I had no idea what the hidden treasure of the Sheikah could be. Old man Shikashi was the resident expert on the mysterious tribe, although his musings boarded more on rumour. Perhaps a dangerous weapon? A spell or a song? Whatever the truth, the General kept referring to the entity as a 'he' which meant she knew him. Ganondorf's shadow beast had once been flesh and bone.
King Hyrule led his soldiers to form a barrier at the gates. The chanting stopped, with thunder and pounding rain reclaiming the spotlight. Such a sham of stillness fooled no one; with abrupt coughs, the tapping of toes and readjusting of boots.
One of the soldiers was plucked from the western squad. Swung in wide circles above, my arms and legs were lassoed in terror. His screams were painful to bear as he was thrown thirty metres away. Landing with a sickening clang, the army watched. Their comrade did not move again.
"Stand firm!" Impa gave the order as the earth trembled.
In a curious way, those vibrations felt like a steady beat beneath my feet. The chanting began again, pulsing faster and faster. Trying to maintain my balance became impossible. I could always levitate; the idea came to me. Then again, that might cause a lot of fuss.
Cries of surprise rang out down the eastern line. "It's a giant hand, look out!"
"A hand? I can't see it." Yasei brought her horse around. "Anyone got a spare bow? I'll pin it down."
I struggled to follow myself. "Oh, over there." The unique life force flickered in and out of existence. "Although, I don't think he's entirely whole," I mused.
Impa stiffened beside me. "How can you see him? You haven't trained your mind's eye."
"Well, see isn't quite the right word," I admitted with a shrug. "I can sense how the energy of beings makes me feel."
"And what do you sense about him?"
"Choleric, I suppose. One who feels wronged most severely."
"Wronged?" The Sheikah warrior huffed. "Bongo Bongo, used those thieving hands for evil and got exactly what he deserved."
I tilted my head. "Bongo Bongo… never seen a record of such a name in the town library."
"Impa, remember where you are, Hyrule's bloody history is not something my subjects need to know."
"Yes, your Highness."
Hiding something? I thought, as a heavy feeling dwelled at the pit of my stomach.
At that moment, the hand chose to reveal itself. Whatever fair skin had once stretched across those bones; had become wrinkled and blackened in death. On some fingers, the nails were chipped and jagged. Others had no fingernails at all, only rotting fleshy stumps where they should be.
It lay on its side and swept through an entire squad, knocking them down like tin cans. A lance of sapphire blue shot through the air and ploughed straight into the shadow beast. It gave a wail and froze in place.
"Get up and cut him down," the General said. Her giant's knife glowed brightly, a beacon of light in the raging storm.
The soldiers wanted to obey, they tried to scramble back on their feet, but the continuous tremors made it impossible. The collapsing Hylians were puppets with snapped strings.
"Where is that drumming coming from?" King Hyrule demanded. "Stop it."
"Awoooooo!" Kilton's black nose twitched. He half ran and slumped in the opposite direction. His desperate claws tore up the muddy sod, as he continued this awkward advance; run and flop, flop and run. Finally, Yasei couldn't take it anymore.
"Where are you going? Don't run away, cowardly mutt." But when the husky leapt and clamped his jaws onto something solid, she gasped.
"Clever boy, there is another one." I had suspected, but Kilton was way ahead of me – as usual. "You deserve a whole bag of biscuits."
The trembling ceased.
Bongo Bongo's other hand jerked in pain and tried to shake off the husky. My legs moved of their own accord. A ball of magi-clay conjured before the consequences could sink in. I'd managed to save my furry friend with the Song of Healing once before. That said, dogs were not known for nine lives.
My experience of battling shadow beasts numbered nil, but I flicked out a long, coiling whip to snare my target and heaved. Bongo Bongo jolted as his digits snapped together in one fell swoop. "Aha, I have you."
"Kilton, spit that out, you don't know where it's been!" Yasei chided.
Believing he may have actually bitten off more than he could chew, Kilton let go and jumped down to re-join his master.
But Bongo Bongo had other ideas of how to evade capture. He disappeared, only to materialise outside my trap. One finger shot a crude gesture in my direction before clenching into a fist.
I dived. His attempt to flatten me nearly succeeded, and now the front of my purple shirt was caked in muddy ooze. "What a nuisance you are. I've only just borrowed this."
Bored of playing with his toy soldiers, Bongo Bongo brought both hands together. They swung as a lumberjack with an axe. I retreated, leading him away from the castle and into more open space. My magi-clay bullets and discs appeared to pass right through the creature.
"That won't work," Impa called out. "He moves between the physical and shadow plains at will. He needs to be sealed and I can't do that alone."
What? But you're a Sheikah!
She crossed her arms. "Don't just stand there slack jawed, will you lend me your aid or not?"
"Who me?" Being suspected of treason one minute and needed the next, confused me so. I glanced over my shoulder. Indeed, King Hyrule's stare held the essence of judge, jury and executioner combined. Between him and Ganondorf, I didn't know who frightened me more.
I smiled my fake smile at her. "Well, if you think this humble mask salesman might be of use, who am I to refuse?"
"Fine." She gave a solemn nod.
"Do you have a plan? A place where we can seal our shadowy friend?"
"Kakariko," she replied, without hesitation. "At the bottom of the well."
"We can't bring hell to Kakariko," I protested. "Don't your people live there?"
Small puffs of smoke rose from the unsuspecting village in the distance. It stole Impa's attention as she strangled the handle of her sword. "Your concern is noted. It can't be helped," her voice wavered, as if trying to convince herself of this fact. "My home is the only place I can perform a seal."
Ah, but he moved to the windmill to get away from violence. I could see Guru-Guru's scowling face as I barged in with half of Hyrule's army. Wrestling with a shadow beast and spells sent flying. He'd never talk to me again.
"We can't allow evil to roam free killing innocents," she replied, firmer this time.
Rain drops bounced off the soldier's dead body. A reminder. I tried to swallow, but the lump in my throat felt too big. This monster wanted to destroy a babe in arms. Ganondorf had been afraid of this child. A child of destiny that the Goddesses had plans for.
Why do I have to be dragged into this? I scowled. Golden Goddesses interfering in our lives, what right do they have anyway?
Impa pressed onward, drawing water from the nearby stream. A gigantic swirling bubble formed above my head. As Bongo Bongo's hands came rushing towards us, trails of black and gold merged with lapis blue. I reinforced my magi-clay ropes and staggered my feet. We only had one chance at this.
Bongo Bongo swerved, but my nimble magic had the advantage. Playing cat and mouse, it caught the stubby fingers easily. He jerked and fought. His need to escape came with a desperate cry that made me think twice. What had this man done to end up like this? A form so twisted that he no longer resembled anything of his past self.
The trap snapped shut. Bongo Bongo's menace incapacitated as he bobbed inside his spherical prison. He reminded me of one of Dr Mizumi's bizarre experiments. A huge cheer erupted from the side lines as the soldiers celebrated.
"We have to get this thing to the village," Impa grunted. A fine sheen of sweat had already gathered on that commanding brow. She surrounded the water with another barrier, this time muttering words of a language I had never heard before. A cage of words wrapped over the top of the already potent magical mix.
Gathering heat into my fingertips, a portal sprang into life. I flinched as a gasp of awe escaped the troops. I'd forgotten this spectacle did not fit in with everyday normality. So much for not drawing attention to myself.
"After you." I gestured towards the glowing oval.
The Sheikah plunged her sword into the light and twisted. "Have you done this before?" she asked, pulling it out again.
"Oh yes, I travelled from Gerudo Desert to Lake Hylia in one shot. It's a lot quicker." Well, once the dragon was taken care of! I thought, but she didn't need to know about that.
The Commander heaved her reluctant cargo inside and disappeared.
"Hey, moron, where are you going now?" Yasei called in alarm.
I blew a kiss. "Just to Kakariko, my love." And before she had the chance to argue, I jumped in too.
It was a gradual thing but when something is wrong, it's wrong. Bongo Bongo had been wrapped in solid layers of incantations that held tight. As we moved away from the gate showing the outline of a blurry castle, my arms started to shake.
What's happening?
Looking to the shadow beast's prison, I gulped as golden strands began to peel away. My magic no longer felt dense. The layers became blue; slippy and tricky to hold onto. Bongo Bongo stirred and thumped a hopeful fist against the sides.
It was only after a year or two of experimentation that I understood. You see there is an unspoken rule regarding the dimensional realm. Spells cast prior to travel remain intact only if returned to the same place. Wards or barriers cast with a different destination in mind evaporate. Now, don't ask me who thought this was logical. It is most inconvenient. My terrible lack of knowledge that day nearly cost the life of one of Hyrule's future sages. Rauru never lets me forget it, although forgive me, I'm getting ahead of myself again.
Impa thrust her hands once more into the swirling sphere of magic. "I'm losing my grip."
"Hold on," I said. "I can see a gate with a windmill - that has to be it." Placing my hands onto her broad shoulders, I tried to steer our awkward load towards it. But now the blue layers had turned black. Bongo Bongo didn't hold back. He punched at the rapidly unravelling layers. His chant returned in mocking jubilation. A horrible sound that still haunts my dreams.
"Damn it all, he'll break free," Impa raged.
One final push found us stumbling out the other side. Cuccos clucked as they ran in wild circles. The damp grass soothed my throbbing fingers and I spread them out, pushing them further into the earth.
The Sheikah dragged herself to standing which I had to admit was pretty impressive. My head felt like a hundred-pound weight had been dropped on it.
"Get up. He mustn't reach The Shadow Temple. If it becomes corrupt all those souls will rally to his call."
Any suggestion of movement brought only rebellion and dizziness. "Shadow Temple? What souls are you talking about? Who died in there?"
She smirked back. "There's a mask in it for you."
Such obvious deflection. I glared at the white-haired warrior shrouded in mystery. She can't expect me to just let that go, surely? What mask could possibly be worth that? And yet, I wanted to see it. I had to see it. A mask from the Sheikah themselves, the very thought had my heart pounding.
"Even if I wanted to, my body is near its limit. What can we do alone?"
"Alone?" Impa unsheathed her sword and held it aloft. The slicing ting of other swords rang in answer. They came from the shadows, silent as death. "Who said we were alone?"