Yes, Nabeen is my own character. It always sort of bugs me that there's never been anyone to fill her role – a non-Ganon Triforce of Power person. It's also kind of unfair that power is always evil. Yeah, you definitely get that "power corrupts" but you also get people who do good things with their power.
I have such a freaking huge project due this week. O_O It's a relief to take a break from researching those dry research articles to write this.
Chapter 21: Shadow's Flight
"This girl has the Triforce of Power. Same as Ganon," Shadow Link snarled.
"But Ganon had her as a prisoner," Navi said. "So she can't be on his side…"
"She's probably a holder of the Triforce of Power during a time where Ganon doesn't exist. The Triforce changed hands over the generations, right? I doubt she has any connection to him at all."
"Then why would he want to kidnap her?" Navi asked.
Midna shrugged. "My guess is that he wanted to learn more about a person besides him who was marked with the symbol of Power.
The girl stirred and Shadow Link quickly dropped her hand. She opened her eyes. For a moment, she stared at Shadow Link, Midna, and Navi. Then she sat bolt upright.
"Who the heck are you?" she demanded, scrambling off of the table and onto the floor.
"We're the ones who just saved you," Shadow Link retorted.
"Don't mind him. He's been having a bad day," Midna said, smirking.
"What the heck are you?" she said, looking at Midna.
"Actually, I think you'd get along really well with that guy," Midna said, jabbing her thumb at Shadow Link. "Both of you are very impolite."
"I'd like to see how you would act if you wake up and see weird people staring at you!"
"Trust me. Weirder has happened," Midna sighed, shrugging.
"I'm Navi," said the fairy, flying up to greet Nabeen.
"That's good to know," the girl replied absently.
"Do you know who Ganondorf is?" Shadow Link demanded.
Nabeen stared at him. "What kind of a name is that?"
"Do you know how you got here?" Midna asked.
Nabeen scowled. "Some guy kidnapped me. He knocked me unconscious when I was back in my village. But I don't know where we are now."
"And what about the mark on your hand?" Shadow Link persisted. "Do you know what it is?"
She narrowed her eyes. "It's just a birthmark. What's it to you?"
Shadow Link held up his hand, showing the similar mark on it. "It's the symbol of the Triforce. The power you have might be able to break the curse on this guy." He nodded to Link. "That's the only reason we're here."
"Don't listen to him," Navi exclaimed. "We wanted to help you too!"
Nabeen crossed her arms. "I didn't ask for help."
"We'll be happy to leave you here after you wake him up," Shadow Link retorted.
"Though you'll never get out on your own," Midna added. "And you," she said, turning to Shadow Link, "Stop being such a jerk and be quiet!"
"She's being a jerk too!"
"We need her help and she needs ours," Midna replied calmly. "Be quiet for once."
He scowled, but didn't say anything. He stomped over to the door to keep a lookout.
"I'm Midna. And that charming guy is Shadow Link," Midna explained. "He's actually the living shadow of Link, who we need to wake up. He was cursed by the same person who kidnapped you."
"Please help us," Navi pleaded.
Nabeen looked back and forth between the two of them. "You say you can get us out of here?"
"If we can get out of this tower before the bad guys catch us, then yeah. So we don't have much time left."
Nabeen looked over at Link. "I don't know that much about curses. I've never taken one off of someone before."
"Try. Please try," Navi begged.
Nabeen watched the fairy, as if trying to make up her mind.
"Fine. I'll give it a try. And once we're out of this place, you tell me what the heck is going on and why this guy kidnapped me."
She stepped over to where Link was lying and placed the hand with the Triforce symbol on his forehead. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. After a minute, the Triforce mark began to glow. She held her hand there for a very long time. Long enough that the others began to get nervous that the enemy would find them.
"I think the color's starting to come back to his face," Navi whispered.
"His breathing is stronger too," Midna commented.
"Well, that's all I can do," Nabeed said, finally lifting her hand off of Link's forehead. "If that doesn't do it, then I don't know what will. He feels warmer though."
"Thanks," Navi said gratefully.
"Shh," Midna said, holding out her hand.
Everyone fell silent as Link's face twitched. And then he slowly opened his eyes.
"Liiiink," Navi cried softly, flitting forwards to snuggle against his neck.
Link blinked a few times. From his angle, he couldn't see the others around him, only the ceiling. He raised his good hand to touch Navi's wings.
"Hi." He tried to sit up, but grimaced in pain as he tried to move his left arm.
"Careful," Midna cautioned. "You're probably still weak."
Link turned his head and caught sight of Midna. The sight of the strange imp made him jump and gasp in pain again.
"See. You're scaring him," Shadow Link smirked.
"When it comes down to it, you're scarier than I am," Midna retorted, grinning.
"Thanks," Shadow Link said, placing his hands on his hips and standing tall. Obviously this was taken as a compliment.
Link slowly took in the people around him. Nabeen was standing behind the others, silently watching the scene.
"I'm glad you're OK," Navi sighed, taking to the air again.
"Me too," Link replied.
Midna stepped up beside him and placed a hand beneath his back to help him sit up. "You two are pathetic," Midna scolded Shadow Link and Nabeen. "I'm the smallest one here except for her," she waved at Navi, "And I'm the one who has to help him up."
Nabeen shrugged. "I don't even know him."
"I ain't into that," Shadow Link replied casually.
Link glanced down at his splinted arm hanging from a sling, and then glanced around the battered room about him.
He smiled. "Thanks guys." He turned to Shadow Link gave a nod of appreciation. "I'm glad you came back."
"This is no time to get all mushy," Shadow Link snapped. "I only came because we need you. And you'd better be able to walk, cause I gotta fight and I ain't carrying you any further."
"That means that he already carried you a heckuva long way," Midna laughed.
"I think he's nicer than he pretends," Navi laughed. She felt lighter than she had in days now that Link was safe.
"Pfft," Shadow Link snorted. "Let's hurry up and get out of here." He snatched up his cloak and chucked it at Link. "Put that on to hide yourself. Too bad we don't have more cloaks. But I guess our cover's about to be blown anyway. We gotta get out of here as fast as possible."
Link carefully put his feet under him and stood. He looked rather wobbly, but managed to keep from falling. "I don't think I'll be much use in a fight till this heals," he admitted, looking at his arm.
"Leave that to me," Shadow Link said, grinning and patting the hilt of his sword. "I got it covered. I still got our secret weapon." Though he didn't say it, by "our," he meant he and Link.
Navi darted into Link's hood, and Midna took the opportunity to hide herself in Nabeen's shadow. Shadow Link pulled his hat down over his face partway for some minimal amount of camouflage. The others turned to Nabeen. She stood out quite vividly in her Gerudo garb.
"What?" she demanded in response to their stares.
Link started to walk towards the door but trembled and almost fell.
"All right! All right!" Nabeen shouted. She stomped up to Link and pulled his good arm around her shoulder. "I'll help you walk. And I guess I should do this too." She grabbed part of the black cloak Link was now wearing and pulled it over herself so she was hidden too.
"Good plan," Midna said from the shadows. "Let's get going."
Shadow Link led the way out the door, and Nabeen and Link followed at a slow shuffle.
They reached the stairs without incident and made their way downwards. They were about half way down when a sudden high-pitched shriek echoed throughout the halls of the tower.
Everyone flinched and Shadow Link and Nabeen clapped their hands over their ears (Link couldn't because both his arms were occupied).
"An alarm," Shadow Link shouted. "They must have found out what we did! Hurry! We gotta get out of here!"
"Too late," Nabeen commented.
As the sound of the alarm died away, it was replaced by shouts, grunts, and screeches as each door to the stairwell was suddenly a floodgate to a stream of monsters.
"Pff. Here we go." Shadow Link reached down to his belt and unclipped one of the masks. He placed it to his face.
A gasp escaped him and he doubled over, gritting his teeth as the magic of the mask spread through him. Suddenly he stood up straight, threw his head back, and let out a long yell. Link, Nabeen, Navi and Midna watched as Shadow Link grew in height and his tunic became a black suit of armor. Markings spread across his pale face and the color of his eyes vanished.
The transformation complete, his body relaxed He reached to the scabbard and drew his sword. But it too had changed. Two blades twisted together in a double helix shape, creating a long, wide, sharp weapon.
Although Link had undergone the transformation by the Fierce Deity Mask once before, he'd never witnessed anyone else go through it. It was impressive and terrifying at the same time.
That was when the monsters appeared. A wave of sword-wielding skeletons –stalfos- charged up the stairs at them. As they rounded the nearest twist of the spiral stairs, Shadow Deity Link swung his sword, sending out a flash of blue sparks. The disk of fire slashed through the stalfos, and the bones disintegrated into dust.
Shadow Link charged forwards to the remaining Stalfos that had evaded him. The Deity sword slashed through the stalfos swords as though they were no more than dry branches.
Nabeen and Link descended the stairs as fast as they could, trying to keep up with Shadow Link.
"People coming from behind," Midna announced, pulling herself out of Nabeen's shadow.
A Bokoblin hopped down the stairs and jumped at Link and Nabeen.
Nabeen threw the cloak off of herself, drawing a knife from a hilt at her waist. In one fluid motion, she leapt up several stairs and swung her arm, striking her enemy down. Moving with the grace of a dancer, she jumped down the stairs to rejoin Link and help him along.
"I am currently incredibly grateful for how good Gerudo are at fighting," Link said thankfully.
"No doubt," Nabeen commented.
Ahead of them, Shadow Link had used his sword to demolish another wave of enemies. There were more coming up at them, and Nabeen had to continually turn to remove an enemy sneaking up from behind. Midna was also using her twilight magic to slow the foes that Nabeen missed. Every second there seemed to be more of them.
Link limped down several stairs, feeling incredibly vulnerable without any weapon of his own. But at least he was regaining coordination in his legs. Nabeen and Midna caught up with him and they found Shadow Link caught up in another mob of wizzrobes.
"We're almost to the bottom," Midna shouted.
"But listen," Nabeen shouted over the din of the fight. "The stairs below us must be full of monsters. How long will it take us to get out?"
"What if they find Medli before we get there?" Navi asked, worried. "Now that the alarm's raised, they might start searching outside the tower to find out how we got in."
"I have an idea," Midna shouted as more Wizzrobes descended on them. "It might work, might not. Hey, Shadow Link, clear the area for a moment. I've never tried this with so many people, so we want to make sure the place is clear of monsters."
"Then you'd better duck," he shouted.
They didn't need telling twice. Nabeen and Link dropped flat against the stairs and Midna landed besides them.
Shadow Link whirled around in a spin attack. The stairway was narrow enough that the tip of the sword cut through part of the wall, but it worked. A shock wave of blue sparks radiated out from him. The attack slashed through every surrounding foe, leaving them, for the moment, free.
"Quick. Gather around me," Midna demanded.
No one argued. Midna took a deep breath and spread her arms.
They heard footsteps and a team of moblins rounded the corner. Shadow Link raised his sword, but suddenly found his body frozen. And a moment later, his body bean to dissolve into particles of twilight magic.
The nearest moblin lowered its spear and charged, but his weapon hit thin air.
…
A moment later, their group reappeared again right outside the cave where Medli was waiting. Once they had all materialized again, Shadow Link pulled off the Fierce Deity mask and his body returned to normal. He gasped, "What the heck was that?"
"Warping," Midna said, shrugging. "I wasn't sure how it would work without a portal, but my magic's better now, so I guess it worked. We didn't end up stuck inside a rock or anything."
"Wait. You didn't know where we'd come out?" Shadow Link shouted.
"Nope. But I hoped it would be here. Come on. Let's get out of here."
Nabeen and Link followed them into the tunnel, and Navi finally emerged from Link's pocket. And as they rounded the bend, Shadow Link came to an abrupt halt, making Nabeen swerve to avoid crashing into him.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?" Shadow Link shouted, astonished.
In addition to the single bird girl they'd left behind, there were now six other people in the cave as well. All of them were people hat Navi, Link, and Shadow Link recognized all too well. The six sages: Saria, Ruto, Darunia, Impa, Nabooru, and Rauru. Several of them gave shouts of relief to see that Link was safe.
"You guys…" Link said, at a loss for words.
Medli gave an embarrassed wave of her hand.
"Did you do this?" Midna laughed.
Medli gave a small nod. "Yeah. I found them in the tower."
"You went in the tower?" Shadow Link spluttered. "How did you get out with all these people?"
"I got us out," Impa said. Shadow Link recalled the magic she'd once used to make herself disappear. A trick later imitated by Sheik.
"Yeah, yeah, we get it," Shadow Link broke in, quickly getting over his shock. "But we can't stay here." He looked up at the endless black ceiling. "VAATI! HEY, VAATI! We're done! Now get us out of here before the bad guys find us!"
Everyone crammed together so they could fit everyone into the small cave as they waited for Vaati to bring them back up to the surface. The seconds seemed to stretch endlessly. Shadow Link opened his mouth to shout again, but suddenly they all found themselves getting sucked upwards through pitch blackness.
A minute later, a crack of light appeared above them and all of them came tumbling out into daylight once more. Shadow Link and everyone else was sent sprawling onto dry grass.
The chasm in the earth sealed itself once more.
Vaati raised his eyebrows as he eyed the sizeable crowd in front of him. "What in Sacred Realms have you been doing in there? Where did all of these people come from? No wonder it was so hard getting you all out of there. I wasn't expecting to lift twenty people."
Volvagia looked quite surprised to see them as well. He floated down to get a closer look.
"Dragon!" Darunia shouted, pushing Nabooru out of the way and balling up his fist.
"Wait! He's on our side," Medli shouted.
"And watch where you're pushing," Nabooru said, picking herself up off the ground again.
Darunia didn't look completely convinced, but didn't say anything else.
Link's mouth was open slightly as he looked at the dragon that had once been his friend.
"This is all very interesting," Midna said, pushing one of Ruto's flippers off of herself and standing up, "but we should probably get out of here ASAP. The enemy's on our tail, and it won't take them long to come up here looking for us."
"Right. We'll have to find a safe place so I can make arrangements to take us through time." Vaati was still eying the strange crew with a raised eyebrow. "Follow me. I know a place." He turned and strode off.
"I guess now's not the time to exchange greetings," Link said apologetically to all of his old friends as he limped along with them, "but it is good to see you all again."
Saria beamed at him.
Volvagia glided down beside Link.
"Ride," the dragon said.
Link paused and slowly placed his hand on Volvagia's neck.
"How are you alive?" he whispered.
"We'll explain everything later," Navi said.
Link pulled himself onto Volvagia's back, and they flew along next to the rest of the group. They hurried through a trail carved deep into the cliff, away form the dry field that hid Ganon's lair.
Link gave a small laugh. "I guess a lot has happened since I got captured, huh?"
"I'd say so," Midna agreed, floating up beside Link. "A fascinating tale that you get to look forward to."
Link smiled. "Yeah."
Vaati turned down a fork in the trail and they ended up in a small sheltered cove of stone.
Everyone huddled into the rocky space.
"Quick head count, "Vaati called. "Is everyone here?"
Everyone looked around and muttered among themselves.
The six sages were all accounted for. Saria ended up riding on Darunia's back since she was having trouble keeping up. Link, Volvagia, Navi and Midna were suspended in the air directly above the others. Medli was up next to Vaati.
A hush fell over the crowd.
Someone was missing.
A buzz began to spread among them, growing more panicked by the second.
He was gone.
Shadow Link was gone.