AN: Finally some action!

Ilia was the last one to make it to Ordon Spring. She closed the gates and Fado helped her with the lock. They fumbled with it before finally getting it to lock, then they backed away from the gate. It didn't take long before the darkness came into sight, slowly creeping its way to the edge of the gate. It was still quite far off, but Ilia could hear the shriveling of the plants and animals in its path. She only hoped she had been right, and the Ordon spring, which housed the Light Guardian of their province, would protect them. There was no way they could outrun the darkness on foot. None of the goats had escaped the darkness, and Epona the First was old. Ilia looked behind her and surveyed the villagers who had made it. Beth, thankfully, with her newborn baby. Fado the goatherd, Beth's mother Sera, her father-in-law Jaggle, and finally Uli and her daughter Linna and son Colin, who had returned with her from Hyrule Castle. Uli's husband, Rusl, was off on Resistance duty.

Ilia was grateful so many of them had made it, but her heart hurt for the ones who were . . . who were . . .

"Ilia!" Beth shrieked, pointing at the gate. Ilia flipped around. Beyond the gate was a figure cloaked in a smoky darkness. Purple lines, like veins, covered the figure from head to toe. It was human in shape. A single yellow eyeball stared widely at her from the center of the thing's forehead. On its legs from the knees down, the purple lines created an argyle pattern.

"Oh, Shad," Ilia whispered, her eyes tearing up.

The darkness had appeared at the very center of town and of course the scholar had gone to investigate. The darkness had overtaken him and he'd become . . . that thing. Then he'd attacked Talo, Beth's husband, and then her father, Bo, both of whom also became purple-veined, one-eyed monsters. It was not unlike the Twilight monsters from her past, but different all the same. The monster who was Shad got close to the gate, staring through the gaps at the people hiding inside. Ilia heard the villagers behind her making nervous noises, but she stood her ground, clenching her fists to keep them from shaking. If Shad was able to come in here, then he would have to also get through her before attacking the villagers. She had no idea what she could possibly do, but she couldn't think of anything else . . .

The Shad monster walked the length of the gate, reaching out but never touching it. Then an unrealistically large, jagged mouth opened, lined with orange light, and Shad roared, a horrible sound that froze Ilia in place. But Shad remained outside the gate. Ilia allowed herself a small sigh of relief. Behind Shad appeared the large, cursed form of her father, and then Talo's. They both joined Shad, and the darkness they exuded seemed to weigh on the gate, until finally Shad lifted his hands curled his fingers around the top of the gate.

The villagers gasped in terror, and Ilia cringed. She heard footsteps next to her. "Get out of here!" Fado shouted at the creatures. Mayor Bo roared in reply.

Ilia . . .

Ilia looked around before realizing the voice had come from the spring. "Who's there?"

I am Ordona . . . Light Guardian of the Ordon Province . . . my light cannot fight against this darkness . . . it is an old, ancient magic, one which I cannot control. Although I will ultimately fail, I will guard your people as long as I can . . .

Her gut dropped out. "Colin!" She huddled up with Fado and Colin. "Um, so the spirit just told me it can't protect us."

Colin's face fell. "Then we're doomed! We can't run! And even if we could, the way's blocked!"

"What about the Bridge?" Fado asked. "Maybe if we got across it, the big cliff would hold them for a while?"

"That might work, but how would we distract them?" Ilia asked.

Colin's face became serious, and he opened his mouth, but Fado spoke before he did. "I'll do it."

"What?!"

"I'll go out the secret way and get their attention. After I do, you get the villagers out and run for it!"

"I'll help you!" Colin said.

Fado put a hand on his shoulder. "No, man, you gotta make sure your mom makes it out."

"Fado . . ." Colin handed him his sword.

Fado ran to the secret tunnel on the left side of the spring. Ilia ran after him. "Fado, wait!" She fumbled around her neck and pulled out a carved goat horn. It was carved into a flute. "I noticed they hated the sound."

"Thanks," Fado said as he took it, then crawled into the cramped space. Ilia rushed back to the villagers and whispered her instructions. They waited until they heard a, "HEEEEEEY! Over here, you crazy goats!"

Bo, and Talo looked up, and Talo went to investigate. Mayor Bo looked like he might follow, but Shad seemed unmoved.

Come on . . . please!

They heard the shrill sounds of a flute, and a cry from Talo, then Bo did follow. "HEY! HEY! HEY!" Fado kept shouting and blowing on the flute until finally Shad left the gate.

Ilia sprinted to the gate as quietly as she could, and as soon as Shad's back disappeared, she unlocked the gate and hissed, "Everyone, go!"

The villagers filed out and began jogging toward Ordon Bridge. The last one left the spring when Shad looked back. He shrieked and made his way back, but suddenly there was a bright flash from the spring, and Ilia realized Ordona was using the last of his light magic to stop Shad. She ran.

The flash only lasted a few seconds. Fado's yelling ceased, and she bit back her tears. The other villagers were already half across the bridge. Colin was waiting for Ilia, a knife in his hand. She grabbed his arm and tried to pull him along, but he waved her off. "GO! I've got this!"

She ran across the bridge. Colin waited until the other villagers made it all the way across before beginning to knife the ropes that held the bridge. One, two . . . Ilia finally made it across. By then the monsters, now four, were almost to the bridge. Colin knifed the last two ropes. Fado leaped at him, and Colin jumped, grabbing onto the bridge as it fell and swung to the other side. It slammed harshly into the other side of the cliff, and Colin was almost forced to let go.

"COLIN!" Ilia yelled. She turned to the others. "Get going to the field!" Uli and Linna hesitated, but finally listened.

Colin began climbing up the bridge. Ilia looked across the chasm. The Fado monster was at the bottom of the chasm, hanging to the side like some kind of lizard. The other monsters were standing in darkness, which now was spreading over the edge of the cliff. The rate at which is was moving seemed impossibly fast. We're . . . we're not going to make it! She pushed the uncertainty aside and held her hand out for Colin, who grabbed it and together they pulled him up. The darkness had reached the bottom of the chasm and was moving fast to the their side. They ran as fast as they could.