An Ally From Old
A Short Story
By
Logan T. Hoffman
Princess Zelda had entered the Shadow Temple alone. She was not certain why she was there, only that the will of the Triforce beckoned her to this location.
The temple was cold, damp. The stench, however, was what got the best of the princess. More than once she had found herself ready to gag.
Zelda stopped at the center of a corridor. It seemed hopeless. It was only two days since her escape from Hyrule Castle. The treacherous Ganondorf had taken over the kingdom and was probably scouring the countryside looking for her. She wasn't even certain if her father was still alive.
Tears began to well up in her eyes. She had never felt so alone. She missed the warmth of her father's robes against her cheek. The scent of her mother's perfume, a gift from the Zoras.
Zelda collapsed to her knees. "Gods! Gods, I pray you, I demand justice to my people!"
Do not be afraid.
Zelda jumped out of fright. "Who…who is that?" she asked, uncertain if she were perhaps in a dream.
I have waited centuries for you to seek my aid, Princess. And now, I shall once again reveal myself.
A young boy appeared before Zelda. He wore a dark blue tunic, with a desert poncho concealing the lower part of his face. Zelda recognized the symbol on the boy's poncho. It was an eye. "You…You're a—"
"I am a Sheikah," the boy said. "I am their beginning."
Zelda was in awe. With the exception of Impa, her nursemaid, she had never before seen a Sheikah. She looked into his red eyes, fascinated by him. There was an air of power that seemed to have radiated from him. "Who are you?" she asked finally.
"I am called Sheik."
The boy sat down beside Zelda, cross-legged. "Allow me to tell you a story, Princess. Centuries ago, I once lived as a farmer in this land. The kingdom flourished and Hyrule was a peaceful place."
"Then a travelling sorcerer disrupted our way of life. The land of Hyrule quickly fell to his darkness."
The boy sighed for a moment. Zelda could see the pain in his eyes. He continued.
"I couldn't stand to see my people treated with such cruelty. So I traveled to Hyrule Castle and confronted the architect of this madness. It was then that I had realized something. The power of the Triforce, the power of courage, was in my heart. It was the one thing that the sorcerer did not expect, and he quickly fell to my sword. But before he died, he unleashed all the darkness from his soul and unleashed it upon the king. I faced this demonic force and took it into my mortal body."
If it was any more possible, Zelda looked more in awe than she had before.
"I was tainted by the sorcerer's evil, it dwelled within my very eyes. But I would not let it control me. To insure that evil would never again take sway over Hyrule, the Sages took the essence of my courage and passed it down through my bloodline. I live on in the life of another even as you sit here."
It was then that Zelda fully understood. "You…You are—"
"Yes. I am Link. As long my bloodline continues, so will my essence. The Sheikahs exist to watch over Hyrule and aid the Hero of Time in his quest against evil."
Sheik slowly rose to his feet. "You mustn't reveal this to him. He could not carry the burden. But I can help both of you. By allowing my soul to join with yours, I can shield you from the eye of Ganondorf."
A great weight lifted from Zelda's shoulders. There was hope after all. Then she looked into his eyes.
As if reading her mind, he answered. "Do not be afraid. Though I am still tainted by evil, you possess the Triforce of Wisdom. With it, you will find the strength to fight its lustful desires."
Sheik held his hand out. "Take my hand. Together, we can aid the Hero of Time in realizing his destiny."
Slowly, Zelda reached out and held onto the boy's fingers. A bright light grew between them. Zelda covered her eyes with her free hand.
When the light vanished, the boy was gone. Zelda was alone once again in the Shadow Temple.
Let us go, a voice said in her mind. The future of Hyrule is now in our hands.
Zelda nodded. Destiny had never meant anything to her before until this very moment. It was the once thing that would save them all.
THE END?