The Search Chapter 3

Instructions

After about 5 hours of walking, we make it to the entrance of Hyrule castle. I stiffen, remembering what happened last time I was here. “Are you ok, Zelda?” Purah asks me. I barely mutter, “I- I haven't been here since- since Father…” I start to bawl. Impa cradles me gently. “We should keep moving, alright? We can go to your bedroom and stay there for the night. Does that sound alright?” Impa says. I nod. We enter the castle to find it in more disarray than we left it. We make the hike to my room. It’s worse than I thought. Purah picks something up. “Zelda, it’s your diary. There’s a note.” My heart starts to pound. “What does it say?” I ask. Purah reads it aloud: “If you’re reading this, it means that I’m most likely long gone. It means that he’s got me. I don’t have much time, but I want you to know that- if it’s really you, Little Bird that-” The beating practically stops. I’ve read that note before. “That’s the same note…” I say. I turn to the girls. “I know where to look next. Let’s head to the throne room.” “The throne room? Why?” “Because I've done this before. Let’s hurry, before it’s too late.” We run to the throne room as fast as possible. We stop at the door. “Do you really think he’s in there?” Impa asks. “I wouldn’t want to get your hopes up…” I take a deep breath and push the door open. There’s a figure in the middle of the room, its head drooped to the side. It’s Link. His feet are slightly off the ground. It turns around, laughing maniacally. Smoke pours out the mouth. I step back. A voice comes out of the possessed body. “Welcome, Princess Zelda. I suppose you’ve found your knight. Come and get him, why don’t you?” Link’s body drops to the ground as the same black smoke from my dream leaves his mouth. It comes rushing at me. I close my eyes, bracing myself for the impact, but it never hits. I peek out. Purah is standing there, protecting me, frozen. She slightly turns her head toward me, grinning sadly. Her eyes roll back as she falls to the floor, limp. “PURAH!” Impa cries. Her eyes are filled with tears. She hugs her sister close, and whispers to her like a mother cradling her baby. “You’ll be alright, okay? Everything will be fine.” The smoke rises out of Purah’s chest, glowing slightly. I hear Purah’s voice come out of it, crying for help. It becomes the shape of a man. “Poor little girl,” It says. “So young. It’s almost sad. If only there were a way to save her.” The figure slowly becomes more familiar. It’s the same as Link, but dark, with red eyes. He smirks at me. “What did you do to her?!” Impa yells, her voice strained. I touch her shoulder, but she shakes it off. Purah’s breathing has stopped. The color drains from Impa’s face. “You unalived her! You unalived my sister!” The shadow laughs. “You killed her!” he mocks. Impa’s jaw tightens. Shadow rolls his eyes. “Fine, you want her? I’ll give her to you.” He jumps on the air, going higher as he circles us. “But if you think it will be that easy, you have no idea just how wrong you are.” “W- what do you want for her?” I ask cautiously. He puts his nose inches away from mine. “You know what I want, Princess?” he tilts his head. “I want you.” The silence that follows is deafening. I point at myself. Shadow nods. Impa grabs my wrist. “Don’t do it,” she whispers. “Purah was the one who stopped him from hurting you. She did this for you.” I hold back tears. “What do you mean?” I ask Shadow. He grins. “I want you to be my absolute slave. Do whatever I say, whenever I say it.” Impa gasps. “No! She says no. Right, Zelda?” I stay silent. “Right?!” I take a step forward. “There’s no other way?” He shakes his head. Impa’s wrist is holding me tighter. Her eyes plead for me to decline. I break free. “Will you give her back before I go with you?” Shadow nods. “Zelda, you can’t! You have no idea what he’ll do to you!” Impa begs. I glance at her, and hope that I’m making the right choice. “I’ll do it.”