 |
 |
|
|
|
||||||||
New Fan Works
Old Fan Works
Zelda Series
Multimedia
Features
Interactive
Site Info
|
"Shadow: Part II", chapter 10Shadow: Part IIBy: OkichanIt was evening, the sun cast long shadows over the valley floor, the air became chilly and spirits where high. Link walked briskly from his tent, slinging his canvas bag of supplies over his shoulder. A smirk on his face as he walked along. Maliks reward money was more then enough to give him food and shelter for half a year, that is if he, mayoree and Sheik didn't run into anything unfortunate. But he didn't want to think of that now. They where leaving in a few minutes, Link walked out from behind a tent to
see Mayoree loading up her horse, her back was to him though. Links smile faded,
he suddenly remembered how he had treated her for the last few days. Link walked
quietly towards her. She was singing to her horse again. The mare nibbling grass
and flicking it's neck as she ran a brush over it's almost silver coat of fur.
When the sun sets, my dearest, sing no sad song for me, plant thou no roses at the hills, or wild red berries sweet I shall not see the shadows, I shall not feel the rain, I shall not hear the nighten gale, sing on, as if in pain. Link cleared his throat, she stopped and turned her head around briefly, looked him over and then grunted airily and began brushing again. "Where leaving in a few minutes May." Link mentioned. "I know, i'm coming. Shake just needs to be brushed." Mayoree said flatly, Link felt her hostility, gulped and managed to crack a smile. "That's a good name." Link said. Mayoree turned around and walked over to him, Link felt his face flush in embarrassment, and a little fear. Mayoree held out her hand. "What?" Link said, wondering what she was doing. "Give me my share of the money, sheiks already gotten his." She said coldly, almost expecting him to know what she meant. link nodded and handed her her own satchel of rupees. "Sheiks waiting over there with Lev, I'll be over in a second." Link started walked away, he wanted to tell her he had no interest in Kassidy what so ever, she was just a friend. Link turned around. "Mayoree." He said softly. She looked over at him, her face emotionless, but her eyes burning with that determined fire, which was filled with hate at the moment. "Kassidy, she...she and I are..." Link was interrupted by Sheiks urgent voice. "Link, Mayoree, come on!" Link hesitated, opened his mouth, but then turned and walked away. That didn't go well. her expression had turned form blank anger, to supreme anger. Link was almost knocked into a nearby tent as her horse galloped past him. "Watch it!" Mayoree yelled at him. Link sighed and got back up and straightened himself and his dropped supplies he slung back on his shoulder. He walked over to the group that was gathered around Sheik, as Mayoree butted through. People made way as they saw him. "Link!" Kassidy's voice squealed, she practically threw herself on him as she recognized him. Link pushed her back off though. And looked over to see Malik and the shady Folis, his hood over his face again standing next to Sheik. The princess hooked her arm with his and began leading him towards Malik, who smiled and shook his head. "I'm saddened to lose you Link, you would have made a good warrior for my kingdom." Link smiled back at the tall king. "I'm sorry, but my loyalty is to my homeland, Malik of North Wind." malik put a strong, almost fatherly hand on his shoulder. "I understand , i hope to see all of you again. if you need any help along your journey, contact my anytime dear Link, I'll be glade to help you in anyway you need." Sheik folded his arms. "All three of us thank you Malik, but we really must be leaving." the sheikah said, bowing respectfully to the old man, who laughed heartily, Sheiks tilted eyes filled with confusion as malik threw his arms around the Sheikah. "Of course, of course my friend, you should be off." Link started walking towards Lev, but he was suddenly stopped as Kassidy jumped in front of him. Link raised an eye brow. Kassidy narrowed her hazel eyes, then leaned over and kissed his cheek, then hugged him really, really close. Link was without words. but he couldn't push he off, though he didn't feel comfortable getting this close to her, let alone a princess he didn't know much about. "goodbye Link." She said quietly into his ear, then kissed him again on the cheek. "Bye Kassidy." Link said back as she moved back, smiling at him. Link moved quickly over to his horse and jumped on top. Looking over at
Malik, then down at Folis, who folded his arms. the three trotted off in
unisine. Link looked back, watching as Kassidy waved after him, he looked over
at Folis and wondered. Would he ever get to know the prince at all.
The streets of Haltemi where completely packed with entertainers and tourists. The Three travelers walked slowly down the main alley from the front gate as it closed noisily with a bang behind them. the Magic city was huge, and enclosed into a round walled circle of magicians, magic acts and dangerous thieves and gangs. Link had been in places like this before, this was the kind of city where you had to keep a hand on your money pouch at all times. Link watched as a few shady characters passed him by, bumping into him rudely. "There certainly are a lot of people and shops here." Mayoree mentioned, keeping her right hand securely on her bow string because of it's obvious wealth from the silver and gold it was constructed out of. "Keep your eyes open May, this kind of place is the city where someone can take everything you own and you may not even know it." "I've been around Link, I know." Mayoree answered in a low voice. "We have to find that fortune teller." Sheik said, cutting to there mission as soon as possible. All three of them looked around for a place to sit down, Link was suddenly concerned about leaving there three horses in the town stable, they where outstanding compared to the rest, but Link just smiled, remembering the last time someone who didn't know Lev even tried to get within five feet of the black stallion. "I'm hungry." Mayoree mentioned, gritting her teeth impatiently. "There's a tavern over there." Sheik said, and so they made careful progress against the crowd and finally made it inside. Link cringed at the smell of the place, smoke instantly wafted into his nose, mixed with the smell of beer and greasy food. It was incredibly noisily, the Hylian couldn't even hear himself think. They settled into a table in the corner of the room, no one really paid attention to the three. Link noticed how varied the crowds where in here, he even saw a few fishlike Zora sitting together at the bar. A couple Gerudo women and even a Goron or two spread around the room. Sheik sat down and casually took out an old looking piece of paper, and promptly unfolded it on the table. Link and Mayoree both leaned forward. "A map?" They said in unison. "I got it in Northwind, it was only a few rupees and the owner of the shop told me it was old, but still accurate." Link scanned it over a few times, he could even see the border of Hyrule where it scraps past north wind, he could see the kingdom of it and the wastelands, and even where they where currently. "It's definantly a good thing to have in a place like this." Link said, turning it around to face him. Mayoree folded her arms, her expression sour. "If you two aren't eating I'm going somewhere else, i don't have time for this." The human women got up from the table and before Link could ask her where she was going she turned around. "I'll be in the town square in a few hours." she said vaguely. Link frowned and watched as she closed the door and disappeared into the crowd outside. Sheik cleared his throat and Link looked back at him. Sheik rested his chin in his hand and stared at Link. "She's strong enough to be out on her own Link. don't worry about her." "She acts tough, but she to inexperienced." Link countered. Sheik shook his head and laughed quietly. Which made Link a little confused. He shouldn't be laughing, Link did trust her, but he just worried she would get hurt looking the way she does. Sheik turned around and signaled a wench from the bar, who came over immediately. "Can you tell my friend and I where to find the fortune teller that this place is famous for?" Sheik asked politely, the young women scratched her head. "You mean the old witch on the other side of the alley streets?" Link and sheik both looked at each other briefly and shrugged, she put her hands on her hips. "She can read any language and tell your future and past, but she charges a lot for her readings." "That's her." Link said, putting his hands behind his head and sitting back in his chair. The wench pointed to a window to the right. "she's just across the town square and own the second alley to the left, i wouldn't suggest going there unless it's for a very important reason though." She looked back and forth between both of them, then put her hands down on the table and glared at Link. "Now that i've helped you too handsome men, what will you two be having to drink tonight?" She asked persuasively. Link shrugged. "Beer I guess." "Same." Sheik said as she looked at him. She left the table and briskly walked back to the bar and filled up two foaming mugs of beer. Link sighed and leaned his head back. "Where finally going to know what exactly where doing out here." Link
massaged the bridge of his nose, Sheik shook his head, his eyes smiling. Link
was right.
The center of town was the most brilliant, lanterns hanging from posts above them as the two relatives walked along. It was the fall of night, and town was still crowded. people stirring around, and surpassingly all the shops where still open, Link wondered why, but they didn't have to much time to look around and figure out why everyone was still out. Into the alley way, where it was darker, but the lanterns outside sill pervaded a steady glow over the street. The street became narrower. Sheik looked over his shoulder at Link for a second. "You have the medallion?" He asked. link smirked and brought out the white disc from his belt pouch. Sheik nodded in confirmation. The two walked on, Link looking on both sides of the street and into house windows lit from inside by candles. Sheik stopped him. "Where here, finally." He said quietly. Link looked up at the sign above the door Sheik had stopped at. it had a picture of a sun and moon with the words, fortune tellers booth, all ethnicty's are welcome. And in smaller Hylian text it read. Any language feasible to read and explain. "This is definantly the place." Link said, his voice was hinting at disappointment, it wasn't much to look at. "Don't judge a book by it's cover my friend." Sheik advised. Link grunted as Sheik opened the door, where a warm breeze of cheap lavender perfume streamed out. Link grunted again, he wondered how transcendent this witch was going to be, if she really was at all. Sheik walked in first, pushing beads and tapestries of silk out of the way as they moved in, Link sighed, at least it was warmer then being outside. A grumble and a sharp voice stopped both of them in there tracks. "Who is zat my door?" Came a voice with a thick, northern accent Link never heard very often. "Two customers madame." Link answered, looking over sheiks shoulder into a mound of tapestries and smokey haze in front of them. "Go a'vay, i 'ave no time for customers now!" The sharp, old voice snapped again. Link cracked a smile. "We have lots of money." He said seductively. there was a long pause before the old feminine voice answered. "Bah, all-vight all-vight! come in and sit down!" "We are sorry to interrupt you great witch, but we have come far and wide for your help, we have these documents we cannot translate you see and we..." Sheik started as they began walking again, swatting tapestries away and trying to actually breath from the thick perfume in the air. "I know I know, you vant we to translate them for you. V-ight?" she continued, her voice ending sharply. "Yes, exactly." Sheik answered. the tapestries lifted in front of them by two skeleton-like hands and a warted out face, embellished with make up peered out at both at them, They both flinched visibly. The old hag smiled, and she appeared to have only a few teeth left, her old black eyes looking the two over in interest. "Come in, come in." She said in a soft, but still scratchy voice, popping back into her cove. They both lifted up the flaps and peered inside. It was amazing, the room as painted lavender and dark, crimson blue, while shelves where stacked along the walls with instruments and statues of animals like unicorns and dragon sand gargoyles. Link took a seat on a couch, and almost sank into it it was so soft, but smelled of thick perfume, which made him gag. the old witch drummed her fingers together, sitting comfortable into her chair and ruffling her flashy purple skirt. a wide, wrinkled smile creased her face. "Sooo." She said, licking her dry lips, her eyes came down to stare at the full satchel of coins in Links hands. The Hylian didn't like this hag from the start. Sheik caught her attention by slamming a huge, dusty book onto her round table that separated Link and sheik from her. She blinked twice, and sat up to look at the thing, scratching her chin and pursing her thin lips. "The book of the Sheikah. Shadow letters...hmmmm." She said. she looked suspiciously over at sheik, her returned her fierce gaze fully. "Your a native to this language, don't tell me you can't read it?" she said bluntly. Sheik folded his arms, feeling extremely insulted. "i can read some, this is an older version of my language, look inside, page five hundred and three." Sheik instructed, his eyes narrowed. The old women smiled idly again, then crackled and opened the book up slowly, dust flowing out everywhere. "Of course, of course, forgive me Sheikah, I vas careless." She apologized. Sheik relaxed a little as the room fell silent. her black eyes widened and her scratched her scalp, her wire like white hair becoming even more outrageous then it was before. "ah-ha!" She said, popping her head up and looking at the wall. Both of them leaned forward, anxious. She narrowed her beady eyes in thought. "I need money, i cannot seem to remember hat this phrase means." "NOW. you haven't given us any information!" Link said, throwing his hands into the air. the old witch tasked him solely, shaking her head. "And this comment coming from a bull grown man veering a skirt!" "It's a tunic!" Link yelled. Sheik rolled his eyes and quickly handed the lady a few coins, which she fingered greedily. Link crossed his arms and glared at the old lady, who crackled and went back to her reading. a few more seconds passed by. "You two visa to find the six dark medallions? V-ight?" Her face went into deep thought as they both nodded. Link still glaring at her, his face blushing. "It say's zhat zhese medallions 'ave there own unique power, and only the six sages of darkness come unlock zhem." she began. Sheik looked over at Link, persuading him to give her the medallion he had in his right hand, Link did so. The old women picked up the thing, examining it. "Zhis vone 'as the power of zee icy blizzard. Vhere did you get zhis?" She asked. "Up in the southeastern mountain range." Link grumbled She leaned across the table. "From the crimson dragon of vire?" She gasped. Link nodded. "Brave brave people you are, very brave." She sat back, letting out a puff of air. she looked back into the book, then up at Sheik again. "You 'ave seen zhese pictures v-ight?" She asked. Sheik nodded again. She motioned for both of them to lean over the table. Link looked onto the page, where there where six medallions, all lined into a circular form, each had a uniquely shaped hole in the middle, and a different color. "See zis v-one?" she asked softly. she tapped her finger onto a purple medallion on the bottom part of the page. "Zhis is zee dark medallion of spirit." She said in a low voice. "it 'as za power to manipulate the mind and body of others to ones liking or disliking." They both frowned. "The medallions of the sacred realm didn't have any powers." Link mentioned, a little baffled that these had there own unique energies and powers. "Zhat is because these are more powerful zhan zee ones of zee sacred realm." She said darkly. "Zhese medallions have the powers of the dark parts of zhere elements, they are dark, not light." Sheik nodded at her explanation. "Please, go on." He insisted. She narrowed her eyes in thought again, scratching her chin, Sheik gave her a few more coins and she continued. "I say's here that only the one can bring these six powers together. the power of the fire, ice, water. Which are the three elementals. and the spite, spirit, and the darkness. which are the three spirituals medallions." she took a breath. "These are the ampending forces of the dark realm, which come from the voids in space and the sacred realm to suck the life ever so slowly from our world." Sheik gasped. "you mean these are hundreds of years old?" "Yes, i'm afraid they may even be thousands, just waiting for this, 'one' to show it's self so they can do there work and start sucking the pure energy from our world." She lay back in her seat. "Oh my, this is very serious, with those clouds and strange occurrences of monsters everywhere it makes sense." She jumped up from her seat and grabbed a small pot with a lid from her shelf, then removed the lid and started shaking the stuff all around. Link coughed and gagged as the potent, fowl tasting white power got into his eyes and nose. "What in Nayru's name are you doing?" Link yelled, trying to shake the stuff off his head. "Demon repelling powder, keeps demons away from my house!" She said flatly, repositioning it on the shelf again. Link spat out a whole bunch of it. "Tastes horrible." Link said, brushing it from his teary eyes. "Please continue." Sheik insisted, not phased by it from the protection it had over his nose and mouth, the odd women sat down again. "It seems that these medallions are placed in locations in the eastern and western parts of our world, but It only says you will find them with the sages that can weld there destructive and dark power." She took another breath of air, and coughed once. "And so It seems you must find these discs and bring them together in the temple of black hour...that's all it reads." She stopped and sat back down. "So that's what we have to do, just like the six medallions of the sacred realm, we have to bring these together in this place to find out what the shadow is." Link said, he suddenly felt a headache coming on. Sheik stood up as well as Link, who was still clutching his satchel of money, the old women cleared her throat very, very loudly. Link looked over his shoulder, the old hag held out her hand. "Vour-hundred rupees please." she said casually. Links jaw dropped open in horror. "I'm not giving you that much, you barely skimmed over the information." Sheik jabbed him hard in the ribs. "We know what where doing now Link, just pay the old hag and lets leave."
sheik sounded like he had said that threw gritted teeth. Link wasn't about to
argue with the look Sheik was giving him at that moment and reached in and threw
the gems onto the table, which the old lady cackled and greedily hocked into a
pile, laughing and sniggering until they both left and the door closed. Link was
happy to breath fresh, cool air once more.
Link and sheik walked slowly back from the alley, Link stopped off and got a Danish and started eating it greedily, his attitude sour. "I can't believe she charged us four-hundred rupees, that's outrageous!" Link growled. sticking a piece of the pastry into his mouth. "We know what where doing now Link, we have to find all six of those medallions and find the temple she was talking about, and then maybe we can figure out what happened to Zelda, and where she is." Sheiks voice trailed off and it was silent, just the sound of Link chewing, he looked over at sheik, who had his eyes lowered. Link put a sticky hand on his shoulder. "It wasn't your fault Sheik, don't blame yourself for what happened." Link said softly. Sheik looked over at his cousin, his eyes glistening with that intelligence and unafraid stare. Link smirked and put the last piece of it in his mouth. "I'm sure she's all right Sheik, where ever she went, you know Zelda." Link stopped and straightened his back, sticking his nose into the air in a cheap imagination. "Link, you will go to deliver this message to Lon Lon ranch and like it! Understood." He turned his mocking gaze on sheik. His voice was high and snobby. "And you Sheik, since your my guardian slave, make me breakfast and do my work for me!" Link imitated, poking Sheiks shoulder. The Sheikah looked a little baffled, but then Link saw his eyes smile and he snickered a little. Link shrugged. "By the way, where's May? isn't she suppose to be in the town square?" Sheik let out a sigh. "Yes, we should go and look for her." Sheik said, he sounded a little better now as he started moving again. Link followed him into the middle of the street, out from the dark alley. there was noise everywhere, and a huge crowd had gathered around something, talking over the desert flute music being played somewhere in the background. link and sheik pushed there way threw, trying to see what all the commission was about. suddenly, somewhere in the center a pillar of white flame shot into the air, and cheers arose around the people around the two as they looked for there companion. Link stood on his tip toes, she must be here somewhere, he thought. And sure enough she was close to the front of the line, her unmistakable long and wavy auburn hair catching the light as another pillar of flame shot up from the center of the circle of the audience. She was facing away from them though, watching the show. Link looked back at Sheik. "She's over there, towards the front." Sheik nodded and they continued to push through the pack of people until link stood right next to her, and put a gentle hand on her shoulder, which she shrugged off. "This guys a real fire jumper." She said. Link was interested, a real mage, and a fire one at that! Sheik took a position on the other side of Mayoree and crossed his arms. Links eyes drew to the center of the circle. where a man stood in a black cloaked costume with a bright, extravagant mask on of a goblin with it's tongue sticking out and horns. Link felt a sudden blast of deja-vu. He twirled his fingers and spun around in a circle, people clapped as embers popped and crackled front his fingers. and with a shout he opened his palm and out shot another pillar of flame, which was followed by many cheers and clapping. Link studied the masked mage closely, he could have sworn on Dins grave he had seen him somewhere. The man bowed and then revealed a red stick, which Link then found out was a wand as he shouted yet again and a spiral of magical orange light whirled around him, which he put his fingers through and finally made his way towards Links side of the circle, his masked eyes peering out at none other then Mayoree. he came up and blew the hot, magic air onto her face. She grunted at the pathetic pass he just made at her. " He's been eyeing me the whole show." She whispered as he danced away again. Link looked down at her briefly, but made no comment for the fear se would snap at him again. He lifted his attention back to the middle of the circle, where the man had taken his position. "ladies, and gentlemen! I ask for you all to gather round for my final spell of the night." He paused and looked around dramatically, link noticed his thick english accent. "He's a bluff, I can tell." Sheik said quietly enough that Mayoree and Link looked over at him, then nodded in agreement. He continued, walking in a circle with his hands at his back. "This spell is one of the highest ones a mage like myself can perform. concentration and quiet is what I need from all of you, and a few generous donations as well." He added in thickly. a few gold coins flew near his feet from a few directions in the audience. He bowed and scooped a few up and into his money pouch. "Thank you my public, it is you who make me who I am today, and so, without further interruption I present, my finale!" He struck a pose and cheers deafened the scene as fire shot from his extended wand in bursts. Link shook his head. This guy was more of a cheap, and manipulating trickster then the fire jumper that he claimed to be. and the ironic thing was, Link had just gotten here and noticed that. The man started chanting, swooping his wand around with a florid motion, his
head bowed. The chanted repeated and came louder.
Toccatas hero gornoda ferina, mafa, labaro zeteni!
"Clank!" A loud sound of something dropping pierced the silence as the mage shot his wand out in from of him, but nothing happened. The mage just stood there for a second, then there came a murmur of disapproval as the crowds booed and moved away. "Wait!' He shouted, waving his arms at the people as they moved away, Link held in his laughter, this guy was a total moron! "I cast a wrong spell, and didn't have the strength to fulfill it, please! Come back!" he pleaded pathetically. He then turned back, looking to Mayoree Link and Sheik as the three just stood there, all three with fierce stares and crossed arms. The mage ran and picked a round, red thing off of the ground and grumbling and whimpering he began walking away. He walked past the three and right into a dark alley "I take it his career is failing?" Mayoree said bluntly. Both Link and Sheik nodded in unison. "I wonder what that thing was he dropped?" Link asked abruptly. sheik shrugged, but had a curious look in his eyes. "A charm perhaps." He suggested. Links brow frowned, he was confused, and curious also. the thing looked like a small red disc. even though the odds where against them, Link thought silently, he turned to Sheik, who seemed to have the same idea. could it be... another medallion. and so soon. Link thought to himself. they where in luck once again! "I'm going to follow him." Sheik said suddenly, and began walking towards the dark alley, just as the mages black cape disappeared into the darkness. Link and Mayoree soon followed Sheiks lead, both knew that an ironic situation was probably about to unfold. |