Just Like Old Times: A Legend of Zelda AU

Into the Cavern

I literally could not breathe. I had turned away thinking I was crazy, that I had acted too fast. I was scared of being rejected. My whole life I had been virtually alone, no friends to lean on. I was scared of losing my new friends, Sheik and Zelda. I didn't want to lose her.

She pulled away a little bit later. "Why did you stop?"

"I...I was scared that I had acted too fast, that maybe you wouldn't have liked it."

She looked at me like I was crazy. "Why would you think that?"

"Well, all my life I've been alone except for my family. I don't want to become attached to someone that I could lose. I can't lose you, Zelda. Losing you in the move was awful. I was timid and scared, believing that if I made another friend, I'd probably just lose them again."

I looked at the ground. Zelda gently brought my chin up to look me in the eyes. "You're not going to lose me, Link. Never again."

I hugged her, letting go after a minute or so. "We should probably find those keys now."

"Yeah," she agreed. "Where's the first one?"

"It should be in the room, over there." I looked at the map and then pointed. There it was.

We walked over and opened the chest. Inside was a small silver key, about half a foot in length. "This must be what we've been looking for," Zelda said.

I nodded to her, and we entered the next room. There was another Dodongo, along with a small, rat like animal that rushed us as soon as we entered the room. I stepped in front of Zelda and swung at the creature. It twisted just out of the sword's arc and scuttled away.

Zelda noticed the Dodongo and set off to find another bomb. I stepped toward the rat. It stared at me with its beady eyes. It seemed to be hostile, yet wasn't attacking. Zelda had succeeded in killing the second Dodongo.

I squatted down, looking at the rat. He scurried toward a hole in the wall, and I followed it. It scurried into the hole and poked his head out. I noticed something in his paws. It was another key. If I hadn't been paying attention, I could've sabotaged our chances of finding the Great Fairy.

Zelda was looking at me strangely. I showed her the key and her face lit up. "Wow, I wasn't expecting to find a key that way."

We walked into the next room. It appeared empty, which was strange. The last box was at the end of the corridor.

"Zel?" I asked.

"Yeah?"

"Do you have a spell that can make unseen things seen? I have a feeling that there are hidden things in this room."

She nodded. She closed her eyes tightly and spun her hands around for a few seconds. Instantly, creatures in the forms of hands materialized on the ceiling.

"Oh no!" Zelda screamed. "Wall Masters!"

One fell to the ground on front of me, and I quickly cut it down. Just after, however, it split into four tiny ones which shot out in each direction. I chased them down and dispatched them.

After carefully surveying the scene, we found another Dodongo and another Wall Master, which we cleared away easily.

"Thanks, Zel. I couldn't have done it without you."

She smiled. "Anytime."

We walked triumphantly to the chest, making sure to check our surroundings. We opened the chest and got the key. Just as we turned to the door, a monster popped out. Of course.

It was as tall as I was and the same shape. It mimicked my every move, almost like my shadow. I urged Zelda to step back, which she did.

I slashed, but it parried. It swung, and I dodged it. "Zelda, how can I beat my shadow? It knows exactly where I'm going and where I'm going to strike!"

Zelda thought for a moment. "Well, you can't beat yourself alone, so I guess I'll have to help."

She conjured up a small sword for herself. I distracted the shadow and Zelda swung at it. She hit it, and it recoiled. But it wasn't dead.

"Well, that didn't work. I guess you have to be the one to land the blow."

"Well, that'll be a little difficult," I replied.