This is for all the people who read The Real Me and asked me to make it into a story

This is for all the people who read The Real Me and asked me to make it into a story. Thanks for your nice reviews. And special thanks to my little brother, Anthony, for coming up with the name and idea of Seith. Way to go Ant!

The Real Me: Story of Sheik

Seven years had passed since Ganondorf's downfall. As Link had travelled back through time after vanquishing the King of Evil, he was now seventeen, with more skills and experience than any other Hylian warrior.

Epona whinnied and moved back, Link had tried to make her jump over the stream near Kakariko Village. He bent down and patted her on the neck, a sign of comfort.

'Still not ready for that one?' he asked 'Don't worry, I won't force you.'

He dug his heels into her sides and made her ride away from the village. When he was far enough away he dismounted Epona and sat on the grass. Today had been a peaceful day, not a single monster had attacked him so far. Sighing, he took off his sword and shield. Link no longer used the Master Sword, after all, the Evil King was no longer around and his quest in Termina was now over. Whatever enemies remained were no match for his swordsmanship, but Zelda still didn't like him leaving for hours at a time.

Zelda. The thought of her made him smile again. They had been wed for quite some time now and soon their child would be born. It was then that he began to wonder about the child's name. He had a few ideas, but knew it would take great persuasion before Zelda would even consider allowing them.

'… Link…' he heard

Link looked around to see who was talking. Nobody was there.

'… How's your friend doing?' the voice continued '… How's Saria? You haven't been home in a while.'

Link looked again. Still he couldn't see anybody. He just shrugged off the voice and lied down on the soft grass.

'… You should check on her…'

Link thought to himself, he hadn't been home in quite some time. Perhaps the voice was a stray spirit of the forest trying to reunite old friends.

'Maybe I should.' He decided

Taking out the Ocarina of Time, he started to play Saria's Song. He waited for he young Kokiri girl's voice but was surprised when there was no answer. Again he played the song. Still there was no reply.

'What's going on?'

Link quickly stood up and mounted Epona. Racing as fast as he could go, he made it back to his former home. After tying Epona's reins to one of the thick branches around him he entered through the large, hollow log.

When Link arrived he found that he wasn't greeted by the familiar Kokiri boy waiting by the entrance. This time there was no one there.

'Where is everyone?' he asked out loud 'Saria! Sari are you here?'

A recognizable boy came walking up to him. It was Mido. He looked like he'd been crying.

'You don't belong here.' He scowled 'Get out.'

'I'm looking for Saria.' Link told him

Mido stared at him.

'What do you know of Saria.' He asked Link

'I know that she's my friend.' He replied 'And that me and her tell each other everything Mido so can I pass?'

'How do you know my name?'

Link sighed.

'Just let me through.' He demanded 'I haven't seen Saria in a while, we've got a lot of catching up to do.'

Mido looked down solemnly.

'… You missed you chance.' He heard the voice say again

Mido started to walk away.

'Follow me.' He said

He led Link to a shrouded part of the Lost Woods. Link noticed that something was different.

'There's no music.' He said

'Saria… can't play her Ocarina anymore.' Mido told him 'Are you sure you want to see her?'

Link nodded. Mido kept walking and eventually Link saw all the other Kokiri children standing in a circle. Mido signalled for them to move. When they did, Link could see Saria. She was lying lifeless on the ground.

'No…' he said, shaking his head 'Saria!'

He ran up to her and held her in his arms. Small grazes were all over her body, a large gash lay across her neck.

'Why?' he asked 'Who did this to you?'

Tears started to well in his eyes, running down his face onto Saria's cold cheeks. He started to shake her.

'Saria!' he cried 'Saria, wake up!'

The young girl remained motionless in his support. Link moved his face down to hers and kissed her.

'Saria…'

Light emitted from her body and she disappeared into the rays. She was now one of the wandering spirits that roamed the forest. Link looked at his empty arms.

'I'm sorry I couldn't save you…' he apologized

After a long cry his sadness soon transformed into anger. He wanted revenge. Slowly, he got up and walked to Mido.

'Who did this?' he asked 'Who attacked her?'

'No one knows.' Told Mido 'We heard a scream, then there was a flash of light. By the time we got here her attacker had left.'

'They didn't hold back.' One of the girls whimpered 'She yelled many times before the light came. It was horrible.'

Link looked at the children. They were all shivering, all nervous about what had happened. All except Mido, he stood there, sad but still trying his best to keep his calm exterior. Such was the price of a leader, if he showed fear all his people would most certainly be petrified. Link knew that they all needed protection in case the killer returned.

'I know you can't leave the forest so I'll send my guards down here to watch over you.' He told them 'Don't be afraid. They're the best in all of Hyrule, you'll all be safe so long as they're around.'

'Guards?' Mido asked

'Outside the forest.' Link replied 'I can't allow this to happen. And for Saria, I will have my revenge.'

Link dashed outside the Lost Woods to Epona and started towards to Castle.

'… I told you to check on her…' the voice said

'Who are you?' Link asked

'Heh. What about your princess, and your unborn child? You should see them too.'

'What?' Link realized 'No, not Zelda too!'

He nudged Epona harder and eventually made it back to the Castle. When he was inside he saw that Zelda was safe.

'Oh, thank the Goddesses you're okay.' He said, hugging her

'Link?' Zelda asked 'What's wrong?'

'Hold on. There's something I must do.'

He went up to the captain of Hyrule's guards and ordered him that the majority of guards were to protect the people of Hyrule who had little or no defences. Then, Link informed Zelda of what had happened.

'That's terrible.' Mourned Zelda 'Poor Saria. How could someone do such a thing?'

'We have to stop whoever it is who did this.' Link said 'She was in such a bad way when I saw her. She must have suffered terribly.'

He sat down. Zelda placed her arms on his shoulders, trying to comfort him.

'Before I saw her, I heard a voice telling me to check on Saria.' He said 'When I left, I heard the same voice telling me to check on you. Zelda, you have to be careful. Wherever you go, I want guards to be with you all the time.'

'Calm down Link.' Zelda told him

Link stood up and took her hands.

'Promise me.' He asked 'promise that there'll always be someone with you if I'm not around.'

Zelda saw how serious he was and nodded.

'I promise you Link.' She swore

Link kissed and hugged her. Zelda took his hand and led him to their room.

'It's late.' She said 'We should get some rest.'

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'… Are you sad?'

'Yeah. About as sad as it gets.'

'… But why? You got to see her one last time.'

'Maybe so, but she's gone. I'll never see Saria again.'

'… You will, eventually.'

'Huh?'

'… I told you to check on someone else too, remember?'

'Go away.'

'… You should you know. You never know when that person might strike again.'

'I don't care, leave me alone.'

'… You don't care?'

'No.'

'… You're not who you make yourself out to be…'

'What do you mean? Who are you?

'… I think the question is who are you.'

'Me? I'm Link.'

'… Link what?'

'Just Link.'

'… What's your title?'

'Huh?'

'… What are you?'

'I'm a Hylian—'

'… You don't seem to understand. You're Link right? Link the what?'

'The Hero of Time.'

'… That's what I mean.'

'Are you saying I'm not?'

'… I'm saying with that attitude, you shouldn't be.'

'Why not?'

'… You remember what happened earlier?'

'Yeah.'

'… Surely the legendary Hero would have been able to prevent that.'

'Nobody could have. Nobody was there.'

'… I told you to check on her and you ignored me.'

'Yeah, but I—'

'… Just like you're doing now.'

'Are you saying that somebody else is going to die?'

'… Perhaps. If you're not quick enough.'

'Quick enough to what?'

'… To stop them.'

'Them?'

'… The person who killed your friend earlier today.'

'Him!'

'… Why him? Why not her?'

'Whoever did it, they're going to pay.'

'… Heh. You sound pretty sure.'

'I'll find out who did it—'

'… And then what?

'I'll fight them. I'll fight for Saria's revenge.'

'… Hmm. What if you lose?'

'I won't lose.'

'… How do you know?'

'I just do. I won't lose. I'll fight to the death for her. I owe her that at least.'

'… There is nothing honourable about selfishly choosing to die.'

'Selfishly?'

'… Saria wouldn't want you to fight…'

'And how do you know?'

'… Well would she?'

'…… No.'

'… So what will you do?'

'Protect the people. I can't allow that to happen again.'

'… Heh.'

'Stop doing that! Who are you?'

'… Someone who you thought you knew.'

'What?'

'… Aren't you forgetting something?'

'What do you mean?'

'… You should check on her…'

'Who? You haven't told me.'

'… Another who is close to you.'

'Close? You mean—'

'… That's right.'

'Zelda!'

'… Time to wake up Hero.'

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'Zelda? Zelda?!'

Zelda stirred and eventually opened her eyes. Link was lying besides her, shaking her awake. She looked outside the window; it was still dark.

'Link, what are you doing?' she asked

'Are you okay? Are you feeling well?' he replied

'Are you feeling okay?' Zelda snapped, looking at the clock 'Link, it's six o' clock. What—'

'I heard that voice again.' Link interrupted 'It told me to check on you, just like it told me to check on Saria.'

Zelda looked at him. He saw the fear in her eyes.

'What?'

'Don't worry.' He assured her 'I'll protect you.'

Zelda nodded.

'Thank you Link.'

'Zelda, I—'

He stopped talking when his long ears heard something in the wind. A figure was outside, watching them. Link stood up and held up his arms. Seconds later he was back in his Kokiri Tunic with his familiar shield and sword.

'Link, what do you sense?' Zelda asked

'Somebody is here. They may be the same one who was after Saria, I don't know, but somebody is definitely watching us.'

'The voice told you to watch for Saria, do you think the same thing will happen to me?'

'No!' Link yelled 'I won't let it happen. Not to you, not to anyone. Never again!'

'Link?'

Link turned around to face her.

'The person has left. It's a Hylian, I can tell.' He told her 'I'm going after them.'

'Don't leave me Link.' Zelda begged

Link walked over to her and kissed her.

'This is something I have to do.' He told her 'I'll come back I swear. I'll send a guard here to look after you.'

'No.' she said 'I believe in you Link. As long as you're here I don't need anyone else.'

Link smiled and hugged her. He walked through the door, closing it behind him. Using his heightened sense of hearing, he followed the movements of the figure outside the castle walls, leading him down the long, carpeted hallway, outside to the balcony.

'Where are you?' he thought

Link relied solely on his ears to tell him where the Hylian was. He followed the sounds of its movement. They led him right to the edge of the balcony. Slowly he leant over, bending down to see who was there. Nothing. He stood up, shaking his head. Once again he tried to sense the movements in the wind. Still they pointed to over the balcony. Link drew his sword and readied his shield. He was so sure something was there, his senses never lied to him. He tried one last time.

Suddenly he heard something, something he could hear even without concentration. It was Zelda, Zelda's voice. She was screaming his name.

'Link!!'

Link turned and bolted for his room. He ran out the balcony and swung the door open. Zelda was lying down on the bed, innumerable wounds covering her body. Her blood was dripping all over the silk sheets. She lay there, lifeless, with the same gashes that Saria had, including the large one over her neck.

'Zelda!' Link screamed, running over to her

He stood over her, stroking her face. He placed his hands on her shoulders and started to shake her violently.

'No!' he yelled 'Not again! Please not again!! Zelda!!'

Link slumped to his knees on the floor crying. He dropped his sword and shield and buried his head in his hands.

'No…' he sobbed 'Please no…'

He looked up at where she was again, hoping that he had just imagined what had happened. She was still there, still motionless, still lifeless. Link punched the ground in anger.

'… I said check on her…'

Link stood up and looked around, trying to see who was speaking to him.

'I did! I did and she still died!' he screamed 'Why are you doing this? If you knew this was going to happen, why didn't you stop it?!'

'… You weren't with her the whole time though.'

'Who are you?!!' Link shouted 'Why can't I see you? Is it you whose been doing this? Did you kill them?'

'… You want to know who I am?'

'Yes!!'

'… I already told you, I'm someone you thought you knew.'

'Who?!'

'………… Sheik…'

Link picked up his weapons.

'Sheik isn't real.' He said 'Sheik was a disguise, he wasn't real.'

'… Zelda based her disguise on a legend, the legend of a Sheikah warrior.' Sheik told him

'But if you're a Sheikah, why are you doing this?' Link asked

'… Because you didn't respect us.' Sheik said 'Whilst others were praising you, you left us in the dark. You didn't care.'

'So that gave you a right to take the lives of others?'

'… I hate you Link. Whenever you do something, you're always admired for it, but us…' Sheik replied 'You didn't even know that we helped in the battle against Ganondorf. You didn't know we were there every step of the way. You…'

He paused, gathering his thoughts.

'… You don't deserve to be the Hero of Time. You're nothing but a weak kid.' He insulted 'We train and train to fight and you make it look so easy. I want to fight you, the real you. The man behind the title.'

'Behind the title?' Link asked puzzled

'… Like you, we Sheikah aren't affected by the result of your time travel. We don't lose our memories like the people of Hyrule did.' Sheik explained 'So we remember everything that happened, your fight with Ganondorf, you rescuing the Sages. Only, you, the Sages and what's left of my race know what happened in the alternate future.'

'That still doesn't give you the right to take the lives of my friends!' Link shouted angrily 'Why did you do that?'

'… I want you to feel pain. The pain of losing everything close to you. Just like I did.' Sheik told him 'My people died to help you and you didn't even give them a second thought. I don't see how the Master Sword chose you to be the Hero of Time.'

'Because I saved Hyrule, I rescued it from Ganondorf's clutches. How can you say I didn't do anything?' Link asked 'You can't be a Sheikah, they would never do what you did.'

Link felt a force in front of him. His tunic was pulled forward, as through someone was grasping it. Then he felt himself being hurled against one of the walls.

'I am a Sheikah!' Sheik shouted, pinning him against the wall 'You're the fraud!'

Magic swirled from the ground. It was bright and Link was forced to close his eyes. Moments later, it escaped through the window. When Link opened his eyes he saw Sheik in front of him, his hold still tight on his clothes. He looked just as Zelda had portrayed him. Everything was spot on, from his tight blue gray clothes to the blond hair draping over his left eye.

'You're Sheik?' Link gulped

'The real Sheik.' Sheik told him

'W-why are you here—'

'How many times are you going to ask me why?' he snarled 'I want you to feel my pain. I want you to lose everything dear to you, just like you made me.'

'I didn't—'

'Yes you did!' Sheik yelled 'You're the reason why my race has nearly died out. My people gave their lives for you. My parents, my brother, everyone! I'm going to kill you for what you've done!'

Link kept quiet. Sheik's grip was tight and if he tried to draw his sword he would have easily been noticed. He didn't want to make him angrier than he already was. Sheik had the advantage so long as he was against the wall. If he wanted to, he could easily take Link's life. Slowly, Sheik drew his long dagger and placed it close to Link's neck. He paused.

'This isn't right.' He said

Link was surprised by his sudden gain of moral.

'What?' He asked 'Now you get a conscience?'

'Don't get me wrong,' Sheik replied 'I will kill you, just not like this. I want to fight the person who I was told so much about. I want to fight the Hero of Time.'

'I am the Hero of Time.' Told Link

'Not like in the legend. I want to fight the wielder of the mythical Master Sword, the person who can summon the power of the Goddesses.' Sheik explained 'You're not him. You've changed.'

He released his grip on Link and stepped back. Link saw him slide a Deku Nut into his hand.

'Until you get back the Master Sword,' Sheik spoke 'until you regain the strengths you once had, I will continue to take the people dear to you. They will pay for your mistakes.'

He threw the nut on the ground. There was a brilliant flash of light and Link was forced to turn away. When the light faded, he turned back to see that Sheik was gone.

'… Until then, ordinary Link of Hyrule.'

Link dropped his head and looked to where he had last seen Zelda. She wasn't there anymore; the spirits had taken her body before Link had a chance to say goodbye. Link walked out the room, slamming the door behind him. He continued down the corridor until he reached a large oak door. It was the room of Zelda's nanny, Impa. He commenced pounded on the door with his fist. Eventually the door opened. Impa was standing there, still in her day clothes.

'What is it Link?' she asked

'Zelda is dead.' Link told her 'The spirits have just taken her.'

'What?!' Impa exclaimed 'When did this happen?'

'Just now, in our room.' Explained Link

Impa followed him back to the princess' chamber, questioning him about why he didn't stop her attacker.

'I… I sensed somebody outside, but when I got there they'd left.' Link replied 'I heard her scream and when I got back she was lying dead on the bed.'

'Do you know who did this?' she asked

'Somebody called Sheik.' Link answered

'…… Sheik?'

'He said he was a Sheikah.' He told her 'Do you… Do you know him?'

Impa nodded.

'So he is a Sheikah.' Link said 'But to do something like this… How do you know him?'

'He's one of the best warriors in the entire Sheikah race.' Impa said 'Even when our numbers where great he was still at the top. He's mastered everything, fighting, magic, stealth. Mention anything and he'll most certainly know it.'

She placed her hand to her chin.

'But why he would do something like this remains a mystery. He was always so calm. He'd never hurt anybody innocent, especially a child.'

'He said he lost everything, and he was angry at me because it was all my fault.' Spoke Link 'He said that he wanted me to lose everything too and that was why he killed. He'll keep on killing unless I face him.'

'I never wish for my people to get hurt, we're few in number as it is but…'

Impa closed her eyes and swallowed hard.

'He is a threat to the people and that goes against everything we stand for.' She said 'You must fight him Link and stop him from harming other people.'

'I can't, he said he'd only fight me if I have the Master Sword back. I have to be able to use my spells too.' Link said 'He kept saying that he wants to fight the Hero of Time.'

'He wants to fight the legend he was brought up to believe.' Impa told him 'From what you said I can only think of two reasons why he wants to fight you. One is revenge and the other is to test himself—'

'I have to hurry.' Link interrupted 'If I don't he said he'll strike again at somebody close to me. I don't want anybody else to suffer.'

Hee hee! Next chapter up soon! ^_^