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Shadow was fading.
He had expected this, of course. To be perfectly honest, he was surprised that he had managed to hold on for as long as he did. He could still feel the way that the light of the Four Sword had pierced his body, tearing him apart so completely that he had been sure that was his end. Yet, somehow, Ganon had managed to gather just enough of Shadow's essence to revive him with the Dark Mirror, demanding that Shadow continue to serve him for as long as he drew breath.
Shadow really hated that mirror. Smashing it was the most satisfying thing he'd ever done.
That being said, it had still hurt like crazy to shatter his physical form right after it had been hastily pieced back together.
With that being said, Vaati's screams of rage and panic were music to his ears. He would have laughed if he had still had the energy to do so.
Shadow had expected to hear the anger of the masters he was tired of serving.
He hadn't expected to hear the sorrow of the heroes of the Four Sword.
Vio had reached him first. Wonderful, crafty Vio, who had pretended to be Shadow's friend before attempting to kill him, then had nearly been killed in retaliation, then blasted Shadow into pieces with the Four Sword, had decided to comfort Shadow in his final moments.
Shadow was reasonably sure that relationships were not usually this complicated. Regardless, it had been nice to see the heroes before he disappeared. He was glad to have them there to comfort him even if he wasn't sure he deserved their kindness.
It would have been nice, he thought, to have more time to spend with them.
He floated on the edge of consciousness, left at the mercy of the light now that no dark clouds were left to protect him from it's touch. He could feel it steadily eating away at him, scattering his soul like a hand creating ripples on the surface of a pool. At least it didn't hurt, he supposed. It was certainly a kinder death than he ever expected to have.
The light began to settle in his chest. His traitorous heart stuttered a little in response, a tiny flicker of fear trying to push against the light. But Shadow knew he had no strength left to fight, and so he surrendered.
Don't leave.
What?
The light pulsed in time with his heartbeat, coating it in a cocoon of warmth.
Please, don't leave.
Brilliant rays filled his vision, and Shadow knew no more.
Four blinked rapidly in the light of the early evening sun that greeted their little group on the other side of the portal. He took a few steps forward to survey their surroundings as the others appeared behind him. A large mountain range stretched out before them, groups of trees weaving between the peaks down to the shore where he stood. He turned at the sound of Wind's excited gasp, and while the sailor visibly deflated moments later at the realization that the body of water behind them wasn't actually an ocean, Four only smiled happily.
“It's Lake Hylia,” he announced, walking closer until the crystal clear waters lapped at his boots, “My Lake Hylia.”
The lake in question sparkled cheerfully at them, a light breeze creating small waves along it's surface. Dragonflies zipped between the reeds along the shore, the quiet buzz of their wings accompanied by the croaking of frogs and the chirping of crickets. A much larger and denser forest spanned the distant southern end of the lake, and the tiny white spires of a castle shone far off in the west. Birdsong echoed over the landscape. Massive pillars of white clouds framed the horizon, their edges dipped in the first pinks and yellows of sunset.
Legend whistled appreciatively. “Your Hyrule has some nice views, Smithy.”
Four grinned proudly in response.
“It is beautiful,” Time commented, “But let's not forget why we're here. Does anyone see any signs of that shadow anywhere?”
Everyone paused, inspecting the area. Twilight sniffed at the air and shrugged.
“No sign of it, from what I can see.”
Time turned to Four. “Not much we can do right now with no leads, and it looks like we only have a few hours of daylight left. You know this area, where should we set up camp?”
Four thought for a moment. “There aren't any settlements nearby that can house all of us, but there are lots of caves in the mountains nearby. They're quite spacious, and there shouldn't be many monsters inside to clear out.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Time smiled, gesturing towards the mountains, “Lead the way.”
The group set off, keeping an unusually good pace. The last few times they had gone through a portal, it had been nearly impossible to keep some of their members from excitedly running off to explore the unfamiliar territory. This time, however, a quiet air of caution kept everyone close together. It made sense. Twilight had only recovered from the cursed wound inflicted by the shadow a few weeks ago, and the close call had left everyone on edge. Eyes that once regarded their surroundings with a casual appreciation now darted between each sound that echoed through the trees. Four saw someone's hand twitch towards their sword a few times.
It was exhausting. Hopefully they could find a nice cave quickly and take some time to relax.
No sooner had the thought entered Four's mind than the trees parted, revealing a beautiful cave right at the base of the nearest mountain. The smithy held back the urge to excitedly run to the entrance and instead crouched behind a tree, motioning for the others to stop. They quickly took up similar hiding spots around him.
“It looks clear, but it might still be inhabited,” he said quietly, drawing his blade, “Let's check it out.”
The group approached the cave entrance and began filtering inside, lanterns, fire rods, and swords held at the ready. They crept through in almost complete silence, save for the occasional clink of Time's armor. It was honestly impressive how quietly he was able to move in that, Four thought.
“Wait,” Twilight whispered, his ears flicking forward, “I hear hissing.”
Four narrowed his eyes, peering into the gloom as far as his lantern allowed. “There might be a rope den in here,” he whispered back.
“A what?” several voices asked in unison.
“Ropes,” Legend spoke up, “You know, those annoying little snakes that always seem to keep appearing even after you're sure you've defeated all of them?”
“If they're snakes, why do you call them ropes?” Wars asked.
“Honestly, I've always kinda wondered the same thing,” Hyrule muttered.
“Can you all shut up and find the ropes before they find us?” hissed Wind.
Four opened his mouth to agree with Wind, but instead let out a yelp as a pair of tiny fangs suddenly pierced through his boot and into his ankle. “Too late,” he grumbled, “One just got me.”
“Let me through, I'll light them up!” Legend demanded as he rushed to the front of the line. As soon as he passed Four he unleashed a blast from his fire rod towards the cave floor. The flames illuminated a few dozen ropes, some quickly turning to ash thanks to Legend but most still slithering every which way through the cave.
Four spotted a brazier nearby and quickly lit it, grinning as the flames climbed high enough to finally illuminate the whole cavern they found themselves in. “Alright,” he said as he put away his lantern and adjusted his grip on his sword, “Let's get to work!”
A few battle cries and another generous helping of fire later, the area was clear of ropes. Everyone went silent for a moment while Twilight listened for more hissing, but the only sound that could be heard was the occasional dripping of water from nearby stalactites. Twilight gave the all clear, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief and began clearing the area for camp, aside from Legend who was still poking around in the corners of the cave for any stray ropes.
“Well,” Hyrule said as he nudged the slightly charred remains of a rope with his foot, “At least dinner is taken care of.”
Twilight turned to look at him in horror. “I am not eating snakes.”
“No, they're actually pretty good,” Four chimed in, “They're only venomous, not poisonous, so they're safe to eat once you remove the head-”
“They're venomous?!” Sky gasped, “Four, didn't you just get bit?”
“I think I got bit too,” Legend said casually, poking at his ankle through his boot.
“It's not a very strong venom,” Four assured them, “And I've still got some of the antivenom on me, though I don't usually bother using it if I only got bit once.”
Wars rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed in a way that indicated that he had just gained a few more gray hairs. “Okay, both of you come over here so I can make sure you get treated properly.”
“We'll be fine, Captain,” Legend laughed, “It only causes a bit of nausea, no big deal.”
“I'm not listening to anyone else who claims that they'll be fine with an infected wound.”
Twilight flinched. A tense silence fell over the group once again.
“Captain...” Time sighed.
“No, he's right,” Four interrupted. He shot Legend a meaningful glance and the two of them sheepishly made their way over to where Wars had begun to set up his first aid supplies. “Sorry to worry you, Captain.”
Wars looked up to find Four holding out a small bottle of antivenom. He took it with a small smile and gestured for them to sit. The tension in the room began to melt away as he relaxed into the simple work of treating the small wounds. Everyone began unpacking their things and claiming space for bed rolls.
“Well,” Wild spoke up, “I don't know about the rest of you, but I could go for something nicer than grilled snake for dinner. Would anyone be able to get me some firewood and clean water while I prepare some ingredients?”
“I can get firewood,” Sky offered.
“Me too!” said Wind, “I want to see a little more of this place!”
“Oh, we should refill our water-skins while we're at it!” Hyrule added, pulling his own out and placing it in a spare bag. He began walking around their little camp, gathering any water-skins the others handed to him.
“Make sure you bring a buddy with you too, Rulie,” Legend grinned as he handed his water-skin over, “Preferably someone who can keep an eye on you.”
Hyrule rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah,” he chuckled. “Hey, Old Man, want to come keep an eye on me?”
Time looked up from his own bag, hastily shoving something into it. “Hm? Oh, I need to organize my things, seems they got jostled around at some point and I want to make sure nothing is broken. Rancher, would you be able to go?”
Twilight looked up in surprise from the ingredients he was helping Wild set out. “I thought I was still grounded for getting cursed, or something like that,” he said with a raised eyebrow.
A teasing look sparkled in Time's eye. “I trust you two to call for us if you do manage to run into danger during the fifteen minute walk back to the lake.”
“I'm honored,” Twilight replied dryly. He got up, grabbed his own water-skin, and followed Hyrule out of the cave. Sky and Wind left soon after, and the remaining five fell into a comfortable silence as they returned to their work.
Four's gaze wandered over to Time, watching as their semi-official leader did a very bad job pretending to be busy with his bag.
Something was up.
The first thing Shadow felt as consciousness slowly returned to him was the gentle warmth of the sun seeping into his skin.
The second thing he felt was panic as he realized he was lying in direct sunlight.
He sat upright with a gasp, frantically looking around for shelter from the light. A forest stood only a few meters away, and he quickly scrambled for the cover of it's leaves. It wasn't a perfect hiding place, but at least it would buy him time to find something better before the light burned him away into nothing.
Hold on, hadn't that already happened?
Didn't he... die?
Shadow blinked. Yes, he had sacrificed his physical form in order to give the four Links a chance to defeat Vaati. Shattering the Dark Mirror removed any chance he had at returning.
Right?
He looked down at his hand, cool blades of grass clenched nervously between his fingers. The skin was opaque, though he could make out blood vessels, muscles, bones, and tendons underneath. He could feel dirt under his nails. Slowly, carefully, he relaxed his hand and lifted it to look closer. The sensation of grass brushing against his skin sent shivers down his arm as he stared in wonder. Smudges of bright green plant juice ran into the tiny grooves of his fingerprints.
Shadow took a shaky breath.
He was alive, and, somehow, he was human this time.
Hmm, no, not quite. Something else was there. A quiet hum of energy, invisible to the eye but intimately familiar to Shadow. The dark aura of his magic lazily flowed through his body, curling into wispy gray tendrils that reached out as if searching for something before giving up and splashing back down into the inky depths of his magic pool. It's presence calmed Shadow, even if it only made his current form more confusing.
What sort of power had managed to bring back a being of shadows as a being of light?
Shadow's ears twitched as he finally registered the sound of flowing water. He tore his eyes away from his hand to find a familiar lake stretched out before him, just beyond where he had woken up. The sight of the sunlight sparkling on the gentle waves of Lake Hylia took his breath away for a moment.
He had never seen Hyrule so beautiful and peaceful, he realized with a pang of guilt.
Those feelings could be pushed aside until later, thank you very much. For now, the presence of so much water gave Shadow a perfect opportunity to further study his new form. He carefully reached out from under the shade of the trees, making sure that the sunlight wouldn't hurt him, before rising to his feet and approaching the lake's edge.
His reflection was foreign and familiar at the same time. His height and build were exactly the same as he remembered. His hair too was the deep purple shade that he loved most, but it fell longer and straighter around his face than it had before. Some pieces of his clothes were the same, and the sword strapped to his back was still a perfect copy of Link's Four Sword, but a black headband now circled his forehead, and his tunic was completely different. He turned to look at it from different angles, whistling in appreciation at some details (He could get used to embroidery this stylish) and curling his lip in disgust at others (Why was his hat sewn onto his tunic?? Oh, wait, this is actually kinda fun to wear...).
Was this what Link looked like now?
Shadow was considering the choice words he would have for Link if his counterpart did indeed dress like this now when something caught his eye. A speck of light was dancing on the water's surface around his reflection's neck. He stooped closer, his shadow (now wasn't that ironic) blocking out the sunlight above him and adding to his confusion. Was something on his neck casting that glow?
He pulled back the collar of his tunic and gasped at the thin, gently shining crack that ran up his neck to his jawline. Frantically, he pulled his scabbard, tunic, and shirt off as fast as he could, blindly tossing them onto the shore behind him as he looked back at his reflection. He hardly dared to breathe as he stared at the sight in front of him. Shimmering cracks crisscrossed along his arms, neck, and torso, converging at a fist-sized hole in the center of his chest. He looked down at it, his fingers hovering over it in morbid curiosity. It was filled in with what looked like glowing white crystal, though he could see flecks of many different colors appear and disappear in it if he turned slightly. The strange crystalline substance also filled the cracks that branched out from the hole.
“Like a broken but repaired mirror,” Shadow realized.
Suddenly he froze, ears flicking slightly as he listened intently. A faint voice was coming from the forest behind him. He scrambled for his clothes and pulled them on silently, covering the glowing cracks on his neck as best he could, then quickly crept into a particularly shady patch of foliage on the forest's edge and waited.
Best case scenario, Link just happened to be approaching at this exact moment and he recognizes Shadow. Worst case, it's some random villager, and they still recognize Shadow. So Shadow waited.
What he eventually saw was certainly not what he was expecting. A boy who indeed appeared to be a random villager emerged from the woods with a bag in his hand and a sword on his back. The strange part was that he seemed to be happily chatting with a very large wolf that calmly trotted by his side with a smaller bag in it's mouth. Shadow stared in amazement as the boy and the wolf set their things down at the edge of the lake. Since when were there wolves in these parts, and since when were regular Hylians able to tame them?
The wolf in question abruptly raised it's head, sniffing at the air suspiciously. The boy next to it went silent and raised a hand to the sword on his back. Shadow's blood ran cold as the wolf turned to look directly at his hiding place.
Ah, he realized, I'm upwind. Like an idiot.
The wolf let out a piercing howl, and Shadow bolted into the woods.
Wars finished wrapping Four's ankle and sat back with a satisfied sigh. “Alright, you're free to go.”
“Thanks, mom,” Four snickered, earning himself a playful slap upside the head. He pulled his sock back on and headed over to his own bed roll to grab his whetstone. Couldn't hurt to do some weapon maintenance while they waited for everyone to return.
Time's gaze followed Four across the cave, his bag sitting untouched by his side.
Four sighed, abandoning his supplies to look at Time instead. “Okay, what is it? You're being a little weird today.”
Time frowned faintly, deep in thought.
“Smithy,” he asked, “Could you come here for a moment?”
Four walked closer and crossed his arms, raising a questioning eyebrow. Time met his eyes steadily, as if waiting for something. When nothing happened, he spoke again.
“The brazier is behind you.”
Four looked back at the lit brazier, feeling completely lost. “So it is.”
“So why aren't you casting a shadow on me?”
Four's blood ran cold.
What?
He looked back at Time, at the firelight clearly flickering in his single eye. He looked at the ground, frantically turning to check every which way.
Time was right. He wasn't casting a shadow.
The other three heroes in the cave stared in bewilderment at the ground by Four's feet. Legend's hand drifted towards his sword. His gaze darted around the dark corners of the cave, as if expecting something to jump out at them.
“Four,” he asked slowly, “What's going on?”
“I don't know,” Four answered, a bit of panic bleeding into his voice, “I-”
The distant howl of a wolf echoed through the cave, stopping Four's thoughts in their tracks.
Everyone jumped to their feet.
“That was Twilight,” Wild gasped. “Do you think-?”
“The shadow,” Time confirmed.
Horrible, freezing realization dropped Four's heart into his stomach.
“It can't be,” he gasped.
Time reached out. “Smithy?”
Before his hand could reach Four's shoulder, the little hero dove for his travel bag and began digging through it as fast as he could. He emerged with a pair of pegasus boots and pulled them on.
“Smithy, wait-” Wars called, but Four had already grabbed his sword and shield and had started charging up a sprint. A moment later, he had disappeared down the passageway they had entered through.
Legend swore quietly and pulled his own pegasus boots back on. “Come on, slowpokes,” he barked at the others, “They need us now!”
The two older heroes snatched up their weapons and followed after Legend as fast as their regular boots could carry them. Wild downed a small bottle of something blue and quickly overtook them, a determined and angry glint in his eyes.
Farore, let us not be too late, Time prayed.
Shadow realized a few things in very quick succession.
One, his shifting magic seemed to be sealed away at the moment, likely by whatever that glowing crystal was that was currently holding him together.
Two, this meant that he had no way to shift into a faster form or turn intangible.
Three, that sword on his back was his only chance of survival right now.
He grimaced at the thought. He was supposed to be a good guy now, he didn't want to have to cut down some random kid and his wolf. Link would probably hate him for doing that. Maybe if he got lucky, though, he could just injure them a little and scare them off. Two against one wasn't ideal with his unexpected magical handicap, but he could probably pull it off.
Shadow drew his sword and turned to face the wolf that had just caught up to him. It skidded to a halt at the sight of the blade, choosing to growl at him from a safe distance.
Huh. Maybe Shadow still had some intimidation on his side after all. He grinned and took a swipe at the wolf, hoping to scare it off.
The wolf took a step back but continued to growl, it's piercing blue eyes remaining fixed on Shadow.
There was something...off about those eyes, Shadow thought.
Then the wolf crouched low and, to Shadow's complete and utter shock, engulfed itself in shadow magic.
He stood there, staring as the mass of shadow before him changed shape with a strange hissing noise. The magic retreated just as quickly, leaving a very angry looking Hylian where the wolf had just stood.
Shadow continued to stare, nearly lowering his sword despite the clear hostility still aimed at him. “You're like me,” he said in awe.
The strange wolf-Hylian's brow creased in confusion for a moment before settling back into his previous glare. “I am not like you,” he growled, “I do have a score to settle, though.”
Before Shadow could apologize for whatever it was that he had apparently done to this guy (maybe he used to live in one of those villages I burned?), the boy from earlier broke through the foliage with his sword held at the ready. Clearly, there was little chance that they would be scared off by anything Shadow did, and both of their auras hummed with powerful magic.
Maybe he could try running again? That wolf guy would probably just shift again though...
Shadow took a step back just as two more people burst through the trees behind him. Shadow flinched at the aura of the sword that the taller one held. There was no mistaking the pure, divine power that radiated from that blade.
Who were these people?!
“Look,” he began, “Whatever I did to you all, I'm sorry. I'm on your side now, just ask-”
“You really think we're going to fall for that?” the shorter boy behind Shadow exclaimed indignantly, “After what you did to our friend?”
Shadow turned to ask what exactly the boy was talking about. He realized his mistake as soon as his eyes left the people in front of him.
That strange Hylian may not have physically been a wolf in that moment, but he pounced just as swiftly as one.
Pure instinct brought Shadow's sword up just in time to deflect the strike aimed at his neck. He let out a surprised cry, staggering back at the inhuman amount of strength in the blow. His heart pounded as he glanced at the sword that he was sure had still been sheathed on the stranger's back mere seconds ago.
The stranger stared at him for a brief moment, seemingly equally shocked that Shadow was still standing. Then all hell broke loose as all four Hylians descended on Shadow at once.
Shadow needed his magic if he wanted any chance of surviving this, and he needed it now.
He ducked under the first strike and reached inward, grasping desperately at the power trapped under his new skin. The power surged like a stormy ocean as it attempted to answer his commands. He blocked another slash and sidestepped, trying to avoid being completely surrounded. He reached again. The shadow magic crashed angrily against the light that restrained it, half of his soul warring against the other. Shadow stumbled, the sensation making him dizzy. The shortest of the Hylians took advantage of the opening and lunged at him. Shadow swiped at him clumsily, but the boy dropped smoothly into a roll around his right side and slashed with deadly precision.
Shadow let out a scream as his right foot was severed, sending him crashing to the ground.
Oh, he hated having a physical form.
He tried to raise his sword to block the next blow, but the wolf-Hylian's companion kicked it out of his hand before he could get very far. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he reached for his magic one more time.
Please, he begged it, it's now or never.
The aura of the divine blade fell over him as it's wielder solemnly drew nearer. Shadow couldn't bring himself to look, but he could feel it being raised above him all the same, pure light gathering within it's steel.
Somewhere, deep underneath the fear and desperation buzzing in Shadow's ears, he swore he heard that steel gasp in surprise.
The sword's wielder swung the blade down as magic finally began to bleed out of Shadow's fingers, cloaking them in darkness.
Not fast enough. Not nearly.
Shadow braced himself.
“NO!”
A loud clang rang through the forest, followed by a startled yelp as Shadow's would-be executioner stumbled back and dropped the sword that had just burned his hand.
“Smithy!? What are you-”
“Shadow,” an achingly familiar voice interrupted, “Look at me.”
Shadow opened his eyes, hardly daring to breathe. He looked up into a face that, save for the color of the hair, was identical to his own.
Link was crouched protectively over Shadow's body, his shield held over his head with one hand and his Four Sword held in the other. Before Shadow could react, Link moved the sword into a defensive position between the two of them.
“Prove to me that it's really you,” he demanded.
Shadow thought it sounded more like a plea.
A beam of light caught the opal on the Four Sword's hilt, drawing Shadow's eye. Beautiful flecks of color danced in the depths of the white crystal.
Huh. He knew he had seen that kind of gem somewhere before.
Shadow tugged back the collar of his tunic, revealing the thin, softly glowing cracks on his neck.
“It's me,” he answered softly.
Link's eyes flicked from the cracks to his sword, questions and theories rushing through his head at dizzying speeds. After a few moments he seemed to suddenly remember where he was and, looking directly at Shadow again, gave a determined nod. He stood, turned to face the others, and raised the Four Sword high in a brilliant burst of light.
Two more people rushed into the clearing just as the light faded to reveal four heroes standing protectively around Shadow, identical in every detail save for the very familiar colors of their tunics.
“No one touches him,” Green declared, staring down their speechless audience.
One of the new arrivals, a young man with waist-length hair and a frankly absurd number of scars, recovered his wits first.
“So I really wasn't going insane before,” he laughed in disbelief, “The Four Sword actually turns you into four people.”
Red chuckled nervously. “Yeah, it does. I'm Red, and this is Blue, Green, and Vio. It's nice to finally meet you all. Oh, and this-” he gestured towards Shadow with his free hand, “-is Shadow, but he's a nice shadow, not the mean shadow that hurt the rancher. So, could you all please stop trying to kill him?”
The Shadow in question scoffed. “I tried to kill all four of you multiple times before switching sides at the last minute, is that really enough to qualify me as 'a nice shadow?'”
“We're trying to save your life, idiot,” Blue hissed, “Now shut up.”
“Oh, and Shadow,” Red continued, “These are all our new hero friends, and they're all called Link too, but we have nicknames to make things easier. This Link is the Rancher, and this one is the Sailor, and this one is the Traveler but some of us call him Rulie, and-”
“Okay, okay, back up,” Twilight interrupted, rubbing at his temples, “I'm still unclear about why there are currently five of you here.”
“How can you be certain that this is your Shadow and not the one we're hunting?” asked Wind.
“And even if this is the Shadow you know, how can we be certain he's on our side?” Hyrule added, “He just admitted to serving evil for most of your adventure.”
“He sacrificed himself to help us defeat the wind mage that was terrorizing our kingdom,” Green argued. “He shattered the mirror that gave that monster power, knowing full well that his life was also tied to it.”
“Then, how is he here now?” Wild asked.
“We...we don't know,” Vio said quietly. Shadow saw his eyes flick in his direction for a moment, his expression unreadable. “But this is him. Without question.”
Any further questions were cut off by the arrival of Time and Wars. Time surveyed the scene, a little out of breath from sprinting in full plate armor but otherwise oddly relaxed considering the circumstances. Wars, on the other hand, gaped at the sight in front of him.
“What in the-”
“Welcome to the party, Captain,” Legend greeted cheerfully, “There are five Smithies now.”
Wars shot him a very tired “I'm not blind” look before refocusing on Shadow. “Isn't that the shadow we're hunting?”
“NO!” all four Colors answered at once.
Time raised his hands in surrender. “How about we all just let the Smithy- er, Smithies explain.”
Shadow cleared his throat and tried not to flinch at the attention it drew. “Before that, am I free to reattach my foot without getting skewered?” he asked, casually waving the limb in the air. “Cause it's still severed and it still hurts like crazy.”
“My apologies,” said Time, “Go right ahead.”
Hyrule frowned at him uncertainly. “Are we sure that's wise?”
“I trust our friend's judgment,” Time replied simply.
The Colors relaxed a little at his words, and Red responded with a nervous but grateful smile. Vio, however, narrowed his eyes slightly, as if something wasn't quite adding up to him. Shadow decided whatever it was could wait, and he got to work on his foot. Once again he called upon his magic, and sighed with relief when it responded. It seeped from the stump of his leg like mist, reaching out in search of it's missing piece. He held the foot closer and the magic latched on, wrapping it in darkness and pulling it into place. Shadow felt a cool, numbing sensation as his magic continued to swirl around the wound, then let out a sharp gasp as the nerves reconnected with a harsh sting.
The magic withdrew, satisfied with it's work, and Shadow collapsed onto the forest floor with a relieved groan and a newly intact foot.
Wind stared at it in amazement. “Okay, that was pretty cool.”
Shadow barked out a tired laugh. “I'm glad you enjoyed the magic show you caused, you deadly little menace.”
The sailor rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. “Ah, right, sorry about that.”
Time stepped closer, motioning for everyone to stand down. A few of the heroes lowered their swords, and Legend even sheathed his completely, but most remained on guard. No one tried to attack Shadow, however, so Time decided that was good enough for now.
“Now then,” he said, “Would the four of you please explain what's going on?”
Green shrugged helplessly. “To be perfectly honest, we aren't fully sure either. None of us knew that there was any way for Shadow to return.”
“Speaking of which,” Vio spoke up, turning back to Shadow, “Could we see that mark on your neck again, please?”
Shadow sat up and pulled on the collar of his tunic again, tilting his head to reveal the shimmering cracks in his skin.
“There's a lot more to it than this, if you want to see,” he offered.
Vio nodded. Shadow shed his tunic once more, ignoring the danger and embarrassment of doing so in front of so many armed strangers. Getting answers was more important right now, and if anyone could find those answers, it was Vio.
The Colors gasped as the full scar was finally revealed.
“Is that really...” Red asked in a small voice.
“The Light Force,” Vio confirmed, “It's crystallized Light Force.”
Blue stared in horror at the gently glowing hole in Shadow's chest. “That's where we hit him with our sword's power. After we rescued Vio, remember?”
Green opened his mouth, but his words caught in his throat. It didn't matter. He could tell the other three were feeling the same thing he was.
Guilt. Grief. Confusion.
They had literally torn Shadow to shreds with the Light Force's power. How was he sitting here with a body seemingly sewn back together by that same light?
The rest of the heroes stepped a little closer, looking equally confused.
“Light and shadow magic in the same body?” Legend asked, his eyes shining in intrigue, “How does that work?”
“Believe me, I'm just as confused as you are,” Shadow said. “Even regular sunlight used to burn me. I thought this light would too, after I broke that mirror. I think it did, for a moment, but then it suddenly decided to gather here, inside me.” He placed a hand over his chest, looking down at it thoughtfully. “Then, I heard someone talking to me, asking me to stay.”
Vio looked up at him in surprise. “I...I wished for that,” he admitted softly, “I knew we had no way to save you, but I still prayed that you could stay alive somehow.”
“I did too,” said Green.
“Same here,” Blue added, drawing a shocked and mildly amused look from Shadow. Since when did Blue of all people admit to things like that?
“I think we all did,” Red said in wonder and curiosity, “But what does that mean? Did we just wish him back to life or something?”
“If this Light Force of yours is anything like the Triforce, then that may very well be the case,” Legend mused.
Vio frowned. “We've never heard of the Light Force granting wishes,” he said. “The history books only ever mention that it repels evil. But yes, that does sound like the most likely explanation.”
Shadow stared at the Colors in awe, trying to process what he had just heard. They had just...wished that he wouldn't die? And it worked? He rubbed at the dampness welling up in his eyes and grinned, which they answered with their own tear-filled smiles.
What a bunch of saps, Shadow thought, I love them.
Twilight stepped forward, his brow furrowed as he carefully considered his words. “During my adventure,” he began, “Ganondorf had a scar that looked very similar to that one.”
Quick as a flash, the Colors reformed their protective circle around Shadow. Blue glared at the rancher, daring him to take another step.
“I want to believe you all,” Twilight clarified hurriedly, “I really do. You know that I've also dabbled in shadow magic. But I'd be more comfortable if we had rock-solid proof that this Shadow is on our side.” His tone changed, becoming quiet and somber. “Especially considering...well, previous events.”
Several eyes flicked to the side of Twilight's tunic before they could stop themselves. It was clean and undamaged now, but the image of torn fabric and blood-soaked bandages still lingered fresh in their minds.
Blue gulped and averted his gaze. “You're right. Well, how can we convince you?”
“As long as it doesn't involve dying again, I'll do it,” Shadow said with a playful smirk.
Twilight's cheeks went pink. He hadn't thought that far yet.
“I... may have a way to prove his allegiance,” Sky announced hesitantly.
Green eyed him warily. “And what would that be?”
“When I was, well, about to strike him down,” Sky began, glancing at Shadow, “I thought I felt Fi's handle grow hot before you stepped in to block my strike. She might be able to see into his heart and determine whether he is friend or foe.”
Vio's stare was cold as ice. “Are you asking us to let you attack our friend, whom you just tried to murder, so you can see if your sword stops you?”
Sky took a step back, carefully raising his hands in surrender. “On Hylia's name and my own life, I will not attack him. Simply pointing the sword should be enough. If any of you refuse, then I will accept your choice, but we cannot allow your shadow to remain with us unless we erase all doubts about him.”
A tense silence fell as Sky held Vio's searching gaze. Finally, the smithy sighed and lowered his sword. He turned to Shadow.
“His sword burns our hands if we attempt to use it against another hero. I trust Sky, but the choice is yours.”
Shadow swallowed any comments he was about to make about how he was very much not a hero like Link, or any of the Colors, were. He looked from Vio back to the man who had just offered to point his very intimidating holy sword at him again. The earnest look in his eyes made Shadow want to gag a little, but he had to admit it was rather convincing.
“...I accept,” he decided, pulling his tunic back on and rising to his feet.
Sky's eyes lit up with surprise and a quiet relief.
“However,” Shadow continued before Sky could make any moves, “I want someone else to do it, if possible.”
Sky nodded. “Who would you prefer?”
Green furrowed his brow. “We won't be able to do it, Shadow. We're the ones defending you, so we can't be trusted to tell the truth.”
Shadow scoffed fondly. “I'm not dumb, Green. I know that. I wasn't considering you.” He pointed. “I want him to do it.”
All eyes followed his finger, landing on Twilight. The rancher blinked in surprise, pointing at himself questioningly.
“You want... me?”
Shadow nodded. “Whoever this other shadow is that you speak of, it sounds like it affected you the most. I don't want you to have to hold any doubts about me. Will you do it?”
Twilight considered for a moment. “Alright, I'll do it.” He reached out to Sky. “May I?”
Sky glanced around their group, silently asking for a vote. Time and Wars nodded, no one objected, and so Sky turned back to Twilight and drew the Master Sword from her sheath, turning her around to offer the hilt to the rancher. “She's all yours.”
Twilight carefully took the blade. A fond smile pulled at the corner of his mouth as he ran a thumb over the mark of the Triforce engraved into the blade. He turned towards Shadow, the sword held at his side.
“Green, Blue, Red, Vio,” he said gently, “I need you all to step back a little, so we can be sure the sword only reacts to Shadow.”
“Swear you won't hurt him either,” Red replied, “then I'll move.”
“I swear on Ordona's name, I will not hurt Shadow,” Twilight said patiently.
Red squeezed Shadow's hand, then stepped back several steps. Twilight nodded at him gratefully before stepping forward until he was only a single sword's length away from Shadow. He raised the Master Sword in front of him, blade pointed to the sky, and gently pressed his forehead to the flat of the blade. He closed his eyes for a moment and whispered what sounded like a prayer before straightening back up and focusing his gaze back on Shadow.
“Ready?” he asked.
Shadow fought back a spark of fear, and held his head high. “Do your worst, weird magic sword,” he said.
Twilight stretched out his arm, lowering the blade's tip until it rested level with Shadow's heart.
Shadow looked down at the gleaming metal, hardly daring to breathe. The presence he had felt briefly before returned, nudging curiously at his soul.
Well? he asked it.
Blue was seriously considering stepping in again when Twilight suddenly withdrew the sword with a quiet hiss of pain. He transferred it to his right hand, then lifted his left in the air. A thin wisp of smoke rose from the charred leather of his glove, twisting in the last rays of the evening sun for all to see.
A sigh of relief moved through the group, and Twilight lowered his hand, offering it to Shadow with a smile.
“Welcome to the team, hero.”
Shadow sat by the campfire the heroes had built in their borrowed cave, his head resting on Vio's shoulder. Wild and Twilight sat nearby, tending to the pot they had placed over the flames. Whatever they were making, it smelled amazing. Shadow jumped as his stomach let out a loud rumble, and Vio laughed softly at him.
“Forgot how physical bodies work?” he teased.
Shadow felt his cheeks warm up. He blamed it on the campfire.
“I don't know how you all live like this,” he grumbled, “It's weird, being solid all the time.”
Vio studied him for a moment. “You were able to use some shadow magic earlier. Are you still having trouble fully utilizing it?”
A few wisps of darkness appeared in Shadow's palm. “It's becoming easier to use,” he said, letting the magic swirl around briefly before dispersing it, “But I don't think my shadow magic and the Light Force have gotten used to existing together just yet. Like you said, the Light Force exists to banish and contain darkness.” He waved his hand dismissively. “Ah well, I'll get them sorted out eventually.”
Vio reached out and gently squeezed Shadow's other hand. “Well,” he sighed, “I'm just glad you exist again.”
Shadow went still at Vio's words. “You...”
“Hm?”
“Why did you all wish for me to live?” Shadow asked, his voice almost a whisper, “I get that you all forgave me or whatever cause I helped you win...but I don't understand how any of you could do that. For crying out loud, Vio, you and I tried to murder each other several times! Even that wolf guy accepted me and called me a hero, and we only just met like an hour ago! I just...don't get it.”
Vio sat in silent contemplation for a moment. “I think,” he eventually spoke, “We were curious about you.”
Shadow looked at him in surprise. “Huh?”
“The Colors and I, I mean,” Vio added. “I can't speak for the Rancher. But the four of us thought it was unfair that we only got to spend a few minutes with you when you were on our side. What kind of person were you, when you weren't working for Vaati or Ganon? What were your favorite foods? Did you enjoy smithing like we did, or did you have some other passion?”
He turned to Shadow with a shy smile.
“I think we just wanted to know what it would be like...to be your friend.”
Firelight danced in Vio's pale eyes, and Shadow could feel his heart attempt to dance along. He burst out in flustered laughter.
“You guys saw an enemy and wanted to befriend him?!” he cackled. “You're like a bunch of village kids asking their parents to let them go pet a wild bear!”
“I don't know,” Vio grinned, “You've always felt more like a cute little house cat to me.”
Shadow gasped dramatically. “Excuse you, I am far more dangerous than a tiny cat!”
“You knocked your old master's things over right after he told you to leave them alone, didn't you?”
“I-” Shadow started, then paused as he thought about it. “Okay, no, you got me there,” he snorted.
Vio bumped him playfully with his shoulder. “House cat,” he repeated fondly.
Shadow tried and failed to keep a big grin off his face as he leaned back onto Vio's shoulder. They settled into a comfortable silence, watching the rest of the camp once more. Blue had apparently offered to help with dinner, and was busy watching the pot of what was now clearly stew as Wild and Twilight prepared some bread and drinks nearby. Time and Wind were casually chatting about something off to the side, and Wind was doing a very bad job of hiding his curious glances in Shadow's direction. The rest of the heroes were gathered around Green and Red, who were explaining the details of how the Four Sword worked.
Shadow met Wind's eyes as the boy glanced at him yet again. Wind flushed, realizing he had finally been caught, and Shadow chuckled.
“Are you going to spit out whatever questions you have about me,” he asked, “Or are you going to keeping staring at me like a chu chu all night?”
Wind looked back at Time nervously, who simply nudged him forward with an encouraging smile. The young boy took a deep breath before suddenly scampering over to Shadow.
“Can you show me what your shadow magic is like?” he asked, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
Shadow grinned. “Wanna see me shape-shift?”
Wind nodded so fast it made Vio dizzy, and the two of them rushed off to a different corner of the cave, giggling madly.
“Don't push yourself too hard, Shadow!” Vio called after them.
And please don't start plotting pranks together, he thought, though he had a feeling that that prayer would end up being made in vain.
He looked around the cave, watching as nearly everyone continued chatting and working. Everyone except him and Time, the latter of whom had gone back to his silent people watching and did not appear to be paying Vio any mind.
The perfect opportunity.
Vio stood and walked over to Time, who looked up at him with a smile that was just a touch too manufactured.
“Vio, was it?” he asked, “What can I do for you?”
Vio nodded. “Can we talk? Somewhere quiet?”
Time considered for a moment, then stood. “Of course. Does outside the cave work?”
“That works.”
The two turned to leave. Twilight shot them an inquisitive look as they headed towards the cave entrance.
“We'll be right back,” Time reassured him. Twilight nodded and returned to his work.
Vio shivered slightly as they stepped out of the cave into the early night air. He gazed up at the final strokes of pink lingering on the horizon and made a mental note to take Shadow star-gazing soon.
The sound of Time's footsteps behind him snapped him back to the present. Right. Time for answers.
Vio turned, crossing his arms in what he hoped was at least a somewhat authoritative look. “Alright, explain.”
Time raised an eyebrow. “Explain what?”
“You've been acting strange today,”Vio pressed, “Ever since we began setting up camp.”
“I'm not sure what you mean,” Time responded evenly.
“You're really gonna make me spell it out, huh?” Vio sighed. He raised his hand in a fist, and lifted his index finger. “First, you hid something in your bag when the Traveler asked you to help him fill the water-skins.” Another finger raised. “Two, you claimed that you needed to check your equipment, but I didn't see you touch you bag at all after that.” Another finger. “Not only that, you were the first to notice that our regular shadow was gone, even though you were sitting farther away than the Captain and Vet were.”
Time watched silently as Vio raised one more finger.
“And finally, your reaction to meeting Shadow. The Rancher, your protege, successor, and descendant, nearly died thanks to that other shadow not even a month ago. I would expect you of all people to jump at the opportunity to cut down anything resembling that monster, but you didn't. You trusted us immediately, before we even had an explanation for Shadow's unexpected appearance.”
Vio stepped closer.
“What did you do, Hero of Time?”
The hero flinched ever so slightly at the mention of his title, and the mask of innocence shattered. Sadness and acceptance appeared in it's place as he dropped his gaze.
“You're right,” he admitted, “I would jump at that opportunity. And I did.”
Vio's insides turned to ice.
“W-what?”
“I agreed to go with the Traveler. We ran into Shadow at Lake Hylia, and I gave chase. Then I...I...”
Time gulped, then took a slow, shaky breath before continuing.
“I didn't realize my mistake until you found us.”
A tear trickled down Vio's cheek, startling him out of the numbness that had swept over him. He watched silently as Time reached for a small pouch on his belt and drew out a familiar blue ocarina.
“I went back, and I made sure you four would reach him in time.” He knelt on the ground, making sure Vio was looking at him. “I'm so, so sorry, and I hope I made things right.”
Vio rushed forward and threw his arms around Time, causing him to nearly drop the ocarina in surprise.
“Thank you,” he whispered, “Thank you.”
Time felt his own tears begin to well up. “Don't mention it,” he said, pulling Vio into the tightest hug he could manage without breaking the little smithy.
They stayed like that for a little while longer, until their tears had begun to dry and their breathing evened back out. Eventually Vio pulled away, swiping a sleeve over his cheeks as Time stood and returned the ocarina to his pouch.
“Do you want to tell your counterparts?” asked Time.
Vio smiled a brief, bitter smile. “They'll find out anyway once we recombine, but yes, I think I should tell them before then.”
Time reached out, inviting Vio to follow him back to the camp. “Let's go, then.”
Vio followed.
Twilight poked at the campfire, basking in the quiet of the first night watch. A few sparks rose from the flames, floating lazily into the air before their light winked out and they fell back to the ground. He yawned and look away from the amber glow to do another headcount of his companions.
Everyone was fast asleep, right where he left them. Wars, ever the soldier, lay straight as could be in his simple bedroll. Right next to him was Wind, who seemed to be attempting to balance out Wars' neatness by sleeping as chaotically as possible. Twilight still wasn't sure how the kid kept managing to flip over in his sleep like that, but he had to admit it was amusing seeing a foot or two sticking out where the head should be and hearing muffled snoring at the other end of the blankets.
Next came Legend and Hyrule, who always fell asleep in their own bedrolls but could often be found together come morning if one of them had a particularly bad nightmare. Tonight seemed to be a good night, so they remained separate for the time being.
Sky came after, who to no one's surprise had started snoring softly barely a minute after lying down and wrapping his sailcloth snugly around himself. Next was Wild, who to Twilight's relief was also sleeping peacefully. That kid had had a very hard time sleeping when Twilight was seriously injured before, but he seemed to be doing better now.
Twilight smiled fondly as he reached the last three bed rolls. His own was empty, of course, but Four's also lay abandoned. The Smithy and his Shadow lay in the final bed roll, one on either side of Time, who had an arm wrapped loosely around each of them.
Twilight was definitely going to tease his mentor about adopting another kid in the morning.