I always love to meet characters that you knew from before. If I'm reading a long series or something, I'm always excited when an old friend shows up again. Maybe that's why I wrote this story.
Also… I'm not sure how so many of my main characters got to be female. I usually try to keep it balanced. And usually my favorite characters are guys too.
And for the end of the chapter… TT^TT
Chapter 27: Fleeing the Light
Epona drove directly into the confused enemies that had made it beyond the landslide. Within a few minutes, Link and his allies had taken them out.
There was a heavy flapping sound and Midna flew overhead on her kargarok bird. She swept an arm over the slope of loose earth, and a staticky bolt flew from her fingertips and rippled across the dirt. There was a crackling sound as the loose soil solidified.
Epona cantered fearlessly forwards and over the newly hardened surface. Sheik and Nabeen were right behind him, and the thunder of footsteps sounded as everyone else followed.
A few of the monsters remaining on the opposite side of the landslide were climbing over the sloping area. A shower of arrows rained down towards Link, but Volvagia and Valoo incinerated them in a burst of fire. Harmless blobs of metal fell down instead. Link raised his shield to protect his head, and then swung his sword down to cleave the helmet of a darknut.
Epona lashed out with her hooves with deadly effect. Once or twice, one of Sheik's arrows soared past Link as it took out some nameless threat. Nabeen's blades swished menacingly through the air.
Gorons rolled past, bowling over their foes. Zoras slashed out with blade-like fins. Dekus shot hard seeds in every direction.
Link gave a twitch of Epona's reigns, guiding her down the hardened earth and deeper into the open pit. They needed to draw the fight downwards to let Medli and company sneak into the tower. With the commotion of a battle right outside their gates, their entrance would go largely unnoticed.
Just then a swarm of bats came fluttering up from the cavern. Behind them came larger, more dangerous birds. And then the ground trembled as something huge rose up out of the depths. A great blue bird with a long golden tail. It opened its beak and let out a screech.
Valoo and Volvagia swooped forwards to engage the large bird.
How had that huge bird come up from the cavern? There was no way it could have gotten down in there. What sort of magic could transport something that size underground?
"Look down," Navi urged.
Link glanced down into the dim light. He could see movement. The birds and bats weren't the only things arriving. More enemies were swarming up from the bottom of the cavern. And others were still pouring from the top of the tower.
Valoo tackled the huge bird, and the two of them tumbled sideways towards Link. Epona scuffled sideways to avoid the mass of feathers and scales.
Sheik loosed an arrow, and the bird shrieked in pain as the tip embedded into its eye.
Link urged Epona further down. Several others followed him to meet the second wave of enemies charging up at them.
"We have the high ground," Link muttered to himself. Navi nodded.
More hoofbeats approached them from below and Link found his blades locked with a night on horseback. For a moment they clashed, until Link unhorsed his opponent.
There was a rumbling sound coming from up the slope. Link turned to see something large and white thundering towards him. The big Yeti. He was pounding downhill, bowling over all of the enemies in his path. He rushed past Link, smashing a path straight to the tower. But his momentum was too great. Link watched with raised eyebrows as the Yeti crashed right into the wall of the tower, making it sway slightly. Part of the wall caved in.
Actually, that was perfect.
Link swung his sword to bring down an enemy, and then brought Epona around and urged her up the hill.
There they were. Medli, Din, Vaati, and the boy called Ralph. Tatl and Tael were hovering beside them. They'd made their way partway down into the cave. Vaati was taking enemies down on the way, and Ralph was swinging his rapier. Medli and Din were trying to keep out of danger. Though each of them had a blade to protect themselves with, they weren't skilled with the weapons.
"Come on," Link called. "The tower's open."
"Yes!" Ralph shouted. He charged forwards and was almost trampled beneath a giant boar.
Link stopped Epona directly in front of them and let Din climb up behind him. Sheik appeared and let Ralph jump up. They turned and headed towards the tower. Medli spread her wings and flew between them with Tatl and Tael. Vaati swept along beside them.
Epona stopped in front of the hole the yeti had left in the tower. Din and Ralph dismounted and their group disappeared into the tower. Medli paused and gave a final wave. Link blinked and shook his head. Medli had been wearing a weird hat. A green hat with a bird head on the top.
Link turned and froze. Beside him was a knight with his sword raised to strike. For a moment, Link and the knight stared at each other. But the knight didn't move. And then he slowly toppled sideways, a knife in his back.
"Pay attention or you'll get sliced," Nabeen shouted, before turning to the next enemy.
Link smiled gratefully. For all her harsh words, she at least looked after her allies.
They were up against the tower now. But their allies were still above them. Only Yeto, the Yeti was down here, swinging his fists to send monsters flying. And with more enemies pouring out of the bottom of the tower, Link and his friends were being swiftly surrounded. Even Yeto was being overwhelmed by sheer numbers.
Gather!" Link shouted, gesturing to Sheik and Nabeen. If they were separated, they wouldn't stand a chance. They had to stick together until more allies could arrive.
Nabeen struck down the moblins in her way and her horse halted beside Epona. Sheik arrived a moment later.
"We need to help him," Link said, gesturing to Yeto. He was limping badly, and there were several arrows sticking out of his fur.
"We'll never be able to get over there," Nabeen said. "There's too many enemies between us."
"He'll be killed if we don't help," Sheik said. "We should try to get to him."
"We should stay here with our backs to the tower," Nabeen insisted. "It's the most strategical point."
Yeto looked over at them. "Me good," he shouted. "I take many down! Don't worry for me!" He swung his fists around again, knocking away anyone foolish enough to approach him.
The monsters had closed in on Link and the others. Epona turned her body so Link could start attacking with his sword. Sheik and Nabeen resumed the battle as well.
Link noticed vaguelty that the numbers coming from the tower had decreased, until one woman stepped out. She wore a strange purple suit and spiked hat. She scanned the battlefield, and her eyes fell on Yeto, still charging around despite his wounds.
Then the woman began to change. Her body expanded and several new legs sprouted. A moment later, a huge spider was in her place. The woman known as Veran scuttled towards Yeto. Yeto saw her and charged, but before he'd taken a few paces, Veran sent out a sticky web that clung to Yeto and stuck his legs together. He crashed to the ground and struggled to free himself. A moment later the spider was on him. He managed to get his arms up in time to defend himself, but the webs were slowing him down.
For a minute the two grappled, and then Yeto collapsed to the ground.
Then the spider turned its eight eyes towards them and scuttled forwards again, pincers clicking.
"I got this one," Nabeen said with a deadly smile. "She's mine."
Nabeen leapt out of her saddle, vaulted off of Epona's back with one foot, and landed directly on the spider's back. The spider hissed and tried to shake her off, but its legs couldn't reach her.
"Link!" Navi exclaimed.
Link looked in the direction the fairy had indicated. For half a moment he though he'd seen someone familiar: a boy in a black outfit and hat. But he'd vanished into the throng of monsters and Link couldn't be sure what he'd just seen.
The spider thundered up to them and knocked Epona off of her feet. She fell to the side. Link managed to kick his foot out of the stirrup before Epona crushed it. She flailed for a moment before scrambling to her feet. Link put his foot back in the stirrup and slashed one of the spider's legs with his sword. Then Nabeen stabbed her daggers down into the spider's head. It screeched and staggered to the side, and then collapsed to the ground. Its legs twitched, and then it lay still.
Nabeen jumped back onto her horse. Link stared at her. She was truly amazing.
A burst of fire shot down at them, incinerating the nearest foes to Link. Valoo had come down to help them.
"Hey!" Link shouted. "Get him out of here!" He gestured frantically to Yeto. "He's hurt! You've got to carry him out of here!"
Valoo nodded, pausing only to burn up several more enemies before he grabbed the unconscious yeti in his foreclaws and slowly lifted him up and out of the cavern.
Several of their ally knights arrived along with a handful of Gorons and a Sheikah. Impa, Nabooru, and Darunia were with them. They'd finally managed to break through the lines to help Link and the others.
Link, Nabeen, and Sheik regrouped with them and attacked with a renewed ferocity.
Until one more person stepped out from the tower. She had pale skin and silvery hair that fell down her back. Her dress was black with gray and red markings.
Link froze he moment he saw her. Her face was exactly the same as Princess Zelda's. But her features… It was as though she was an opposite Zelda – was it even possible? – a Shadow Zelda.
For half a moment, Link wondered which side she was on. Could she be with Shadow Link?
Then the Shadow Zelda drew back the strong of a bow. But there was no arrow in place.
She took aim out into the middle of the field, and a fragment of light appeared in the bow and began to grow. A bright gold arrow made of light. Although she was nothing more than a phantom Zelda, she had stolen the power of the light arrows from the true Zelda.
She released the light arrow and it soared past Epona. It hit a boulder in the center of the cave and sent out an explosive shockwave. Epona crashed sideways again, and this time Link was blown out of her saddle. He skidded to a painful halt and the Master Sword flew out of his hand. Navi was blown far away, and the rest of his friends were thrown off of their feet.
Link looked up to see Shadow Zelda's blank red eyes. Her lips parted into a crazed smile and she raised her bow again, pointing it directly at Link. Link started to move, but a pain shot through his leg, making him collapse to the ground again.
The light arrow began to form in the drawn bow. Link pushed himself to his knees, preparing to roll to the side. But as he sat up, he saw Zelda release the bow. It felt like slow motion, that bright glowing arrow coming straight at Link.
He came out of nowhere, the pale skinned boy with black hair and clothes. He grit his teeth against the blinding light and sprang forwards. His hands collided with Link's shoulders, pushing Link sideways. As Link fell to the side, he saw the arrow blaze across his Shadow.
As the blinding light subsided, Link scrambled to his knees again.
Shadow Link was lying there on his back, his chest heaving with ragged breaths.
Sheik leapt forwards to attack Shadow Zelda, and the two began to fight.
Link scrambled to Shadow Link's side. To his horror, he found that he could see the ground through Shadow Link. He was transparent. Shadow Link slowly opened his eyes.
"Why-why did you do that?" Link gasped.
"Why do you think, stupid," Shadow Link whispered, his voice faint and hoarse. "A shadow can't live without a body."
"And how can someone live without their shadow?" Link said, his voice shaking slightly.
"Don't flatter yourself," Shadow Link coughed. "I'm the one that does all the work anyway." He took a deep, rattling breath. "But now… I think you need this back." He slowly raised his left hand – the hand that still had the Triforce of Courage marked on the back of it.
Link hesitated, and then raised his trembling arm to place his palm against Shadow Link's. The Triforce mark flashed once on Shadow Link's hand.
"Sorry I was selfish," Shadow Link said softly.
Link shook his head. "You were great."
The Triforce faded from the pale skin, and then blinked to life on Link's hand.
Shadow Link smiled and closed his eyes. "Thanks."
His body melted away, fading into the darkness. A moment later, Link was alone, kneeling over the flat gray shadow beneath him.
I don't know if you've ever noticed, but when you walk towards a bright light, your shadow hangs behind you, as though cringing away from the brightness. And when you move away from a light, the shadow leads the way as though it can't get away soon enough. That's the way of shadows. That was the rule I broke, and it destroyed me.