So I know this has probably been done like a million times before, but I had to write my own version. There's something about the formation of identity, especially when it's under unusual circumstances, that I can't help but find incredibly intriguing. Plus, the idea of a dark or shadow Link is just really freaking fascinating, okay? But anyway, I did try my best to put a different spin on this, so I hope it's different enough to hold your interest. (By the way, despite its title, this story does NOT contain any pairings, Link/Dark Link or otherwise.)

Beautiful

By: The Half-Blood Guardian

It didn't know when it had come into existence, the being in the room. It didn't know much of anything. In its mind, it had images of creatures and items, and names to go with many of them, but not the knowledge of how or why the pictures were there. It was a blank slate, a shadow, with no form, no true experiences to call its own and nothing to mold it save for the cold, damp silence that reigned in its endless room.

So it was no surprise that when one of the forever closed and barred doors opened and allowed entrance to another being, the first it had ever encountered, it readily began to soak up the characteristics, mannerisms, and physical attributes it observed. And as it did, it took time to appreciate the many colors the other creature sported. Pale peach skin, brown boots, a sleek sliver sword, and a shield bearing multiple colors. But it didn't stop there; the being also possessed golden hair, red-brown fingerless gauntlets, a deep blue tunic and hat, lighter blue eyes and small hoop earrings of a matching color that adorned long, tapered ears.

Hylian, its mind called the creature.

A form quickly began to take shape around the shadow, mirroring that of the Hylian creature. Though try as it might, it could not rid itself of its dark, monochromatic color scheme. The only exception was the deep, ruby red it managed to color its eyes with. Seeing its reflection in the still water, it felt a little disappointed that it couldn't achieve the brilliant blue hue that colored the newcomer's eyes, but supposed that red would have to do. After all, having existed in a world of blacks, dull whites and grays, red was a beautiful color.

While it thought, it must have done something to indicate its presence, for the Hylian spun around. Blue eyes met red and widened. A hand clad in a red-brown gauntlet reached for the hilt of the sword sheathed on his back. The shadow, intrigued by the action, did the same. That seemed to trigger something in the golden-haired creature, who swiftly pulled the sword from its sheath and slashed at the shadow.

It jumped back on reflex, taking its own sword in hand as it did so and using it to block the strike. It was given almost no time to recover before the golden creature struck again, but this time it managed to both block and take a swing of its own. The Hylian ducked away, his shield suddenly in his free hand, and the black sword grazed painted metal instead of flesh.

The shadow took note of the move and grabbed the shield from its back, using it to counter its opponent's next swipe.

It noticed that the colorful creature would glance periodically at the door on the opposite side from the one he'd entered through, as though willing it to open. Between blocking and countering sword strikes and issuing its own blows, the shadow contemplated what the reason might be for the other's actions.

The first door had been an entrance, so the second door must be the exit. But when the Hylian had entered, the shadow had seen no one follow; he must have been alone. Maybe the doors would only permit one being to pass through. Understanding dawned on it. This was a game! Whoever defeated their opponent won, and got to leave the room. Would everything out there be as colorful and interesting as this golden Hylian creature? A new rush of excitement and determination flooded the shadow. It wanted to see that world. It would see that world. The colorful being had already gotten to see it, and now it was the shadow's turn.

A swipe came near, much too near, forcing the shadow to fall to its back to avoid the blade. Rather than be left vulnerable by its position, it immediately and instinctively melted back into the water around it, darting away without a ripple before the sword could even get close.

The other being's blue eyes widened, and he spun around, searching for his opponent, but did not melt into the water and come after it. The shadow was confused. The golden creature acted as though he had never done or even seen this sort of thing before. Something, some pleasant, weightless feeling, somehow filled the shadow's currently immaterial chest as it came to a realization. This meant that it had an advantage. The shadow had an ability that the Hylian creature did not!

After another few seconds of contemplation, it took shape again on the other side of the islet, noting with satisfaction that it took the Hylian a moment to locate it. Once he did, he wasted little time in resuming their duel. The shadow continued to happily observe his actions and return them while slowly learning to counter with its own.

One of the golden being's swipes came perilously close to cleaving the shadow in half, and the only thing keeping it in one piece instead of two was its ability to melt back into the water. The close call caused a jolt of... something to shoot through its chest, the sensation accompanied by both fear and exhilaration. Its gray lips turned up in an involuntary grin, eyes glittering with something it had never felt before: life.

Using the extra dose of energy that had been granted it by the dangerous situation, it shot out of the water behind the swordsman's back and swung its black sword down. The other being blocked the hit just in time, bringing his shield up to meet the sword. The collision resulted in a deafening clang that sent near-painful vibrations up the arms of both the colorful being and his monochromatic doppelganger. A loud screech split the air as metal grated against metal, and both beings' ears folded back in protest.

The swordsman shoved his opponent back with his shield and brandished his own weapon. The shadow jumped out of the way, vanishing back into the water before he could retaliate. While the golden-haired being cursed under his breath, his counterpart watched from beneath the water with a feeling of almost playful glee. The way things were going, it would only be a matter of time before it won the competition, and then it would be free. Free of this damp, dreary room. Free to roam and explore the outside world at its leisure.

In its excitement, it re-materialized and sprang out at its original, giddy when it managed to nick the pale peach flesh of his jaw, just beneath his ear. It barely remembered to hide itself afterwards. Its attention was on the cut; a thick, red substance welled up and quickly began to dribble from the wound.

The Hylian creature was ignoring the red in favor of scanning the surface of the water. The shadow wanted to grin again at the futility of the action. This was its domain. The golden being would not find it if it did not wish to be found.

As soon as his back was turned the shadow struck again, and carefully honed instincts alone were what spun him around and pulled a multi-colored shield between its sword and his neck. He growled and used the shield to shove the shadow away, then thrust his sword forward, and the shadow reflexively leapt up, dark boots balancing impossibly atop the blade before it flipped itself back to land on the islet. The Hylian almost stumbled, glancing at his blade in shock before quickly having to parry a blow from the shadow.

Red eyes danced along with nimble feet and swift, black sword before sinking into the water.

The shadow had every advantage: it could retreat and hide in the water and leap out in surprise attacks, could balance on the Hylian's sword to throw him off his guard. The golden being had even been injured, while the shadow had not received so much as a scratch.

It shot out of the water once again. Its sword flashed through the air towards the golden being, its body charged with the energy of battle, and-

It was brought to a jolting stop, both body and mind. It looked down slowly and blinked when it saw the blade of its counterpart protruding from its chest. For a moment, it remained completely still, its thoughts numb and uncomprehending.

Then overwhelming sensation crashed through it, originating in its chest and streaking out through the rest of its body. Spots of dark and light flashed in its eyes, and its mouth opened in a silent scream. It fell to its knees in the shallow water. The sword was swiftly removed, and without the weapon there to keep it upright, the shadow collapsed backwards with a splash.

The sensation – pain, it now realized – continued to pulse through it, but it managed to drag enough pieces of raw, jittery thought back from the recesses of its mind to make itself move.

It reached a weak, trembling hand to the gaping wound, and touched something wet, but thicker than the water it was used to feeling. Bringing its hand into its line of sight, the shadow found that it was coated in a layer of thick crimson, only a shade or two darker than its eyes.

It looked back into the blue eyes of its counterpart, who stood with a shocked and almost horrified expression on his face as he stared at the blood gushing from its wound and seeping into the water around it. The shadow thought it odd that the other being seemed unhappy. He had won their fight, so what was wrong? Was he for some reason upset that the shadow was full of red? But it was such a nice color; he was silly not to like it. And the shadow knew for a fact that the golden-haired creature had red inside him, so why did he look so surprised to see the same color flowing out of his opponent?

Whatever the reason for the golden being's shock and displeasure, it didn't matter now. The shadow looked back down at its wound. Inexplicably, its lips quirked up the slightest bit, even as its vision began to fade.

Red… It really was such a beautiful color…