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Aside from an occasional chirp of a bird, the vast field of Hyrule remained quiet and free of life. This however, did not stop a boy and his horse from scanning the entire region. Near a year ago, this boy, Link, fulfilled his destiny as Evil’s Bane by killing the Great King of Evil, Ganondorf; a man who had threatened Hyrule time and time again, trapping the land in a realm of Twilight and unleashing the creatures of the realm, Shadow Beings, upon the Hyrulians.
Though their master had been defeated and their realm no longer contained Hyrule, these Shadow Beings still ravaged the land, and it was Link’s duty to slay them. However, he was just one boy of sixteen years, Hyrule was an enormous terrain, and the Shadow beings were extraordinary at “hide-and-seek.”
“See anything girl?” Link whispered to Epona. The horse, in response, trotted over to a pond and leaned down for a drink. “I’ll take that as a ‘no’,” Link reasoned as he dismounted. “Don’t worry, we’re nearly done,” he stated, reassuring himself, more than his horse.
The King of Hyrule, the father of Link’s future bride, Princess Zelda, had assigned him this mission. “I want all these devilish creatures destroyed by the time of your seventeenth birthday,” the king had said, “Only then, will you be allowed to wed my daughter.” That was about a week ago and Link’s birthday was tomorrow!
“It’s just not fair…” Link complained to himself as he washed his face and hands. “I took the risk…I killed Ganondorf…I had to watch Midna…” He let his sentence remain unfinished.
Midna, the only occupant of the Twilight Realm who called herself Link’s ally, nearly sacrificed her existence to save Link and Zelda from Ganondorf’s wrath. In the end, this mischievous imp turned out to be the Twilight Realm’s ruler. Zelda may have been the most gorgeous human Link had ever laid eyes on, but the Twilight Princess was-
“Stop thinking of her!” Link commanded himself, shaking Midna’s image from his mind. “We live in different regions and she destroyed the only thing that connected the two! Besides…I have Zelda now…”
A gentle gust began to pick up causing Link’s green cap to sway, and as he reached into the pond again, he noticed a glint on the water’s surface. Thinking it was just a trick of light reflected from his shield, he leaned closer to it, catching a glimpse of menacing crimson eyes peering down at him and swiftly vanish. Mechanically clutching the handle of his sword, Link whirled around just in time to observe whoever-or whatever-it was camouflage itself within the southern forest.
“So that’s where the little devils are hiding….” Without wasting any time, Link leapt onto Epona and unsheathed his blade. The horse reared back and preformed a skillful twirl on her hind legs and bolted towards the woods the instant her forefeet touched the ground.
***
He knew not what happened, nor how, but Link soon found himself waking on the forest floor, encircled by a horde of Shadow Beings. He sprang to his feet and, though unarmed, readied himself to destroy as many Shadow Beings as he was able before facing his premature demise. However, to his surprise-and immense relief-the Shadow Beings did not attack, nor did they make any motion that they were about to. Instead, they opened up a path upon which Link was forced to walk down by the Shadow Creatures to his rear. The hallway of Shadow Beings appeared infinite; Link had never seen so many creatures in one place. When he finally reached the end of his “stroll” Link found his sword and shield waiting for him inside a circle of Shadow Beings large enough for a duel. Link feared he knew what was taking place. Had Ganondorf returned?
“Take your weapons,” a harsh, yet quiet voice commanded.
Hesitant at first, Link slowly approached his weapons. It’s a trap, he thought, I has to be…
He sprang at his weapons and in one rapid motion seized them in a combat stance. He rotated around, trying to keep all the Shadow Beings in view; he wasn’t going down without a struggle.
“Relax,” the voice said, “Your fight is with me not them.”
The voice frightened Link. It wasn’t as menacing as Ganondorf’s speech, yet it had an air of evil to it that even the Great King of Evil couldn’t compare to!
“Show yourself then! If you want a fight I’ll gladly give you one!”
“Very well.”
With lightning fast speed, a blade that closely resembled Link’s flew out of the darkness, giving Link barely enough time to block it. At last he could see whom the voice belonged to, yet the moment he saw the face, he instantly regretted it.
“That’s not possible,” Link said in horror.
Link’s shadow smirked as it leaned closer, peering into Link’s eyes with the same eyes Link saw at the pond. “So your seventeenth birthday is tomorrow, huh?” Dark Link asked mockingly. “I’ll be sure to enjoy it for you!”
Dark Link swung his shield towards Link’s head, forcing the latter to perform a backwards somersault. When Link looked back towards his shadow, it had vanished. He ran into the center of the ring and shouted, “How’d you now it was my birthday tomorrow?”
“No need to yell,” Dark Link whispered in his ear.
Shocked for just a moment, Link plunged his sword behind him into what would have been his shadow’s gut, had it not suddenly appeared directly in front of him.
“I know because that’s when I was born before. Your ancestor’s seventeenth birthday…I failed last time, but I’ve improved since then…”
“Failed at what?” Link yelled as he locked blades with his shadow again.
“Taking his body,” Dark Link said, exerted enough force on his sword to knock Link back. “Yours will be much easier to obtain…”
Link narrowed his eyes. “Don’t sound so cocky!”
The two Links lunged at each other again. This time, only one remained standing…
***
Back at Hyrule Castle, Zelda and her father waited anxiously for Link’s return. His birthday was almost over, and if he did not return, he would be forever banished from the land. Finally, just as the moon was reaching it’s highest point a messenger approached the king. “He’s back.”
Zelda immediately sprinted down the stairs, a feat rather difficult to perform in her dress, and opened the castle doors for her beloved. “Link!” She cried throwing her arms around him. “I was so worried when Epona came back and you didn’t!”
Link smiled at her and kissed her on the lips. “I ran into some trouble…but I found the last of the Shadow Beings and slaughtered them all.”
Zelda smiled back at him and tears started to form in her eyes. She pressed up against him and whispered, “Now we will have father’s consent…I was so worried…”
He stroked her long brown hair. “Don’t worry Zelda…everything will be fine from now on.” He grinned as his eyes flickered red and then back to blue. “Just fine….