In the throne room of the dark building that stood in place of Castle Hyrule, three persons were staring at each other.
Ganondorf stared down at the pathetic boy, who was crouching to his feet.
Mousse stared up at the imposing figure in front of him and shuddered with fear. Even without his glasses, the near-sighted carpenter's son realized that the figure in front of him was someone he clearly didn't want to anger.
Elder Kotake simply stared up at her master's face, hoping to find a hint of satisfaction.
"What is this?" Ganondorf finally snapped in annoyance. "Why do you bring this worthless boy to me, witch? Who is he"
Kotake gulped and bowed down. "My lord... this boy could turn out to be of more worth than we figured when we caught him sneaking around our fortress."
"Who are you, boy?" Ganondorf grumbled. "Where do you come from?"
"S-sir, please spare me!" Mousse babbled as he threw his face down to the floor. "I am just a poor carpenter's son, and I never wanted to steal anything from you or your followers... I only was searching for my true belov..."
"Elder Kotake!"
Kotake snapped to attention. Whenever her lord called her by her title, she knew he was displeased. "M-my lord?"
Ganondorf made a wide gesture with his arm. "Look at my castle! This tower of darkness that I constructed in place of that hideous Castle Hyrule! I summoned it up by myself, using my dark magics, combined with the power of the Triforce! Do you really think I would need a 'carpenter' around here?"
"But my lord, this isn't why I brought him... his father - he is none other than Mutoh, the head carpenter from Kakariko Village!"
"I guess we were already past that point!" Ganondorf's eyes narrowed. "Are you trying my patience, witch?"
"N-no, my master, b-but don't you know who Mutoh's brother is?"
"Get to the point already!" the angry warlord bellowed.
"Of course, of course!" Kotake quickly said. "It is none other than the guide of Jusenkyo!"
Ganondorf was surprised. "Jusenkyo... are you certain, Kotake?"
"As certain as I can ever be, Great Ganondorf!" Kotake assured him.
Ganondorf sat back down on the chair in front of his huge organ. "Jusenkyo..." he murmured. "That legendary, hidden source of magical power... the place I have been searching for ever since I acquired the power of the Triforce. Only by absorbing its powers could I possibly become more powerful than this..."
Mousse peeked up at the pondering form of Ganondorf and wondered if that revelation could save him... or if it would condemn him to a fate worse than death.
Ganondorf looked down at him, and he instantly winced under his menacing glare. "So, boy, you really are the Jusenkyo Guide's nephew?"
"Y-y-yes, my lord!" the nearly-blind boy stuttered.
"So... do you know where it is?"
"Wh-wh-what?" Mousse asked in surprise. "I... I..."
Ganondorf leaned forward a bit. "I'm waiting, boy! And try not to lie to me, I don't have any patience with liars!"
Mousse gulped. "Well, I... y-yes, I do."
Ganondorf smiled. Excellent! "So you could lead me to where it is hidden?"
"B-but my lord..." Mousse whimpered. "I... I couldn't possibly... it is a sacred place, holy to the goddess Nayru!"
"I know that, you fool!" Ganondorf thundered. "What do you think why I want to acquire its powers? I would have already claimed its waters for myself, if only those blasted Zoras hadn't hidden it with a veil of magic, which shields it for the eyes of all evil. I wouldn't even be able to see it if I stood right in the middle of the valley! I already tried to wrestle that knowledge out of them, but they had to resist me. Why do you think I sent Morpha to curse their pathetic kingdom? They were of no use to me anymore. And you should better obey me, if you don't want to share their fate!"
"Please, don't do anything to me!" Mousse pleaded. "I never did anything wrong..."
"Stop sniveling and tell me where to find Jusenkyo Valley!"
"I... I can't... I promised..."
"So, you disobey me?" Ganondorf frowned. "That's very, very unfortunate... maybe I should go and ask your father instead? And if he resists me as well, I could always kill him..." He made a fist. "With my bare hands... right in front of your eyes..."
Mousse gasped. "NO! Please, no, not my father! Please, I'll do anything you want from me..."
"Then tell me where I can find Jusenkyo!"
Mousse sobbed in defeat. "It is... it is situated in the valley between Zora River and Death Mountain..."
The villain's eyes glinted with triumph. "Ah, I should have known that it was close to the homeland of those aquatic rebels... very well, you and your family may live... for today!" He turned back to Kotake. "Bring this pathetic creature back to his cell in Gerudo Fortress... and after that, make sure Morpha and its assistant are taking care of the situation at Hylia Lake. I don't want the Zora to interfere, so they have to make sure the ice around Zora's Domain will never melt."
"As you wish, Great Ganondorf!" the witch said with a bow. Then she left her master's chamber, dragging the unfortunate boy behind her.
As soon as she was gone, Ganondorf shouted: "Lady Veran!"
In a cloud of black smoke, the Sorceress of Shadows appeared in front of her master. "My lord, you have summoned me?"
"Indeed I have. Prepare yourself, you will accompany me to the springs of Jusenkyo Valley."
"My lord!" Veran was surprised. "You know where it is hidden? And I was so close on finding it by myself..."
"Spare me your excuses, Veran!" Ganondorf said in a cold voice. "I never gave you the order to find out. You might have been the princess of Hyrule once, but your father never entrusted this secret to you."
"I know!" Veran snapped with anger. "He only told it to my sister... that annoying girl... if I only could find her, then I'd..."
"Your job is to help the witches find and secure the sages," Ganondorf shouted. "Nothing else! I will find your elusive sister by myself. You don't have to find out anything about her, or Jusenkyo. I only want you to accompany me because Lord Onox was entrusted with finding the entrance to the Shadow Temple. Don't forget that both of you are on probation, seeing how you two failed me! Now, teleport us to the valley between Zora River and Death Mountain!"
Veran winced. "Yes, my lord..."
A swirl of shadows, and the two villains vanished.
Meanwhile, in a secluded chamber in the Water Temple...
"Why haven't you killed me yet?" Ruto asked while tears were flowing down her face. "Isn't it your job to make sure no Zora would interfere with your master's plans?"
The dark copy of her fiance glared back at her with bloody red eyes. "That might be so," the creature hissed. "But I have my own reasons for keeping you in here."
"Who are you anyways?" the Zora princess asked. "And why do you look like Link?"
Dark Link stepped over to where his bound captive was lying on the floor. He gently cupped her chin with his black fingers. "Because, my precious, I am his shadow! I am everything he is not... and never will be! I am evil, and proud of it! And I live to fulfil my master's wishes. And if he knew what my plans with you are, he'd gladly approve of them."
Ruto grimaced as she felt the creature's cold breath on her wet skin. She could smell the foul stench of evil that surrounded him. Dark Link grinned. He loved to see his victim struggle. "You love him, do you?" he whispered into her fin-like ear. "You love the hero of Hyrule, and you wish nothing more than being his wife, right? Well, if that is the case, I will gladly let you see him in the last moment of his life."
Dark Link cackled. "I will kill him in front of you... slowly, and painful. I will let you watch him bleed to death, and you won't be able to do anything about it. And your suffering will make my victory even sweeter, my dear!"
"Stop it!" Ruto wailed. "Why? Why are you doing this? Why do you hate him so much?"
Dark Link narrowed his glowing eyes. "Because..." he whispered. "He is the one... who KILLED me!"
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(Posted Mon, 19 Nov 2007 20:35)
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