Disclaimer: I don't claim ownership to any of the characters or other devices of the Legend of Zelda series.

The Demon

By J.R. Behr

A cliff rose from the ground, the sole blemish in a tan, hazy skyline that had been empty for hours. Even after traveling through a drab desert landscape all day, the grayish slab of earth seemed ugly and out of place to the white-haired woman who viewed it. The cliff wasn't the preface to a plateau or any kind of change in scenery. Only more desert. It stretched maybe fifty meters across before sinking back into the sand on either side. The cliff had no reason to be there, no right. Someone could have dug into the sand and pulled upon the earth until this cliff was the result.

Maybe that's exactly what he did.

Impa scanned the cliff, searching for an opening she hoped was there. Had it been another time, and had she been another woman, she may have laughed at the ridiculous notion that an ordinary man could tear the ground asunder. But the world was at war, and she had a grave task at hand. And the man she sought was not ordinary.

Off to her left, Impa heard her companion stir in her saddle. The blonde-haired woman had remained silent for the majority of their travels that day. At first it was out of necessity, but now they'd long since reached a safe distance from any foe.

Or friend.

The silence now was out of comfort. The woman had been Impa's ward for many years now, and there was little that needed to be vocalized between the two. That voiceless communication was birthed from over half a decade of running and hiding. Ever since the dark king had stolen the Hylian crown, Impa had no other purpose in life than keeping her companion safe. And now that purpose had led them here, to a dreary cliff in a barren desert.

After a few minutes of scanning the cliff face, Impa found what she was looking for: a hole, barely big enough for a person to fit through, and far too small for their horses, near the bottom. It was easy enough to miss, but Impa's eyes were keen, if a bit aged. It was another thirty minutes of slow riding through the sand before the two horses actually reached the base of the cliff. They were nearly there before the blonde woman's eyes focused in on the cave Impa had long since noted.

Even a young Hylian's eyes are blind compared to those of a Sheikah. If anything, this further confirms that what I'm doing is right… even if the cost is unthinkable.

The pair dismounted their horses, and Impa signaled for her companion to stay with the steeds. The woman's face held a slight look of relief; relief that they'd found something, anything, in this arid land, and that it was presumably what the partners had been searching for. If she knew anything of the Sheikah's bloody history, Impa knew her friend would feel no such sense of relief.

Impa entered the cave alone, not wanting to bring any unnecessary risk to her ward. As she took her first steps into darkness, Impa reflected on what she knew of the man she sought. He was a man born in war, for war. Even counting the Gerudo king, there were none who had spilled as much blood as her target. In the darkest days of Hyrule's civil war, he had been the secret weapon of the Sheikah and Hyrule's Royal Family. And he was… effective, to say the least. He brought down entire army regiments on his own. And a lone soldier he had to be, as any Hylian troops sent to battle with him died at his hands as swiftly as his enemies.

And only when peace was almost finally at hand, did we realize the monster we had created.

Impa felt her way through the beginning portions of the cave. Even her sharp eyes needed a few moments to adjust to the darkness after dealing with the brightness of the desert. There was a tunnel in front of her, but she could tell by the echo that it was short, and that there was a sizable opening up ahead. The tunnel only had one real turn, just far enough in to cut off the view of the cave's opening as it gave way to a cavern, large in relation to the tunnel, but in reality no bigger than a master bedroom. And that close proximity made Impa immediately aware of the man crouched in the far corner.

The man had hair that was bleached almost white from the desert sun, and yet his skin was still pale from life in this cavern. He was hunched over, all fours on the ground, back arched, like a cornered animal, a dangerous animal. His lip was curled up, in a way that, if he had been completely a man, might have been taken for a sinister smile. But on him, it was a threat, revealing a row of filed sharp teeth. His eyes were blood red.

The man who ended the civil war single-handedly. The man who ended a hundred thousand lives. The man who ended the Sheikah race. A man so gruesome the goddesses themselves gave him immortal life so that they never would have to meet him face to face. This was a mistake. Any humanity he may have had is long gone. And now I've put us in mortal danger. I'm so sorry, Zel-

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't see you there. My eyes are still adjusting to the dark."

Impa cringed, hearing the voice of her companion, who had disobeyed her and followed her into the shadows. The man seemed startled too. Or at least curious as to how someone not of his own kind could have found this place in such a treacherous locale. His lip uncurled, and he pulled himself up from his crouch into a leap frog position, both hands still on the ground, but less threatening in appearance.

"Is this… him? The one we came here for?"

Impa nodded the affirmative to her ward, and the woman took a timid step forward. The man tensed, and for a split second looked like he might lunge forward at the advancing girl. Impa was preparing to intercept that attack, when the man suddenly pulled himself upright.

"You're one of royal blood."

His voice sounded like the hiss of a snake, although it was likely only raspy from lack of use.

"My name is Zelda. I am… was the daughter of the Hylian king. I am Hyrule's princess."

Her voice was calm. She saw this man as nothing less than exactly that- a man. And with every word she spoke to him, he seemed that much calmer and at ease, that much less animalistic.

"I was hoping…" She hesitated, searching for the right words. "I came here to beg your help. The dark usurper, Ganondorf-"

"I know all about the dealings of the desert king. I can feel the evil he spreads, the death and destruction he brings. He brings war, and war is my home. Why would I help prevent that?"

So he is nothing more than another foe to us. This was all for naught.

But Zelda merely smiled. Her eyes, now adjusted to the dark, fully seeing the man before her, were filled with sorrow. Her smile obviously confused the man, a reaction he had never in his life seen directed towards him.

"You were born in war, and it's all you've ever known. And because of that, you try to be an animal, living in a cave and retreating to this desert to avoid humanity. But even you have to count yourself among us. Even you know that man's natural state is peace, not war. And you know that anyone who would bring endless war and misery must be stopped."

The man merely blinked, and the air was still and tense for more than a few moments. When he finally spoke, the snake-like hiss seemed to have faded.

"But how can we achieve peace, if we must first bring the dark ones' demise? The two actions are contradictory in their very nature."

Impa couldn't believe her ears. The man that she had considered little more than a beast was not only on the verge of agreeing to their plans, but was actually debating the philosophical points of war and peace. Zelda had welcomed a monster back into the world of man, and he had met her embrace.

"The burden of the final battle will not fall on our shoulders, but those of another."

The boy in green. The one who had opened the Temple of Time to Ganondorf, and had essentially given him the whole kingdom wrapped up in a bow. And now he sleeps, nearly seven years, while Hyrule suffers.

Impa had no love for the boy from the forest, but Zelda and Rauru had faith that he was the hero of legend. Impa, however, would only call him a hero when he accomplished something heroic.

"We only need assist him on his journey. And when he succeeds, we will be able to bring peace to this land."

Hearing these words from Zelda, the man closed his eyes, and dropped his head a few degrees.

"Then my body is yours."

At that he held out his hands, palms raised to the ceiling of the cavern, and Impa knew that he understood their plan exactly. Impa guided Zelda to put her hands over his so that their palms pressed together. And then the Sheikah woman spoke the words.

Horrible words. Forbidden words. Words that would make the goddesses weep. But necessary, in our darkest hour. Two would become one, so that the princess could guide her champion, and Ganondorf would be none the wiser.

There was a blinding light that filled the cavern, and it took whole minutes for Impa to adjust and see the result of their work. Only the man stood where both had once been. But he had changed. Not so much in appearance, but to Impa, the animalism was entirely gone. His eyes were still red, as a Sheikah's always were. But the blood red was gone, replaced by a muted brownish red. And when he spoke, the raspy voice was entirely gone, replaced with one more pleasant and, if Impa cared to notice such things, almost musical.

"How do you feel?" Impa asked.

"Whole," the man responded. "I expected to feel separate, like I was at odds with myself. But I feel complete."

"You'll need a name. Neither of yours will serve our purposes."

The man pondered for a second before one came to him.

"I suppose Sheik is perfectly fitting."

Yes, I suppose it is. A fitting name for the unholy union between an angel and a demon. I can only pray that what we do from now on is worth the punishment we will receive.

Sheik walked through the tunnel and Impa followed. The horses had expired in the time that they had spent in the cave, so the two Sheikah would have to make the journey back across the desert by foot. They trudged through the sand, toward the horizon and the destiny that awaited them.

Reviews are appreciated. If you enjoyed this, I'm considering writing longer narratives for some of the Legend of Zelda games, most likely Ocarina of Time or Link's Awakening to start out.