Twilight's POV

I sit in my dark cell for a long time, alone save for the pulsing Malice on my body. I sit with my hands behind my back and my gaze level, not wanting to see the infection that decorates my hands and arms and forehead. But it doesn't matter much. I can feel it. I can feel the thick substance running through my veins, I can feel it sitting just beneath my skin, I can feel it pulsating along my arms. I shiver, giving up on ignoring it and wrapping my arms around my legs. I'm terribly cold. It's cold down here. I hadn't noticed until just now. But it's cold. The Malice is warm. It squirms across my legs and my chest and my neck as I sit with my arms resting against my bare skin.

I've been alone for hours now. After I was infected, First was taken somewhere else. So I've just been sitting by myself. I was angry for a long while. But now…mostly I just feel cold. I'm not hungry. Or thirsty. Just cold. I feel empty. The Malice comforts me. I shiver again. The substance is wriggling around in my head too, I'm sure. I rest my forehead on my knees. I close my eyes. I'm not tired. But I don't really want to be awake. So I close my eyes, and try to sleep.

The door on my cell clicks open. My closed eyes snap open. I have no idea if I fell asleep or not. The iron unlocked comes undone, and the Black Lizalfos enters. Anger pushes itself through my veins, intensified by my Malice. I grit my teeth, but resist the urge to stand and fight. I can't do anything against him. Not anymore. Not like this.

"How does it feel, Twilight?" the lizard asks me.

I ignore it, resting my head and closing my eyes again.

The monster comes and sits next to me, leaning back against the wall, its tail curling around next to my feet. "It's scary, isn't it?"

I scoot away.

"You just don't know how to feel, do you?" it goes on. "Let me help you. I've given you a great gift, you know. Malice is the physical manifestation of pure hatred. It's very powerful." The beast puts a clawed hand on my shoulder. I push it away, gritting my teeth. "But I'm getting ahead of myself, aren't I? For right now, you don't care about power or courage or darkness, do you? You're cold, you're lonely, you're confused. First felt the same way."

"Would you just get away from me?" I spit, baring my teeth. "I don't want your power, I don't want your pity. Just get out!"

The Black Lizalfos laughs. "Don't be so rude, Twilight. You and I aren't so different anymore. Though, we never were to begin with. You used darkness in a way that no other hero before or after you has. You depended on evil magic to save Hyrule. Without it, you would have failed miserably."

"What are you talking about?"

"The Twilight Crystal, borne not of Zant's or Midna's Twili magic, but primarily Ganondorf's dark magic. Don't lie to me. You knew that, and you used it anyway."

"That was different!" I scream, getting up and walking away. The Malice along my arms pulses faster, my anger exciting it. "Sure it was darkness, but it was darkness I could control!"

"That crystal left its mark on you," the Lizalfos pushes. "The tattoo on your forehead. Your sense of smell. Your sense of sight. Even your teeth are slightly elongated. That thing changed you. And you know it."

"Not in any way that matters!" I cry. "Nothing like this! What you've done to me is nothing like that!"

The Lizalfos shrugs. "The others have a lot of questions. You dropped that crystal when you were taken. The others have been using it to get to you. Time is a golden wolf. Wild is a phoenix. Legend is afraid of it. The rest have yet to use it. But they know it's dark magic, especially Hyrule."

"They trust me," I growl. "My crystal isn't going to change that!"

"Then why didn't you just show it to all of them before this mess? Why all the secrecy?"

I hesitate.

The Black Lizalfos stands. "No matter. I didn't come down here to upset you. You're lonely. First will be back in a few hours. His mission didn't go well. Your friends really did a number on him. Sky stabbed the Master Sword straight through his stomach. I didn't think the Skyloftian had a penchant for that kind of violence, but I suppose I was wrong."

First…fought the others? Are they okay? Is he okay? I shake my head. W-will I have to fight them too? I pull my fingers into fists.

"Take deep breaths," the Lizalfos advises. "We're truly not so different, you and I. I can understand everything you're feeling right now. Cold. Empty. The only comfort you have is darkness."

I shiver. I do feel cold. I do feel empty. And the Malice curling around my body is instinctively comforting. But I hate it. I will not embrace this darkness, no matter what that Lizalfos has to say.

"It's hard to accept," the monster continues. "You, a hero borne of courage and light, subjected to such heavy darkness. But, unfortunately, there's no getting rid of it. What's done is done. That Malice is part of you now. It runs in your veins, it sleeps beneath your skin. No healing magic or potion or fairy can cure that kind of infection. So, rather than fighting something you can't change, why don't you just accept it?"

I glare at him.

The Lizalfos smiles gently. "Come now, Twilight. Please listen to me. I am like you. And I am like the others. Sure, I was created from darkness. But I was made in your image. Would you like to see me for who I really am?"

I don't reply.

The Lizalfos pulls its claws into fists and closes its eyes. For half a second, I want to rush it now, thrust my own claws into its neck and leave it bleeding. But I know that won't work. Even just thinking such a thing has my Malice tensing, and strands of it slither towards my neck. I release the thought, and they retreat.

Black smoke rises from the Black Lizalfos's scales. Within moments, it's covered entirely. Tendrils of Malice rise from my skin and prod at the smoke, absorbing it. Feeding off it. I feel more awake suddenly, and clench my jaw.

The smoke thins, and my Malice absorbs what remains. The Black Lizalfos does not stand before me any longer. A reflection of my own body, cloaked in darkness and evil, stares back at me. Red eyes, black hair, black skin, dark clothes. But other than that, the monster now looks exactly like me, complete with swirling tendrils of shadowy Malice.

The creature grins. "Well?" Its voice even sounds like mine.

"So you're some kind of shapeshifter," I reply, keeping my own voice level.

"More than that, Twi," the monster insists. "I meant what I said. I was created in your image. Though, to be specific, I was created in Time's image, when he was much younger. Throughout the centuries since then, I've learned to adopt each of your images. After I mastered each of you heroes, I moved on to other beings of darkness. Lizalfos. Iron knuckles. Bokoblins. So, yes. I am kind of a shapeshifter. But it all started with the spirit of the hero."

"...Who created you?"

"Who do you think?"

"Ganon."

"'Course he did," the monster replies. "But he was a foolish, cursed man. Doomed by destiny to fail, over and over again. I only aided him once, upon my immediate creation. I felt I owed him something. He had given me life, I owed him my eternal service. But he was driven by something I couldn't fathom; the need for power. He was a mortal man, back then. Yet he possessed magic stronger than even he realized." The monster holds up his hand, and more black smoke rises from his outstretched palm. "But enough about that. Point is, Twilight, when I was created, I felt exactly as you do now. Cold. Empty. And afraid. I was created to mirror a hero of Hyrule. And yet I was a being made of darkness, an entity created from evil and Malice and hatred. Dark Link was the name delegated to me. Nothing like me was ever supposed to exist. I craved the light. Just as you all do, I craved the light. But it is something I simply cannot have. So I have chosen to embrace the darkness. Darkness controls so much in this world. And I have direct control over it. You could be like me, Twilight. All you have to do is submit to the darkness."

"Never," I spit. "I don't care who you are or where you came from. The things you're doing are wrong. You might be made of evil, but that doesn't mean you have to embody it. That's a choice you're making. And it's a choice that I refuse."

Dark Link sighs. "Very well. First will be back soon. Do at least think about what I've said."

"I won't," I growl.

Dark Link shrugs. He walks out of my cell, locking the doors behind him and leaving me alone again. I bury my face in my hands and close my eyes. I can only pray that the others are almost here. I don't know how much more of this I can take.

Wild's POV

"What are we going to do?" I ask. We made it through that first hallway after fighting through waves upon waves of monsters. But that's something we can handle. Something we've done before. I have no idea what we're going to do about this situation. Stretching before us now is yet another hallway, but we won't be walking through this one. The walls, floor, and ceiling are lined with thick Malice. There's an eye at the very, very end that will destroy all of it, or at least most of it, but it's protected by a thin wall of the substance. No arrow will be getting through there.

"It's a puzzle," Legend says. "Every dungeon's got them."

"They aren't designed to be solvable," Time says. "We just get lucky."

"You mean we're just clever," Wind corrects.

"So, again, how are we going to get around this Malice?" I question.

We stand around thinking. I pull my fingers into fists. Every second we just stand here could cost Twilight everything. But my mind's blank too, and for a long time nobody suggests anything.

"Here's an idea," Four offers. "If one of us could fly we could make it to the eye we need to attack."

The others glance at me. "I'm too big," I say hurriedly. I can tell that my phoenix form's wingspan wouldn't fit in the Malice-laden hallway.

"I never said it had to be you," Four says. "Sky, would you like to try the crystal?"

Sky sighs.

"Why doesn't he just try a Skyward Strike first?" Warriors suggests.

Four shrugs. "Fine." He knows it won't work. I think we all do. But Sky raises his blade towards the heavens anyway, and casts his arm forward when the Master Sword glints with pure light. A blade beam rolls forward, and the Malice shivers as pure light burns against it. But the evil is too thick, and even the Master Sword's holy power isn't enough to be rid of it. Even worse, the blade beam fades out long before it approaches the protected eye. That strategy won't be getting us anywhere.

Sky sheathes his sword. "Alright. I'll use the crystal."

Four nods. Time removes it from his neck carefully and hands it over. Four's smart. If any of us are going to be able to fly, it's Sky, the hero from Skyloft, the hero who came down to the Surface from the heavens. Sky accepts the crystal, and takes a deep breath as he strings it around his neck. Then he clenches his jaw and presses the crystal against the exposed skin on his hands, and cries out as black squares erupt from the artifact. The darkness quickly shields him from sight, but we can definitely hear his screaming. He carries on for a few moments before his cries warp into pained squawking and screeching.

We stand around the shrinking cloud of black squares, awkwardly awaiting the transformation's end. It's quite obviously very painful, but we also know he'll be okay. Warriors keeps his gaze on the hallway's entrance, afraid all that screaming will attract unwanted attention.

Finally, the squares clear away and Sky stops screeching. His true form is a tiny bird with a red face and grey and white everywhere else. "A robin," I breathe, recognizing the little creature from the Hyrule Compendium. I guess Legend was right. This bird is anything but predatory.

Sky glances over himself, fanning out his wings shakily and chirping almost nervously. His stance is shaky, as though he's unsure how to stand on such thin legs.

"Here," Time offers, kneeling down and offering Sky his forefinger to step onto. Sky hops onto it, throwing his wings out for balance. But with something to curl his talons into, suddenly it seems like balance is easier. Time stands, and Sky warbles something.

"Practice flying for a minute," Legend says. "Don't go straight into that hallway if you don't know what you're doing."

Sky nods.

"Whenever you're ready," Time says.

Sky fans out his wings, flapping them experimentally. The muscles of wings are different from that of a person's arms. I can attest to that. Flying was easy for me. But I was so fueled by adrenaline that instinct took over. Sky might have more trouble.

After a few moments, Sky nods, holding out his wings horizontally.

"Go for it," Wind says, grinning.

Sky jumps from Time's hand, flapping desperately. He falls for a few seconds, and though the others cry out in worry I can see that he'll be just fine. He quits just trying to flap up and down and makes rapid micro-adjustments to his wings' positioning, rotating them forward a little more and holding them out straighter, eventually arriving in a position that I somehow know is perfectly correct. Then he flaps again, stronger this time, and his momentum is reduced. So he does it again several more times until he's supporting himself in the air and neglecting gravity's hold. He flies upward and around in a few circles before landing in Wind's hair, chittering triumphantly.

"Well done," Time praises.

"Are you ready to go down the hall?" Warriors asks.

"Don't attempt it until you're certain," Four says.

Sky nods, chirping firmly.

"What's he going to do once he gets to the eye?" Legend questions. "Talons like that won't do any damage to it, and he's too small to carry an arrow or whatever."

"I've got just the thing," Time says, digging around in his bag. He pulls out a handful of nuts small enough for Sky to grip one in both talons. "Deku Nuts. The flash from these things should be enough to kill the eye. Think you can throw one of these things while you're in the air?"

Sky nods after a moment of consideration.

"Just don't fly into the wall when it goes off," Four advises.

Sky nods again.

"Okay," Warriors says. "We've got a plan."

"Ready, Sky?" Wind asks.

Sky chirps excitedly again. He jumps from Wind's head and catches himself immediately this time. He flies in circles for a second or so, then flies to Time's outstretched hand. He takes the Deku Nut in both feet, and lifts himself into the air. With the extra weight, he has to flap even harder, but after only a moment of descending he figures it out and rises to a comfortable height again. He flies down the hall and we all watch anxiously. If he falls now, I'm sure that none of us have even the slightest idea of how to save him. Yet he seems like he'll be okay. He makes it to the end of the hall and flies around behind the eye's wall. He flies up until he's level with its position sticking down from the ceiling, and then tilts his wings upwards, letting gravity have access to his body. He tilts his head back and flips upside down rapidly. With his rotating momentum, he flings the nut upward and repositions his wings to catch himself again. But he's stuck upside down and obviously can't figure out how to right himself.

The Deku Nut explodes. A flash of explosive light blinds all of us. Sky screeches in pain, but we can't see where he is. The Malice eye shrivels and dies. And the rest of the Malice slowly dies with it.

Our sight returns just as slowly. My heart is pounding. Is Sky alright? Did he hit the wall? Did he fall into the Malice? That pained cry replays in my mind. He's obviously hurt. We need to get to him. But none of us dare move until we can see again.

Finally, the white clears from my vision. I'm the first to be running across the cleared hallway in search of our tiny robin. For a long moment, I can't find him.

"Here!" Wind cries. We all run to him. Sky is lying on the ground, his wing obviously broken, and a thin trail of blood leaking from the feathers on top of his head. Malice clings to his chest. He must've fallen into it before it all died. And now it's depending on him to live. Images of that other hero flicker in the back of my mind. I shake my head. That was a much more deep-rooted infection. This is a surface-level parasitic attraction. Sky will be okay. We've just got to–

"Move," Hyrule commands, pushing me aside. He kneels before Sky and pulls him into one of his hands. The Skyloftian is barely awake.

"He should turn back first," Warriors says. "Surely you don't know how to heal a wing properly–"

"I can heal wings just fine," Hyrule replies evenly, green magic flooding from his fingertips.

Warriors crosses his arms over his chest, but doesn't say anything else.

"Let Wild do it," Wind suggests.

"It would be best to avoid transformation until he's stable," Time objects.

We all stand around and watch Hyrule nervously. The traveler hero works quickly and steadily. At his command, the broken bone and muscle in Sky's wing is quickly repaired. Sky flaps his wing as Hyrule mends it, chittering in pain.

"Quit moving," Hyrule commands.

Sky stills, his breaths uneven, that Malice clinging to his chest glowing in the dark light of the hallway.

"We need to get that Malice off him," I say. It's killing him. That's just what that stuff does.

Hyrule runs his fingers through the thick ooze, but it won't come loose. The traveler pulls harder, and Sky chirps in pain again.

"It's stuck," Wind mutters.

"It's going to hurt him," I say worriedly.

"It's a disease," Legend says thoughtfully.

"Which means Wild can cure it," Time finishes.

I nod. A phoenix tear ought to be enough to cure an infection like this.

"I'll finish his wing, then he can turn back," Hyrule says.

Sky chirps anxiously, holding his wing out obediently and no longer moving. But the Malice stuck to his body wriggles against his feathers, burrowing into his skin. He shudders in pain as Hyrule works, the horrible purple ooze squirming into his body.

"Just hold on," Hyrule promises. His hands move rapidly across Sky's tiny wing now, his eyes narrowed in concentration. The awkward bend of the appendage eases, and Sky seems to breathe at least a little easier now.

"There," Hyrule says finally, laying Sky on the ground gently. The robin is able to stand, but his gaze is blurred. "Turn back. Give Wild the crystal."

We all back away. Sky closes his eyes, the Master Sword's power sleeping within him, and black squares rush from his feathers and cover his whole body. The Malice gleams red as the dark magic swells from Sky, and I suddenly wonder if this was a good idea. Sky screeches as soon as the transformation begins. His tiny cry quickly returns to the agonized screaming of a Hylian, but it sounds like his lungs have filled with water. Black liquid mars the floor where he's lying, leaking out from the cloud of shadows. We cast each other worried looks.

The squares clear. Sky is lying on the ground, the Malice clinging to him much worse than before. It's spread from his chest to his neck and arms and legs. The Skyloftian is shivering, his fingers shaking, his gaze totally unfocused.

"W-Wild, hurry!" someone yells, but I'm already running for the crystal. It's buried beneath a coating of Malice. I shove my fingers through the thin membrane and wrap my hand around the dark object. I fall backwards as the transformation begins. It isn't painful for me. The phoenix's healing capabilities override the pain, and the Malice that had clung to my hand is burned off my wingtip. It only takes a few seconds, and then I can feel feathers lying across my skin, wings instead of arms, and fire flowing in my veins. The darkness fades from my vision and I stand over Sky, who stares at me as best he can, the Malice crawling across his body. I close my eyes and force all my frustrations to the forefront of my mind. My emotions quickly give way to tears and I cry over Sky's body. The first tear falls onto Sky's chest, falling like the drops of information given to my Slate by the Sheikah Towers. When the water lands, fire blossoms from the point of contact, racing across all of Sky's infection and burning it alive. The Malice resists the fire, squirming deeper into Sky's skin, but the fire chases it into Sky's body, leaving the Hylian alone and destroying the horrible parasite. More tears fuel the flames, and the Malice stands no chance.

Eventually, the fire goes out. Sky is left lying on his back, his head wound healed, the Malice gone, his breaths much more even. I quit crying and stand over him, cocking my head. He just grins up at me, heaving out a breath of relief. He pushes himself to his feet and pats me on the head. "Thanks, Wild."

"You alright now?" Four questions.

Sky nods. "Just fine." He shudders. "That Malice was…something else."

"It was unusually infectious," Time agrees.

"What did it feel like?" Wind demands.

Sky rubs the back of his head. "Like it was…sucking my life away. It just kept digging into me, and it felt like every part of me it touched was dying. It was going for my heart, I think. It got into my blood and I could feel it spreading towards my heart." He looks at me. "B-but Wild was more powerful. That fire got into my blood too. It felt amazing. Like…like I could live forever." He laughs awkwardly. "T-the Malice didn't like it much though."

"You're sure it's all gone?" Legend pushes.

"More than sure," Sky promises. "You can feel that stuff inside you. And I can't feel it any more. It's all gone."

"Way to go, Wild!" Wind praises.

I bow my head in acknowledgement.

"We ought to keep moving if you're alright, Sky," Warriors says. "Twilight is waiting."

Silence, for a moment. What Sky just described…that's what the Black Lizalfos wants to do to Twilight. I shake out my wings. Well, I know for sure now that I can cure him. Him and that other hero. They'll be just fine as soon as I get to them.

"Wars' is right," Sky agrees. "I really am okay. Let's keep walking."

The others nod. I nudge Sky, requiring the Master Sword to turn back.

"Oh! Of course!" Sky agrees. "Here." He holds out his blade, and I rest my head against it. One painful transformation later, I stand up again, the crystal strung around my neck, in Hylian form once again.

"You keep it, Wild," Time says, as I offer it to him. "In case anyone else gets badly hurt."

I nod. And then, we keep moving. Twilight is in here somewhere. We've just got to keep exploring.