The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Queen

And There Are No Friends at Dusk

"I have waited long to see you again." He savored each and every word. The green one in front of him was already splattered with blood. His hair clumped with sweat. He stood gingerly, red soaked pant leg suggesting an injury. Sword and shield raised and ready for battle. Could this dayless day get any better?

"Let her go," the green one spoke through gritted teeth. "It's me you want, so let her go."

King Bulblin shrugged and tossed the Twili aside. He didn't need her anymore. Her scream stopped when she landed, maybe she'd gotten lucky and died. Not that he cared.

"That was uncalled for." The Hylian shook with rage and adjusted the grip on his sword. It didn't even seem like he'd know the Twili, yet now he was going to die avenging her. Heroes are so weird. Could it truly be this easy?

The king shrugged again, drew his sword and took a swing. Link blocked and attacked.

So the dance began. A blow here, a block there. A stab, maybe even a little jab. It was all fair in this battle. All fair till it wasn't. Since maybe, just maybe, the king had a few tricks up his sleeve this time.

Taping a rune etched onto the wooden handle of his axe with a stubby finger, the king took another swing. The green one blocked with his metal shield. It was normally a smart move, but normal is something forbidden under the light of the shadow eclipse. His shield shattered on impact, splintering with such a force that the green one stumbled back. Shining metal stuck from his soft bloody flesh and his shield was less than useless now. A small scream burst from the hero's lips as he came to comprehend what had happened. What it meant. The immense pain he was sure to feel and the crushing weight of dread. The knowledge that his end was drawing nearer.

"Are you still the strongest side?" the king taunted, a wicked smile tainting his face.

"What do you mean?" The hero's voice was shaky, but the hand that held his blade was steady and sure. So steady and sure that he didn't need to wait any longer to recover and went in for the kill. His blade sliced a jagged line across the king's chest. The attack wasn't deep enough to kill the king, only weaken and anger him.

The king threw his axe aside, hitting someone in the back of the head with a thud. He hardly noticed it as he swung his sword wide. Unblockable, at least without a shield. Yet the hero managed it. As the sword came slashing down towards him, he used his injured right hand to grab a dagger from a pouch on his belt. With that, he used both the sword and the dagger to stop the death blow.

"You've cheated," the king snarled, putting more pressure, more power, into his attack.

The hero did not reply. His brow was knitted in concentration. Sweat dripped down his face. The king's sword was gaining ground, weakening the green one's carefully constructed block. The hero was going to lose. He was tiring, he was failing. He was going to die. But he couldn't die, not yet.

Begrudgingly, King Bulblin changed the direction of his sword. It caught the hero off guard. His right arm, already having sacrificed so much in this battle, weakened and was pushed back. The tip of the dagger grazed the hero's shoulder, steadily pushing deeper in. The hero could do nothing, to move the dagger would mean allowing the king's sword to kill him. What a wonderful thing, to watch your enemy destroyed by his own hand. The king savored every second of it.

"Maybe you were never strong. Maybe it was always just luck." The king stalked closer to Link, keeping his sword locked in place. He was close enough to hear the green one's labored breaths and see the fury burning in his raging sea blue eyes. He was close enough that the hero could have stabbed him with a small movement. But the hero couldn't, he was pinned in place. His stance was swayed and weak, how long would he be able to keep this up? He was too determined to give up, that was clear. Yet his strength was quickly fading, he didn't stand a chance. He'd been stupidly lured into a trap, had he ever stood a chance?

King Bulblin quickly brought the hilt of his sword down on top of the hero's head. It took less than a second, yet in that time the hero had managed to stab his sword deep into the king's side. The green one fell, blood flowing from a wound on his head. It glowed bright in the light. Strange, right? Or was it normal for Hylian blood to glow during the shadow eclipse?

King Bulblin shrugged and removed the hero's sword from his side. It was painful, but the sword was wonderful. Stunning, with blue wings at the handle. A heroic design. Fitting. Maybe he'd keep it, or perhaps it would be of some use. He grabbed the hero by a limp arm. Three triangles shined with brilliance at the wrist, an odd tattoo he could have sworn he'd seen on someone else before. The mark stung when it came into contact with his scaly green skin. He avoided it as he dragged the hero behind him.

Maybe, if he was lucky, this shadowed day would stay good. Maybe he'd be allowed to witness the green one's demise. Once again, a wicked smile twisted his lips.