The shadow lifts a hand a whirlwind of darkness shoots out from it. Link blocks with his arm and takes a step forward, then the force of the wind knocks him back.

He lands on the ground hard, hitting his head against the road. The blow strikes the spot on his skull that he'd knocked against the edge of the bathtub a week ago. Something about that causes cracks to appear in the swirling madness that surrounds him. The light of clarity becomes visible in his eyes and the churning green inside his lantern fades back to a warm gold.

"Where did it go?

He sits up and sees Sora a couple yards away.

"Sora? SORA!"

Link pulls himself upright.

"No, what happened? I thought-- Did I hurt you!?"