The day quickly gave way to nightfall, dusk setting in along the mountainside. They had taken rest in a meadow at the border before the beginning of the North Trail. It was the start of Calatia's massive territory. Though he was eager to move forward, between the excitement from the previous night and the edge of leaving the only homeland he'd had ever known, Sheik was thankful for a moment of repose.

He tended to the fire he'd started as Link sat by the bank, silently staring into the river. They hadn't spoken in awhile. Sheik supposed it had something to do with their last conversation.

He stepped back to observe his work. The fire was hearty. It would easily last until morning.

Setting down his prod, he glanced over at Link.

Still… he wondered.

What had him in such a pensive mood?

"Have you ever heard of the Mirror of Twilight?"

"I've heard mention of it," Sheik said slowly. "My people told legends of a realm that could not be reached save through a lone looking glass that the Gods kept hidden." He paused before adding, "It was never mentioned amongst any topic of real conversation, so I often dismissed it."

His companion held his gaze. His face unreadable, he replied.

"A long time ago, a band of magicians made an aggressive attempt to gain access to the Sacred Realm. The Goddesses sent the Great Light Spirits to stop them, but the magicians were strong. They were threatened by the dark magic, and created a realm where they wouldn't have access to Hyrule or the Sacred Realm. They called it the Twilight."

"Goddesses. So… it does exist," Sheik concluded.

Link nodded. "The mirror was created as a gateway. The few that were banished there eventually came to be known as the Twili."

"That's what those men were," Sheik concluded.

"They made their own kingdom, and for years it went untouched in the care of the Light Spirits and the Sages. Unfortunately, as we know…" he let out a humorless laugh, "that only ever lasts so long."

"How did they escape?"

Link hesitated. Sheik, keen with interest, waited patiently.

Still surveying him, Link continued, delicately. "You know that when Ganondorf was defeated, the Goddesses sealed him inside the Sacred Realm."

Sheik nodded.

"Well, some time during that first year afterwards, the Sages decided that they felt uneasy about Ganondorf being dormant in the Sacred Realm. They wanted him gone for good. So, they drew him out of the Sacred Realm and attempted to execute him."

Sheik felt his jaw drop. "What?"

Link nodded again. "They took him to a remote location deep within the Colossal Desert, within Olmor-"

"The Land of the Dead," Sheik finished for him. It was the desert west of Hyrule, the one containing the Temple to Omron. "That's where the Legion originated. But… the seal." His eyes widened. "That's how the Legion escaped. When they broke the seal..."

He thought back to his conversation with Zelda in the courtyard.

'That's how all of this started.'

Link went on. "They went against the Goddesses wishes. Ultimately, they were unable to execute Ganondorf. The Triforce of Power simply kept him alive. So… they trapped him through the mirror."

Sheik stayed quiet.

Link waited, his eyes never leaving the Sheikah.

Feeling Link's gaze, Sheik cleared his throat awkwardly. "Zelda knew of this?"

"… I'd imagine so."

He felt that familiar sense of betrayal creep up. He wondered what else Zelda hadn't told him.

Link looked back towards the north mountain.

Sheik followed his gaze. He could just make out a few rays of light peaking over the horizon.

"Let's continue this conversation elsewhere. We should really get moving."

Sheik, though frustrated and confused, did not argue.

The Sheikah stared into the flames, engrossed. His mind was still back at the palace gates, thinking of the abundance of information he'd received throughout that day.

'Yes,' he had to remind himself, 'it had all been just one day.'

And yet he had a feeling there were longer ones still ahead.

As usual, there were many pending questions to be addressed.

They had ridden in silence the rest of the way to the valley, save for Link pointing out directions periodically - more to himself than anything. Link could tell that Sheik had been deep in thought, though he pretended not to take notice (assumedly out of avoidance).

A stir in his peripheral broke his concentration. He looked up to see Link stringing line. He watched silently, only half of his attention on the actual task being done before him.

His eyes stayed on Link as he finished up and walked over to the fire.

He commented, "Should last awhile."

Sheik said nothing.

When he received no response, Link cleared his throat in discomfort before addressing him. "Our conversation has been bothering you."

Sheik held his gaze a little longer before averting his own. He tried to speak a moment, but was unsure of what to say.

Deciding that breaking the silence was in his best interest, he answered.

"There is so much that I didn't know about the war or Calatia or... anything really. Even my own people..."

He stared into the fire, at if he were speaking directly to the flames.

"I can't help but wonder what else I have been missing. I've be so blinded."

"By what?"

Sheik thought a moment. "Loyalty, I suppose, for Hyrule."

"For the Queen," Link corrected. Sheik didn't argue.

Link's horse whinnied impatiently. She hadn't been fed yet and was clearly unhappy about it.

He rose to tend to her.

"Whoa, girl." He gathered a handful of feed from her satchel, which she greedily took. Sheik looked on and idly wondered about his previous steed.

"I don't know you that well," - Link grabbed another handful of food - "and I would wager that I most likely never will, knowing you Sheikah." He stroked the mare as she finished her snack, looking contemplative. "... I spent a long time concerning myself with the affairs of everyone else. Zelda in particular... I always had a fondness for her."

Link's face as he mentioned their heiress was unreadable.

"There comes a time when you have to realize that the degree to which you are loyal isn't necessarily... reciprocated. When you realize that, it will open your eyes."

Sheik said nothing. He simply looked on as Link brushed his now complacent mare's mane.

Link gave him a glance. "Sheikah are loyal to a fault. I've met enough of them to know. I don't blame you for wanting to hold onto your teachings. It's just an old way of doing things that hasn't translated well outside of your tribe."

He finished up with the horse and checked her reins before returning to the fire.

Sheik thought about if and how he wanted to respond. He wasn't sure how he felt about Link analyzing him.

"Loyalty," he started, "is one of the Sheikah's most revered morals. It isn't often that we consider outsiders part of our own, but when we do, we hold them in the same regard as we do those of our own tribe. I will not abandon my vaules."

Link surveyed him inquisitvely, but Sheik knew the conversation was over.

They didn't speak for the rest of the night.

They packed up in the morning and headed toward the edge of the region.

Even as they came upon the barrier, they said nothing to one another. Link used a Light arrow to cause a rift and they continued through silently.

There had been one thing on Sheik's mind. Something that he couldn't shake.

Link had said that loyalty is not always reciprocated.

He was speaking of Zelda.

What else had she been keeping from him? Was she omitting information to protect him? Or was she following her own agenda?

They soon arrived at a mountain that Link called Snowpeak.

"The fastest way is up," he said, noticing Sheik scaling it with his eyes. "If we head straight over we'll be there in about 3 days."

The walk was steep so they had to take the climb slowly. The worsening snow as they ascended didn't help.

They trekked on with minimal conversation. Link would call directions now and again - "Right, here", "Avoid those rocks", "Mind this turn" - and Sheik began to realize that this had been a trip taken many a time.

"You know this route well."

"I've been on it enough to remember it's quirks."

And that was that.

The next couple of hours or so into their journey proved to be just as uneventful, and eventually they came to a clearing.

"We'll rest here a moment," Link said. "There isn't another place to stop past this for at least a few hours."

Sheik nodded and pulled a water jug out of the horse's pack.

Link, looking over his shoulder into the whitening woodland, absently unfolded a blanket to sit on.

"You have been quiet," he said to Sheik.

"Sheikah oftentimes try to minimize speech."

"Tell that to the person I met in the Temple of Time yesterday." Link smirked after his remark, making it that much worse for Sheik.

He frowned. "Well, in the presence of 'friends', I had been taught by the Hylians that it was customary to speak more candidly. But, as you made me plenty aware yesterday, we are not friends. So I am adjusting accordingly."

Link looked at him a moment, then shrugged and turned away. "Can you blame me?"

Sheik didn't answer.

"I thought this whole time that you had never existed. That you had just been Zelda in disguise. I mean, don't get me wrong; you are a lot better You then Zelda was." He laughed a little, and then his face was stoic. "But that doesn't change the facts. It's nothing personal," he added as an afterthought.

Sheik stared at him intently. Though he would not show it, he felt a little hurt.

He thought back to the few times they had met. The temple, the forest, the mountain, the lake...

He could hear the melodies playing, and feel them at his fingertips.

Had Link forgotten them?

He then thought about the well - about how they'd rushed to one another's aide.

Did that mean nothing to him?

Sheik hid his inner gainsay. "No," he said with a straight face, "It doesn't."

He had the feeling he was half replying to himself.

Link proceeded to stand and walk towards the woods. "I'll be back."

The Sheikah once again watched Link wander off, leaving him to his never ending stream of thought.

"Get back!"

The wooden beam burst off of the top of the well, flying overhead and landing yards away. Link followed it with his eyes incredulously.

"What the-?"

A loud rumble from deep within the well stopped his statement.

Sheik readied himself, all too prepared for the probable culprit.

There was silence. They heard nothing but the soft rain on the grass.

And then a screech- the kind of deafening cry you only hear in your nightmares.

Link covered his ears. Sheik held up a hand as he inched closer to the stone.

And then all at once, there was a rush of wind as he was picked up by an invisible force and flung about violently.

"Sheik!" He heard Link yell from somewhere below him. He tried to pick something to look at to steady his vision, but the effort was lost at he grew light-headed.

He was tossed forcefully forward, and the ground approached rapidly-

There was a crack and a moment of darkness.

He heard shouting seconds later as he came to, and realized it was Link, now considerably closer to him.

"-et up! Sheik!"

He found the strength to lift his head, his shoulder aching. Through blurred eyes he saw a shadow on the ground, heading straight towards Link.

He saw Link's body rise as he was whipped around in circles in the same manner Sheik had been. Without thinking twice, Sheik pulled out his harp with his good arm and immediately played the sun's song.

Hissing violently at the rays that started to peak through the clouds, the shadow released Link, slamming him down into the grass, before retreating to the graveyard. Sheik picked himself up and walked over to Link, prodding him in hope of a response.

"Link."

He got a groan in return.

'Good. At least he's alive.'

After a minute Link groaned again and lifted his head.

"Looks like you're coming around." Said Sheik, handing him a small vial of red potion.

Link took it groggily. "Thanks..." he looked at Sheik, noticing him holding his arm. "It looks like you need it more."

"I'll be fine." Sheik insisted. "Drink up, you'll need your strength if you're going it defeat the evil we just encountered."

Link didn't argue, downing the bottle. "What was that?"

"An evil shadow spirit that Impa had sealed away. It had gotten too strong to hold, and now it has escaped."

Sheik suddenly stood up as realization hit, holding his arm as he did. "Link, Impa went to the Shadow Temple. She's there all alone. We have to go to her-"

He suddenly saw white as he moved his arm the wrong way. He turned away from Link as he winced, but Link clearly saw.

"Sheik, you're hurt. You need to rest."

"I'll be fine. We need to save Impa. That thing will kill her."

"Let me take care of it." Link said, determination in his face. "I can't let you risk your life in this condition."

Sheik started to object, but Link's expression told him he'd made up his mind.

He was in no shape to argue. "Alright."

He pulled out his harp, resting it on his chest as he strummed a few notes. "Repeat what I've played."

Link did so on his ocarina.

Sheik played the last few, and Link repeated those as well.

He placed his harp down. "When played, this melody will take you to the entrance of the Temple."

Link nodded, then smiled.

Sheik looked at him questioningly. "What?"

Link shrugged. "I knew you'd say that."

Sheik stared at him blankly.

"You say that every time," Link explained. "Guess I've gotten used to hearing it."

Sheik thought back to their previous encounters over the past few months.

"I suppose I do," he said, and he felt a small curve in his lips as he said it.

Link always remembered things like that.

Immediately he snapped back to the current matter. "I will take care of the village. Go, to the temple."

"But who will take care of you?" Link nodded toward his shoulder.

"Do not worry about me." Sheik said, backing away slightly. He looked the hero in the eyes. "Be careful, Link," he said, and with a toss of a deku nut, he was gone.

As Sheik recalled their last encounter, he found himself wondering where the Link he'd known in that village had gone. Back then, he was compassionate and warm...

This new Link seemed anything but.

And he had the nagging feeling that this Link had something to hide.

Maybe a few things, even.

It was probably best to keep that thought to himself, though.

Sheik sat in silence, pondering the journey ahead.

He wondered if and when he would meet any of the northern tribe's members. He was contemplating their lifestyle and all the questions he'd always had about them when a gleam caught his eye.

It was a quick flash, like the sunlight had caught the edge of something reflective.

He didn't turn his head, but noted the eerie calmness that had settled in the snow-soaked meadow.

He really didn't hear much of anything. It had gotten...

Quiet.

He sat up straight, perfectly still, listening. He couldn't hear a sound, yet he felt the hairs on the back of his neck start to stand up, and his breathing slow dangerously.

He was fairly certain that he was being watched.

As a hand went right for the knife on his belt, he saw Link out of the corner of his eye, slowly making his way back through the trees.

His face said that he knew too.

Their eyes locked. Link had the advantage, being in the wooded area. Sheik was vulnerable, left wide-open in the clearing. Link's eyes shifted right, in dictating where the outsider was located.

When in combat training, Sheik had always liked to prepare himself with 3 calming breaths:

'In... and out.'

Link silently unhooked his bow, notching an arrow and crouching into the brush by his feet.

'In... and... out.'

Sheik unsheathed his knives, rubbing them between his knuckles in anticipation.

'In... and...'

Out.