The Legend of Zelda - The Tainted Blade (Season 3)

The Breach - (S3:E7)

Adara expected the light of the breach to be warm as it berated her skin, but the further in she entered the colder the air became. It didn't take long for her to lose her bearings. Once the light surrounded her completely, she couldn't tell which direction she walked. Trusting her initial bearing, she continued forward, hoping she hadn't strayed too far to the left or right. The ground beneath her stretched forward in perfect flatness as if man-made or some great disaster had smoothed it.

Ten minutes into the light, she noticed a graying in front of her. About a bowshot away, the light faded toward a central point. As she eased closer to the anomaly, she noticed striations in the air, moving both toward and away from the point. Bands of light flowed out, streaming into the bright light around her like eddies of water. At the same time, bands of darkness materialized out of the light, gray at first, but flowing into pitched black as they streamed into the point. The point itself appeared now like an ebony star.

Adara slowed her advance, not sure what would happen once she reached the dark point, no bigger than an apple. Would it suck her in? Would she be able to approach untouched? Despite her concerns, she felt no distress or forces pulling her toward it. No wind. No sound. The more she neared, the more detached from reality the world became. Even the ground beneath her feet lost its texture and color. Though she trod on something solid, all she saw was the light.

As she came within twenty feet, she noticed something beyond the black point of the breach. Something shimmered against the light. After a few more steps, the shimmering took form and Adara saw herself...a reflection. She paused and stared, not sure how a reflection could be possible. Was there a solid wall of glass on the other side?

Eyes flicking from the breach to her reflection, she eased forward. The closer she grew, the darker her reflection became, as if the breach pulled light and color from it. Still, she continued until, finally, she stood in front of the anomaly. Bands of light streamed out, rushing in all directions. Bands of darkness streamed into it from around her, swirling past her shoulders and arms, passing the bands of light without mixing.

She reached out to the dark breach with both hands. Her reflection, now almost completely black, did likewise. As Adara's hands closed around the breach, she came in contact with her reflection...

It was no reflection. Real fingers, clammy and cold, brushed her skin. Adara caught her breath and looked up at the dark reflection.

The shadow figure smiled. "To battle with oneself, one must first battle with oneself," it said with a voice cold and hollow.

Adara jumped back, reaching for her sword. The reflection did the same. In perfect unison, they both sidestepped away from the breach and drew their swords.

"What are you?" Adara asked.

But rather than answering, the reflection spoke at the exact same time, saying, "I am you."

Adara crooked her head. The reflection did the same. "What are you?" she asked again. "I am you," said the reflection simultaneously, its mouth moving to perfectly mirror Adara's.

Adara shifted her weight. The reflection did the same. Adara hefted her sword from hand to hand. The reflection did the same. Adara raised her sword and took quick steps toward the reflection. The reflection duplicated her actions and their swords met, the metal ring of the strike swallowed up in the light and shadow beams around them.

Adara pursed her lips and struck again, this time redirecting the strike at the last moment. The reflection mimicked her precisely...pursing its lips and redirecting its counterstrike at the last moment.

Adara took a few steps back and studied her opponent. "Who are you?" she whispered. The reflection had stepped back at the same time. It whispered, "I am you," in unison with her.