The visit to the land of the Four Swords is a bit shorter than they expect, but at least Shadow-Link gets something out of it.
That was a pretty cool game. The Four Swords.
Chapter 7: Land of Five Links
Shadow Link didn't move for the rest of the day. He remained in the same spot, apparently asleep.
"He's probably nocturnal," Tael whispered to Navi and Tatl.
Medli and the fairies made themselves productive during their stay at Havenwood. They talked with the Koroks and the Great Deku Tree. The Deku Tree had a lot to tell them about the tales of past Links. Medli listened intently. They would need to know as much as they could.
When night Fell, the Koroks accompanied the Rito girl, the shadow boy, and the three fairies out to where Volvagia was waiting.
The King Of Red Lions was still moored at the dock with the three fairies. Ciela, Leaf, and Neri would be remaining in their own time to try to help out in their own way.
Volvagia drifted down between Medli and Shadow Link. The three fairies clung to Medli's shirt.
Shadow Link reached into his pocket and pulled out the Ocarina of Time. He shut his eyes, took a deep breath, and then began to play.
The ocarina let out a dark, haunting sound, different from its usual tone but still beautiful. Shadow Link's fingers drifted over the notes to the Song of Time.
The Koroks watched in fascination as the group was caught up in the spell.
The notes from the Ocarina seemed to solidify and hang in the air about the six travelers. As Shadow Link hit the last note of the song, all of them disappeared.
For several moments, the Koroks stared at the spot where Medli and Shadow Link had disappeared. The King of Red Lions sighed and looked away. Leaf, Neri, and Ciela alighted on his sail. Even though Shadow Link was gone, there was still a lot of work to do.
Shadow Link's group found themselves at the edge of a large field. The sun had just vanished and a dim light remained in the sky. Across the field, they could see a city with a beautiful palace towering over it. The last light of the sun was brushing the highest spikes of the towers, making them glow like jewels.
Medli gazed around at the field that was awash in the light from the setting sun.
"Wow. There's so much empty space."
"That's cause you only have small islands without big fields. But Hyrule Field is much bigger than this patch of weeds."
Shadow Link turned to a cluster of trees and strode into their midst.
Volvagia silently coiled up in the branches of one of the trees and released a sigh.
"Your dragon seems sad," Medli noted as she followed Shadow Link.
He ignored her.
"So… where do you think we are? Or, I guess, when do you think we are?"
"How should I know? You stay here. I'm going into town to get a weapon."
Without another word, he flung his cloak over himself and strode away across the field
"Hey, wait!" Medli called after him.
"I'll go after him," Tatl sighed. She zoomed after him and fluttered in front of his face.
"Someone has to keep an eye on you! Where are you going?"
"I just said. Buzz off," Growled Shadow Link."
"You're so obnoxious!" The white fairy fumed. "Why do you have to be so mean to everyone! We've all been trying to be nice! Especially Medli, but I've had it with your temper!"
Shadow Link tilted his head slightly towards Tatl and gave her a twisted smirk.
Tatl froze, allowing Shadow Link to get several paces ahead of her. Tatl gave a start and rushed to catch up with him.
She didn't say anything else, but followed silently in the wake of the shadow boy. As they neared the city, she dove into his cloak to hide.
Shadow Link paused at the gates to the city and glanced up at the towering castle. It was Hyrule Castle, though not the one that he was familiar with.
Shadow Link twitched the hood of his cloak so that it hid his face. Then he strode into the city.
Even though the sun had set, there was still plenty of activity in the city.
Shadow Link glanced here and there, trying to find a place to get a weapon.
Before he knew it, he was at the front gates of Hyrule Castle. Two guards stood to either side of the gate, each with a hilted sword at their belt.
"Hey," he said to the guard, peering at him from under his cloak. "I need a sword. Where do I get one?"
"A sword?" repeated the guard. "What's the need? Are you a soldier? A warrior? Or perhaps even a hero?"
"Maybe," Shadow Link replied, studying his fingers nonchalantly.
"To which one?"
"What's it to ya?"
"The princess goes and the best swordsman in the realm go missing, and you think I'm gonna tell some suspicious-looking character where to get a weapon? Why don't you pull your hood off if ya got nothing to hide."
"Best swordsman?" Shadow Link said coolly. "Tell me about him."
"You don't know?"
It was the second soldier that had replied. He stepped over to Shadow Link. "Link, or course! You haven't heard about the Four Sword? How he drew the sword and split into four? And the four Links fought Vaati the wind mage and Shadow Link."
Shadow Link jerked his head up sharply. The unintended result was that his hood fell back, revealing his face.
The two soldiers reeled back in shock.
"Alarm! Alarm! The Shadow is back! Alert the guard! Drive him away!"
Shadow Link slammed his elbow into the stomach of the nearest soldier, sending him to his knees with a soft "oof."
The second soldier drew his sword and charged. Shadow Link slid out of the way like a vapor and slammed down at the back of the second soldier's head so that he too fell to the ground.
Rushing footsteps told Shadow Link that guards were approaching from within the castle walls.
Shadow Link turned to run but found his way blocked by other warriors approaching from the city side. He was surrounded.
In a white streak, Tatl shot out of his cloak and away from Hyrule Castle.
Shadow Link cursed. As the dozen or so guards closed in on him, he unclipped one of the masks from his belt and placed it over his face.
He let out a growl of pain and doubled over. The soldiers slowed their pace and stared as Shadow Link began to change and grow.
The Shadow Goron stood there a moment later. Dark and ominous, he raised his huge fist and brought it crashing down on the ground, making the earth tremble.
The guards hesitated until one of them rushed forwards. The others followed suit.
The Goron rolled into a ball and the first of the sword blows glanced off his rock-hard back. Then he exploded out of his protective shell and bowled through several of his opponents before they formed a line of spears to block his progress.
Shadow Link again rolled up into a ball and began to spin. He shot forwards across the ground, rolling towards the guards. They dove aside, but some of them used their shields to slam into the Goron's side. The force of the blow caused Shadow Link to turn and slam directly into the wall of the castle.
He flopped backwards, stunned slightly. The guards closed on him, taking advantage of his momentary weakness.
Shadow Link pulled the mask off his face and changed back into a human. As he shrank in size, he dove between two of the soldiers and wrapped his fingers around the hilt of a dropped sword.
With a smirk, he turned to face the remaining seven opponents.
A burst of flame illuminated the air and the soldiers cried out. Volvagia descended from the sky, scattering Hyrule's guard.
Medli was on the dragon's back, accompanied by the fairies.
"I brought help," Tatl announced.
"I didn't ask for it!" Shadow Link snarled. "I was just taking these guys out!"
"They're on our side, you nitwit!" Navi shouted.
"Tell that to them!"
"Just get on the dragon!" Tael screeched.
Shadow Link jumped onto Volvagia's back behind Medli, and the dragon took to the sky.
"Play the song! Get us out of here!"
"But we just got here!"
"Do it anyway!"
"Shut up! Stop ordering me around!"
"Do something!"
"My hands are full! I'm holding a sword!"
"You got a sword?"
"What's it look like?"
"Let me touch it!"
"No, Tael!"
"Put the sword away and play the song!"
"OK! Just be quiet!"
Fuming, Shadow Link hooked the sword to his belt and once again played the ocarina.