Thank you for all the reviews! I've really enjoyed reading them! I will be auctioning my future first-born child to get a hold of the new Zelda game as soon as it comes out. Anyone looking for child labor, contact me when you pre-order the game. I almost passed out when I watched the trailer the first time, and although I have only a vague idea how it can fit into the OoT universe, I'm dying to play it.
All right, a warning, I'm going to be taking liberties with certain parts of the story in this chapter. In my interpretation of what was said in the game, the Master Sword can only be wielded by the hero of time, Link, and will probably refuse to work for someone else. It could potentially become a weight too heavy for any man to lift. I imagine it might even have a slight sentience and will when it comes to fighting and shifting through time. That's how things will function in my timeline. So, in my understanding, Link is the only person who can use the sword. Now to make things confusing… heheheheh…
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Knight of Shadow
part 4
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Malon glanced down at her shoe for some reason and realized that a shadow was surrounding her. It was circular and rapidly growing. Horror filled her as she scrambled out of the way, knocking into Link's sword in her haste. A sharp sting came from her thigh where the unsheathed weapon had scraped through the cloth and skin. Just in time, she moved from the path of the falling hand. Everything slowed in her field of vision.
She saw the ugly creature land very close to the sleeping man, she saw the sword resting innocently on the stone, and she watched her hand grab it. Her grip almost failed when she realized how very heavy it was, but Malon would not let Link be hurt again for her sake. She swung the weighty weapon with all her might, not really looking to see where the blade went, feeling it bite into the crusty flesh. She faltered when she realized what was happening; despite her hesitation the metal edge cleaved the enemy in two, almost moving itself while Malon held it. She tilted as her body followed the swing, and the sword clattered to the floor. The hand vanished in a cloud of dust.
Malon glanced down at her arms and saw dust covering them from the dead creature. She grimaced and furiously rubbed them off onto her pants, not wanting any part of the death on her skin. She had just killed a living thing for the first time. It had been a danger to Link, and if the situation arose she would do it again without too much thought, but the fact remained that she had just taken a life. Her body slid back until it made contact with the wall, her eyes locked on the grimy blade resting at her feet. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes, but they never fell.
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Link became aware of a throbbing in his skull and aches throughout his whole body. Whatever he had slept on hadn't been very comfortable. His eyes slid open and focused on a stone ceiling. He realized quickly by the sights and sounds that he was not in a place he would normally choose to nap. His head rose fractionally to see Malon resting with her chin on her knees, staring with a glazed expression at his sword near her feet. Link let his head fall back against the stone and concentrated on gaining awareness again.
Malon noticed Link stirring and quickly crawled to his side with an anxious expression.
"Link," she called out softly, "are you feeling better now?"
He sighed and rubbed a hand over his eyes. A little smile drifted across his face at the familiarity of waking to Malon's face. She often woke him when he stayed at the ranch. Link glanced around where he was resting to gain his bearings and noticed a blood stain on Malon's pants. He rose quickly into a sitting position, closing his eyes against the temporary dizziness.
"Why are you bleeding?" Link asked, worried.
Malon looked down as if seeing it for the first time. "Oh, I think I must have caught my leg when I was crawling across your sword. A hand came, and I killed it!"
Link looked into his friend's distressed eyes with shock. "Are you all right!"
"I think so," she answered slowly, then quickly blurted, "I used your sword! Please don't be angry! I shouldn't have touched it." Malon lowered her eyes to the floor guiltily.
"No," Link said immediately, "I don't mind, I'm just glad you weren't hurt worse."
Deep blue eyes met his and stared for a moment, trying to gauge his sincerity. Malon must have decided to believe him, and she gave him a tremulous smile while her hands gripped the torn edge of her tunic.
"I'm so glad you're awake again. It was scary in here alone," her voice cracked on her last words. "Link, I killed something. I've never done anything like that before."
Link didn't really think about what he was doing, but he pulled Malon's shoulders to tuck her against his side under his arm.
"Don't be upset, many of the things you see in this temple aren't really alive."
She looked up at him with surprise.
"So," she hesitated, "the hand wasn't really living? Like the ReDeads?"
Link nodded.
Even though it wasn't much, the idea made her feel a bit better.
Link started to get to his feet. "We need to keep going."
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Getting through the cavernous room had been very stressful, especially with a girl who didn't like the idea of walking over a bottomless chasm. Or under a falling blade. Link didn't really blame her. It had been quite difficult for Malon to bite her tongue when Link carried her onto an invisible block. At least, he had said there was a block there. He had whipped out a purple eyeglass and used it to find a moving platform. She just hoped that there wouldn't be anymore of those in the temple. She much preferred the falling blades; at least she could see them.
Link had seemed bothered when they walked through a door that left the cavern. They had been walking for a while down another corridor, and he hadn't said anything. Malon had no idea that he was thinking about her.
His words were honest when he told her he didn't mind Malon using the Master Sword; he had absolutely no qualms with it. What bothered him was the legend associated with the blade. He had been told that only the hero of time could use it. As much as he doubted the reason of it, he had become that person, and no one else should have been able to handle it. Worry filled his mind at the thought of Ganondorf getting a hold of the key to shifting through time. Nothing would be able to stop him from going back seven years, as powerful as he had gotten, and killing him as a young boy. The evil man had not expected Link to become such a thorn in his side and would gladly take any chance to eliminate him. He needed to discuss this with Rauru as soon as they left the temple.
There was also the small matter of the paths changing again. Expecting to enter the spike-filled room, Link was surprised to find another endless passage beyond the door. He wondered how many of these they'd encounter before finally reaching their goal. In the places that had been altered, the magical residue hummed strongly with traces of the presence. He could also feel that they were getting closer, the unpleasant sensations he had been feeling growing stronger. He peered at Malon from the corner of his eye.
She was starting to tire. They had been in the temple at least a day and slowed by his impromptu nap. She had a few small cuts, and Link wished he'd thought to visit a fairy fountain before his trip. Malon was also walking strangely, but Link could not get a good view of her leg from the loose pants. He'd deal with it when they had the resources to do so; until then, he trusted her to tell him if a problem arose.
They were close, Link could feel it. There was a lingering of Bongo-bongo's power, but he knew that ghost was dead. Overlapping the remnants of that force was what he was searching for. It would not be much longer.
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Malon watched Link from under her bangs, biting her lip more than once to keep quiet. She really wanted to sit down, even for just a minute, but she didn't dare slow their progress. Navi could be in serious danger, and Malon could only imagine how worried Link was for her. She blinked rapidly when a small piece of dust flew into her eye, pausing in her steps. Link was still walking, so she quickly wiped her hand on her trousers and tried to scrape the dirt out before she'd get left behind. The boy ahead of her was turning slowly back in her direction; it seemed like a very drawn-out movement to her. Then the ground beneath her feet shifted, and suddenly she was falling again. There was only darkness.
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Link whirled around quickly, noticing that Malon was no longer at his side. His eyes widened in panic when he realized that he was alone in the chamber. He ran back several paces, looking for any change in the stone passageway that would show where Malon had gone. Remembering what items he had, the Lens of Truth was pulled out and used. He couldn't see any extra doorways or holes, but there was a strange cracking line spanning the length and breadth of the corridor that had light shining through it. Frustration filled him, anger at having lost Malon despite his determination to protect her. Link drew his sword, and with all his strength and fury he began swinging the sharp edge down on the stone.
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Malon could see, but for some reason she didn't feel that her eyes were open. Her body wouldn't move, but the sights before her were gliding by as if she were briskly walking. She saw Castle Town, similar to what it had looked like before Ganon, however, the buildings were nicer, newer. Several people she recognized waved at her, and her hand rose to return the gesture. She stared at the hand, and something didn't seem quite right about it. She continued to walk, through the town and out to the road leading up to the castle. The landscaping had changed, and she didn't recognize the spot where she had given Link an egg so many years ago.
Malon started running faster, anxious to reach the gates. She ran up to the guards, and to her shock, she was standing at eye level with them. They gave her looks of admiration and waved her past. Malon started to feel like she didn't belong in the scene, but her body kept moving without her control, up the stairs to the elaborate structure that was even more glorious than the last time she had seen it. She crossed the bridge over the small moat and paused for a moment, glancing down into the water for fun. Blue eyes stared back at her, similar to the ones she saw in the mirror every morning, but much harder, wearier. It wasn't her own face looking up; it was Link's.
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A bright light blinded Link, sending him back several steps away from the wall he had been striking. He was getting through, but it still wasn't enough. The Master Sword vibrated in his hands, wanting to break the spell and continue just like its hero, despite the pain the weapon was enduring to do so. Link could feel the sword's state, knowing he couldn't use in that way any longer. He pulled out the crystal the goddesses had blessed him with, the swirling flame inside only a weak reflection of the heat in his own eyes. Link gripped the magic item tightly and willed all of his power into it before swinging his arm down to release an incredible wave of fire. The blaze rose higher and thicker than he had ever summoned before, but Link's sight was trained on the clear surface held in his hand, fueling the inferno that grew around him. The energy was discharged, blowing away and melting everything in its path.
Link rose slowly with a calm expression, eyeing the powder near his feet that was the only remains of the illusion spell. He gave a brief thanks to Din for lending him her strength and tucked her gift away again. The skin on his face stung from a heat burn, and the tip of his hat was a bit scorched, but Link did not notice or care. He had lost two important friends to his enemy, and he would not let it continue any longer.
tbc
And Link gets MAD. Heheheh. During the course of writing this, I think I figured out how "Twilight Princess" will work in my timeline, and I'm excited about using it.
If anyone has any questions regarding my understanding of the timeline, feel free to email me and ask about it. I will not be incorporating the cartoon or whatever there is out there in that respect. I am only concerned with the games.