Dark Link (Riku)

Part of Braizal's nightmare phase

"Ha, well would you look at the time, this place is gonna go down and it's my time! To go!" ~ Riku to Link and Gemmy after Okari Essence release.

The dark manifestation formed by Shad's clone after trying to take Link and other captives into a portal to escape the destruction of The Moblin Underground. The created Dark Link assists Shad with his duties and is bent on making Link suffer. Childish attacks ranging from serious ones, making Dark Link twisted and demented after each encounter. His primary mission is to hasten Link's advance, since Shad had planned to ambush Link after he is done with collecting most of the artifact and to recover what is left of Okari, at times he tends to kidnapped more victims by force.

Creation

Shad's clone had caused Mobi's hideout to collapses, trying to kill Gemmy. With it's dying breathe, it tried to brainwash Mobi's captive and absorb a bit of their life force, only to have Link's courage and life harm it. The clone went back to Shad and while Shad absorbed his clone, 2-3 minions had been created from it, among them a boy resembling Link.

Dark Link, was a mischievous version of Link, and retained Link's swordplay and combat skills. He was given a sword and shield upon request and teamed up with Shad, who as like a brother and mentor. He gained fair in Shad after kidnapping the Salesman, recovering Majora's Mask in the process. He was then gain abilities, however, limited.

His influence

Because of Riku, he managed to get a few grunts to do his bidding, eventually granting him access to Militus' director at some point. Also tried to get Princess Zula, Zelda's cousin to join him, after he had danced with her during a ballroom ceremony (this event happened during Link's adventure in Shiru). Some of Riku and Shad's grunts took matters into their own hands, forcing Shad and Magnus to rethink their plan. Later on, he was able to get the attention of Macellrius' sister, Minda, forcing Link to go into a trap in the Broken Lands only to be ambushed personally by him. Riku was nearly successful in Link's demise when he had a whole village turn on him, trying to kill him, having his Dodongo eat him and having an enraged essence of Okari bring the Temple down on Link and Gemmy, after fleeing he automatically assumes Link has died, telling Shad this. Each success in Link surviving made Riku a bit insane little by little.

Kidnappings

• Happy-mask Salesman, accompanied by Shad Clone.
• Villagers from the Tirion Village, his mischief made the village turn against Link, soon trying to kill Link, thinking that he is Riku.
• Attempted to kidnap members of Returners Gang and TSA, however, failed miserably.
• Takes an essence of Okari after luring Link into a trap, forcing Okari's essences to destroy The Light Temple; Riku left Link and Gemmy for dead.

Becoming Twisted, the demented mentality in development

Soon during Links adventure, Link fights with Riku only to be stopped by Shad. Not being able to finally rid of Link for good, Riku became addicted to the thought of ruining Link for good. He influenced Gandalf into joining him, having Gandalf kill Link for him for he had other duties, however, this failed and Link's ally, if not saved, is killed instead.

Riku's craziness drew him to create a trap just for Link and company, using the kidnapped Minda and a copy of Shad's clone as a decoy portal to grab and toss Link inside in order to rid of him himself. The two fought each other and the shadow beast inside this odd rift, however, Riku had been defeated. Link left the crazy doppelganger inside, closing off the rift-like portal behind and continued his way to the Broken Lands with his company.

Riku appearances again alongside Okari, however, he had apparently been absorbed by Okari, forcing Shad to close off the exits for every had to watch Link fight the war beast alone, who was infused with Riku. Upon defeat, Riku had been tossed up by Okari, and the weaken Shad took dying Riku with him. Riku seek out Magnus afterwards for his assistance.

Other enemies

Besides Link and company, Riku and the res of NADI had enemies of their own deep inside The Twilight Realm. This group had been dudded Assassins, revealing that this group killed lower members to send out a message. When Magnus was questioned about Dark Age's past, he never answers them, often going around the answer. He revealed at some-point that the group were the forgotten ones.

Trivia

• Link and Riku have somewhat of a Batman/Joker relationship, whereas Riku is the insane one. Riku eventually goes mad, fearing as long as Link is alive, he will never be okay.
• Unlike other Dark Links, Riku developed feelings, and became hell bent on Link's destruction, in addition, crafted weapons and developed skills to counter Link, in other-words, conquer the grater version of himself.
• Riku adopts Shad's abilities, however, he is limited.
• In the bad ending in the original story, when Sane defeated Link, Riku appears to finish him off, this marked the Game Over scene back then before it had been changed.
• Zula's interest in Link was because she thought that he was Riku, however, Riku loves to use the innocent to play off his childish schemes.
• Because of Riku, he influenced Militus' director to corrupt the Black Knight. He also made Zula fall in love with him during the ballroom dance just so that he could haywire her necklace, which grants her her fire abilities, making her go crazy over time.
• Riku and Zula were both dark element characters thus in the original story, at the very end, she mourned the death of Riku and followed his footsteps if the player doesn't see her as often before beating the game.
• Okari absorbs Riku, however after it's defeat, Riku falls out of Okari's stomach and taken by Shad. Riku's drove to kill Link moved the beast to do the same.
• Dark Link's original story is that he was taken from Hyrule, and made a member of NADI, however how Shad was able to go to Hyrule and find him in the Water Temple didn't make any sense so this has been changed.
• Dark Link has no intention of fighting Sane, however, he sometimes confuses the two.
• Dark Link went from childish encounters, to serious ones against Link. Eventually he grew into the habit of wanting to destroy Link for good, making him crazy.
• Riku fears Link, making him hate him even more, trying to kill him instead. When stopped by Shad, this enraged him, making him take matters into his own hand, slowly ignoring NADI.
• Riku uses Sol, a source of Light to craft weapons and build an immunity to it. This is the reason why he was able to create a force to deflect Link's attacks.
• Riku, just like other members of NADI, question Magnus on his plans, however, got no answer.
• Riku had been successful into having Gandalf reawaken his old members,and soon killing Romeo of the Sheikah Tribe, if not saved by Link. In the older story Dark Link was able to reanimated, and or form a replica of Romeo to fight against Link and Hekolah.