In a Mirror Darkly

Prologue:

I opened my eyes, 'Who am I? Where am I? …What am I?'"

I was sitting back against a tree on a small island in the middle of a shallow lake, looking around I can see the water end in bright white fog, I was alone.

I then turned my attention inward, I ran my hands over my body, taking in my muscular arms and chest, taught wiry legs and butt, the pointed ears…

That last stops me short as I checking that I'm still male, 'was I male before? Was there even a 'before'?', I am and seem to be hung like a horse, 'whatever a horse is', I pull my hands away and hurry over to the water's edge. I knelt at the edge and leaned out.

The face looking back at me was alien yet also familiar, a thin face with sharp cheekbones and skin so pale I thought I hadn't seen much sunlight. Straight lack hair hung loosely down to my shoulder blades, mostly tucked under a black hood. It's my eyes that are most striking though, a dark grey that contrasts my pale skin, but as I turn my head slightly to look on my pointed ears, I see that in the right light my eyes seem to turn blood red.

I stand up and look at my clothes, I'm wearing a black wool tunic over chain mail, splint mail over my arm with a layered leather backed pauldron on the left shoulder, white breeches, black leather boots and black fingerless gloves, on my back is a three foot hexagonal shield and a scabbard for a broadsword (Thorin's sword and shield during the Moria flashback in the hobbit: unexpected Journey) angled to be drawn by the right hand.

I look up from my reflection and started looking around, I guess I should find my way out.

I must have spent hours searching, trying to escape, but I never went beyond a certain distance from the island.

I was tired of trying as I finally turned back, when I reached the island I leant back against the tree and decided to just wait.

I don't know how long I was there, I must have fallen into a trance, but I was woken by a disturbance in the water, ripples from footsteps.

I look up to see a figure dressed like me, but in a Kokiri green tunic and hood and no mail.

As if sensing my movement, they turned around, I blink in surprise.

They're almost identical to me: a few inches shorter, blonde hair, ocean blue eyes that sparkle like diamonds, a healthier but still pale skin colour, slender build with a narrower waist, wider hips relative to the waist and much softer facial features.

A little ball of blue light zips out of the figure's hood, spirals up around their head and hovers, looking at me. It then zips over and inspects me, I crane my neck to follow it.

But as I look down my eyes are drawn to the figure, to their eyes… a mirror image of my own bar the colour… this person is my mirror image… or is it I who is the mirror?

But as their eyes drop from the fairy to mine I see red, before I know what I'm doing, I've drawn my sword and shield, I fail to notice my opposite's eyes widen at the Ancient crest upon it, it's just a worn engraving to me…

"Watch Out!"

I glance up to the fairy, which has turned bright yellow and is now hovering over my head, I turn back to find my mirror has drawn their sword in their left hand and holds a small kite shield bearing the Hylian Knight's crest in her right… great, a cack handed swordsman, this will be fun…

They attack first, a running jump followed by a vertical swing, I deflect it with my shield with ease and slam the aged steel into their back, the motions woven into my limbs and their memory, I swing diagonally and lash out with the edge of my shield as my blade is blocked, forcing them to duck, they stab in response and I jump atop the blade, for a moment the world is still as I stand there, grinning at the wide eyed shock in their eyes, I leap off and kick up sand as a warning…

I've learned three things from this duel:

One, my skill is borrowed from my counterpart, when I'm not using unconventional attacks we're evenly matched, mirroring and countering our attacks in perfect synchronisation.

Two, both of us are a perfect mirror of the other, besides our differed styles neither of us has an advantage.

Three, we both have inhuman stamina; I think at least one God is leaning on this fight.

I duck under the spring loaded grappling iron again and toss a knife in response, my last, heading off their next attack.

That damned Fairy is still hovering over my head, occasionally shouting "Conquer Yourself!" so I'm meant to be this kid's reflection? I'm starting to think it might be bad even if I win.

I notice their getting tired, making mistakes, but then again, so am I, we've been at this over an hour, probably longer.

They stab at me again, this time I duck aside, earning a frightened "eep!" From the Fairy, I trap her sword arm against my body then bring my shield between our bodies; I then draw it up harshly, tearing their tunic.

The shield connecting with the side of my head forces me back, releasing them, I stop as I look up, staring in shock.

Hanging out of the turn tunic are large, firm, pale breasts capped in pebble sized rosy pink nipples with half inch areolas, the evidence of bindings hanging in severed strips underneath the torn tunic, I feel my cheeks heat up as my eyes rise from the two perfect D-cups… 'D-cup? What does that mean?' …to her eyes, in which shame and anger are clearly aimed at me.

"You're a girl?" I exclaim in surprise, her cheeks redden further but her glare intensifies.

She uses my hesitation to draw out a large heavy Hammer, my eyes widen in fear as I see the magic woven into the metal, like layers in a cliff face.

My hesitation cost me, I barely had time to raise my shield before the blow came, a swing across my chest that sent my shield flying and broke my left arm as the straps bent it unnaturally before giving way.

The second blow was a straight poke to my gut, followed by a right-to-left swing that sent my blade from my hand to land point down in the shallows.

I dodge another swing, then duck past, ignoring the agony in my arm, and reclaim my sword, I spin around and swing, sensing her behind me, but agony erupts in my chest.

I glance down to see her sword piercing my chest, in that moment my body becomes hyper-sensitive, I feel my heart frantically beat around the blade impaling it, once… twice…

Then nothing…

I slowly look up, even as I feel the strength leaving my body, my eyes come level to hers, glancing up from the blood that now flows along her blade.

Anger, revulsion, satisfaction, horror…

Regret.

"Well done," I managed to say around the blood choking my throat.

As though this flips a switch, she twists the sword in my chest and pulls it out.

I stumble back, one step… two steps…

Then my right leg crumples under me, I fall back into the water and start to sink as my vision fades, the last thing I see is her eyes. But it's not the last thing I know, just as the darkness claims me, something wraps around my waist.

"This is Not your Grave!"

A/N: I won't be showing Skyrim directly, but Dark Link will be favoured by some of the Daedra and there will be a few flashbacks, likely nightmares, as he and Link journey through Termina, which will help Link understand her counterpart.