Chapter 8

Link

He snapped his body around as soon as the scream was heard. The world was no longer in its dream-like state, instead having moonlight reflecting off pools of water and the elegant blade that rested there, and shadows darkening the soft grass and trees.

Link quickly found the source of the scream: Zelda. She was backed up against a massive tree root, and in front of her was a wild boar. The animal, though, was clearly not normal. It was nearly twice the size of a Goron, with massive tusks gleaming wickedly in the moon's rays. Its eyes were blood red and filled with surging hatred, and the odd substance from his nightmares surrounded it in a haze.

It started to move towards Zelda, and he panicked. "HEY!" The boar slowly turned.

"Stay away from her, bacon-breath!" Clearly, the monster did not find the insult amusing, lowering its head and charging towards him. He waited... waited... dodged to the side, easily avoiding the massive pig. He raced over to Zelda and tried to pull her out of sight. "C'MON! Zel, we gotta go!"

She didn't move, Shaking, staring and frozen in fear. Link picked her up, bridal-style, and moved her out of sight, behind a massive tree root. He gave her his jacket; her teeth were chattering (From cold? Or fear?). He went out again, and distracted the beast from Zelda's hiding spot by running around it.

Tendrils of the burning mist radiated out, grabbing at him. He managed to dodge most, but two wrapped around his bare arm and throat, burning his skin black. Link screamed, the pain overwhelming, feeling like every wound he'd ever had was reopened. He unsteadily stumbled back, tried to get away again. But the boar slammed him roughly against yet another large root, piercing his side with its razor tusk. Blood seeped out of the wound, and the burning substance from the boar entered his body.

Out of the corner of his fading vision, he saw a flash of gold. Z-zel... no... HIDE! With a shout, she threw a sharp rock in its face. It snorted in anger before lumbering around to face her, leaving Link to crumple to the ground. She tried to dodge the same way he had, but the boar had learned its lesson. It swung its snout, causing her to fly backwards, slamming into the base of the incredibly-sized tree.

A feral snarl echoed through the grove, and it took Link a moment to recognize that it belonged to him. The boar didn't look back, instead opting to begin another charge towards Zelda. NO! Link shakily scrambled towards the monster and leapt at it, pulling himself onto its back. The awful mist swirled around and seemed to be scorching his innards when he inhaled. His mind and heart racing, he wrapped his hands around the base of a tusk, and with all his might, wrenched the pig's head back.

What he did not expect was for the tusk to snap away. The monster screamed in that bestial way, throwing its head back, trying to buck him off. Before it could, Link used the last of his waning strength and plunged the broken bone into the vitals of the animal. It roared and finally managed to throw him off. He soared back, head cracking against the ground. The beast charged around mindlessly, eventually coming into contact with the bright sword he had seen earlier. It let out a final cry of pain before limply falling, shaking the ground. It dissipated into the red and black mist, floating to the sky.

Link struggled to crawl towards Zelda, his vision hazy and body sore and screaming. "Z-zel?" His voice sounded raspy, and his throat burned with coppery-tasting blood. When he reached her, he held a hand over her mouth, looking for breath. After a few terrifying seconds, a small puff of air expanded from her mouth. He nearly broke down with relief, but held himself together. We... need t' find shelter... might get cold, and somethin' else might come...

He searched the area, and quickly found a gaping hole close to the base of the tree. Struggling, gasping for air and bleeding profusely, he managed to get the two of them inside. What he saw there confused him immensely. In different offshoots of a main area, a leafy bed was prepared, dozens of mushrooms grew... and there was even an old cooking pot?

With the last of his strength, he gently placed Zelda on the bed, promptly collapsing after. It was so hard to breathe...

A slight tugging on his hand drew his attention. Link glanced over, and could only release a whimper to convey his shock. A vine was crawling up his arm, twisting around and holding him in place, not that he could move anyway. Other vines and roots were wrapping around the rest of his body at an astonishing rate. He tugged, but the fight had weakened him tremendously.

Afraid, Link looked to Zelda. She was resting, her breathing even , and none of the vines or roots were heading her way. He breathed a sigh of relief, only to find the plants curled around his throat and creeping up his jaw. At... at least she's okay. She'll be okay.

Between cracks in the armor of the moving roots and vines, an amber light began to glow. It was... peaceful. Calming. As the roots climbed to the top of his head, he let his eyes close, his last sight being his best and oldest friend.

_/|||\_

Seriously? Another dream?! The surrounding area was dark, with dust and sand shifting around. Link glanced around. What's... going on here? A few figures in black and red cloaks gathered in a circle, chatting quietly. All of a sudden, a blast of scorching wind blazed into the stone cave. The substance surrounding the boar he had fought now coalesced into a pulsing mess on the ground.

One of the people, a short man with orange hair and, oddly enough, two hats, shrieked, "MASTER! OH MASTER, THE MALICE! IT'S BACK!" From further down the cave, a tall, muscular man appeared. A boar-like mask covered his face, though his dark skin and flaming hair were visible.

"Then it is time. Perhaps it is not much, but any little bit of chaos is welcome. Maybe it will succeed where you have failed, Ghirahim."

Link shivered at the sound of the man's voice and words, but also at the knowledge that the man who tortured him was so near. "Master, it was not my fault that the plan went awry! It was the boy, the hero..." Ghirahim grew angrier as he spoke, his hands clawing into his hair, voice growing shrill and vibrating.

"Ah, yes. The supposed 'hero' incarnate," the man drawled. "How is it that you have been bested by the same child yet again?"

Ghirahim's already unusually pale face seemed to acquire even more pallor, and spluttered for a bit before falling silent. The "Master" nodded, then turned to the writhing heap on the ground. He stretched out a hand to it and began speaking in his deep voice again, and this time, though it was not in any language Link knew, he understood what was said:

"Rise, servant of darkness, bound to my will. Spread chaos! Take the form of the enemy from where your blood has originated. Destroy your reflection, this so-called 'HERO', and bring the Goddess's incarnation to me!"

With a final gesture, red, black and purple light shot from the leader's hand into the pile and swirled around and through the bubbling mass on the ground. It swirled up, creating shapes and connecting them, bit by bit. When the mist faded, Link made a choking noise. It was... him. But not. Everything was wrong. The hair was a cold white. Dead, charcoal skin, teeth reminiscent of a wild animal's. The worst part was the eyes. A stark red, they glowed like coals, an imitation of life. Yet the only thing reflected in them was pure hatred.

The man smiled. "A masterpiece. Though, I will have that Sheikah boy teach it human mannerisms and the art of disguise so we can actually imitate that child. Now, creature, go and do as you've been told."

Horrifyingly, the man's puppet swiveled its head with a cracking noise, its cold, hate-filled eyes staring directly where he was. With no warning, it lunged-

And everything went dark.