Link's mouth moved up and down wordlessly like fish out of water. He tried to find words, but they didn't come. Finally, all he said was, "I have seen the sorrow that Zelda has wroth. I can see no worse in you. I will join."
Ganondorf's eyes lit up and a small smile came to his face. "Thank you Link. Now, before we initiate you into the Das Drache Dreizehnt, I would like to test you, if that is no problem."
"None whatso ever...what is the test?"
"First off was actually finding this place, but you have already passed that. The second is to fight one of our best in combat tommorow, however, I would adivise you to go easy...your combat skills are unsurpassed, but this is just for formality reasons." Ganon explained.
"I have seen Darunia here, are any of the other sages here as well?" asked Link, as Ganon sat back down.
As if summoned, the Queen of the Zoras, Ruto walked in the room...and squealed very loudly. "LINKY-POO!" she screamed. Link groaned. Ruto ran over to him and, despite his groaning, Link returned the kind, if over-enthusiastic hug.
"Hey Ruto." replied Link, smiling warmly at her. "It's been a while."
"It's been too long! Oh, Saria and the rest are going to be so happy! Especially Darunia, he is your brother after all, isn't that right?" Ruto exclaimed rapidly.
"Ruto, he already knows." Ganon replied. "By the way, did you get the report?"
"Yes I did. Here." Ruto handed Ganon some papers, her face becoming extremely sour. Ganon read it and took a drink. It wasn't long into the paper when he spat it out in surprise.
"WHAT THE !" he roared. "THIS IS AN OUTRAGE! THIS IS...IS...BLASPHEMY!"
Link got up and quickly read the paper. He too was surprised. Reports of undead Zoras were all along the banks of the river, preying upon those suspected of working against Zelda. By the fact that the Royal Guards controlled them made some think that Zelda herself created them. "Din's Flame..." whispered Link, shocked that Zelda would do such a thing.
Her eyes beggining to tear up, Ruto replied, "I've seen some of my elders there, and every time I see another Zora fall and rise again, my heart breaks..." Ruto began to cry as Link put his arms around her, attempting to comfort her.
"I understand Ruto." replied Ganon. "This is an utter outrage...Link, if you would, I would like to begin the test as soon as possible..."
Link didn't awnser. Suddenly, he held his head as if it was in pain and his very image began to suddenly blur and pulse. His hair flashed white and Ganon and Ruto could have sworn they had seen a flash of black body armor appear on Link's body. "Gaah..." groaned Link.
"Link! Whats happening!" cried Ganon.
"Nothing. My Oni is acting up..." Link replied. His body abruptly stopped changing, leaving the youth unscathed.
"Oni?" asked Ruto. "Demon?"
"It's a long story Ruto. When we get the chance, I'll let you all know. I think its important that I let the remaining sages and Ganon know about this." Link then turned to Ganon. "Tommrow, I want the test to begin."
Ganon nodded. "Let me tell the others about you. I'll introduce you to the other Dragons." Ganon left and Link let go of Ruto.
"You going to be Ok?" asked Link softly.
Ruto smiled happily at Link. "Of course. Now, lets go upstairs. Saria and the other sages will be so happy to see you!"
Link followed the Zora Queen upstairs and he heard Ganon talking to the others. "Ok, the young man who has just come in is none other than Das Drache Dreizehnt, the Thirteenth Dragon. However, he will be tested tommorow for combat and such. He is to be treated like one of the top officials, as he his unmatched in sword play and-"
"Ha!" interupted an older man in the croud. "That's a laugh! The kid looks like a greenhorn! I could beat him easy!"
Link, who had just walked in the room replied, "Well with all due respect, if you think you're tough enough, why dont you be my tester?"
The man was taken aback, but he laughed and awnserd, "Fine! The name's Culann, Prince of Llanwyn! I'll show you what sword play is all about!"
Link smiled a smile that chilled the blood of everyone in the room and replied, "Very well then. However, I would not underestimate me...I will give you my all, and I expect the very same from yourself." Link then turned to the rest of the people and bowed low to the ground. "First off I would like to say that upon my blade I promise to protect the Das Drache Dreizehnt with my life...and I will not divulge its secret to anyone."
A childs voice poped up from the back ground and Link recognized it immedeatly. "Link, it is great to have you back!" Link smiled. "Yeah Saria, it's great to be back." Link then saw Nabooru, Raruu, Saria and Darunia all get up and walk over to him. Link smiled at all of them. "I think it would be best if we all talked in private...I have news I need to tell you and whether or not its good news or not is up to you."
Link sighed. "Sages, or...well, remaning sages, what I am about to tell you is a dangerous secret. This is something I have not divulged to anyone as of yet...I am an Oni."
Raruu and Nabooru nearly fell of their seats in shock. "What!" cried Saria? "What do you mean? You are not a demon! I would have sensed it!"
"Well, not a full Oni anyway. Tell me, have any of you heard of the Fierce Deities mask?" asked Link.
A silence fell upon the room until Ganon spoke up. "Yes, it's a legendary mask rumored to hold the powers of an ancient and destructive Ogre or Demon Deity"
Link was silent as he pulled out the fabled mask. Almost immedeatly, Saria fainted, Nabooru gasped and Raruu clutched his head as if in pain. Even Ruto figeted nervously. "What is that?" Ruto asked.
"This...is the Fierce Deities Mask. When my journey across the world began, I stopped in a place called Terimina. There, I fought an evil being known as Majora's Mask. In the battle, I had obtained a powerful mask, the Fierce Deities mask. However, my dark side was too powerful...whether or not I had too much hatred, or perhaps some other dark emotion in me, but whatever it was...I had become powerful enough to rival a god..."
"What do you mean?" Raruu replied.
"You sense the dark energy emitting from this mask, do you not?"
"Yes, I do."
"Imagine that three fold."
"BY THE TRINITY!" cried Raruu, shocked. By this time, Saria had already woken up again, but was still pale. Link put the mask away.
"In the battle I'm afraid I must have kept more than the scars of it...an Oni, or a demon inhabits me now and comes out during moments of powerful emotions, like anger." explained Link.
"Thats why your Oni acted up when you had heard about the Zora incident." Ganon replied. Link nodded solemnly.
"However." added Link, "This Oni has saved me numerous times, and I will not let go of it so easily. I had heard rumors that if I can defeat my dark side, I can have full and total control over my Oni, and inhabit it with no consequences..."
Nabooru then asked, "Could we see this Oni of yours, to judge how dangeous it is?"
Link sighed. "Ok, but everyone get ready...I have no control over myself when I do..."
Like before, Link's very image began to blur, and his hair turned shock white. This time however, instead of blurring back, the new Link began to blur into focus, his jet black and golden armor begining to show itself, Link's face turned frighteningly cold. The most disturbing thing about him however was his lack of pupils, adding to the chilling fear that he eminated. He was also rock solidly strong, his tight tunic showing off his chiseled muscles.
For a couple of seconds after he finished transforming, he stood still, surveying the room as if he had never been there. Then, without warning, he drew his sword and rushed Ganon!
Ganon barely had time to parry the attack with his trident as the other Sages suddenly collapsed, their senses overloaded with the power that was Oni Link. Ganon tried his hardest to stay off the demonic youth, but he found himself sorely pressed, even more so than when he had to fight Link normally. "What is this!" Ganon cried, feeling almost frightened. Almost.
Oni Link gave a cold, chilling laugh that sent shivers though Ganon's body, turning his blood to ice. "SOUL STEALER!" Oni Link roared, and fired out what looked like a large electric blue beam. Ganon barely dodged it but he could feel the power of it, trying to reach to his very being. Ganon realized that he was fighting someone who had as extensive a knowladge of Shadow magic as he himself did.
Oni Link laughed again, a cold cruel smile etched on his face, as if he enjoyed the suffering of his opponent. The demon backflipped and swung his sword, sending out an electric blue razor disk, connecting with Ganon this time.
Such agony Ganon had never felt before; it was if white hot knives were being stabbed into every inch of his body. He couldn't move the pain was so intense. Again, with the laugh, Oni Link brought his sword above his head and swung it around, ready to decapitate Ganon.
Through tear blurred vision, Ganon could see a flash of light behind Oni Link and the demonic youth growled. He wheeled around and stared for a second. The sages, adapted to the overabudance of Shadow energy had gotten back up and were ready. Raruu had just shot a bolt of light at Link, which, in his Shadow drenched form was more powerful than any sword blow.
Oni Link however wasn't stupid. He immedeatly headed for Raruu, and with a single blow, cut down the old sage, sending him to the ground. Saria gasped and immedeatly went to Raruu's side to help heal him. Meanwhile, Ruto was attempting to freeze Oni Link but to no avail. With every ice blast she sent his way, he blocked it as if he were batting a ball around.
Nabooru casted an illusionary spell, to attempt to disarm the bezerk demon. It worked. Flailing blindly for a few seconds, the Oni growled again. Then it stopped, and again for the hundredth time, he laughed, execpt this time he then spoke. "You fools...You try to defeat me but you have no idea how powerful I am...with the Triforce of Courage and the power that my Light counterpart holds, I am utterly unstoppable!" With that, Oni Link held up a hand, and there was a flash of electric blue.
Then everything went black.
Link awoke, groaning. He was on a bed, obviously still in the bar. He was no longer Oni, which was strange. How did I change back? And... "RARUU!" Link yelled. He rushed downstairs, to see what had happened.
Sitting there, calmly as if nothing had ever happened were Ganon and the sages. "Ah, Link," replied Ganon, "I see you finally awoke."
After breathing heavily for a second, Link replied, "What happened?"
"We think you overloaded. Your body had only limited compacity because of the Oni's partial control." Saria explained, drinking from a cup which steam was rising from. "If you had complete control over the Oni's power, you'd be able to tap fully into his energy."
"Are you guys allright? Where's Raruu!" Link rushed, paniced.
"He's allright." Ganon replied. "He's just resting. Saria managed to heal him before you hit us all with the blast."
"We're allright. It's you we're worrying about." Nabooru added.
"I'm fine."
"Good." Ganon replied getting up. "Go grab your supplies. Your test starts today."