Chapter 8 - Part II

Shadow's blood wet the knees of Link's trousers as he focused on the Aqua Element. The wound had to be closed, before Shadow bled to death. A blue aura formed around both sides of the wound. It slowly began knitting itself back together, the flow lessening slightly. The aura seeped into the wound as it healed.

Link glanced up, satisfied that his counterpart wasn't about to die, and saw Tetra, only just beginning to stir from the depths of unconsciousness. He stood, glaring daggers at Zalcite. His opposition coolly stared back at him, unfazed.

"In harming Zelda, you have marked your death," Link said coldly.

"Idiot!" Shadow snapped, attempting to stand. "Courage cannot stand alone!"

"And you cannot stand at all," Zalcite said with a chuckle, highly amused. Shadow dug the tip of his sword into the floor, using it as temporary support.

"Perhaps we should repeat on you to see if it has the same result," Shadow snarled, his eyes flushing red again. He raised one arm, wiping his bloody lips on the sleeve. A crimson streak was left across the gray fabric, drawing Zalcite's gaze to it.

"Ironic, is it not? Blood, the gift of life. Lose it, and your light is snuffled like a candle. Do you honestly believe the Goddess's care?" Zalcite inquired, scorn dripping from his tone.

"Yes," Link said flatly. "Now perhaps it is time to finish what you began," he said, the Triforce glowing. Link charged him, sword glowing green.

He spun as Zalcite sidestepped. Their weapons clashed. Link jumped back as his opponent struck again, parrying the scarlet blade.

"You are fairly skilled," Zalcite acknowledged tonelessly as they fenced, oblivious to everything else. Link's brow arched. He raised his weapon in a sharp uppercut. Zalcite's sword glanced off Link's shield as he blocked an attack.

"Perhaps," he replied, countering Zalcite's angular strike. His eyes narrowed in determination as his opponent pressed again. Link sidestepped, dropping into a crouch. The estoc nearly speared his hat. He rolled. The duel continued.

A handful of needles flew over Link's arm as he sidestepped again.

Shiek.

They pierced Zalcite's arm. Shadow nodded to Link, a tell-tale smirk playing about his lips. The two of them had been fencing Zalcite for over five minuets, losing more ground than gaining.

Sheik, one of Zelda's curiously obtained alter-egos, landed next to Link. Her red eyes were narrowed in intense dislike. Sheik reached for her dagger, easily balancing on the balls of her feet, ready to move in any direction.

The Triforce, even if weakened, was complete.

Zalcite glanced at Sheik, and in turn received a withering glare. The curved blade of her dagger glowed a pale blue, as according to her affinity. Link paused, seeing the hard glint in her eyes. The Shiekah assassin in her had surfaced.

"It is time … Time for your light to be snuffed," Shiek said softly, venomously. With that, she attacked.

Zalcite jumped back, wary of the tip of her dagger. By tradition, Sheikah daggers were embedded with poison.

Sheik jumped and kicked, aiming for his head. He caught her ankle, twisting it. She fell to the floor, landing on her side. Zalcite drove his sword through her shoulder. It clinked against the floor.

Link ran at him. Shiek gasped as Zalcite rammed his heel into her stomach, withdrawing the blade to strike again. He looked up. She launched herself at him. Five needles, gripped between her fingers, slashed across his cheek as he moved back. Thin rivers of blood flowed down the right side of his face. The scarlet and forest green blades came within inches of them. Shiek sidestepped, watching the others.

Shadow chuckled, seeing his former master was beginning to tire. "It seems your boasting was mere jest," he said tauntingly, now aiming to behead Zalcite. His jibe produced something of an angered growl.

The swords clashed, sliding against each other. Zalcite slipped his blade away from Shadow's blocking Link's horizontal strike. Dark Energy flited from him to Link.

The green-clad swordsman retreated slightly, every muscle in his body suddenly feeling as if an icy blaze was consuming it. His grip on the Master Sword loosened in astonishment and pain. The hilt started to slip from his grasp before the pain vanished.

He sharply brought his sword up, the estoc hit edge of his weapon, it's tip grazing the side of his neck. Blood welled at the thin gash.

Link jumped aside to avoid the blade. Sheik threw a handful of needles as she straitened, the shoulder of her garb now a red and purple. All five pierce Zalcite's upper chest.

They heard a sharp intake of breath from him. He lashed out in attack. The whip of Dark Energy knocked Link into Sheik, both of them sliding across the floor.

Link groaned, getting to his feet. His tunic had ripped, and the mail shirt underneath had bent, half torn and digging into his stomach.

Sheik gripped his now extended hand, pulling herself up. Shadow raised his shield as Zalcite struck again, and immediately attacked.

Link charged Zalcite as he raised his weapon to counter. The wielder of darkness staggered back into the wall as Sheik's glowing blue dagger embedded itself in his stomach.

Shadow's heated blade pressed against his former master's throat like a branding iron, Link's cool green one leveled at Zalcite's heart. In one motion, the duo executed him, before he could release a final attack.

The wielder of darkness collapsed as the they stepped away, now a mere carcass. Black blood seeped from the headless corpse.

Link sighed, wiping his blade before returning it to it's sheath. He turned on his heel, walking back towards Sheik as her second form faded. Link paused as she raised her now blue eyes to his face, and nodded, smiling.

"It's over," he said softly, in response to her hopeful gaze. Shadow shoved him from behind.

"Kiss her, you dunce," his counterpart said teasingly as he recovered his balance nearer to her. Zelda's face flamed. She looked from Link to Shadow, and shook her head. Complete opposites. "So … How did you come by your alter-egos?" he inquired curiously, pointedly changing the subject. "There are no Shiekah left to have taught you their art."

"Dreams, naught else assisted me in acquiring Shiek."

Shadow stepped in front of the two, striding towards the double doors. "Ah. I was merely curious. Would you care for me to walk the two of you to the Mirror?"

Link shrugged, and followed at Zelda's side.

* * * * *

"Arrogant fool," the brunette snarled, glaring at the droid that brought news of Zalcite's death. A strand of her long, lank, dark brown hair fell over her shoulder as she stepped down from her lodestone embedded throne.

"The entire trio is to be disposed of, one way or another … I suggest you do not make me do it …" she added acidly.

"Your Highness … What of Zelda's younger sister?" another minion inquired hesitantly.

"When she is found, I shall tell you," the young woman snapped. She dismissed them with a wave of her hand.

"It would be simplest to destroy the Dakuro Palace, however …" she cast the thought aside, instead turning to the fact that she now lacked adequate generals. "To revive Gannon or the others who had proven themselves weak would be worthless. There was only one."

The brunette chuckled as a dark mist began filling the ivory colored room.

* * * * *

Shadow halted in front of the gleaming Mirror, stepping aside. "Are you not coming with us?" Zelda inquired softly as he gazed into the dark glass.

"I cannot say I belong in your world …"

"You are no longer servant to this one, either. If not Hyrule, simply come to the world of Light," Zelda persisted, seeing his uncertainty.

"Perhaps -" Shadow stopped suddenly, looking around them as several rings of droids appeared around them. They advanced. "Go!" he shouted, seeing their continuously growing numbers.

Zelda backed through the Mirror, as it would have been futile to resist. Link took step back. Shadow remained motionless. "Moron! Come!"

He grabbed Shadow's arm, yanking him through. Four of the droids made it with them. The Goddess's Powers and Spirit Light, of their own accord, suddenly shattered the Mirror, showering them in a fine dust.

Two of the droids moved towards Zelda as a glowing sphere of Spirit Light appeared between her hands. It thinned and expanded into a shield as they struck. Both glanced off.

They glanced at each other, and nodded.

The trio focused, combining their powers. A loud hiss came from them as the fused power entered their gray forms. The droids burst into ash.

Facing off with four was far simpler then the entire legion of them. To attempt the latter, one would have to be quite foolhardy.

Naught was said as they walked outside, seeing the sunrise. Link glanced back at the shrine, and sighed.

A place that connects one to another world - Deserving of caution, as bleak as it was.

He looked back to Shadow, who had already moved away.

"Perhaps we should part ways here," Shadow said softly, staring at the morning light as it rose.

"If you wish," Link said, seeing his counterpart's mind was set. Shadow nodded, extending a hand.

"I'll see you around, then," he said as Link shook it, before turning on his heel and walking away. He paused, glancing back. "Oh yes, did I mention that you two would make a nice couple?" Shadow drawled, smirking as they flushed. With a slight wave of his hand, he continued.

Link walked to Epona after a bit, untying her reins from a tree. He swung into the saddle, patting her neck as she trotted back to Zelda, who easily mounted behind him. She wrapped her arms around Link's chest as Epona broke into a full gallop.

Leaving the shrine in their wake - Where it all began … And would begin, again.

To be continued in Crescent Light Chronicles …

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this. :)