Fire surged up Link's left arm, obliterating the cold and numbness and returning his strength in a rush of power and adrenaline.

Vaulting out of the water, he stood in a blink, the Master Sword clenched in his fist with practiced ease. The shadow recoiled with an echoing shriek, then raised its shield.

Without thinking, Link attacked, the sword glowing brilliantly blue. Every swing was seamless, relentless, unforgiving. The fire continued to blaze, fueling his body and keeping his senses sharper than natural while the shadow was sliced into wisps of smoke.

The shadow's shield broke under the force of Link's offense, and it switched to an aggressive stance. Link parried each swing with laughable ease, his strength now much greater than his opponent's.

It stumbled backwards; its false body torn apart by the Master Sword's power. Collapsing into the water, it dissipated like fog in sunlight and disappeared.

The incredible surge of energy left Link, and he dropped to one knee with a gasp. His wounds pained him again, and his physical exhaustion overwhelmed him.

"You did it, Link!"

He didn't have time to appreciate Navi's cheers. Where the shadow had been vanquished, next to the lone tree, lay a body.

Sword and shield in his slack fingers, Link looked closer, then rushed to Dark's side and crashed into him.

"Dark!" Link shook his friend by the shoulder's, but he remained limp and unresponsive.

"He's alive," Navi was quick to assure him. "Just knocked out."

Link reached for his belt and rummaged for a small vial of red potion. He tipped its contents against Dark's lips for a second before swallowing the rest himself.

"Why is he here?" Link wondered aloud. "I thought he'd been captured?"

"Maybe we can ask him," Navi replied as Dark's form shuddered and he coughed, his eyes opening.

Propping the other man up, Link stashed the empty bottle and sheathed his sword with his free hand. Dark breathed heavily, focusing on his surroundings after a tense moment.

"Link?" he mumbled. "What? -"

The blond set the Hylian shield on the floor and tucked his sleeping roll on top, letting Dark rest against it.

"We can talk later," he said to Dark. "For now, we need some time to recover." He glanced at the slices on his arm, already closing with the effects of the red potion. It would have to do, as he very little left.

Dark blew out a breath and closed his eyes. "Link?"

"Yeah?

"Thank you."

Link smiled, though his friend didn't see it. His eyes ached to close as well, so he sat back against the surprisingly sturdy tree to rest. The fog in the room was vanishing, as was the cold. The danger was gone. Navi hovered over the two of them, the light of her wings pulsing hypnotically.

They would be safe to rest a while.

"Link, wake up."

Link's head snapped up, and he groaned when his neck protested loudly at the discomfort. Dark knelt in front of him, his gaze locked on Link.

Link frowned. He seemed perfectly healthy again, except for one thing: Dark's irises, once a deep sapphire, were now muted red.

Dark's brow creased at Link's sharp breath. "What's wrong?"

Placing a hand on Dark's shoulder, Link urged him to look at his reflection in the water. "It's your eyes...they've changed."

For a long moment, Dark stared at himself, not speaking. He closed his eyes.

"What happened to you? I thought you'd been captured after Kakariko."

Dark turned his head back to Link, but kept his gaze averted. "I was. When..." he hesitated. "How long ago was that?"

Blinking, he answered. "Over a week ago."

Dark clenched his teeth. "A sorcerer—one of Ganondorf's minions—he held me prisoner. He did something to me...Some kind of dark magic."

Navi fluttered between them. "I've heard that people who've been cursed can sometimes display...physical anomalies," she offered.

Link winced in sympathy. "It's not-"

"It doesn't matter." Dark cut him off in a sharp tone. "A little glamour will cover it. If Alatar did curse me, what would have happened to me?"

Navi shrugged. "Each one is different. Sorry, I'm not well informed."

Dark sighed and stood up, sifting his hands through his hair absently. "I don't remember much," he told them. "Sienna was taken to Hyrule Castle, I think." He took a quick sweep of the room they were in. "Where are we? How do we get out of here?"

Link rose, his palms up in a placating manner. "We're in the Water Temple, underneath Lake Hylia. What are you thinking?"

Dark scoffed as if it was obvious. "I need to get to the castle. I need to rescue her."

Link didn't point out his lack of weapons and supplies. "I agree, but neither of us are in any condition to do so."

"Us?" Dark raised a brow. "I can do this alone. You get on with your hero quest."

Stubbornly, Link said, "Dark, you've been held captive, possibly cursed and you were nearly dead when you showed up here. If that...shadow was possessing you or something, it may still be affecting you."

Pausing in his impatient strides, Dark looked up. "The shadow...it was possessing me?"

"Once I defeated it, you showed up. The shadow beast we faced in Kakariko couldn't hold its shape like this one. It was less...I don't know, permanent, I guess. I made a guess."

Dark growled, "It doesn't matter. The shadow is gone now, and I can't let anything happen to her."

Link moved into his path, ignoring his glare of warning. "I understand, but you're no use to Sienna if you die. Ganondorf is probably just keeping her imprisoned, same as you."

"He's right," Navi chimed in. "She'll be safe enough for now. We need to wait until Link is strong enough to defeat Ganondorf."

Grinding his teeth, Dark turned his back to the two of them. "Fine. Then let's get you moving." He swung back to Link. "I assume there's something you need to do here?"

Link gave him a brief explanation of Princess Ruto had told him about the temple, the curse on Zora's Domain and the malevolent water that had kidnapped Ruto.

After checking that their physical injuries had healed and grabbing all of Link's gear, he handed the hookshot and fairy's bow to Dark so he wouldn't be weaponless.

Dark strapped both weapons on, eyeing Link. "The strangest things really do happen to you."

Link frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing. Let's find that last reservoir and destroy whatever is oozing all the evil energy in this place."

"You can feel it, too?" Link asked.

"Is that weird?"

"Just surprising."

The entrance was still blocked, but through the opposite door the pair found a tunnel that led down. After half-crawling through the rough-hewn passage, they arrived at an underground river.

Since Dark didn't have Zora armour to help him breathe or swim easily, he kept hold of Link's belt and let him pull him through the heavy currents. The river gushed out into a small cavern, then there was a sudden drop into a large pool in another room of the temple.

The pool drained beneath the floor, so Dark and Link followed its source to another basement room, finding the final reservoir waiting for them.

Once they'd raised the water level to its highest, it was a long trek back to the main chamber due to the maze-like passages.

When the next door blissfully opened to the cavernous pillar room, Link breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thought we'd be trapped here forever?" Dark joked.

"A part of me was," Link laughed. He pointed to a platform on the south side of the room, flanked by two dragon head statues. "We just need to get over there."

Dark checked his supply of arrows and the sharpness of the hookshot's spearhead. "Anything I should know going in?"

"Watch out for evil, sentient water?"

Dark shot a pointed look at the water-filled room. "Thanks."

Link secured the mask of the Zora armour around his face, then hopped into the water to swim over. Dark secured the fairy bow to his back, flexing his fingers reflexively. The he followed Link, ready to face whatever threat awaited them in the final room.

~oOo~

For centuries, Hylians had worshipped the three Goddesses for the gifts they had bestowed, their benevolent influence over the world.

Some still paid tribute to another goddess, the fourth sister: Hylia. Her story had faded from the Hylian histories in recent years, but she remained Hyrule's patron deity. Just as the Gorons held an affinity for Din, the Zora an appreciation for Nayru and the denizens of the forest regarded Farore in high esteem, the Hylians had once almost exclusively worshipped Hylia.

Fierce studied her likeness, carved long ago into a statue. She wore a smile on a sweet, motherly face. Her hair hung to her waist and she wore a long dress.

The ancient statue was one of the few surviving from the Sky Era, and it was one of the oldest. Even now, her features were near indistinguishable under years of wear. Statues like this one had been frequently used for prayer or meditation.

Fierce visited the ancient statue for another reason. Much like the mysterious Sheikah Stones—the so-called 'gossip' stones—the Hylia statues were uniquely linked.

If one knew the way, he could tap into the connection.

Since this particular Hylia rested close to the old temple in the forest, Fierce had felt the reverberations of the events happening elsewhere in Hyrule. The attack on Kakariko, after rousing him from sleep-like meditation, had drawn his attention.

With pained regret, he'd witnessed events from afar as Dark and Sienna were captured. Sienna remained in the dungeons of Hyrule Castle, but Dark's spirit had vanished.

At first, Fierce was puzzled as he was unable to sense Dark in Hyrule at all. Then, the truth had struck him.

Thankfully, Link had pulled him from the sorcerer's influence. And now, he and Link were headed towards more danger.

With a gentle push of will, Fierce reached through the goddess statue connection to Lake Hylia. It was a small thing, but he hoped a bit of his strength would see them both through this next challenge.

In the meantime, he thought, it was past time to reunite with Dark. His brother wasn't aware of it yet, but the magic Alatar had performed remained in him still.

If allowed to fester, Fierce feared what consequences it would have on Dark.

Severing the connection, Fierce brought his destination to mind, clear as a picture.

Caution was needed now, he warned himself. The events he'd long ago predicted were approaching quickly, but he couldn't afford to interfere more than he already had.

If he gave in to the temptation, the consequences for Link, Dark and all of Hyrule might be even more severe.

~oOo~

Blue.

This entire room, from the gorgeous mosaic patterns on the walls to the smooth, tiled floors, to the deep pool of water that dominated the space, was blue.

Dark brushed his hair from the corner of his eyes, no longer their usual navy colour. The room was taunting him.

"This place gives me the chills," Link commented, shivering with emphasis.

"Means we're in the right place," Dark replied.

The space was large, rectangular, with a high ceiling. They edged along the outside of the pool, looking for any clues.

Link knelt to inspect the pool's water, but Dark grabbed his arm before he made contact as Navi chimed in alarm.

"I wouldn't," he said, eyeing the liquid. "That's not normal water."

As if responding to his statement, a ripple shuddered across the surface. Both men leapt back from the water's edge. Nothing had touched the water to disturb it.

Navi's wings blazed brightly. "Something's watching us," she warned.

Receding from the pool's edge, the water pulled itself to the centre, forming itself into one massive tendril that reached upwards to the ceiling, swaying lazily.

Link drew his sword. Dark knocked an arrow. An orb the size of a Deku Scrub's head bobbed through the inside of the water tentacle, spinning in different directions.

"It's an eye," Dark realized, pulling a face of disgust.

Said eye swivelled to face them, its grotesque iris huge and menacing.

Link glanced at the four platforms anchored in the pool. "I can get close enough to reach it from there," he called out, just before he took a running leap.

Before his boots touched the platform, the eye jerked, summoning another tentacle of water and slamming it into Link.

Thrown across the room into the wall, Link yelped and rolled out of the way of another attack as the eyeball swished furiously.

Dark pulled back the bowstring and let an arrow loose, straight at the eye. To his annoyance, the arrow couldn't pierce the liquid barrier. Instead, it shot the projectile straight back at him.

Dark ducked with a muttered curse as the arrow sailed past where his face had been.

"It's a morpha!" Navi called to them. "The only way to harm it is to attack the eye!"

"What is it you think we're trying to do!?" Dark growled, running to Link's side.

Link turned to him. "We need to-" He was cut off as morpha summoned three more watery tendrils which moved with frightening speed to lash out at them and drive them apart.

"Keep moving," Dark said, giving him a light shove.

They circled in opposite directions, keeping the eye's focus split up and its efforts divided. The water tentacles were fast but didn't recover easily after slapping themselves onto nothing but tiled floor.

Giving up the bow, Dark grabbed Link's hookshot and took aim. The spearhead shot out, but it missed morpha's eye, hitting the wall of water and rebounding off.

"It bounces!?" he asked incredulously. "Who designed this weapon? This is the worst-"

Morpha swatted him with a tentacle, sending him sprawling onto his face.

"You need to hit the eye straight on!" Link yelled from across the room, trying in vain to damage the tendrils with his sword.

Distracted by a pair of them, a third, larger one whipped out and grabbed Link, lifting him into the air. The Master Sword was torn from his grasp, and with his shield trapped against his body, he couldn't defend himself.

"Link!" Dark shouted, jumping to his feet.

Morpha flung Link like a rag doll, tossing him in the air before throwing him full force at the solid wall. Dark sprinted around the perimeter of the room, making it just in time to collide with his friend.

Landing in an ungainly pile, Dark groaned at what he was afraid might be broken ribs at the very least. Link clambered up and reached down to help him to his feet.

"Thanks for the landing," he said. Dark snorted. "Distract it while I grab the sword. Try the hookshot again, I think it will work!"

Link took off, leaving Dark to shout and wave his arms until the eye spun to glare at him. It launched wave after wave of attack, the tentacles slapping down with enough force to crack the tiles open.

Weaving and dodging, Dark watched through the transparent morpha as Link retrieved his weapon. With Link drawing the monster's attention, Dark took aim with the hookshot. This time, it pierced the veil and struck the eyeball directly.

He yanked hard, and despite having no visible vocal chords, the morpha eye let out an enraged shriek as it was freed from safety. It landed with a wet plop at Dark's feet and immediately hopped back into its protective water.

Chasing it, Dark kept well away from the edge and speared it once more, whipping it out of the water where Link was waiting with a powerful slash from the Master Sword.

The eye's iris changed colour from acid green to vengeful red, and it moved with dizzying speed underwater as it churned up yet more water arms, its movements creating a small maelstrom in the pool.

"Shoot it!" Link shouted.

Dark released the hookshot again, but it couldn't penetrate the surge of water. Gritting his teeth, he braved a jump out to the nearest platform, giving himself a better vantage point.

From the corner of his eye he saw a tentacle arm slicing towards him, and Link frantically trying to draw its ire. Focused on the eye, he shot it, grinning with victory when the hookshot grabbed it.

As the chain retracted, he twisted towards the pool's edge, flinging the eyeball monster towards Link.

The blade came down on the squirming eye while the water crashed into Dark, sweeping him into the pool and dragging him to the bottom.

He fought against the pull, but his movements were sluggish in the viscous water, less fluid. His air was running out. The water felt so heavy, so oppressive. It weighed him down. All he could see was blue.

The pressure on his lungs abruptly jerked and eased. The weight of the water lifted as it drained away and he was left lying on the bottom of the pool, covered in blue slime; what was left of morpha.

"Dark!" Link looked down on him from one of the platforms. "You alright?"

Dark slicked the slime off his face in disgust. "Next time, you get the hard job," he grumbled.

Link grinned back. "Come on, there's a ladder over here."

Once he reached the top, Dark strapped the hookshot to his belt and tried to scrape more of the gloop off. "What now?" he asked Link.

His friend was turned away, not listening. Blue light burst from the centre of the pool, engulfing them both.

"More blue," Dark muttered. "Just what's needed."

The light faded into a single ring, losing its blinding intensity. Link stepped into it without hesitation, vanishing in the next instant.

Shocked, Dark's jaw dropped open until Navi cleared her throat impatiently.

"Come on," she urged, tugging on his earlobe to get him moving. "We'll meet up with him soon."

"Sure," Dark replied with a heavy hint of sarcasm. He stepped into the circle of light, feeling the tingle of magic in his fingertips. "What could happen, right?"

"Link."

Ruto's high, regal voice, full of pride and admiration. She stood before him on the blue pedestal, her delicate fins fanned out behind her.

"I knew you would succeed," she continued, her pointed chin held high. "I always knew I had chosen well."

"I'm glad to see you're okay after morpha attacked you," Link said. "And I suppose the other Zoras will be freed from the curse now."

Ruto's indigo eyes settled on him. A small smile curved her mouth. "Yes, Zora's Domain and my people will return to normal, thanks to your efforts."

Link accepted her praise with a humble nod, but she wasn't done. She raised her arms and folded her hands over her chest, taking a half step towards him.

"Link," she began in her usual, impassioned tones, "I grant to you my eternal love and devotion."

Link's mouth dropped open. "Er, Ruto..." His head spun with everything Dark had ever told him about girls, trying to find the right response.

At his less than enthusiastic response, Ruto let out a lofty sigh. "Then again, as I am now the Sage of Water, I must remain here and fulfill my duty. Besides," she eyed him with a glint of mischief. "I believe you are searching for someone else. Princess Zelda?"

Link tensed at the mention of her name, and he knew his reaction had shown on his face. He flushed, opening his mouth to explain.

Ruto laughed. "I can read you so easily," she told him. "You can't hide how you feel." She let out another sigh, this time her mouth thinned in disappointment.

"Ruto..." Link began, but she shook her head, her shell earrings waving.

"You don't need to explain." She paused, glancing away. "And Link?"

"Yes?"

"She's alive. Princess Zelda. I can sense it." Ruto smiled again. "You'll see her again."

Hope filled Link, but he bit his tongue to keep the grin from his face. Ruto's gaze swept over him, and then she lifted her arms above her head, the pale fins at her elbows reflecting the bloom of sapphire light.

When it faded, she cradled the medallion in her palm. She stepped forward and held it out to Link. When he placed his hand over hers, she clasped his hand tight and looked into his eyes.

"I will be here with you in your fight against Ganondorf," she promised. "Until then..." She leaned close, tilting her head. Her lips brushed Link's cheek in a fleeting kiss, and then she stepped back, leaving the medallion with him.

At the familiar sensation of falling, Link clutched the medallion protectively in his hand. Ruto looked aside as the light surrounded him, but Link thought he saw her lift her hand to her cheeks as everything faded away.

Opening his eyes, Link saw he was back on the island in the middle of Lake Hylia, facing the red line of the eastern horizon.

Clear, shining water, stained with the bolder colors of the sunrise, filled the lake. They'd done it.

Dark waited under the huge tree, gazing out at the water, deep in thought. His head turned as Link approached and they stood together, watching the crimson sun's climb over the cliffside.

"Another of Ganondorf's plans foiled," Dark mused. "Only two more to go, right?"

Link nodded. Navi landed on his shoulder, leaning back to watch the beautiful view.

"Where to next?"

Link glanced at his friend. "Back to Kakariko," he said. "I promised Sheik I'd return to help Impa as soon as I could."

"That's a long way."

"I brought Epona with me."

Dark blew out a breath that ruffled the hair on his forehead. "I suppose I'd only slow you down."

Link raised an eyebrow at him. "I wouldn't have succeeded here if it weren't for you." He paused, unsure. "Can I count on you in the future?"

Dark's eyes flicked to Link, then back to the lake. After a long moment he faced Link, offering his hand. "I'd like that."

Link grasped his forearm, grinning broadly. Dark's heart ached at seeing the too-familiar smile. Words bubbled up in his throat that he wasn't ready for, urging him to tell Link about their forgotten connection.

"Link, I-" He swallowed. "I want to tell you something."

"What is it?"

Dark stared at Link's face, young and hopeful, and yet so unaware. So unprepared for the whole truth. He couldn't burden him anymore that he already was. Couldn't force a brotherly bond on him on top of everything else. It wouldn't be fair.

"I'm, ah," Dark cursed himself inwardly. "I wanted to say thank you," he settled on. "You saved my life down there. And I would be very glad if you let me come with you and try to repay that debt."

Link's answering smile was genuine, humble, making Dark's insides twist. "I'm happy for the help, honestly," he said. "It's nice to have someone fighting by your side."

He released Dark's arm, then reached to adjust the shield on his back. "We should get going," Link said. "We can rest for a bit at the old professor's house—he lives just over there, he's been watching Epona for me—and then we can set off for Kakariko."

"Fine by me," Dark replied, distracted with his own thoughts.

Blissfully unaware of Dark's predicament, Link sauntered off, taking the wooden bridge back to the lake's edge. Dark trailed behind, mentally berating himself.

Coward, he accused himself. You'll have to tell him the truth eventually. The truth about everything...

For Dark knew he was keeping more than the secret of their blood relation from Link. He hadn't been honest about Alatar's curse. He'd told Link the shadow was gone. But he sensed it still, lurking in his heart, waiting for a moment of weakness from him.

His fingers traced the raised scar tissue under his shirt, left by Alatar's knife. Whatever the curse was, it had only loosened its hold.

Dark watched Link's retreating back, praying to whatever gods were still listening that his brother would be safe. He prayed that Link's trust in him wasn't misplaced. He prayed that Sienna, wherver she was now, was still safe.

Above all, he hoped whatever had been done to him could be undone.