Fan Fiction Friday: The Man Behind the Masks – Part 27a

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I had no idea what the hidden treasure of the Sheikah could be. Old man Shikashi was the resident expert on the mysterious tribe, although his musings boarded more on rumour. Perhaps a dangerous weapon? A spell or a song?  Whatever the truth, the General kept referring to the entity as a ‘he’ which meant she knew him. Ganondorf’s shadow beast had once been flesh and bone.

King Hyrule led his soldiers to form a barrier at the gates. The chanting stopped, with thunder and pounding rain reclaiming the spotlight. Such a sham of stillness fooled no one; with abrupt coughs, the tapping of toes and readjusting of boots.

One of the soldiers was plucked from the western squad. Swung in wide circles above, my arms and legs were lassoed in terror. His screams were painful to bear as he was thrown thirty metres away. Landing with a sickening clang, the army watched. Their comrade did not move again.

“Stand firm!” Impa gave the order as the earth trembled.

In a curious way, those vibrations felt like a steady beat beneath my feet. The chanting began again, pulsing faster and faster. Trying to maintain my balance became impossible. I could always levitate; the idea came to me. Then again, that might cause a lot of fuss.

Cries of surprise rang out down the eastern line. “It’s a giant hand, look out!”

“A hand? I can’t see it.” Yasei brought her horse around. “Anyone got a spare bow? I’ll pin it down.”

I struggled to follow myself. “Oh, over there.” The unique life force flickered in and out of existence. “Although, I don’t think he’s entirely whole,” I mused.

Impa stiffened beside me. “How can you see him? You haven’t trained your mind’s eye.”

“Well, see isn’t quite the right word,” I admitted with a shrug. “I can sense how the energy of beings makes me feel.”

“And what do you sense about him?”

“Choleric, I suppose. One who feels wronged most severely.”

“Wronged?” The Sheikah warrior huffed. “Bongo Bongo, used those thieving hands for evil and got exactly what he deserved.”

I tilted my head. “Bongo Bongo… never seen a record of such a name in the town library.”

“Impa, remember where you are, Hyrule’s bloody history is not something my subjects need to know.”

“Yes, your Highness.”

Hiding something?  I thought, as a heavy feeling dwelled at the pit of my stomach.

At that moment, the hand chose to reveal itself. Whatever fair skin had once stretched across those bones; had become wrinkled and blackened in death. On some fingers, the nails were chipped and jagged. Others had no fingernails at all, only rotting fleshy stumps where they should be.

It lay on its side and swept through an entire squad, knocking them down like tin cans. A lance of sapphire blue shot through the air and ploughed straight into the shadow beast. It gave a wail and froze in place.

“Get up and cut him down,” the General said. Her giant’s knife glowed brightly, a beacon of light in the raging storm.

The soldiers wanted to obey, they tried to scramble back on their feet, but the continuous tremors made it impossible. The collapsing Hylians were puppets with snapped strings.

“Where is that drumming coming from?” King Hyrule demanded. “Stop it.”

“Awoooooo!” Kilton’s black nose twitched. He half ran and slumped in the opposite direction. His desperate claws tore up the muddy sod, as he continued this awkward advance; run and flop, flop and run. Finally, Yasei couldn’t take it anymore.

“Where are you going? Don’t run away, cowardly mutt.” But when the husky leapt and clamped his jaws onto something solid, she gasped.

“Clever boy, there is another one.” I had suspected, but Kilton was way ahead of me – as usual. “You deserve a whole bag of biscuits.”

The trembling ceased.

Bongo Bongo’s other hand jerked in pain and tried to shake off the husky. My legs moved of their own accord. A ball of magi-clay conjured before the consequences could sink in.  I’d managed to save my furry friend with the Song of Healing once before. That said, dogs were not known for nine lives.

My experience of battling shadow beasts numbered nil, but I flicked out a long, coiling whip to snare my target and heaved. Bongo Bongo jolted as his digits snapped together in one fell swoop. “Aha, I have you.”

“Kilton, spit that out, you don’t know where it’s been!” Yasei chided.

Believing he may have actually bitten off more than he could chew, Kilton let go and jumped down to re-join his master.

But Bongo Bongo had other ideas of how to evade capture. He disappeared, only to materialise outside my trap. One finger shot a crude gesture in my direction before clenching into a fist.

I dived. His attempt to flatten me nearly succeeded, and now the front of my purple shirt was caked in muddy ooze. “What a nuisance you are. I’ve only just borrowed this.”

Bored of playing with his toy soldiers, Bongo Bongo brought both hands together. They swung as a lumberjack with an axe. I retreated, leading him away from the castle and into more open space. My magi-clay bullets and discs appeared to pass right through the creature.

“That won’t work,” Impa called out. “He moves between the physical and shadow plains at will. He needs to be sealed and I can’t do that alone.”

What? But you’re a Sheikah!

She crossed her arms. “Don’t just stand there slack jawed, will you lend me your aid or not?”

“Who me?” Being suspected of treason one minute and needed the next, confused me so. I glanced over my shoulder. Indeed, King Hyrule’s stare held the essence of judge, jury and executioner combined. Between him and Ganondorf, I didn’t know who frightened me more.

I smiled my fake smile at her. “Well, if you think this humble mask salesman might be of use, who am I to refuse?”

“Fine.” She gave a solemn nod.

“Do you have a plan? A place where we can seal our shadowy friend?”

“Kakariko,” she replied, without hesitation. “At the bottom of the well.”

Featured Image: Alison Patten

Alison Otwl continues her fan fiction at Zelda Dungeon. She likes reading manga and collecting Japanese wind chimes. Her favorite Zelda game is Ocarina of Time. Check out more of her fanfiction over at: Otwl.