The Story of a Shadow
Chapter XIII
Compilations and a lot of talking





     Link had lead everyone to the outskirts of Gerudo Valley, where the different races of Hyrule met to devise a plan to attack the Sea Pirate that had taken over their home. Zoras, Gerudo, Gorons, and Hylians stood in a circle around a large bond fire. In the middle was Link, drawing with his finger In the dirt, a plan.
     “This’ll never work!” Shouted a Zora soldier and a few other Zoras mumbled agreements.
     “It’ll work.” Said Link with unfailing confidence. Dark had to admit. It was a good idea. But, how long would it take? He looked up at the pale moon. It was so close to being full that you really couldn’t tell the difference. He sighed a saddened sigh and Malon, who was standing next to him, drew her attention from Link to the distressed shadow.
     “Are you okay?” he face was filled with concern. Dark smiled a reassuring smile
     “Fine.” He pretended to concentrate on Link and she seemed to buy it.
     “So it’s settled?” Said Link, after a few minutes of reassuring the small troop he had gathered. There was a roar of battle cry’s and Link looked satisfied with the reaction.
     “Good. We will review the plan tomorrow, get some sleep and go for it the next day.”
     “Wait!” Dark’s voice raised above the murmur of the crowd. “Why do we waist time? Let us attack tomorrow!” The crowd went with the energy Dark was putting off and cheered. But Link was not so convinced. He walked over to Dark and pulled him away from the crowd. Then he whispered
     “Shadow, we are to weak to attack so soon. We need to get our strength up, then we will attack.”
     Dark was frustrated and he clenched his teeth. “I don’t have time for that.” He said, pointing to the almost full moon. Link looked up at the sky, then back at Dark. His face was stale and unconcerned
     “Yeah? So?”
   “SO?! So! I don’t HAVE until then,” He was having a hard time keeping his voice down, and Link put a finger to gesture to be quiet. “You know how long I have.”
     “Yes, I do.” Link looked at his hands, cleaning his nails with his thumb nail
     “Listen to me!” He hissed “Why are you doing this? I can’t help you if I’m dead.” Link looked back up at the shadow, he seemed to blend with the night.
     “How do I know your not going to betray us once we get inside?”
     “BETRAY?!” Link hushed him again. “Betray? I just almost died trying to save your butts!”
    “But! This wouldn’t even be happening if you hadn’t brought them here in the first place.”
    “Well if you didn’t sentence me to exile!”  
    “You were the one who wanted to go in the first place!” Dark said nothing and Link smiled that he had won the argument, until he noticed the eerie silence in the camp. Dark and Link looked at the group staring at them in awe. Except a Sheikin clothed Zelda, who was just shaking her head. Dark felt his cheeks burn and wondered if the red could be seen from his shadowy skin tone.
     “Link, who is this? He looks just like you!” The voice came from a Goron who’s name was also Link. Dark had remembered him from when Gannon had ordered him to imprison all the Gorons to be fed as sacrifices to the mighty Dragon, Volvagia. Dark was relieved that the tiny Goron would not remember him. The crowd of warriors started to get louder with agreements
     “He does look like Link!” came some voices.
     “Why you can almost see through him! What kind of devil creature is this.” came another. Dark could feel his face burn more, but he did not know if it was from embarrassment or anger. But he felt the rage of their eager judgments.
    “everyone!” Said Link, silencing the crowd. “This is a demon from another realm, he is from a parallel dimension. He is me, sorta.” There was gasps from the crowd and Dark was slightly amused at Link’s quick thinking. “But he has turned from his evil ways to help us in this fight.”
     While Link explained and answered questions, Dark drifted his gaze until he saw Malon, who was starring at him with wide sea blue eyes. Dark guessed she was remembering their conversation in the dungeon.  
    “And!” Announced Link when everybody was satisfied with his answers. “There’s been a change of plans! We fight tomorrow!” The crowd roared and Link waved them back into silence. “Lets get some sleep, people.”  
   When the crowd of warriors wondered off to find spots to sleep, Dark began to look for Link. He wanted nothing more then to find Malon and talk to her, but he knew there was something he needed to do. He found Link walking over to Zelda, and yanked him away, behind a boulder, out of public sight.
    “What now.” Said Link, looking over to where Zelda was sitting.
    “I need to tell you something!” Dark made Link look away from Zelda and back on him. Link looked at his shadow, waiting for an explanation.
     “I just…I wanted to thank you.”
     “Ok.” And Link began to walk away.
     “Hey!” He shouted, and ran to catch him, grabbing his arm. “I’m trying to be nice to you, doesn’t that mean something?”
    Link turned around to face Dark, his face was hard. “Listen, shadow.” He said in his no nonsense tone “I don’t want you here. I want nothing more then for you to get out of my life. And I can’t wait until tomorrow night. Get it?”     
    Dark was deeply confused. “No, I don’t. First you rescue me, then you let me fight, and now your being a fool and a pompous ass. What do you have against me?”
     “Everything!” He hissed as he throw up his arms. “I never intended to rescue you! That was all Zelda’s idea. And The only reason I said to attack tomorrow is that you could be of SOME help!” Dark was silent and Link stared at him for a moment then turned to leave. Then Dark spoke
     “You know what your problem is?” He said. Link did not turn around but he stopped moving and Dark knew he was listening.
     “Your so caught up in the self righteousness of YOU, that you can’t admit that I’m what you are capable of.” Link did not move an inch and Dark could not tell what Link was thinking. Then he began to walk again and Dark let him go.
     
     Instead of going back to camp, Dark sat on a ledge, looking out at Hyrule field. He stared at the moon. The clouds gently brushed across it’s pale splendor and slowly faded or passed away. He thought about Link. Really, he respected Link. The hero had beaten him while he himself was at the height of strength, and he did not kill Dark even when he could have without having a single soul know. He sighed heavily, there was just no changing Link.
      “He still has a lot of growing up to do, just like you.” Dark turned around to see Malon looking at him. Her eyes were so soft and full of a wisdom that Dark knew he would never understand.
     “Malon! I didn’t see you there.” She walked up to him
    “May I?” She asked, gesturing to sit down. Dark nodded and scooted over. She sat down with he legs over the ledge like Dark’s and swung them back and forth. Crickets chirped in the silence of the night and for a moment Dark could not look at Malon.
     “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you, Dark, about what you said before.” She said, breaking the silence. Dark could only shrug
     “So you’re Link’s opposite?”
Dark grunted a little “Not really, mostly just his leftovers.”
     “Oh.” Her voice was quiet.  Dark chuckled and Malon looked at him like he was crazy.
     “Yeah I guess that doesn’t make me prince charming.” Malon grew sad and looked at him with worry.
     “You really do look like a shadow of Link. I never realized it before, but I can practically see right through you.” Dark chuckled again
     “Kind of evil looking, right?”
    “Oh Dark it didn’t-”
“Listen, Malon. I may be a prideful, self seeking, two timing, heathen. But, I’m trying to change. And I need someone to….” he trailed off and looked down at his hands.
    “to..” Malon prodded. He looked a back at her
   “someone to…help…”
   “Dark.”
  “Malon, I…I, I don’t know.” Dark got to his feet and looked at Malon, She could see the hurt in his eyes. He turned around to walk away but Malon grabbed the heel of his boot and he jerked to a stop. He looked down at her, and she reached out her hand for him to help her up. He extended his hand and pulled her to her feet, yanking her a bit to hard that she fell into him.
     “Sorry.” he muttered, backing away.
     “Dark.” She called out. “I know you don’t want to hurt me. .”
Dark looked at Malon, unsure of what to say, then he smiled and nodded.
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There was a crash and Dark’s eyes jerked open. He looked at his surroundings. The place he was in was white and he seemed to float in a never ending vastness of nothingness. Suddenly Dark saw a black hand reach down from above him and grab his waist. He struggled and tried to scream for help but no sound emitted from his mouth. The hand slowly pulled him up to the black void from where it came from and it began to swallow him. Dark reached his hand out as if to grip on to something, or someone, to help him pull away. But his hand caught nothing and his hand disappeared with the rest of him into the black hole.


   Dark woke up with a start. He was breathing deeply and was drenched in sweat. Shaking, Dark put a hand over his heart. It was beating rapidly.
    Dawn had come to Hyrule and the camp was alive with preparing soldiers. Dark decided to get ready, and ignore the unnerving dream. He sat up and walked over to where Link was helping a young Zora boy practice defending with his fish fins. Dark tried to calm himself and look normal.
     “Where’s Malon.” He asked Link, who stopped and looked at Dark warily.
     “She’s over by the Gerudo, practicing with Zelda..” His voice was reluctant  but Dark just tried to ignore it. Dark left in seach for Malon, She had on her usual cloth but her hair was pulled back into a Gerudo style poiny tail. She had a bow in hand and was shooting across the large bridge to some targets on the other side. She was quit good, actually, and Dark was amused at her excited response when she hit a bowlseye
       “Hello, ladies.” He chimmed. A few girls-including Malon and Zelda- turned around to see who was talking.
      “Dark!” Greeted Malon, cheerfully. Zelda, who was next to Malon, looked at him with a worried brow.
     “Dark, can I talk with you for a moment?” Zelda asked. Dark agreed, but wished he could have talked more with Malon.
     “Yes, princess?” he said with a mischievous grin. Zelda frowned at dark
     “Quit it, Dark. I just wanted to know if you are feeling well?” Dark stopped grinning and his face turned serious.
    “I’m fine. Why do you ask?” Zelda’s face turned to worry and she started to fidget with her hair
     “I heard you last night. You where groaning almost all night. And you seemed in a lot of pain.” Dark frowned for a very breif second and then his face turned into a devilish smile
    “I was dreaming of you, princess.” He grinned. Zelda huffed and smacked the shadow on the cheek. He smiled back at the princess, his cheek bright red.
     “Can you be serious for 5 minutes!” She snapped. “You do realize you only have a very short amount of time left to woo you- know- who, don’t you?”  
     “I was going there now, until you pulled me away.”
Zelda’s cheeks turned a slight pink and she smiled sheepishly “Sorry.”
     “Malon,” Said Dark, walking over to her. She had just shot another aroww from her bow.
     “Hi, Dark. Are you ready for today?”  Dark looked at the ground. How could he be? But Malon didn’t know that so he lied.
     “Of course.  I’m always ready to defend beautiful women.” Malon blushed, and looked at her bow, afraid to look up at Dark. Dark looked around, trying to find something else witty to say, only to notice that most of the Gerudo had mysteriously vanished. He looked behind him to see Zelda giving him the go ahead sign. He smiled and turned back to Malon, who was still closely inspecting her bow.
     “Malon, I need to tell you something.” She looked up at the handsom shadow, his dark black hair gently blew in the wind.
     “Yes, Dark.” She breathed, as if expecting something fantastic.
    “I, well see, that is.” He cleared his throught ready to try again. He could do this, this was easy compared to all that he had gone through. He had nearly died, he could say I love you to one girl, couldn’t he? “I think I lo-”

     “Let’s go peoples!”  Dark winced as Link’s words cut off his sentence. “It time to battle!”
      “We better go.” Said Malon. Dark nodded in bewilderment. Why every time he was so close something would happen? Did the goddesses hate him that much? Would he ever get the chance to say those words? and, even if he did get them out, would Malon say it back?
     
    
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