Chapter A Dark Shadow



An hour later, Mishcana sat upon Epona. Her headache was fading but still pounded strong. Pwert, the elder of the group being somewhere in his forties maybe even fifties, looked concerned whenever he laid his brown eyes upon her. His receding grey hair flew out behind him as he rode. Raner rode on her left and kept smirking at her. He seemed to be stifling a wild fit of giggles and would always roll his eyes away when she looked at him. She sighed deeply and rubbed her forehead with her hand that was free. Pwert pulled his horse to a halt and looked out over the horizon. He motioned for the other two to do the same. Seriousness mixed into his troubled face. "Raner and Mishcana. Your eyes are younger. What is that dark cloud over Lake Hylia?" Both the younger guards looked out to where he pointed and blinked. A large, dark cloud had settled near Lake Hylia. Lightning flashed downwards and the sound of thunder came faintly to their ears. "We'd better go check it out. Since there's lightning, keep your swords in your sheath and do not take them out. Use you bows instead. Alright, let's go!" With that their leader Pwert thwacked his horse and charged off towards the lake. Without hesitating Mishcana and Raner urged their horses onward in pursuit. The sun had begun to hang low in the sky as the three jumped the fences to enter the lake. The thunder rumbled around them and started spooking the horses. Regretfully Raner and Pwert dismounted and bid their steeds to go where they may over the raging wind. The wind's searing edge cut through even Mishcana's cloak and the guards' thick clothing. It took her voice away as she tried to shout something to her companions. She remained astride Epona, the horse had seen scarier and was not afraid. Unable to communicate verbally, Pwert lifted his bow up. Nodding she withdrew her own. Together, they entered the Lake Hylia valley. A pulsating darkness seemed to emanate from its centre. The storm raged above causing huge waves to crash upon the shore. Mishcana dismounted Epona as the wind nearly blew her off. They took shelter in the lee of the high shore-house and observed the strange proceedings from there. As the sun set a horrible flash of lightning struck the island at the centre of the lake. The shockwave of thunder hit them even in the lee of the house. Its full force knocked them to the ground. They lifted their eyes again and each gasped in horror. A strange beast screamed with a piercing shriek that cut even through the wind. Black lightning shot from his mouth. Great wings blacker than the sky above them seemed almost like great voids. He had two hind legs and a head similar to that of an eagle only scaled instead of feathered. Two great horns stuck out of from his head. Raner blanched while Pwert looked panicky. Concentrating hard she tried to read the old man's thoughts. Though she was not well trained in the art, she managed to pick up two thoughts: The thing was evil and had once wreaked havoc on the battlefield of Hyrule. He turned to her sadly as she opened her eyes. "Call Link." He mouthed simply. Back in Hyrule castle Link was busy helping the elderly cook make dinner. Several pages and guards in-training were present as well, bustling back and forth and chopping the various ingredients. Contentedly, Link was rolling and kneading the dough. "It's nice to do something other than fighting once and a while." He thought to himself. His nice Kokiri tunic had been covered in flour and he imagined he must be some sort of comical sight. The boys worked extra hard with the Hero of Time working beside them; it filled them with a sense of awe of their chores. Link blushed happily as he worked. His thoughts turned to Mishcana and he looked upwards at the ceiling. "I wonder if she's having fun. Hmm. Her headache should have worn off by now and they should be back soon. It's nearly supper." The pages and in-training guards ignored Link as he spoke to himself. They assumed it was some sort of ritual, or perhaps, telepathy. They all knew of his abilities, real or assumed. An hour passed and Link finished with the dough. The lady cook thanked him profusely for his help. Slowly, he walked down the hall. Something made him stop in his steps, and instead of heading for the baths, he turned and went outside. He visited the small guard booth at the gate. "Hello there, Iyo, do you know when Mishcana's due back?" His grim face answered him, "About two hours ago." The sun had begun to set above them and he blinked, "You're sure?" Iyo nodded in response. "I'll send a page to get you when they return. Perhaps they had trouble with a bandit. Don't worry about the little 'un, Link. She's with Pwert and Raner, and together those three should be able to handle themselves." Link nodded solemnly and turned worriedly back to the castle. Flour covered him from head to toe and so he attempted to brush some of it off. His foot hit the flagstones of the castle when a soft, but frightened voice echoed in his mind. "Link, we've got trouble. Something bad is at Lake Hylia. I'm not sure what is; the wind's so strong I can't ask Pwert. He recognizes it, I'm sure. It caused trouble in the past for Hyrule. We need you." Link blinked and his eyes reopened unfocused. "Lake Hylia? I'll be right there." He sent back to her. His feet took off like lightning as he equipped his bunny ears over his flour-filled hair. He rushed up the stairs nearly tripping several times, and grabbed his sword, shield, and other items. Playing hurriedly on his Ocarina, he teleported to Lake Hylia. Mishcana opened her eyes and nodded to her anxious companions. The Gerudo bow sang in her hands as she repeatedly tried to hit the thing with an arrow. Each time the arrows were effortlessly blown away. Her curses were ripped from her throat by the wind, unheard by even those beside her. The creature was moving towards shore slowly, and had left the island. A blue glow shot down from the sky, and Link appeared at the centre of the island. His feet barely touched the ground when the wind grabbed him and tossed him in the water. Mishcana shrieked as he fell into the water. From Pwert's belt she grabbed a rope ran out onto the perilous bridge. It shook back and forth with the force of the wind, and she held fast to the ropes along the way. Link bobbed in the savage waves, barely keeping his head above the foam. His hat had fallen off and the water had made a goopy mess of his be-floured hair and clothing. Absent from his pouch, he found after searching, was his Zora's tunic. Mishcana pushed onward trying to reach the island. The monster had noticed the pathetic creature on the bridge and moved with surprising agility towards it. He rammed the bridge with his head sending it shaking. His tail swiped at Mishcana its razor edge slicing into her back as though she had no life shield. Mishcana cried out and held tightly to the rope, trying not to fall off. Not far away Link tried to get towards her but could not for it was all he could to keep himself from drowning. Raner grabbed his bow. He drew back an arrow and sent if off course. The violent wind knocked it straight into the monster's hand. The monster angrily spun around and chased after Raner on the opposite shore. Gasping in relief while Raner distracted the monster, Mishcana drew nearer to Link. Finally reaching him she cast Pwert's rope down below. The rope went taut as he grabbed hold of it. She tried to pull Link up, but found herself unable. Quickly, she secured the rope to the one beside her. She motioned for him to climb up but he shook his head. Instead, he tied a small gold object to the rope and let it go. She pulled up the rope, worried, angry and confused. A beaming smile lit up her face as her hands lay on the object. It was the Goron's bracelet. Swiftly placing it on her wrist she cast the rope back down. When he grasped the rope she hauled him up, bit by bit. Link was relieved to have his legs on something solid. He was breathing heavily having held his breath nearly constantly over a long period of time. Wordlessly he took the rope and tied around his waist and hers checked the security of the bridge. It still billowed violently back and forth. They made a run for it, for on the shore Raner was under brutal attack. As they reached the shore the brave knight had collapsed. The other guardsman, Pwert raced to his fallen comrade's side. He shot arrows swiftly at the monster to no avail. Link and Mishcana's warnings drifted wordlessly on the winds. The spiked tail of the created came down hard upon the older man. His eyes bulged and her fell to the ground. Link grabbed Mishcana and pulled her close, covering his eyes. Raner regained his senses and began to crawl away while the monster devoured his companion. Horror and revulsion filled the three. Anger boiled their blood. Mishcana and Link nodded at each other and he brought out his golden stone. Together they touched their arrows to it. Golden light sprang about the shaft and point and they drew them back together in the same breath. The arrows lodged into the creature. Again they fired and again until the creature's darkness began to dispel. Both the Kokiri-Hylians glowed with magic as they used their arrows. Their quivers nearly empty they calmly shot the last two arrows at the remaining shadows. The monster gave one final scream and then disappeared, dispelled. One last echoing jolt of thunder sent them sprawling backwards. Link and Mishcana landed in the water while Raner was thrown hard against the stone escarpment. The water had begun to settle and so Mishcana and Link made their way back to the shore. Nowhere was a sign of Pwert, though they searched long after that day. Much later a modest memorial stone was placed in the centre of the two bridges. At the moment, however, they were more concerned about Raner. Mishcana ran for him, tears flying behind her. Link followed swiftly on her tail and checked on him. Raner's eyes were shut and blood ran down the back of his head. Worried eyes gazed deeply into Mishcana's; Link knew. He reached forwards and felt for a pulse. Hesitantly, he held on another moment and smiled. "He's alright. I don't have any red potion; you caught me unprepared. Take this bottle and go get a fairy for me, will you? There should be a few just outside the gate. Look hard and you'll find a hole nearby." She nodded and left hurriedly out of Lake Hylia, mounting Epona as she ran. The horse and her took off over the fence. Concern grew in Link's eyes as he ripped off a piece of his tunic and wrapped it around the head of the fallen guard.

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