Clearer in Time

X. The Shadow of Truth (pt.III)
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Darkness. This place brought a whole new meaning to the word.

The Shadow Temple was unlike anything Link had seen, or cared to see, for that matter. The unending, labyrinthine catacombs of cold stone seemed to twist and snake further and further beneath the surface of Hyrule, taking the light with it. He carried a torch, but occasionally it would go out, and the darkness seemed to be more than a veil over his eyes. It seemed to squeeze at him, chilling the hero to the very soul. The voices of the dead screamed and moaned from the shadows, crying out in agony and malice. He wondered to himself how the Goddesses could allow such an abysmal place to exist.

In addition to the darkness of the place, were traps. Impa had been correct when she had said that the temple was different from the others. The morbid tricks of this temple were hidden by more than camouflage. Walls and floors of the place were sometimes not there at all. In it’s stead would be a horrid swinging blade, or a pit or razor sharp barbs. Were it not for the Eye of Truth, Link would surely be dead ten times over.

And then, of course, there were the monsters. Creatures that seemed to bend the laws of reality and shatter any notion of decency, yet scuttled and slithered throughout the place all the same. Link had always been courageous by nature, and not once throughout his adventure could he remember being genuinely frightened. Yet something about the Shadow Temple, something about it scared him more than he thought possible. The place filled him with a sense of dread that not even Ganon himself did.

To make matters worse, Link was alone. Impa had long since disappeared, how or when he could not say. He wondered if perhaps she had abandoned him intentionally, testing his skills by letting him quest on his own. He certainly hoped it was true. Impa was a sage. If something had happened to her… what would happen to Hyrule?

The silver lining to Link’s cloud was that he had found the large stone key. All that was left was to find the door. He had been wandering for hours, and wandered longer still in search of the padlocked stone slab.

Eventually he saw it. It was at the end of a long, narrow corridor, the lock glinting tantalizingly by his torchlight. He almost made to rush towards it, relieved to finally reach his destination. But he knew better. He closed his eyes, concentrating hard.

With his eyes shut, he looked down the corridor again, seeing things he hadn’t seen before. There was a man in front of the door. Or at least, it was shaped as a man. It was extremely tall and thin, so thin that it seemed as though it’s leathery skin was merely stretched over it’s bones. It’s head hung as if in shame. It’s arms hung limply at it’s sides, and it’s eyes were nonexistent. It’s sockets were empty and blank.

Link recognized it with a grimace. It was one of those things, the things that stood in a circle in Hyrule Castle Town Square. There was only one way to be rid of these things. No amount of arrows or magic would do it. Link drew his sword and approached cautiously.

His footsteps echoed thinly about the corridor, still much louder than he would have liked. As he approached, the gaunt, redead thing snapped it’s head up in a loud, sickening motion. It’s blank eye sockets seemed to stare. It’s mouth stretched open as it began to creep forth, gaping impossibly wide. From it’s throat came an unearthly wail, an alien sound that chilled the soul. Link froze, as he always did when he heard the sound. He couldn’t help it. His eyes were wide with fright as the thing approached, Master Sword gripped loosely in his left hand.

The thing slumped closer, it’s mouth still hanging open, looking ready to devour him. Finally Link found his courage and swung his sword at the thing’s neck. It’s head lobbed off and fell to the ground with a sickening thump. It’s body followed, also producing a resounding thud that reminded Link of rotten fruit. There was no blood as the thing died. It’s body and head seemed to just melt away.

Link released a long sigh and continued down the corridor, although a bit reluctantly. If that had been the guard, what would the monster in the room be like? Link steeled his resolve as he turned the key and opened the door.

…

As always, the door sealed shut behind him. Link surveyed the room with growing unease. The place was completely circular, the walls made of stone and bathed in a reddish light that emanated from above.

It was the floor that bothered him. It gave slightly as he trod upon it, as if he were walking atop a sheet pulled taught. The look of it, however, was horridly closer to the look of dead skin, membranous and pasty.

Link gasped as, momentarily, the crimson lighting disappeared, only to reappear a moment later. Link turned his head upwards and inspected the source of the scarlet glow.

It was a large, red circle, seemingly bulging from the darkness above. As Link watched, the light momentarily went out again. The circle blinked. It was an eye.

Link cried out as the red eye came closer out of the darkness, stopping just before the transfixed hero. It was attached to some kind of dark, insectile stalk. What that was attached to was mercifully hidden by the darkness above. From above, two more stalks descended from the shadows. At the end of them were giant hands. As Link watched, they slapped against the floor, beating it like a drum. The vibrations knocked Link to the ground.

Link drew his blade as he sat, his torch still in his right hand. One of the hands continued to beat at the flooring, jostling Link up and down. He looked just in time to see the other hand flying towards him, palm out to swat him like a bug.

Link made to roll away, but it was to late. The hand struck him full on and sent him flying through the air. He landed on the far side of the room, still sliding until he slammed hard against the wall.

He made to get up and realized that his sword was gone. He waved his torch around frantically, searching for it. It glinted brightly from the other side of the circular room. Link took three steps forward before he felt the hand upon him again. It swatted across the back off his body sending him flying once more.

Link skidded to a halt and looked ahead. The Master Sword shined in the torchlight, just feet before him. He reached out his arm, but just before he grasped it, he was pulled away, sliding backwards across the surface of the floor. He looked behind him to see one of the hands, his leg caught between it’s giant thumb and fore finger.

The hand rose into the air, bringing Link upwards, still hanging upside down. Higher and higher they climbed, the circle of the floor becoming smaller and smaller. The scarlet eye stared upwards after him.

Finally the hand stopped, and Link looked forward. Before him was the true face of the monster. In it’s incomprehensible façade, a gaping hole opened and emitted an ultimately alien and unspeakable cry. Link’s own scream was silenced under the noise of it. The monster stared at him with strange things that weren’t quite eyes.

The hand brought Link closer and closer to the indescribable face, it’s maw open, eager to devour him. With nothing left to do, Link threw the torch at one of the things that served for eyes.

The thing roared again as the small flame hit it. The hand released it’s grip and Link plummeted towards the ground. While falling, Link expertly retrieved his bow and knocked an arrow.

Below him, but coming rapidly closer as he fell, was the crimson eye. It watched him fall as he aimed and fired an arrow right into the center of it. The stalk jerked in pain and thrashed around.

Link hit the ground. The pain was minimal, but he bounced feet into the air before coming down again. Both hands were at the eye, carefully trying to remove the tiny arrow. While they were distracted, Link sprinted to the other side of the room and retrieved his sword. He looked back to see that one of the hands had finally clasped the arrow, and was in the process of pulling it free.

The arrow came it with a small, wet slurping sound. The eye looked in the hero’s direction just in time to see him jump forth and drive his blade through the arrow wound.

The thing spasmed and thrashed again, the hands pawing frantically and clumsily at it. From above, the unearthly cry resounded once more. Thick black fluid gushed in torrents from the eye, drenching Link. It smelled absolutely foul.

Finally, the eyestalk fell to the floor, growing still. It’s surface turned grayish and hard, as if to stone. The hands followed suit.

Link sighed and wiped the black stuff from the Master Sword before sheathing it. He closed his eyes and let the blue light take him away.

…

Link appeared in the Sacred Realm once again, his clothes still dripping in foul smelling pus. Impa stood before him, a smile on her face.

“You’ve done well, young Hero,” the Sheikah woman’s voice echoed through Link’s head. “The Shadow Temple is now cleansed of evil. I was confident that you would be able to handle it on your own.”

Link nodded, glad to see Impa was unharmed.

“You must return to Kakariko Village,” Impa continued. “Yet another trial awaits you.”

Before Link could ask any questions, the blue glow returned and the hero felt himself being transported back once more.

…

Dawn crept forth over Death Mountain as an unwelcome visitor marched through the gates of Kakariko.

Sheik sighed and rolled over in bed, her nude body pressing wonderfully against Malon’s. Her dreams were pleasant ones, until reality crept into them.

Sheik sniffed the air, coming out of sleep fast. It was an unmistakable smell. Smoke.

Fire.

She jumped out of bed, rapidly getting dressed. She shook Malon awake and instructed her to do the same and ask no questions.

They finished dressing and hurried out of the room, Sheik in the lead. She had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach.

…

Link hurried past the tombstones of the graveyard, sprinting for the village. He could smell it in the wind, see it in the air. Mostly he could hear it, hear the calling.

Sure enough, Link stopped at the foot of the cemetery path, looking upon the destruction in horror.

The village of Kakariko was ablaze. The rooftops of the houses were cloaked in flame, the villagers scurrying frantically about in a siege of panic.

But even above the screams of the citizens, Link could hear the bellowing cry, calling him to arms from the village square.

“COME OUT, HERO!!!” The voice cried. Unmistakable. Link came to the edge of the village square, where his adversary stood in wait. The doppelganger. The shadow warrior.

The Dark Link smiled malevolently as his eyes found the hero, looking weary and covered in black fluid. The doppelganger’s pointed fangs glinted in the light of the torch he held in his right hand, his blade shining luminously in his left.

“I’ve been waiting for you, hero,” he said devilishly, his voice carrying to Link’s ears over the cries of the villagers. Link approached the double as he spoke, drawing the Master Sword from it’s sheath, blue eyes alive with rage.

“I was beginning to think you wouldn’t show,” Dark Link mocked. “That perhaps you’d lost your nerve.” Link stopped a few feet before the double, sword and shield in hand.

“How dare you,” Link spoke quietly. At this, the double’s smile faded, his red eyes gleaming with hate.

“How Dare I!?!” Dark Link cried. “You’ve brought this upon these people! I told you I would have my vengeance! For what you did to me!” At this, he motioned at the small scar on his neck.

“My one purpose is to face you in mortal combat, and you choose to mock me?!? Leaving me alive and at your mercy!?!” Dark Link’s face trembled in rage. “I will kill you for it, hero! We will fight again, and this time, one of us shall fall.” Dark Link charged towards the hero, who stood stanced and ready to fight.

…

Sheik had Malon try to compose the villagers. She stood atop the well, calling out to them, trying to calm them. It seemed to be working, a little.

Sheik, meanwhile, was taking care of the fires. Slowly but surely, with a cast of a simple spell, the fires were diminishing. If she worked fast enough, any major damage might be avoided.

She perched upon a rooftop, ready to jump nimbly to another, when she heard the metallic clash of blade against blade. She looked down to the village square to see the battle raging below.

Link, looking absolutely filthy, held sword and shield in hand, fighting viciously against another, whom Sheik also recognized.

It was Ganondorf’s underling, the doppelganger. He, too, held a sword. In lieu of a shield, however, the double clutched a flaming torch, swinging it as if it were another blade.

Sheik stared in confusion. Wasn’t the doppelganger supposed to have died in the Water Temple?

She shook her head. It was no time to be distracted. She leapt to the next rooftop, and resumed dousing the fires.

…

Blades clashed loudly. Link slashed violently with his sword, thrusting his shield forth to parry attacks. Dark Link swung his blade and torch, matching the hero’s intensity blow for blow.

The villagers, having been rallied and called to sense by Malon, watched the battle in awe, the farm girl among them. As she watched, Sheik dropped down beside her, the fires extinguished.

The two warriors battled fiercely as the sun continued to rise. The blue morning sky was tainted with dark, billowing smoke.

Link swung his shield at the double, knocking the torch from his hand. Dark Link, in turn swung his sword towards Link’s outstretched arm. He let go of his shield to avoid getting his arms amputated. Once again, they faced each other, their blades clutched in both hands.

They charged each other, steel against steel ringing throughout the village. They pressed their swords forward with all their might, each face mirroring the loathing they felt for one another. Their arms trembled, their boots dug into the soil. That’s when Dark Link’s scowl has replaced by his trademark malevolent smirk.

“You’ve grown stronger since our last confrontation,” he said to the hero. “Your friends give you strength, no doubt.” He craned his neck forward, so that his lips were near Link’s long, elfin ear.

“Especially Sheik, I would guess.” Dark Link raised his voice, so that all the audience could hear.

“What would you say, hero,” Dark Link cried. “What would you say if I told you that I knew your beloved personally?” Link grimaced. The double was not lying. He could tell with the Eye of Truth. What was he getting at?

“I know her better than you do!” The double shouted. “I know, for example, that your precious woman in nothing more than myself. Just another of Ganondorf’s servants!”

Link’s breath hitched in his throat as the secret shouted forth from Dark Link’s mouth, the words echoing throughout the village. The hero turned his head to the crowd, Sheik’s wide, guilty eyes immediately giving him the truth. One by one, the villagers followed Link’s gaze, until everyone present was staring at the young traitor. Sheik stood unmoving, shocked both motionless and speechless. Her eyes welled with tears as her gaze met with Link’s. Even from the distance, she could see the hurt in his eyes.

With all distracted, Dark Link swept his foot at Link’s ankles, knocking him to the ground. The audience turned back with a collective gasp.

The hero lie on his back at the feet of his double, the doppelganger’s blade held above Link’s head with both hands. Dark Link’s face was a twisted portrait of malice and satisfaction.

“Goodbye, hero,” was all he said as the blade plummeted downwards. Link closed his eyes. It was not an act of resignation. In his mind’s eye, he saw the blade, saw it’s trajectory, saw what needed to be done.

Eyes still closed, Link snapped his head to the left, the rest of his body motionless. The blade came down, the tip driving through the ground and becoming stuck. Dark Link’s eyes went wide with disbelief.

In a flash Link was on his feet. He struck Dark Link with the hilt of the Master Sword, knocking him down. Once more, the dark twin was on his knees at the hero’s feet, the glimmering blade of the Master Sword held at his throat. The entire village held it’s breath in anticipation of the final blow.

Dark Link’s head was bowed, but even so, Link could see that his face was becoming streaked with tears.

“Well done, hero,” Dark Link said miserably. “You’ve bested me yet again. I only ask that you not dishonor me this time. I have nothing more to live for.” Dark Link closed his eyes and awaited the end.

Still it did not come.

He looked up into the hero’s blue eyes, and saw that, once again, Link had no intention of destroying him. His face trembled in despair.

“Don’t make me beg you, hero!” He cried. “I have failed my purpose for existing. I was created only to destroy you. I have nothing else. I don’t even have a name. If I cannot complete my duty, then I do not deserve to be. I must die. What else am I to do?”

The hero replied to him, a single word telling him what else there was to do.

“Live,” he said. Link sheathed his sword and turned away from the shadow warrior, leaving him with wide eyes and a turbulent mind.

Link approached the crowd of villagers. Malon watched him from among the crowd. He scanned the entire company, looking from one person to the next. The villagers looked around as well, all in search of the Evil King’s subordinate. But none found her.

Sheik was gone.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I'm home for the holidays, and wouldn't you know it? No internet! I finally found an internet signal to post this chapter. With that said, it might be a while for the next one. So, same routine and stuff. Read/Rate/Review. And to DTAngel, thanks for the review. I definitely had a ninja vibe in mind, but not quite so ninja-turtle-ish. : )