Dark Link To The Rescue?

<---Index

Shadow rode his mount hard towards the Kokiri forest. Whatever was happening to the woodland, it had affected Link, Saria and Sheik. They had lost their ability to move, as well as acquired a zombie-like expression on their faces. There was no doubt. Whatever was going on, he had to do something fast, or his allies, and his only hope of saving his Kingdom, would literally go up in smoke. Sure, he could find the statues over time, but it would be far too late for both worlds. He reached the treeline and rushed through the forest. As he raced, he saw more people like his comrades lying on the ground with a similar effect.

“Flint!” he yelled. “Where are you? I need your help!” The purple fairy appeared next to him and shouted, “What's wrong, Master?” Shadow shook his head. “Something has happened to the Kokiri in the forest! I need to fix it, and fast. If not, this rescue mission is going to end here!” He came to a stop at a cluster of motionless elves. Flint examined them for several moments. “Hurry, Flint! We don't have much time!” The fairy replied, “You have that right. Something has happened to the Great Deku Tree. We're going to have to go there and try to fix it. If the Great Deku Tree dies, they will too.”

Spurring his mount, he barked, “No pressure or anything!” as he rode, Flint yelled, “You're going the wrong way! The Great Deku is in the center of the forest!” Shadow snapped back, “I know that. I can sense someone alive over this way, and they're in trouble!”
“We can't waste time on that, Master!” Flint objected. “The Tree is dying!” Shadow ignored the protest. He continued to ride hard and found himself running into a horde of creatures.

Jumping off his mount, he drew his sword and prepared to do battle. To his surprise, he had come across a platoon of Worg soldiers. Glaring at them, he noticed that they were holding an unconscious child in their hands. To his surprise, it appeared like they were trying to help evacuate the elves from the destruction. There were also more of them fighting off the Phantoms he had encountered earlier, without a queen in sight.

One of the Worgs said to him, “Help rescue. Masters orders.” Shadow nodded. “Where's the queen?” The Worg pointed towards the center of the forest. Turning his mount, he muttered, “Damn!” One of the soldiers handed him a bundle. “Gift. From Master.” He pulled the cloth off the item and say that it was a boomerang. Nodding, he said, “Hold the Phantoms at bay while I go after their queen! Protect the Kokiri at all costs! Their lives are worth more then your own from this point onward!” The Worgs nodded and resumed the task they were appointed while the dark elf rode to the center of the Forest.

The Dark World Warrior approached the center of the forest when he saw his prince blocking his path. Shadow looked at him and stammered, “My Prince!” Gannondorf stood there and tossed him a strange item, saying, “After you rescue the plant, ask it about this artifact.” The Prince then crumpled to the ground in multiple pieces. Looking at the item, he thought, 'Why would Lord Gannondorf send a pupped to give me this blemished shard of metal?” Deciding that now wasn't the time to question his master's rationalization, he reached a massive tree standing alone in the forest.

It had a strange black marking on it, and it looked as though it was spreading. He started racking his brain to find a way to resolve this problem, but couldn't think of a thing. That was when a massive crashing sound filled the air. He looked around and saw the queen heading towards him at an alarming rate. He know that it was possible to destroy the fiend, but he had to get high enough to deliver the decisive blow. The creature slammed it's hand down where he stood. Jumping back, he barely managed to become flattened by the blow.

He slashed at the creature's hand and cut deep, causing it to cry out in rage. The monstrosity started pummeling the area where the dark elf stood, each time only barely missing it's target. 'I have to hit it in the head!' he thought. 'But I need something that I can throw...” Then he remembered the boomerang. He pulled it off his belt and said, “Let's hope this works!” With a mighty heave, he tossed the weapon at the monster... and missed. “NO!!!” he yelled. “That was the only one I had!” He backed away from the creature in panic when he learned the most valuable feature of that particular weapon.

The weapon made a wide arc and returned along the path it was sent, hitting the creature in the back of the head. Dazed, the creature fell face first to the ground. Quickly, Shadow drew his blade and slashed at the Queen. After several powerful blows, the creature got to it's feet. He picked the weapon off the ground and prepared to throw it again. The queen, however, had other plans. It thrust it's hand at the elf, and he rolled to the side to avoid the strike. In an upward motion, he slashed it's arm, causing it to reel back in pain. Once again, he threw the boomerang at the creature. The creature almost caught it as it came towards it.

Knowing this wasn't going to be an easy hit the next time round, he started thinking. The weapon once again made contact on it's return trip, knocking the monster to the ground. He readied his blade and this time made a jumping thrust at it's head. With a loud roar, it knocked the warrior back and he tripped over a large, round plant. “A Bombflower!” he exclaimed.  Now he had a plan that would end this fight. He wan towards the Great Deku Tree and jumped from branch to branch until he got to the hight he wanted.

Taking the Boomerang, he aimed at the Bombflower and calculated his throw with the monster's location. Locking onto two Bombflowers and the monster, the threw the weapon. The boomerang hit the plant, carrying the blossom and flew towards the creature. It it swiped at the weapon and instead caught the bomb it carried. A mighty explosion destroyed it's entire arm. Patiently, Shadow muttered, “One more sweep...” the weapon hit the second plant and scooped the blossom, this time hitting the creature's other arm and exploding.

The creature roared in pain and Link seized the opportunity to finish it off. He jumped out of the branches and drove the blade into the queen's chest. As the two of them crashed to the ground, the dark elf scrambled to his feet and picked up the third Bombflower blossom and ran at the monster. He threw the plant into it's mouth, saying, “Chew on this!” Jumping to the ground, the blossom exploded and completely destroyed it's head. He lay there panting hard and gradually burst into laughter. “Woo-Hoo!!!” he yelled. “What a RUSH!!!” He got to his feet and pulled the blade out of the dead creature's chest and added, “I can't believe that actually WORKED!!!”

The ground shook violently and he fell over with a start. Looking around in panic, he tried to guess where the monster that caused it was coming from. Then a loud, yet soothing voice said, “Thank you, brave warrior. Even though you come from a cursed and evil land, you have saved me as well as my children. I am in your debt. Name your wish, and I shall grant it as best as I can.” Looking at the strange metal item the puppet gave him, he smiled and replied, “Thanks for the offer, but I think I'll wait for my friends first.” We have a few questions we need help with, and i'm sure they'll want to make sure you're okay.”

The mighty voice chuckled with such force, the very ground shook with violent tremors. “As you wish, young warrior. I shall wait for me three stray children, and at that point, I will explain everything.” Link smiled cheerfully. His thoughts, on the other hand, were far from cheerful. 'I hope so, Great Deku Tree, otherwise, there will be more to lose then just this forest and the creatures within. Two worlds hang in the balance, and you're the only thing in either that can guide us... Only you...' again his thoughts trailed off as he thought about what had happened to the Kokiri, and that this forest would only be the first one to fall to the Hyrule Terminus.