Chapter 3

"We should go back to Hayen and ask Garod where we should go from here," Tael offered. Link sat against a rock in a small grove of trees outside the castle walls, and Tael was hovering above him.

"Then we'd have to go all the way back around the lake," Link said, "and it'll be night before we get back. Plus, I'm starving. Maybe we should look around the market for a while, and then maybe we can stay the night. I saw an inn while I was there. You'll have to stay under my hat until it's safe, though."

Tael sighed and looked up at the sky. It was already getting reddish, and the sun was getting ready to drop beneath the treetops. The lake reflected the brilliant color. "I guess you're right...but please, try to hurry. I'll probably suffocate in there."

"All right. We'll go find the inn, and you can stay in our room while I look around for a bit and get some food," Link said, taking off his hat. "We'll go back to Hayen first thing tomorrow." Tael sighed again and then flew in, and Link pulled it over his head loosely. Looking around, he stood up, stretched his arms, and then left the shelter of the trees to head back into the market.

As they entered through the gate, most shops were already closing up. Link spotted the inn across the way and made his way to the door. A sign hung above with the picture of a bed on it. "Now, keep quiet until I tell you it's ok," Link whispered, opening the door.

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By the time Link got back outside, the sky was a dark blue, and faint stars were appearing. A soft reddish glow lingered in the west. There was only the slap of feet leaving the market and a few friendly good byes to be heard. The market was pretty much empty, but there were a few shops open, and one of them was a restaurant. Link decided to get some food and head back; there would be more shops to browse through in the morning.

The large, grease-covered restaurant owner was just getting ready to close up as Link came into the narrow, long building. Fortunately, he let Link order some food to go, eyeing the boy suspiciously. Link ordered a bottle of Octorok Stew, and stood around waiting while the man went into the back room. After a few minutes, he came back with a bottle full of the hot, brown, meaty liquid.

"Can ah get anythin' else fer ya?" The man said, rubbing his hands in a dirty white cloth.

"That'll be fine. Thanks," Link said, leaving the restaurant awkwardly as the man continued to watch him. The sun was completely gone, and the sky was turning black. Crickets chirped somewhere, and the cool wind rustled through the small trees planted around the market. The square was empty.

Suddenly, he swore he heard someone call his name. Spinning around, he was still alone. A few stray dead leaves spun up into the air, circling around a dark spot on the ground. Link squinted at it, and noticed blackish bubbles pouring out.

The whispering started up again, but he couldn't make out what it was saying. After looking around for a few more seconds, he broke toward the inn in a mad dash. He heard what sounded like a splash behind him, but he didn't turn around. The sound of feet clicking on the stone street echoed behind him, and he pushed harder. There was the inn!

When he reached the door, he noisily swung the door open and slammed it behind him, tripping over his own feet as he rushed toward the stairs. The innkeeper was nowhere in sight, so he headed straight for his room. He heard the door open and close again behind him, and he ran down the hallway desperately, looking for his room. Suddenly he stopped. The numbers on the doors were too high. They were getting higher. He was going in the wrong direction, he realized in terror.

Skidding to a halt, he started dashing in the opposite direction, his heart feeling as if it would explode from the pressure. As he approached the stairway, a shadow barreled out of the hallway connecting with the stairs, ramming into his right side. He slammed into the wall and rolled to the side, dropping the bottle of stew to the red carpeted floor, holding his left arm in pain. Something was on his chest. He opened his eyes to see Dark Link crouching on top of him, his sword drawn.

"You just don't give up, do you? You should've taken your idiot fairy and gotten out of here while you had the chance!"

"Why didn't you kill me before? You told me Ganon ordered you to do it. If I had run, you would've lost your chance," Link said, trying to keep calm, although his fear was plainly visible.

"Ganon can't control me. I can do as I please. I felt you had to suffer at least a little before your death. I knew you'd keep coming back."

"I'm only here because you kidnapped a friend of mine, and I won't leave until you let her go."

"Well then! You won't be leaving anytime soon." Dark Link raised his sword.

Link brought his feet up to his dark twin's stomach and flung him off, then scrambled to his feet. Stuffing the bottle of stew into his sling, he ran down the hallway toward his room. There was a loud growl behind him, and quickening footsteps. He saw his room, there at the end of the hallway. Fumbling for his key as he ran, he kept his eye on the window straight ahead.

He could see a reflection of the hallway...but Dark Link was not there. He spun around, confused, to see the three-dimensional shadow diving toward him. Before he could figure out what was going on, he ducked, and Dark Link flew over him, exploding through the window in a smoking ball of shadow. Link quickly unlocked his door and entered the room, slamming the door behind him.

"Tael, we may have a slight problem," he said, leaning against the door. The fuzzy purple ball of light rose from sitting on the bed.

"Ah...I thought I heard something. What's going on?" he yawned. Link pushed off from the door and went to the window. It was too dark to see anything down there.

"Dark Link chased me here...he flew out the window outside, but I'm not sure what happened to him. I don't feel too safe here."

"I thought something like this would happen," Tael sighed. "Now you're going to suggest we run off to the other side of the map in pitch darkness."

"Actually, I was thinking more of going to Hayen, and find out a little more about this whole deal with the king. Maybe there's another way into the mountains. We won't be going exploring at this time of night, don't worry," Link said. Suddenly he stopped talking. There was a thumping sound coming up the hallway. He ran to lock the door, then stepped back to the other side of the room.

The thumping stopped, and Link's heart followed its example. Shadows were pouring in from under the door like smoke. He took one look at Tael, and with the first whack on the door, he frantically opened the window as fast as he could with one hand and climbed out onto the windowsill, holding his breath. Tael flew out with him.

"How does he know we're here!" Link whispered in confusion.

"Never mind that right now! We need to get down from here. There's an awning below," Tael whispered, "to your left."

"I can't see anything," Link whispered back, his heart in his throat. The sound of hacking at the door continued. "Quick, fly down there! Your light should be enough for me to see where it is." Tael did so, and Link could see the blue and white striped cloth stretching out from the building across the alley. "I can't jump that far!" Link half whispered, half shouted.

The sound of the heavy wooden door crashing to the ground seemed to propel Link forward, and he leaped with all his might.

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