Chapter 10 The Truth Mortal, the Truth

Rain poured down over the island of the island that was called Koholint. Like the sands of time, they struck down, scarring the landscape slowly, robbing it of what was important. Link trudged his way up the island towards the mountain which he knew rose up from the center of it. Through the rain and the clouds, he could not see it, but he knew that if this was Koholint Island then it would exist. But if it was Koholint Island then people would also be living there. And he had already been to where Mabe Village should have been. All that was there was the tattered remains of a town which had long been dead. And Animal village was even worse. It had been swept clean of all habitation.

The darkness had claimed the land. It had taken it. Everywhere Link went he found signs of a great struggle, and great destruction. But he did not understand any of it. This island shouldn't exist. It had disappeared when the Wind Fish had awoken.

'But how did it exist to begin with Windstorm?'

Link stopped when the voice of the Nightmare entered his mind.

"The Wind Fish dreamed it Shade," Link replied.

'But could the Wind Fish truly create such a wonderful world in his dreams? Have you ever had a dream anywhere remotely like that one?'

"No I haven't," Link said. "Usually my dreams are stupid, and I never am completely conscious in them."

'Exactly.'

"Exactly? What do you mean by that?"

'Think about it Storm. Shouldn't be too hard to figure out. It will be revealed to you in time.'

"I hope so," Link said, and continued trudging towards the mountain.

The rain struck his face, and Link continued, until he saw the mountain rising up right in front of him.

'You are returning to where you discovered the Wind Fish's true intentions. You are traveling to the Wind Fish's egg.'

"It is the place where I think I may find the answers," Link replied. "Is it?"

'As I said, only you can know that. All I know is that it was within that egg that you and I fought each other.'

"And I do remember you appearing in different forms, as Ganon, and others!"

'An illusion Link. I appear as whatever the beholder chooses to see me as. You saw me as an enemy, so I became an enemy.'

Link looked out over the horizon, and remember Marin. He remembered her beautiful red hair, blowing in the wind, with a flower always placed in it. A beautiful smile, and laughter which could silence a seagull. A song, rising from the tattered lands which lifted the spirit and brought life into scorched lands. A song of happiness.

'Rainstorm, I have found something ahead which may be what we are looking for. It is a cave. I feel some strange energy resonating within it. I do not know what it is, but its worth checking out.'

"Right," Link said. "Lead me to it."

'Follow my signal.'

"What signal?"

'You will feel it.'

Link tried to say something, but he had nothing to say. He began slowly walking forward, and noticed with amazement that he felt something inside him, pulling him forward. Something had taken his soul by the hand and was leading it, and his body followed. How could this island exist? It had been so wonderful in the dream, so beautiful. And Marin was the most beautiful thing on the island.

Then the Wind Fish awoke, and ended her existence, cast her into nothingness along with all that was the island, and what was good on Koholint faded away into just a memory. Link brushed a tear off his cheek as the fierce wind struck his face.

'You remember the island.'

"I remember its destruction," Link said.

'You remember your one true love.'

"I... I remember Marin," Link said, tears coursing down his cheeks.

'Have you ever wondered what you are truly here for?'

"I'm here to find what is left of my life, and carry it with me," Link said.

'I have hope that you will find what is left of you. There is hope for the future. There is hope that you will find yourself and get through the pain. Remember, you have much to live for, and your life isn't over yet.'

Link closed his eyes, listening to the words of the Nightmare.

"Th-thank you," Link said as a tear rolled down his neck.

And for the first time, Link felt comfort in the presence of Shade. He felt comfort in the feeling that the Nightmare was there with him in this dark hour. Suddenly Link heard Shade cry out.

"What's going on?" Link asked.

'Its cutting me. It cut me! I'm being sent awaaaaaaaaayyyy!'

"Shade!" Link shouted, but only silence greeted his voice.

'Shade is gone Link,' a dark voice took the place of Shade's. 'You have done well to come this far, but you have no hope of success!'

"Who are you?" Link shouted through the rain.

'I am a god, mighty, immortal, powerful! And you once stood against me!'

Link's eyes widened when he heard this.

"Such words will not hide your identity, Wind Fish!" Link challenged.

'I am amused mortal. You come here searching for a way to bring back what your life was. You come all this way to find the tattered remains. Is it worth it? No. Why don't you give up. Life is a journey, a horrible one. Break yourself from it, liberate yourself!'

"Demons like you wish that I would believe that!" Link shouted through the rain.

'Your words are mighty, but you are weak Link. You have come here, you have found me, you have tracked me down. Now what are you going to do?'

"I'm going to..." Link looked up towards the gray clouds. "I'm going to bring you down!"

'You don't even know what I am mortal. I never believed you would go this far to kill me. I didn't know you were so murderous. I didn't know you would trade your nation and your soul to join forces with darkness so as to bring me down!'

Lightning flashed, revealing the darkened entrance to a dark cave cut out from the side of the mountain.

"Where are you Wind Fish?" Link cried out.

'Where is the Nightmare mortal? You tell me. Where would he be hiding? In the darkness.'

Lightning flashed again, illuminating the cave.

"Shade dwells in Darkness?"

There was no answer. Link walked forward into the cave, readying his sword. The darkness seemed to pull him in. He remembered that feeling. He had felt it in his dreams when the darkness pulled him away from Shade, and then pulled him to the vision of Shade destroying Hyrule. Link stopped. What would he find within this cave?

'The truth mortal. You will find the truth.'

Link listened to the words of the Wind Fish, before stepping forward into the darkness.