Chapter 3

That night Link walked outside, about to make his departure. Malon's father joined him in the moonlit night.

"Something on your mind?" Talon asked of Link as he lit his pipe, blowing a puff of smoke.

"One might say that …" Link said softly, staring up at the moon and stars as a light breeze toyed with his dark blonde hair.

"Do you feel like telling, or would you rather not?"

"I should be leaving, soon. Thank you for your hospitality, sir," Link said, pulling out the Horse Call that Ilia had given him.

"Link, it would break Malon's heart for you to go," he said as they heard Epona in the distance, hooves pounding on the turf. Link stood in silence as Epona slowed to a trot.

"I did not know she felt for me that way … Tell her I say farewell …" Link said and vaulted onto Epona's back. He took up the reins in his left hand and nudged Epona into a canter.

* * * * *

When Malon woke at dawn she immediately felt that the house was empty. As she walked into the kitchen she saw a piece of parchment on the table, assuming it was from her father she picked it up and began reading.

"I know this is abrupt, but I must take my leave. I am grateful for the care you've given me, and I thank you. I cannot tell you where I am going, for I do not know myself.

This is farewell, so it seems…

Link," it read.

Malon reread the letter twice, not believing what it said. When Malon was finished she was enveloped in a stream of tears, heartbroken.

"… You read his message …" her father said, just walking in the room.

"… When did he leave?" Malon finally managed.

"Late last night … Malon, wherever Link is now, you know he can survive. He managed what should have been fatal, did he not?" Talon asked in attempt to raise her spirits.

"… Yes, but why did he have to leave if he doesn't know where he's going?" Malon asked, still crying.

* * * * *

Link halted Epona atop a grassy knoll; he had gone nearly six leagues since the previous night. As he looked around in the early morning light Link realized was but a days' ride from the Temple of Nayru. But before he continued he'd have to let Epona rest and brush her down.

As Link was brushing Epona's fetlocks something seemed to sear across his entire arm. He dropped the brush, clutching his wrist where it was the worst. Epona turned her head to look at him and nickered before starting to lip at his hair. "Epona," Link said with a chuckle and put his hand to her soft muzzle.

By noon the next day they came to the Nayru's Temple, in north-western Faron Province. Link dismounted, something inside was seemingly beckoning to him. As Link entered he noted the water already went over the ankles of his boots and was ice cold.

Link unsheathed his sword; there was something wrong within the Temple. Unnerving even. The Temple was constructed mainly of blue marble, varying shades. At the entrance were two pale blue pillars on either side of the first inner door. As he walked into the second room he nearly slid into an abyss from the ice covered floor. "Since when was this here?" he muttered out loud, annoyed, as he hung there, holding on only by his sword wielding hand. With his empty hand Link retrieved his Clawshot and aimed at the odd grating that had been placed on the roof.

With a jerking sensation, he shot towards the grating. Rather than getting out his second Clawshot, Link released some of the chain, dropping sharply and swung to the other side, releasing the claws only a moment before he landed. As he entered the next room the temperature was slightly up, although the water was still nearly frozen.

Link deflected a large rock with his Hylian Shield, when he sidestepped to avoid another he saw an Ortark hidden in the wall, behind a statue. Link moved the statue with his Dominion Rod, the creature attacked again.

As the overlarge Ortark lumbered forward Link ran around to its backside and made a swipe with his sword. It went from orange to icy blue, and pivoted at an astonishing speed. Link sidestepped as it began to suck in the now fridged air, the small room was coated in ice. Link attacked its side; an ice shield appeared and deflected his sword, leaving the Ortark unscathed. Bemused, Link circled around, attempting to get in another attack while dodging the icy projectiles.

Link raised his shield at last second as the Ortark fired an excessively large icy spear. The spear hit his shield and reversed direction. As the Ortark's spear pierced it, the creature burst into ice crystals, which melted as the room slowly warmed.

When Link came to the second to final of the Temple he saw a special lock beside the door. After walking across the flat sundial Link sighed in exasperation when he saw the riddle.

It read:

I am what you must find,

Before the fourth chime.

To find which I rhyme,

Search for the sign.

Link reread the riddle a second time and looked around the room. He glanced at the sundial; he had twenty minuets before the answer was mandatory. Link paced the room, continuously repeating the riddle.

Fifteen minuets later, Link sighed and leaned against the frozen door, on which his Lantern would not succeed, and looked up.

On the ceiling was a Triforce symbol. He glanced back at the riddle. All of the i's had a triangle instead of a dot. Feeling stupid, Link fit his Hero's Bow with a Bomb Arrow, aimed, and released. The middle of the Triforce crumbled and a beam of warm light swathed the lock, slowly melting it.

Link put away his Bow and, again, unsheathed his sword. When Link entered the final chamber he found himself atop an oasis. Yet, before he could enjoy the serene peace, a blade slashed behind him. Link could feel it's breeze. He back-flipped into the oasis to avoid a second the slash of the sword.

As he swam to the surface the water grew chilled, Link saw the reason waiting for him. "I thought I would come to properly finish the job," Shadow drawled, amused. Link swam to the edge, where the land emerged, and pulled himself out of the water. Shadow simply smiled, and jumped. Landing directly in front of Link.

Link took a step back in alarm, Shadow chuckled. "What, might I ask, is so amusing?" Link snapped, hardly feeling the same.

"My reverse Triforce is coming into affect, I see," Shadow said, and held up his right hand. On the back a red Triforce glowed.

"Fear? Not likely," Link countered, his Triforce began to glow with a golden light.

"Allow me to test that theory, then," Shadow said conversationally, and attempted to behead Link. Instead of his blade meeting flesh and blood it met Link's, Shadow wasn't concerned. He believed he could outmatch his Light self any time.

As Link attempted to counter Shadow suddenly knocked his sword from his hand, leaving a gash across Link's palm, even through the gauntlet.

Link disregarded the flesh wound and dove for his sword. Shadow tackled him, his knee digging into Link's back as he secured his hold. The wind was knocked out of him as Link rolled to where he could face Shadow, breathing heavily. Link reached for his sword, his finger tips brushed the hilt, yet he couldn't quite reach it.

Link tried again, not about to give in. Shadow chuckled softly as the water began to rise and he kneeled on Link's chest, immobilizing him. Shadow forced Link's head underwater as he resisted, attempting to push Shadow off for air.

"Do not struggle, it shall only draw out your death," Link heard Shadow say as he surfaced for a mere second, only to be forced back under again. His lungs were burning with the desire for air as he continued to fight, then realized that, until Shadow thought him dead he wouldn't let up.

Link slowly allowed his grip on Shadow's wrists to slacken and ceased struggling, allowing himself to go limp. The water began to recede as Shadow slowly stood, believing him dead. "I win," he scoffed, his voice dripping with contempt, before striding out of the room.

Link slowly got to his feet, coughing up water as he did so. He had been fortunate that Shadow hadn't checked.

"You're still alive? No wonder you're called 'Hero'," a voice snarled cold with surprise. As Link turned to face it a flail caught him in the lower chest.

Onox.

How could he be so stupid as to forget?

Link gasped in pain as he hit a marble carving and fell to the floor. He reached for his sword, which was now but two feet from him, as Onox merely laughed. "So Hero-boy, you believe you can defeat me?" he scoffed.

Link remained silent as he pushed himself up by placing the tip of his sword on the stone floor. As Onox advanced Link converted to offensive stance, holding his sword aloft.

Onox began spinning his flail and released, Link barely held up his shield in time. He took a step back to decrease the impact as it struck. A bright light shimmered on Link's Hylian Shield, the fail was deflected. Onox paused, puzzled, yet attacked again.

Again, it was deflected. Link assumed that the sheen on his shield Mirrored his foe's attacks. Link would have smiled had the moment not been so serious. Onox was intelligent weaponry wise, but didn't possess a lick of common sense. Link attempted the Back Slice; unfortunately Onox was stupid enough to not realize he was being attacked.

Onox pivoted, aiming low. His flail knocked Link to the ground. As he started to pull back his fail Link's shield caught the glare of sunlight from the open roof, hitting Onox in the eyes.

The only strip of silver on Onox's golden armor began to melt, running into his eyes, effectively blinding him. Onox bellowed in pain, dropping his flail, and began franticly wiping the molten silver off what was left of his face. Link grimaced at the gruesome sight, jumping to his feet.

A both putrid smelling and looking piece of melted greenish skin fell off Onox's face and landed with a soft 'plop' in front of Link. He flipped over the sickening mess, nearly gagging from the smell, and jumped onto the marble statue, then Onox himself.

Link was about to plant his sword in Onox when Vaati appeared. "You are quite a mess, Onox. Oh, did you know you've a green bird on your shoulder?" Vaati drawled, indicating Link, as he walked back through the black void.

As Link was jumping off Onox spun around, fists swinging, but missed. Although, Link was nearly stepped on. "Don't assume you've seen the last of me" Onox snarled, vanishing.

Link calmly sheathed his sword before leaving the Temple, curious as to who he'd encounter next.

* * * * *

When Onox appeared Gannon turned, seeming appeased at his pain. "Brother," Gannon said, "who decimated you?" he asked, amused.

"That blasted Hero of Light," Onox snapped, forgetting that he'd intruded on his Master.

"The Hero of Light is dead," Gannon countered.

"Not so. Shadow failed again because of Link's clever act," Onox informed them.

"… Perhaps I should thank you for informing me, Onox …" their Master's silky voice said venomously, hardly cloaking his displeasure. "But I warned you not to interfere, you shall pay the price of disobedience," he said softly, and threw a sword surrounded by Shadow aura. It pierced Onox in-between his blinded eyes. Onox collapsed, dead.

"You, Gannon, may leave. I wish to see Shadow. Immediately."

"Yes, Master," Gannon said respectively, only to pleased to dispatch so he could avoid his Master's displeasure.

Shadow appeared, kneeling on one knee as before. "You wished to see me?" Shadow inquired. In answer his Master stepped out of the shadows, adorning a black cloak that revealing nothing but his cold, yellow eyes, and attacked.

Shadow was slammed into the far wall from the force, clenching his fists and eyes shut and grinding his teeth to keep from crying out in agony. His Master continued to subject Shadow to the mental and physical torture until he slid down the wall, unable to take anymore. Shadow slowly got to his feet, and fell into a kneeling position, one gauntleted hand resting against the floor, still reeling from the pain and unsteady.

"Whom do you serve?" he was asked.

"Zalcite," Shadow replied automatically, tonelessly.

"And what are you going to do?"

"Kill the Hero of Light," Shadow answered, yet now it seemed more of a task than pleasure.

"Good …" Zalcite said with satisfaction. "Do not fail me thrice, or the consequences shall be … severe. Go," he ordered.

Shadow sank through the floor into a void; he would take his time killing Link after he recuperated from his Master's attack.

* * * * *

Link was riding Epona to Hyrule Castle when a body racking pain suddenly consumed him. As the pain slowly faded many long minuets later Link sensed Shadow had endured it as well.

Were they merely connected, or truly one in the same?

End Chapter 3