[EDITING] The Legend of Zelda: Goddess of Secrecy

Mini Boss 4 - Inner Demon Shadow Link

...where the steam was even stronger. It billowed around the room, distorting the interior so that Link couldn't make out the details. Even the anvils and bellows that Link knew should be there were lost in the thick fog.

Something moved in the blur. Link tried to follow it, but lost it quickly in the haze. Figuring that if it was hostile, it would move in the opposite direction it planned to attack in. Faru whispered, "What is it?"

Swinging down from above them, Zeal's face was suddenly right in Link's. "Why, it's you. What else?"

Link slashed, but it was in vain. Zeal leapt back, standing on the ceiling, and chuckled. She said, "Now, dear, there's no need for that. I haven't done anything yet." She pointed her finger behind Link. A dark shape leapt behind him. She crossed her arms. "Now I have. Have fun."

She vanished, leaving Link to focus on the shape behind him and Faru between them both. It was his silhouette, only the eyes broke the shadowy darkness and burned red. It twisted its sword around and raised its shield. It was ready to fight.

Gripping his own weapons, Link focused on the shadow. He began to side-step, but the shadow leapt at forward before he could make progress. Quickly, he pulled his sword up to block. The shadow bounced off, then launched itself at Link again. They matched each other, blow to blow, forcing Link to keep his attention on the shadow alone.

Zeal chuckled off somewhere else in the room. "How long can you last against a spell, dear? It won't tire. But will you. Hmmmm..." Her words echoed around the room, but Link knew she was gone. For a moment, he paid too much attention to the words, leaving himself open long enough for the shadow to land a blow. It sent Link tumbling back.

As Link scrambled to his feet, he heard the sound of metal hissing. He almost thought that shadow was jumping at him again, but when he found his footing again, Link found that the shadow was deflecting an attack. Faru was launching her fins at it, one at a time, keeping it completely on defense. The shadow side-step, dodging the fins, and swung its sword at Faru.

Watching Faru raised a wall of water to guard, Link rushed the shadow and quickly struck in its exposed side. He slashed once, before the shadow quickly came back around to parrying all of Link's attacks.

Faru, well out of range, grinned, and began circling behind the pair of duelers. Link wondered what her plan was, but he didn't dwell on it too long. He was concentrating on the fight at hand, and it was consuming all his energy. He realized what Zeal had meant. This shadow wasn't going to wear out like he was. He needed to handle this thing quickly, or he wasn't going to last long.

This realization gave Link a sudden spurt of energy. His blows came quicker, and he quickly feinted to the right, exposing the shadow for a moment long enough for another blow to be landed. Link knew he could pull the trick again, but he didn't need to. Faru began launching her fins at the shadow again, forcing it to concentrate on her as well.

Before long, the shadow had to stumble back and deal with Faru. Keeping its shield raised towards Link, it went after Faru with its sword. Link managed to get around the shield without too much trouble with its attention split, and land his third hit on the shadow in the back.

The shadow stumbled forward, lowering its weapons. Link held his grip, not trusting this magic any more than he trusted Zeal. Sure enough, the shadow launched itself into the air and into the steam. Link lost track of it after a while, and then there was nothing but the sound of steam billowing, occasional Yore's flapping, and his own breath.

It was so small he almost missed it. Instinct pushed him to the side. The thrust would have gone straight through him if he hadn't of moved. His side-step had saved his life. For a brief moment, its back was exposed, but it rushed by so quickly, Link didn't have time to attack it. As suddenly as it had appeared, the shadow had returned into the steam.