It was the first time Link entered the graveyard that he met her.
He looked around as he entered it, staring at the cold stone graves that marked where people were buried. He had never been in one before: the Kokiri had no need of them.
It was a drab and dreary place, with little color left in it. Clouds obscured the sky, sometimes letting down a light drizzle and throwing up an odd mist. The oldest marker stones were covered in moss, while the newer ones were only starting to develop plant life. There were flowers growing on a few graves, but it was mostly just old dirt or grass. Some of the marker stones were cracked, falling to pieces, or at least close to doing so.
"Hello, child. What are you doing here?"
Link jumped, looking around frantically. He hadn't noticed anyone on his first cursory glance when he had entered the graveyard, nor did he see anything when he made a more thorough inspection of his surroundings. Finally his eyes came to rest on a lone figure, female judging by her shape, seated on one of the newer marker stones. He frowned: he knew for a fact that she had not been there before. "Who are you?" he questioned the figure.
She was hard to make out in the mist, but she seemed to be swinging her feet back and forth, hands planted on the stone as she leaned back, staring at him. "You aren't from around here, are you?" she questioned him, tilting her head to one side. He walked forward a few steps, wary but wanting to see her better. What he could see of her face turned into a smile as his approached, losing her previous expression of curiosity. "I won't bite, you know. You can come closer."
Link glanced towards the ball of light with wings that floated around his head. "Navi?"
The fairy bobbed around for a second, then paused. "I think it's alright. Just be careful."
He slowly walked forward, keeping his eyes on the woman the whole time. She was now looking at Navi with obvious interest, glancing between the fairy and his tunic. "You're from the Kokiri Forest, aren't you? It's a rare soul that ventures from that land." She hopped off the stone just as he stopped a few feet away from her, looking down at him, studying him just as he studied her.
She was probably about average height, definetly taller than him, as was to be expected with adults. Her feet and hands were wrapped in what seemed to be white bandages, leaving her toes and fingers exposed but going up her ankles and wrists until they disappeared under the blue robe she wore. It was long and flowing, with wide sleeves that draped over her arms and hid them from view, and a wide skirt that ended above her ankles. She wore something resembling a tabard, a white piece of cloth that covered her shoulders and hung down her back and front, the latter part of which had a red, weeping eye embroidered on it. There was a white scarf wrapped loosely around her neck that appeared to be something she could pull up into a hood if need be, which did not seem to have any definite start or end. Her hair was an odd mess, with short strands disobeying all obvious attempts at order. Little of it went below her ears, and it seemed, even in the dim light, to be a pale, pale blonde, nearly white. Her skin was just a bit lighter than his, and her lips seemed to be a soft pink. Her ears, gently pointed, were like his, save for a blue loop piercing her left earlobe. It was her eyes that intrigued him, though. They were the same scarlet shade as Impa's, and under her right eye was a red teardrop tattoo, again like Impa's.
"Who are you?" This time it was Navi asking, sounding somewhat annoyed that the question had not yet been answered.
The woman smiled again, raising an eyebrow. "I had heard that the fairies from Kokiri are polite and well-mannered. Perhaps I was mistaken. Ah well." Now she stepped backwards a pace before sweeping into a low bow, one arm held in front of her, the other extended to the side, head raised ever so slightly so that she could still see Link. "Sasieth of the Sheikah, guardian of this graveyard." She straightened up. "And you are?"
"Er… Link, of the Kokiri?" his hesitant answer sounded more like a question, even in his ears. "And this is my fairy, her name is Navi."
"Sasieth… that's a long name. Can we just call you Sas?" Navi asked. Judging by her tone of voice, it didn't matter what Sasieth answered; she was going to be called Sas regardless.
Sasieth tilted her head to one side, staring at the fairy. "Sas? I… suppose," she said.
"Are you really a Sheikah?" that was Link, with childish wonder. From what he had heard, all the Sheikah were gone, with Impa being the last.
She blinked at him. "I am- or, was, I guess."
"Was?"
She smiled again, sitting back down on the the tombstone before spreading her arms and going almost completely see-through. "Well, I have been dead awhile." She frowned, considering. "Actually, scratch that, I am still a Sheikah. I'm just a dead one."
-oOo-
Link yelped, jumping backwards. Navi flittered to hide behind him, peeking out at his side. "Dead?" She sure didn't look it. Just… weird. Translucent, but still material.
"Mm. I suppose I don't look it, do I?" she settled her head on her hand, leaning forward, regaining a solid look. "Well, I've been dead for a long time, now. I've watched over this graveyard for the entire time since."
She shifted around for a moment, getting more comfortable before returning her crimson gaze to the boy. "But back to my earlier question: what are you doing here? I do not believe that there is much reason for a boy of the Kokiri to be in a graveyard."
"I'm on a quest. The Great Deku Tree, the owl, and the Princess sent me."
She stared at him, contemplating. "The Great Deku Tree, the owl… I'm guessing Kaepora Gaebora?" Link gave a nod and Navi bobbed around in the air. "Thought so. And the Princess, her name is Zelda?" Another nod and more bobbing around.
Sasieth frowned thoughtfully, placing her chin on both her hands now. "Zelda. Did she or her nursemaid give you a song? Zelda's Lullaby, or some such like that?"
"Yes?" said Link.
"Yeah, she did. Then she took us out of the castle and told us to go to Kakariko Village before heading up Death Mountain," Navi added.
"Wait," said Sasieth suddenly, whipping her head around to face him from where she had been staring off into the distance. "Death Mountain? Why go there?" she stared hard at him.
"We have to collect the Spiritual Stone of Fire."
"The Goron's Ruby?" she mused absently. "I can think of few reas- oh. Let me guess. You have the Kokiri's Emerald already, and you'll be getting the Zora's Sapphire after this?" there was an odd look in her eyes as she asked this.
Link nodded again.
Sas got a distent look on her face. "What game are you playing at, Princess? If it is what I think it is…" suddenly she hopped off the stone again, starting to walk away even as she beckoned him to follow, her face almost completely void of emotion. "You will need help if you wish to be able to get up that mountain in one piece. Here," she stopped behind one of the marker stones, "Russom will not mind this." Carefully she pulled it backwards, showing a deep hole that disappeared into darkness. "If you go down this hole, you'll find an old chest with a good shield in it. Then you just have to step onto the glowing square and you'll come back here."
Link looked at her with a questioning gaze. "I just… drop down?" he was answered by a nod. "Navi?" he asked, turning to the fairy.
She gave the fairy equivalent of a shrug. "You will need a better shield, preferably one that won't burn. Seems as good a chance as any."
-oOo-
When he was back out, Sasieth shoved the gravestone back into place. Seeing him carrying the new shield, she gave a firm nod. "Good. Now follow me."
Sas led him to the top part of the graveyard, it being set on a hill. She paused in front of a large monument, clearly made for the royal family. There was an Triforce on the ground, a place where no grass grew, save for in the center. "Stand on the Triforce and play the Lullaby. It will make the stone disappear so that you can enter. Once you're in, just head along until you reach a room filled with ReDeads. Just… just move slowly and stay back aways and you'll be fine. There will be a room at the end. Read the inscription, then come back." She smiled quickly, fleetingly. "Come and visit sometime, Kokiri boy, fairy. Even spirits need company."
And suddenly, she simply wasn't there anymore.
Link and Navi stared at the spot she had just been a moment ago.
"Well," said Navi after a while, "I suppose we should do what she said."
"Do you think she really is dead?" asked Link. "A spirit?"
Navi hummed, sounding thoughtful. "I think so," the fairy finally said. "There's no reason for her to lie, after all, and from what I've heard, not even Sheikah can normally go almost invisible like that. I think" She sighed, turning towards the monument. "Well, I guess we should go.."
-oOo-
He went back to see her once he had the Goron's Ruby.
There was no mist today, and a blue and white figure was clearly visible, sitting on one of the tombstones, swinging her feet.
"Sas?" he called to her, making her grin.
"Hello, fairy boy! You came back!" she jumped off the stone, skipping towards him.
"Are you really dead?" Navi asked.
There was silence for a moment, with neither Sasieth or Link moving, with Link wearing a horrified look on his face. Then Sas laughed.
"They really weren't telling the truth when they said all fairies were polite, were they?" said Sas after regaining her breath. She smiled again. "Yes, fairy. I am dead, just as I have been for the last several… hm. I suppose I don't even know anymore. Dead and buried and -well, not living, I suppose, but existing, rather. As a spirit. Or a ghost. Whichever."
"Huh," said Navi.
-oOo-
They sat together, Link on the tombstone of someone named Kotas, and Sasieth on the tombstone of another named Hovith. Navi was fluttering around, examining various graves.
Link was finding it rather awkward. He had never met a ghost before, and he had no idea what to talk about. Thankfully, Sasieth thought of something.
She had a distant look on her face, and her edges almost seemed to blur, making it feel like she was not quite all in the present. "What's the mountain like, Link?"
Link frowned. How best to describe it? ...ah. "Very hot and rocky."
Sas stared at him for several seconds. He almost gulped, wondering if he had said something wrong.
He was relieved when she grinned. "Well, someone's got a sense of humor! Finally! It's been ages since I've spoken to anyone with one!"
That made him think of something. "What you said before- I know Dampè works here. Doesn't he keep you company?"
Sas scowled. "Dampè… would rather I not be here. He'll talk occasionally, but not enough to be interesting."
Navi had been listening in. "What about people in Kakariko Village?"
The Sheikah huffed a breath out, now wearing a face of bored indifference. "They mostly avoid me. "Come in, visit the dead, leave. Stay away from the Sheikah if you see her, because she is very dangerous and could kill you with a single touch." I don't even know how that started. The point is that my job is to keep the dead quiet, not kill random villagers." She sighed. "Few of them even remember that now, even with how Impa's been living here. I've been turned into a bedtime story to keep children from wandering where they're not supposed to."
Link was staring at her, an uncomprehending look on his face. "Don't you have any friends who come visit?"
Sasieth turned away from him. "No, boy. All my friends died long ago."
"Not even other Sheikah?" Navi was surprised.
Sas flopped back onto the stone she sat on, staring up at the perpetually grey sky. "The only living Sheikah who knows about me is Impa. She cannot leave her duties as the guardian and nursemaid of Princess Zelda."
"Well," Link started hesitantly, clenching his fingers against the stone he sat on till they turned white, "if you wanted, we could be. Friends, I mean." He offered a hesitant smile.
Navi bobbed in agreement. "It would be good for you!"
Sasieth looked at Link. She had an odd expression on her face; it seemed to be a mixture of sadness, wonder, and hope.
"How old are you, Link?" said Sas quietly. "How long have you walked in this world?"
"Umm…" Link hummed, "not really sure, actually."
"The Great Deku Tree said that you're about nine years old," Navi chipped in, a sudden touch of sorrow coloring her words.
Sas tilted her head at the tone Navi used. "Why the sadness?" she asked, red eyes sharp.
Now it was Link who looked away. "He, he, he died. He's gone now."
"...ah. I am sorry, Link. My sorrow for yours." She moved, as if to lay a hand on his shoulder, but stopped herself, returning her hand to her side.
Link suddenly seemed to give himself a shake, throwing off the sadness trying to grow in his mind. "Anyway," he said, forcing a smile, "how old are you?"
She instantly caught onto him trying to change the topic, giving a more genuine smile, though it was still laced with sorrow. "I was nineteen when I died. I don't know how old I would technically be now, though. I lost count of how long it's been since then."
"How long have you been… here?" Navi asked tentatively.
"Since I died," was the simple answer.
"Oh," said Navi.
Sas shook her head, starting to smile. "Enough with the sadness! Here, fairy boy: come follow me and I'll show you something that I think you'll like." Standing, she stretched, reminding Link of some of the cats he had seen at Castle Town; she had the same fluid, almost jointless movement.
Hopping up, he too stretched; they had been sitting on the chilly marker stones for some time. Then he trotted to keep up with her quick pace.
When they stopped, they were standing behind another gravestone. Grabbing the sides, Sasieth pulled it backwards until until a hole was uncovered.
"Isn't this the place where you told me to find a shield?" Link asked, curious.
"Yes," was Sasieth's offhand reply as she climbed into it so that she was halfway in the hole. "But that wasn't all that's down in this one." She lowered herself more so that it was her hands that weren't in the hole, pausing to grin up at him. Suddenly she let go, dropping into the hole, a call of, "Coming or not?" rising out.
Link looked at Navi. She probably would have shrugged, had she had shoulders. Link did anyway before following Sas down the hole, and Navi followed him.
It was dark in the tomb they now stood in, just as it had been before. There was enough light that he could clearly see how Sasieth had kicked the small chest closed and sat on it, but not much more than that.
Seeing that he had joined her in the small tomb, Sas stood, then said, "Right. I probably should have asked this sooner, but do you have any bombs on you?"
He nodded, a somewhat confused look on his face.
She grinned again, making Navi take note that the Sheikah seemed to do it quite a lot.
"Excellent! Blow up this back wall for me, will you?"
He frowned, looking at the back wall of the tomb. It did, admittedly, look somewhat different from the other walls around it, but it seemed decidedly wrong to destroy it. "Um… are you sure?"
Sas raised an eyebrow at him, quirking one side of her mouth in a half smile.
Link sighed, then pulled out his bombs. "Fine then. But you might want to- never mind, actually. I guess it won't matter for you.
She grinned. "Nope!"
Pulling out a few, he set them at the base of the wall, carefully nudging them together before turning to look at Navi. "Mind lighting these?"
Navi huffed herself, clearly agreeing with Link about blowing parts of the tomb up. Sas threw up her hands. "Gah! Don't worry about this wall, or the rest of the tomb. It's a fake wall and the rest of the tomb is spelled so that it won't be damaged!"
If Navi could have, she would have given Sas a death glare. "Fine. Better get back, Link." He nodded, trotting back to the entrance before turning and giving Navi a nod. Seeing he was out of range, she lit the bomb fuses with magic before flying back to where he crouched by the wall.
When the bombs blew up with a spectacular flash, the wall they had been placed by exploded inward, into the tunnel that had been hidden behind it. True to Sas's word, everything else was fine.
Standing from where she had instinctively ducked, Sasieth brushed her hands over her robes, clearly an old habit from when she would once have been covered in rock dust. "Well! Excellent." She turned back to Link, a wide grin on her face. "Come on, fairy boy! I think you'll like this!" Laughing, she spun on her heel and lightly ran to the entrance of the tunnel, quickly spinning to face him again, holding out one hand in invitation. He joined her quickly, Navi lagging a bit behind.
Walking down the short tunnel, he was surprised when it opened up into a fairy fountain. Sasieth seemed rather pleased with his expression of incredulousness, smiling as she watched him gazing about.
"I didn't even think there would be a fountain in a place like this," Navi mused. "I thought they came about in happy places, or places where there was great need."
Sas shrugged. "Well, the dead can be happy. But Russom was a glad, adventurous soul, so perhaps that is why this is here." She paused, before adding, "Or, perhaps he called it here upon his death, to aid others who might come seeking healing. But, whatever the cause, it is here."
-oOo-
She waited for awhile, at the edge of the fountain, watching as Link and Navi played with the fairies. Navi, at one point, glanced towards the Sheikah spirit.
Had Navi pointed it out to Link, he would have seen that Sasieth had a wistful smile on her face, trying and failing to hide deep longing. It made Navi wonder just how long the woman had been bound to this place, unable to leave or move on.
When Link came to the graveyard, seven years later, Sasieth was not there.
The next time he came, seven years earlier, she greeted him with a wave and a smile.
-oOo-
"... so then, when I woke up, I was in the Sacred Realm, and Navi was there too, and some guy I've never met who said he was the Sage Rauru, and that now I was seven years older, and I was the Hero of Time-"
Sas held up a hand, cutting Link off as he relayed his story. "Wait. He told you that he was Rauru, Sage of Light?" She was scowling as she looked at him, making him gulp. Red eyes could be very intimidating.
Link nodded. "Yeah, he did. Then he gave me the Light Medallion-"
Sasieth, who had been laying on her back previously, now tried to roll over onto her belly. What she did instead was fall off of the tombstone she had been laying on.
Picking herself up off the ground, she quickly settled back onto the the stone and sat cross legged, staring intently at Link while giving off a feeling of great dignity. "The Light Medallion? Oh, that's interesting… that explains him being here. Did he say anything else?"
"Umm…" Now Link frowned. "Wait. You said he's here?"
Sas shrugged unconcernedly. "Well, not here here, exactly, but you've seen him before. He now wears the feathered form of Kaepora Gaebora."
"Oh. Well, then he told me that there was someone in the Temple of Time who wanted to talk with me, and with that I appeared back in the Temple. Just as I was leaving, I heard someone behind me, so I turned around with my sword drawn. But it turned out to be another Sheikah."
"What?" Link flinched at Sas's exclamation. "You saw a Sheikah? What did they tell you? What was their name?" She leaned forward, a look of intensity on her face.
Now Navi broke in. "They said their name was Sheik."
"Sheik told me where to find the other Sages, so that I could wake them up," Link added.
Sasieth was silent for a time. Her head was tilted upwards to face the cold, grey sky, not even blinking when rain started hitting her eyes. It never seemed to stop raining here, and there was a constant scent of mildew and damp. Combined with the dismal atmosphere, it was no wonder Sas liked to have company.
Finally she shifted, shaking her head like a cat in an attempt to remove some of the water in her hair. "Sheik. An… interesting name for a Sheikah to take." She narrowed her eyes, letting just a hint of red iris show through her white eyelashes. "And I suspect... oh, but that would be telling." She flashed her teeth in a feral grin. "An odd game to play, I think, but certainly a good idea. I wonder what sweet Nayru thought of that!"
Link tilted his head, looking at Sas. "What are you talking about?"
She smiled, a mischievous look in her eyes. "That, I don't believe I can tell you. At the moment, anyway. But I have faith that you'll find out in your own time."
That made Link remember something. He shifted around for a moment, then blurted, "You weren't here. In the future, I mean. We looked for you, Navi and I, but you never showed up."
Instantly a guarded look appeared on Sas's face, giving little away. "I can think of few reasons for that, each more unlikely than the next. I hope…" she quieted, still for a moment, before giving herself a shake and visibly cheering. "Come! Let us talk of something happier. Did you know that there is an ancient magic artifact at the bottom of the well in Kakariko Village?"
-oOo-
Link breathed a sigh of relief as he appeared in the graveyard, well away from the inside workings of the Shadow Temple. Never had he been in a more horrific place. But there had been a few good things that came of having to go through that place.
-oOo-
When Impa had been awoken as a Sage, Link had been able to ask her about how Sas had not been there, seven years in the future.
He had been given a simple answer to his question: that was a thing for Sasieth to tell him. The new Sage had, however, given him a small blue stone to pass to Sas.
-oOo-
He sighed again, looking around, trying to see if Sasieth was here now that the shadow was gone from the graveyard. But even Navi agreed that there was no sign of her.
Moving away from the warp pedestal he had been placed on, he moved to the fence that blocked the entrance to the Shadow Temple. Climbing up, he balanced there for a moment, staring out over the graveyard. The sky had cleared, returning it to its normal grey, rainy state instead of the black thunder and lightning clouds that had been there before.
He nearly lost his balance when he saw a white and blue figure walking along the tops of the fences in the main graveyard, apparently not even having to think about her balance.
Link had leaped down in an instant, stumbling for a few moments before getting his footing back and taking off in a dead run. Tears of joy blurring his vision, he thought he heard a happy laugh before he hit a slim, solid force.
-oOo-
When the hugging and crying stopped, Sasieth took a step back, one hand on Link's shoulders, the other gently wiping away the tear streaks going down his cheeks. With a sharp eye, she looked him up and down. "Well, fairy boy, looks like you've done some growing." She grinned. "Why, you're taller than me now. I suppose seven years can truly bring changes." Dropping her arms to cross them over her chest, she took a second step back and smiled up at Link. "So. Tell me, what grand adventures have I missed?"
Navi flew in before Link could say anything. "Oh, you know, just saving the world."
Sasieth stared at the little ball of light for a moment before giving a mirthless smile. "Indeed. Here, fairy boy. Join me on a gravestone and you can tell me what you have truly been doing."
-oOo-
"... and that's when she gave me this stone to give to you," Link said, giving Sas the little blue stone that Impa had passed to him.
They had been sitting there for quite some time, Link and Navi going over what had happened in the time that they had been in the future. Sas had listened intently, occasionally asking questions or making comments, but mostly staying quiet.
Now she was nodding, turning the stone over in her hands. "Interesting. I do wonder how she got her hands on this." Navi made a questioning noise, making Sas flash her red eyes up to where the fairy was flying around. With a half-smile, the Sheikah replied, "Well, I'm hardly going to be able to ask her, will I? Anyway," she shook her head, "it doesn't really matter."
Link shifted awkwardly, before asking, "Sas, um… I don't suppose you could tell us what's happened in the last several years? I mean, I've got an idea of it, but nothing solid, so…"
The woman's face darkened. "Ah." She sighed, suddenly looking older that she ought. "I suppose I could. Better for you to know, rather than not, likely. Very well.
"The last time you drew the Master Sword and traveled seven years in the future, everything was fine for the first several months. Monster attacks increased, but it was written off as something that tends to happen every now and then.
"Of course, that all changed when Ganondorf came back to invade Castle Town and the Castle."
Navi's wings jittered in agitation. "We knew he had t ohave done it some time, but we've barely heard anything about it. What happened?"
"Ach, well. No one wants to talk about it, not now. I only heard because of the refugees who fled here and hid in Kakariko." Sasieth shook her head. "Castle Town- you've told me that it looks horrible, all burnt and filled with ReDeads. That's the aftermath. Ganondorf and his forces came at night, when it was dark. They burned everything, shops, trees, homes. Killed all but those chance few who were able to escape.
"The survivors came here, or spread to other parts of Hyrule to bring word and try to give others time to prepare. The monster attacks increased- almost all the guards and soldiers were killed, either by the initial assault on Castle Town, the second, or raiding parties of monsters." Sas bowed her head. Link could only continue listening in growing horror.
"What else happened?" Navi pressed. She sounded like she couldn't believe a word Sas said.
The Sheikah shook her head. "That went on for awhile. It calmed a bit- there were less places for the moblins and such to attack after they razed so many towns and villages.
"It was about fives years after you left, I think, when Ganon made his full presence known. He laid a curse on the land- you've seen the effects. Volvagia came back to attack the Gorans. Zora's domain froze over, trapping all the Zoras and cutting off most of the water supply for Kakariko and the surrounding areas. The Kokiri disappeared. Friendly spirits were bound in a place between here, the Sacred Realm, and the Dark world, neither here nor there."
Link stared at her in disbelief. "He did that on purpose? Why?! Is he insane?!"
Sasieth shrugged. "Ganondorf insane? Probably. But…" she sighed. "Who am I to say."
She suddenly gave Link a sharp-eyed glance. "You are going into the desert next, yes?" Link nodded. "Aye. Well then. There is little I am allowed to tell you about that land such as I am, bound by multiple oaths and bindings. However. I can tell you a little.
"The desert is an… interesting place. It's called the Haunted Wasteland for a reason. It has history that I would never want to burden anyone with, even if I could. Suffice to say…" she shifted position, crossing her legs under her skirts, steepling her fingers together, "it is much like the Shadow Temple."
Navi and Link stared at her in horror. In return, she waved a hand in dismissal. "It does not appear as the Shadow Temple does. That place… it is a dank pit of festering hatred, fear, and malice. It feeds on itself, gives life to the horrors that haunt it. The very stone it is built with remembers the things that have happened within it, and holds on to all the emotions of those who have walked the halls. The blood, the bones-" her voice lowered, rage seething in her words, "those will never be gone from the unhallowed halls of this cursed place.
"The desert, on the other hand… it is different. As I said I cannot tell you the history of it. I can merely tell you that much blood has been spilled on that sand. But the desert… the desert hides it.
"It does not wish to remember its past, although the Gerudo have detailed scrolls recording it. Rather, the desert just… wipes everything away." She swirled her hand in a motion meant to imitate wind, waving it out to the side. "There are a few ruins, the occasional hideout that the Gerudo abandoned. But the rest? It has been erased. Covered by sand dunes, worn away by wind and sand. You would find little if you tried.
"This does not mean that the desert does forget, though." She leaned forward, narrowing her eyes. "You have seen the odd spirits around Hyrule Field, yes? The poes, waiting for someone to find them and set them free?"
Link nodded.
"The desert is full of them. They roam that place, unseen by all but those who have true sight, or those the spirit allows to see them. Some are… helpful, some are indifferent to the living who pass among them, and some… some would like little more than to kill all who cross their path." Her mouth curled up into a half smile. "Do try to avoid those ones, won't you?" she asked, clearly attempting to add some levity to the topic.
Link smiled too. "We'll try."
She nodded. "When I was alive, there was a story of a Gerudo soul who wandered the desert, always there, always watching. She was bound there by her death, killed by the betrayal of a sister." Sasieth snorted. "Not unlike me, I suppose."
Now Sas stood up, stretching her arms and back. Throwing a quick glance up at the clouded sky, she frowned. "You should leave. Even if you destroyed Bongo-Bongo, it would not be wise to spend the night in the graveyard. Rather, because you killed Bongo-Bongo, you need to leave. The dead will be restless tonight. To have a living, breathing body in their midst… I do not think I would be able to hold them off or calm them." She turned to face him, frowning. "Do you have somewhere you can go and sleep? Safely?"
"Well…" Link hummed, "I can always go knock on Anju's door and ask to stay there, I think."
Sasith smiled. "Good. Navi?"
"Yeah?" asked Navi.
"Make sure he sleeps. He needs it."
"Wha-" Link, now standing, started to sputter indignantly, making Sas laugh.
"Come on, fairy boy. I know the look of exhaustion when I see it. Go," she gave him a gentle push in the direction of Kakariko, "get some rest. You'll need it."
Only Navi noticed the worry in Sasieth's face before it was hastily covered by a smile.
Wrapping her arms around Link she gave him a firm hug. Before letting go, she whispered, "Don't come back here until you've defeated Ganondorf. He's looking for you, and I do not have the power, nor the authority to shield your presence here from him." She pulled him even tighter and said, so quietly that he could barely hear her, "I'm sorry."
When she pulled away, he was surprised to see tears glistening in her eyes.
-oOo-
Link did not return for some time after that.
When he did, Ganon was destroyed.
Peace returned to Hyrule.
Two years passed.
Link was a child.
-oOo-
Standing at the entrance of the graveyard, he hesitated.
Who knew if she would be able to remember him. Zelda had sent him back to before the time when they had had their first conversation in that castle courtyard, before he had met a pretty ghost in a dreary, wet graveyard. Not even Zelda had known him when he'd gone to tell her of the future. He'd had to tell her everything.
He had left out the part about Sasieth.
Perhaps it would be better to leave Hyrule without talking to her. For all he knew, he would be meeting a different Sasieth, a Sas who had no knowledge of him, a Sas who had never listened to his stories, who had never told a few of her own tales.
His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a figure standing in front of him, with no sign of how they got there. Eyes like red garnets stared down at him impassively, while long, thin arms that were wrapped in white bandages and disappeared into long blue sleeves folded themselves over a woman's torso. One foot, also wrapped in white bandages, tapped the ground with a slow, even rhythm.
With one white eyebrow raised and a mouth quirked into a half smile, Sasieth, Sheikah guardian of the Kakariko Graveyard, said, "Well, fairy boy, you took your time getting back here, didn't you?"
He stared at her, gaping. "Sas? You… remember?"
Unfolding her arms, Sas snapped her fingers, making a small blue stone suddenly appear between her right thumb and fore finger. Showing it to him, she flashed him a smile before clenching her fist and then flaring out her fingers, showing how the stone had vanished.
"How?" he asked her, confused.
She spread her hands in a 'who's to say?' sort of gesture, grinning. "I can't tell you what it's made of, or how it works. Just know that it does."
Then Sas sobered. Bowing her head, she folded her arms again. Looking at him through her white eyelashes, she quietly murmured, "You're leaving, aren't you."
It was not as much a question such as it was a statement.
Link swallowed, nodding his head firmly. "Yes."
Sasieth sighed, then nodded, dropping her arms to her sides, resigned. "Aye. I thought you might."
Turning her head away from him, she stared up at the grey sky, letting the heavy drizzle hit her face without flinching. There was silence for a time, Link staring blankly at Sasieth, Sasieth looking at the sky.
Finally, she said, "Navi's not here."
Link looked away. "She… left."
"Aye," Sas said quietly, "and you'll be looking for her, won't you."
A moment of silence, and then: "Yes."
Sas smiled again, although now it was sad. "I thought so."
Turning to the side and looking back over the graveyard, she wore a mask of sadness and nostalgia. "It's what I would do, if one of my friends disappeared. What I did do a few times, actually. Sages, but the mentors hated it when that happened." She smiled. "They wanted to find out what getting drunk was like. I believe they decided it wasn't worth the anger of the teachers, or the morning after."
Link looked up, confused.
Sas waved a hand. "You'll know soon enough."
He looked at her a moment longer then turned away. "I should go."
"Aye," said Sas. "But first… here." Moving away by a few steps, she bent down to where a small patch of bright blue flowers was somehow growing, despite the constant rain. Carefully she broke off a single stem that had a small cluster of flowers growing on it. Standing, she went back to Link, and held it out to him. Smiling sadly, she said, "Do me a favour, and take this with you? Show it the places you travel to."
Link reached out and took it, holding the small stalk between two fingers. "What type of flower is it?"
Sas smiled sadly. "Forget-me-nots."
Link was suddenly struck by a thought. "Um, Sas…" he started hesitantly, "is, is there anything you'd like? To have, or something?"
The Sheikah looked at him, startled. Then her gaze softened. "Something I would like? Ah… there is little, I suppose. Not much."
Link gave her a skeptical look. "Everyone wants something."
"Do they…" Sas scowled. "Aye, I suppose there's some truth to that. But what I want… that cannot be achieved. Not without huge magic, and someone else to watch the graveyard. But…" she paused.
"The sky," she finally said. "I'd like to be able to see the sky again, and the sun. Not, not this." She gestured angrily to the grey rain clouds, the heavy drizzle coming down, the soaked ground.
Carefully tucking the flower into his tunic to keep it safe, he nodded, a determined look in his eye. Sasieth saw it, but said nothing.
"Go in peace," she murmured, lifting her hand to touch the barrier that kept her in the graveyard. "Travel safely, travel far. Find your friend, fairy boy."
He turned and left.
-oOo-
It was a long time before he came back.
Years passed.
The feared spirit of a long dead Sheikah was rarely seen, save for the occasional times she was spotted sitting on a gravestone, watching the entrance.
-oOo-
Tales of the wandering swordsman slowly grew, and a few were spread by word of mouth. They were few and far between, mostly just one person telling another how they had seen a man with a sword on his back with a face half covered in scars and an eyepatch, always wearing an old green tunic, wielding a sword in his left hand.
Only one of them reached the graveyard- one woman moaning that if only the green swordsman had been there, then maybe they wouldn't be burying her brother after a monster band attacked Kakariko.
Few noticed the pale figure standing among the graves, listening with a bowed head, absolutely silent.
-oOo-
It was long, long time before the green swordsman returned to the old part of Hyrule he had once known.
Stories grew around him; a glimpse of him here, a long night at an inn and some alcohol with him there. Some spread like wildfire, some never left the village of origin.
This time, several reached Sasieth in her graveyard prison.
-oOo-
When the man came to the graveyard, it was a dark night, storming heavily, to the point where even the village had grey clouds over it with a heavy drizzle coming down.
He was rather unremarkable to those who saw him. Everyone wore cloaks in this weather, and most travelers carried a sword or some sort of weapon on their person and wore armor. His only noticeable features, his scarred face and eyepatch, were concealed by the helmet he wore and the thick mist.
He paused at the entrance, hesitated. For a moment, it seemed as though he might turn back. Instead, he took a deep breath, and entered.
In the time he had been gone, the graveyard had changed little. It had grown in size, somewhat, and a few more of the older graves had cracked and toppled over, but besides that it was the same.
The man walked the paths slowly, heedless of the rain, watching the names on the graves. Most he ignored, gaze moving over them uncaringly. A few caught his attention, drawing a second glance.
Two he knelt in front of for a few moments, one bearing the name Dampe, the other with the name Russom.
After some time, he noticed a figure, barely visible in the mist, watching him.
Moving on, he went to the graves of the royal family at the back of the graveyard, below the entrance to the Shadow Temple. Here he stopped, and unslung a pack from his back before going down on one knee. In that position he stayed for some time, touching his knuckles to his lips and whispering prayers.
After some time he stood and, grabbing his bag, began rifling through it before then removing something that seemed to be a painted wooden mask. Laying on the ground in a clear patch of earth, he then started drawing in the mud around it with a finger, making the shapes of ruins and circles.
Once that was complete he reached back into his pack, pulling out a small jar filled with a colored powder. In the rain he opened it, shielding it as best he could from the wet. Dipping in two clean fingers, he carefully showered the powder over the mask and the markings in the ground. It stayed where it fell, the water making it clump together.
Putting the jar back in his pack, he tossed it to the side, heedless of the muffled thump it made as it landed in a large mud patch. Reaching under his chestplate, he grabbed a small cloth bag that was twisted shut. After untwisting it he reached inside and took out a handful of small polished stones, dropping them at even intervals on the outside circle.
Then standing with his feet just outside of the markings, he raised his arms over them, palms facing outward. Taking a deep breath, he spoke, making words and sounds that came from some old, near forgotten language.
The effect was immediate, the lines and markings in the ground lighting up and glowing a pale, icy blue. Shadows leaped and danced over the painted surface of the mask, making it seem as though the eyes were blinking, rather than just empty holes.
Lowering his hands, he removed a blue ocarina from some leather bag on his belt, and, bringing it up to his lips, began to play.
It was a short, simple tune, with few notes, but filled with emotion. The figure watching could pick out feelings of joy, sorrow, hatred, fear, and anger. And there, just the barest taste of magic on the tip of the tongue, imbuing the song with insane power. And as the last note ended, the world exploded.
Blue light radiated outward from the mask and the lines in the ground around it, shining so brightly that the warrior had to shield his eyes. The lines cracked, showing black, sodden earth that sank back down. The wind picked up, whipping the warrior's cloak around, making it twist and dance. Rain thundered down, completely soaking everything. Lightning cracked and thunder rumbled, temporarily deafening him.
Then, for a moment, everything was silent and still. No wind blew, no rain fell, no bright flashes of lightning or ringing peals of thunder. The only thing that moved was the gently wavering blue light, and small tremblings going through the warrior's body.
As soon as he realized what was happening, the man dropped his arm from his face, falling to his knees at the same moment. Crawling forward, he grabbed the mask, raising it skyward. He whispered a few words, barely moving his lips, and yet his words echoed around the graveyard like a thunderclap.
"I bind you. By my blood, I bind you. By the Three, I bind you. With the power granted by Time, I bind you. By the grace of Shotha Majora, Lady of Masks, I bind you. By mine own sweat and tears, I bind you. Take my offering that I have provided, and be gone."
Dropping the mask, he sliced his palm open with a knife that appeared in his left hand, letting his blood fall on the surface of the mask. It seemed to flow over the features of the face, giving it new definition in some places.
A second after the blood rolled off the mask, things started moving again. The clouds roiled in a great mess directly above them, circling and rising. The edges pulled inwards, gathering into a center mass. The wind blew even stronger, raindrops whipping by so fast and hard that they left welts on the exposed skin of the warrior. Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled, even brighter and louder than before.
Through all of it, he had started to mumble words in a language other than Hylian, holding his hands palm down over the mask.
Just when it seemed that the storm had reached its peak, the warrior shouted a single word, lifting his palms to face the sky.
For one more second, the world froze.
Then the clouds funneled down into a sharp point, heading straight for the mask. Mist in the graveyard also gathered toward the mask, appearing to seep into it through the eyes and mouth, joining the storm clouds in the binding.
The warrior never flinched.
More and more clouds funneled into the mask, until all that was left of them were faint wisps. Even they made it to the mask.
Finally there was silence.
The weather had cleared, leaving the sky visible. Soft moonlight shone down from a gibbous moon and the stars gently twinkled around it. A light breeze blew through the grass, making it rustle.
The watcher stood in the middle of the graveyard, reaching a hand out to the sky, staring upward, eyes unblinking.
The warrior silently walked towards the figure, bandaging his hand as he went.
Just as he got to the figure's side, she spoke.
"You remembered," Sas whispered, tears streaming down her face. "After all this time, you remembered, and you came back…"
"Aye," Link nodded. "I did."
"But… how?" Her voice was quiet, And Link had to strain to hear it. "How was this possible? That storm was magic bound by Sheikah laws. There should have been no way…"
Link smiled grimly. "I had help."
-oOo-
There was silence for some time after that. Sasieth stared at the sky, never blinking, as if she thought this could be a dream and she would never see the sky again. Link kept an eye on her as he finished binding his palm and started to gather his materials.
Once everything was cleaned of mud and placed back in his bag, he returned to the side of the silent Sheikah.
This time she was able to tear her eyes from the sky. She studied him for a moment, then said, "She didn't remember you, did she."
It wasn't a question.
The look on Link's face showed that he had clearly not been expecting this. Now it was his turn to look on in disbelief as he felt his mouth say, "How did you know?"
Sasieth looked saddened. "I… had a feeling. The fairies… if something happens, they don't always remember their past life. It is safer, better to forget, then live out the remainder of their long, long lives mourning the loss of a friend."
"I didn't. You didn't."
"No." She gave a bitter laugh. "I will always remember. I cannot forget. Mark my words: I know who I have to thank for that, and if I ever see them in Nayru's realm, I will rend the incorporeal flesh from their bones."
Years ago, he would have flinched from the tone of her voice, full of pain and rage and hatred. Now he merely looked on, seeing her fists clench and her eyes narrow.
Then she sighed, the anger disappearing from her features. "Forgive me. That was unnecessary."
Now she looked at him, just a bit closer than before, noting every irregularity, every little odd detail.
Carefully, slowly, she reached her hand up and brushed the scarred skin of his right cheek, just under his missing eye. "What happened?"
He frowned, shaking his head. "Nothing important. A keese caught me off guard."
She laughed softly. "You sound like one of my old mentors."
He shrugged.
His response made her frown sadly. "Aye. Well then." She dropped her hand. "You're leaving again."
Link nodded, giving no further explanation.
"What will you do with the mask? That is not a magic to be taken lightly and worn to festivals."
"I might bury it."
She shuddered. "I would not recommend that. Not with Sheikah magic. Especially Sheikah storm magic."
Link raised an eyebrow, although it was hard to see under his helmet. "Then what do you think I should do with it?"
Sas scowled. "I don't know. Just… don't bury it. Leave it in the Lost Woods. Hide it at the bottom of Lake Hylia. Find a forgotten peak by Death Mountain and place it at the top."
He was silent for a time, thinking. Finally he said, "Very well. Perhaps it will enjoy Saria's music."
The shade smiled, tears in her eyes again. "I think it would. Sheikah like music, and so does the magic we use. It's been some time since it's heard any."
"Aye."
Link started to walk away, towards the entrance of the graveyard. Sasieth raised a hand as if to stop him, opened her mouth to call to him. A moment passed, and she remained silent, hand at her side.
Just before he reached the gate, Link paused, turned around. Reaching a hand into the top of his breastplate, he pulled out a small blue flower and held it out to the motionless spirit.
"Here," he said, barely mustering a smile. "I've shown this flower all the places I've traveled to. Perhaps it can tell you about them."
Tears rolled down Sasieth's cheeks. She disappeared from where she was standing to reappear in front of him, reaching out to take the flower. "After all this time…" she murmured, stunned. "All this time, and you kept it safe…"
Suddenly her arms were wrapped around Link, her head buried in the side of his chest. "Thank you," she whispered to him, so quietly he could barely make out the words. Her body shook with silent sobs as she clung to him tightly.
He gently hugged her back for a time, before carefully freeing himself from her grasp. "I'm afraid I have to leave now. There are things I need to do before this week is done."
"Aye," she whispered, dragging a hand across her face to wipe away her tears. "There are. But you won't be coming back, will you. No."
She smiled bitterly. Link turned his face away, looking to the ground.
"No," Sas remarked, "I'm not upset by that. I knew it would happen eventually. But…" she reached her hand out to him, brushing it across his. "It is better this way, I think. To part on our own terms, rather than those set by others. It is kinder." Slowly she raised her arm, holding her hand with her palm facing him, fingers spread so each was seperate, her ring and little finger slightly curled. "Good bye, fairy boy. May your paths lead you to safety and a warm home, and may you walk them under clear skies and starry nights. Travel well, travel safe. Go where you will but let the wind guide you, and may you return to joyful laughter."
She started to fade, growing more translucent each moment. Just before she disappeared completely, she seemed to pause, saying, "And thank you, fairy boy. For being my friend, for a time. You have brightened my time here more than you can ever imagine."
And with that, she was gone.
Suddenly, Link's face was full of emotion. "Sas, wait!" he cried, reaching forward to grab at empty air. "Sas!"
The only reply was a light, caring brush on his shoulder by invisiable hands, and a murmur in his ear.
I will always be with you, fairy boy.
Fighting back tears, he replied.
"And I will always remember you, Sasieth."
-oOo-
That morning, a tall warrior could be seeing walking out of Kakariko Village, moving slowly and with a slump to shoulders that had once held a proud bearing, clutching an odd blue mask in his hands, its eyes carved to look like they were tightly sealed shut, the lips set in a firm line. Had anyone come closer, they might have seen fog hanging around the mask, giving it a smoky appearance.
None dared approach the warrior in the battered armor.
And in the graveyard, a blue figure could be seen seated on the gravestone of a woman named Hovith, watching the sunrise as if she had never seen one before, tears in her eyes and a small blue flower clenched tightly in one hand.
And that marks the end of this story. Thank you all so much for reading. It truly is appreciated.
I do hope you enjoyed it. I've been working on this little story for about a year now, on and off. Well, it was supposed to be little, anyway. It... kinda mutated a bit.
I don't actually remember where I got the inspiration for this story, although I believe it was from reading some other Zelda fics based around the Sheikah and my being like, "Hey, there are like, almost no sotries based around Sheikah characters. This definitely needs to change." And so, this story was born
In case you're interested, I did make a few references to stories I'm planning to write. The first would be the wandering Gerudo spirit in the Haunted Wastelands. That's a character I came up with about halfway through writing this tale, and at the time I had planned to write about her. Now however, my ideas of the Gerudo and all that have kind of changed around, so while it may yet happen, it's rather unlikely.
The second reference would be how Link calls on a Shotha Majora- obviously Majora from Majora's Mask. That's from an idea I came up with rather recently that I'm still planning on writing (it's going to be about Majora, surprise surprise. Only, I'll likely be calling her Shotha Majora, as it sounds cooler.).
Again, thank you for taking the time to read this little (hah) story. If the thought so strikes you, please, leave a review. I always enjoy hearing what my readers think of a work, and it lets me know that it's not a terrible story. ;)
Hope you enjoyed!
(Disclaimer: you already know I don't own the Legend of Zelda franchise.)
Twillin out_