity...the Magnifying lens...you must possess the True sight to pass...
"Medli, are you alright?" Link cradled her from where she had fallen.
"I heard voices...they said something about...the all-seeing Eye, a seal of...Verity? And a magnifying glass, and something about the True sight necessary to pass," Medli murmured, feeling as though she had just woken from a fever dream. Link frowned.
"Well, the all-seeing Eye definitely refers to the Eye of Truth spoken of in legends about the Devil's Well. The seal of Verity must be the seal of Truth which is the Sage of Shadow's symbol. I don't know about this magnifying glass...and the True sight refers again to the Eye of Truth," Tetra said. Link and Medli turned to look at her, surprised at her knowledge.
"The Devil's Well was a well that a powerful mage sealed an evil spirit in. The mage lost his eye in the battle with the demon, and it was said that he had the ability to see the reality past an illusion and anyone who held his lost eye would be able to do the same," the pirate explained. Medli stood and wavered.
"They're talking again..." she whispered.
The Eye is between two brothers...the time Music wakes both...walls with Eyes aren't always true...what's not wrong is Right...
"You said it aloud this time...two brothers...time music...walls with eyes?" Link muttered, thinking about it. Tetra pointed.
"Look at the wall! That wall on our left has the Eye of Truth painted on it" she pointed in the dim light at the barely visible seal.
"Walls with eyes aren't always true...? If the floor could be fake, maybe the wall could be, too!" Medli said. She ran over to the wall and ran her fingers along it. Tetra and Link joined her, but they found nothing.
"Man...there must be something we missed!" Tetra grumbled. Link looked up.
"The other wall! Of course!" he ran over to it...and ran right through it.
"Hey, wait!" Medli cried. Tetra ran after her.
"What's not wrong is right! Like the direction right!" Link chuckled. They walked through a sliding door and entered a room that split into three paths after a circular base of a kind. Medli clutched her forehead.
One may pass His trial...each may pass Hers...alone you are Prey...the eyes deceive but the Eye does not...where dreams cross Nightmares breed...only Three may open the door...shadows creep while Walls listen...
"Well...I guess we have to split up, then," Link sighed, shivering. Medli shuddered involuntarily. She kissed Link briefly, then picked a path.
"I'll take this one. I guess we'll meet up later, right? 'only Three may open the door'..." Medli said, walking for a path. Link took the one next to hers, and Tetra took the remaining path. Medli wrapped her arms around herself and looked around, fright flushing through her body like cool fire. She whimpered as she brushed a damp wall in the semidarkness. Medli heard more voices, but they weren't the invasive, fever dream-like voices.
Bird-girl...
Get out...this isn't your place...
You belong in the light...
We'll swallow you WHOLE!
"Leave me alone!" Medli screamed, sprinting down the hall. She screeched to a halt at a fork in the hall. She looked at one hall, then at the other.
"Oh, no...which way?" Medli whimpered worriedly. She debated between the two pathways. One had to be the right path...but which was it? Medli bit her lip, then gasped as she looked to the floor of the left path. On it was carved the Eye of Truth!
The eyes deceive but the Eye does not...
"There!" Medli walked down the left hall. She looked nervously around her, and it seemed that the walls were closing in on her. Then, something grabbed her ankle. Medli screamed at the top of her lungs as she stomped on the huge finger wrapped around her ankle. She screamed again as she saw the hulking, shadowy hand. A Wallmaster! Medli had only heard of them in stories; she and Link had only encountered Floormasters. Medli summoned a Stalfos to battle the monster. The Wallmaster hopped backward as the Stalfos appeared unexpectedly. The huge hand pressed the attack quickly, though...and received a heavy mace blow to its top. The Wallmaster was squashed flat by the staggering blow, and disappeared in a burst of purple smoke. The Stalfos seemed to grin at Medli before it disappeared as suddenly as it had come. Medli shuddered and continued walking down the path. It got so dark that Medli stopped to think.
"What if I come to another crossroads and don't even know it? I need a torch..." she said aloud to herself. Then she grinned.
"Of course! A Red Bubble!" Medli clapped her hands. A skull materialized on the ground, then quickly erupted in bright orange flame with an eerie, echoing laugh. The Red Bubble hovered in front of Medli and led the way, illuminating the unforgiving stone of the Shadow Temple. Medli saw something scrawled on the wall and shuddered. The writing was mottled brown...dried blood. The Bubble hovered near the writing so Medli could read it.
Shadow Temple...here Hyrule's sorrows and greed are contained...
Medli shivered and tore her eyes from the writing. She and the Red Bubble continued down the long, damp hallway. Medli saw more blood on the wall and read the message.
Danger above...
Medli frowned, looked at the ceiling, and shrugged. She walked forward and heard the sound of scuttling feet. Too surprised even to scream (which she seemed to be doing quite often in the tomb-like temple) Medli was knocked to the ground as a blunt object struck a heavy blow on her face. She heard her Red Bubble choke as it too was struck and extinguished. Medli blinked and got up. She summoned another Red Bubble and winced as it illuminated a huge, bloodthirsty spider. The spider's blood-red eyes lit up and it spun around, then spun back to face Medli. Medli summoned a Stalfos. The skeletal warrior lurched over to the spider and promptly had its torso knocked off its legs by a powerful spin from the spider, which used its legs like bludgeons. Medli determined that this was what had struck her. The Stalfos reformed itself abruptly and turned its head without moving its body, looking at Medli for instruction. Medli commanded it to hurl its mace at the spider when it turned its back. The Stalfos began spinning rapidly. When the spider turned its back to the Stalfos, the warrior let go of its spiked mace. The mace speared the spider, which was knocked from its web. The spider crashed to the ground and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Medli winced as pain flickered through her cheek, touched her aching face, and saw blood in the flickering light of the Red Bubble. She shook her head and continued through the corridor. It grew gradually lighter until Medli could see without the help of the Red Bubble. She unsummoned it and found herself at another crossroads. None of the paths had the Eye of Truth inscribed in them. One had a symbol like Din's Pearl, one had a symbol like the one on Farore's, and the last one looked like Nayru's. Medli looked between the three of them and chose the one with Din's symbol inscribed on it. Before she crossed the threshold, the voice came again.
With the Goddesses come they themselves...red like Powerful fire...green like Courageous wind...blue like Wise water...the Eye cannot peer through Smoke, cannot open in Wind, cannot see in Water...
Medli picked herself up from where she had collapsed on the floor and walked down the hall. She found herself in a chamber that resembled a battle arena. Medli looked around cautiously and stepped into the arena. Flame rose around the circular arena, and two Wallmasters dropped from the ceiling. Medli summoned a Stalfos knight to battle the two fearsome hands. The Stalfos spun wildly around, striking one Wallmaster and sending it skidding across the arena to come to rest near the wall of fire. Dizzily, the Stalfos stopped its head from spinning and turned back to face the other Wallmaster, which was quickly skittering toward Medli. Medli unfurled her wings and pumped into the air to avoid the grip of the gigantic hand. The Stalfos struck the Wallmaster mercilessly, hitting it until it stopped twitching and vanished in a burst of purple smoke. Medli landed as the Stalfos extinguished the other Wallmaster. Then, the Stalfos plodded over to Medli. Three Stalfos knights appeared around Medli and her Stalfos guardian. The three Stalfos converged upon Medli and her summoned Stalfos. She decided she and her ally needed support, and thus summoned a Floormaster and a Black ChuChu. The Floormaster wrapped itself around one Stalfos and rooted it to the ground, making the skeleton warrior harmless. The Black ChuChu hopped around and distracted another Stalfos, keeping its attention from Medli, her Stalfos, and the other skeletal berserker that Medli's Stalfos was currently battling. Their maces clashed and rebounded from one another, but the other Stalfos was just a slight bit slower than Medli's magically endowed guardian. As the enemy Stalfos reeled from a counter from Medli's Stalfos, the ally Stalfos took the opportunity and struck its enemy's head off, then crushed the head with its mace. Medli's Stalfos then armed itself with its enemy's dropped mace. It made its way over to the disabled Stalfos and crushed its head with a vise-like double-mace strike. The last Stalfos, no longer interested in the Black ChuChu, knocked Medli's Stalfos' head off in a surprise strike. The Stalfos head hopped around frantically, avoiding the wild swings of its enemy. The Floormaster grabbed the enemy Stalfos' ankle, anchoring it in place. The attacking Stalfos swung its mace into the Floormaster's palm, causing the purple hand to screech in pain. The Black ChuChu leapt at the Stalfos, striking it and rattling some bones but doing nothing more. The enemy Stalfos turned back to its adversary to find the head nowhere to be found. Medli grinned as her Stalfos ally performed another double-mace head-crush on its enemy. She sighed with relief and gasped as a Knight in purple armor appeared suddenly. It lowered its sword and strode toward Medli, whose summoned creatures had disappeared. She attempted to summon her Stalfos again, but the warrior wouldn't come.
"Ah! Does it have to recharge?" Medli asked. She faced the Knight.
"Are you ready to die?" it cackled insanely, swinging its sword even though it wasn't in range yet. Medli circled it, wondering if there was any way to fight the Knight. She ducked a wild swing of the Knight's huge, serrated blade and swallowed. In its heavy armor and with its huge sword, there was no way the Knight could be harmed. Link always cut its armor off first...but I have no way of doing that... Medli thought worriedly. She pondered about the things she could summon and decided on a Blue Bubble. At least it was invincible to most conventional weaponry...it could distract the Knight until Medli could summon a Stalfos to attack the Knight directly. An eerie laugh confirmed her summon.
"Eh? What's this?" the Knight frowned as the skull surrounded by blue curse-fog cackled and flew at the armored Knight. The Knight struck the Blue Bubble with a vicious slash, but the attack only served to deter the Bubble for a short time before it regained its sense of direction and swooped toward the Knight again. It looped over another attack from the Knight and struck the Knight's vulnerable back. Its curse-fog corroded the belts holding the Knight's armor on and also cursed the Knight. Confused, the Knight attempted to swing his sword at Medli, but the weapon was anchored to the ground by the Blue Bubble's curse. Medli summoned a Stalfos at just that moment. The skeleton berserker lurched over to the Knight, wound up, and swung its mace into the Knight's gut, knocking the warrior over. The Stalfos raised its mace above its head and swung down again into the Knight's chest. Medli winced as she heard bones cracking. As a finisher, the Stalfos swung its mace into the Knight's helmet. The helmet shattered, and the mace crushed the Knight's head. Medli unsummoned her Stalfos and Blue Bubble. The wall of fire dissipated. Medli looked back to where she had entered and saw a blank wall. A tunnel was on the other side of the room. Medli jogged through it. Maybe I just forgot which way I had entered from... she thought as she entered the room with the three halls again. But she entered from the main hall where she had fought the spider...Medli looked to the three hallways and found that there were only two left: the one with Farore's symbol and the one with Nayru's. Medli entered the hall with Farore's symbol and found herself walking through a familiar-looking building—the aerie on Dragon Roost Island. She was spooked, but then remembered she was in the Shadow Temple—extremely strange stuff happened in the Shadow Temple. Medli looked around and saw Prince Komali standing with a flower in his hand. The prince turned to face Medli, and his face lit up in a wide smile.
"Medli! I picked you a flower!" he said excitedly, handing her the pretty flower. Medli stepped back.
"W-what's wrong, Medli? You look scared," Komali frowned, tilting his head. Medli shivered and took the flower. She felt something run along her arm and dropped the flower. She looked up and saw Komali crying.
"You horrible girl...you broke my heart. I hate you. I hate you! You ruined everything!" he growled through his tears. Medli shook her head.
"No, no...what are you talking about?" she stammered. Komali looked up from where he was looking at the ground.
"And I bet you enjoyed it! You liked breaking my heart! And you still have no remorse!" Komali snarled, stepping forward. Medli stepped back.
"No, that's not true. You're still very important to me, Komali!" she protested.
"Then love me!" Komali shouted, diving onto her. Medli shrieked into his mouth as he forced himself upon her. She kneed him in his groin, causing him to arch his back in pain and roll onto the ground.
"You bastard, don't you get it? I'm Link's, and no one else's! And I wouldn't have it any other way!" Medli growled. The world faded into black. Suddenly, she felt cool stone against her cheek. Medli shuddered and found herself laying face-flat in the place where she had entered the previous two pathways. Now, only the path with Nayru's insignia appeared. Medli sighed and walked into it. She entered into a small room with three doorways. One had the Eye of Truth marked over it, one had Farore's insignia, and the last had Nayru's symbol.
Blindness is inevitable...when the Eye fails, so too will the Mind...the one thing that perseveres is the Invisible fist...
Medli considered the hint and entered the door with Farore's symbol, since Farore was known as the Goddess of wind (which could be powerful, though unseen) and forest. She entered a room with three pedestals—one had a sword, one had a mirror, and one had a helmet.
Forests grow back when Cut...a Barrier cannot save a body...what doesn't break when struck is of no Value...the protector of Head can save lives, but a Self-image can save souls...
Medli pondered the meaning. Well, it's not the sword...and it can't be the mirror, right? But what does 'cannot save a body' mean? A mirror can block your whole body...protector of head is a helmet...but the soul is more important than life! It's the mirror! Medli thought. She walked to the center pedestal and picked up the mirror. She fitted it under her arm and saw a tunnel where there hadn't been one before. Medli walked through it and entered a room with three pictures over a locked door and a ray of light coming in through the ceiling. The three pictures were all different. One was a clock, one was a river, and one was a ship.
I kill all kings...I rust all swords...I break all walls...I topple all empires...who am I?
Medli frowned. Water can kill anyone...it can also rust swords and destroy walls. But topple empires? Hm. I guess a ship could kill a king. But a clock? What can a clock do? ...wait, wait, that means Time! Time kills mortals, and all swords rust in time! Walls crumble as they age, and kingdoms never last forever! So what do I do now...? Medli wondered. She noted the ray of light and stepped into it. Medli angled the mirror so that the light reflected onto the picture of the clock. The door unlocked. Medli dropped the mirror and ran for the door. She walked through it and entered a room that was rather dimly lit.
"Hello?" someone called. Medli recognized the voice.
"Link!" she cried, running toward the figure who was warily eyeing her.
"Medli?" he asked as she jumped into his arms.
"That place was so creepy!" Medli murmured into his chest. Link held her by the back of her head and ran his hand through her hair.
"Hey, you're bleeding!" Link said worriedly. Medli touched her cheek.
"It's nothing; I got surprised by a giant spider," she shrugged it off.
"So what were your puzzles like?" Tetra asked, walking into the room. Link turned.
"I had some really annoying block-pushing puzzles, as well as collecting five grey Rupees in order to unlock a door. What about you guys?" Link asked.
"I had to make my way through a maze of fake doors and false walls. Medli?" Tetra replied.
"I walked through several halls before I got to this crossroads with three different rooms with puzzles based on the three Goddesses. So...anybody find anything?" Medli asked. Link pulled out a map.
"I found this in one room," he replied. Tetra reached in her pocket and displayed a blue compass.
"I pulled it from a chest. Here, Link, you know how to use these two the best of all of us," she said, handing it to Link. He pocketed the compass and rolled the map up before putting it in his pocket. Then, they saw two eerie lights wavering through the room.
"Dear me, brother, it seems we have a visitor," a voice came.
"Quiet, little brother, I'm sleeping," a different voice growled.
"Oh, right. I believe I shall do the same," the first voice yawned. The lights disappeared.
"Wait...how did it go? 'The time music will wake the two brothers', or something like that?" Link asked. Medli nodded, intrigued by the voices. Link pulled out the Wind Waker and made three swift movements. Medli heard a rooster crow and cocked her head.
"Oh, my! Is that the Sun's Song?" one of the voices gasped. A light blinked into existence.
"I believe it is, brother! But who knows our song, now? The one we taught it to is long gone!" the other voice said. Another light appeared. The room was suddenly lit, as if sunlight could penetrate all the way into the crypt of the Shadow Temple. Medli gasped. Two elegantly dressed men were floating in midair. Their faces, however, were jet-black and featureless, except for two glowing green eyes. They had ornate swords in gilt scabbards hung from their waists.
"Well, isn't he a scrawny one? Although he reminds me of the old Hero of Time for some odd reason," the taller man chuckled, scratching his chin.
"You may be right, Sharp. He does resemble that kid, doesn't he?" the shorter one grinned at his brother.
"Yes, Flat, he does...and I can't put my finger on why...anyway, he's intruding on the Shadow Temple," the one called Sharp smiled viciously.
"Agreed, brother. Shall we?" Flat replied, grinning like a hungry sea-shark.
"We shall. It has been altogether too long since we had a little fun," Sharp snickered. In a flash, they had both drawn their swords and were rapidly converging on Link. The hapless Link barely managed to raise his shield before the swords struck him. He was knocked backward by the force of the double blow.
"Well, he's got a shield and a sword. Definitely reminds me of the old Hero of Time. However, that one wore a green tunic-looking thing around," Flat chuckled as he and Sharp darted backwards.
"Yes, yes, you're right..." his brother nodded. Link drew the Prism Sword and stood in a ready stance. Flat made a stab at Link, who leapt into the air with a flip-slash. Flat yelped with surprise as the Prism Sword erupted in white light and scorched him.
"Ah, the light! It burns!" Sharp screeched to compliment his brother.
"Damn, he's a nimble one!" Flat cursed. His brother glared at him.
"Pssh! You're just reckless!" Sharp grumbled before facing Link.
"Allow me to show you real swordsmanship!" the taller brother grinned. He darted back and forth from Link's left to Link's right before slashing right at Link. Link rolled to the side and leapt up in an uppercut slash, the Prism Sword transforming into a blade of light. Sharp cursed and quickly blocked the light sword. Link stumbled as Flat kicked him in the back and dropped to the ground to avoid a slash from Sharp that would've decapitated him. Medli looked worriedly at the battle and pondered a way she could help Link. Tetra took out her bow and nocked an arrow to the string. She let fly, striking Flat in the chest.
"Bloody hell! Someone's shot me!" Flat said, surprised. Link took advantage of Flat's momentary distraction and performed a jump slash that knocked Flat to the ground. Link then slashed horizontally twice, performed a two-handed vertical slash, and finished with a leaping uppercut slash. Flat shrieked as Link's light-endowed Prism Sword slashed and seared his body. Flat lay still on the ground. Link turned his attention to Sharp, who was circling him.
"You killed my brother? You'll pay!" Sharp spat angrily, swinging his saber to emphasize his point. Link watched Sharp warily. Sharp blocked one of Tetra's arrows, then slashed at Link. Link jumped the slash and blocked the follow-up with his shield, then jumped at Sharp, sword above his head. Sharp kicked Link in the chest, sending him crashing to the ground. Medli cried out as Link hit the ground hard. Link picked himself up and shook his head, then hurriedly blocked a wild stab from Sharp. Link jumped to the left, feinted to the right, and jumped at Sharp again. He twisted away from another kick and slashed Sharp right in the face. Sharp screeched in agony and fell to a knee on the floor. Link jumped and stabbed his sword into Sharp's forehead. The flying swordsman faded, as did his brother. In place of their bodies were two hovering, green wisps of light.
"Curse him! Come now, Flat, let us...oh, not again," the light on the right grumbled, apparently noticing that it no longer had a dangerous shape.
"Oh, Sharp, now we're stuck! He's banished us from our constructed forms..." Flat sighed. Sharp's eyes gleamed yellow against the green of his wispy form.
"Well, young swordsman, you're quite adept at this," he would've grinned, if he had a mouth. Link wiped the sweat off his forehead and sighed as he sheathed his sword.
"Thanks...you're not too shabby yourself," he said wearily.
"Ha ha...it's been a while since we've seen a mortal, and even longer since one has been able to best us. Well, young swordsman...having defeated us, you are entitled to our treasure. Go on...it's yours," Flat said. Sharp blinked.
"Um...young swordsman, if you wouldn't mind...what is your name? I'd like to know who bested the Royal Composer brothers," Sharp asked.
"Name's Link," Link replied.
"I knew there was something familiar about him! See, didn't I tell you, brother?" Flat exclaimed.
"Oh, hell, Flat, you know I said there was a resemblance before you did! Don't be asinine!" Sharp snapped. The two spirits disappeared, bickering. In the center of the room, a chest came into view. Link walked over to it and opened it. He reached in and pulled out a purple object.
"It's...a really fancy magnifying glass," Link frowned. Tetra ran over.
"That's not any magnifying glass—that's the Eye of Truth!" she gasped. Medli ran to Link's side.
"Oh, cool! ...how does it work?" she asked.
"You put it to your eye and it allows you to see what's hidden. I believe it takes much concentration, though...you might wanna be careful with it," Tetra answered Medli's question. Link closed an eye and looked through the Eye of Truth.
"Hey, there's a hidden door there! Let's keep going!" he said. Link took Medli's hand and led her and Tetra through a false wall and through a door that had been hidden. They entered a huge room with a ship docked at a port.
"What the heck...?" Medli said, surprised. Link walked over to the ship and hopped aboard.
"Come on, guys! I've got a good feeling about this!" Link grinned, waving to them from the deck. Medli and Tetra looked at each other, sighed, and jumped aboard the ship. Link stood in a circle with a wind insignia on it and played the Wind's Requiem. The ship lurched and rocked, then shot forward, knocking the three of them to the deck.
"Uff!" Tetra groaned, picking herself up from where she had hit the mast. Medli got up and took Link's hand.
"What a weird temple..." she muttered. Link chuckled.
"Never gets boring!" he grinned. Tetra growled with disgust.
"You're right. Look above us," she sighed. Two Stalfos knights were scrambling down the mast, maces across their backs. Link unsheathed his sword and stood in a ready stance, shield at the ready. The Stalfos ignored Medli and Tetra and focused on Link...which was a mistake. Tetra leapt onto one and pulled its head off, then smashed it to the ground, shattering the brittle bone. The other Stalfos gave Tetra a solid mace swing, knocking the wind from the girl and sending her skidding across the deck. Medli ran to her side.
"Hey, are you okay?" Medli asked worriedly, cradling Tetra's head. The pirate opened one eye slowly.
"Ugh...that hurt. I'll be fine," she grimaced, getting up with Medli's help. In the meantime, Link had finished off the other Stalfos.
"Nice work," Medli smiled. Link grinned and sheathed his sword before kissing her forehead. Tetra rolled her eyes and pointed.
"Hey, look! Land!" she said. Link nodded.
"Yeah. I guess we'll stop when we reach land?" he pondered. The boat began to shake.
"I guess not! Jump!" Tetra cried, leaping from the boat. Link hoisted Medli over his head and jumped. Medli beat her wings rapidly to keep them aloft. The "shore" with Tetra seemed so far...they touched down lightly, and Link set Medli down. They looked around, and Medli spotted a door high above them.
"Hang on—I'll go check that door out!" Medli pointed to the door before unfurling her wings and flying to the door. She opened it and stepped into a dimly lit room, something that was rather common in this temple. Medli summoned a Red Bubble to light the place and clamped her hands over her mouth to prevent her scream from escaping. Skeletons, skulls, and Re-Deads. One Re-Dead lifted its head, then drooped again, as Re-Deads were fond of. Medli looked across the room and saw an ornate chest—the Big Key! She unsummoned her Red Bubble and crept across the room, being careful not to wake the Re-Deads. Medli let out the breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding as she reached the chest. She opened it slowly so as not to make too much noise and pulled the Big Key from the chest. Medli pocketed it and turned to see bars close over the door, making a loud, grating screech. All the Re-Deads in the room instantly looked up and turned their eyes to Medli. They screamed almost all in synch, freezing Medli in place. She shook from fear but managed to calm her nerves and summon a Stalfos. The skeleton berserker raised its mace and smacked a Re-Dead to the ground, smashed another across the face, hit one with a wild horizontal attack, and knocked one into the air with an uppercut. The Stalfos finished the Re-Dead that was lying prone on the ground, then turned its attention to the one stalking toward Medli, who was again rooted in terror of the flesh-eating zombie. Medli sighed in relief as her Stalfos guardian flattened her attacker. She cheered as the Stalfos knocked one across the room and pumped her arm as the skeletal warrior defeated the last of the eerie, blue zombies. The bars across the door retreated upwards, and Medli exited. She glided down to where Link and Tetra were waiting.
"What did you find?" Link asked. Medli pulled out the Big Key.
"Nice...now we can get into the boss's room," Tetra grinned. They crossed a narrow rope bridge that spanned a deep, dark gap. Link warily looked around before continuing. Medli eyed the walls and stumbled as she heard voices.
Get out...
Surface-dwellers should stay on the surface...
Your blood will fill our wells...
We will devour you WHOLE!
"Did anyone else hear that?" Medli whimpered. Link put his arm around her shoulders.
"Yeah. Just keep walking," he soothed. Tetra kept a wary hand on her spare dagger. Her favored dagger had been broken when she had fought the White Knuckle, but she always kept a spare just in case. They came to a door that had been broken down. It looked as though something huge had just rammed through it. Shards of stone and a silvery lock were strewn across the ground.
"Someone's here, in this temple. That's why the seal was broken at the entrance; that must be why there's a shattered door here," Link grimaced. Medli pondered all the possibilities and shuddered. Link pulled her closer to himself and walked through the door. They entered a long hall with a huge door at the end. This door had a large, gold lock on it. It was dented, as though someone had tried to break into it without the key, but the door still stood. Link took the Big Key and fit it into the gold lock. The lock, along with its chains, fell to the ground. Link, Medli, and Tetra entered through the door. They saw a boy in black clothing kneeling at the center.
"Hello? Hey!" Link called, jogging out to the boy. Medli and Tetra followed Link.
"Hey, he's crying!" Medli pointed out. She knelt beside him and wiped his tears.
"What's wrong?" she asked. He looked up, and Medli realized it wasn't a little boy but a near-fully grown man. Hunched over, sobbing, he looked much younger.
"What's wrong?" Medli repeated. The boy sniffled.
"This whole temple...it's scary, and my head feels like it's getting crushed...so many voices...so much pain..." he murmured, then collapsed into Medli's lap, sobbing again. Medli winced and looked back to Link.
"He's pretty upset," she said.
"What's your name?" Tetra asked soothingly.
"Goto..." the boy in black replied shakily.
"Well, Goto, we're gonna get you out of here. Did you see any large, threatening monsters around here?" Link asked. Goto shook his head.
"No...I don't remember what happened...I just woke up here," he sniffled. Medli and Tetra helped the boy to his feet.
"Well...I don't see anything around here..." Tetra sighed. Link snapped his fingers.
"Of course! We need the Eye of Truth!" he grinned. He took out the purple magnifying lens and peered through it.
"Aha! There's a door...that way," Link pointed. He led the girls and Goto to the door, then opened it. They walked into a room that looked identical to the one they had just left.
"Weird..." Medli muttered. At the center was a small pool of water and a tree with branches but no leaves.
What happens when shadows are REAL?
What happens when a reflection can cut?
Can you fight yourself?
Who will win?
Medli shivered at the familiar voices. Link staggered and fell to one knee.
"Link! Are you alright?" Medli knelt beside him, putting her arms around him worriedly.
"Agh...feel so cold..." he winced. He picked himself up, unsheathed his sword, and pulled his shield from his back.
"I know there's a boss here..." Link said warily. Tetra sighed.
"I'll stay with Goto. You two find the boss," she said. Link and Medli nodded. They walked to the tree, looked around the room, then stopped.
"This water...there's something not right with it..." Link said slowly. He peered into the water and saw his reflection...but Medli noticed that the room was not reflected, only Link and herself.
"Well...we'd better get Goto to awaken as the Sage of Shadow, if there's no immediate boss..." Link remarked.
"How do you know he's the Sage?" Medli frowned.
"I can feel it. It's not something I can explain," Link replied. They turned and walked toward where Tetra was talking to Goto. Medli heard a whistle of a blade and dove out of the way just in time as a black sword slashed where she was half a second before.
"Damn!" Link turned to face his opponent. Medli gasped from where she was prone on the ground. With black, tousled hair, black features, black clothes, and a black sword and shield, was Link...but his eyes were ruby red.
"What in the...?" Medli breathed, getting up. He and Link were battling fiercely, darting about, rolling, and slashing, but neither giving an inch. They were evenly matched, of course: they were the same person. This dark Link had a deep, raspy voice compared to the Link Medli knew. He was every bit as strong and quick, and was cunning, too. He knew all of Link's feints and tricks and used them flawlessly. Link backflipped from a horizontal slash and stabbed at dark Link. Medli's eyes widened as the dark Link leapt nimbly onto Link's sword and kicked him in the side of the head, sending the blond swordsman sprawling. Link rolled dizzily to his feet and shook his head. Medli rushed to help him. The dark Link saw her and jumped over to her. He struck her with his shield and knocked her to the ground. Medli whimpered and covered her face with her hands.
"Heerrraaaah!" Link's roar of anger cut through Medli's fear. The Prism Sword was embedded in the dark Link's chest, and light pulsed through the black swordsman's body. Dark Link backflipped away from Medli's prone body and scuffed his boot against the ground before pressing the attack on his counterpart. Medli got to her feet and jumped for Dark Link's ankle. The evil swordsman stumbled and turned, distracted, to attack Medli. Bad choice, Medli thought. Link got another slash in on Dark Link, causing the shadow swordfighter to stagger backwards from the force of the Prism Sword's light blast. Medli distracted Dark Link yet again, but this time was too reckless. He grabbed her and held her like a shield, using her to block Link's expected slash. Medli struggled in his iron grip, but was rewarded with a stinging cut across her cheek from Dark Link's sword. He repositioned the blade at her throat and stepped backward slowly.
"I'll put her down if you put your weapons down," Dark Link rasped, his tone even.
"Don't do it, Link! He'll kill me!" Medli pleaded. Link appeared to debate the point, then crouched down to put his weapons down. Dark Link laughed and shoved Medli down before raising his sword to stab her in the back. Medli closed her eyes, but the blow never came. She heard Dark Link's agonized scream and saw the Prism Sword embedded in his chest, light streaming from the blade. Link grinned and picked up his sword from where he had thrown it into Dark Link. He sheathed it, put away his shield, and reached a hand down to pull Medli up. She kissed him gratefully, pulling away at Tetra's catcalls. Link took her hand, and the two of them walked over to get Goto.
"Alright, Goto, here's the deal: we think you're the Sage of Shadow. I mean, how else could you get in this temple, right? So I'm gonna play you this song, and you're gonna play along, okay?" Link said, pulling out the Wind Waker.
"You wanna know how he got in here?" a sinister voice chuckled. The four of them whirled to see...the Black Knuckle!
"Damn you!" Link hissed. The Black Knuckle laughed.
"I thought you might wonder why some doors were seemingly smashed. You see, I never was one for keys, so I managed to knock one down. The boss door was much harder, thus, I let you get the key for me. Goto was magically whisked to this room as soon as you entered it, much to my surprise. However, now it is time for me to kill him. His death at his own sanctum will release massive amounts of magic...and I, the killer, will receive that magic," the armor-clad man grinned. Link stood in a ready stance, sword and shield out.
"I won't let that happen!" he growled.
"That makes two of us!" Medli seconded.
"Three," Tetra snarled, pulling out her bow. She let off a surprise Light Arrow, stunning the Black Knuckle. Link sprinted up to him and, along with Medli's Stalfos knight, attacked the Black Knuckle wildly. The paralyzing effects wore off quickly, and in two quick punches, the Stalfos was a mess of bone and Link was sprawled on the ground, moaning in pain. The Black Knuckle picked up Link and would've hurled him down had the Stalfos' dropped mace not tripped him at that moment. Link hit the ground and got to his feet slowly. The Black Knuckle was not so lucky. Wearing a gigantic suit of armor may have been useful defensively, but Medli decided that once he fell, he was going to be down for a while.
"Now, Link! Awaken him now!" Tetra cried. Link fished around and pulled out the Wind Waker. He conducted the Nocturne of Shadow and waited. Goto shivered and put his fingers to his lips. He whistled a replying melody to Link's nocturne, and suddenly light flowed through the room.
"Let's go, Link," Goto said. He grabbed Tetra's arm and pulled her into the warp. Link did the same for Medli. The last thing Medli saw before they left the Shadow Temple was the Black Knuckle pushing himself to his feet.