A Terminian and the Twilight of Danger (MM/OoT Fanfic)

Threshold of Darkness

Here we are. This is arguably one of the most important chapters of the whole story. I just hope it's as impactful as I think it is. Enjoy.
-Jooostan

A Terminian and the Twilight of Danger
Chapter 18: Threshold of Darkness

His red eyes were piercing. Every piece of clothing that was on his body was an exact copy of Link's, the only difference being they were not green, white, or anything. Just pitch black. Even his face was the color of charcoal.

Link own eyes returned to normal, but he didn't know what to do. Being faced with the mirror man nearly put him into shock. But it was the fact that now there was no mirror. This time, there was more than an illusion to fear.

Both boys seemed to copy the others' movements. Finally, they got out of sync and the boy of the dark looked at his hand.

"Wow... It... It worked." He said, his voice being just as strange as it was when he spoke to Link in the mirror.

"This... this can't be real." Link stuttered, stumbling backwards.

"Oh, but I think this is." The incarnation said.

"What are you?"

"Really?" The teen asked rhetorically, smirking. He gestured towards his clothes, the weapons strapped onto his back, and his own face. "It's not that hard to get. I'm you."

That line sent a chill down Link's spine. Then, a memory came back to him, and he knew why he was so afraid. "No... You're that dark copy of me. In the Water Temple... that tree. That room..."

"About time you figured it out!" Koume's voice rang from the distance, and Link turned to see one of the witch sisters.

"That little drink we gave you. Right from the very tree of that old room!" Koume's lips formed a smirk, and she waved her wand to project a shield over herself. She didn't want the hero to try anything.

"You don't seem so sure of yourself." The interloper remarked. "Link... Hero of Termina. Defender of the So-Called 'Faith'."

Link frowned at the mockery of the title given to him by Zelda.

"You... You think yourself as some kind of hero, don't you?" Dark Link was already proving his worth to the witch through his sarcasm alone. Link didn't even make any kind of pithy comeback.

Those words caused him to go on a little bit of an introspection of himself. 'Some kind of hero'? After all that had happened since he returned to Hyrule, was he still a hero? He had hurt a number of people and caused a lot of trouble. He was the entire reason the falcon of lightning, the dream demon, and that horrendous spider were even brought to Hyrule. His own mind was too preoccupied to notice the fist flying towards his face.

"Too easy." Dark Link snickered as he punched his lighter self. Link stumbled and hit the water, his hair getting wet once more.

Instincts took over and Link got back upright and swung. Dark Link stepped back to avoid the blow, and he smirked when his variant flailed around, completely missing every swing he made.

"Link, just stop. This is embarrassing." Link's darker half mocked him, and he ceased his fruitless assault.

"Let me show you how it's done." Dark Link took one step forward and slammed his fist into Link's gut. The hero heaved, the wind getting knocked out of his lungs. Then Dark Link brought his elbow up and rammed it into Link's back. There, he fell to the ground again.

"Tsk, tsk. You're off your game." Dark Link taunted, sarcastically shrugging before kicking Link in the chest, taking his breath away once more.

Link held his stomach. Pain surged through his torso and Koume couldn't hold back her laughter. She was finally able to see the hero at his worst, no longer needing the help of creatures hailing from across the multiverse. Her face was filled with glee as she watched him try and get his bearings again.