Chapter 16: Shadows Through Time

Ashwin was enjoying his victory march through Hyrule field. He had achieved the objectives Zelda had set out for him, and was now on the way back to report his success. The dirt path to the City of Hyrule was well trodden between the tall grasses that were yellowing from the hot summer days. A few individual trees stood among the wild brush filled with chirping crickets.

By now, he was completely dry in the afternoon sun. After plunging into the waters of the Great Fairy Fountain, he found himself washed up on the shores of Lake Hylia. Now that he had both the sacred seeds as well as the enchanted water, all that remained was to return to Zelda and Impa at the city of Hyrule.

During his walk, Ashwin wondered what happened to Shadow Ashwin. Did he manage to escape his grasp again? This loose end made Ashwin very uneasy.

Ashwin noticed some movement by one of the solitary trees. It was a deku scrub. This was the first creature from Hyrule that Ashwin came across when it took his soccer ball. Now being more familiar with Hyrule, he was able to identify it, with its branches for limbs and a leafy bush covering its head. It was unusual to find one this far from Kokiri Forest. As Ashwin passed by it, he noticed it was holding something. It was Ashwin's ball! It must be the same deku scrub he encountered earlier.

The ball seemed so unimportant now, and yet, Ashwin felt that it somehow connected him to home. He decided to retrieve it from the deku scrub. Leaving the path, he stalked it through the thick brush. The deku scrub spotted him now, and started moving away from him. Ashwin pounced, managing to get a hold of one of its branches.

Suddenly, Ashwin felt a sharp pain in his neck. He lost the strength to hold on to the deku scrub. He heard some rustling behind him and realized there are more deku scrubs here. His vision blurred and the overwhelming urge to sleep overtook him.

Ashwin awoke, lying in the dense grass under the tree that was protecting him from the hot, noon-day sun. How long was he out for? As he sat up, he felt his neck for the needle that pricked him. He removed the dart from his neck. It must have been some kind of blow dart the deku scrubs attacked him with. Ashwin stood up and examined himself. The Master Sword and Hylian shield were still strapped to his back. He still had the leather pouch of sacred seeds and the vial of enchanted water. Ashwin let out a sigh of relief. Apparently the deku scrubs just wanted Ashwin's soccer ball.

Upon reaching the city gates, the Hylian guards seemed confused to see him. They told him the princess was waiting for him at the Temple of Time. Ashwin wasn't sure what was going on, but this made him nervous. He pushed his way through the noisy crowds and made his way directly to the temple.

Ashwin arrived at the large, stone structure with its massive bell towers. He ascended the steps and passed by the guards posted at the entrance. They stared at him but didn't give him any trouble as he walked in through the huge, open wooden doors.

The noisy chatter of the crowds outside was in stark contrast to the serene atmosphere inside the temple. The choir was in attendance, up in the balcony, with their hoods over their heads, chanting the song of time. On the altar, stood Shadow Ashwin! He was covered in swirling white light, holding the Triforce which was glowing bright yellow. Zelda was standing near the base of the altar, beside the aisle, holding the Triforce of Wisdom, also dazzling with magic power.

What is going on? Shadow Ashwin must have impersonated him and tricked Zelda into sending him back through time. Ashwin's mind raced with the thought of Shadow Ashwin re-writing the past and the havoc he could cause.

Ashwin noticed that Shadow Ashwin was holding the Master Sword. How was this possible? Ashwin unsheathed the Master Sword from behind the shield on his back. How could there be two?

Ashwin had to act quickly before Shadow Ashwin disappeared. He marched up the aisle with his sword and shield in hand. This was now his third encounter with Shadow Ashwin and he was determined that there would not be a fourth.

"Ashwin, stop!" Zelda pleaded with him. She looked the same as the last time he saw her, in her white dress with pink detail.

Ashwin halted in his tracks to face Zelda. She did not seem to be phased by seeing both Ashwins. Ashwin couldn't figure out what was happening. It seemed like some kind of bad dream.

"Please, come and place your hand on the Triforce of Wisdom with me." Zelda remained perfectly calm. She showed none of the urgency that Ashwin felt.

He approached Zelda and reached for the solid gold triangle in her hands. When his hand made contact with the Triforce of Wisdom, everything changed.

Ashwin was back in the Farore Temple again. This time, he was not there physically, only in his mind, while still standing there in the Temple of Time with Zelda. There were two other Ashwins there, in the dark, dilapidated temple, and he was a third, not quite anywhere, but experiencing everything all at once. The two physical Ashwins each stood atop one of the two triangular pyramids. One of them had just defeated a Stalfos and climbed to the top to retrieve his prize, the Triforce of Courage. The other had just been transported there from the Temple of Time, on a quest to collect the sacred seeds and enchanted water. Ashwin watched as each of them ran out of the temple, one at a time, one chasing the other, the other chasing a memory.

Ashwin felt as if he could see all of Hyrule. One of the Ashwins went back to the Kokiri village to search for others of the Triforce, while the other Ashwin travelled, in vain, to Hyrule Castle in search of Princess Zelda. These visions appeared to Ashwin like flashes. He could see through entire days in a matter of seconds. One Ashwin journeyed to the Great Deku Tree, in great haste, to be the first one there, but nobody else was coming. After the confrontation with the Kokiri in the village, one Ashwin drew his sword and made a hasty retreat. It was no wonder the Kokiri reacted so strongly when they saw the other Ashwin, who himself was forced to flee.

Now one was racing towards the Water Temple, the other one, hot on his tail. The Zoras were watching as one of them entered the temple shortly after Ganon. This is why they were so hostile when they saw Ashwin again at Zora's River. They were quite surprised when he was able to hold his breath for so long and pass through the entrance to the Water Temple. Both of these Ashwins were able to pass through the Water Temple door because both of them had the one and only true Triforce of Courage. Zelda and the Great Deku Tree were right, there were only three. By the time they met in the temple, they had both been expecting to face their imposter, and battle ensued. One, having the Master sword he brought with him from the future, overpowered the one with the Kokiri sword. The victor managed to reach the Great Fairy Fountain before Ganon, the other was only there in time to see ruins.

One of the Ashwins hastened with Zelda to defeat Ganon at the Great Deku Tree. The other headed straight for the Temple of Time, but was delayed by some unwitting deku scrubs. Eventually, both of them converged upon the temple at almost the same time. Then, by the power of the Temple of Time, one Ashwin became the other. The other, who would go on to receive these visions from the Triforce of Wisdom, let go of this Triforce.

The choir finished their chant and the temple was silent. The altar was empty. There was only one Ashwin. There was always only one. Like a single thread woven in and out of the fabric of time, appearing as multiple stitches, Ashwin had been chasing his own shadow through time. There was no Shadow Ashwin, he had only encountered his future self, and then his past self. Throughout his journey, Ashwin had come up with various interpretations of the Great Deku Tree's cryptic prophecies. This time, thanks to the Triforce of Wisdom, he finally understood. "You are your own greatest enemy."