The Legend of Link: Ocarina of Time—Part 3
Chapter 18: Shadow Rises
A/N: I love this chapter! The last two just don't flow well. This one does. =) Part Three will be the best I think. I've been planning ideas for these chapters for months now. =) Anyway, thanks to all reviewers! And special thanks to Kuradokian Princess, Skywalker05, Smea, "Bob", LastSheikah, Narquelie, Cozzy, Winged Knight, Melissa Ocean, JT_Slayer, SROA, Katie and all her friends, Nekomoongirl, Atagirl, Author Keysoonaer, Bobby Joe, Moogle Mc.Moogle, Autumn Belle, and Lady Suneidesis. (It can make an author's day just to hear those six simple words: You are a very talented writer. Thanks!) =) Ok, so here we go. Part Three, Chapter 18. Enjoy! =)
P.S. For anyone who cares, I went back and edited the first 17 chapters. If you spot an error please tell me! Thanks! =)
Link was walking through Kakariko Village under a warm, sunny sky. People were cheering and waving as he passed by.
Crowd of Random Peoples: The Hero! Save us, and all of Hyrule!
Link (waving back): Yes, yes, I am cool. Don't worry, I'm gonna show Ganon who's boss!
Suddenly, the bright afternoon sky grew dark. Grey clouds blocked out the sun…all seemed as if night had fallen. Then, out of the dark depths of Kakariko's well came a Shadow, glowing with an eerie purple, which grew in darkness and stature as it flooded forth from the small well. Link stared in horror as the Shadow towered over him. He drew his sword and prepared himself as the Shadow Monster charged towards him with an anger that seemed to make even the air around it cower with fear. Link sent the Master Sword swishing through the air as the Shadow Creature came within range. The Darkness met the Blade's shining edge and at the impact, the Blade fell from link's hand and shattered into dozens of shards. Link stared in disbelief as the Blade of Evil's Bane, and his only defense, melted into the grass that was back as charcoal from the presence of the Shadow Terror. Then the Darkness grabbed him, sucking the very life and heart from Link…Dark Link's words rang in his mind: "You are no Hero"…he felt his breath leave him; he was dying…then…
Link: Ahhhhhhh!!!!!!!
Link bolted upright, panting. What a weird dream! And it all seemed so real too…the Shadow…his sword…
Link: Man, I need some bacon!
Link started up a fire with his new Fire Arrows and began to cook some bacon over it.
Link: Hey! How'd I get Fire Arrows?!? And don't you dare say game programming!
Narrator: Ok then! Virtual reality configuration.
Link (giving the Narrator an evil look): I hate you.
Narrator: Hey! You can't hate me! I'm the narrator! I can make you do stuff!
Link: Oh yeah? Like what!?!
Narrator: Like this!
Link starts running around in little circles on all fours, barking like a dog.
Narrator: Buhahahaha!!!
Navi smelt the smoke from the burning bacon and woke up.
Navi: AHHHH!!!!!!!! FIRE!!!!!! Link! WAKE UP!!!!!
She sees him running around in circles.
Navi: Have you been fighting with the Narrator again?
Link: Yeah.
Link stops running around and sits up like normal.
Navi: What are you doing with a fire at this hour anyway?!?
Link: Cooking bacon. Want some?
Navi: No.
Link: Well you can't have any so ha!
Navi: I don't even want any, stupid.
Link: Oh…(energetically) Ok!
Navi: Well you'd better get back to bed. We have a long walk tomorrow. I think we'll head to Kakariko to see if anyone there knows about the Sages…or anything that might help us.
Link (not energetically): Fine.
In the morning, Link and Navi set off to the Village of Kakariko. It was a bright morning, with little clouds and a lot of sun: the perfect day for anything. They arrived at the village that afternoon. As they approached the entrance to Kakariko, they could smell smoke in the air. As they rounded the corner they beheld the village…on fire.
Link: WHOA!!! What the?!?
Many of the buildings were in flames. The people were hiding nearby. Link noticed one person near the center of the village and headed towards him, hoping he knew what was going on. As he came close he recognized him. It was Sheik.
Link: Hey Sheik! What happened here?
Sheik was silent. He stood looking down into a stone well in the center of the village. Link remembered where he had seen that before…in that dream he had had the previous night.
Sheik: Get back Link.
At those words, Link could feel an evil presence fill the room. The sky darkened. It was an eerie feeling to Link…almost as if his dream was becoming true. Then Link witnessed as an invisible evil grabbed Sheik off his feet, shook him about, and then tossed him through the air. He landed hard against the grass behind Link. Link ran over to Sheik and bent over him, hoping he wasn't seriously hurt.
Link: Sheik! Get up!
The evil flooded into the village, spreading fear and darkness into the hearts of all. Night fell. Then the invisible evil took visible form as it morphed into a shadow…the same as the one in Link's dream. The inhabitants of Kakariko fled, screaming in fear. The shadow, as if it had an objective, ignored the cries of the people and gave its attention only to one person; Link. It began to charge at Link with an alarming speed. Link, remembering his dream, kept the Master Sword in its scabbard, fearing that it might be harmed. Instead, he hid behind his shield and braced himself as the shadow collided with it. At that moment, Link's mind went blank and he fainted.
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Link (drowsily): Owwww…what happened?
Sheik: Looks like you're finally coming around.
Link: What was that thing?
Sheik's face becomes grim.
Sheik: That was an ancient creature that is more evil, more terrible than even Ganon himself. It is the sole cause of the terror that lies in this land. There is no single name for it. It is a shape-shifter; one who takes on multiple appearances. It never keeps a solitary shape for more than it needs to. The Sage of Shadow sealed it up long ago, in this very place; Kakariko Well. Now that it has arisen again, she has returned to the Shadow Temple to capture it once more. Link, this task is beyond her capabilities. She will need help. I would go myself, but it is not my choice. The Hero must go.
Link: I'm not very sure that I am the Hero…
Sheik looks at Link, confused at this statement.
Sheik: Why would you say that? You carry the Master Sword. That is proof enough.
Link: But how can I help if even the Shadow Sage can't do anything?!?
Sheik: There is an item that rests in the well. But it is unattainable at the current time. If you use the power of the Master Sword along with the Ocarina of Time, you can return to a time when the item is within reach.
Link: So, I should go back in time?
Sheik: Exactly. Before you leave, though, learn this tune, the song that will lead you to the place where even shadow flees in terror: the Nocturne of Shadow.
Sheik played the song and Link followed it.
Sheik: Good luck Link. We shall meet again.
And Sheik, as always, disappeared in a flash of light.
Navi: Well, we'd better do as he said.
Link: Yeah…
Link arrived at the Temple of Time later that day. He came up to the Pedestal where the Blade of Evil's Bane rested before he had pulled it out seven years ago. He brought out the Sword, and thrust it into the stone.
(Seven years previous…)
Link: It feels great to be cute. Everything is lighter, happier, and the humor returns!
Navi: Uh huh.
Link: Plus!
Navi: Stop it! Go to Kakariko!
Link: Oh fine.
Link and Navi headed for Kakariko Well. Once there though, they found it filled with water.
Link: It's ok! I have those boots and the tunic!
Navi: They only fit adults!
Link: Oh…now what?!?
Navi: I dunno.
Creepy Guy: HEY!!! ASK ME!!!!
Link: AH!!! NOT YOU!!!…Who are you?
Creepy Guy: Ummm…Creepy Guy?
Link: Oh. Ok, what do we do Creepy Guy?
Creepy Guy: Well, I heard that the well's water level was regulated by the windmill up there. You should check it out.
Link (energetically): Ok!
Link climbed the stairs and entered the door of the windmill that overshadowed the whole village. Inside he saw the same man who was there seven years in the future. He was spinning a music box quite quickly. But unlike in the future, he was kind faced and friendly. Link went up to him.
Link: Hi!
Guy: Hai!
Link: Whatcha doing?
Guy: Playing music. What about you?
Link: Ummm…playing music!
Link pulled out his ocarina and started to play the song that this same guy had taught him seven years in the future. All of a sudden a storm started up and the wind made the windmill go faster and faster. Eventually, the speed of the windmill drained the well and Link could now enter it.
Guy: Huh? What's happening?!?
Link: Uhhhh…bye Guy!
Link headed back down to the well and climbed down the ladder that was conveniently placed there. Down at the Bottom of the Well he found a long, dark tunnel. Dark and damp; the most unpleasant place you could think of. Link stared at the tunnel in disgust, reluctant to enter it.
Link: I have to go in there!?!?!
Navi: Yeah.
Link: Great.
He unwillingly walked into the cramped tunnel. Inside it was worse than he could ever have imagined. On the outside, all he could discern was the smell and darkness of the Well. Inside, the Well was a house of horror. There were rotting carcasses on the floor, skeletons hung from the ceiling, and splattered on the walls was the blood of those who's lives were taken in the shadow of the Well. Link stared in horror, wondering what he had gotten himself into. Even Navi for once felt like turning around. But they had to go in. Link walked warily past the corpses and bloodstained walls and arrived at the end of the corridor. He found himself facing a wall, with no other way around it.
Link: So, what now. I can't go through walls!
Navi: Maybe you can blow it up?
Link pulled out a bomb and tossed it at the wall. The bomb collided with it then vanished.
Link: Wha? Where'd it go?!?
He went over to the wall and pressed up against it. He went through it!
Link: Whoa!
Navi: LINK!!! Where'd you go?!?
Link: I'm right here! The wall is a fake!
Navi fluttered through the wall and came next to Link.
Link: Well, that's strange. I don't like this place. Let's get that item and get outta here!
Navi: For once, I agree with you.
Even though Link had drained it, the Well's floor was still ankle high in water, which was so dirty and disgusting that it seemed black, and in some places there were even pools of the liquid. As they explored the Well, a few of the many horrible things they noticed were the walls that were made from human skulls, the bars that kept terrible monsters behind them, and, most frightening to Link, the hideous faces engraved in the walls that reminded him of the Fire Temple's faces. Link ran past them and kept on jogging till he reached a symbol that rested in the ground. He had seen it before in happier places: the symbol of the Triforce. He came up to it and faced the statue that was in the wall directly in front of the symbol. It was disgusting to behold, with bulging eyes and a forked tongue, and it had two claws outstretched towards the Triforce before it, as a sign of evil's desire for it. But most obvious of all was the water, almost black with the filth of the Well that was coming forth from the mouth of the hideous statue, as if it was putting forth its evil vomit out into the Well. Link, bearer of the Blade of Evil's Bane; the Hero of Time, faced it without fear, even though he was without the Blade as a child. For the symbol that rested on the ground reminded him of all the happy places he had visited in his travels; of Kakariko overhead and all its happy villagers; of Hyrule Town Market; of Lon Lon Ranch; of the Castle, and of Zelda; and most of all, of Kokiri Forest and his friends there. And those thoughts gave him hope; hope for him and all of Hyrule. Now as he stood before the creature with his Ocarina to his lips it seemed to dwindle before him. As the Ocarina of Time played the tune of Zelda's Lullaby, the stone creature almost seemed to be in agony, and the black vomit emitting from its mouth slowed then came to a complete stop as the song came to its end. Now Link was free to explore the Well to its fullest. Many of the places had been opened and even the evil seemed to have fled with the water. Link wandered around the Well some more until he stumbled into a hole that was disguised as the floor. As he got up from his fall he found himself in a lower floor of the Well. It was dark and damp and glowed with an eerie light that came from a pool of green acid in the middle of the room. As Link looked for a way out he came to a long, winding tunnel. At the end of the tunnel he saw five tall figures, all in pink dresses, and a sixth figure wearing a dress, who looked different from the rest. The five were discernable as Re-deads, but the sixth was…
Link: Smeagol?!?!?!?
Smeagol: Yes, Precioussssss?
Link: What are you doing here?!?!? And why are you wearing that dress?!?
Smeagol: Well, we wanted to hang out with out friends, Precioussss, so we put on the dress. Then we got hungry and tried to catch juicy fish in the green pond, but it BURNS USSSSS, PRECIOUSSSS!!!!!!!!!
Link: That's not water, Smeagol. That's acid.
Smeagol: ACID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????????!!!!!!!!!! ACKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!! Bad acid, Preciousssss!!! Very bad indeed!
Link: And plus, you're in the wrong story. So bye!
Smeagol: NO PRECIOUSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!- *pop*
Link: Ok…that was strange.
Ned (in his REALLY shrill voice): Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!!!
Link: AHHHHHH!!!!!!!
Link pulled out his sword instantly and slashed at Ned's arm. It fell to the ground.
Ned: Aw man! My arm fell off again!
Link went crazy, slashing and hacking at the Re-deads and eventually, one of them gave up.
Sean: Ummm…I'm dead!
He fell to the ground. The other four came over and stood around his body.
Ned: Poor, poor Sean. Let's give him a proper burial.
They all fold their hands…at least, the ones who have two.
Ned: Dearly beloved dudes in pink dresses; we are gathered here today to grieve for the loss of one whom was very dear to us. Let us bow our heads in prayer for a moment.
As they lower their heads they see one of the Re-deads crouching near Sean's body.
Ned: Earl! What are you doing?!?
Earl looks up at them with a moth full of Sean.
Earl: I was hungry!
Ned: Oh well.
They all crouch down and take turns stuffing pieces of Sean into their mouths.
Link: Ok, that's just sick and wrong.
Link spots a chest and hurriedly opens it to receive…
Music: Du da da duuuuuuuuu!!!!!
Link: YAY! A magnifying glass!
Navi: That's not a magnifying glass! That's the Lens of Truth! You can see the truth with it!
Link looks through it.
Link: WHOA! X-ray vision! Hey Navi, you're empty inside! That means you've got no brains!
Navi starts to boil over.
Link: Ok, I'mouttahere!
He pockets it and runs off to find the exit to this…horrible place…and to get away from Navi! He finds a ladder and climbs up it. Eventually, he finds his way back to the fake wall and uses the Lens of Truth to reveal that there is no wall there. He walks through and gets outside of the Well.
Link: Yay! Sunlight!
Smeagol: NOOOOO!!!!! THE YELLOW FACE, PRECIOUSSSSS!!!!!!
Link: Smeagol! Get outta here!
Smeagol: *pop*
Navi: Now that we have the item, lets go to the Temple!
Link (energetically): Ok!
So Link heads to Hyrule Town Market and eventually arrives at the Temple of Time and goes up to the Pedestal of Time. He sees the Master Sword in the stone and places two hands around the hilt. He swiftly pulls it out of the stone and is transported to seven years in the future…
END OF CHAPTER