"Ranik… Raaaaaaaaanik…."
"Hey, wake up."
"Ruto to Ranik, do you copy!"
The vampire slowly opened his eyes to the site of Adlez and Ruto hovering above him.
"Hey!" Adlez smiled, "You okay?"
Ranik sat up, holding his head with one hand. Ruto supported him so he wouldn't fall over.
"What happened?" She asked.
"Yeah, one second you went into the tunnel, the next you step out and collapse," Aldez placed a hand on his forehead.
"One… second?" He muttered.
"Yeah, we thought you'd be gone longer."
"Did you even get what you came for?"
"… Yeah… I did…."
That moment Link bolted out of the tunnel, skidding to a stop as he saw the three before him.
"That was quick," Ruto said.
Link looked at her funny, "How long have I been gone?"
"Only a few seconds."
A terrified scream caused them to freeze. Link's eyes widened and he ran towards the narrow path.
"Rhynn!"
The others quickly stood up. Adlez ran after him.
"What's wrong? Was that Rhynn screaming!"
"Hurry or there won't be a Rhynn when we get there!"
This got the other two following as fast as they could, probing Link for answers as they flew down the ledge.
xxxxxxx
Tears ran down Rhynn's cheeks as Dark's hold grew tighter, his nail cutting the flesh of the boy's neck.
"D-Din," He squeaked, "Nayru… Farore… help me… please…"
"PUT HIM DOWN!"
Dark Link let out a snarl as he was full on tackled by Link, dropping the prince as he was sent flying. He threw Link off him easily and stood back up.
"Link would you please tell us what the hell–" Adlez froze as she stumbled onto the scene.
Ruto and Ranik passed her, going straight for the fallen prince. They helped him up.
"Rhynn, are you okay?" Ruto asked, wiping at the small cuts on the boy's neck, "Who did this to you? Where's Dark–"
Ranik tapped her shoulder and pointed. The Zora followed his finger to where Dark was advancing on Link, who had his sword held at ready. She took a step back.
"Oh… goddess…" Her eyes grew wide, "What happened?"
Rhynn bit his lip while clinging to the Zora's side, "I don't know, he just started yelling and collapsed and then… this."
Ranik ushered the two of them back to the shielded path where Adlez stood, still dumbfounded, "You'll be safe here," He grunted.
Adlez let out a cry, turning everyone's attention to the fighting pair in time to see the hero fall to the ground. Groaning, Link struggled back up, holding the sword awkwardly to the side. The shadow grinned menacingly, sending a shiver up Link's spine. He swung the sword, but Dark dodged the sloppy move easily and zoomed in, slashing Link's face. Link once again fell, clutching his now bleeding face with one hand.
Shit, He thought, I'm no swordfighter… Why couldn't those stupid spirits make a fuckin' gun?
The sound of falling pebbles made Link look down. He was an inch away from the edge of the cliff. Swearing under his breath Link tried to move away, but found the shadow hovering above him. Dark let out a low hiss and raised his arm to strike.
"NO!"
The shadow shrieked as his back burst into flame. He spun around to see Adlez glaring at him, arm pointing his direction. With a snarl he advanced on her, teeth bared and claws ready. Adlez brought her hands together and a green wind began to build around them.
"Farore's…" She threw her arms up, "Wind!"
Dark Link was flung into the air. With a fluid motion the princess brought her hands together again and pointed up at the shadow.
"Nayru's Love!"
A blue crystal formed around him and she clenched her fist. She threw her arm down and with it came the shield. It dissolved a foot from the rock floor, slamming the shadow into the ground. Adlez turned to Link, who once again was struggling to get up.
"Going to survive?" She asked.
His eyes were filled with amazement and respect, "How did…?"
She grinned, "Saria's lessons turned out useful after all!"
"Look out!"
Adlez spun around and caught the shadow in a crystal shield as he leapt at her. He writhed within it, clawing and banging on its walls. The princess's voice was cold when she next spoke.
"Din's fire."
The inside of the blue crystal burst into flame. Everyone had to cover their ears at Dark's resulting inhuman screech.
"How long will that hold?" Link yelled as the noise began to die down.
"A while… I'm not quite sure of the extent of my magic reserves…" Adlez looked at him with a serious expression on her face, "How do we fix him?"
xxxxxxx
Shadow…
Shadow of the hero…
Dark Link floated in the endless darkness. Shapeless and helpless.
Dark Link…
"What?" He groaned, feeling as if he had gotten run over by a semi-truck.
A pleasure as always I see…
You should speak to the goddesses with more respect.
His eyes snapped open, "What… Where am I?"
You are in our realm.
"Your realm? By what am I given this honor?"
We have plans for you.
You who has seen the ages fly past.
To keep our memories.
To guide the Heroes yet to come.
And protect the princess.
Dark let out a gruff laugh, "I've already tried to guide and protect if you haven't noticed. It hasn't gone too well if I recall."
Your body plagues you.
It remembers its original purpose.
"Thank you for stating the obvious!" He was beginning to get irritated, "I am cursed to hurt the ones I care about for all eternity."
There is a way to break it.
But it will take many a long year.
And much more heartache.
A breath caught in the shadow's throat and he swallowed, "R-really? How? I… I'll do anything."
Give us proper respect and we will tell you.
Dark let out a soft laugh and closed his eyes, "Please help me, o beautiful golden goddesses, I am at your mercy…"
Ooo, flattery. Nice.
We'll tell you…
Do not leave the boy.
Young blood will show you the way.
In the end courage will rid you of your taints.
"Riddles? Why can't you just tell me?"
It makes things more interesting.
Gather your form shadow.
Blinking once, he began to gather himself. It was a quick and simple task. Mists appeared out of the darkness and swirled about before him, creating something of a mirror. His heart stopped as he saw his reflection in the mirror, he looked like no Link he could envision. For one, his features were not as fair; well shaped, but not angelic. For another, dark curls cascaded down to his jaw line, a startling contrast to his now pale skin.
This is your true form.
This is the body you will gain, should you do as we have said.
Dark Link was shaking, he just could believe the person staring back at him. He rubbed his arms, his arms, not someone else's. Swallowing a growing lump in his throat, he closed his eyes.
"The Goddesses are too kind to this wretched creature…."
Do not be mistaken, we did not make this form for you.
His eyebrows furrowed, "I am afraid I do not understand."
The goddesses did not answer. After a few moments he spoke up again.
"I wish to go back to my body…."
We cannot do that.
"W-what?" He cried, snapping his eyes open in shock.
Your soul has been completely detached, you are the equivalent to dead.
If your body didn't have that… How do you say? … Default setting… We might have been able to..
"Default setting?"
The mirror-like mists shifted. On its surface Dark could see Link and himself fighting. He shuddered as he got a good look at his body.
What you see is Ganondorf's original design for you.
It was just like any one of his monsters.
Mindless and violent.
Dark's eyes stayed focused on the scene before him, "Link doesn't know how to wield a sword, he's helpless," As his body cornered Link he tensed, he watched himself lift his arm, claws ready, "NO–"
Adlez stepped in before his eyes, capturing the creature with the grace only one of the royal bloodline could accomplish. The shadow let out a sigh of relief.
Hmm… She has learned much from the Forest Sage…
"How do I get back in my body?" Dark asked.
Only they can reattach you.
"And how are they supposed to do that?" He snapped.
You're becoming rude again.
Don't worry, they have the means, they just need to figure it out.
"Great…" Dark groaned, "I'll be here for a while."
The Goddesses were silent once more, but it was them who broke the silence this time.
Shadow…
"Yes?"
Do you know the means of your creation?
"… What do you mean?"
Ganondorf told you how he made you?
An odd feeling came over Dark, it made him nervous, "He told me he forged my soul… that is all…"
That was a lie.
The shadow froze.
No mortal has the power to create a soul.
Even if one was to obtain all three pieces of the Triforce.
Opia: ... Haha... And two months later I finally get around to typing this... stupid school. But hey, I'm all graduated and junk now... off to college for me, woo. Yeah, so I have about two or three more chapters written up at the moment... Hopefully I can get my butt in gear and type those up... I'm excited to write a chapter that's comming soon, I've had it in my head since the begining, so I should get to writing that too... um yeah. I'm not dead yet...
Cari: Reviews remind her to keep typing... because I can never seem to.