The Legend Of Zelda Fan Fiction ❯ The Legend of Zelda: Real Courage 2: Dark Mirror ❯ Chapter Twenty-Five: A Skirmish ( Chapter 25 )

In the waiting room outside of the infirmary, Zelda glared at LiLink.

“Why did you tell Zale?” she demanded.

“We thought he needed to know,” LiLink said simply.

“Of course, he needs to know,” Zelda seethed, “but not yet. He just woke up from almost dying. He needs time to recover before getting such huge news.”

“You’re the one who brought up the marriage,” LiLink countered.

Zelda blinked and stepped back. Of course, the abomination was right, but how could she admit that? “He-he wanted all of the facts. It was my duty to make sure he understood.”

“It was our duty to tell him what happened.”

Zelda slumped into a chair. There was no use arguing with this… thing. Besides, she said everything there was to say. Time to change tactics.

Zelda stood again and said, “I’m going to see Rova. Don’t try to stop me this time.”

“Go ahead. We won’t.” LiLink stood aside and swept out a hand. They followed Zelda when she left the room. She felt a chill down her spine, knowing they were behind her, but didn’t look back. She wouldn’t give them any validation.

At Rova’s room, Zelda didn’t bother knocking. Rova was sitting at a desk that had been brought in for her, studying a circular mirror with a gold frame. When Zelda barged in, Rova reached for her staff. Upon seeing Zelda, however, Rova relaxed.

“Zelda, dear, how sweet of you to visit,” Rova said. “Although, I must insist you knock next time. I’m quite busy.”

“What have you done to Link and Lila?” Zelda demanded.

Rova’s smile froze in place. “They have become whole. After the fiasco with their duel, I realized a better solution. I should have thought of it sooner, really.”

“Because you’re really two people merged into one body?” Zelda challenged.

“Who told you that?”

“Your LiLink,” Zelda spat.

“They are correct,” Rova said, sitting back in her chair.

Zelda got a good look at the mirror. Shadows seemed to dance inside its depths. One shadow grew to encompass the whole mirror. Then it popped out of the mirror and formed the shape of Zelda.

Zelda gasped. “What is that?”

Rova merely looked curious. She said, “That is your inner darkness, I believe. Fascinating.” To LiLink, she said, “Keep Zelda here. I’m going to see the king.”

“You can’t!” Zelda protested, but LiLink shoved her deeper into the room so that Rova could leave.

“Shadow,” Rova said, “come with me.” Her staff glowed and the shadow obeyed.

Zelda tried to reach her, but LiLink blocked the way. “Leave King Zale alone! He needs rest!”

Rova ignored her and closed the door.

“Link,” Zelda pleaded, “You have to let me go.”

“We are LiLink.”

“Please, Link, snap out of it!”

“We are LiLink,” was all they said.

∴

On the way to the infirmary, Rova examined the mirror. It did nothing for her, but she had no inner darkness. Her darkness was on the outside already. She didn’t want random shadows popping out, so she hid the mirror in her dress.

In the infirmary, she spotted Salvatore and went up to him, knowing the king would be behind the door he guarded.

Salvatore said, “You are not welcome here!”

“Then I will make you move,” Rova said.

Before he could react, she raised her staff and lit him on fire. He yelped and jumped away, trying to put out the flames. Rova ignored him and went into the sick room, Zelda’s shadow on her heels.

She confirmed that the one sleeping in the bed was Zale and then raised the Dark Mirror. She didn’t care that Impa was there. Two shadows dripped out of the mirror.

“What are you doing?” Impa asked, rising to her feet.

“Kill her,” Rova said to Shadow Impa. Impa defended with her dagger, but the shadow parried every move perfectly. While she grappled with her shadow, Rova chanted, fusing Zale and Zelda’s shadows. They formed a solid figure, just like LiLink.

“You are ZaZelda, ruler of Hyrule,” Rova told it. “I am your Mistress. Obey me.”

ZaZelda bowed to Rova.

All of the commotion woke Zale. He saw Impa struggling with a shadow and Rova looking down at a kneeling figure with golden hair. He thought it was Link or even Lila. What they were doing in his room he had no idea.

“Guards!” Zale shouted.

Rova jerked her gaze to him. “Be silent, boy,” she hissed. She pointed her staff at him and ice sealed his lips together. He felt at his frozen mouth, heart pounding, but could say nothing until the ice thawed.

Despite her attempt to keep him quiet, his initial yell alerted those outside of the room to the danger within. A guard entered the doorway and grabbed Rova.

ZaZelda sprang up and commanded, “Release her.”

The guard looked confused but let go. “Sire, what’s the problem?”

Zale tried desperately to speak, drawing the guard’s attention. He could barely see her due to Rova and ZaZelda being in the way. The guard grew more confused.

“Nothing’s wrong here,” Rova said, blocking the guard’s view even more.

“Take her staff!” Impa yelled.

The guard craned her neck to see around Rova. Fed up, Rova hit the guard’s head with her staff. Another guard took her place and tried to wrestle the staff away from Rova.

“Stop that,” ZaZelda said.

With a painful tear, Zale got his mouth free. “Don’t listen to that imposter! Stop Rova!”

Rova growled. A bout of flame enveloped the guard, who shrieked and let go of the staff. Rova chanted and mist swirled around her and ZaZelda. Within seconds, the mist obscured them from view. When the mist dissolved, they were gone.

Aware of Impa’s fight, Zale yelled, “Someone get in here and help Impa!”

A third guard ran in. She quickly assessed the situation and then struck at the shadow’s back. The shadow reeled and Impa was able to finish it off. The shadow dissipated into nothingness.

Panting, Impa said, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” the guard said. “May I ask, what was that?”

“My shadow,” Impa said. “I guess. It looked like me, at least.” She turned to Zale and added, “Rova made one of you, two, sire. Then she merged it with another shadow and called it ZaZelda.”

Zale cut her off with a wave of his hand and spoke to the guard. “Gather as many knights as you can and find Rova. As you saw, she’s dangerous and not to be taken lightly. Be careful. Oh, and don’t listen to that imposter.”

The guard clicked her heels together and bowed before leaving.

Doctors were tending to the injured outside of Zale’s room, so he had Impa close the door. Once she had, he asked, “Are you hurt?”

Impa shrugged. “Not too badly. I can wait until the others have been seen to.”

“Continue your report.”

“Yes, sir. The only other thing is that ZaZelda reminded me of LiLink. Do you think they were made the same way?”

Zale said, “That would make sense. Hopefully, that means Lila and Link are alive somewhere. Is there anything else you wish to discuss?”

“No, sire.”

“Then go get healed up.”

Impa shook her head. “I’ll be fine. I need to protect you.”

Zale opened his mouth to protest but thought better of it. “I suppose you’re right. What about Salvatore?”

“I’m not sure,” Impa said, frowning. “Should I check on him?”

“Please do.”

Impa left and returned a few minutes later. She looked worried.

“He’s one of the wounded,” she told Zale. “He sustained a full-body burn.”

Zale gasped, “No! Will he be alright?”

“They think so. They managed to put the fire out quickly.”

Zale leaned back into his pillows and groaned. “I hope he’ll be okay.”

“Me, too,” Impa murmured.