In the depths of the night, I awoke from a slight breeze on my face, the fire at its last breath. In the thick haze, I seemed to make out Dark's figure descending the mountain, heading directly toward one of the ominous chasms that plagued the land of Hyrule. To my surprise, I watched him disappear, as if he willingly dove into the abyss of Tobios' Hollow chasm.
A strange enchantment seemed to grip me, rendering me immobile and unable to follow. Overwhelmed by a strange drowsiness, I found myself compelled to lie back down and surrender to sleep's embrace. Uncertain whether it was a dream or a reality my eyes had witnessed, I succumbed to the mysterious forces that held sway over me.
After a few hours had elapsed, I emerged from the shelter, my eyes scanning the surroundings in search of a familiar presence. The cloudy sky emitting an eerie hue as the air grew heavy with a dense fog combined with the silence weighting on the mountain created a disturbing sensation. As I ventured a short distance downhill from the campsite, I discovered him completely engrossed in sharpening his sickle. The grating sound assaulted my eardrums, adding to the strange atmosphere thereby amplifying the sense of discomfort.
I cautiously approached Dark, his back facing me, the unease in my gut growing stronger with each step. His intense focus and the unnerving sound created a sinister ambience, as if the act of sharpening the farming tool held a deeper significance. Despite his investment in the task at hand, Dark's fatigued form betrayed his stern and unyielding expression. His body slouched slightly forward, his eyes fixating on a distant point.
It is only as I approached him that I registered the scene that stood before me. The ground was littered with the lifeless bodies of countless monsters, their grotesque forms twisted and mangled. Heads were severed from their torsos and limbs torn apart, forming a macabre painting of death.
The air was thick with the metallic stench of blood as it was splattered everywhere, a sickening aroma that mingled with the putrid scent of decaying flesh. Puddles of blood pooled around the dismembered remains, glistening ominously in the overcast daylight. It dripped from Dark's weapon, staining his hands and garments, an unforgettable mark of his violent deeds. The scene was a morbid symphony of horror, a symphony conducted by Dark himself. A mix of repulsion and fascination overwhelmed me while I observed the sight.
As I stood there, paralyzed by the disturbing spectacle, the reality of Dark's nature sank in. He was a force of merciless destruction, a killer driven by a primal hunger for battle and dominance. The monsters, once menacing adversaries, now laid defeated, their lives snuffed out without mercy. It was as if a whirlwind of savagery had swept through, leaving behind a trail of carnage and desolation.
In an instant, the lifeless corpses vanished, leaving no trace behind. It was as if the gruesome image had never existed, dissipating into thin air. The gravity of what I had just seen washed over me, filling me with a sense of dread and foreboding. I had unintentionally stumbled upon a haunting vision, a glimpse into Dark's true power and the horrors he was capable of committing, the enormity of it all sending shivers down my spine.
"Finally, you're awake," he remarked, shattering the oppressive silence. There was a brief moment where he continued with his task, as if the previous events had never occurred. However, abruptly, he ceased sharpening his tool, the sound of the final stroke reverberating in the air. Rising to his feet, he stretched his body with a deep, satisfying exhale before pivoting to meet my gaze. A brief pause ensued, during which he appeared to scan me intently. Fatigue may have clouded my perception, or perhaps it was a trick of the light, but it seemed as though his complexion had lightened, the previous charcoal hue fading away. It felt as though I was in the presence of a different person entirely, though his piercing ruby eyes remained unchanged. His expression was unreadable, devoid of his usual air of arrogance and self-assurance.
"We have to move", he started. "I'm being followed".
I hesitated before asking, "By who?" He looked at me, appearing drained. Briefly, he shut his eyes, releasing a profound exhale.
"Do I need to confide in you or something? Did you forget the truce we made? I spared your life, and in return, you lead the way to retrieve my sword, nothing else," he replied, his tone filled with annoyance.
I did my best to conceal my emotions, though anger surged within me, causing my eyes to narrow in response. But I remained silent, aware that I was conversing with a killer. Involuntarily, I glanced at his bloodstained arms, the sight evoking a visceral reaction within me, prompting a slight contortion of my face. The evident contrast between the crimson blood and his skin served as undeniable evidence of the change in his complexion. Noticing the direction of my gaze, his eyes briefly flickered towards his bloody hands.
"Consider this, I saved your life too. If I hadn't intervened, you would have been devoured in your sleep," he remarked, his tone devoid of remorse. I contemplated his words as he walked toward me. Standing a head taller than me, his presence loomed over me, forcing me to look up to meet his eyes.
"Where is the sanctuary?" he finally asked.
I looked at him with a stern gaze, but the intensity of his stare became overwhelming. His eyes, tinged with red, matched the blood on his hands, reminding me of the horrifying scene I had witnessed moments ago. I wrapped my arms around myself, seeking comfort.
"It's west from here, northwest of that lake over there, Lake Hylia," I pointed toward a large body of water not far from the mountains. "It is situated on the Great Plateau," I added.
He nodded before concluding, "I need to clean up, so we can make a stop along the way."
With that settled, we packed our bags and began our descent down the mountain. The image of the scene I had just witnessed lingered persistently in my mind, an enigmatic puzzle that demanded answers. Why would someone possessing the ability to take down an entire clan be so desperate to retrieve a mere sword? And what sinister purpose did he have in mind once he got ahold of it? A chilling thought seeped into my consciousness – was I unwittingly adventuring alongside a reincarnation of the infamous Demon King, Ganondorf?
Rumours from the bygone Era of the Wilds whispered that Ganondorf's malevolence had never truly vanished from the lands, but had instead transformed into an ethereal embodiment of pure malice, roaming the depths of the world. This notion explained the ever-present blood moon, causing a continuous surge of monsters roaming the land, and gloom that seemed to blanket the kingdom, as if the lingering fury of the Demon King continued to haunt the realm, fuelling a perpetual horror. With Dark's formidable strength and unyielding resilience, he seemed to fit the profile of a warrior destined for war, a harbinger of calamity. My heart pounded with angst, for if the rumours held even a shred of truth, our journey together could be far more perilous than I had ever anticipated. The weight of that realization settled heavily upon my shoulders, and I knew that unraveling the mysteries of Dark's true identity and intentions would be critical to my survival.
Once again, we proceeded in silence, our footsteps resonating through the serene surroundings. As we continued our hike, the landscape transformed, revealing an area densely populated with trees along the path of the Squabble River. I watched as Dark grabbed a low-hanging branch, plucking an apple from its bough. To my surprise, he turned slightly towards me, his eyes locking with mine, and then he tossed the apple in my direction. A flicker of recognition crossed my face as I caught it, my fingers wrapping around the firm fruit.
He then proceeded to grab another apple for himself. It struck me as an unusual and unexpected act of selflessness from someone who had thus far exuded an air of heartless detachment. For a brief moment, I glimpsed a different facet of Dark, a side that seemed to defy the perception of him being a heartless killer. At that moment, I realized that perhaps he wasn't as one-dimensional as I had thought. There was more to him than met the eye, layers of complexity hidden beneath his formidable exterior.
We eventually reached a lake that I recognized as Deya Lake judging from all the ruins scattered around. The water level was low, but the area teemed with vibrant aquatic life, with various creatures roaming the surroundings.
As I observed Dark quickly dropping his gear and beginning to undress, a momentary fluster overcame me. His rugged physique, adorned with scars and bruises, held a certain allure that I couldn't deny. Despite knowing the truth about his dark nature, there was something strangely captivating about his appearance. In the right light, one might mistake his handsome features for those of a noble knight, a deception that contrasted sharply with the reality of his identity. I quickly averted my gaze to provide him some semblance of privacy, not wanting to intrude on his personal moment.
The idea of washing up myself became appealing, so I searched for a more secluded spot nearby. I needed time alone to collect my thoughts and reflect on the events of the day. The constant tension and danger we faced had taken a toll on my nerves, and the sound of running water from the nearby river seemed inviting.
I settled nearby, carefully removing my own gear and setting it aside before wading into the cool water. The sensation was refreshing, washing away the grime and weariness that clung to me.
After cleaning myself, I emerged from the water, my undershirt clinging to my waist and my blond hair dripping down my back. As I made my way towards my bag, I noticed a figure in the distance watching me from the corner of my eye. It was Dark. I wondered how long he had been there, silently observing me. I kept my eyes fixed on him, slowly reaching for my clothes. His intense stare remained unyielding until he finally averted his gaze, as if the act had required great effort.