A/N: Okay, guys… it's been a while. Two days! Oh my! So I'm going to let it be known that this chapter is dedicated to my sweet reviewa Dani. :D I was sitting in bed bored watching mindless television and I was thinking… what would Dani think of me if I didn't update? DX Not really, but I am doing it for you because you always leave me the cutest reviews and by the way I wish you had your own account so I could pm you instead of expressing my love in an author's note… -_- Oh, how embarrassing! DX I kid… I kid. Anyway other than that, I really don't have anything important to say. :/ So let the writing commence.

Chapter 19: Darkness Falls

"It's a dead hand." Link muttered distastefully, "This is the same monster from the well I was telling you about…"

"What's wrong Link? You don't seem too fond of this thing." Dark teased with a dark tone, "Is the hero afraid?" Link scowled fiercely in Dark's direction and drew in a shaky breath. He gazed out towards one of the pale arms jutting from the floor. He cringed as he slowly remembered the details of this atrocious being from its blotchy white skin to its bloody finger nails from former victims. Link shuddered as he remembered the beast's face and its hanging jaw.

"I'm not scared. It's just freaky… You don't understand, you enjoy this sort of thing." Link finally replied as he drew his sword.

"You fear the dark… and the evil that lurks in its shadows…" His other half whispered, blowing cold breath against Link's ear as he did so, "Why aren't you afraid of me?" Link shuddered and smacked him away shaking his head in denial. He watched in awe as Dark fearlessly approached the horrific bony arms that were gently swaying back and forth.

"Watch out Dark, those hands will grab you if you get too close!" Link called after him suddenly remembering why he hated these creatures so much. Being held violently by your hair, with claws digging into your scalp, too scared to move while waiting for a gruesome impending doom from a wretched looking beast was bone chilling… at least to Link. Dark didn't seem to have a problem as he slowly approached a single arm with his sword drawn. Just as Link had warned, the creature quickly grabbed Dark by his midnight locks as if it were a mere reflex and twisted its fist to get a firm grip and then lifted him to the air. Surprisingly, Dark did not cry out in pain or panic. He glanced over towards Link with a smirk but he was too busy staring at the ground a few feet in front of Dark. The floor had started to shake and the dirt started to erupt as the beast arose from the ground and began to make its way towards its victim. Link started to run to his aid but stopped short when Dark spoke against it.

"You always get all the glory; let me handle this one hero." Dark stated still suspended in the air. The dead hand was getting dangerously close, its dangling jaw swaying side to side as it walked. It approached Dark who lay in wait, arms crossed nonchalantly. It stopped a few inches from his body and began staring at him with black gaping eyes and reared its head back to chomp down on his jugular, "You are one ugly motherfucker." Dark muttered before thrusting his blade into the monster's neck causing the hand to let go of him. The beast cried in agony and immediately began retreat from its near fatal wound. Dark swung his sword behind him slicing the arm in half so that it wouldn't be able to grab hold of him again, even though there were still five others surrounding him.

"The arms regenerate!" Link cried out from the sidelines, "Don't waste time trying to get rid of them!"

"I don't need your assistance Link." Dark huffed under his breath as he ran after the dead hand before it was able to withdrawal into the dirt. He stabbed it once more in the back before it completely disappeared into the ground, "Damn…" He muttered then ran to a nearby arm in hopes it would grab him again. Of course it did, and Dark awaited the beast to return with a hearty grin. Link stood by with wide eyes not able to comprehend why Dark was enjoying this.

"He's insane…" Navi grunted crossing her arms. Link couldn't help but smile as Dark began to slay the beast with ease but his grin immediately faded when Dark swung his blade to the side slicing off the dead hand's jaw and sending it sailing in Link's direction. He screamed childishly when it landed at his feet still twitching and attempting to bite.

"Don't be such a priss," Dark called over to him as he finished the dead hand off with a single thrust of his sword through one of its gaping eye sockets and out the other side of its skull. He walked over to Link swinging his sword conceitedly, "I'll let you open the chest so you can feel like you did something." He joked, patting Link on the back as he walked past. Link frowned but walked over towards the wooden chest that would reveal a useful piece of treasure. He kicked it open stylishly and bent over to retrieve the item but shot up instantly when he heard a high pitch whistle from behind him. He turned around to see Dark leaning against the wall giving him a wink. Link blushed profusely and shooed a hand at Dark.

"Ignore him Link… he's such a pervert!" Navi squealed sticking out her tongue. Link quickly reached inside the chest and pulled out a pair of boots that had golden wings jutting from the sides. He looked curiously at them and turned to show them to Dark who only shrugged in return.

"Well they aren't very attractive, that's for sure." Dark replied, giving the boots a once over, "Try getting a hot date while wearing those bad boys. Try them on. Maybe you can make them look sexy." Link chuckled lightly then began switching shoes. After he had gotten them on he looked at Dark and showed them off by tapping and kicking his feet back and forth.

"Well?" He asked as he modeled the goofy looking attire.

"Eh, sorry. They're still hideous." Dark responded, "So… what do they do?" Link began to walk forwards and noticed immediately that he had no traction whatsoever. It felt as though the ground was so slick he was sliding across with every step. Link started to attempt to run and remained in place for a couple of seconds until he took off gliding across the floor. In an attempt to regain his balance he fell clumsily to his bottom. Dark started to laugh and Navi shot him a glare.

"I think they're hover boots, Link." Navi stated, "Perhaps you need them to cross that large chasm in the main room." Link nodded thoughtfully while still sitting on the floor.

"I didn't see a target on the other side… so I suppose that I won't be able to use my hookshot." He replied with a hand to his chin, "How are we supposed to get Dark across?"

Dark instantly stopped laughing and his face fell.

"I guess we'll have to leave him here." Navi purred, shrugging casually.

"Hmm," Dark thought aloud, "I have an idea." He picked up the wooden chest and carried it above his head.

"What are you doing?" Link asked with a confused expression, "How is that going to—

"Do not question me hero." Dark answered walking towards the now unlocked door. The pair returned to the main area with the large bird statue surrounded by the skull pillars. Dark set down the chest and watched Link walk up to the sculpture and trace a finger delicately across an inscription along the lever located at the base.

"Make my beak face the skull of truth." Link stated, "That is what is says." He whooped out his ancient sheikan treasure and spied through its magical glass. He gasped in surprise when he noticed that all of the skulls but one, were merely illusions and disappeared when viewed through the lens of truth, "Alright I suppose we need to push this thing to face that skull." He said pointing to the one on the far left.

"We?" Dark groaned while sitting on top of the wooden chest he'd dragged from the dead hand's room, "You push it. I just slayed a beast, or better yet… get Navi to push it." He finished with a hearty laugh. Link and Navi only scowled back at him in return, "I'm kidding! Geeze, this temple has got you both stressed the fuck out."

"I don't know about you but being surrounded by the living dead and lost souls in a dark temple tainted with ancient history's blood… doesn't necessarily perk me up." Link sneered as he began to push the lever with Dark's aid. Once the bird was facing the correct direction, the door on the other side of the bottomless trench slid open.

"Okay Link, it's time to see what those boots can really do." Dark said urging for him to cross. Link's face went white and he stammered to respond as he gazed over the edge at complete darkness, "Oh come on Link! What's the matter? Have faith in the boots."

"I just… I don't know how long they will keep me levitated…" Link sputtered.

"I'll gladly try them out first." Dark suggested but Link disagreed.

"No! I'll do it…" Link didn't want to seem weak or afraid. He was getting annoyed of Dark's sense of fearlessness and bravery. He took a deep breath and stepped away from the ledge a few yards so he could build up traction before he floated across.

"Oh wait, take this with you." Dark replied handing him the chest.

"Dark!" Link cried, "I'm nervous enough as it is, I don't want to take anything with me! I don't even know why you are dragging that thing around."

"Because once you get across I can use you're longshot and hook it to the chest. I don't want you to risk tossing those boots across and possibly losing them forever." Dark replied.

"I don't know…" Link muttered eyeing the large chest.

"Fine! I'll toss it to you once you're on the other side, but if you don't catch it we're going to have to come up with another plan." Dark answered digging through Link's belongings for the longshot. Once he'd found it he gave Link a push forwards sending him sailing towards the edge. He stumbled to regain composure and began running as fast as he could amongst midair and towards the door. The feeling of empty space beneath his feet freaked him out and he could feel himself starting to give way as if he were about to fall. Just as he was about to reach the platform he dropped and grabbed the ledge just in time to pull himself up. His heart skipped a beat and he turned to face Dark with wide eyes.

"See! What would have happened if I tried carrying that huge chest across! You could have got me killed!" Link screamed backing as far away from the edge as possible.

"Don't ever do that again!" Navi squealed from behind him.

"Chill out you Nancy!" Dark called after him, "I knew you would make it." He picked up the chest and tossed it with all his might across the gap. Link's nerves were too wrecked to actually catch it but it landed right at his feet seemingly unharmed, "Sit on it so it won't budge." Dark ordered. Link did as he was told and Dark used the longshot to pull himself across. He gave Link a huge grin and a pat on the back, "I knew that would work! I'm so smart." He praised himself jutting a thumb to his chest.

The next room consisted of a single beamos that was easily destroyed with a bomb or two. The walls were composed of bones from the remains of skeletons trapped here. Link shuddered, disgusted with the sight and immediately tried bombing the wall to the left but was surprised when the bomb flew right through to the other side and realized that it was another illusion. He pulled out the lens of truth and noticed both the left and right wall were fakes but the one in front was not. The two men went through the left wall first and found themselves in a room with two large reaper statues with large scythes spinning in a clockwise motion. Link noticed the room was full of silver rupees, knowing it was a puzzle.

"Look, free money!" Dark exclaimed running towards a rupee.

"Not technically, Dark." Link replied dodging the blades to get to the silver jewels, "You have to retrieve them all for something to happen… maybe one of these gates will rise up. I think I see a chest behind it." Dark's jaw dropped as he reached for a rupee and it vanished from his touch.

"What a jip! What happens to them? They just disappear?" Dark asked waving his hands in the air as if it would make the rupee reappear. Link stopped and thought on this for a while before shrugging.

"You know… I'm not really sure. I've never questioned it before…" Link replied. He noticed the last rupee was suspended in the air and he pulled out the lens to see a platform and a target. He pulled himself up with the hookshot to retrieve it and heard the gate slide open revealing the chest. Dark ran over, opening it and pulled out a small key.

"Good job, buddy! Let's go!" He replied running towards the entry door. He passed a narrow hall way to his right and saw the same strange painting at the end. He decided to shrug it off and investigate later. They entered the other false wall across from the room they were just in and went through the next door, not even flinching when it locked shut behind them. Inside were two gibdos which were much like redeads except more aesthetically pleasing because their putrid and decayed skin was covered with layers and layers of cloth wrapping. The pair defeated a gibdo each revealing the compass. Link raised an eyebrow that he'd found the compass before the map and realized he must have missed it a while back. He decided not worry about it. It was a long time since he'd played these temples by the rules.

They bombed the final wall and walked through the locked door using the key they'd received from the previous room. There was a long hallway that curved off to the right. As they were walking through Link heard a slight creaking sound coming from above them and noticed a shadow on the ground. He glanced up to see a skulltula and before he could think to kill it he noticed a long chain shoot from its chamber and dismember the enemy above. He glanced over to Dark who was aiming the longshot he'd yet to return to Link in his grasp.

"I got your back." He said smiling wildly and continuing to walk forward killing the many skulltulas along the way. The hall curved to the left and then again to the right, revealing a corridor of a series of guillotines slicing downwards from the ceiling. The two boys took turns running underneath the blades quickly, being extra careful so they would not get decapitated. After they exited this hallway of death they came across a very large room with more platforms, more guillotines, and even more danger.

"Listen! Watch out for the shadows of monsters that hang from the ceiling…" Navi warned before they walked out into the open. Dark looked to Link as if to ask what she was talking about and he simply replied, "Floor masters." He didn't ask for details but if he saw a shadow under his feet he knew that it would be a bad thing. They hopped across the platforms and dodged the blades making sure not to fall off the edge to a horrible demise. Link didn't know what was scarier, falling to your death, or falling for the rest of eternity. There never seemed to be an end to these large trenches and chasms. It was as if the darkness consumed everything below. Once they'd reached the last platform a Stalfos dropped down from above ready to attack. Dark and Link drew their swords and easily took on the challenger. However instead of actually killing the warrior they knocked him off the edge on accident, letting him fall to his doom below.

"That works too…" Dark shrugged and pointed to a distant platform to the left, "Pull out your magnifying glass!"

"Lens of Truth!" Link retorted pulling it from his pouch and gazing through. Sure enough there were even more invisible platforms leading to a door, "I think you should stay here. I don't know if you can jump across the platforms without these boots."

"And let a floor master attack me? I don't think so." Dark replied, "Let's see you walk across first and I'll see for myself." Link crossed to the first platform and Dark looked towards him suspiciously and then ran forward to hopefully land on something he wasn't even able to see. He landed on a surface and looked down at the seemingly empty space underneath his feet, "Look Link, I'm levitating!" He announced triumphantly.

"It looks like your standing on a platform to me." Link replied as he looked through the purple glass.

"You're no fun." Dark frowned as he followed Link across to the door. Inside was an empty room… too empty. Once again Link pulled out his magical device and saw the same large stone reapers with their sickles, swinging them in a clockwise motion. Dark grabbed the lens out of his grasp and peered through it. He smiled and ran out into the middle of the room and jumped onto one of the spinning blades sitting cross-legged on the large flat surface, "See. Now you don't have to constantly look through that piece of junk. If you're too close or too far from me, you're probably going to get cut in two." Dark stated as he spun slowly around the room as if he were on a ride. Link couldn't help but laugh at how silly Dark looked floating in midair and spinning in circles. He proceeded to kill the enemies here from keese to what Dark referred to as a 'giant slug' which was actually a Like-Like. After the enemies were slain a gate opened revealing a golden skulltula and two treasure chests that didn't contain anything of importance. Link frowned thinking they'd simply wasted their time.

They returned to the previous room and to the platform where they'd defeated the Stalfos. They continued on, coming across a whole new world of sick and twisted dangerous rooms that Link had never encountered before; such as a falling ceiling with many rows of deadly spikes jutting from the bottom to a hallway of many blowing fans. This area was especially difficult for Dark to go through considering he didn't have the hover boots to help aid him. They came across many redeads which Link left Dark to defeat with ease and at times Navi would cringe from the many spirits trying to make contact with them in certain rooms. Link knew when one of these wandering souls would speak to her because he'd feel an icy chill in his bones and a swift breeze blow through his hair. Dark would notice too; however, unlike Link he was more intrigued than bothered.

Eventually the two heroes found their way to a flowing river full of dark and murky water. It just so happened to be a dock and there was a large and malicious looking ship parked in its bay. After fulfilling a few tasks to be able to even reach the boat they boarded and noticed a large triforce imprinted on the wooden deck of the ship. Link knew from past experience that any triforce meant he needed to play Zelda's lullaby. After playing the Hyrule Family's melody the ship started to set sail.

A/N: Sorry I cut off here! I'm leaving and it's almost 8 pages long so… I figured this can ease your pain until tonight. ;) Hee hee just kidding. Love you guys!