Disclaimer: GrimGrave does not own Legend of Zelda or the characters associated with its franchise; they all belong to Nintendo and creator Shigeru Miyamoto. GrimGrave does not earn money by writing fiction.
"Talking" & ´Thinking´ / Flashback
The Music We Played
It all started when I first laid my eyes upon you that day.
The rain was pouring down mercilessly, and the thunder pierced the sky as swiftly as a heartbeat. I had been waiting for you, courageously doing my part to keep the evil at bay, but it was overwhelming; I had to escape, I had to seek protection. My loyal attendant Impa escorted me out of the castle, out into the open plains of Hyrule with only the cover of darkness to hide us from our pursuer.
That's when I saw you. I could never forget those eyes you had; full of questions and dread. How could you possibly understand what was happening?
It was then, that I knew. I knew what I had to do. After all, you risked your very life for me, for Hyrule… For the very future of this world. It was my turn to step in. I just knew it. The first thing I had to do was to make sure the Ocarina of Time was in your possession, so you could continue on your fated path, as I would continue on mine.
I let the tears fall freely. I couldn't deny the grief that struck me as we swiftly departed, with only a brief eye-contact as our farewells.
"Impa." The young princess said as she walked up to her attendant, fierce determination in her eyes. The Sheikah bodyguard looked at her with genuine curiosity and replied "What is on your mind, your Highness?"
"I have decided." Zelda answered back. "I cannot stay in hiding forever. This land needs me Impa, I have to do my part. Link cannot do it all alone!" Impa could see the stern and determined look in her Princess's eyes, just as clearly it was in her body-language; Zelda had set her mind onto this. The Sheikah attendant gave the young girl a acknowledgeable nod and pressed on. "Your words are true your Highness. But there is very little we can do for him in our current state. Aside from giving him the sacred treasure-"
"Did you not see the look in his eyes?!" Zelda cried out, startling Impa with her unusual behaviour. "I am not doubting him for even a second, but we need-" Swiftly but gently, Impa silenced Zelda by pressing her index finger against the young girl's mouth. It was a reassuring, and soothing gesture which calmed the princess down, which was what the Sheikah wanted. She smiled at her princess softly.
"Calm yourself your Highness. It is due to the commotion and the sudden change that is starting to take its toll on you. What you say is true, I know, but you didn't let me finish. I said that there is nothing we can do for the lad in our current state." She gave Zelda playful, but reassuring wink. "Do you understand, Princess?"
The young Hyrulian princess's lips formed into a small smile, which then grew wider as she found herself with newfound hope. She looked into Impa´s eyes with a joyous gleam in her bright blue eyes. "So there is a way for us to further help Link?!"
"Yes," Impa said with a gentle smile as she crossed her arms. "there is. The importance of our situation is that you remain hidden from Ganondorf´s forces. He must never be allowed to know of your whereabouts. But I know of a way that you will be able to both remain in hiding, and help the lad." The Sheikah reached out and tossed another piece of firewood into the campfire. "It will be tough, I shall not lie. But judging by that determination in your eyes, I assume you were ready for something like it. We will begin tomorrow, when you have gathered your strength and rested your spirit, your Highness."
The young princess let out a giggle and stepped closer to the sitting attendant, hugging her tightly with her small arms. The Sheikah, naturally somewhat shocked over the further unusual behaviour of her princess, eventually simply chuckled and returned the embrace. "It will be alright, your Highness. We will see to that, and so will Link."
She was right. About everything. We would see to it, Hyrule would be free again. The storm clouds would one day cease to loom over the land!
But it wasn't only that. The next morning we began to get to work; if I was to remain hidden, while still able to help Link, there was only one solution. Through learning to handle magic and training my body in the art of battle, I became more than adept at fighting, be it through muscle or magic.
But I don't know what worried me more; the fact that I would be changing my life and my very personality very soon, or the fact that the days passed on, turning into months. The months in turn turned into a year, and then a year and a half. And so it continued until several years passed without Link showing up. The evil continued to spread, and each day became more difficult to survive than the last.
When the seventh year came, I had since long become something more. I had grown under this time, in more ways than one; I was no longer Princess Zelda of Hyrule. She is sealed away within my, - our, - mind. It was after the first year that Impa felt it was time to completely hide the being known as Zelda. Through magic and Sheikah sorcery, a different persona, a mind of its own, came to inhabit the magically altered body of what once belonged to Zelda.
I was given the name Sheik. My appearance was that of a Sheikah warrior. No background, no connection to the Hylian Princess. But essentially, we are the same, still. It is her body, and her memories are carved into me - my mind is hers. She will know of what I witness, just as I know of everything she has. I needed no explanation, for I already knew once I awoke. The Hero Link is needing me to guide him through our infested land, and that is exactly what I will do.
At the fifth year, my training was absolutely complete. Impa and I went our separate ways shortly after that - with only the Gossip Stones to keep track of what was going on, I eventually found out the most important information I needed. Without missing a single beat, I hurried over to the Temple of Time to meet the one I had waited for seven years. The Hero that would awake and begin his journey.
Present Time - Temple of Time, Pedestal Chamber
As the blue light finally dispersed into nothingness, the green-garbed Hero felt his body regain its ability to move; he was back in both mind and body after the seven years, and he could already feel the differences.
Moving his stiff joints to further get used to his now adult body, Link looked around cautiously; he found himself to be in the exact same place he had been standing on when he first opened the Gate of Time, but what dreaded him was the thought of going outside, to see what had happened to the town and land during these seven years.
"Link.." Navi the fairy said. ".. we're back in the Temple of Time… But have seven years really passed?" Link shrugged slightly. "I don't know… But if what Rauru said is true, then we must expect a different Hyrule once we get out of here." Navi flew around him, her glow as bright as always. "Just be careful now, Link. It looks like you wont be able to use some of the weapons you found as a kid." With a nod and a light chuckle Link and Navi immediately began to get out of the temple, when the young Hylian felt the presence behind him; a swordsman by nature and destined Hero to boot, Link instantly turned around, his shield and Master Sword at the ready.
The sight before him greeted him with surprise; Link wasn't expecting to see what he believed to be a fellow Hylian, until he noticed the symbol. The peculiar eye, he remembered, was something he had seen on Impa when he was a kid. ´This person wears the same symbol on its clothing; is this mysterious individual connected to Impa? He… she… whatever it is, cant be evil, right?´ Link thought to himself as he studied the being before him, and apparently it was doing to same to him.
´Is.. No, it has to be. Its definitely Link! Oh, by the Goddesses, he is alright! There is so much I wish to tell him, but alas, I have to remain who I am. But time will tell. I … we… Zelda, has waited for this day for seven years, she can wait a bit longer. … He has grown up to be quite a man, that I cannot deny… Tch! Focus Sheik! Remember your task!´
"I have been waiting for you, Hero of Time…" Sheik said, breaking the silence between them. Link paid close attention to the person, but he couldn't help but to be puzzled over this mysterious individual; he couldn't tell its gender, for there was nothing about the person that pointed to either man or woman. Its voice was neutral and stern, and didn't seem out of place for either a woman or a man; it could be either and Link didn't know which. The clothing indicated that it was a man's body, but judging by the wrappings and covered face, it was fully plausible that it was a woman in disguise. He broke his train of thought and continued to listen to the mysterious figure.
"When evil rules all, an awakening voice from the Sacred Realm will call those destined to be Sages, who dwell in the five temples." Sheik said. She could tell that Link was puzzled by her appearing here, but she pressed on without delay. But for the sake of the persona, the being known as Sheik, she studied the Hero's features, admiring his form and physique. While she talked and appeared as confident, her mind was filled with a newfound admiration for the young Hylian.
"One in a deep forest…" ´By the Goddesses, your face is as radiant as the sun and moon combined, Link…´
"One on a high mountain…" ´How I wish I could be more honest with you. Not only with my admire for you, but the truth behind me.. And Zelda.´
"One under a vast lake…" ´I bet you are a great swimmer with that body… will you remove your clothes as you dive, I wonder…´
"One within the House of the Dead…" ´If things hadn't turned out like this, would you and I still have met? I dread that feeling, even if I only just met you, as myself. Zelda's memories of you is strong within me, as if I had already met you. Those smiles you wore may have been the Princess, but I cant help but to wish they were meant for me…´
"One inside a Goddess of the Sand…" ´It may be sudden for me to even be thinking about you like this… But I cannot lie to myself. Zelda may think of you as a great and invaluable friend, but I, Sheik, see it differently. But time will tell. This is not the last time we will meet, after all.´
"Together with the Hero of Time, the awakened ones will bind the evil and return the light of peace to the is the legend of the temples passed down by my people, the Sheikah. I am Sheik. Survivor of the Sheikahs…" As she finished talking momentarily, Link looked at her in a new light; he knew that Impa, Zelda's attendant, belonged to the Sheikah as well. If this Sheik did it, that had to mean that this person is connected to Zelda, one way or another, and it filled the young Hero with hope.
He smiled greatly at Sheik, who felt her cheeks heat up by his brilliant expression; it was alluring to see him like that, it had its own unique charm. Luckily she had the covering clothing to hide her flush.
"You're a Sheikah too?! Do you know of Impa then?! She is Zelda's attendant, are they both alright?!" He exclaimed. Sheik sighed lowly to herself, barely audible, and answered back in a somewhat harsh, but neutral tone. "Your questions will answered in time, Hero. Don't you worry about them for now; you have much larger, pressing matters at hand." She eyed him over with caution. "Yes… As I see you standing there, holding the mythical Master Sword, you really do look like the legendary Hero of Time... If you believe the legend, you have no choice. You must look for the five temples and awaken the five Sages.…" Sheik noticed how Link lost his charming smile, but his face was one of determination and understanding. He knew that now was not the time, so she continued. "One is waiting for the time of awakening in the Forest Temple. The Sage is a girl I am sure you know... Because of the evil power in the temple, she cannot hear the awakening call from the Sacred Realm... Unfortunately, equipped as you currently are, you cannot even enter the temple... But, if you believe what I'm saying, you should head to Kakariko Village... Do you understand, Link?"
"Yes!" Link said with a affirmative nod. "I understand completely, thank you Sheik!" The Sheikah warrior could feel her face grow hotter just by hearing Link say her name. He said with in a manner that swooned her, but she remained on the outside as neutral, perhaps even cold. "Good to hear. To save the forest girl, you need another skill... Head to Kakariko Village!" Link nodded again and turned to leave, but as soon as he got to the doorway, he stopped. He turned back to the Sheikah with an expression of discomfort; as if he didn't want to leave. Sheik noticed this. She decided to play her cards right and see if her suspicions was correct.
"Do not worry. We will meet again; of this I can assure you, Hero."
Those suspicions proved to be correct. Link's expression changed to a gentle smile, before he nodded and ran out of the Temple. What he didn't know, was that Sheik pumped her fist up in the air with a soft girlish scream, accompanied by scarlet cheeks.
´Yes!´
"Well that was certainly interesting." Navi said as she flew around Link's head. "What is?"
"Oh nothing, but I couldn't help but notice how extremely happy you looked when you were talking to the Sheikah person." She teased, flying right in front of him as she did. "You looked more happy than I've seen you before. That's all. I think the Sheikah has something to do with it." Link playfully smacked the flying orb of light away. "Of course he… she..? Is! Sheik said that I didn't have to worry about Zelda and Impa! How could I not be happy?"
"No, I don't think its about that…"
The Hero was about to chew Navi out when he pushed the large gates open and stepped out of the temple; what greeted him silenced both him and Navi, the dread and disgust kicking in like an arrow.
Death and gloom decorated the once lively Market Town, and the sky was a looming blanket of intoxicating fumes and smoke. The air was filled with a rotten atmosphere, and the buildings were all damaged, mere debris that was lying around. Link carefully treaded the stained grass path down to the stairs leading to the town square; each step felt like walking on something slimy, leaving behind a squishy noise as he looked around. The once white, proud castle in the distant had been replaced by a looming dark tower that pierced the equally black heaven.
Link felt his stomach turn at the sight, but he fought it; this wasn't the time to waver. With a strengthened resolve and courage within him that was burning with passion, Link trotted down the stone stairs and began his adventure.
:::::
Sacred Forest Meadow - Lost Woods
:::::
From branch to branch, against the wind itself, Sheik jumped forward to her destination. Thanks to the Gossip Stones, she knew that Link had obtained the item he needed to enter the first temple that was set out before him; the Forest Temple. She picked up her pace as she jumped, in order to meet up with the Hero; her part in all of this was to teach the Hero of Time songs that would be of great aid to him.
With a giddy giggle hidden underneath her bandaged clothing, Sheik could see that she was nearing the temple entrance; she was anxious to meet Link once more, and took advantage of her lonely situation to express herself freely.
"It has only been hours since we last met, and yet… Yet I still feel as if its been days. Will you smile for me again Link? Will you swoon me once more with your charming smile… " She sighed, jumping off another branch. "If only I could be honest with you. Things would've been simpler, wouldn't they… Alas, you cannot know. Not now. Perhaps, in the future, I might be able to confess to you.. About everything. Till then.."
She landed on a thicker branch, conveniently overlooking the meadow itself. Sheik's red eyes scanned the area after the green-garbed Hylian, only to find him battling a monster down the stairs. Shortly after, the huge moblin fell with a loud grunt, bursting into flames with his death. The hero ran up the stairs, to the Sheikah´s joy, until he came to a halt in front of the stump that sat lonely in the meadow. Link appeared to be looking at it with a solemn expression, which was evident in his body-language as well.
Sheik knew what was going on. The Forest Sage was, to Link's unawareness, his childhood friend Saria.
She had always used to sit on that stump, playing very happy tunes that echoed through the woods. A kind spirit, an innocent as well, she was always there for Link when he was around the woods. He had grown used to always see her there to the point that seeing the meadow empty was heartbreaking. Sheik knew of this, and as saddened as she was, she couldn't help but feel somewhat angry.
´Jealousy is such an ugly thing…´ She mused to herself. ´If I were gone, would he wear that expression? Would he mourn?´
Snapping out of her thoughts, Sheik jumped off branch, landing just a few feet away from the Hero. Still not noticed by the Hero, she walked a few steps closer; effectively, Link turned around. His blue, sapphire eyes met her crimson ruby of hers; they simply stared at each other for a few seconds with nothing but the sound of the wind whistling through the woods. Link slowly brightened up at Sheik, smiling warmly at the covered, but yet familiar face.
´There it is again… That smile of yours. Do you know what it does to me when you act like that? I bet you don't, and I happily would've told you…´
"The flow of time is always cruel... Its speed seems different for each person, but no one can change it... A thing that doesn't change with time is a memory of younger days…" Sheik unsheathed her golden harp, holding it at the ready. As if on cue, Link grabbed the Ocarina of Time from his pouch. Thanks to Zelda's memories, Sheik felt a small tinge of remembrance upon seeing the treasure she, - Zelda, guarded. "In order to come back here again, play the Minuet of Forest."
As the ocarina met his lips, and her fingers danced across the cords, the heavenly tunes of the forest chimed through the woods like fresh breeze. The song entranced them both with its musical charm, and for a single moment, their eyes met amidst the green, glowing aura that was created by their instruments; blue met red, and the whole world seemed to fade, leaving only them in motion and existence.
´Oh.. Whoa.. Beautiful… ´ Link thought, his eyes never looking away from the Sheikah, just as she was looking at him intensively. Link could feel his cheeks burn with blush at the almost hypnotic stare; he wanted to avert the gaze, but at the same time he wanted to drink it in, absorb it completely. He felt shy, timid even by Sheik's stare, but also obliged to look back at Sheik, as if he wanted him or her to feel the same. And the whole situation confused him to no end.
The magical tunes slowly died, leaving the couple to the sound of the wind once more. They both put back their instruments of choice, before Sheik calmly broke the silence. "Link… I'll see you again..."
She took a step back to prepare herself for her departure; Link was about to step after her, an act that was so little to everyone and everything except the Sheikah. ´Very cute, Link… But I am afraid that I have to keep this short. I'm so sorry…´ And with that, she threw the deku nut, vanishing amidst the blinding light.
When Link could start to see again, he noticed that Sheik was gone. He sighed to himself as he took another look around, just to be sure, and found nothing. With a solemn expression, he pulled out the Hookshot and pulled himself up to the tree that enabled him to reach the temple.
"Hey!" Navi yelled. "Now that we are back on that topic, don't try and fool me! I saw the look in your eyes mister!" Link tried to wave Navi off him as he walked on, obviously not in the mood to talk about the situation. It had been weird enough that his slowly budding feelings was reacting to a person he didn't even know the gender of. Questions and doubts about his own sexuality began to surface within him, and it was distracting him; as evidently, he barely dodged the claws of the attacking pair of wolfos that had been in hiding at the temple door.
"Hey! WATCH OUT! Link, LISTEN!"
:::::
Temple of Time
:::::
The Hero of Time had vanquished the first of the evil trials and awoken the first Sage, Saria; as proof, he carried the Forest Medallion. Through monsters and phantoms, Link had bested the evil within the Forest Temple, leaving behind him the vast woods that was now peaceful once again, and the Kokiri children safe. The first sign of peace had been lit, in the form of the Deku Tree Sprout that told Link of his destiny and that he was, in fact a Hylian; he was bound to leave the forest.
With the new facts and the truth about who he was and his significant role, Link played the tune that beckoned his faithful horse, and rode off towards the Temple of Time. He had managed to keep his cool, and his head clear from the enchanting meeting with Sheik in the woods, but every now and then when he had a breather, his thoughts was all about the mysterious Sheikah. His sexuality aside, Link found himself thinking a lot more of the true gender of Sheik, as well as his/hers alluring eyes.
They were red, like all of the Sheikah (despite that the only other one he had met and knew of was Impa) but their colour in addition to the gaze he/she always gave him was enough to make him feel weak in the knees, and his heart to accelerate its beating rhythm. And it both excited him as well as frightened him.
Epona whined, running across the great field. Link calmly stroke her white mane, thinking about everything; Sheik, his sexuality, but also about all the people he knew and about the seven year gap. He had already met Saria in a tearful, and short, reunion.
´Zelda.. I hope you are safe, wherever you are. I have already saved one of the Sages, it wont be long now.. Just hang on a bit longer. I will save Hyrule, and restore the peace. Until then, wait for me..´
Epona whined once more, and picked up her pace. The entrance to Market Town was within sight.
:::::
Within the bright, beautiful temple, Sheik stood in front of the sword pedestal. She kept her gaze straight ahead, waiting with patience for the arrival of the Hero, and now her object of affection, Link. While Link was away from her sight, her chain of thought was increased tenfold by Link; her fantasies of him, Zelda's memories of him as a child, and her new, own memories of them playing music together. They were replaying in her head, clear as day when she closed her eyes. Once Sheik was created and in control as an own, individual being she noticed how all of the recent memories of Zelda had a green-garbed boy in common. She had found him to be cute, and somewhat anxious to meet the boy in question, but as time went on, it had developed into something more.
Sheik kept reminiscing until the sound of the metal doors opening up snapped her out of the daydreams; down the large white hall came Link, running up to the pedestal chamber.
´Oh Goddesses..! Link, do you have any idea how handsome you are? Your beautiful, framed face with those dreamy eyes…I wish to see them up close I want to be near you at all time… I noticed you were watching me intensely last time… It is a fools hope, I am sure, but a woman has a right to dream.´
As Link jogged up the last few steps up to Sheik, she crossed her arms and watched him strongly. "You destroyed the wicked creatures that haunted the temple and awakened the Sage... But there are still other Sages who need your help. In order to awaken other sages, you must become more powerful. You must travel over mountains... under water... and even through time…"
She shifted a little on her spot, still eying the Hylian and his handsome features. Luckily he couldn't see her reddened face. "If you want to return to your original time, return the Master Sword to the Pedestal of Time. By doing this, you will travel back in time seven years…" She stepped out of the way and exposed the pedestal for Link, while readying her harp. The Hylian watched her with a caring gaze and picked up his ocarina.
"The time will come when you will need to return here quickly. I will teach this to you for when that time comes... the song to return you to the Temple of Time... The Prelude of Light..." And so the magic began once more. Sheik played her tunes in a perfect manner, with Link quickly following suite with his ocarina; the music was creating a sparkling light that dances around and between them, another aura that shined brightly as before. Link quickly locked his eyes into Sheik's; there was no mistake, the hypnotic gaze was there again, as beautiful as the last time.
They played the prelude over and over, looking deeply into each others eyes the whole time as the sparkling light danced across the chamber. Their hearts was beating faster as their gazes intensified; studying each other's features.
´There it is again! Those loving eyes… Its like you can see right through me. Like you can past any lies. You've been staring at me since our first encounter with those eyes. What does them mean? You show up at the most crucial of moments, and yet you disappear just as quickly. Sheik… Just who are you?`
The tunes of the prelude was slowly fading into silence, but the duo kept admiring one another.
´Oh Link… If only I could tell you. I want to be honest with you, I want to tell you everything! Alas… You must not know. Not yet. Just wait a while longer, I implore you… In the meanwhile, I pray that you are enjoying these moments as much as I am… Just talking to you is a tremendous joy for me. If only it wasn't professional. Link…´
Silence loomed in the air. The couple put away their instruments, sparing a few seconds to let their eyes linger on with their gazes, until Sheik took a step back.
"As long as you hold the Ocarina of Time and the Master Sword, you hold time itself in your hands... Link, we shall meet again!" With another Sheikah trick of vanishing, Sheik was once more gone. Link didn't even bother to try and look around; he knew by now. With another sigh over the disappearance of Sheik, the Hero settled with looking up at the glass window. Its shine landed perfectly on the pedestal, as if it beckoned him.
"Time itself is in my hands huh…" He said to himself. He shook his head and looked up at the window again. "Sheik… I will find out what you are the next time we meet. And I will find out the truth behind your eyes!" He smiled triumphantly until Navi flew out of his hat, flying around him as usual. "Whoa Link.. That was.. Uhm.. Corny, of you. But also adorable in a way! So… still trying to deny that you-"
"There is nothing to deny." Link interrupted quickly. "I admit, I… I do feel my heart race whenever I'm near Sheik, alright? Its hard to explain!"
Navi kept flying around Link in silence, until she giggled loudly and flew back in under his hat. Link simply shrugged his shoulders and stood before the pedestal; there was supposedly something he had to do in the past as a child. Seconds later, the Master Sword was once again in its place.
:::::
Death Mountain Crater
:::::
A few days passed since their last encounter. Link travelled back in time and relived his childhood for a day, just so he could enjoy the peaceful tranquillity and life that it had to offer. Then, once rejuvenated, he once again picked up the Master Sword and continued onward with his quest; he found himself being lead to the Kakariko Village where he, to his great relief, found most of the people he had met as a child. A great weight had been lifted off his shoulders as he stayed there for another day and simply enjoyed being around the people he had encountered and helped in the past. Once done, he began his journey to re-climb Death Mountain trail.
Since the area had now been infested with monsters, the journey had been harder than previously, but the Hero kept going. Braving the now cursed mountain, he dodged the falling boulders, and slashed his way through the horrific monsters that tried to ambush him on every corner until he reached the city of the Gorons, but the sight was heartbreaking to say the least.
The once lively city of the Gorons was now devoid of life. The city's inhabitants were gone, with the exception of one lone goron that kept rolling around the city's midsection. Thanks to his cleverness, Link managed to stop it, receiving information of what had happened to this place during the seven years, as well as means to continue on his journey to best the Fire Temple.
His journey to the core of the volcano was opened up for him as he stepped into Darunia´s room…
:::::
The heat of the volcano was unbearable; its fumes was dangerous to the lungs and safe, walkable paths were scarce. Ironically, there were a few wooden bridges here and there that provided a somewhat safe passage to the cliffs.
Link coughed violently at first because of the smoke, slowly getting used to the air around the core. "Ough… Thank the Goddesses that I got this tunic from Darunia´s son… Or else I would've been done for by now." Navi flew around him as he kept going, nearing a bridge. "Indeed. Good work on stopping him as well, very clever of you Link! Who knows, maybe you even get to see Sheik again… I know how much you've been pining for her, him, it!"
"Hilarious, Navi…" Link said, not even bothering to smack the fairy for her teasing. "But yes, I hope so… I have questions I need to be answered…"
As Link carefully walked upon the wooden bridge, locked in his own thoughts, there was a thumping sound briefly. As he looked up, he could swear that he felt even hotter, despite that he was inside a volcano.
Just a few feet away on the same bridge stood Sheik. Her eyes were filled with mirth as she walked a bit closer towards Link, the space between them was barely more than a arms length.
"Sheik!" Link exclaimed, ignoring the Navi´s giggle. "Its good to see you again! I have something important to ask-"
"Link." She intervened. "Your questions will be answered in time. Remain patient.." ´Just like I am doing… Link, I know how you feel. Trust me…´ "But if that wont suffice, then allow me to answer your troubled mind with this…" Sheik brought forth her harp, readying it while keeping her attention towards Link. "It is something that grows over time... a true friendship. A feeling in the heart that becomes even stronger over time... The passion of friendship will soon blossom into a righteous power and through it, you will know which way to go... "
While Link was unable to read her expressions due to her masked face, he was certain that, at that point, Sheik was smiling at him softly, especially with her next words. "This song is dedicated to the power of the heart... Listen to the Bolero of Fire..."
The tunes of harp and ocarina was once more joined together in a harmony of music, leaving behind a red glow that showered the couple with its dazzling beauty. And just as before, the duo looked deeply into their bright orbs of red and blue; there was no mistake of it this time.
There was a connection now; they could feel it. It could've been the heat of the volcano, they didn't know, but they felt their bodies warm up the longer they stared - As if they exchanged whispers of affection to each other subconsciously, but they weren't allowed to remember them, only its effects.
The Bolero of Fire echoed throughout the crater. The flames seemed to dance at its sound, the magma appeared to wave up by its rhythm, and amidst the fire and rocks, the two hearts fully connected to each other with a red string. They could feel it.
Once the song was over, and the echo had disappeared, Sheik took a step back, a sorrowful expression decorating her eyes. "Link… I'll see you again…"
´Did you feel it too, Link? You must've … The power of the heart… One day, it certainly will bloom, and perhaps, I will be lucky to be around to witness it. Link…´
"Sheik, wait up!" The Hero called, stepping closer to the Sheikah. "Don't leave now! You felt it too, didn't you! Sheik, I-"
Through magical means, a fiery barrier separated them; Sheik took a few more steps backwards, readying herself to leave. She watched the Hero avoiding the fire, his watchful gaze piercing through and reaching her.
"No…! Sheik! Wait! Don't leave me Sheik!"
Don't leave me Sheik!
"…. Link…"
"Sheik! D-damn it… Just wait! The power of the heart, does it mean what I think it means?! Sheik! I need to know-"
"Link!" She yelled, interrupting the Hero effectively as she did. The fire barrier kept burning, but Link could clearly see Sheik; she appeared to be smiling behind her mask and prepared herself to vanish yet again. "I will see you again!" She shouted. She readied a deku nut, but before she threw it, she looked Link deep into his eyes and winked, before vanishing and simultaneously removing the fire.
Link hadn't felt any hotter than he was now, fairly certain that it wasn't because of the volcanic crater. Hot and bothered, he progressed to the temple entrance in a slow pace.
"Don't even get started Navi…"
"I didn't say anything~" The fairy teased, flying just above Link's head. "Nothing at all~"
"Tch…" ´You don't need to tell me. I think I already know.´
Elsewhere, down the mountain cliffs, Sheik made her own progress down the back of the volcano until she came to a halt to rest one a steady rock; her mind and heart was racing, leaving her short of breath.
"Link…" She said, smiling for herself. "There is no question about it, right? Your heart is honest… I did feel it, Link… I felt it." Sheik's crimson eyes gazed upon the soon to be night-sky. If one watched closely they would surely see the small glistening dots that would soon fully decorate the sky.
"The next we meet… I promise you. You will have your answer. After all, I wont be around forever."
With the approaching darkness, Sheik leapt down the rocky path and out to the field.
:::::
Ice Cavern
:::::
From the scorching fire to the icy water, the Hero of Time trotted on his destined path. Having saved the Fire Sage Darunia and the Goron people from Volvagia, Link found his feet taking him to the domain of a place he had nearly forgotten.
Through the calm riverbanks and the cliffs, Link made his way with the aid of memories to guide him to the waterfall he once visited; the gateway to Zoras Domain. A chilling wind almost cut through his bones as he got closer, foreboding and shivering, it almost howled behind the drowning noises of the waterfall. He wasn't dumb. He knew by now that everything had changed during these seven years, and the cold wind gave him a hint of what he would expect. Bracing himself, he played Zelda's Lullaby, thus opening the entrance.
The harsh winter cold pierced through his clothing as he stepped into the domain; the once lively water palace was nothing more than a pool of thick ice, devoid of any life. Link fought back the tears that threatened to escape his eyes as he fanatically looked around the frozen water. "Oh no.. No! Ruto! King Zora! Anyone?!" He fell and fell against the ice, forcing him to crawl around while trying to see anything in the depths beneath the ice. "Damn it! Don't tell me they're all…! Ah! The throne room!"
Hurrying past the ice and up the stone stairs, Link made his way to the throne room as his fear was turned into reality. Frozen on his seat, King Zora was encased in red ice.
:::::
After a prolonged moment of grief, Link had eventually found his way to the Ice Cavern, a previously unreachable area in his younger days, and battled his way through the monsters, solving the clever puzzles. The enemies appeared in every corner, the frosty air smothered him with chill and the icicles gave way above him; the cavern itself was against him the whole way.
He had finally reached a frost-covered door, the only one he had seen in here; it had to mark something, possibly the end of the cavern. Bracing himself further, he opened it and entered the room. The cold metal bars blocked the door behind him, trapping Link inside the beautiful room; the walls and the ceiling was shifting colours like northern lights, and the floor was nothing but a untouched blanket of snow. He took a few steps forward cautiously, sword and shield at the ready.
The sudden, loud howl caused Link to dodge to the left side, rolling on the ground and quickly get up again as the blackened claws slashed through the air. Attempting to run around him, a large white wolfos snarled and growled hungrily at him. Its menacing eyes observed the Hero with a starving glare as it jumped towards him, forcing Link to once again dodge sideways. The beast howled again, ready to claw its victim ferociously. Link saw his chance; as the monster aimed to strike, Link swung his blade across its belly and upper body, causing the beats to yelp in pain. It jumped backwards, trying to circle around Link again, but he saw through it. As the beast readied itself once more, Link struck it right in the chest, piercing its skin and flesh deeply.
The wolfos yelped and snarled until it died, burning away within blue flames. The treasure it had guarded appeared in the centre of the room in the form of a giant treasure-chest. Link slowly walked over to it, about to claiming the treasure as his own when he heard a snow-dampened thud behind him.
"We meet again, Link... " Said the familiar voice as he turned around. "If you came here to meet the Zoras, you wasted your time... This is all there is... With one exception, the Zoras are now sealed under this thick ice sheet... I managed to rescue the water princess from under the ice, but... she left to head for the Water Temple... This ice is created by an evil curse…" Sheik took a step closer to the Hero. "The monster in the Water Temple is the source of the curse. Unless you shut off the source, this ice will never melt... " Another step. "If you have courage enough to confront the danger and save the Zoras, I will teach you the melody that leads to the temple."
Link nodded. He picked up his ocarina in advance, as Sheik was readying her harp and spoke the following words with a voice of adoration, gently and calmly.
"Time passes, people move... Like a river's flow, it never ends... A childish mind will turn to noble ambition... Young love will become deep affection... The clear water's surface reflects growth... Now listen to the Serenade of Water to reflect upon yourself.…"
The strings of her harp, the tunes of his ocarina, together yet again in the northern lights of ice and snow, glistening with a pale blue shine. The Serenade of Water was played continuously as their eyes met lovingly, their desire for each other growing stronger with each musical tune.
´Young love will become deep affection…´ Link thought. ´Sheik… are you..´
As the pale blue aura slowly disintegrated into nothingness, so did the music. The ocarina sparkled briefly with magic of the song, but Link instantly put it away, looking Sheik in the eyes. "Sheik… Are you going to disappear again?"
The Sheikah simply looked at him with eyes rich of mirth as she stepped closer to him, closing the distance. "Not for the moment. You and I have an unfinished business, Link…" She put the palm of her hand over Link's chest, feeling his rapid heartbeat. "Words are unnecessary at this point… for you know what I know."
"Sheik.. Listen, I have to ask…"
"Are my feelings for you not clear enough?" The Sheikah asked, an hurtful expression visible in her eyes. "I happily say it out loud, if you wish…" Link gently patted her shoulder, giving her a warm, but slightly sheepish smile. "No, no, I believe you… and trust me, you've been on my mind since the Temple of Time… But I have to know.. If you are a man or a woman.."
She took a step back. "What..?" Then another. Then it came. Sheik almost bent over in her fit of laughter, revealing a slightly more womanly chime behind the voice as she tried to regain her composure. "Oh dear… I suppose my attire does give off a masculine vibe, but that's its purpose… My apologies, Link. I guess I should've told you that, at least.."
She stepped up to the now embarrassed Hero, admiring his bashful expression. "I am a woman, Link. My feelings for you are as true as the snow beneath our feet. I highly admire you…" Barely a few inches of space was between them. "And I have been wanting to do this for a while now." Their lips was just barely touching each other, their breaths momentarily heating up their mouths. "Sheik… I may not have known your gender, but… I felt it. There is something there, right?" The Sheikah nodded slowly in response. "Yes… a small flame… all it needs is some kindling.."
"Young love will become deep affection, huh.."
"Even the weakest of flowers survives the winter…"
"We are far from weak, Sheik.."
"Our feelings for each other are. For the moment. The flame of passion desires growth…
"And how do we help it grow, Sheik?"
Their lips met, clumsily at first. They tried again, and again, until their kisses were proper and filled with warmth, melting the cold that was encased on their lips. They hugged each other tightly as their combined body-heat warmed them up like a flame while they kissed with passion, lost in their own dream world of an awakened love. They felt their built up affection for each other be released with each kiss, sending pleasurable jolts throughout their bodies in response whilst they simply shared the moment in the northern lights.
´You certainly are not the holder of Wisdom… But that's okay.´ Sheik mused happily, planting kiss after kiss on her Hero's lips, occasionally biting him playfully on his lower lip with a giggle.
"I love you."
:::::
Kakariko Village
:::::
Since their mutual confessions in the ice cavern, the Hero and the Sheikah couple had been rendezvousing every now and then, briefly as they were. But just as the day is followed by night, the darkness of evil followed shortly after the light of love that had bloomed.
The smoke spread itself over the sky of Kakariko Village, the fires rising high. As Link arrived through the village entrance, he saw how the flames licked across the buildings in a chaotic dance. The villagers were panicking, running willy nilly all over the village, few of them actually trying to douse the fire. In the midst of the chaos, across the crowd and fire, he saw her.
Sheik was standing in front of the well, not even moving a muscle. She didn't even turn around to face him as he approached, but acknowledged his presence nonetheless. "Get back, Link..!"
"What..? Sheik, what is going on-"
The loud sound of shattering wood deafened him as the wooden covering on the well flew upwards, landing with a crash behind them. Shocked, Link looked back at the splintered wood before turning back to Sheik and the well, hearing a loud roar that sent shivers down his spine. Its origin was nowhere in sight, but the unseen being kept roaring loudly until Sheik suddenly became airborne; like a rag doll, she was tossed and thrown in different direction by the unseen being until she landed on the ground.
Link, at disarray over what was happening, ran over to his beloved, keeping an lookout for whatever was around them until he saw it; the shadow. A unnatural dark shadow crept up from the well, roaring as it almost swam across the ground, over the houses and the cliff-side, before turning towards their direction. Link watched the shadow closely as it approached them, readying himself; he crouched down, put up his shield to defend himself while keeping the Master Sword ready for a spin attack.
"Link!" Sheik yelled from behind him. "Stop! You don't stand a chance, that's the-!"
"I don't care! I'll figure out something, you just stay back!" The large shadow flew forwards across the ground. "Come at me then!"
As he began to swing his sword to hit whatever the shadow was, he felt something grip hold of his legs, tossing him upwards from the ground; as he was falling, something grabbed him again, tossing him from side to side in a violent manner. Link screamed in agony as whatever it was almost crushed him in its grip, before knocking him around savagely until he was thrown in to the house wall, rendering him unconscious.
:::::
"Link! Wake up Link!"
The Hero blinked repeatedly, trying to adjust his eyes to the light of day. His body hurt all over as he tried to move. "What…What happened..?"
"You were a fool." Sheik answered, cupping the Hylian´s face in a affectionate manner. "A brave fool, but a fool nonetheless." She helped him up so he was sitting next to her. "Link, there is little time left, something terrible has happened! The evil shadow has been released! Impa, the leader of Kakariko Village sealed it in the bottom of the well a long time ago, but it has grown too strong for the seal! Do you understand, Link?" The Hero dazedly looked at the Sheikah, not fully comprehending what she meant until he slowly put the pieces together. "You mean… Impa has-"
"She has most likely gone back to the Temple in order to seal the beast again, but… She is in grave danger if she doesn't receive any help!" Sheik stood up, dragging Link with her with a serious look in her eyes. "Link, it is crucial that you help her! Impa is one of the six sages! You have to destroy the evil spirit in the Shadow Temple, located in the Graveyard behind the village!"
Sheik swiftly and somewhat clumsily brought forth her harp, motioning Link to do the same with his ocarina. "To reach the entrance, I will do the only thing I can do and teach you the melody to get there. This is the melody that will draw you into the infinite darkness that absorbs even time... Listen to this, the Nocturne of Shadow!"
The dark melody almost haunted their ears, its deep and depressing tunes was hanging in the air like a mist as they played it, and then played it again; Link was beginning to sparkle in a dark purple colour, seemingly pulling him away to what could've been the infinite darkness.
"Let me take care of the village! I'm counting on you, Link!" Sheik yelled, about to leave the scene to help out when Link quickly pulled her in, removing the covering to kiss her deeply. "Likewise, Sheik! I will bring Impa back, I promise you!"
She smiled, kissing the Hero again. "Please, be careful." Link gave her a heart-warming smile as he was teleported away by the darkness.
:::::::
:::::::
The Master Sword almost glistened in the darkness as he swung with great aim across the glowing red eye, its evil-repelling powers smiting the twisted shadow spirit; the beast roared and flailed around the large drum that was the stage of the room, unable to bear the pain that Link delivered. It fell to the drum-floor with a heavy slam, leaving itself exposed to the Hero to seized the moment; with a jump, Link aimed his sword above his head and swung it forward as he landed.
The sound of muscle and mucus being cleaved filled the air, followed shortly by another roar of pain as the sword greatly severed the beast's eye, causing it to once again flail around in agony until its movements became slower and slower, eventually stopping completely.
The beast fell motionless on the drum as its body darkened up even more, slowly disintegrating to shadowy particles that melted into the floor, dissolving until it was nothing left of the evil spirit but a glowing circle. Link ran up to it and for the fourth time was teleported to the Chamber of Sages.
As he landed in the middle of the chamber, he watched with anticipation as the purple platform started to glow, revealing the older Sheikah that he remembered from so long ago. Before him now stood Impa, princess Zelda's attendant with the same sharp look in her eyes. She eyed Link briefly and smiled to herself.
"The boy with the noble Zelda's ocarina… As I expected, you have come. I am Impa, one of the Sheikah. I am princess Zelda's caretaker, and I am also the Sage that guards the Shadow Temple." She gave the hylian a polite nod. "It is good to see you again lad."
"Impa.." Link began, smiling with relief and joy upon seeing that Impa was alright. "It is good to see you as well. But I must ask you-"
"The young princess is safe and sound." She assured him. "You need not to worry about her. That day, seven years ago when Ganondorf attacked, Hyrule Castle surrendered after a short time… His target was, naturally, the key to the Sacred Realm - the ocarina. We had to flee with it, we couldn't wait for you unfortunately. But she is out of harms way, I personally saw to that."
Link sighed in relief, feeling his worry being washed away. "I'm so glad to hear that… When I came back, everything has changed so much… I'm glad that I got you, Sheik and everyone else -" Link motioned for the other pedestals representing each sage. "- to back me up."
"Ah yes," Impa replied. "young Sheik… How is she? She has been helpful I hope?"
"Yes, she has helped me a lot; I would've been lost without her to be honest.. I am glad to have her by my side.." The Sheikah eyed him quizzically. "By your side? What do you mean?" Link smiled sheepishly, avoiding eye-contact with Impa. "Oh.. Well, she has helped me out a great deal… And along the way, we.. Grew closer." The Sheikah´s eyes widened very slightly, a look of surprise decorating her face as she realized what Link meant. "Link, don't tell me… Are you and Sheik..?"
He nodded. She stared at him baffled for a few seconds, before assuming a stern expression. ´Sheik… What have you done? You know fully well that such a thing would… Damn it lass.´
"Link, you cannot be together with Sheik." She said in a harsh tone, scolding him. "You should distance yourself from her while you still can."
"What? But, why? What reason is there for me to do that?! We love each other!"
"And it grieves me to tell you this, trust me. I cannot tell you the reason, but believe me, you will only be severely hurt in the end if you plan to be together with her."
"No!" Link shouted back. "Why should I? She's a great person!"
"I know that… Trust me, I am fully aware. Had things been different, I would've been more than happy to support you two. But you have to trust me on this, you and Sheik cannot be together. No matter how much you love each other, you will be torn apart as you journey reaches its end." The Hero felt anger and confusion swell within him, but he had too much of respect for Impa to lash at her like a child. "Is it because we are of different races? I'm a Hylian, and shes a-"
"Not at all, Link. This isn't a issue of race… I am very sorry that I cannot tell you the real reason, but you have to understand. You and Sheik together is nothing but a dream."
Silence. Link clenched his fists in anger, staring at the water surface that lied undisturbed between the pedestals as he thought this over, trying to comprehend what Impa was saying. She simply looked at him with pity in her eyes until he raised his head.
"No. There has to be a way. We will cross that bridge when we get to it, I wont give up. I love her, Impa. And what I understand, you shouldn't give things up easily; especially the things dearest to you."
Impa was taken aback by the answer, but smiled nonetheless. She knew that look in his eyes; it was the same kind of determination she had seen in Princess Zelda's eyes seven years ago. A chuckle escaped her throat as the blue glow returned underneath them both.
"When I last saw you, as we made our escape from the castle, you were just a lad… But I can see that you have become a fine Hero, Link. Who knows, if all ends well, you might just be able to be together with Sheik. But I warn you one last time; be at least prepared for the possibility that you may never see Sheik again." She gave the teenager a confident smile. "Soon you will meet Princess Zelda face-to-face, and she will explain everything… As for me, I have to remain here. Protect the Princess on my behalf. Take this medallion; I will put my power into it for you to keep."
Link felt the ground before him disappear, everything turning into white nothingness, as he was teleported away. Before he returned to the land of Hyrule, Impa´s voice spoke up once more, clear as anything.
"Please look out for the princess! … And good luck."
:::::::
:::::::
´Sheik and I cant be together huh… What does she mean by that? No matter how hard I think about it, I cant come up with a logical answer… I guess I have to wait until I meet Zelda again. Impa did say that she would explain everything…´
Link stared up at the sky; it was free of smoke and fire, and clear as if nothing had happened.
´Sheik… Do you know anything about this?´
The Hero found himself travelling to the west, the home of the sand.
:::::
Desert Colossus - Haunted Wasteland
:::::
The harsh winds of sand blew against the Hero, blinding him from everything but the Phantom Guide. He kept his focus, he followed the guide, but every second that passed was spent on thoughts about Sheik, and Impa´s words. He hadn't met Sheik for a few days now, and it had left Link sick with worry and anxiety; what was it that Impa and Zelda knew about Sheik that he didn't, and what exactly would force him and his love to split apart?
Following the guide, he finally found himself at the end of the desert, untouched by the sandstorms; Desert Colossus. The semi-oasis housing the Spirit Temple. Link hurried forward to the small pool of fresh water, drinking up eagerly to quench his thirst before resting on a nearby rock. The sun was scorching hot.
From a great distance on top of a cliff, the pair of crimson eyes watched the Hero intensely, following his every move. She sighed to herself, deeply.
´I should hate you for being fast with helping the Sages, Link. Soon the time will come when I… Damnation upon it all! Its not fair! I just… I just want to remain by his side! Its not fair either of us!´
´But I knew it… I knew right from the start how it would end. But I kept falling for him. I didn't distance myself from him at all. I brought this upon myself, and dragged him into it as well. I am… horrible. Despicable. I want to blame you, Zelda, for your memories of him. But I should thank you. My brief existence have been very joyous thanks to them.´
Sheik watched the hero run into the temple. Knowing that he wouldn't get very far, she jumped off the cliff and dashed towards the stone archway right outside the temple.
Mere minutes later was Link walking out of the temple, seemingly upset, as Sheik saw clearly. She hesitated in the last second, but forced herself to jump down anyway, landing right in front of the Hero. The tension built up so quickly as they laid eyes on each other, you could almost feel it in the air.
"Sheik…! There you are! Where have you been all this time?" He stepped up to her. "You've had me worried…"
"…."
"Sheik…? What's wrong..?"
"Past, present, future... The Master Sword is a ship with which you can sail upstream and downstream through time's river... The port for that ship is the Temple of Time... To restore the Desert Colossus and enter the Spirit Temple, you must travel back through time's flow... Listen to this Requiem of Spirit... This melody will lead a child back to the desert."
"Sheik? What's gotten into you-"
"There is no time. Link, follow my lead. This melody will help you.."
Although he hesitated, Link placed the ocarina to his lips, and began to play along with Sheik; the requiem's sound was carried with the winds across the vast desert with a orange magical glow until they both stopped, ending the melody.
"Sheik-" Link began, stepping closer to her as she stepped away from him, letting a sudden, but mild sandstorm blow between them. Hindering Link from reaching Sheik, the Hero quickly covered his eyes as the harsh wind of sand repeatedly hit him until it finally settled. He looked around in desperation to find his lover, but the Sheikah was nowhere in sight. He looked up at the archway, nothing there either. She had vanished into nothing, leaving him alone with no answers.
Unbeknown to Link, Sheik was still watching him. From a distance, with the cover of rocky pillars, she looked down upon him, watching him fanatically search for her. It pained her greatly to see him like this, but she forced herself to not move away from the spot.
´ I cant do it… No matter how much I have to, I cant bring myself to tell him! Now he going to find out the hard way; he doesn't deserve it! I don't deserve it!´
Seeing Link teleporting away in a faint light, she sighed. Her love, her Hero, had now a troubled mind and a nearly broken heart, because of her actions.
´I am just being selfish… a selfish fool that clings on to a false dream of this never ending. I know better, and yet I… Forgive me for my selfishness, Link. This isn't how it should end.´
By the nightfall, Sheik had since long disappeared.
:::::
Temple of Time - Main Hall
:::::
Link, the hero! Finally, all of us, the six sages, has been awakened! The time for the final showdown with the King of Evil has come! Before that, though, you should meet the one who is waiting for you… At the Temple of Time…
And Link… Do not succumb to the animosity… Hatred is a curved blade, all the harm you do, you do to yourself…
As Rauru´s departing words still rang inside Link's mind, he was sent away by the vast light of nothingness, back to Hyrule; his adventure was nearing its end, it was time to take the battle to Ganondorf, and bring an end to his evil reign. Link felt confused over Rauru´s words, but didn't dwelled on it for long as he hurried back to the Temple of Time on swift feet.
He could've gotten there faster and easily with the Prelude of Light, be he decided against it; he wanted, and needed, the time to think of Sheik. Rauru seemed to know something, Zelda definitely knew, and Impa wouldn't tell him. It was as if there was a secret that he needed to know, but everyone kept silent for reasons unknown. And it was most likely connected to Sheik's behaviour.
He felt the wind blow against him. The breeze was fair and cool, easing his troubled mind very little, but it was better than nothing. As he got closer to the Temple, Link felt a fear; a fear of finding out whatever that was kept hidden from him, a bad gut feeling.
´Wherever you are, Sheik… I hope you are well. I pray that you will return very soon. I have questions I need answered.´ He looked up at the slowly darkening sky as he ran. ´Zelda… please, wait for me a little longer. I will save our land. Everything will return to normal, just you wait.´
Despite his bad feeling about things to come, he forced the doors open and ran inside.
Silence and emptiness greeted him as he trotted to middle of the room, looking around for the person that apparently was waiting for him.
"Hello?" He called out. Only his echo replied to him. "Anyone there?!"
"Link, the Hero of Time…" A voice suddenly said out of nowhere. Link spun around, meeting the red eyes he had longed for to see again. He couldn't help but to smile at the Sheikah, and walked up to her to embrace her in his arms once again, but she stopped him; she pushed him gently away, backing a few steps with a serious look in her eyes, the same kind that greeted him when they first met.
"I did not doubt that you would make it, Hero." She said, with a voice of no emotions whatsoever. "But before your battle with the Evil King, you need to listen to what I have to tell you. Another legend of the Triforce, passed down by the Shadow Folk, the Sheikahs.."
She kept staring at him with a glare, enough threatening to keep him a few steps away from her as she continued. "The resting place of the sacred triangle, the Sacred Realm, is a mirror that reflects what is in the heart... the heart of one who enters it... If an evil heart... the Realm will become full of evil; if pure, the Realm will become a paradise."
"The Triforce... the sacred triangles... it is a paradise that weighs the three forces: Power, Wisdom, and Courage. If the heart of the one who holds the sacred triangles has all three forces in balance, that one will gain the True Force to govern all. But, if that one's heart is not in balance, the Triforce will separate into three parts: Power, Wisdom, and Courage. Only one part will remain for the one who touched the Triforce... the part representing the force that one most believes in. If that one seeks the True Force, that one must acquire the two lost parts. Those two parts will be held within others chosen by destiny, who will bear the Triforce mark on the backs of their hands."
Her gaze started to soften up, but she still backed away from Link if he tried to step up to her. Her voice was slowly loosing is command, her eyes began to wander around. Anywhere but his eyes.
"The Triforce has already split into three parts, Link. Ganondorf holds the Triforce of Power, and that was enough to make him a mighty, evil king. But his ambitions hasn't stopped there. To gain complete possession of the Triforce, and its power, he will need to find the other two pieces… The Triforce of Courage…" She looked up at him briefly, pointing at him.
"Is being held by you, Link!" He immediately stared at his hand, though he saw only his silver gauntlet. Looking back at Sheik, he felt his heart twist in agony at the sight. She was crying, not bothering to hide the tears or wipe them away.
"And the other, who holds the Triforce of Wisdom... is the seventh Sage, who is destined to be the leader of them all…" She raised her hands in what could be considered a magical seal, and began to glow brighter and brighter. In her final moments, she didn't hesitate to let her cries be fully heard, much to Link's agony and grief, and complete confusion.
"Sheik!" Link yelled out, trying to see what was happening as well as reaching out to his beloved, but to no avail. "What is happening?! Sheik!"
"Link… I am.. So sorry.. That it had to end. And that it had to end like this… But please, remember the good times we shared…"
"Sheik! What are you doing?! SHEIK!"
Through her cries and sobs, with a broken voice, the crimson-eyed warrior managed to look into her lover's ocean blue eyes. "This short time we spent has been wonderful… Thank you for everything Link… I love you. I love you with all my heart and soul. Farewell…" And with her final words carved into his mind, the bright flash fully engulfed the scene, slowly disappearing for Link to see properly again. A figure did stand before him, but it was not a warrior; a royal regalia, similar to one he had seen seven years ago, was the first thing Link saw.
Before him stood a beautiful young woman with long, blonde hair and equally blue eyes, who smiled at him very slightly despite his grief-stricken expression. She eyed him up and down as the memories of a non-existent warrior invaded her mind.
´I understand now of his reaction. Sheik… You knew how this would end, and yet you didn't stop this? I would call you a foolheaded woman, but I understand your reasons. But was it worth it? Was it worth it to leave him like that, a broken, sorrow shell?´ Zelda kept silent for a few more seconds, the memories of the Sheikah surfacing within her mind. ´At least you did something more with your life then just your task. You weren't a tool after all… ´
The princess walked over to the broken Hero, gently grabbing his hands and gave him a friendly squeeze. "Link, its me, Zelda. Do you remember me?"
"Yes.. Of course I do.. How could I ever forget..?" He replied with a weak voice.
"I am so sorry that I had to meet you in disguise, Link. But I had to escape Ganondorf and his men; he attacked Hyrule Castle that day, and while I thought the ocarina would be safe with you, things still didn't go as planned. … And I am not talking about Ganondorf´s rise to power."
Link looked at her with an uncertain expression, which Zelda quickly understood. She gently squeezed his hands again and spoke calmly. "You should know, that while Sheik was my disguise, it didn't mean it was me, acting. Sheik was her own person, and trust me when I say this; she loved you very dearly. And I cannot even begin to apologise for robbing you, and her, of each other but it was destined to happen… She was me with an altered body and mind, and while she was for real her own person, she was bound to disappear when my time to return came."
"Zelda…"
"I am deeply, and truthfully sorry Link. I know that you two cared for each other very much; I inherited her memories, as she inherited mine, and I can tell that she treasured each and every second spent with you."
The Hero avoided to look Zelda in the eyes. He stared at the floor, struggling to hold back the tears. He could barely contain his emotions, Zelda, with her touch and words, seemed to ease him bit by bit. He saw, and felt something glowing emerge in his hands as Zelda held them together, but he couldn't bring himself to care about them for the moment.
"The dark age of Ganondorf´s rule will come to an end." She said. "The six Sages will open the sealed door and lure Ganondorf back into the Sacred Realm. I will then seal the door to the Sacred Realm from this world. Thus, Ganondorf the Evil King will vanish from Hyrule."
Link smiled slightly, finally looking back at Zelda who smiled in return. He returned the light squeeze on her hands and nodded. "Yes.. The peace we have fought for is soon at hand… I just wished that…"
"That Sheik was around to witness it with you."
"Yes.."
"Link, I-" Before Zelda could talk any further, a dark purple light emerged beneath her feet and emerged, quickly imprisoning the princess in a crystal. She hit it with her fists, Link swung at it with his sword, but it didn't budge at all.
"No! Zelda, hold on!" He struck the crystal several times, cursing loudly as each strike was as inefficient as the next. "No! No this cant be happening! ZELDA!"
"Zelda, you foolish girl. I commend you for avoiding my pursuit for seven long years. But you let your guard down… I knew you would appear if I let this kid wander around! … My only mistake was to slightly underestimate the power of this kid… Or rather, the power of the Triforce of Courage! But, as soon as I get it, along with the Triforce of Wisdom that's already in my hand.. I will become the true ruler of the world!"
"Kid, if you wish to rescue the princess, come to my castle if you dare! I will be waiting…"
The sudden, loud and ominous voice laughed, dying out as quickly as it had appeared, teleporting Zelda away. Link stood frozen in place, staring at the empty spot where Zelda had stood just a few seconds ago; the agony and grief from the loss of his love, along with the sorrow and shock of Zelda being captured by Ganondorf fused together, creating the hideous monster that dwells in each and every heart once its fed.
Rage.
Link fell to his knees, clutching his head as his emotions burst open from their confinements, creating a storm of rage and hatred inside of him that demanded to be put to use. Faint memories of Sheik and Zelda flashed before him, only to be shattered by the mocking laughter of the Evil King. It taunted him, and it fuelled him with a rage that was a hot as the fire, uncontrollable as a stormy sea, but above all, it was merciless.
The hatred and rage was within his body, every sinew. He would speak with clenched fists and sharp sword. It would inspire him, fuel him, convey him, and his fury would strike fear and dread into the minds and spines of his enemies. With a mighty surge of adrenaline, Link quickly got up on his feet, running out of the Temple. With all his strength, he kicked the doors open, his face twisted in the fury and grief that he felt, and yelled out of the top of his lungs.
"GANONDORF!"
Through the dust and the gloom, through the shadow and ruin, the Hero ran on fast feet with the wind behind his back, storming the black castle and its corridors. The puzzles were easy and solved, the enemies were weak and fell to his blade, and the power of the sages grew stronger until he reached the central staircase.
The stairs seemed to be never ending, but Link couldn't care less. He kept running with the adrenaline pumping in his veins, determined to slay the evil king.
"Halt!" A hollow voice yelled, but Link didn't listen. He saw up ahead the four Stalfoses tried to cut him off, mocking him in what appeared to be in their eyes, a futile attempt. "This is end of the line, hero! Up ahead is King Ganondorf´s chamber, and you will not disturb him. YOU SHALL NOT PA-" The stalfos´s speech was literally cut short as Link had dashed up to him, with fury guiding him to cleave the soldier on the spot. Its comrades gasped in shock over the display, and proceeded with attacking the intruder.
One after another, the enemies were cleaved and killed to burn away as Link furiously attacked them, before continuing his sprinting up to the top. The door was thick and foreboding, but he opened it up regardless, entering the room.
"Well done to actually get this far kid." The man in black armour said. "The power of the Triforce of Courage is truly something.. Once I have it in my grasp, I wont be a mere king over a country… I will be THE RULER OF THE ENTIRE WORLD!" The room was filled with the sound of his laughter, interrupted by nothing but the war cry of the Hero who was running up to his enemy, ready to cut him down.
"How eager you are. I assume you wont hand over your Triforce willingly then; no matter!" Narrowly dodging his sword attack, Ganondorf hovered up into the air in the centre of the room, once again laughing mockingly at Link. Charging up his dark energy bolts, the Evil King flung them at his nemesis with the desire to kill him once and for all.
The Hylian Hero prepared himself in his fighting stance, waiting for the energy to be precise as close as he needed them to be; with a strong spin, Link sent them back to Ganondorf, severely hitting him several times. The Evil King let out a pained grunt, but Link wasn't stopping. Taking out his bow and arrow, he aimed at the wounded and vulnerable king and released the now glowing arrow, hitting the Evil King right in the chest.
He cried out in agonizing pain, falling to the floor. Ganondorf quickly got up to his feet but to no avail did it help him. Link, still enraged, had rushed over and run his sword right through the armour and chest, impaling the Evil King with all his might and anger. The Gerudo leader coughed up his blood, staining the floor with its red pool.
"How… How could this… be… No, it cannot end here.. I cannot…"
The Evil King slowly got up, screaming as he reduced the top floor to nothing but a outside platform before falling to the floor, motionless. Simultaneously, Zelda's crystal prison faded away as she landed on the ground safely; she smiled warmly at Link, before glancing back at the now dead king.
"A fitting death for a man as pitiful as Ganondorf… Without a strong, righteous mind, he could not control the power of the Gods… and-"
The tower began to shake violently, there was no question about it. It would soon fall apart into rubble and ruins, intent on taking the lives of the Hero and Princess with it. The pillars crumbled and fell and the floors cracked open.
"Link, we got to get out of here! The tower is about to-"
"I know!" Link answered, and ran towards the princess. Quickly, he flung Zelda over his shoulder, carrying her as he began to run down the crumbling, spiral staircase.
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Moments later, in the outskirts of the now ruined, collapsed castle after escaping the downfall, Zelda and Link found themselves simply staring at the sight; it had all felt like a dream, and neither didn't want to wake up. Link wiped his brow, having finally calmed down from his surge of rage. But the grief and sorrow lingered on, preventing him to fully enjoy the satisfaction of victory, despite Zelda's attempts to cheer him up.
"Link.. You cannot dwell on it forever… It will eat you from the inside like a poison. I know its easy for me to say it, but…"
"I know. I know…" He replied. "But I just cant… So much happened and it all happened so fast, I…" He sobbed in silence. Zelda, understanding as she was, said no more and simply placed her hand on his shoulder. She glanced at the castle ruins narrowly.
"Say, Link… Don't you think Ganondorf was vanquished a little too easily..?"
Link looked up at Zelda, then at the ruins. "I… I don't know. In my anger, I lost sight of anything else…"
As if on cue, the ground was once again shaking, if only briefly; a heavy slam echoed across the valley, loose debris and rubble falling down from the large pile of ruins. Then another slam, this time a little louder. Link took place in front of Zelda protectively, slowly walking towards the remains of the castle.
"Be careful Link!"
"I will!"
It happened in barely a second; fire surrounded the Hero within the castle grounds, leaving Zelda unable to help him. The ruins shattered across the ground as the Gerudo King emerged with a scream. With a last breath, summoned whatever was left of the Triforce of Power and let it consume him with the true nature of his heart.
Feet turned to hooves, nose became snout, the hair became wild and messy. Horns rapidly grew out of his skull, towering over his head while a large tail shot out of his lower body, flailing around. His body grew larger and bulkier, changing form and colour until nothing left of the man Ganondorf remained; there was only Ganon and his hatred, his malice, and his thirst for power to fuel him.
The hideous, gargantuan beast roared loudly, swinging its massive swords around in a mindless frenzy.
"What in the world..?!"
"Link! That is the Triforce of Power! Ganondorf´s craving for power has turned him into what his heart reflects! Be careful!"
"Got it!" Link shouted back, readying himself. He narrowly dodged to the side to evade the sword-swing from Ganon, his mind set on finding out any weak points of this monster. But in the midst of the battle, which could possible be his death, Link found himself thinking of only one person.
´Sheik… Wherever you are.. Are you crying right now? Have you shed more tears since I last saw you? I don't blame you. I wish I could just lie down and cry right now. You were the best that ever happened to me, and I couldn't even tell you, in your final moments, that I loved you too.´
Another swing from Ganon´s massive sword, forcing Link to jump backwards to distance himself; the monster was quick to follow, forcing Link to be a lot more on the defensive than the offensive.
´But just you wait. I will see to it that Hyrule will know peace once more, just like we all wished for. I bet you can see it all, somehow. I just wished you could be here by my side… Sheik. I love you.´
With a loud battle cry, Link charged the monster head on, ready for whatever that was flung his way.
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YOU… CURSE YOU… ZELDA! CURSE YOU… SAGES..! CURSE YOU… LINK..! Someday, when this seal is broken… That is when I will exterminate your descendants…! As long as the Triforce of Power is in my hand…
The sky surrounded them, both above and below. In a tight embrace, Zelda was hugging Link as much as she could, smiling the entire time. She stared into his eyes as she stepped back, still smiling widely. "Thank you, Link… Thanks to you, Ganondorf has been sealed inside the Evil Realm! Thus, peace will once again reign in this world.. For a time."
She looked away with an apologetic look. "All of the tragedy that has befallen Hyrule was my doing… I was so young. I could not comprehend the consequences of trying to control the Sacred Realm… I dragged you into it, too. Now it is time for me to make up for my mistakes…"
She looked up at him again, wearing a sad smile. "You must lay the Master Sword to rest and close the Door of Time… Doing this will close the road between times.."
"So then… what happens to me? To you? Everything?" Link asked. Zelda sighed and extended her hand towards him.
"Give the ocarina to me… As a Sage, I can, and will return you to your original time. Peace has returned to Hyrule Link, and its people, nor me, can ever repay you for what you've done. However… It is time for us to say goodbye."
"What..? W-why? Zelda, I don't understand-"
"Your home, Link. You need to go home. Regain your lost time! Home… where you are supposed to be… The way you are supposed to be…"
With no other words left to say for either of them, Zelda put her lips on the Ocarina of Time, and played her lullaby softly. The calm music washed away any fatigue or worries, and gently brought Link away to his own time; where he was supposed to be. Seven years back to his younger days. The Princess Sage watched him disappear within the blue light, as did she, but as she kept playing the lullaby, she glanced up at the beautiful sky. She knew what she wanted, and needed to do.
´Nayru, Farore, my Goddesses… Please, hear my plea. For this child, please watch over him. Please grant him the happiness he so deserves. I beg of you! Please let the child know the love of memories once again!´
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Thank you… Link…
Goodbye…
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After having returned the Master Sword to where is was destined to lie, the Door of Time closed behind the young boy, forever sealing the sword from the outside world. Navi, her duty now fulfilled, flew away without a word, for words were not needed. The young Hylian boy was now completely alone. With a depressing sigh, he went out of the Temple.
The market town was having a festival in celebration, being louder and more lively than usual. Link squeezed his way through the thick crowds, trying to get to the road leading to the castle; as he avoided the restless legs of the adults and the other children running around, Link felt himself walk right into something, knocking him onto the ground.
The young Hylian boy looked up, only to see Impa look down at him with a puzzled expression. "Watch where you are going lad."
"Huh? What… I-Impa.. don't you remember me?" Link asked, fearful of her answer. The Sheikah continued to watch him with a confused face. "I do not know any children besides the Princess. Now get up, don't sit around in the dirt."
"Zelda! Is she here?! I have to-"
"Impa, what is going on?" Said the light, familiar voice. Link saw the young princess walk up to her attendant, clearly as confused as she was. "This lad claims to know me, and apparently you as well, your Highness."
"What..? But I… Zelda, you got to remember me, right?"
She stared in disarray at the young boy, clearly puzzled. "My apologies, but I do not remember you, whoever you are."
"..I should go.. I'm sorry for the inconvenience…" Link said, quickly getting up and disappearing into the crowd on his way to the field. Impa and Zelda watched him go with solemn faces until the attendant finally spoke up. "Was it truly the right decision your Highness? The poor lad still remember his lost love like it was mere minutes ago."
"Yes…" Zelda replied, smiling very slightly. "It is for the best. I have a feeling he will be needed somewhere else. Besides…" She smiled brightly as she looked up at the sky; it was a clear, sunny day. "I know my prayers were heard. He wont be alone. Now come one Impa, lets get some sweets!"
Impa chuckled to herself. "I'm right behind you your highness."
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Finally out on Hyrule Field, Link took his time to enjoy the somewhat silence; everything were so calm out here. It all seemed like a lucid dream, as if it had never happened to begin with. But he knew better.
Sighing, the young Hylian boy took his first step towards his destined place; wherever it was, whatever it was. He walked up the hill, thinking about everything that had transpired; the Deku Tree's tale, his first meeting with Zelda and the legend that he were to play a part. Besting dungeons and temples, meeting interesting people of different races., it all seemed to matter so little when he thought of Sheik.
His first true love. The woman who had been at his side in his dire times of need.
Quickly wiping away the tears before they could fall, Link suddenly heard the faint sound of music. It was a melody he remembered, and absentmindedly, he started to hum along.
Then it changed; its tempo was quicker this time, but Link kept humming along. Then it changed yet again, this time it was much slower than the first. He knew these melodies by heart!
He ran up to the top of the hill, still hearing the music playing. Once he reached the top, the music stopped, and there was nothing around. Only a few tall grass spots and the old wall, which Link quickly searched through. Nothing there.
´I must be hearing things..´ He thought. He started walking downhill, alongside the now very tall wall, solemn and discontented until he heard it again.
This time it was the Serenade of Water that was being played, and the source of it was close too! Link eagerly looked around, trying to desperately to find who or what was playing the melodies. The song kept being played until it came to an sudden halt, which was followed by a giggle.
A feminine giggle.
The Hylian boy looked up; at the top of the towering stone wall sat a figure, short in height as he could somewhat figure out. The sun was shining right into his eyes, preventing him to see any further. The figure continued to giggle, teasingly playing a few strings on her instrument.
A few clouds slowly drifted in the way of the sun rays, allowing Link to properly see who was giggling at him.
On the edge of the wall sat a small girl, around his age with short, messy blonde hair. Her clothing was ranging from black to blue- to light blue, with the torso-part being red in the shape of an eye. Her skin was tanned, and her eyes was red, and filled with mirth. In her hands lied a small harp, golden in colour. Occasional wrappings covered parts of her fingers and on her clothing, but no hat or bandages covered the smiling face that was beaming with happiness at the boy.
"Are… are you…?"
"Wont you join me for a tune, Link? Just like you used to do."
The End
Whoa! Longest one-shot I've written, ever!
For those of you who actually read everything; Congratulations! You'll win a cookie of your choosing!
I never intended it to be so long, but here we are! Oh dear… Well, all I can say is that I hope you enjoyed it, and hopefully you'll be so kind and leave a review~
If you don't, then… No cookie for you.
Until next time, take care!