I appologize for this unbelievable delay readers. I've been ridiculously busy and have had like NO time to upload. Sorry, hopefully you're all still interested.
"Princess Zelda!" came a weak cry from their left, a woman's cry. Instantly identifying the speaker, Zelda turned and saw, to her extreme relief, her chief sorceress Hera of Brightheart, staggering towards them from between two nearby buildings. She was clutching her right arm, whole body covered in soot, her honey coloured hair flying around her ash-smeared face, bright blue eyes peering out from the blackened mass like miniature suns.
"Hera!" Zelda cried, making to run forwards, concern etched upon her face, but the young woman shook her head in protest, eyes clenched shut from pain as she stopped some five yards away from them.
"You must flee," murmured Hera, her eyes snapping open, bright with anxiety. "As quickly as you can."
Link stiffened at her side, and Zelda sensed an aura of mistrust emanating out from him. "We don't let others fight our battles," he responded, his voice ringing with defiance. "Especially not when Hyrule is in danger."
Hera shook her head slowly, a frustrated smile upon her lips. "You don't understand," she murmured at last, staggering closer, her heart shaped face drawn with pain. "It's not a question of bravery; it's for the good of all of Hyrule. If you stay, thousands will die, including yourselves! As we speak, the Dark King is marshalling his forces to wage an even more vicious assault upon the village, and he will not rest until he has seen that the two of you are dead."
Link, clearly sceptical, shook his head in disbelief, but Zelda touched his arm, cautioning him to listen to Hera, while her eyes stared unwaveringly into her sorceress', searching for the truth. It was there, etched upon every line in the young woman's face. "Of course, Hera," she murmured, bowing her head. "If that is what you think is best, we'll go."
Link turned to jump onto Epona's back, but Hera shook her head furiously, saying, "You won't be able to outrun him."
"What do you suggest?" Link challenged, disgruntled.
Hera closed her eyes and took a slow, steadying breath, then launched into speech, talking in a very low, fast voice. "The only way to ensure that he does not catch you is to send both of you to the far regions of Hyrule province. The next part of my plan may seem drastic, but trust me, it is crucial. I will seal you both in enchanted sleeps, which is timed to lift when Hyrule reaches its time of mortal peril."
There was stunned silence, during which even Epona stared between Link and Zelda, her ears twitching as she sensed something in the atmosphere change.
"Which is when?" Link asked finally, scepticism increasing by tenfold. Hera raised a long, thin eyebrow and responded, "Only time will tell. But I'm certain it will arrive soon, in a matter of months at most."
Zelda exchanged an uncertain glance with Link. Months? She thought, worry gnawing at her mind, a thought she was sure Link shared. Hera did not miss this, and she stamped a foot in anger, her patience waning.
"Look!" she shouted, face shining with exasperation and urgency. "Gannondorf is coming, and will stop at nothing to kill you. Hyrule will not stand a chance if either of you die. By leaving, the Dark King will halt the assault on the city to search for you, which will save hundreds of lives in Castle Town alone. That's what you want, isn't it?"
Zelda's eyes hardened at her words, resolve solidifying in her chest. "You're right, of course," the princess conceded. "I will do whatever it takes to save Hyrule. Of course, I cannot speak for Link, and I will not force him to accompany me."
Link snorted, unimpressed. "I'm coming with you, Zelda," he told her firmly, no hint of uncertainty in his voice as he punched her lightly on her gold-plated shoulder. He turned to Hera next, nodding at Epona. "What about Epona? Are we taking her with us?"
Hera shook her head mournfully. "I'm sorry. You can't. I would recommend sending her into hiding. I'll retrieve her once the battle dies down."
Link nodded, as did Zelda. Hera's logic made sense; concealing as many clues as to where they might be as possible would make their absence from the battle more conspicuous, and thus make Gannon more likely to halt the battle sooner. They turned to Epona, the princess stroking the horse's flowing mane, murmuring, "You did very well, Epona. I'll miss you greatly." The horse snorted in response, blinking her intelligent brown eyes to show that she understood. Zelda smiled slightly and withdrew, allowing Link to step forwards. He patted the horse's flank, pressing the side of his cheek against her neck and speaking in a low, calming voice.
"You're going into hiding, Epona," he told her, pulling back to look at the horse. She tossed her head and whinnied softly, fixing him with a look that clearly said, Should I run through the burning buildings or fly over the gates? Foolish master.
"Here," Zelda murmured hurriedly, for she had been watching the horse with a slight smile on her face and, interpreting her expression as a plea for an escape route, she raised her bow and final Light Arrow, expertly loading it an pointing the arrowhead in the direction of the gates. They were surrounding by a three meter thick force field of translucent purple energy, but it was no match for the forces of light; she released the bow string with a sharp twang! sending the arrow speeding towards the purple barrier; it tore through it like a rock through water, banishing the force field by sending a current of white light running out from where it passed through it. The arrow continued onwards and collided with one of the bars, blasting it apart with a gong-like boom and explosion of molten gold light, leaving a large gap in the metal.
"Ayah!" shouted Link, slapping Epona sharply upon the flanks. The horse neighed and reared back on her hind legs, clearly tired of all the abuse, and took off like a meteorite, bounding through the gap in the gate like a show horse and sprinting out of sight.
The princess watched the horse fade from view, then tossed her bow high into the air, thinking, Thank you for your gift, Light Spirits! Before it could fall back to earth, it vanished in a crack of golden light, swallowed into non-existence.
Turning her attention back to her friends, Zelda sensed sadness emanating from Link, and she reached out, brushing the back of his fingerless-gloved hand with the tips of her fingers.
"She'll be alright," the princess murmured, and Link looked at her sharply, his bright blue eyes seeking, and finding, refuge in her darker ones. Zelda smiled slightly before turning back to face Hera, but a blast of heat billowing out from the burning village hit her like a punch to the face, effectively distracting her.
Men, women and children were strewn about the street like discarded remnants of a meal, mingling with the far less numerous bodies of daemons and dying horses, emitting agonized whinnies as they lay collapsed on their sides and backs, front legs paying fretfully at the air. There was not a building left untouched, and several had collapsed, reduced to smoking piles of ash and rubble, and it was more common than not to see a blackened corpse hanging out of windows. Knights and enraged townspeople battled Gannon's remaining beasts, the villages' faces alight with malice, armed with pitchforks and daggers.
It broke her heart to see her people suffering, all because of one being's ruthless quest for power. Her eyes shimmered with tears as she looked on at the battle. "Mark my words," she whispered, blinking back tears. "I will set you free, Hyrule."
Link interlocked his fingers with hers, his touch acting like a stimulant, providing her with the strength to complete her turn and face Hera. The sorceress 'piercing blue eyes were round and gaunt with an ancient sadness, her face made even more mournful by the flickering, shadowy flame light. Nevertheless, she smiled slightly at the sight of them, flexing her hand, lavender sparks trailing from her fingertips.
"Ready?" the woman asked, blowing a strand of honey-coloured hair out of her face. "Join hands, and concentrate on the safest place you can imagine."
The Princess of Hyrule and the Hero of Time did as they were told, the seriousness of the situation subduing them past the point of embarrassed smiles. Zelda found herself staring, mesmerized, into Link's eyes, perfect circles of oceanic blue, forgiving, yet bottomless...
A forest, she found herself thinking, still transfixed by her companion's gaze. That's where I want to be, deep in a forest, as far away from this chaos as possible.
Swirling rings of bluish-white light appeared around them, tilting like spinning tops, galaxies of whirling sparkles, filling the spaces in between the rings up, effectively shielding all but Link from view, who, for the time being, was the only real thing in the world.
"Close your eyes, commanded Hera, her voice sounding from what felt like the other end of the universe. "Feel your way into nothingness..."
Zelda opened her eyes, and was momentarily surprised to find that she was standing once more in the underground passageway. The only light, slowing faintly from around the bend of the narrow, rocky cavern, was faint and silvery, leading the princess to believe that wherever she was, it was night time.
She inhaled again, revelling in the essence of life flooding her lungs, a feeling she had been deprived of for the gods-only-knew how long. And suddenly, the urge to run out of the passageway, out into open air, consumed her so completely that she was only able to keep herself from hurtling down the uneven path by a lone, sane voice in her head.
You cannot simply run outside as the Princess of Hyrule! The voice scolded. Transform!
Right, she thought back, returning to rationality, and she raised her hands to cover her face, palm out. Turning swiftly on the spot, she allowed a soft, purplish-blue white light to envelope her like a cocoon. She felt her gown, gloves, boots and tiara vanish, only to be replaced instantly by a form-fitting dark blue bodysuit, her shoes seamlessly attached to the bottom of the part covering her legs. She felt white bandages wrap themselves around her fingers and throat, felt a red Sheikah eye being painted upon her back, a close-fitting hat settling upon her hair, which was binding together in a tight braid. Pirouetting gracefully, she emerged from the cocoon of light as Sheik, the alter ego she had adopted successfully some years previously, an identity that enabled her to sneak out of the castle unrecognized, a disguise only Link knew the true identity of...
Link, she thought, suddenly remembering how he was trapped inside an isolated crystal like the home she had been residing inside until so recently, and she could bear being underground no longer; Sheik launched herself into her fastest sprint, nearly parallel to the ground, feet barely touching the soil as she tore down the narrow passageway, hurtling to a stop just before she slammed into a corner, which she then took at breakneck speed. The silver glow, she saw, was emanating from a sliver of the moon, and stretching out before her as far as her sharp, reddish brown eyes could see, was a dark green forest, so thick with vegetation that not even the moon could penetrate the forest floor with its light.
As she broke through the mouth of the tunnel, a blast of cool, clean air hit her like a punch to the face. Sheik inhaled deeply, allowing a smile to spread across her face. She did not know how much of her life Hera had cost her, but being given a second chance, to see the world with fresh eyes, was a gift she appreciated immensely.
Her eyes, so much sharper than most others', enabled her to navigate the almost pitch black forest with ease, and she wove in and out of trees, agilely leaping over bushes and skirting over logs, catching vines with her hands and swinging herself forwards like a trapeze artist, as fast and graceful as the wind, successfully startling several nocturnal creatures.
And yet, she was not at ease; she knew that running through the forest at night should have been a peaceful experience, but she could not shake the feeling that she was being followed.
Don't be paranoid, her sensible side told her. This is the outer region of Hyrule province. No one knows where you are, and I'd be surprised if even a handful of people still think you're alive.
Dead, she mused, the word ringing oddly throughout her mind. That's got some possibilities.
It was at that moment she realized that the forest ahead was getting lighter, the trees growing farther apart, all younger-looking. This development caused her to run faster, fuelling her desire to break free of the vegetation. Sheik's eyes narrowed, and she leapt high into the air, her feet alighting briefly upon a strong branch, which she used as leverage to push herself higher into the air. She barely noticed the leaves and twigs clawing at her face as she rocketed upwards, and she had never felt more alive than when she broke the treetops, drawing one knee up to her chest as she soared through the night, keeping her other leg rigid and stretched, her arms stuff at her sides. Her eyes were narrowed against the speed-induced winds, her braid flying out behind her, but she kept her form streamlined as she began her descent.
Luckily for Sheik, the forest ended several meters from where she landed, so she did not crash. Turning a somersault, she landed lightly on her feet, bending her knees to absorb the impact. She arrived on the edge of a cliff that looked out on to a vast expanse of dark green forest, framed by the towering black shadows that were mountains. The moon leeched everything of its colour, and a blanket of mist hung over the expanse of forest like snow.
It was beautiful.
The young Sheikah inhaled deeply, her eyes sliding shut as the cool mountain air cascaded across her face, born forwards by a light breeze. She felt more alive now than she had in her entire life, and she had never appreciated the strength that flowed through her veins, or her ability to run and jump and fight with easy grace more.
But the silence of the moment was shattered by a painful pang of loneliness. Sheik's eyes snapped open, not registering the mountains in the distance, for her mind had been seized by the face of a young, elfin-like man with adventurous, oceanic blue eyes, light blonde hair and a long green hat.
Link, she lamented the absence of her friend and hero, companion and partner. Where are you?
Find him, commanded a voice in her head, ringing with determination. You have the tools, put them to use!
Obediently, Sheik shut her eyes and raised one hand up to her face, its side brushing her nose, and she emptied her mind of all thought, surrendering herself to the sounds of the night that were all around her. Owls hooted sharply, insects buzzed, crickets chirped. Her alert ears picked up the almost inaudible sound of snakes slithering across the leaf-strewn ground, heard the rustling of wings and heard the click of claws and talons on wood. Tiny animals scurried about, digging frantically into the ground, while the muted pounding of large feet, of animals moving amongst the leaves and bushes, threatened to drown the lesser sounds out-
And then, as though a separate entity had taken control of her mind's eye, she was sprinting back through the forest, speeding past sets of glowing yellow eyes and invisible hooting creatures. Then she was scaling a stony brown cliff, and once she reached the top, she sprinted along it until she came to the opposite edge, which she flung herself off of, falling through an eternity of open air, and then she landed, impossibly lightly upon another forest floor. She tore through the vegetation due west until the sounds of a rushing waterfall assaulted her ears, and when the foliage cleared, Sheik was toppling down, born towards the ground by the roaring cascade of water, and although the force of the impact with the water should have driven all of the air from her lungs, she cut through it as easily as if she had merely jumped from a foot-high plank. She swam past schools of fish and through clumps of seaweed, ignoring maelstroms of bubbles, skimming across the slimy, rock strewn floor, before spotting a well-concealed hole in the ground, and she squeezed through the impossibly slim space, her kicks reduced to tiny fluttering movements, and was forced to trust her instincts as she plunged through total blackness, and after an impossibly long time, after her air supplies would have long since diminished, she felt the narrow passageway moving upwards, causing her to scrape her face against the jagged rock face, but the pain did not come; she rose up like a helium balloon, breaking the surface face-first and sopping wet. She clambered out of the icy cold water and onto a rocky, unfamiliar underground floor. Before she could do more than rake wet strands of hair out of her face, Sheik found herself sprinting forwards once more, bent almost double, hurtling down the treacherously bumpy passageway. As she turned the corner, her heart flew into her mouth. Marking the end of the passageway, imprisoned inside a vast emerald crystal, was Link, looking more like a child than an adult in his enchanted sleep, forehead pressed against his prison's wall, elfin face blank.
Link, Sheik thought, hurtling to a stop before her unconscious friend, glassy eyes reflecting the strange sight before her, fixed upon her companion's face. She reached a trembling hand forwards, intending to touch the crystal, but just as her fingers were about to touch the pristine surface, her eyes slid open, ending the illusion.
She was momentarily stunned to see that she was standing on the edge of a cliff, the rustling leaves sounding from behind her, the cold night air blasting her hard in the face, and an abrupt wave of sorrow, undoubtedly born at being wrenched away from Link, consumed her so completely that a tiny, insane part of her wished she could throw herself off the cliff Wrestling with this sudden madness, Sheik balled her hands into fists and clamped them onto to either side of her head, grappling with her sorrow
It wasn't real, you weren't actually there, she told herself sternly, clenching her eyes shut. If you want to see him again, get a grip on yourself and get on that route!
She was torn away from her internal struggle by a sound her supersensitive ears picked up. Sheik froze, her eyes snapping open, sorrow banished by the illogical fear induced by the faint growl; there were hundreds of creatures in the forest, possibly thousands, and at least half were predators, making growls an extremely common sound to be heard. But was she just being paranoid, or had the air dropped several degrees in temperature, becoming saturated with a malicious aura? The young Sheikah spun around, her every muscle pulled taught, sharp eyes scanning the deceptive, dark forest, searching for the source of the growl.
And then, an unnatural gust of wind picked up from behind her, blowing her braid over her shoulder; an omen, or coincidence? But then, a soft, ghostly voice, a woman's voice, sounded in her ear, to realistic for her to have imagined it.
"Run," the invisible woman urged her, and Sheik took off like an arrow from its bow, tearing through the forest, both fear and adrenaline coursing through her, driving her forwards, any thoughts that had been brewing in her mind left behind at the edge of the cliff. Sheik moved as stealthily as a shadow, but twenty times as fast. She conjured up a picture of her route to Link, and knew that she had to keep running until she reached a cliff face, which she would have to scale, all the while straining to make sense of whether or not she was actually in danger.
But as she sprinted into a small circular clearing, everything changed. No sooner had she reached its center than the air was rent apart by a whip-like crack, accompanied by a flash of white light, a ring that exploded out from where she was standing and sprinted off into the suddenly silent forest. In its wake, quite simply, were the sources of the growling. Sheik froze, a stiff, upright statue of utmost horror, her reddish-brown eyes widening in recognition, one hand clasped tightly over her heart. The beasts who Gannondorf had unleashed upon Castle Town were all around her, their thickly muscled necks wider than Sheik's waist. Inky black and four legged, they crouched low to the ground, saliva dripping from their mouths in vile ropes, burning red, pupilless eyes narrowed to slits. Swirling white markings crossed their backs in complicated patterns, and their lethal black claws dug into the ground, sharper than the most honed of daggers.
Sheik unfroze and slipped into a half-crouch, flexing her arms as she reached into a concealed pocket and pulled out two handfuls of sharp, impossibly thin blades, which she had dubbed needles. She clenched both fists, twirling the needles so that they were clenched in between each finger. The biggest beast, the one snarling most ferociously and coincidentally positioned across from her, crouched lower to the ground, ropes of spit trailing from its bared teeth.
There was not a doubt in Sheik's mind that her disguise hadn't hidden her true identity from these creatures.. The message emanating off them in malicious waves was clear; The battle of Castle Town ends now, Princess Zelda.
And then all hell broke loose.